Day 81
The slow grace of the fountain pen that helped me understand the Tao Te Ching
Last fall, a lovely client gifted me some money and asked that I put it toward something just for my pleasure. So, I purchased my first fountain pen. It is a Narwhal Schuykill in Asfur Bronze. I had childhood familiarity with that river, and I do like colorful and shiny things, so the choice was easy.
Around the same time, I started an in depth study of the Tao Te Ching. I decided to use my fancy new pen to copy one chapter a day. I have attempted studying this 2400 year old tome many times since beginning my study in East Asian medicine 20+ years ago. I don’t read or write Chinese, so I have had to rely on the translation skills of others. None of those translations really resonated with me. Enter Stefan Stenudd, a Swedish author, artist, and Aikido instructor. His English translation is gold. Concepts immediately made sense. He expands those concepts in his brief analysis of each chapter. His writing is smooth, fluid, and not constrained in the translating. My comprehension has improved to the point that I’ve learned so much, I know nothing. (If you are a perpetual student, or just a student of life, this makes sense, no?)
Today, Chapter 81, the last, is copied. My fountain pen stable has grown a bit. I finish with my Lamy 2000 from Anderson Pens, purchased last week to mark the occasion. (Sadly, I believe Anderson’s is the last pen store in Wisconsin!) I started out hoping to improve my penmanship while learning the Tao. (Spencerian calligraphy is especially beautiful.) What I learned is that it was never about mastering the pen stroke, at least for me. It was about slowing down and being present in the experience. My New Year’s goal/theme was to “Live With Intent”. Writing with a fountain pen has been helpful. After my daily immersion in the Tao, I segue to my journal, often reflecting on how the Tao is a sound basis for daily living. Like most truths, it is as relevant today as I imagine it was when it was written. For all of our progress, human nature really hasn’t changed.
If the wind dies down a bit today, I will mark the day by going out to the bonfire ring and burning my writing exercise, and the copious notes taken with it. It is a practice of impermanence for me. Tomorrow, I will start again. I learned so much this time around, and I feel like I just scratched the surface. And who knows, at the end of this next round, perhaps I’ll finish with the Waterman Carene pen that has my eye.
If you are interested in Mr. Stenudd’s work, his website is:
If you want to purchase his translation, you can through my Bookshop store. (where I will receive a small commission)
The Tao Te Ching, The Taoism of Lao Tzu Explained.
