Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, August 27, 2014, Page 7, Image 7

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PHOTO BY DONOVA
Beaverton-based author Blue merges the ancient Chinese text of ‘Tao Te Ching’ with concepts of pimp culture in ‘The Tao of Pimpin. ’
B lue presents: The Tao of Pimpin ’
Local author
merges unlikely
concepts for
enlightenment
by D onovan
M. S mith
T he P ortland O bserver
The Tao that can be spoken is
not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named is
not the eternal name
The nameless is the origin o f
Heaven and Earth
The named is the mother o f
myriad things
Thus, constantly without
desire, one observes its essence
These two emerge together but
differ in name
The unity is said to be the
mystery
Mystery o f mysteries, the to all
wonders
--Chapter I, Tao Te Ching
translation.
Let this young 32-year-old tell it,
“life is easy.”
Uhuru Rahman to some virtu­
ally, better known to many in the
analog world sim ply as ‘B lue’ re­
cently published her sem i-auto­
biographical book titled ‘The Tao
of Pim pin.” Now, she is inviting
those w illing to discover ju st how
two seem ingly different concepts
can lead to a journey of fulfill­
ment.
The Portland O bserver sat
down A with the Beaverton-based
author at a Buddhist celebration
in southeast Portland where she
would later play Taiko drum s,
which she recently discovered.
For her, she says, the book was
a m editation. “W hen I ’m honest
with m yself when I write then ev­
erything else is like who gives a
sh * t.”
Rarely m inced for words, the
East St. Louis, 111. native has been
practicing the Chinese originated
philosophy for some time and says
lessons learned from Taoism have
led her to the conclusion that the
“Tao rules everything.”
Also on the note o f ‘every­
thing’ Blue affirm ed that, ‘’every­
thing in its purest form is good.”
Lessons from the Tao.
W hen it com es to pim ping
though, she says it’s historically
been d e m o n iz e d / d e sp ite its
prevalence in places ranging from
the music business, academ ia, to
the board room. In this scenario
she says ju st as a pimp knows
they have ju st pim ped, so knows
its subjugate when they have in
fact “turned a trick.”
As for her, Blue says sh e’s
never pim ped anything “per se”,
except for “the system ” something
she says sh e’ll expound on once
the statue o f lim itations allow for
such details.
'
In essence, the book is Blue’s
translation of what essentially the
81 -chapter handbook to Taoi sm, the
“Tao Te Ching”— written centuries
ago— but for those looking to pimp
more efficiently, using the “way.”
‘Why is that?’ you may ask; be­
cause according to Blue, “Life is
e a sy .”
To purchase The Tao of Pim pin’
v is it
th e
w e b s ite
b a ttle c r y o f th e b u tte r f ly .c o m /
taoofpimpin.
Straightway Services 3rd Annual Youth Program Benefit
Straightway Services has been providing services for youth since 2007. Summer
employment, basketball camps, clothing assistance, job readiness training, and
mentoring is offered through our program. We will recognize the founder, Pastor
Dwight Minnieweather, the director of Straightway Services, for his tireless
efforts to make programs available for minorities and low income families.
i)
l L
August 30th
Saturday, doors open at 5:00PM
• SilentAuction
• Sponsor a table/Seat
• Speakers
Location: The Miracles Club, 4200 NE MLK Blvd.;
Tel: 503-740-4052 or email: straightwayservices@live.com
J