"You forget your feet when the shoes are comfortable. You forget your waist when the belt is comfortable. Understanding forgets right and wrong when the mind is comfortable. There is no change in what is inside, no following what is outside, when the adjustment to events is comfortable. You begin with what is comfortable and never experience what is uncomfortable when you know the comfort of forgetting what is comfortable."

This strikes me as particularly a propos considering our self-imposed isolation due to the Covid-19 spread. This lock down of sorts is wearing and testing many. I know I'm not alone either. It's this unease at facing what is inside. How ridiculous. What is there that I would fear inside?

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KNOWLEDGE WANDERED North to the banks of the Black Waters, climbed the Knoll of Hidden Heights, and there by chance came upon Do-Nothing-Say-Nothing. Knowledge said to Do-Nothing-Say-Nothing, "There are some things I'd like to ask you. What sort of pondering, what sort of cogitation does it take to know the Way? What sort of surroundings, what sort of practices does it take to find rest in the Way? What sort of path, what sort of procedure will get me to the Way?"

Three questions he asked, but Do-Nothing-Say-Nothing didn't answer. It wasn't that he just didn't answer - he didn't know how to answer!

There is a big white dog that is socially awkward at the park. A rescue that comes on strong and forceful. We thought my two chocolate labs could mellow that dog.

Kozak is a fun-loving but deep down stressed dog. He was always that way. His lucky-go-round attitude betrays deep anxieties. Pablo, his brother is more down to Earth. It takes him a little longer to warm up. A little more socially awkward, it takes him longer to warm up. But when he does he plays in the funniest ways. And when he does, this hundred bound dog jumps using his front paws in ways that make you smile.

Those two couldn't be any more different. I jokingly say Kozak is a reincarnated rugby player while Pablo is still questioning this whole dog thingy.

The dog barked angrily at them. He came on so strong and it shocked Kozak. He flattened out like a pancake at my feet. His normal outgoing nature is now skittish. On the other side, Pablo came sitting next to me scoping the situation. The white dog came running full speeds many times next to them. Taunting them, waiting for a reply after a while Pablo barked him off. I had never seen a chocolate lab bark off another dog. It was impressive. I still have shivers running down my back.

But little Kozak never quite recovered. He's shy now. He doesn't play as much with other dogs. He'll only play with Pablo. And he still plays rough, so rough Pablo doesn't want to play with him. His initial reaction with other dogs is open and frank, but he stops, turns around and comes back tome. He used to be so carefree. He's shocked.

It's amazing how much these dogs have taught me. Sometimes I see life through their personalities. I see a lot of their personalities in my wife and me. I also see my brother and me as kids. And then it hit me.

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I'm not an expert in Vedic astrology but enjoy its different way of seeing the stars than western astrology. If you've never heard of Kai, Sarpa, Rahu, and Ketu, don't worry. There are similarities between both. After all, how much different can human understanding and perceptions be even halfway on the other side of the globe? GHasn't the Covid-19 virus taught us we are more alike than different?

Pt. Punarvasu says "all planets including the Sun, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn are under the orbit / axis of Rahu & Ketu forming a very significant negative Kal Sarpa Yoga. This yoga is currently built up in your horoscope with all planets hedged between Rahu in Gemini & Ketu". Rahu and Ketu are respectively the North Node and South Node.

He says "the Kal Sarpa combination is underway with all the planets hemmed between Rahu (the dragon's head) and Ketu (the dragon's tail) which figuratively speaking means that the entire planet chain in swallowed by Rahu & Ketu similar to what the world is experiencing - a worldwide lockdown."

"Rahu & Ketu are karmic planets. They become fully dominant over all planets during Kal Sarpa Combination, not allow them to function independently. When Rahu-Ketu act like masters of everything, they create major blocks in thinking. Being egged by negative serpentine energy, any miscalculated decisions backfire. Major decisions & moves need to be delayed till 27th May 2020 and once the negative energy dissipates it would be time for us to move on."

My first love was an introduction to Taoism in High School at around 13. It's hard to describe what it did to me or how I felt.

Home. This is it. That makes sense. This is the closest I remember how I felt when I was first introduced to the ancient Chinese philosophy that tries to explain what life is through what it's not and the "Way" as impalpable, ineffable. Taoism has its place in today's world where the ridiculous is worshiped and nonsense adulated.

"Cut off sageliness, cast away wisdom, and then the great thieves will cease. Break the jades, crush the pearls, and petty thieves will no longer rise up. Burn the tallies, shatter the seals, and the people will be simple and guileless. Hack up the bushels, snap the balances in two, and the people will no longer wrangle. Destroy and wipe out the laws that the sage has made for the world, and at last you will find you can reason with the people."

It's hard to argue against this wisdom.

But try as we might, we live in different times than the ancient masters did. As much, we must adapt and take from the old, anchoring our feet in this new reality we are forced to acknowledge.

I take refuge often in Chuang Tzu's famed words. No matter whether he or she exists or not. Who cares. It's the moon we must watch, not the finger-pointing. But this ruthless logic should have us re-examine our way of disempowering ourselves, then complain, then hail saviors that never come.

As we watch the news, it would be wise to see we hear from political careerists and not trained health professionals. Those who are trained health professionals speaking with politicians have long left the confines of their labs and research.