Tao

In your country you had very great philosophers once upon a time. Of
course you believe in humanism; but there was another great, great
philosopher who was called as Lao-Tse, of a very high spirituality
like a great incarnation of a Master. What He has written about,
described about Yangtze River is very interesting, because I went
through the Yangtze River Myself. And He calls it Tao. Tao. Is
actually He is talking about Kundalini. He was a poet, so whatever He
has described is rather subtle. And maybe they must have thought that
it's better to understand other people than Tao written by Lao-Tse.
But all over the world you will find it is Tao which people respect
very much, and they like to always interpret the meaning of the word
"Tao."

Really symbolically He has described that this river Yangtze is a
difficult river to go through. And the surroundings, the banks of this
river, are extremely beautiful. You won't believe for twelve hours I
was sitting outside watching the beauty of the banks. I've never seen
such beautiful mountains, trees, and the whole movement of nature is
like an artist painting something. And all your paintings, most of
them, I think are impressed by that kind of banks that I saw, because
I have studied your art and I felt that the way you have shown in your
art that is mostly paintings of Yangtze River. But the symbolic thing
is this: that in the beginning it's a very difficult river, there are
lots of currents, they form lots of circles, very heavy type, and is
very difficult to climb. It is for quite some time you have to pass
very carefully. Just about few hours when it reaches the sea, it
becomes calm, absolutely calm.

In the same way, the Tao that He describes is, in the beginning,
according to Him, is rather difficult. But when it reaches near the
sea, it calms down. It is a remarkable thing that how He could see the
Kundalini so much well defined as this Yangtze River. It is an
extremely, very artistic, subtle idea. Shows what a poet He must have
been, and how highly developed spiritually He was.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi September 9, 1995 Conference on Women
Beijing, China