The Way of the Dragon -- Writer's Poke #192

In The Tao of Inner Peace, Diane Dreher describes the difference between the philosophies of Confucius and Lao Tzu.

Confucius, she notes, "upheld elaborate rituals of etiquette and social duty." In other words, he promoted a conservatism that placed the good of the society over the creative freedom of the individual.

Lao Tzu, on the other hand, put the individual first. The basic idea of Tao is that the individual can control any situation through the way that situation is perceived. And Te, according to Dreher, refers to living a purposeful life.

Putting Tao and Te together is what is meant by living the way of the dragon. Confucius apparently admitted that he had no idea how a dragon could fly, but he recognized that dragons did in fact have that ability, and that Lao Tzu was himself a dragon.

Are you a follower or a dragon?

"Challenge is a dragon with a with a gift in its mouth. Tame the dragon and the gift is yours." -- Noela Evans

Comments

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