Tintern Abbey by William Wordsworth

 

William Wordsworth

Tintern Abbey
Lines Written a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey, on
Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour, July 13, 1798

Excerpt:

"The coarser pleasures of my boyish days,
And their glad animal movements all gone by,
To me was all in all. – I cannot paint
What then I was.
The sounding cataract
Haunted me like a passion: the tall rock,
The mountain, and the deep and gloomy wood,
Their colors and their forms, were then to me
An appetite: a feeling and a love,
That had no need of a remoter charm,
By thought supplied, or any interest
Unborrowed from the eye. –  That time is past,
And all its aching joys are now no more,
And all its dizzy raptures. Not for this
Faint I, nor mourn nor murmur: other gifts
Have followed, for such loss, I would believe,
Abundant recompence.
For I have learned
To look on nature, not as in the hour
Of thoughtless youth, but hearing oftentimes
The still, sad music of humanity,
Not harsh nor grating, though of ample power
To chasten and subdue. And I have felt
A presence that disturbs me with the joy
Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime
Of something far more deeply interfused,
Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns,
And the round ocean, and the living air,
And the blue sky, and in the mind of man,
A motion and a spirit, that impels
All thinking things, all objects of all thought,
And rolls through all things. Therefore am I still
A lover of the meadows and the woods,
And mountains; and of all that we behold
From this green earth; of all the mighty world
Of eye and ear, both what they half-create,
And what perceive; well pleased to recognize
In nature and the language of the sense,
The anchor of my purest thoughts, the nurse,
The guide, the guardian of my heart, and soul
Of all my moral being.
Nor, perchance,
If I were not thus taught, should I the more
Suffer my genial spirits to decay:
For thou art with me, here, upon the banks
Of this fair river; thou, my dearest Friend,
My dear, dear Friend, and in thy voice I catch
The language of my former heart, and read
My former pleasures in the shooting lights
Of thy wild eyes."

And ... Put the Load Right On Me

The song "The Weight" by The Band, 1960's

Harmonica Version, Key of A

Here is a Playing for Change Version:

[Verse 1]
I pulled in to Nazareth
Was feeling 'bout half past dead
I just need someplace
Where I can lay my head
"Hey, mister, can you tell me
Where a man might find a bed?"
He just grinned and shook my hand
"No" was all he said

[Chorus]
Take a load off, Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off, Fanny
And (And, and)
You put the load right on me (You put the load right on me)

[Verse 2]
I picked up my bag
I went looking for a place to hide
When I saw Carmen and the Devil
Walking side-by-side
I said, "Hey Carmen
Come on, let's go downtown"
She said, "I gotta go
But my friend can stick around"

Chorus

[Verse 3]
Go down, Miss Moses
There's nothin' you can say
It's just ol' Luke, and
Luke's waitin' on the Judgement Day
"Well, Luke, my friend
What about young Anna Lee?"
He said, "Do me a favor, son
Won't ya stay and keep Anna Lee company?"

[Chorus]
And take a load off, Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off, Fanny
And (And, and)
You put the load right on me (You put the load right on me)

[Verse 4]
Crazy Chester followed me
And he caught me in the fog
He said, "I will fix your rack
If you'll take Jack, my dog"
I said, "Wait a minute, Chester
You know I'm a peaceful man"
He said, "That's okay, boy
Won't you feed him when you

Chorus Repeat

Harmonica Studies by Michael P. Garofalo
A Beginner's Notes, Research, Comments, Suggestions

"The Weight" Harmonica, by The Band, 1960's,
Harmonica Key of A

A  C#m  D  A    (x4)        
4   4  4    - 4  5  5 5 5  5 5   4   4 -4 4
I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin' about half past dead
4  4  4  - 4    5   5 5 5  5   5 4 4   6    4  
I just need some place where I can lay my head
 6   6  6   6   6    6  -6   5  5 5  5  4  4 -4  4
"Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?"
 4 4 4  - 4   5   5     5    5     5   5  4  4  -4 4
He just grinned and shook my hand, "no" was all he said  
 
44 55 66
 
A         D  (x3)
6 6 6  5 4 4     
Take a load off, Fanny
6 6 6  5 4 
Take a load for free
6 6 6  5 4 4 
Take a load off, Fanny
D           A
4 4 4 4 4 4 44 444 55 4 
And (and) (and) you put the load right on me

Harmonica Studies
A Beginners 
A  C#m  D  A    (x4)        
4   4  4    - 4  5  5 5 5  5 5   4   4 -4 4
I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin' about half past dead
4  4  4  - 4    5   5 5 5  5   5 4 4   6    4  
I just need some place where I can lay my head
 6   6  6   6   6    6  -6   5  5 5  5  4  4 -4  4
"Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?"
 4 4 4  - 4   5   5     5    5     5   5  4  4  -4 4
He just grinned and shook my hand, "no" was all he said  
 
44 55 66
 
A         D  (x3)
6 6 6  5 4 4     
Take a load off, Fanny
6 6 6  5 4 
Take a load for free
6 6 6  5 4 4 
Take a load off, Fanny
D           A
4 4 4 4 4 4 44 444 55 4 
And (and) (and) you put the load right on me


Harmonica Studies by Michael P. Garofalo
A Beginner's Notes, Research, Comments, Suggestions



Chords on
A Major Key Diatonic Harmonica

I     A Major   ACE  (Blow Holes 123
or 456 or 789 or any 2 or 3 adjacent holes)

IV   D Dyad   DF    
  (Draw 56 and Draw 9 10)

V    E Major   EGBD  (Draw Holes 234
or Draw Holes 1234)

      Gm Minor  GBD  
(Draw 345 and 789)

      E7   EGBD      (Draw
Holes 2-5)

      Em  BE         
 (Draw 12)

      Bm  
BDF         (Draw 456 and 89 10)

      Cross Harp, 2nd, play on D Key diatonic
harmonica.

      Key Signature: Three Sharps: C F G; A Major or
F#minor.

      I play: Lee Oskar Tombo Key of A




 

I Love Science

 "I love science, and it pains me to think that so many are terrified of the subject or feel that choosing science means you cannot also choose compassion, or the arts, or be awed by nature. Science is not meant to cure us of mystery, but to reinvent and reinvigorate it."
- Robert Sapolsky, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers

"In the end, it's probably impossible to tease out whether the heads or tails of science, the theory or the experiment, has done more to push science ahead." (DS, p36).  


"It is theory that decides what we can observe."
-  Albert Einstein

"Consider what effects, that might conceivably have practical bearings, we conceive the object of our conception to have. Then, our conception of these effects is the whole of our conception of the object."
-  Charles Sanders Pierce

The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements  By Sam Kean.  Little, Brown and Company, 2010.  400 pages.  ISBN: 978-0316051644.  VSCL.  Subjects: Chemistry, Periodic Table, Science, Elements.  This book is the most interesting, informative, and well written book I have read in the last 60 days. 

The modern sciences of physics and chemistry have discovered or synthesized 118 Elements.  This fascinating subject can be studied through the graphical model of the Periodic Table of Elements first conceived in 1869 by the Russian chemist, Dmitri Medneleev.  Read the "Disappearing Spoon" for the fascinating story of the Table of the Elements. 

   

Benefits of Playing Music

The Benefits of Playing Music Help Your Brain
More Than Any Other Activity

By John Rampton, 2017

"Long-Lasting Benefits for Musicians

Brain-scanning studies have found that the anatomical change in musicians' brains is related to the age when training began. It shouldn't be surprising, but learning at a younger age causes the most drastic changes.

Interestingly, even brief periods of musical training can have long-lasting benefits. A 2013 study found that even those with moderate musical training preserved sharp processing of speech sounds. It was also able to increase resilience to any age-related decline in hearing.

Researchers also believe that playing music helps speech processing and learning in children with dyslexia. Furthermore, learning to play an instrument as a child can protect the brain against dementia.

"Music reaches parts of the brain that other things can't," says Loveday. "It's a strong cognitive stimulus that grows the brain in a way that nothing else does, and the evidence that musical training enhances things like working memory and language is very robust."

Other Ways Learning an Instrument Strengthens Your Brain

Guess what? We're still not done. Here are eight additional ways that learning an instrument strengthens your brain.

1. Strengthens bonds with others. This shouldn't be surprising. Think about your favorite band. They can only make a record when they have contact, coordination, and cooperation with one another.

2. Strengthens memory and reading skills. The Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory at Northwestern University states this is because music and reading are related via common neural and cognitive mechanisms.

3. Playing music makes you happy. McMaster University discovered that babies who took interactive music classes displayed better early communication skills. They also smiled more.

4. Musicians can process multiple things at once. As mentioned above, this is because playing music forces you to process multiple senses at once. This can lead to superior multisensory skills.

5. Music increases blood flow in your brain. Studies have found that short bursts of musical training increase the blood flow to the left hemisphere of the brain. That can be helpful when you need a burst of energy. Skip the energy drink and jam for 30 minutes.

6. Music helps the brain recover. Motor control improved in everyday activities with stroke patients.

7. Music reduces stress and depression. A study of cancer patients found that listening to and playing music reduced anxiety. Another study revealed that music therapy lowered levels of depression and anxiety.

8. Musical training strengthens the brain's executive function. Executive function covers critical tasks like processing and retaining information, controlling behavior, making decisions, and problem solving. If strengthened, you can boost your ability to live. Musical training can improve and strengthen executive functioning in both children and adults."

Ikigai: A Reason for Living

"A Reason for Living":  Ikigai

Ikigai "entails actions of devoting oneself to pursuits one enjoys and is associated with feelings of accomplishment and fulfillment."
-  Michiko Kumano

Secrets to a Long and Happy Life

1.  Stay active and don't retire
2.  Leave urgency behind and adopt a slower pace of life.
3.  Only eat until you are 80 per cent full.
4.  Surround yourself with good friends.
5.  Get in shape through daily, gentle exercise.
6.  Smile and acknowledge people around you.
7.  Reconnect with nature
8.  Give thanks to anything that brightens our day and makes us feel alive.
9.  Live in the moment.
10.  Follow your Ikigai.  

-  Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles,  Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, 2017.

Advice from Wise Persons: How to Live the Good Life

Compiled by Michael P. Garofalo

Dao De Jing, Chaper 70, Laozi

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Chapter 70

"My words are very easy to know,
Very easy to follow.
Yet the world is unable to know them,
Unable to follow them.

My words have a source,
My efforts have mastery.
Indeed, since none know this,
They do not know me.
The rare ones who know me
Must treasure me.

Therefore, Evolved Individuals
Wear a coarse cloth covering
With precious jade at the center."
-  Translated by R. L. Wing, 1986, Chapter 70

"My words are easy to understand and very easy to apply.
But no Ego is able to understand them or apply them.

Words have authority.
Affairs have a history!

It is simply because of their ignorance
that Egos do not understand me.
Those who understand me are few, and
thus I am ennobled.

For this reason, Sages may wear homespun cloth over their shoulders,
but they carry a jewel beyond price in their heart."
-  Translated by Jerry C. Welch, 1998, Chapter 70  

"Easy are my words to know, and also to practice.
Yet none is able to understand nor yet to practice them.
For there is a remote origin for my words, and a supreme law for my actions.
Not knowing these, men cannot know me.
Those who know me are few, and by them I am esteemed.
For the wise man is outwardly poor, but he carries his jewel in his bosom."
-  Translated by Walter Gorn Old, 1904, Chapter 70


My words are very easy to understand and very easy to put into practice, yet in all the world no one appears to understand them or to practice them. 
Words have an ancestor (a preceding idea), deeds have a master (a preceding purpose), and just as these are often not understood, so I am not understood. 
They who understand me are very few, and on that account I am worthy of honor.
The wise man wears wool (rather than silk) and keeps his gems out of sight."
-  Translated by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919, Chapter 70 


"My words are very easy to understand,
And very easy to put into practice,
Yet there should have been no one in the world
Who can understand them
Or can put them into practice.
Words must be purpose-oriented,
Deeds must be reasonably grounded.
People cannot understand me
Because they fail to understand what is said above.
Those who understand me are few;
Those who can follow my advice are even less.
That is why the sage
Is always dressed in coarse cloth
But conceals about him a beautiful piece of jade (the Tao)."
-  Translated by Gu Zengkun, Chapter 70  


吾言甚易知, 甚易行.
天下莫能知, 莫能行.
言有宗.
事有君.
夫唯無知, 是以不我知.
知我者希.
則我者貴.
是以聖人被褐懷玉.
-  Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 70

wu yen shên yi chih, shên yi hsing.
t'ien hsia mo nêng chih, mo nêng hsing.
yen yu tsung.
shih yu chün.
fu wei wu chih, shih yi pu wu chih.
chih wu chê hsi. 
tsê wu chê kuei.
shih yi shêng jên pei ho huai yü. 
-  Wade-Giles Romanization, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 70 


"Though the words of the sage are simple,
and his actions easily performed,
they are few among many,
who can speak or act as a sage.

For the ordinary man it is difficult
to know the way of a sage,
perhaps because his words
are from the distant past,
and his actions naturally disposed.

Those who know the way of the sage
are few and far between,
but those who treat him with honesty,
will be honoured by him and the Tao.

He knows he makes no fine display,
and wears rough clothes, not finery.
It is not in his expectancy of men
that they should understand his ways,
for he carries his jade within his heart."
-  Translated by Stan Rosenthal, 1984, Chapter 70  


"My words are so simple to understand
and so easily put into practice
that no one in all beneath heaven understands them
and no one puts them into practice.
Words have their ancestral origins and actions their sovereign:
it's only because people don't understand this that they don't understand me.
And the less people understand me the more precious I become.
So it is that a sage wears sackcloth, keeping pure jade harbored deep."
-  Translated by David Hinton, Chapter 70 


"La palabras tienen un origen; los hechos, una ley.
Mis palabras son fáciles de comprender y fáciles de seguir,
Y, sin embargo, nadie las comprende y nadie las practica.
Es la sabiduría la que impide al hombre acercarse a mi.
Son pocos los que me siguen, porque estoy más allá de toda alabanza.
Por ello el Sabio se cubre con una tela tosca, pero guarda joyas en su seno.
Conoce su valor, pero no lo ostenta. 
Se ama a sí mismo, pero no se tiene en alta estima.
Rechaza lo último y se ciñe a lo primero."
-  Translated from Chinese into English by Ch'u Ta-Kao, Translated from English into Spanish by Caridad Diaz Faes, Capítulo 70

"My words are most easily known,

Most easy to practice, too,

But none in the world my words can know,

And their practice can pursue.

 

There's an Ancestry in my words,

There's a Head for the things I preach,

But, because they are all misunderstood,

They know not what I teach.

 

The ones who know me are few,

But the few who know me prize,

Though the sage may wear a hair-cloth garb,

The gem in his bosom lies."
-  Translated by Isaac Winter Heysinger, 1903, Chapter 70

"My teaching is very easy to understand,
And very easy to carry out.
Yet the world is incapable of understanding it,
And incapable of carrying it out.
My teaching has an ancient source,
My practices have a ruling principle.
As people are ignorant of this,
So they fail to understand me.
When those who understand me are few,
Then I am distinguished indeed.
That's why the Sage wears a coarse cotton robe,
To conceal the jade ornament worn on his bosom."
-  Translated by Henry Wei, 1982, Chapter 70 


"My words are easy to understand, easy to put in practice; yet the world can neither understand nor practice them.
My words have an underlying intent; my actions have a ruling motive.
It is only ignorance that causes men not to understand my doctrine. 
Those who understand me are few; those who copy me are worthy.
Wherefore the Sage dresses in coarse robes while hiding a jewel in his breast."
-  Translated by Frederic Henry Balfour, 1884, Chapter 70 


Chapter 71, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

English Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Spanish Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices

Taoism: A Selected Reading List  

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons

One Old Daoist Druid's Final Journey   

  

Make America Great Again

Make America Great Again?

Really now, was America really "Great" at some undefined decade in the past.  And, should we return to that state of "Greatness" that we have left behind.

How about 1910 before World War I?  Women could not vote, Jim Crow laws made life miserable for Negroes throughout the South, people lived to around 50, no anti-biotics were available, no Social Security or Medicare, sweat shop non-union work conditions, pollution, coal consumption, rich white men in charge ... 

How about the 1930's: The Great Depression, Jim Crow laws, discrimination towards women in jobs, limited advanced medical treatments, harassment of gay people, A World War on the horizon, few telephones, rich white men in charge, Nazi racist ideology on the rise, limited divorce laws favor men ...

How about around 1850: Slavery, everybody worked as farmers, few colleges/universities, no votes for women, widespread poverty, limited government, Civil War looming, no electricity, no plumbing, few roads, rich white men in charge, all Christian Churches supported slavery ...

How about the 1780's: What the current Tea Party politicians like to tout as "Great." Slavery, rich white land owners have all the political power, very limited government services, everybody dirt farming, repression of Native people, repression of women, little or no taxes, free-for-all exploitation ...

How about the 1990's: computer boom and good new jobs, a bustling economy, easing persecution of gays, Clinton Democratic administration, tougher laws, rich white men controlling power, corporate greed, repression of the working class, America First Jingoism, environmental exploitation and destruction, ignoring the serious climate changes, blind worship of  Christian myths, pollution of the oceans and great rivers, our oil addiction, money-money, fast food spending, spend-spend, bigger cars, RVs, and guns, world travel, species extinction, etc. Was this all GREAT??

So, just when was "America Great"? Pretty much always for rich white men and rich Christian preachers in control of jobs and politics and indoctrination.

Karen and I gave $120.00 to the Biden/Harris campaign, Ellon Musk gave $45,000,000.00 to Donald Trump's campaign. Really! Again, rich white men and wealthy corporations trying to take control.

I wish for and hope that America can improve, become better, be more inclusive, deal constructively with environmental and energy problems, adopt Green Lifestyles, and that our citizens can have respect and appreciation for all the efforts by Federal, State, County, and City governments and employees to improve our lives in hundreds of useful ways.  

I seriously doubt that we might be 'greater' and 'better' and 'improved' in the future. The old simpler definitions of "GREAT" (i.e., huge military industrial complex, tougher laws, rich white men controlling power, racism, discrimination, repression of the working class, America First Jingoism, environmental exploitation and destruction, ignoring the serious climate changes, blind worship of  Christian myths, pollution of the oceans and great rivers, our oil addictions, money-money, spend-spend, bigger cars, RVs, and guns, world travel, etc.) are NOT Great and will lead to worldwide disasters, famine, wars, and disease.

If you are a minimum wage worker, keep always in mind that Republicans have always voted against minimum wage increases for workers. Republicans and Trump have also been consistently against the Affordable Health Care Act (Obama Care).  Republicans have always resisted and voted against Social Security since President Roosevelt and Medicare since President Johnson.

Republicans like to complain about various programs, complain about people they don't like, complain about crime, complain about immigrants, complain about governmental rules they don't like, complain about overpaid government employees, complain about catering to old people, complain about rising prices, complain about liberals, etc., etc. Their opinions about "governmental failures" and "creeping socialism" dominate their thoughts, not the good achievements of our people.

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” - John Kenneth Galbraith

Republicans consistently preach about the Magic Bullet of REDUCING TAXES. Yet they seldom specify which governmental services should be discontinued, expanded, or eliminated. They claim that reducing taxes will result in more and better jobs? How?  "Trickle Down Economics" will just result in more trivial goods purchased from China, higher Federal debt, and richer billionaires.  They want more high paid police to protect their property and lives; and, maybe less welfare for homeless mothers or no food for children at school or more abortion restrictions or less Medicare benefits, or cutting the pay of government employees, or no Green initiatives. A Modernized White Jesus (getting rid of the Jewishness) would agree with their plans, they believe. Consume more for myself and my family, and ignore all the warning cries of the Earth and less fortunate people.

Democrats have also failed in many ways to govern wisely for the long run. However, in 2024, I think that even the more limited Green Platform of the Democratic Party offers better ideas for our people. 

Summertime Gardening

Repost from August 2015:

This past week, the daytime temperatures have ranged from 95-105F, humidity under 30%, gentle breezes, and terrible air quality due to the many fires west of us in the Yolly Bolly mountains and Trinity range.  Three fire fighters have lost their lives while battling these terrible forest fires.

Our summer garden has been productive this year in terms of tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, kale, zucchini, herbs, and cantaloupes.

We have been pulling up vegetable plants in our sunny garden that have run their course and are now fading away.

The daytime heat has stressed all the plants despite reasonable watering.

The Spirit of Gardening:  Over 3,500 Quotes, Sayings, Facts, or Poems.  Compiled by Mike Garofalo.

The Month of August

 

Belfair State Park, Washington

I have reserved a Yurt for camping at Belfair State Park along the Hood Canal.

I will arrive there at 4 pm on Monday, September 9th, 2024, and will leave at 11:00 am on Thursday, September 12th, 2024. I usually camp in a Yurt for 3 nights.

I will bring my harmonicas and music books, fishing gear, kites, string figures kit, MP3 music, books, laptop computer, maps, guide books, camera, and writing tools.

I'm sure there will be a ban on campfires from May to October.

Right now, in the summer of 2024, the Hood Canal is so polluted that you cannot safely let the water touch your body. No swimming or wading in the Hood Canal or incoming streams.  Nearly the entire west and south side of the Hood Canal have thousands of summer homes along the shore line.  Leaking septic systems are the primary cause of the pollution. Forget about harvesting shellfish. Scary!  

I mostly eat unrefrigerated and uncooked foods when camping. I plan to enjoy a 6 pack of tinned Santo Amaro Sardines from Portugal on this trip. I will also probably eat some meals at a cafe or restaurant in nearby Belfair.

I do some qigong and tai chi chuan and many longer walks.

I plan to drive around and explore the Kitsap Peninsula along the Hood Canal.

City of Belfair, Washington, Population 4,500

Kitsap County, Washington

Belfair State Park

Presidental Politics 2024

I strongly support the ideas and platform presented by Democratic candidates. I donate to Democratic candidates in every election.

We got through the COVID epidemic under Biden/Harris/Medical Team leadership. We stayed out of the Israel/Hamas killing spree.  Unemployment is lower. Needed  conservation measures began. We supported NATO allies against Russian attacks.  Water quality improvements were initiated. More was invested in electrical power options and uses.

I do not support the anti-federal governmental policies, anti-women's rights and anti-homosexual rights agenda, denial of climate change, States Rights renewals, and Christian Moral Majority opinions of current Republicans. Republicans complain too much, want lower taxes, and have no constructive solutions for the problems our future presents. Also, Donald Trump helped stage a violent attack on the Congress, refused to concede defeat by Joe Biden, lies often, and has numerous criminal convictions for misbehaviors. His off-hand remarks are often quite offensive to many people, even a former Republican and military veteran like me. 

Joe Biden looks trim and fit to me. Most of the time, his speeches are just fine.  Nevertheless, he has consulted with his doctor and has now decided to not run for President again. We thank him for his many decades of governmental service to our Country. This man exemplifies respect, honor, dignity, and loyalty to his basic political views and principles.

Now, the 2024 Presidential Election, has become very interesting.

Who will be the Democratic candidates?

I need to listen and learn.

My Websites Are Offline

 I was working with my account at Network Solutions which handles my Internet websites registrations, and I messed up somewhere.  I can't get into my websites.  Will work on the problem on Monday morning. 

Originally, before I used Bluehost as my webserver, I had registered and purchased my URL's for www.greenway.com and www.egreenway.com at Network Solutions back in 1998. No problems since 1998, until yesterday.

Costs run around $800 a year for all my Internet Publishing, while my website income has dwindled from $1,500 a year to under $400 a year.  I can afford to offer the webpages online to the world. And, will continue offer the webpages up to people until I die, and that is not too far away since I am 78 years old.

My advice to my readers is to DOWNLOAD and SAVE my specific webpages that you want to keep. If individual scholars or organizations want to copy and archive my webpages, they are free to do so.

I still get lots of positive feedback from readers around the world.

Recent Positive Feedback

"Thank you for you extensive HomePage, wise words and documentation of life wisdom. Truly inspirational."
- Christian Damguard, 3/3/2024

My Cloud Hands Blog has had 2,077, 666 Page Views since 2005.

My webpages have been viewed over 88,000,000 times since 1998.

"As I may have mentioned, I regularly consult your website on the Tao, as I am in the process of putting forth a new translation, with commentaries. … My current approach is completely different from the edition I put out some 20 years ago. I can’t say I’m embarrassed by my old translation, only that I no longer resonate with it. Again, that’s for your selfless service in putting together your page." - Jonathan Starr, 12/12/23

"By the way, your website on the Dao De Jing is totally awesomme!" - Solala Towler, 9/6/2023

Tao Te Ching Website. Anthology and Online Index of Lao Tzu's Daodejing. Edited by indeded by Michael P. Garofalo.

Mike Garofalo and Bruno
Vancouver, WA, 2000

A typical webpage created by Mike Garofalo for each one of the 81 Chapters (Verses, Sections) of the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi) includes over 25 different English language translations or interpolations for that Chapter, 5 Spanish language translations for that Chapter, the Chinese characters for that Chapter, the Wade-Giles and Hanyu Pinyin transliterations (Romanization) of the Mandarin Chinese words for that Chapter, and 2 German and 1 French translation of that Chapter.  Each webpage for each one of the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching includes extensive indexing by key words, phrases, and terms for that Chapter in English, Spanish, and the Wade-Giles Romanization.  Each webpage on a Chapter of the Daodejing includes recommended reading in books and websites, a detailed bibliography, some commentary, research leads, translation sources, a Google Translate drop down menu, and other resources for that Chapter.   

Chapter 76, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

English Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Spanish Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices

Taoism: A Selected Reading List

One Old Daoist Druid's Final Journey