The Silent Music of the Tao
Chapter Five (The Tao te Ching)
The wind through pines,
The river’s chant.
The Tao speaks without words,
Rain falls on weeds and flowers alike,
The sun warms both predator and prey.
Without emotion, without favorites,
the Tao remains true to its course.
All beings participate
In the universal dance
Doing what they came to do.
The Tao also does its dance
Silent, everywhere and nowhere
Impossible to understand
Words don’t help, words exhaust.
The Tao sings silent music.
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Zen Mountain Journal News:
Work is underway on a new Tao te Ching journal. Half the pages will be for reader notes, half will consist of art (in full color), poetry and journal reflections on the gentle arts of a well-lived life. It will be published in early 2026. There will be both softcover and hardcover versions. You will be able to pre-order in a couple of weeks, as soon as there is a firm publishing date.
Early in January, Zen Mountain Arts will open a studio/gallery in Asheville’s River Arts District at 1 Roberts Street. Stop by if you are in town. It will be closed for one or two days a week, so check the gallery hours before making a trip. They’ll be posted on this website on the Contact tab.
January 4, Zen Mountain Journal will host the first of two new Meetups on the use of journaling and meditation in the creative process and in understanding the hidden underlying trends of our lives. We plan to hold these weekly. They are free. Join us if can. We’ll post the latest in terms of dates and location on the front page of the Heron Dance/Zen Mountain Journal website here.
Image Murals/Wallpaper
Interested in a wallpaper version of your favorite Zen Mountain Journal image? If yes, let me know. If there is sufficient interest, we’ll begin to offer them.
The Tao Te Ching Journal: A Path To Inner Quiet
Zen Mountain Journal blends Taoist hermit poetry, contemplative art, and reflections drawn from a lifetime shaped by wilderness, solitude, and decades doing creative work on the outer boundaries of our culture. These journals are companions for seekers — guides in the reconnection with inner quiet, beauty, and the “soundless music” of a life lived with simplicity and meaning.
• Size: 9.25 × 8.5 inches — convenient size for desk or lap.
• Hardcover — the book can be written in without a table or desk.
• Double wire-o bound to lay flat.
• Printed on Mohawk Superfine, a premium uncoated paper for a beautiful writing surface.
• 160 pages.
