The Way and The Awake

On my Formspring Account, I quite recently received a series of questions about the differences between Buddhism and Daoism. I didn't want to take the time to answer them on Formspring (where my thoughts would result in an unwarranted wall of text), so the inquirer suggested I post it on my blog (where a wall of text is completely warranted).

Daoism and Buddhism get along well. Laozi and Siddhartha would have been good friends had they ever met! Despite this, they have their differences, because they tackle different social and spiritual issues.

The world-known Taijitu, or the symbol of yin and yang.

Daoism (also spelled Taoism) comes from the Chinese word 道 (dào), which literally means "road", "way", or "path". The (arguably) earliest known work that speaks of the Dao is the 道德经 (Dào​dé​jīng), which literally means "The Classic Text of the Way and Virtue". The other text that I rely on most heavily, second to the Daodejing, is the 庄子 (Zhuāng​zǐ), named for Zhuangzi who wrote it.

Daoism is predominantly Chinese in origin, but has spread very indirectly and very subtly to influence Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, as well as a handful of other countries in smaller varieties.

The primary principles of Daoism include the concepts of the dao, qi, wuwei, the wu xing or 5 "elements" or "stages", Feng Shui, and perhaps the most famous aspects, the concepts of yin and yang. Daoism stresses health, longevity, compassion, moderation, and humility.

So, the most popular question I get is, "What is the Dao?" The Dao is described as being indescribable. "Well, shit." I know, I know, it seems like a copout on Laozi's part, but the Dao is deeper than that. It's the source of all being. The way to inner peace and outer strength. The binding connectivity of all that is. We are the Dao, and the Dao is in us. But it is possible to stray from the Dao, by straying from nature, from peace, and from simplicity.

I mentioned 無爲 (wúwéi), and I realize that's probably an unfamiliar term. It means, roughly, "non-action" or "non-doing". Wuwei is best described as being patient, mindful, and willing to ask yourself , "Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear?" Chapter 15 of the Daodejing is my favorite example of describing wuwei. Through wuwei, you get closer to the Dao. Wuwei always leads to the path of least resistance-- The metaphor Laozi uses is water. Nothing is softer than water, yet through its softness it overcomes rock, steel, humankind, and animals. It gives life and nourishes all things, but knows how to kill. It always takes the lowest path, the most humble Way, and through that humility it is brought to power. Through this knowledge, it's easy to see that the purpose a Daoist takes on is to align himself harmoniously with the Dao.

Daoism arose as a clear response to Confucianism, which placed certain things above others. That, by nature, resulted in a large amount of inequality in ancient China. Laozi and Zhuangzi say in response to that basic inequality, "Hey, man, listen. Money, fame, filial piety, power, those things are all fine... But we only know what "low" is because we assign value to "high". We only know "beauty" because we know "ugliness"." By getting rid of the comparison, they get rid of the inequality. Besides, in the end, we all come from the Dao, so we all are equal in nature because the Dao does not take sides.

A lot of Daoism-influenced countries worship Laozi and Zhuangzi (knowingly or unknowingly) as gods or idols, but I sincerely doubt either of them would have cared much. Maybe they might have even reprimanded those who do so?

So, what does a Daoist expect in death? Daoists believe that the soul is eternal. Instead of true death, that soul, that qi, is transferred or reappropriated somewhere else; maybe to a tree, an animal, maybe another human. So, Daoism believes in a form of reincarnation.

Buddhism is a few centuries earlier than Daoism. The word "Buddha" isn't a name-- It's a title. "Buddha" literally means "one who is Awake". Unlike many other religions and beliefs, the works that reference the Buddha and his teachings didn't start showing up until hundreds of years after Siddartha Gautama Buddha's death.

Siddhartha Gautama was an Indian official or prince; the son of a cleric. He grew up in a world full of Hinduism, and Hinduism's consequent caste system. Buddhism is completely Indian in origin, but it has spread wildly throughout not only Asia, but the entire world.

The primary teachings of Buddhism include the concept of reincarnation, the nonexistence of the human soul, the importance of compassion, and stresses many of the same values as Daoism.

I mentioned the caste system earlier. At the heart of the caste system, similarly to Confucianism, lies inequality. Siddhartha Gautama witnessed this inequality at a young age, and set out to find out the core reason for all of this suffering. He came to the conclusion that to live means you will suffer, without doubt. At the root of this suffering is desire. By getting rid of the desire, you can alleviate the suffering.

Buddhism arose as a clear attack on the caste system that was riddled with social, monetary, and (according to the Hindus) spiritual inequality.The Hindus were all about advancing to the next level, because of the transmigration of the soul. The Buddha, however, saw all of the inequality and social suffering this system of beliefs created, and went ahead to say "Fuck it! You don't have a soul. What transmigrates is the mind, not the soul."

In some countries (mainly southeast Asia), Gautama Buddha is revered as a God. However, he stated numerous times to his disciples that he did not want that at all. Funny how things work out.

A Buddhist believes in reincarnation after death, similar to Daoists. The goal of a Buddhist is to be reincarnated enough times through samsara, or existence, to emerge into Nirvana, the popular grunge band escape from reincarnation into a state of being-nonbeing.


Daoism and Buddhism obviously get along very well, but the key differences are in the details. The Daoist way of life is focused on aligning oneself to the natural way of the cosmos, while the Buddhist is trying to understand and surpass pain and suffering through leading a moral life. If you have any more questions about the differences, similarities, or anything about these two belief systems, you can ask about it in the comments or by way of any of my social networks listed below.

If you like my writing, you can join the site to the right of the page, like Speaking with Storms on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+ . If you have questions or just want to chat, I'm on Formspring too!

Thanks for reading. Stay human, my friends.

Sharing is Caring: Part 1

Music has always been a big part of my life, from my own dabbling in piano, guitar, trumpet, djembe, and other instruments, to voice, and even just listening to many different genres. Music is in my blood, too--Everyone in my family (even my extended family) has some degree of musical talent, whether they utilize it or not.

I think the best thing you can do with music is share it. Therefore, I've decided to share with you my favorite album (of each genre that I like) of all time! Now, I want to break it up into five groups of three so that I can go somewhat in depth regarding my favorite tracks and favorite lyrics, as well as a general overview of what I think of the whole album.

1. Indie: Bon Iver's Bon Iver

 What I love about Bon Iver is mainly the uniformity of this album. The songs sound deeply related without getting superfluous or repetitive. It is easy to listen to, as well. It's relevant and poignant, but never loses that feel of soul. It's a good nighttime album, if you just want to have a quiet, reflective evening. Bon Iver never gets too loud or too fast, and most importantly, it doesn't pull any punches with its lyrics (no matter if they seem nonsensical or not). Bon Iver's made a large impact on the Indie music scene, and I have a feeling these cats aren't done yet.

Favorite Tracks:

• Minnesota, WI
• Calgary
• Beth/Rest

My Favorite Lyrics:
From Beth/Rest, this single line always jumps out at me more than the others because unlike all the other lines, this is straightforward and strong.

"I ainʼt living in the dark no more
it's not a promise, Iʼm just gonna call it"

2. Alternative: Linkin Park's 1000 Suns

  When I tell people I'm a fan of Linkin Park, I sometimes get a weird look in return. They get a bad rap for their angst-ridden lyricism in their early music, but I grew up with them and have watched them mature. Linkin Park's first two albums were good and fine, but I always had the feeling that the band could do more than down-tuned rap-metal. Then they released Minutes to Midnight and showed that they had some real diversity and skill in their musicmaking. A few years later, 1000 Suns hit and I was certain I had made the right decision in staying with them. 1000 Suns is one of my favorite albums of all time, because it tackles themes of American Exceptionalism, the danger of nuclear warfare, brotherhood, and standing up for what is truly right, coupled expertly with memorable quotes from J. Robert Oppenheimer, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mario Savio. 1000 Suns is as political as it is creative, and it does both quite subtly and powerfully.

Favorite Tracks:

• When They Come For Me
• Waiting For The End
• Iridescent
• The Catalyst

My Favorite Lyrics:
Oh, God, I have so many from this album, but my favorite come from Jornada del Muerto (Spanish for Journey of the Dead), which simply repeats two Japanese words:

"持ち上げて、解放して"

They read "Mochiagete, Tokihanashite" and translate to "Lift me up, let me go." The lyrics are then repeated in English in the song The Catalyst.


3. Metal: Mastodon's Crack the Skye

 When Mastodon's drummer, Brann Dailor, was interviewed about the album, he gave this description:

 "There is a paraplegic and the only way that he can go anywhere is if he astral travels. He goes out of his body, into outer space and a bit like Icarus, he goes too close to the sun, burning off the golden umbilical cord that is attached to his solar plexus. So he is in outer space and he is lost, he gets sucked into a wormhole, he ends up in the spirit realm and he talks to spirits telling them that he is not really dead. So they send him to the Russian cult, they use him in a divination and they find out his problem. They decide they are going to help him. They put his soul inside Rasputin's body. Rasputin goes to usurp the czar and he is murdered. The two souls fly out of Rasputin's body through the crack in the sky(e) and Rasputin is the wise man that is trying to lead the child home to his body because his parents have discovered him by now and think that he is dead. Rasputin needs to get him back into his body before it's too late. But they end up running into the Devil along the way and the Devil tries to steal their souls and bring them down…there are some obstacles along the way."

 So, pretty much, Mastodon does a lot of drugs. But, on top of that, this album has a lot of underlying themes. It's meant to signify the Greek element, aether, symbolized in the transmigration of spirits. Dailor explained the alternative spelling in the title, a reference to his sister who committed suicide at the age of 14:

 "Her name was Skye, so Crack the Skye means a lot of different things. For me personally, it means the moment of being told you lost someone dear to you, [that moment] is enough to crack the sky."

Favorite Tracks:
I seriously love every one of these songs, but certain ones that always stick out are

• Oblivion
• Divinations
• Ghost of Karelia
• Crack the Skye

Favorite Lyrics:
From Crack the Skye, I think these lyrics are really strong and tell of Dailor's love for his sister.

"Desperate heathens flock to sirens; guard your heartache well.
Mama, don't let them take her. Don't let them take her down!
Please tell Lucifer he can't have this one. Her spirit's too strong!"

To be continued in Sharing is Caring: Part 2!

If you like my writing, you can join the site to the right of the page, like Speaking with Storms on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+ . If you have questions or just want to chat, I'm on Formspring too!

Thanks for reading. Stay human, my friends.

The Symphony of the Universe

Symphonium Universi

The world is singing! Do you hear it?
The world is singing. All you have to do is listen.
On this spinning globe, there is so many millions of expressions of life!
They all are singing out in a beautiful choir of existence,
That hits me like an earthquake that brings me to kneel
In reverence. I can’t help put part my lips to sing along with them.
When all the noise is blocked out, and you stop to listen
You can hear it.
The world is singing.

I sit on the floor, with eyes closed and ears eager to listen.
The familiar pat-pat-pat of raindrops on my window
Ushers in a welcome rain.
Nature is has lifted its voices too.
I hear strings and voices in the Wind, drums in the Earth,
Horns and cymbals in waterfalls, raindrops and rivers.

Now I know why sages travel to mountaintops, prophets spend months in the desert
And the wise know the value of quiet.
It’s not so they can get away from the world!
It’s so that they can get closer to it.

We are part of it! Do you hear us singing along?
Hallelujah, we sing!
Let all creation join in!
We are here, we are alive!
Let us do what is good and right
And let the innumerable expressions of life create!

If you like my writing, you can join the site to the right of the page, like Speaking with Storms on Facebook or follow me on Twitter. If you have questions or just want to chat, I'm on Formspring

 and Google+ .

Thank you for reading. Stay Human, my friends.

Burning Letters

Just a rough draft of something that's been swimming in my head for a few days. Tell me what you think in the comments!

I liked you better when you were alive.
I'm pretty sure you would say the same about me, but
You've been gone for so long that I would rather remember you with a heartbeat
Than with a grandfather clock's last chime in your throat.
I've burned a few letters to send to you, but I know I won't get a reply.
Turning ash to paper is harder than the reverse.
I remembered your name today, at a baseball game.
I took a sip of water to wash it down, but it got caught on the knot in my stomach.
Maybe you needed your own Rikki-Tikki to fight the cobras slithering across your scalp,
But in the end you were poisoned by your own locks, the way you wanted.
You petrified all of the mongooses with your gaze intentionally.
So I'll burn one last letter for you before I wash you down for good.

I know it ends a bit abruptly, that's something I'm planning on fixing. This is one I'm going to be working on in the future, and I'll post the latest draft (can't surely say 'final') when I feel like taking a break from it.

If you like my writing, you can join the site to the right of the page, like Speaking with Storms on Facebook or follow me on Twitter. If you have questions or just want to chat, I'm on Formspring, too!

Peace and Love, thank you for reading. Stay Human.

The Dao of Aging

"Those who speak, do not know. Those who know, do not speak." These famous words often attributed to Confucius actually appear in the 道德经，the earliest Daoist book of scripture written by 老子or LaoZi (Often written Lao Tzu). I have oftentimes consulted that book for wisdom when I don't know where else to turn.

Many people think I am wise. This could not be further from the truth! I am so foolish. I often say things I don't mean, and I fill my body and mind with garbage constantly. However, I do know right from wrong most of the time and I know what I stand for in this world.

Pictured above is my absolute favorite word in Chinese: dào​, meaning "way", "path", or "truth". It means so very much to me.

Earlier this week I got into an argument with someone I respect. I'm not proud of it. The things I said were very unloving and I wish I could take every one back. During this argument, this person made a few comments about how young I am and how very inexperienced I am. I was slightly offended.

I am young and inexperienced, I understand that very well. I've not even yet lived out a quarter of my life! I know I am very naive. However, as I said earlier, I do know right from wrong. The person I was arguing with believes that wisdom comes with age and experience, not with what we read in books. I could not agree more. However, everyone ages differently and experiences different things daily. This person is intelligent, having studied philosophy and discourse. He is a fair deal older than I am and thus has experienced different things.

However, age is not everything. It says in Buddhism, Daoism, and Christianity that to find true wisdom, one must become like a little child and see things with wonder; see things as though you are seeing them for the first time. This person believes I am headstrong and arrogant, thinking I have all the answers. He's half right. I am arrogant, and work to fix this every day of my life. I know, however, that the more I see, the less I know. I am constantly finding answers, but I always am given countless more questions for each answer I find.

I may not be as old as this person, but I can tell my right from wrong and I have learned much in my studies and experiences with other cultures, peoples, languages, and ideas.

The Dao of a person can be constantly changing, and is always transforming with everything we experience. This is not to say, however, that it gets better the more we age-- In fact, many times, people are so out of tune with the Dao that they start to look down on those who are younger.

I'm not trying to defend myself from this person's accusations, but instead want you, the reader, to keep an open mind to those who are younger than you. They may not have been around the sun as many times as you, but it's not a bad idea to listen to them with an open mind. We can live in Harmony this way.