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  Copyright © 2007 by Wayne W. Dyer

  Published and distributed in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.com • Published and distributed in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.: www.hayhouse.com.au • Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by: Hay House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk • Published and distributed in the Republic of South Africa by: Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.: [email protected] • Distributed in Canada by: Raincoast: www.raincoast.com • Published in India by: Hay House Publishers India: www.hayhouse.co.in

  Wayne Dyer’s editor: Joanna Pyle

  Editorial supervision: Jill Kramer • Design: Amy Rose Grigoriou

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private use—other than for “fair use” as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews—without prior written permission of the publisher.

  The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Dyer, Wayne W.

  Change your thoughts, change your life : living the wisdom of the Tao / Wayne W. Dyer.--1st ed.,.

  p. cm.

  ISBN 978-1-4019-1184-3 (hardcover) -- ISBN 978-1-4019-1750-0 (pbk.) 1. Laozi. Dao de jing. I. Title.

  BL1900.L35D94 2007

  299.5’1482--dc22

  2007000532

  ISBN: 978-1-4019-1184-3

  10 09 08 07 4 3 2 1

  1st edition, August 2007

  Printed in the United States of America

  Contents

  Preface. Verse Number:

  1 Living the Mystery

  2 Living the Paradoxical Unity

  3 Living Contentment

  4 Living Infinitely

  5 Living Impartially

  6 Living Creatively

  7 Living Beyond Ego

  8 Living in the Flow

  9 Living Humility

  10 Living Oneness

  11 Living from the Void

  12 Living with Inner Conviction

  13 Living with an Independent Mind

  14 Living Beyond Form

  15 Living an Unhurried Life

  16 Living with Constancy

  17 Living as an Enlightened Leader

  18 Living Without Rules

  19 Living Without Attachment

  20 Living Without Striving

  21 Living the Elusive Paradox

  22 Living with Flexibility

  23 Living Naturally

  24 Living Without Excess

  25 Living from Greatness

  26 Living Calmly

  27 Living by Your Inner Light

  28 Living Virtuously

  29 Living by Natural Law

  30 Living Without Force

  31 Living Without Weapons

  32 Living the Perfect Goodness of the Tao

  33 Living Self-Mastery

  34 Living the Great Way

  35 Living Beyond Worldly Pleasures

  36 Living in Obscurity

  37 Living in Simplicity

  38 Living Within Your Own Nature

  39 Living Wholeness

  40 Living by Returning and Yielding

  41 Living Beyond Appearances

  42 Living by Melting into Harmony

  43 Living Softly

  44 Living by Knowing When to Stop

  45 Living Beyond Superficialities

  46 Living Peacefully

  47 Living by Being

  48 Living by Decreasing

  49 Living Beyond
Judgment

  50 Living as an Immortal

  51 Living by Hidden Virtue

  52 Living by Returning to the Mother

  53 Living Honorably

  54 Living as If Your Life Makes a Difference

  55 Living by Letting Go

  56 Living by Silent Knowing

  57 Living Without Authoritarianism

  58 Living Untroubled by Good or Bad Fortune

  59 Living by Thrift and Moderation

  60 Living with Immunity to Evil

  61 Living by Remaining Low

  62 Living in the Treasure-house of the Tao

  63 Living Without Difficulties

  64 Living by Being Here Now

  65 Living by Staying Simple-hearted

  66 Living by Emulating the Sea

  67 Living by the Three Treasures

  68 Living by Cooperating

  69 Living Without Enemies

  70 Living a God-Realized Life

  71 Living Without Sickness

  72 Living with Awe and Acceptance

  73 Living in Heaven’s Net

  74 Living with No Fear of Death

  75 Living by Demanding Little

  76 Living by Bending

  77 Living by Offering the Surplus

  78 Living like Water

  79 Living Without Resentments

  80 Living Your Own Utopia

  81 Living Without Accumulating

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Preface

  Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

  — George Bernard Shaw

  Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life is the end product of my yearlong journey of research, contemplation, and application of the Tao Te Ching, a book of wisdom that’s been translated more than any volume in the world, with the exception of the Bible. Many scholars consider this Chinese classic the ultimate discourse on the nature of existence; and it continues to be a valuable resource for achieving a way of life that guarantees integrity, joy, peace, and balance. I recently read about someone who overcame life-threatening addictive behaviors by reading and rereading the 81 verses of this ancient text. Just imagine! In fewer than 100 short passages, it describes a way of living that’s balanced, moral, and spiritual; and that works for all facets of life on Earth.

  Legend tells us that the Tao Te Ching was authored by Lao-tzu, a prophet who was also the keeper of the imperial archives in the ancient capital of Luoyang. Seeing the continual decay during a period of warring states, Lao-tzu decided to ride westward into the desert. At the Hanku Pass, a gatekeeper named Yin Hsi, knowing of Lao-tzu’s reputation for being a man of wisdom, begged him to record the essence of his teaching. Thus, the Tao Te Ching was born out of 5,000 Chinese characters.

  In all my reading on the origins of the Tao Te Ching, I never found a definitive historical record of its writing . . . yet today it survives in thousands of versions in virtually every language. In fact, after reading this classic text one morning and then taking in a different interpretation that afternoon, I was hooked. I ordered more translations, five of which were quite old and five of which were more modern (you’ll find their titles in the Acknowledgments). Since neither Lao-tzu nor the origins of his verses are historically certain, I was fascinated by the different ways the 5,000 characters were interpreted by scholars in the editions I studied—especially when you consider that many of these ancient Chinese symbols are no longer in use and invite differing translations themselves.

  I then felt called upon to write an essay for each verse that showed its valuable wisdom applied to the 21st century. From those ten translations I’d gone over, I pieced together the 81 passages in Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life, based on how they resonated with me. This book is my personal interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, each verse of which gave me an insight into life and nature. As you read on, know that these pages were pasted together from what I personally felt were the most useful aspects of those ten different translations I studied, and I apologize for any exclusions (or if the inclusions don’t seem to be a perfect fit).

  One of the many gifts of the Tao Te Ching is its mind-stretching quality, especially in the way that Lao-tzu uses irony and paradox to get you to look at life. If you think that being forceful is the appropriate response, Lao-tzu urges you to see the value in being humble. If action seems called for, he asks you to consider nonaction. If you feel that grasping will help you acquire what you need or want, he counsels you to let go and be patient.

  And just what is this thing called “the Tao”? As we’re told in the 1st verse, to name it is to lose it, so here’s the best that I can come up with: The Tao is the supreme reality, an all-pervasive Source of everything. The Tao never begins or ends, does nothing, and yet animates everything in the world of form and boundaries, which is called “the world of the 10,000 things.”

  Commentaries on the Tao Te Ching generally interpret Tao as “the Way,” Te as “the shape and power” (that is, how the Tao manifests), and Ching as “book.” Every translation I read referred to the Tao as the Way with a capital W, and Te as adding light or color to the Way. Well, as I look at the name I’ve carried with me for over 65 years, Wayne Dyer, I realize what may have attracted me to studying and writing these essays! As you can see, the first three letters of my name make up the word Way, while a dyer is one who adds light or color. It’s no wonder why I’ve been so totally involved in reading, writing, interpreting, and, most significantly, putting into practice these 81 verses.

  In The Wisdom of China and India, Dr. Lin Yutang states, “If there is one book in the whole of Oriental literature which should be read above all others, it is, in my opinion [Lao-tzu’s] Book of Tao. . . . It is one of the profoundest books in the world’s philosophy . . .” As you read Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life, you’re going to find your way through Lao-tzu’s mystical and practical philosophy, along with the joy of applying it to your life in today’s modern world.

  Writing this book was a complete surrender to ideas that didn’t always seem to fit a linear rational approach, and it has changed me in a way that’s like the Tao itself: unexplainable and unnameable. Once I knew that I’d be spending a year on this project, its creation came about in the following way, which I have journaled for you:

  I awake before 4 a.m., meditate, consume juices and supplements, and enter my sacred writing space. On a table, I have some framed drawings of Lao-tzu: In one he’s clad in simple robes, in another he’s standing with a staff, and in a third he’s astride an ox. I ease into my work and read one verse of the Tao Te Ching, letting the words stay with me and inviting the forces of both the outer and the inner life to inform me.

  Some of the passages contain ideas that seem to be directed to political leaders—yet in all cases I keep the average reader in mind. In other words, I seek the wisdom for everyone, not just for those in positions of government or business.

  I jot down a few notes, and for the next three days I think about what Lao-tzu is offering. I invite the Tao to be with me throughout the day in all my activities as a background to the title of this book. “Change your thoughts, Wayne,” I tell myself, “and watch how your life changes.” And my thoughts do change.

  I feel the Tao with me, always there, always doing nothing, and always leaving absolutely nothing undone. As I’m now Seeing with a capital S, the landscape looks different. The people I See are godly creations who are ignoring their own nature, or even more poignantly, needily interfering in the affairs of others. I have a different perspective now: I feel more peaceful and patient. I keep being reminded of the cyclical nature of the world of the 10,000 things and have powerful insights that change what I see. I know that we humans are like the rest of the natural world and that sadness, fear, frustration, or any troubling feeling cannot last. Nature doesn’t create a storm that never ends. Within misfortune, good fortune hides.

/>   Following my days of thinking and then applying the wisdom of a particular verse, I look into the eyes of Lao-tzu’s picture in the early morning, and I wonder, What did you mean? How does this apply here, today, to anyone who might want to live according to these majestic teachings?

  What happens next is mind-blowing in that it simply comes. Through the ages, through the atmosphere, through my purple pen and onto the page, flows what I can only call automatic writing. I know I don’t own it. I know I can’t touch it, feel it, see it, or even name it, but the words arrive in the world of the 10,000 things. I am grateful, bewildered, astonished, and overjoyed. The next day I begin another four-day adventure with this wisdom a Chinese master recorded 2,500 years ago, feeling so blessed, honored, and completely awestruck by the profound impact these words have on me.

  It’s my vision that in this 21st century, our world must recruit future leaders who are steeped in the importance of Lao-tzu’s words. Our survival may depend on understanding that the concepts of “enemy” and “war” can cease to exist through living Tao-centered lives. Government will need to retreat from regulating our personal lives, overly taxing our income, and invading our privacy.

  Yet the lessons and truths of the Tao must be discovered and applied by individuals. In this way, it can bring you to the enormous wonder of your own being—yes, you are the Tao at work. Your Preface being came from, and will return to, nonbeing. So for maximum enjoyment and benefit, make reading this book a personal journey. First peruse one of the passages of the Tao Te Ching and the essay that follows it. Next, spend some time applying it, changing the way you’ve been conditioned to think and letting yourself open up to a new way of conceptualizing these ideas. Finally, individualize the verse by writing, recording, drawing, or expressing yourself in whatever way you’re called to. And move on to the next verse with a rhythm that suits your nature.

  The following is from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations by Deng Ming Dao, which I love to turn to each day. Read this excerpt and see the Tao coming alive in you: