The Human Body and Religion

I am always keenly interested in our understanding, appreciation, and uses of our human bodies.  Somatics and mind-body arts practices are one focus of my research and writing.  My own opinions about a philosophy of living one's life, and enjoying the use of our bodies are, generally, non-religious, Epicurean, skeptical, and philosophical.  

Religious views of the body-mind are a serious impediment to scientific and pragmatic progress. 


"Two thousand years of Christian discourse—anatomy, medicine, physiology, or course, but also philosophy, theology, and aesthetics—have fashioned the body we inhabit.  And along with that discourse we have inherited Platonic-Christian models that mediate our perception of the body, the symbolic value of the body's organs, and their hierarchically ordered functions.  We accept the nobility of heart and mind, the triviality of viscera and sex (the neurosurgeon versus the proctologist).  We accept the spiritualization and dematerialization of the soul, the interaction of sin-prone matter and of luminous mind, the ontological connotation of these two artificially opposed entities, the disturbing forces of a morally reprehensible libidinal humanity ... All have contributed to Christianity's sculpting of the flesh.

Our image of ourselves, the scrutiny of the doctor or the radiologist, the whole philosophy of sickness and health—none of this could exist in the absence of the above mentioned discourse.  Nor could our conception of suffering, the role we allot to pain and therefore our relationship with pharmacology, substances, and drugs.  Nor could our conception of suffering, the role we allot to pain and therefore our relationship with pharmacology, substances, and drugs.  Nor could the special language of practitioner to patient, the relationship of self to self, reconciliation of one's image of oneself with a ideal of the physiological, anatomical, and psychological self.  So that surgery and pharmacology, homeopathic medicine and palliative treatments, gynecology and thanatology, emergency medicine and oncology, psychiatry and clinical work all obey Judeo-Christian law without any particularly clear understanding of the symptoms of this ontological contamination.

The current hypersensivity on the subject of bioethics proceeds from this invisible influence.  Secular political decisions on this major issue more or less correspond to the positions formulated by the church.  This should be no surprise, for the ethos of bioethics remains fundamentally Judeo-Christian.  Apart from legislation on abortion and artificial contraception, apart fro these two forward steps toward a post-Christian body—what I have elsewhere called a Faustian body—Western medicine sticks very closely to the church's injunctions.

The Health Professionals' Charter elaborated by the Vatican condemns sex-change operations, experiments on the embryo, in vitro fertilization and transfer, surrogate motherhood, medical assistance with reproduction, but also therapeutic cloning, analgesic cocktails that suspend consciousness as life comes to an end, therapeutic use of cannabis, and euthanasia.  On the other hand, the charter praises palliative care and insists on the salutary role of pain.  These are all positions often echoed by ethical committees calling themselves secular and believing themselves independent of religious authority." 

-  Michel Onfray.  Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.  Translated from the French by Jeremy Leggatt.  New York Arcade Publishing, 2005, 2011.  ISBN: 10161145008X.  Annotated bibliography, 246 pages.  VSCL.  A lucid, strong, well reasoned, insightful, and stylish presentation.  Excellent explication of the French and European writing on atheism, anti-clericalism, irreligion, deconstruction of religions, and anti-fascism.  His detailed knowledge of religious customs and ideas is very impressive.  I agree with Professor Onfray's assessment about the negative influences of the three monotheistic religions surveyed; as I do with the dynamic and robust critiques of religion by Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins, and Sam Harris. The above quote is from p. 47 or Professor Onfray's book.  


When my mother, June, was dying of colorectal cancer, she spent her final days comfortably in a hospice.  When she died my superstitious Catholic father said many times that the hospice killed her, that the hospice practiced euthanasia, that the hospice was sinful and evil.  No matter how much I explained hospice care to him, he would not listen.  It is no wonder my mother did not want to see my father at the end.  I concluded that that he would rather have seen her suffer more, believing that suffering was good for the soul.  He was often a mean and rigid macho man, lacking loving-kindness and compassion. 

When I was 12 years of age, I was told by my priest confessor that masturbation was a mortal sin, evil, unnatural, and inspired by the devil; and, that I would go directly to hell for eternal horrific punishment if I continued to masturbate.  I knew that that masturbation was pleasant, harmless, disease free, legal, and entirely private.  I could not understand how if I should murder somebody I would go to hell, and if I masturbated I would go to hell.  These church rules and penalties regarding masturbation seemed to me arbitrary and absurd.

The longstanding mistreatment of women by religious authorities and religious rules is also completely unsatisfactory to me.  Dr. Ben Carson, for example, a recent secular Republican political candidate, believes our laws should be changed so that any woman who is impregnated by a rapist or through incest should not be allowed to have an abortion even if she chooses to do so.  Reflect also on how women are oppressed and mistreated under the domination by Islamic men.  

I was not surprised to read that the Catholic Church, Islam, and Mormons still all object to vasectomies.  Religions supported and encouraged slavery for centuries.  Religions significantly slowed the progress in anatomy for many centuries by refusing to allow post-mortem autopsies.  Large families are encouraged by religions (more paying believers in the long run I suppose) despite the grueling poverty of overpopulation.  Examples of the pernicious effect of religion on medicine, psychology and public health can, unfortunately, be multiplied with ease.  

The fact that people hold antiquated and false views about bodily functions is not so troublesome as the fact that their religious leaders want to force everybody to accept, obey and follow their nonsensical opinions.  These religions do not favor freedom of thought and action, scientific investigation, and freedom of expression.  Most sensible and modern 'social church goers' simply quietly ignore and disregard most of these outmoded ideas about bodily functions and behaviors pandered by their priests and preachers, if they can do so without being harmed by the local religious police enforcers.  


I have never gone to any church since I was 16, after I left Catholic high school.  What a wise move on my part to abandon the silly rules, anti-scientific opinions, fables, myths, superstitions, and authoritarianism of organized religions.  A good life is much easier to live and enjoy, without the burdens of religious twaddle.  


"The source of man's unhappiness is his ignorance of Nature. The pertinacity with which he clings to blind opinions imbibed in his infancy, which interweave themselves with his existence, the consequent prejudice that warps his mind, that prevents its expansion, that renders him the slave of fiction, appears to doom him to continual error."
-  Baron d'Holbach, The System of Nature

 
"The whole thing is so patently infantile, so foreign to reality, that to anyone with a friendly attitude to humanity it is painful to think that the great majority of mortals will never be able to rise above this view of life. It is still more humiliating to discover how a large number of people living today, who cannot but see that this religion is not tenable, nevertheless try to defend it piece by piece in a series of pitiful rearguard actions."
-  Sigmund Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, 1930 

Quinault Rain Forest Trip

 

Ocean Shores
Sharky's Souvenir Shop

Ocean Shores
Empty Beaches at Low Tide

Quinault Rain Forest and Quinault Lake

 

Quinault Rain Forest, Washington

Quinault Rain Forest
Western Coastal Washington

We plan to visit Lake Quinault and the Quinault Rain Forest.  

Lake Quinault is the gateway to the Quinault Rain Forest in the Olympic National Park.  Very dramatic scenery in this area.  Seacoast, rivers, dense forests, mountains, lakes ....

Lake Quinault, Quinault Rain Forest, Quinault River

Lake Quinault is 52 miles north of Aberdeen, and 68 miles south of Forks. 

Lake Quinault Photographs

Quinault River Photographs

Quinault - Lodging

Quinault - Restaurants

Lake Quinault Lodge    Photographs   Built in 1926. 

Rain Forest Resort Village

Quinault Indian Nation 

Quinault Lake  Olympic National Park Region 

Quinault Rain Forest: Six Stunning Hikes Around Lake Quinault

 

"The Quinault Rain Forest is a temperate rain forest, which is part of the Olympic National Park and the Olympic National Forest in the U.S. state of Washington in Grays Harbor and Jefferson Counties. The rain forest is located in the valley formed by the Quinault River and Lake Quinault. The valley is called the "Valley of the Rain Forest Giants" because of the number of record size tree species located there. The largest specimens of Western Red Cedar, Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock, Alaskan Cedar and Mountain Hemlock are found in the forest as well as five of the ten largest Douglas-firs. The forest receives an average of 12 feet of rain per year. It is believed to be the area with the greatest number of record size giant tree species in the smallest area in the world. It does have the largest trees in the world outside of the state of California and New Zealand.  Located on the western side of the Olympic Mountains, the Quinault Valley was carved out by a glacier and ends at Lake Quinault.  The Qinault Rain Forest is a tourist area with a number of resorts and lodges located on either side of Lake Quinault."
-  Quinault Rain Forest

 

Quinault Valley Brochure  "The Quinault Valley is a wilderness gateway to alpine meadows, jeweled lakes and ice-carved peaks. For shorter visits, the valley has a scenic loop drive and short trails through temperate rain forest in both Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest.  Quinault is located in the southwestern area of the park."   

 

"Once the novelty wears off of the Hoh, after the Queets has been attempted, and the Bogachiel has been fully hiked, locals and visitors to Olympic National Park tend to settle on exploring the Quinault Rainforest for the rest of eternity.  Complete with an amazing lake, fantastic day hikes, rustic, large lodges, and remote chalets, it is hard to find a location more beautiful than the Quinault.  For those who like simple walks, the Rainforest Trail near Lake Quinault Lodge consists of 13 miles of fun, easy to access, well-maintained trails. Along the road to the more remote hikes, waterfalls plunge down along rocky sections, flowing into the salmon-filled, eagle-lined Quinault River. The region is beautiful, breathtaking, and the perfect example of rainforest beauty. Capped off with the majestic views of mountains, waterfalls, and wilderness from the Enchanted Valley, the Quinault Rainforest must be experienced to fully understand its majesty."
-  Douglas Scott, The Magical Rainforests of Olympic National Park

   

Quinault River  NS

Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail

Quinault Lake and Rain Forest Brochure  Hiking map, trails, information. 

Quinault Rain Forest Family Trip: Moss, Giant Spruce, and Rain

Quinault Rain Forest Bus Tours

Lake Quinault Rain Forest

"The Quinault Rain Forest is one of four rich temperate rain forest canopies that lie within the west side of Washington’s Olympic Mountains. It begins in the Mount Anderson drainage to the east and the Low Divide drainage to the northwest.  This majestic forest follows the paths of the North and East Forks of the Quinault River. These forks meander down the valley and merge into one Quinault River, which enters beautiful Lake Quinault.  The Quinault Rain Forest completely surrounds Lake Quinault, bringing its unique biological community to the shoreline.  Big Douglas firs, western red cedar and pacific silver fir dominate the main forest upper canopy.  Adding to this rich dark green are the moisture dependent Sitka spruce and the western hemlock. The forest canopy is open, allowing streams of sunlight to reach the forest floor.  These huge conifers along with the big leaf maple and alder along the river bars comprise first impressions for those visiting the Quinault Rain Forest.  The Quinault Rain Forest understory is comprised of fern, devil’s club, and hanging curtains of moss, which add a rich bright, green hue. Indian-Plum, salmonberry, thimbleberry, blueberry and wild blackberry bush flowers provide nectar for the rufous hummingbird and bees. A variety of wild flowers and bright berries add their special colors to this enchanted garden setting.  Bear grass, skunk-cabbage, twisted-stalk, trillium, bleeding heart, Indian paintbrush, and bunchberry are a few that can be found. The forest floor’s covering is dotted with the delightful earthy colors of mushrooms and lichens that abound in this damp ecosystem."
-  Quinault Rain Forest  

 

"Lake Quinault (/kwɪˈnɒlt/ or /kwɪˈnɔːlt/) is a lake on the Olympic Peninsula in western Washington state. It is located in the glacial-carved Quinault Valley of the Quinault River, at the southern edge of Olympic National Park in the northwestern United States. One of the most dominant features of Lake Quinault is its location within the Quinault Rain Forest, a temperate rain forest.  Area activities include fishing (with permit from the Quinaults), scenic drives (a loop around the lake is longer than 30 miles (48 km)), and hiking. The southern side of the lake features a system of short hiking trails maintained by the U.S. Forest Service that are accessible to casual day hikers.  he southern side of the lake is home to the historic Lake Quinault Lodge and the Rain Forest Resort Village and is encompassed by the Olympic National Forest. The Quinault Loop Trail on the south side of the lake and the nearby Quinault Rain Forest Interpretive Trail connecting campgrounds, trails, and the lodge, with excellent temperate rainforest viewing. Each trail was designated a National Recreation Trail in 1979. The north side of the lake is bordered mainly by private homes and some small resorts located in Olympic National Park.  Lake Quinault receives an average of 332.92 centimeters (131.07 inches) of precipitation per year."
-  Lake Quinault - Wikipedia
 

Taholah Village at Pacific terminus of the Quinault River.  Store, small museum.  Quinault Indian Reservation territory.   

 

"The Lake Quinault Loop is one of the state’s most breathtaking scenic drives, dazzling everyone in the car any month of the year. From visiting the World’s Largest Spruce Tree and exploring the beauty of Merriman Falls, to enjoying the elk near the Kestner Cabin and picnicking along the lake at July Creek, there are no wrong choices while driving around Quinault.  The best place to start is at the Lake Quinault Lodge. Originally built in 1926, in the same style as the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone, the two story, V-shaped structure is rumored to be the location where President Franklin Delano Roosevelt decided to support the creation of Olympic National Park. Watch for animals, enjoy moss draped trees, see towering forests and enjoy the babbling brooks and numerous roadside waterfalls found along this short, 34-mile loop drive. We have outlined ten destinations to explore along the paved and dirt roads that circle Lake Quinault, promising to give you a day’s worth of beautiful and stunning must-stop destinations. For an added bonus, drive out to Graves Creek and into Olympic National Park. Along this out and back gravel road, you’ll be surrounded by unrivaled wilderness, huge trees dripping in moss, and endless sights of ferns."
-  Douglas Scott, Lake Quinault Rain Forest Auto Loop Road 

Four Days in Grayland
By Michael P. Garofalo

Spaces for Home Meditation

 

Zafu, Blankets, Taijiquan Shoes, Altar
Home office area

Window in front on my big green recliner chair.

Reading in the Big Green Recliner Chair

Back Porch Tai Chi Chuan Practice Area

Back yard gardens around Tai Chi Chuan practice area.

Rinzai Zen Buddhist Studies

Tai Chi Chuan Studies

Falling Down

I was working in my front yard yesterday.  The whole west side of our yard slopes down to the street.  Because the area is not flat, we must be very careful when working there in our vegetable garden so that we don't fall.  

Yesterday, I turned and misjudged the curb edge at the street, stumbled, lost my balance, and fell hard on the street asphalt.  Injured my right hip, right knee, left leg inside abductor, and right elbow.  The right knee was injured the most.  Bruises and scrapes in a number of areas.

I iced the knee and elbow.  I put antiseptic cream on the abrasions.  Rested!  Complained to myself!  Pissed off about falling.  Mumbling Cussing ... for little while. 

I fell once in the July of 2016 at Red Bluff.  I feel once in December 2016 my daughters Alicia's home in Vancouver.  Both times the injuries were painful and serious.  I consulted with an orthopedic doctor.  I did physical therapy on my left kneecap, right knee, and right hip.  Now, I fell again in June of 2023.  

I guess I should not complain. At the age of 77 many folks get out of balance sometimes, stumble, or lose their balance temporarily.  Three falls in 25 years ... what am I complaining about.  

Still, getting out of balance and falling and hurting myself really pisses me off.  Carelessness?  Physical Health?  Dangerous area for working?  Clumsiness?  Balance Isses?    

I do think my practices of Tai Chi Chuan, Qigong, and Walking do actually help me maintain better balance.

So, for now, REST, and ICE, and Gentle Movements.  Slow Down.  Be More Careful. Watch my Step!  Be careful in dangerous areas were stumbling or falling is a possible hazard.  Be Patient.  Stop complaining and move on!

Built from Broken. A Science-Based Guide to Healing Painful Joints, Preventing Injuries, and Rebuilding Your Body. By Scott Hogan. Salt Wrap, 2021, index, reference, appendices, 341 pages. VSCL, Paperback.  

Strength Training for Seniors

Earthquakes: Fear and Trembling Unto Death

 

I lived in Los Angeles from 1946 until 1998.  We had many earthquakes of between 4 and 5.3 on the Richter Scale.  The worse was a 6.7 earthquake in Northridge in 1994 that killed 67 people and caused $20 billion in damages.

Yes, I have been very afraid during these earthquake experiences.  In the back of my mind, I always dreaded the BIG San Andreas Fault Earthquake that would destroy our lives.  Fortunately, thus far, we have avoided major disasters like in other places around the world.

Housing in Los Angeles is typically suburban, wood framed, lath and plaster, one story.  Building codes are fairly strict with respect to earthquake standards.  This helps us survive up to a 6.7 Richter.  People in ramshackle houses, with brick or stone walls, or poorly constructed multi-story apartments, face terrible fates in earthquakes above 7.0.

Of course, it also depends on when the earthquake hits. During the early morning Northridge quake, 4:30 am, most were home sleeping.  Of the 22 libraries I managed, 3 had collapsed ceiling tiles, a few fallen book stacks, etc.  We were lucky it did not hit a 4:30 pm and the library was busy with students studying.

History of Earthquakes in Los Angeles County

Turkey-Syria Earthquake on February 6, 2023  Killed 59,000  7.3 R

Haiti Earthquake on January 12, 2010  Killed 125,000  7.0 R

Indian Ocean 2004 Earthquake and Tsumani  Killed 278,000  9.2 R

Now, when I do monthly Yurt camping on the Pacific Coast of Washington and Oregon, I think of the offshore Cascadia Fault.  If it broke loose a 8.5 Richter someday, a person on the Coast would have 5 minutes to get above the oncoming Tsunami Monster.  Death by crushing and drowning for thousands of people and terrible destruction of the small coastal towns and ports in Oregon or Washington.

Gateless Gate Mumonkan Koan Collection

 

Gateless Gate, Gateless Barrier (Wumenquan, Mumonkan)
Compiled around 1250 CE. 48 Koans GB

Subject Index for the 48 Koan Cases in the Gateless Barrier (GB).
Indexing by Michael P. Garofalo. First Draft, March 25, 2023, 9 pages, PDF.

Alphabetical List of the 48 Case Titles in the Gateless Barrier (GB)
Indexing by Michael P. Garofalo. First Draft, March 25, 2023, 2 pages, PDF.

List of Cases by the 48 Case Numbers for the Gateless Barrier (GB)
Indexing by Michael P. Garofalo. First Draft on March 25, 2023, 2 pages, PDF.

Subject Index to 1,001 Zen Buddhist Koans

The Gateless Gate: The Classic Book of Zen Koans  Commentary and translation by Koun Yamada. Foreword by Ruben L. F. Habito. Wisdom Publications, 2004. 336 pages. ISBN: 9780861713820. "In The Gateless Gate, one of modern Zen Buddhism's uniquely influential masters offers classic commentaries on the Mumonkan, one of Zen's greatest collections of teaching stories. This translation was compiled with the Western reader in mind, and includes Koan Yamada's clear and penetrating comments on each case. Yamada played a seminal role in bringing Zen Buddhism to the West from Japan, going on to be the head of the Sanbo Kyodan Zen Community."
VSCL, Paperback. I studied this book to prepare the First Draft (March 25, 2023) of indexing for the Gateless Gate Koan Collection.
Indexing stored in the GB database (GB = Gateless Barrier or Gateless Gate).

The Gateless Barrier: Zen Comments on the Mumonkan. By Zenkai Shibayama. Shibayama Roshi (1894-1974). Translated by Sumiko Kudo. Introduction by Shibayama Roshi. Preface by Kenneth W. Morgan, Colgate University. Boston, Shambhala, 2000. Glossary, index, 361 pages. ISBN: 9781570627262.  "For more than seven centuries the Mumonkan (Gateless Barrier) has been used in Zen monasteries to train monks and to encourage the religious development of lay Buddhists. It contains forty- eight koans, or spiritual riddles, that must be explored during the course of Zen training. Shibayama Zenkei (1894-1974), an influential Japanese Zen teacher and calligrapher who traveled and lectured throughout the United States in the 60s and 70s, offers his own commentary alongside the classic text. The Gateless Barrier remains an essential text for all serious students of Buddhism."  These lectures (Teisho) on the Gateless Barrier were given at Colgate University in 1974.
VSCL, Paperback. I studied this book to prepare the Second Draft of indexing for the Gateless Gate. Second Draft expected in March, 2024.

Koans Research Project.  By Michael P. Garofalo.

Rinzai Zen Buddhist Studies

 

Bear Frolics Dao Yin, Exercise #1

1.  The Big Bear Turns from Side to Side

Movement Description of Big Bear Turns from Side to Side 

Face towards N12.  
Bent the upper torso down, flexing forward, keep the back straight and head up. 
Move the upper torso slowly towards the right side of E3.  Try to remain bent forward until you reach E3.
Keep your hands on your hips throughout this exercise. 
Gradually lift the head and torso until you are upright and the face and chest are facing towards E3. 
Your right elbow should be pointing towards S6 and your left elbow pointing towards N12. 
Gently turn the head only to the left and look towards N12. 
Gently bring the head back to face towards E3, the whole body is in an upright posture. 
Bend forward at the waist and draw the head and torso downward towards E3.

Move the upper body, flexed forward, from right side to the left side for 180 degrees, moving from E3 to W9. 
Gradually lift the head and torso until you are upright, and the face and chest are facing towards W9. 
Your right elbow should be pointing towards N12 and your left elbow pointing towards S6. 
Gently turn the head only to the right and look towards N12. 
Gently turn the head only back to the left, and W9.
Bend forward at the waist and draw the head and torso downward towards W9.
Move the upper body, flexed forward, from the left side to the right side for 180 degrees, moving from W9 to E3. 
Repeat the movement sequence from side to side, 3 to 8 eight repetitions. 

Breathe freely, comfortably, and deeply during this exercise. 

Return to Bear Spirit Posture or Wu Ji Stance. 

Compare this version of "Big Bear Turns from Side to Side" with the version in the Eight Section Brocade Qigong, and with the demonstration.   



Bear Frolic Qigong Exercise Set

Eight Animals Frolics Mind/Body Fitness Practices (Chi Kung) by Mike Garofalo

The webpages for the eight specific animals will also have photographs of me or others doing these exercises.  There are also five, eight or twelve animals in Shaolin Kung Fu, Ba Gua Zhang, Taijiquan, and Xing Yi Quan.  Movements or postures called a "crane" or "hawk" or "rooster" are found in most of these mind-body internal arts.   

Chinese exercises recommended for improving fitness, maintaining good health, overcoming diseases, increasing energy and vitality, contributing to good mental health, and improving one's chances for longevity have a very long documented history going back to as early as 160 BCE in the Daoyin Tu.      

Repost from June 4, 2013

Dao De Jing Chapter 33 Tao Te Ching

 Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

Chapter 33

"One who knows others is clever, but one who knows himself is enlightened. 
One who conquers others is powerful, but one who conquers himself is mighty. 
One who knows contentment is rich and one who pushes with vigor has will. 
One who loses not his place endures. 
One who may die but will not perish, has life everlasting."
-  Translated by Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 33 


"It is wisdom to know others;
It is enlightenment to know one's self.
The conqueror of men is powerful;
The master of himself is strong.
It is wealth to be content;
It is willful to force one's way on others.
Endurance is to keep one's place;
Long life it is to die and not perish."
-  Translated by R. B. Blakney, 1955, Chapter 33   


"He who knows others is wise;
He who knows himself is enlightened.
He who conquers others is strong;
He who conquers himself is mighty.
He who knows contentment is rich.
He who keeps on his course with energy has will.
He who does not deviate from his proper place will long endure.
He who may die but not perish has longevity."
-  Translated by Ch'u Ta-Kao, 1904, Chapter 33 

"Know others by knowing yourself.
Overcome others by overcoming yourself.
Understanding what is enough is enough.
Presence is perseverance.
Coming to stillness is forging ahead.
Find life by accepting death."
-  Translated by Starwell Crispin, Chapter 33 

知人者智.
自知者明. 
勝人者有力.
自勝者強. 
知足者富. 
強行者有志. 
不失其所者久. 
死而不亡者壽. 
-  Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33 


zhi ren zhe zhi.
zi zhi zhe ming.
sheng ren zhe you li.
zi sheng zhe qiang.
zhi zu zhe fu.
qiang xing zhe you zhi.
bu shi qi suo zhe jiu.
si er bu wang zhe shou.
-  Pinyin Romanization, Daodejing, Chapter 33  



"He who knows others is intelligent;
he who understands himself is enlightened;
he who is able to conquer others has force,
but he who is able to control himself is mighty.
He who appreciates contentment is wealthy.
He who dares to act has nerve;
if he can maintain his position he will endure,
but he, who dying does not perish, is immortal."
-  Translated by Dwight Goddard, 1919, Chapter 33  



"Knowledge frequently results
from knowing others,
but the man who is awakened,
has seen the uncarved block.
Others might be mastered by force,
but to master one's self
requires the Tao.
He who has many material things,
may be described as rich,
but he who knows he has enough,
and is at one with the Tao,
might have enough of material things,
and have self-being as well.
Will-power may bring perseverance;
but to have tranquility is to endure,
being protected for all his days.
He whose ideas remain in the world,
is present for all time."
-  Translated by Stan Rosenthal, 1984, Chapter 33  



"Quien conoce a los demás es inteligente.
Quien se conoce a sí mismo tiene visión interna.
Quien conquista a los demás tiene fuerza; quien se conquista a sí mismo es realmente poderoso.
Quien sabe cuándo ha obtenido bastante es rico, y quien sigue asiduamente
     el sendero del Tao es alguien de propósito constante.
Quien permanece en el lugar en el que ha encontrado su verdadera casa vive mucho tiempo,
     y quien muere, pero no perece, goza de la auténtica longevidad."
-  Translation from Chinese to English by John C. H. Wu, translated into Spanish by Alfonso Colodrón, Capitulo 33 

"Knowing others makes you smart, but knowing yourself makes you wise.
To rule others, you must be powerful, but to rule yourself, you must be strong.
If you have only what you need, you have true wealth.
If you never give up, you will find a way.
If you stay true to yourself, you will never be lost.
If you live your entire life, you’ve really lived."
-  Translated by Ron Hogan, 1995, Chapter 33

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 includes a Google Translate option menu for reading the entire webpage in many other languages.  Each webpage for each one of the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching [246 CE Wang Bi version] includes extensive indexing by key words, phrases, and terms (concordance) 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, links, research leads, translator sources, and other resources for that Chapter.  

     A Top Tier online free resource for English and Spanish readers, researchers, Daoist devotees, scholars, students, fans and fellow travelers on the Way. 

Chapter 33, 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  

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons