Respond to the Dow Jones Industrial Average with the Dao

The Dao De Jing may be the oldest spiritual document known to man. The title translates to "The Way" and it contains 81 short verses that lend insight into the natural laws of the universe that are always at work in our lives. It is positively remarkable that this intriguing text is so relevant so many thousands of years after it was imparted by a man named Lao Tzu.

When you read the Tao it is hard to discount the prophetic exactness and relevance of Lao Tzu’s wisdom for us today. Each one of the verses has powerful implications and applications to us now in the 21st Century.  The Tao reminds us that humanity is essentially the same as it was in 2500 BC although our technology and knowledge makes us believe that it is vastly different.  Think about that for a moment.  Our nature, desire for wholeness, the rules of decency, kindness, creativity, love and curiosity are basically the same as they were for ancient humans.

We can use the way of the Tao in our modern lives as we seek to navigate what seems to be the most uncertain time in human history. Applying this ancient and wise text to our lives is one way to respond to the Stock Market and global concerns with trust, optimism and wisdom. Living the Tao or "the Way" in times such as these blends our spiritual quest with our economic and global quests.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is just one indicator of the health of our economy. While we cannot minimize the grave errors made by individuals, organizations and governments that have contributed to the present state of things, their bad decisions and selfish actions, have created a mess that fear and anger will not solve.  Harnessing the power of natural law we can step toward healing our economy and our future.  While few things seem predictable in the 21st Century the Tao is a place we can go for insight on how to navigate