Spiders

TTC 8:

In dwelling, be close to the land

     Spider webs are magnificent creations. They are so uniform and a perfect example of order. Other than minor modifications, almost all spiders create the same style of web. Closely knitted in the center and expanding outward.

     A spider’s posture is to setup order according to Tao. It knows Tao and does not interfere with it. With patience the spider will sit as Tao supplies food into the web. Once in the web the spider springs into action quickly injecting the insect with venom (to my knowledge all spiders have venom, not all affect humans) and wrapping it in a cocoon. It accepts everything that sticks to the web and doesn’t worry about anything outside of it.

     I often wonder in this day and age if the simplicity of the past still applies in the modern world. My yard is not very large, but we do have a garden and grow what possible in that space. This still does not meet the needs of a family of 4 and we must purchase food from the store for additional sustenance. To do this we must make a trade. The stores will not take anything for trade other than American currency. I cannot create money and Tao does not provide it. Instead, with my time, a service is performed with a 3rd party as a trade for purchasing power that a store requires. A growing portion of the world must do the exact same. How is this in harmony with Tao? What do we do about this?

     I don’t know.