The Voice Of The Wind: A Taoist Meditation On Hearing God

Hello friends,

Today I am sharing a meditation from the 4th century BCE Taoist master Zhuangzi,

As retold by Thomas Merton.

It's called The Breath of Nature.

When great nature sighs,

We hear the winds,

Which,

Noiseless in themselves,

Awaken voices from other beings blowing on them.

From every opening,

Loud voices sound.

Have you not heard this rush of tones?

There stands the overhanging wood on the steep mountain,

Old trees with holes and cracks like snouts,

Maws,

And ears,

Like beam sockets,

Like goblets.

Grooves in the wood,

Hollows full of water.

You hear mooing and roaring,

Whistling,

Shouts of command,

Grumblings,

Deep drones,

Sad flutes,

One call awakens another in dialogue.

Gentle winds sing timidly,

Strong ones blast on without restraint.

Then the wind dies down,

The openings empty out their last sound.

Have you not observed how all then trembles and subsides?

You replied,

I understand.

The music of earth sings through a thousand holes.

The music of humans is made on flutes and instruments.

What makes the music of heaven?

Master Key said,

Something is blowing on a thousand different holes.

Some power stands behind all this and makes the sound die down.

What is this power?