The Tao Te Ching: A Bedtime Story

In ancient China, the wise librarian Lao Tzu received a celestial vision of a jade-green dragon, entrusting him with profound teachings of balance and harmony, known as the Dao. Compelled by this revelation, Lao Tzu embarks on a journey, meeting seekers and sharing insights, ultimately reaching the western gate to relay his teachings to the eager gatekeeper, Yin Xi. Embracing the wisdom, Yin Xi ensures its preservation, capturing the timeless principles in the revered text, the Tao Te Ching. This narrative traverses Lao Tzu's encounters with the natural rhythm of the universe, emphasizing simplicity, unity, and the flow of life. His legacy becomes an enduring beacon, guiding generations in the dance of existence.

Transcript

Lao Tzu and the Tao Te Ching,

A Bedtime Story.

Chapter 1.

The Dream of the Dragon.

Lao Tzu,

An old librarian in the imperial archives of the Zhou dynasty,

Had always been content in his world of scrolls,

Ink,

And paper.

Surrounded by tales of old,

He cherished the silent hours where he could lose himself in the stories of the past.

One night,

After a long day cataloging new scrolls,

Lao Tzu settled into his simple bed.

The soft glow of the lanterns outside his window cast dancing shadows on his walls.

As he drifted into sleep,

A peculiar dream began to unfold.

He found himself standing at the edge of a vast,

Serene lake.

The water,

As still as glass,

Reflected the majestic mountains and clear blue sky above.

Lao Tzu could see koi fish with scales shimmering in hues of gold and silver,

Swimming gracefully beneath the water's surface.

The world was so silent that he could hear the soft flutter of a butterfly's wings as it passed by.

Suddenly,

A deep rumble echoed through the mountains,

Shaking the very ground Lao Tzu stood upon.

He looked up to see a majestic,

Jade-green dragon spiraling down from the heavens,

Its scales sparkled like thousands of emeralds,

And its eyes,

Deep and wise,

Locked onto Lao Tzu's own.

Don't be afraid,

The dragon spoke,

Its voice a harmonious blend of thunder and melody.

I am the guardian of ancient wisdom,

And I have chosen you,

Lao Tzu,

To share a profound message with the world.

Lao Tzu,

Despite the surreal nature of the dream,

Felt an inexplicable calm.

What message do you wish me to convey?

He asked,

His voice steady.

The dragon descended,

Its massive head now level with Lao Tzu.

The world is changing,

It began.

The old ways are being forgotten,

And the balance between humanity and nature is shifting.

You must pen a guide,

A way to remind people of the harmony they have lost.

But why me?

Lao Tzu whispered,

Feeling the weight of the responsibility.

Because you are a vessel of knowledge,

The dragon replied.

You cherish the past,

And yet you see the present.

You are a bridge between the two.

Write,

Lao Tzu,

And your words will bring peace and understanding.

The dragon then guided Lao Tzu to the water's edge.

Look into the water,

It instructed.

As Lao Tzu peered into the depths,

He saw visions of villages,

Of cities,

Of emperors and farmers,

All living in harmony with the land and each other.

The scene played out like a dance,

A balance of give and take,

Of understanding and compassion.

These visions are the teachings of the Tao,

The dragon explained.

The natural way of the universe,

The balance of all things.

Capture these teachings in your own writing.

Share the wisdom of the Tao with the world.

As the dream began to fade,

The dragon left Lao Tzu with one final piece of advice.

Trust your heart,

And the words will flow.

The journey ahead won't be easy,

But the impact of your message will resonate for millennia.

Lao Tzu awoke with a start,

The morning sun pouring into his room.

The dream,

So vivid and real,

Remained etched in his mind.

With a newfound purpose,

He set out,

Ink and scroll in hand,

To pen what would become one of the most influential texts in history,

The Tao Te Ching.

Chapter 2.

The Journey to the West The days following the dream were unlike any Lao Tzu had known.

A burning passion had ignited within him,

And every waking moment was consumed by the need to pen down the teachings the dragon had shared.

But as the words began to flow,

So did the realization that this knowledge was too vast and profound to be confined within the walls of the imperial archives.

Lao Tzu knew he had to share this wisdom with the world.

Packing a modest bag with essentials and tucking away the scrolls he had already written,

He set off on a journey to the west.

Word had spread of a keeper at the western gate of the empire.

A wise man named Yin Zi,

Who possessed the keen insight to understand and appreciate the teachings Lao Tzu carried.

As he journeyed through the vast landscapes of ancient China,

Lao Tzu encountered a myriad of people from all walks of life.

Each encounter provided him with a deeper understanding of the world and reaffirmed the importance of the message he carried.

In a quiet village nestled between two hills,

He met a farmer named Liang,

Who spoke of the struggles of daily life.

But through it all,

Liang practiced gratitude and saw beauty in the simplest of moments.

The first light of dawn.

The laughter of his children.

The taste of fresh water from the stream.

Lao Tzu realized that the principles of Tao were already being practiced by many,

Even if they weren't aware of it.

At a bustling marketplace in a larger town,

Lao Tzu observed the intricate dance of buyers and sellers.

The give and take.

The balance that kept the marketplace alive and thriving.

A potter named Mei,

With clay-covered hands,

Shared her philosophy with Lao Tzu.

Each pot I create has a life of its own,

And I must listen and shape it accordingly.

Here,

Lao Tzu saw the Tao at work again.

The understanding of balance.

The respect for individuality.

And the acceptance of the natural way.

However,

The journey was not without challenges.

There were days when Lao Tzu felt weary,

Questioning the weight of the responsibility he carried.

And one particularly challenging evening,

As a storm raged and Lao Tzu sought shelter under a large tree,

Doubt began to creep in.

Is my message truly important?

Will it be understood?

Or will it be lost in the sands of time?

But as the storm cleared,

And the first rays of the morning sun pierced through the clouds,

Lao Tzu found clarity.

The beauty of the world after the storm,

The freshness of the air,

And the songs of all the birds,

Served as a reminder of the natural balance of the universe,

The Tao.

The storm and the calm that followed were both essential,

Both parts of the same dance.

Months passed,

And Lao Tzu finally arrived at the Western Gate.

As he approached,

A figure stood waiting.

It was Yin-Zi,

The gatekeeper.

Rumors of Lao Tzu's writings had reached him,

And he had been awaiting the old librarian's arrival with great anticipation.

Welcome,

Wise one.

Yin-Zi greeted,

A look of reverence in his eyes.

I have heard tales of the wisdom you carry,

And I'm eager to learn.

Lao Tzu,

Tired from his journey,

But invigorated by the prospect of sharing his teachings,

Replied,

I bring with me the teachings of the Tao,

The natural way.

But remember,

It is not just in scrolls or words.

It is in every breath we take,

Every step,

Every heartbeat.

It is the dance of the universe.

And with that,

Under the setting sun,

The two wise men sat,

And the teachings of the Tao Te Ching unfurled.

Chapter 3.

The Wisdom Shared Yin-Zi listened intently as Lao Tzu began to recite the teachings.

The words flowed like water,

Gentle yet profound,

Simple yet deeply resonant.

Under the vast canopy of the star-studded night,

The universe seemed to quieten,

As if it too was leaning in to listen.

As Lao Tzu spoke,

Yin-Zi was transported.

He saw visions of vast rivers,

Effortlessly carving their way through mountains,

Of trees growing tall and strong without striving,

Of birds gliding seamlessly on the winds.

Each verse of the Tao Te Ching revealed a profound truth,

An understanding of the natural rhythm and balance of the universe.

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.

Lao Tzu began,

Emphasizing the ineffable nature of the ultimate truth.

The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.

The named is the mother of ten thousand things.

Yin-Zi pondered on these words.

The teachings highlighted the duality of life.

The seen and the unseen,

The named and the nameless,

Yet all existed in harmony as part of a larger cosmic dance.

Lao Tzu spoke of wu-wei,

The concept of non-action or non-doing.

Act without action,

Work without effort.

This wasn't a call to inactivity,

But an invitation to align with the natural flow of the universe,

To act without forcing or striving.

The wisdom contained in the verses was vast,

Yet Lao Tzu's delivery was gentle and unhurried.

With each teaching,

Yin-Zi felt a transformation within,

A deep peace settled over him,

A clarity and understanding he had never known.

At dawn,

Lao Tzu finished his recitation,

And the two men sat in silence,

Absorbing the magnitude of the wisdom shared.

The world around them seemed more vibrant,

Alive in its simplicity and beauty.

As the first light of the sun illuminated the horizon,

Yin-Zi turned to Lao Tzu with tears in his eyes.

Your teachings have touched the very core of my being,

He said.

His voice choked with emotion.

I must ensure that this wisdom is preserved for generations to come.

With reverence,

Yin-Zi took the scrolls Lao Tzu had written and made copies,

Ensuring that the teachings would be spread far and wide.

Lao Tzu,

Sensing his journey nearing its end,

Smiled serenely.

The wisdom of the Tao belongs to the world,

He whispered.

Let it flow like water,

Reaching every corner,

Nourishing every soul.

Days turned into weeks,

And Lao Tzu felt a call to continue his journey,

To wander the land and be one with the Tao.

Before departing,

He left Yin-Zi with a final teaching.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Walk with the Tao,

And you will never walk alone.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Yin-Zi watched as Lao Tzu disappeared into the horizon,

Becoming one with the vast landscape of ancient China.

The gatekeeper,

Now a guardian of sacred wisdom,

Dedicated his life to sharing and preserving the teachings of the Dao Te Ching.

As years passed,

Tales of Lao Tzu's journey and his profound teachings spread like wildfire.

They crossed rivers,

Mountains,

And vast plains,

Touching the hearts of young and old,

Rich and poor,

Scholar and farmer.

The wisdom of the Tao became a guiding light,

A beacon of hope and understanding,

Teaching generations the beauty of simplicity,

Balance,

And the natural way.

And so,

Under the vast canvas of the night sky,

The legacy of Lao Tzu lived on.

A timeless bedtime story whispered from parent to child,

From teacher to student,

A tale of a humble librarian who dreamt of a dragon and shared the dance of the universe with the world.

Reviews

Thank you !💓🙏

He has a soothing voice. I fell asleep before the end of the story! 😃

Sweet! www..gratefulness.org, ahimsa www.compassioncourse.org