Consciousness of the Thinking Mind

Human wisdom is about consciousness of the thinking mind. That is, we must be aware of what is happening in our minds.

Descartes, the famous French philosopher, made this famous statement: "I think, therefore I am." Yes, it begins with the mind, and it is all in the mind, because your mind creates your own "reality" which is no more than the byproducts of your thoughts, resulting in actions and reactions that become the fabrics with which you weave your own reality. Your life experiences are 

Tao (道) is about the thinking mind. It is the wisdom of Lao Tzu, the ancient sage from China, who was the author of the immortal classic Tao Te Ching.

We are human, and it is human nature to follow and cling to human wisdom as a beacon of light to show us the way as we continue our life journey. Tao or the Way is a means to an end, but not an end itself. That is to say, we follow Tao to some destination, but Tao is neither a destination nor the destination. Attaining human wisdom is a continual process; there is no destination.

Tao may be the Way between human wisdom and divine wisdom. It helps us understand the true nature of man and his role in the world of creation, and thus connects us directly or indirectly to the Creator.

One of the essentials of Tao is awareness, which is consciousness of thinking.

Awareness is the presence of mind that enables us to wait with patience for the revelation of God’s wisdom, which does not happen immediately, especially when our minds are still compulsive and muddled.

“we wait for our muddled thoughts to settle,

our composed minds to become clear just like muddy water,

until enlightenment arises, followed by eternal salvation.”

(Lao Tzu, Chapter 15, Tao Te Ching)

With awakened awareness, we may perceive the ultimate truth in Biblical wisdom that leads to human salvation.

Lao Tzu emphasizes the need for awareness as we continue to process the profound wisdom that is slowly and gradually revealed to us. Without that acute awareness, there may not be any understanding. Therefore, we must be:

“watchful, like a man crossing a winter stream;

alert, like a man aware of danger;

courteous, like a visiting guest;

yielding, like ice about to melt;

simple, like a piece of uncarved wood;

hollow, like a cave

opaque, like muddy water.”

(Lao Tzu, Chapter 15, Tao Te Ching)

With Tao wisdom, we may not only seek more but also understand better Biblical wisdom. Consciousness of the thinking mind holds the key.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau