PRACTICING THE WAY

OF THE
TAO TE CHING

JILL LOWY

Practicing The Way of the Tao Te Ching

 Copyright 2015
Jill Lowy

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored

in any electronic system, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording
or otherwise without written permission from the author.
Brief quotations may be used for literary reviews.

ISBN-13:978-0692394588
ISBN-10:0692394583

FOREWORD

I use Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English’s translation of “Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching” for
my book. Ever since I first read their translation of the Tao Te Ching many years
ago, I have been very attuned to it. I am a mystic at heart and I feel closer to the
ineffable Tao when I read Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English’s translation of the Tao
Te Ching than other translations I have studied. I also find the biography of Gia-
Fu Feng very fascinating. Gia-Fu Feng was raised in China and later traveled to
America. He practiced Tai Chi and studied with Fritz Pearls at Esalen. He was
good friends with Alan Watts and Jack Kerouac. Later he married Jane English
and moved to Colorado, where he founded Taoist Buddhist Center called
“Stillpoint.” Alan Watts referred to Gia-Fu Feng as “The Real Thing” meaning a
genuine Taoist adept. Compared to other scholarly translations of the Tao Te
Ching, I think Gia-Fu Feng’s translation is more intuitive and closer to the
essence of the Tao.
In my book, I also discuss other religious views with Taoism, especially
Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity. Taoism and Buddhism flourished together
in the East. They shared many ideas and practices even though they were in
competition with each other due to the prevailing political regimes. And of
course, Buddhism developed out of Hinduism. Before Buddha was Buddha, he
studied under various Hindu teachers and ascetics until he became enlightened.
Christianity is very prevalent in our culture and has a widespread impact on the
western Mindset.
I have also studied and practiced these traditions very intensely in my own
personal life. I attended seminary at Andover Newton Theological School where
I studied Christian theology. I have practiced Kriya Yoga many years through the
tradition of Parmahansa Yogananda. I am part of the Sangha at Compassionate
Dharma Cloud Monastery under Abbot Tinh Man, where I practice Mindfulness
and Zen meditation in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hahn. And, I have studied
Taoist meditation and taught Tai Chi for many years. I practiced Tai Chi under
Master Waysun Liao and later with adepts of Master Moy Lin-Shin. I currently
am a member at Taoist Tai Chi Society in Denver, Colorado. Although you
could call me a Taoist, Buddhist, Christian Mystic or a Yogi, I am really just a
seeker of the Truth and follower of the Way. There are many pathways to the
One or Tao, but in the end, they all lead to the same source or center. You do not
have to become a Taoist to benefit from the teachings of the Tao Te Ching; you
just have to put the practices to work in your daily life. Then the Tao will begin
to reveal itself to you.
ONE
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.
The named is the mother of ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.
These two spring from the same source, but differ in name;
This appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.

This verse indicates the Tao cannot be known through words or names. It is
beyond the confines of normal language and concepts. Names are used to
communicate and describe creation, but the essence of creation is beyond names.
Identifying creation with various names is useful for understanding and
discrimination, but it is easy to lose the forest for the trees. For instance, when
we call an object a tree, what do you see? In your mind, you probably see a
picture of a tree of some sort all by itself. But a tree does not exist all by itself.
Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hahn explains that a tree is made from non-tree
elements, such as earth, water, air and sunlight. It could not exist without these
non-tree elements. So by using names, we can identify conceptually a tree, but it
really tells us very little about the essence of a tree. The essence of a tree is
beyond its’ name. Everything in the Universe is actually a totality. Everything is
connected to everything else.

When we begin to conceptually divide creation into parts, then we have “The
Mother of ten thousand things”. Everything in creation becomes named or
tagged as this or that. This is my car; that is your house; this is a tree in my yard.
This is me and that is you. This is how we normally view the world around us.
But nothing could be further from the truth. Because the truth is everything is
interconnected as One or the Tao. We can identify all the atoms, molecules, cells,
organisms, minerals, plants, animals, humans, planets, stars, galaxies, but it is
still One Universe.
“Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.
These two spring from the same source, but differ in name.”
This stanza is a major key in knowing the Tao. Most people only know the Tao
by its’ manifestations. We want to ride the merry-go-round of life. We pay our
fee for existence through the boundaries of time and space. We incarnate on the
merry-go-round of illusion, which is powered by our desire for the
manifestations of creation. Basically we are living on the earth because we want
to be here. We all have desires, which can only be fulfilled in time and space on
earth. It is our desires that keep us incarnating on the physical plane. According
to the Buddha, it is our cravings that cause us the most suffering. The majority of
people want things constantly. We may desire a new car, a boat, a house, a job, a
spouse, etc. And it seems never-ending. Once we have achieved our desires, we
begin to want new things. And if we are not able to realize our desires, we may
suffer. We are not happy. Now according to Lao-tzu, whenever we desire
something, than we can only see the manifestations of the world. That is because
we are attracted to what we want. Imagine for a moment, a beautiful woman or a
handsome man, depending on your persuasion. Picture Marilyn Monroe or Brad
Pit in your mind, or whoever turns you on. You desire this person and everything
else gets tuned out. You are seeing the manifestations of desire. Now in order to
see the mystery or the Tao, one has to become desire less. This is not easy to do.
We have been brought up in the world with expectations of what we should do,
how we should act and what we should want. This has been taught to us by our
parents, schools, friends, society and culture. We are taught to believe owning a
nice house, having a nice job, and raising a family is the key to happiness and
success. Big business is constantly telling us through high powered advertising
and commercials to buy more stuff, bigger houses, fancier cars, the latest gadget,
etc.
I recently watched a commercial on TV where there was an adult situated with
some children in a classroom. The adult man asked them, “Which is better, more
or less?” The children replied, “More is better because when we want
something, we want more of it.”
And there is nothing wrong with wanting things in life. The question you have to
ask yourself, “Is it what you really want or what you have been taught to want?”
Lao Tzu teaches us in order to know the mystery of the Tao, one must become
desire less. Why? When you have a desire, you seek to fulfill it. When you are
desire less, there is nothing to attain because you don’t want anything. When you
don’t want anything, you are at peace and better able to see the mystery of the
Tao.
I really like James Legge’s translation of this verse:
“Always without desire we must be found,
If its deep mystery, we would sound;
But if desire always within us be,
Its outer fringe is all that we shall see.”
Can you enjoy the moment without wanting it to be different? Can you enjoy
what you have without wanting more? What do you really need to be happy?
Does chasing after your desires ever bring lasting peace? You may enjoy your
new car for a while, but soon you are off seeking something new to obtain.
The Tao is found by distilling one’s desires. Distillation is a process of
purification and removing impurities by becoming still. By becoming still, one
becomes pure. When one becomes pure enough through meditation and
introspection, than the deep mystery of the Tao is revealed. When one is busy
chasing desires, than the outer many-festations (manifestations) of the Tao is all
one will see.

TWO
Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness.
All can know good as good only because there is evil.
Therefore having and not having arise together.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short contrast each other;
High and low rest upon each other;
Voice and sound harmonize each other;
Front and back follow one another.
Therefore the sage goes about doing nothing, teaching no-talking.
The ten thousand things rise and fall without cease,
Creating, yet not possessing,
Working, yet not taking credit.
Work is done, then forgotten.
Therefore it lasts forever.
According to the sage, the nature of the world is dualistic. There is no high
without low, there is no long without short, there is no positive without negative
and there is no yin without yang. This is the nature of things. But behind the
dualistic nature of things, there is the Tao or Unity. This is emphasized by the
symbol of Yin/Yang. If you look at a Yin/Yang symbol, you will see the
separation of yin and yang, but you will also notice they are circumscribed by
the circle. The circle represents the Tao or Unity, which is behind all creation.
When you look at a coin, there is a heads and tails, but it is still one coin. The
heads and tails are just different sides of the same coin. This is an important
realization. Because we are all just different sides of the same coin, the same
Oneness or the Tao.
The problem is we don’t see things this way. We tend to see things in terms of
separation, differences and misperception. This in turn may lead to fear,
insecurity, greed, hate and isolation. This is the way of the world and many
people are afraid of differences in religion, creed, nation, race, color, etc. The
way of the Tao is different from the way of the world. Although the Tao
acknowledges the duality in creation, it also emphasizes the harmony and unity
of creation.

My friendly muse, Loud Sue says:

“Therefore having and not having arise together. They are not jealous of each
other.
Difficult and easy complement each other. They don’t complain about each
other.
Long and short contrast each other. They don’t envy one another.
High and low rest upon each other. They don’t crush each other.
Voice and sound harmonize each other. They don’t yell at each other.
Front and back follow one another. They don’t argue with each other.”

The universe moves in rhythm and harmony. Day and night arise in orderly
succession. The planets follow a scheduled path every day of the year. The tides
flow in and out similar to our breath with inhalations and exhalations. Nature
moves in cycles and seasons. “The ten thousand things rise and fall without
cease.”
“So the sage goes about doing nothing, teaching no-talking.” What does this
mean? How can one go about doing nothing? Doing nothing does not mean
inaction. What it means is stillness. The Bible states; “Be still and know God.”
The sage teaches to first be still and quiet the mind with no-talking, which means
no-thinking in order to be in harmony with the Tao. Then one can create, yet not
possess; work, yet not take credit and when the work is done, it is forgotten.
It’s funny because this goes contrary to just about everything we do in present
day society. Instead, we create something and possess it; we work and definitely
take credit, and when the work is done, we hold on to it. We become attached to
our creations; we like to possess many things and we definitely want other
people to know the results of our work. We keep tract of our accomplishments in
a well-polished resume. And does this bring any lasting joy and happiness?
Maybe temporarily as we enjoy our latest creation and accomplishment. But then
it is on to the next one. And over and over again, like a dog chasing it’s’ tail.
So how do we fine real lasting joy and happiness? The key is through non-
attachment. The sage says; “One can create, but not possess.” There is nothing
wrong with creating, working or acting in this world. In fact, we have to in order
to make a living, support a family and pay all the bills. The difficulty arises
when we become attached to things. Because when we lose those things, then we
become miserable. And sooner or later, everyone will lose those things they hold
dear. Because, everything in this world is temporary and constantly changing. As
the Buddhists say, “Everything is impermanent”. We are only on this planet for a
short time and will have to leave it eventually along with all our possessions.
The trick is to learn how to have things and not be attached to them. How do we
do this? By enjoying things while we have them and hoping someone else enjoys
them when they are gone. In other words, enjoy your house, car, and the various
things you may own, but don’t be attached to them. The Bible says to be a good
steward of the things of the earth. A steward does not claim ownership to things.
He or she is a caretaker of things. This totally changes one perspective of things.
Instead of ownership and possessiveness of things, one is a caretaker of things.
I find this view more in harmony with the Tao as one can still own things and not
be possessive at the same time. It is a constant reminder for me that things on
this Earth come to me for a brief time and then may move on to somewhere else.
I try to be a good caretaker of them while I have them and then let them go.
Someone I know who is very wise said to me, “Everything is constantly coming
and going in this universe.” My dad recently passed away last year and I had to
go through all of his possessions he had accumulated over the past 80 years. It
struck me how attached he had been to all his stuff. What good is it doing him
now? I gave almost all of it away to the Salvation Army. I loved him dearly, but
did not love his possessions.
I like the Tibetan Buddhist practice of making sand mandalas. In Tibetan, sand
mandalas are called “dul-tson-kyil-khor” meaning, “mandala of colored
powder.” The Tibetan monks undergo several days of pain-staking work together
creating wonderful intrinsic mandalas made of tiny grains of sand. They are very
beautiful and consist of sacred geometric patterns colored with divine symbols
and various deities. When the monks complete the sand mandala, it is ritually
dismantled. This act symbolizes the impermanence of creation and non-
attachment to things. In a sense, we are all like sand mandalas with our own
unique pattern and purpose in life. And like sand flowing through an hour glass,
we have a limited time to realize our true purpose.
The sage not only encourages creating and not possessing, but also working and
not taking credit. Many people may interpret this stanza as not taking
responsibility for your actions. But not taking credit doesn’t mean not taking
responsibility. What it means is not being attached to the results of your work,
whether it is good or bad. When you are attached to the results of your work,
then you are caught in the web of desire. When you are caught in the web of
desire, then you are not centered in the Tao and will not be at peace.
The majority of people have to work in this world. No work, no pay. No pay and
one may wind up homeless on the streets. Although we need to work, we do not
need to be attached to the results of our work. That does not mean we shouldn’t
do a good job and enjoy our work. The sage advocates not taking credit in our
work, so we don’t inflate our own ego or sense of importance in the world. From
the Taoist view, everything is important in the universe, no one is more
important than anyone else. This is quite different from the perceived normal
world view where everyone is striving to get ahead in a field of competition
towards the results of fame, glory and riches. According to the Tao, this is an
illusion, which is filled with desire and much disappointment. When we are
concerned only about the results of our work, we become concerned only about
the future of an imagined desire and not the present moment, or joy of the work
itself. Then if our desires our not realized, we may be unhappy. If we can let go
of our attachments to the results of our work, we will be more at peace.
I had a friend, Ricky who was a really good musician. He worked really hard at
becoming a talented musician and he could play extremely well. He had a strong
desire to play in a band and become a rock star. Well, he later did start a band
and they worked really hard together. They played at various bars and other
venues. But regardless of their efforts, they never achieved the fame and fortune
they wanted. The band finally gave up and Ricky started drinking to bury his
sorrows. He became an alcoholic because he was disappointed for not achieving
his dreams.
This is a true and often sadly repeated story. Ricky had been overly concerned
with the results of his work. The desire for fame and fortune was much more
important than the work itself. And he suffered greatly when he did not achieve
those results. If he had let go of his attachments for fame and fortune, he could
have been much happier, and at peace. Isn’t just playing music beautifully its’
own reward? Does it really matter if ten people or ten-thousand people listen to
your music? Of course it does if you are only concerned about earning money,
but does it make you a better musician or a better person?
Now one may argue that having a goal is important in life. And it is! Making
goals are fine, but when you become attached to the results of your goal, that is
where the problem begins. Attachment leads to fear of loss and frustration when
your desire is not achieved. It is good to have dreams in life and to make goals
for the things you want. But you will be happier if you focus on the work itself
and let the results take care of themselves. If you achieve them great and if you
don’t, that is fine, too. And don’t be perturbed if you don’t realize your goals
quickly. Swami Kriyananda used to say, “I never consider myself a failure, I just
say to myself that I have not succeeded yet.”
Many sport psychologists and coaches have found athletes enjoy their sport
better when they let go of the all-important result of winning and focus more on
the present moment, and the joy of the sport itself. The Zen of Archery is not so
much about hitting the bull’s eye as becoming one with the target. This is the
way of the Tao!

THREE
Not exalting the gifted prevents quarreling.
Not collecting treasures prevents stealing.
Not seeing desirable things prevents confusion of the heart.
The wise therefore rule by emptying hearts and stuffing bellies,
By weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.
If people lack knowledge and desire,
Then intellectuals will not try to interfere.
If nothing is done, then all will be well.

My dear friend, Loud Sue says:

“If you show off your gifts and abilities, people will become envious.
If you collect valuables, other people will want them.
If you go to the Mall, you will want to buy things.
Better to focus on what is important, instead of chasing your desires.
Wisdom is more important than knowledge and desire.
Becoming still and being in harmony, then one is at peace.”

FOUR
The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled.
Oh, unfathomable source of ten thousand things!
Blunt the sharpness,
Untangle the knot,
Soften the glare,
Merge with dust.
Oh, hidden deep, but ever present!
I do not know from whence it comes.
It is the forefather of the emperors.

Tao is the source of all things. Although we cannot perceive the Tao through our
normal perceptions, it is there none-the-less. It is ever present and also deep
within everyone. Like the waves on the ocean, we are constantly moving up and
down, tossing and turning on the tides of our perception. Deep within us though,
we are also connected to the oneness of the vast ocean itself. Paramahansa
Yogananda had a great affirmation for this: “I, the cosmic sea, watch the little
ego floating in me.” As the ocean, we are at one with the Tao; as the wave, we
are the little ego separated from the depths of the sea.
In order to awaken our awareness of the Tao, we must blunt the sharpness,
untangle the knot and soften the glare. “Blunting the sharpness” means to temper
any anger or hostility, and calm the storm of frustration. When we are lost on the
stormy waves, we are not able to see the calm stillness at the depths of the ocean.
“Untangling the knot” is to loosen our minds from obstacles of delusion, desires
and attachments. It is to live more simply upon the earth with fewer
complications. And to resolve any mental and emotional blocks, which prevent
clear understanding and compassion. These mental blocks are called, “Kleshas”
in Yoga and Buddhism. They are mental states that cloud the mind, such as
anxiety, fear, jealousy, desires and attachments. It is important to be aware of
them as they cause much suffering and unwholesome actions. “Softening the
glare” is to reduce the glare of the ego and striving for self-importance. It is only
in the darkness where one can see the stars, otherwise diminished by the glare of
the sun.
One day I was sitting by a small stream in the forest. It was a calm, beautiful day
and I was watching the sun dance on the water. I looked more closely into the
stream and I saw this tiny little leaf caught in a little eddy near the bank. The leaf
would go around and around in circles, unable to get back out into the flow of
the stream. And I had a flash of insight! Sometimes we are like the little leaf
getting caught in an eddy, which may be a problem, conflict or karma. We go
around and around, stuck in the eddy until we find liberation, and join the flow
of life again. When you are caught in an eddy, it is better not to struggle against
it, but rather to rise above it. Become aware of the stillness; “Oh, hidden deep,
but ever present.”
FIVE
Heaven and earth are ruthless;
They see the ten thousand things as dummies.

The wise are ruthless;

They see the people as dummies.

The space between heaven and earth is like a bellows.

The shape changes, but not the form;

The more it moves, the more it yields.

More words count less.

Hold fast to the center.

It is not so much that heaven and earth are ruthless and uncaring. They move in
accordance with nature and the Tao. When it rains, things get wet. If you put
your hand in the fire, it gets burned. The fire has no will to burn you; it is just its
nature to burn. The wise know that a fire will burn and see people who don’t
know any better (and stick their hand in the fire) as foolish.
A bellows expands and contracts moving air, but not changing its essential form.
People change (expanding and contracting) as they are born and mature. They
expand through childhood and grow into young adults. They enter adulthood and
mature into senior citizens. Even though their shape is constantly changing, their
essential form does not. Our bodies may change, but we are still the same
individual. Scientists say our body’s cells are completely renewed every seven
years. Also as adults, we feel completely different than we did as children. Like
a bellows, we continue to inhale and exhale, expanding and contracting,
experiencing life through all the changes. Yet something within us remains the
same. It is the one who experiences life and all of its changes. We are the center
between heaven and earth!
In ancient Greek legend, there is the story of the Sphinx, who guarded the
entrance to the city of Thebes. The Sphinx asked riddles to those travelers
seeking passage into the city and destroyed those who could not answer the
riddles correctly. One day, the Greek hero, Oedipus confronted the Sphinx. The
Sphinx asked him this riddle, “What is it that walks on four legs in the morning,
two legs in the afternoon and three legs in the evening?” Oedipus answered,
“Man.” This was the correct answer. Why?

SIX

The valley spirit never dies;

It is the woman, primal mother.

Her gateway is the root of heaven and earth.

It is like a veil barely seen.

Use it; it will never fail.

This chapter is devoted to the Divine Mother. She is the gateway to all created
things. As it is through the human mother that children are born, so it is through
the Divine Mother in which all creation is born. Her gateway is the root of
creation where everything derives its source of nourishment. That nourishment is
the life giving prana or chi, which sustains all creation. As it exists outside of our
normal perceptions, it cannot be seen by the senses. But it can be utilized
through yoga, meditation, tai chi and other spiritual disciplines.
Primal Mother also guides us through our intuition. Have you ever heard the
phrase “feminine intuition?” You could call it our sixth sense. We all possess
this ability and it can guide us throughout our lives. But it requires practice or
exercise. As the sage says, we need to use it. Most people are very rational and
tend to dismiss the intuition as a feeling, which is not reliable. But our intuition
can guide us well, if we choose to listen to it. In order to be receptive to our
intuition, we need to tune out our thoughts and emotions, and focus on the center
of our inner being. Einstein founded the “Theory of Relativity” when his mind
was clear and open to his intuition. The intuition can be used from the smallest
of things like looking for the best fruit in a grocery store to finding the secrets of
the universe. Use it and it will never fail to guide you!
One day I was walking in the woods near my home. It was a beautiful, sunny
day as I hiked along the trail. I noticed someone up ahead walking her little dog.
As I approached, she looked really familiar. I was walking past her and I looked
more closely at her face. I was amazed. She looked just like a close friend, who
lives in Vermont and whose name is Laurie. I smiled and walked past her. Then,
my intuition told me to go back and talk with her. So, I stopped and told her,
“You look just like my friend from Vermont.” She was very nice and asked what
my friend’s name was. I told her Laurie. She laughed and replied that was her
name also. I was dumbfounded! What are the odds of running into someone who
looks like someone you know with the same name? Well, I told her goodbye and
thanked her for sharing with me. Later that day, I decided to try and contact
Laurie. I had not talked with her for several years. I sent her an email and she
later called me back. She told me she was so happy I contacted her. We talked
about the past and got caught up on our present lives. Afterwards, she mentioned
it was also her birthday and thought this was the reason I had contacted her. I
had no idea it was her birthday! Amazing! Do you think it was only coincidence;
I met someone who looked just like my friend, Laurie with the same name, and
on the same day of her birthday? I will let you decide!

SEVEN

Heaven and earth last forever.

Why do heaven and earth last forever?

They are unborn,

So ever living.
The sage stays behind, thus he is ahead.
He is detached, thus at one with all.

Through selfless action, he attains fulfillment.

It is through selfless action, whereby the sage finds fulfillment. Most people in
our society are concerned about taking care of number one and satisfying the
desires of ones’ ego. We are constantly seeking to get ahead in life without much
concern for other people outside of ones’ own family. In the business world,
everyone is trying to climb up the ladder of success, trampling over others in the
process. Competition is the name of the game as businesses seek to dominate the
marketplace. The sage however is more interested in serving the needs of others
rather than just him or herself. The great yogi, Parmahansa Yogananda tells the
story of shopping with several vendors for a coat. The first vendor tried to sell
him an expensive coat he did not really want. The second vendor tried to sell
him a poor quality coat, which did not fit him properly. But the third vendor
helped Yogananda find the perfect coat that best fit his needs. He was not
interested in his own agenda of selling a certain coat for a better profit or
meeting his sales quotas. He was more interested in serving Yogananda by
finding the best possible coat to meet his needs. That is selfless action in the
world of business.
In Yoga, the art of selfless action is called “Karma Yoga.” Karma Yoga is the
path to God through works or activity. The devotee of Karma Yoga devotes all of
his or her actions to God. She feels God acting through her in all she does. In
this way, all activity is done centered in God with no thought of expectation or
rewards. It is kind of like meditation through action; one observes everything
one does with a sense of detachment. This is also similar to Tai Chi, where all of
one’s movements are done from the center or the Tao of one’s being. All
movements are performed from ones’ center, whether moving forward or
backward, upward or downward, or inward and outward. The sage performs all
of his work centered in the Tao, rather than in the expectations of the ego.
Why does the sage find fulfillment in selfless action? Why does the world love a
hero? It is because the hero helps others through selfless action. There is no ego
involvement in it. The action is done to help someone with no thought of gain
for oneself. When there is no ego involvement of gain, worry, loss, or desire than
there is peace and fulfillment.
I like the parable of the Good Samaritan in the Bible:
Jesus said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell
among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed leaving him half
dead. Now, by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him,
he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite came to the place and when he
saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed came to
where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He bound up his
wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set the man on his donkey and
brought him to an inn and took care of him.” (Luke 10:30-4.)
This is selfless action. The Samaritan had nothing to gain by helping the
wounded man, but helped him anyway out of the goodness in his heart.

EIGHT
The highest good is like water.

Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.

It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.

In dwelling, be close to the land.

In meditation, go deep in the heart.

In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.

In ruling, be just.

In business, be competent.

In action, watch the timing.

No fight: no blame.

Water flows freely and gives life to all, whether good or bad, rich or poor, great
or small. It does not judge and it does not discriminate. It treats everything
equally and in this, it is like the Tao. The Tao resides in everyone and
everything, though it shines more brightly in the sage. As the sun shines on
everyone, so the Tao shines in everyone. A diamond is still a diamond, whether
reflecting the brilliance of the sun or mired in mud.
I think the virtues extolled in the rest of this verse are pretty clear and self-
explanatory. However, one stanza is very interesting: “In action, watch the
timing.” The sage advises to watch the timing of actions. In other words, there
are better times to perform certain actions than at other times. Now, I could see
my manager at work saying what this really means is you need to be more
efficient in your actions for good quality control. And maybe she has a point.
But I think the more esoteric meaning is that certain actions should be performed
at certain times for the best results. In the Bible, we read;
“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under Heaven; a
time to be born and a time to die, A time to plant and a time to uproot…A time to
weep and a time to laugh…A time to mourn and a time to dance.” (Ecc.3:3)
There are cycles and seasons in time. Time is created by movement in space. The
motions of the earth, moon, sun and the stars have long been studied by
geologists, astronomers and astrologers. Vedic astrologers know there is a
relationship between us and the universe, or the microcosm and the macrocosm.
There are more auspicious times to do certain activities and times not to do
certain activities. A farmer knows to plant certain crops in the spring and to
harvest in the fall. Most of us eat at certain times of the day and sleep at night.
Most yogis will tell you it is better to meditate in the early morning or evening
than in the afternoon. It is important to be in harmony with the flow of the
universe. Similar to the currents in the ocean, you can learn to flow with the
cosmic tides. A good swimmer knows it is beneficial to swim with the tides,
instead of against them. A sage is aware of the importance of timing.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult for the average person to discern the best time
to do things. They usually just do them when it is convenient. In the East, people
consult with their astrologers for guidance and in the West, people look to their
Day Planners. The sage recommends being still in the Tao and looking for
guidance within. Guidance then usually comes through the intuition as a deep
feeling of when to act for the best results.
Let me tell you an interesting true story. My boyfriend, Paul and I were traveling
across country by motorcycle last year. We decided to visit Portland, Oregon
while heading down the West coast. We arrived in Portland only to find that all
the motels were booked because of some business event. We were about to leave
when I noticed this small hotel out of the corner of my eye. I had a distinct
feeling telling me to check it out. I told Paul to wait with the motorcycle and I
walked over to the hotel. There was a “No vacancy sign” out front in the
window. I went inside anyway and spoke with the clerk. I asked if they had any
rooms. The clerk smiled and said, “Your timing is perfect as we just had a
cancellation.” I waved Paul over and we checked in. After checking in at the
small hotel, we decided to explore downtown Portland. Portland is a beautiful
city and it is fun to walk around, and explore the various shops and restaurants.
We were having some coffee at Starbucks when something impelled me to go
out the rear entrance to enjoy my coffee on the back patio. As I left the building
and walked outside, I could scarcely believe my eyes. In front of me was this
huge fifty foot statue of Portlandia. She stood in front of me, perched on the
Portland building in all her glory. Now the real amazing part to this story is that
on my desk at home, I have a picture of this sculpture of Portlandia. At the time,
I did not know anything about the statue. I had no idea it was the sculpture of
Portlandia. I really loved the picture as it reminded me of the Roman God,
Neptune with his trident. But I always wondered what the history was behind the
sculpture that I so loved. So, on a trip far away from home, I run into the real
statue of the picture, which sits on my desk. There in front of me was Portlandia
in all her beauty. I was awestruck! I really felt I was guided to Portlandia by my
intuition. The God Neptune, symbolized by the trident has been a very important
symbol in my life. Neptune is known to be the ruler of the seas and is connected
with mysticism and spiritual awareness.
Portlandia is a remarkable sculpture made by Raymond Kaskey and is modeled
after the female figure in the Seal of Portland. It is the second largest copper
sculpture after the Statue of Liberty. I love the poem by Ronald Talney called
“Portlandia”:
“She kneels down and from the quietness of copper reaches out.
We take that stillness into ourselves and somewhere deep in the
Earth, our breath becomes the city. If she could speak, this is what
She would say, ‘Follow that breath home is the journey we make.”

NINE
Better stop short than fill to the brim.

Over sharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it.

Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow.

Retire when the work is done.
This is the way of heaven.

My esoteric friend, Loud Sue says:

“Be careful filling your coffee cup too full, as you might spill it.
Over exercising will lead to exhaustion,
Over eating will cause bloating and indigestion.
Take on too much and nothing gets done.
Possessing large quantities of gold and silver will not bring peace, but fear of
loss.
Attaining fame and fortune does not bring fulfillment, but mostly misery.
Leave your work behind when the day is done and let the universe take care of
itself.”

TEN

Carrying body and soul, and embracing the one,

Can you avoid separation?

Attending fully and becoming supple,

Can you be as a newborn babe?

Washing and cleansing the primal vision,

Can you be without stain?

Loving all men and ruling the country,

Can you be without cleverness?
Opening and closing the gates of heaven,

Can you play the role of woman?

Understanding and being open to all things,

Are you able to do nothing?

Giving birth and nourishing,

Bearing, yet not possessing,

Working, yet not taking credit,

Leading, yet not dominating,

This is the Primal Virtue.

Loud Sue says,

“We all have a body and soul. Can you experience the Tao without losing
yourself in relativity?
Being mindful and flexible, can you be without preconceptions?
When there is nothing to wash and clean, then you will have Primal Vision.
When you are able to be just and love all equally, then heaven will reign.
When you are receptive to the Tao, you can enter the doors of heaven.
Are you able to accept what is without thinking what it is not?
In order to lead, one must learn how to follow.
In order to enjoy work, one must let go of expectations.
In order to move forward, one must push backwards.
In order to experience bliss, you have to suffer in the mud.
If you want to get to heaven, you have to raise a little hell.
This is the Primal Way.”

ELEVEN
Thirty spokes share the wheel’s hub;
It is the center hole that makes it useful.

Shape clay into a vessel;

It is the space within that makes it useful,

Cut doors and windows for a room;

It is the holes which make it useful.

Therefore profit comes from what is there;

Usefulness from what is not there.

When I was young, I loved to play on the merry-go-round. I liked the feeling of
movement and the wind on my face. What is interesting about a merry-go-round
is that it revolves around a center axis. It is the axis or wheel’s hub, if you will,
which enables it to work. Without the center hole, the merry-go-round would not
go around. This is an important point about life. Without a center (which is
basically a point within a circle around space) life could not exist. The cosmos
and the planets all spin around a center point. And without the center, there could
be no spin and without that spin, the universe could not exist.
Matter could also not exist without a center space. Within matter, there are
atoms, protons and electrons spinning around in space, which allows objects to
exist. Without those spinning atoms, protons and electrons revolving around a
center, all of matter would disintegrate. Things are not often what they appear.
When you look at your solid looking table with an electron microscope, it does
not look so solid anymore. Then you can see molecules, atoms, protons and
electrons spinning in space.
So the sage points out, it is space which makes things useful. It is space that
allows room for creation. Likewise within us, it is our consciousness, which
allows space for our ideas, thoughts and emotions. Our ideas, thoughts and
emotions also spin around gathering momentum as we put energy into them.
This is why it is so important to think positive thoughts and have noble emotions
as they tend to grow, and manifest on the physical plane. In meditation, the key
to inner peace and harmony is to monitor thoughts and emotions until they
dissipate in one’s consciousness. Then you become aware of increasingly empty
inner space filled with awareness, which brings peaceful harmony. The point of
the whirling dervishes is to spin outwardly, but to maintain awareness at the
center of the spin, where there is peace and joy.
Eckhart Tolle comments in A New Earth;
“When you are no longer totally identified with forms, consciousness-who you
are-becomes freed from its imprisonment in form. This freedom is the arising of
inner space. It comes as stillness, a subtle peace deep within you…There is
space around emotional highs and lows, even around pain. And above all, there
is space between your thoughts. And from that space emanates a peace that is
not “of this world,” because this world is form, and the peace is space. This is
the peace of God.”

TWELVE
The five colors blind the eye.
The five tones deafen the ear.

The five flavors dull the taste.

Racing and hunting madden the mind.

Precious things lead one astray.

Therefore, the sage is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees.

He lets go of that and chooses this.

The five colors, five tones, and five flavors referred to in this verse are all part of
a Chinese metaphysical system known as “Wu Xing.” It is a system of five
elemental qualities or phases that describe the interactions and relationships
between various phenomena. For instance, there are the basic five elements,
which consist of: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. These five elements are
connected with the five colors, the five tones, the five flavors, the five senses,
and so on. Wu Xing is also the basis for the I Ching, Feng Shui, Chinese
medicine, Astrology and Martial arts. It is a system of interrelationships between
the microcosm and macrocosm, man and heaven, yin and yang, nature and
divinity. The goal is to learn to move in harmony with nature bringing peace and
prosperity.
The sage teaches the five senses can blind one to the nature of what is. The mind
can become lost in the myriad of sensate desires and distractions. It is kind of
like visiting a big city where you are bombarded with an array of sights and
sounds. You can easily become caught up in the spectacle and lose your way.
The sage advises to pay attention to your deeper feelings, rather than the myriad
of possibly deceptive appearances. In the “Star Wars” saga, Ben Kenobi is
instructing his young apprentice, Luke Skywalker in the martial arts. He tells
Luke to blindfold his eyes while trying to hit a target with his laser sword. Luke
asks Ben how this can be possible. Ben states the senses are easily deceived and
to rely on his feelings or his intuition, which is closely attuned to the Force or
the Tao. “The sage is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees.”

THIRTEEN

Accept disgrace willingly.

Accept misfortune as the human condition.

What do you mean by “Accept disgrace willingly?”

Accept being unimportant.

Do not be concerned with loss or gain.

This is called “accepting disgrace willingly.”

What do you mean by “Accepting misfortune as the human condition?”
Misfortune comes from having a body.

Without a body, how could there be misfortune?

Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things.

Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things.
Accepting being unimportant is probably one of the most difficult things for the
ego. We all have egos and our egos like to be important. We also tend to identify
with our egos in terms of who we are. For example, I am called Jill Lowy. I live
in a condo in Colorado. I work as a counselor. I am an author and I like hiking,
swimming, etc. This is all part of the likes and dislikes of my ego. It is not really
who I am. Who I really am is beyond all that. I am not my body. I am not my
emotions. I am not my thoughts. I may identify with my body and mind, but they
are not who I am. Who I really am at my center is at one with the Tao. And the
really interesting thing is we are all really at one with the Tao at our center. And
in this way, no one is more important, because we are all equally important!
There is a Vedic exercise, which was advocated by the ancient and famous yogi,
Shankara. It is called “neti, neti.” It is a Sanskrit term and it means “not this, not
this.” It is an exercise of negation where you identify everything you consider
part of yourself and then negate it. I have a body, but I am not my body. I have
emotions, but I am not my emotions. I have a job, but I am not my job, etc. I find
it a useful exercise because it helps us to examine who we really are. The
majority of people tend to identify with their body, gender, age, job, home,
friends, family, etc. Although all these are part of our lives, they are not our
essential being. When you identify with your essential being, then you do not
suffer when things change around you, as you are less attached to them. When
misfortune comes, you are better able to accept it because you are not attached to
loss or gain. Learning to love all things and not just those you identify as yours,
you learn to care for all people and all things.
Chuang Tsu tells the story of four men; “Tsu Szo, Tsu Yu, Tsu Li and Tsu Lai”:
“Four men, Tsu Szo, Tsu Yu, Tsu Li, and Tsu Lai, were having a discussion,
saying, ‘Whoever believes Nothingness to be the head, Life to be the backbone,
and Death to be the tail; whoever can know life, death, being, and non-being all
as one, shall be our friend.’ And since they were in complete agreement, they
became fast friends. Not long after, Tsu Yu fell ill and Tsu Szu went to see him.
Tsu Yu said, ‘Great is the Maker of Things that He should make me as deformed
as this!’ His crooked spine was curled round like a hunchback; his five organs
were upside down; his chin rested on his navel; his shoulders rose up above his
head; his neckbone pointed to the sky. His body was sick, yet he was calm and
carefree. He limped to the well and looked at his reflection and said, ‘Ah! The
Maker of Things has made me all crooked like this!’ Tsu Szu asked, ‘Does this
upset you?’ He replied, ‘No, why should it? If my left arm became a rooster, I
would use it to herald the dawn. If my right arm became a cross bow, I would
use it to shoot down a bird for roasting. If my buttocks became wheels and my
spirit a horse, I would ride them. What need would I have for a wagon? For we
were born because it was time, and we die in accordance with nature. If we are
content with whatever happens and follow the flow, joy and sorrow cannot affect
us. This is what the ancients called freedom from bondage. There are those who
cannot free themselves because they are bound by material existence. But
nothing can overcome heaven. That is the way it has always been. Why should I
be upset?”
This is accepting disgrace willingly!

FOURTEEN

Look, it cannot be seen—it is beyond form.

Listen, it cannot be heard—it is beyond sound.

Grasp, it cannot be held—it is intangible.

These three are indefinable;

Therefore, they are joined in one.

From above, it is not bright;

From below, it is not dark:

An unbroken thread beyond description.

It returns to nothingness.

The form of the formless,

The image of the imageless,
It is called indefinable and beyond imagination.

Stand before it and there is no beginning.

Follow it and there is no end.

Stay with the ancient Tao,

Move with the present.

Knowing the ancient beginning is the essence of the Tao.

This is one of my favorite verses of the Tao Te Ching. It best describes the Tao,
without really describing anything. And yet it enables you to get a sense of it.
The Tao is not something you can put your finger on as it is not touchable,
reachable, seeable or hearable. It is beyond the perception of the five senses.
And yet it exists and informs everything around it. It is farther than the farthest
star, yet closer than our own breath. It is everywhere and nowhere. Although it is
a mystery to our senses, it is at the essence of our being. It is known through
stillness.
“Be still and know that I am God.” ( Psalm 46.10.)
ChuangTsu says;
“Tao has reality and substance, but no action or form. It can be given, but not
received. It is attainable, but invisible. It is its own source and its own root. It
existed before heaven and earth, and for all eternity. It causes spirits and gods to
be divine. It begets heaven and earth. It is above the zenith and yet not high. It is
below the nadir and yet not low. It was born before heaven and earth, but not
long ago. It was there before the oldest antiquity, but is not old”
Chuang Tsu also states:
“When there is no more separation between this and that (subject and object), it
is called the still-point of the Tao. At the still-point in the center of the circle, one
can see the infinite in all things.”

FIFTEEN
The ancient masters were subtle, mysterious, profound, responsive.

The depth of their knowledge is unfathomable.

Because it is unfathomable,

All we can do is describe their appearance.

Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream.

Alert, like men aware of danger.

Courteous, like visiting guests.

Yielding, like ice about to melt.

Simple, like uncarved blocks of wood.

Hollow, like caves.

Opaque, like muddy pools.

Who can wait quietly, while the mud settles?

Who can remain still until the moment of action?

Observers of the Tao do not seek fulfillment.

Not seeking fulfillment, they are not swayed by desire for change.
The sage describes some of the qualities of the ancient masters of the Tao.

“Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream.” What is it like crossing a stream
in the winter? It can be very treacherous and slippery. If you do not pay close
attention, you could easily lose your footing and be whisked away by the river. It
is important to pay attention to what you are doing in life. Whatever action you
do, you should give it your full attention. At times, it is very easy to become
unconscious while performing various activities. Then the results can be sloppy
or even dangerous. Ever watch someone try to text on their cell phone and drive
their car at the same time? It can be very disastrous!
“Alert, like men aware of danger.” Being alert is being awake, present and
mindful. And with the possibility of danger, it enhances these qualities. Why?
Because it is like walking on the razor’s edge. Any lapse of concentration and
you can lose your balance, and fall. Being alert is also being in the present
moment. One is not concerned about the past or future, but being in the here and
now. In Zen Buddhism, the monks practice mindfulness while they are doing
daily activities such as; walking, eating, drinking tea, sitting, etc. Mindfulness is
being intensely aware and alert in the present moment. Practicing mindfulness
while walking is to take each step with awareness. The object is to focus on the
action of walking, lifting up the feet and stepping on the ground in the present
moment. Many people when they walk are anxiously thinking of their next
meeting or making plans for the day. They are hardly aware they are even
walking. Walking meditation is an activity, which anyone can practice to bring
peace and joy in their lives. Learning to walk in the present moment without
feeling anxious about the future or the past brings feelings of joy and happiness.
Thich Nhat Hahn says, “Every peaceful step plants a little flower upon the
earth.”
“Courteous, like visiting guests.” What is it like when you are a visiting guest?
How do you act when you are visiting someone else’s home? Most people are
courteous and respectful of their host. Being courteous is showing respect for
and consideration of others. The sage is courteous to everyone he or she meets
giving respect, and consideration for others regardless of their status, gender,
age, etc. Everyone is treated equally with consideration and respect. The Tao,
like the sun shines on everyone, regardless of their differences. Likewise, the
sages shine their goodwill and respect on everyone.
“Yielding, like ice about to melt.” In Taoism, water and its quality of yielding is
often associated with “WuWei,” which means “without action or effort.” Ice
about to melt is very yielding. When you try to push it, it gives way. Yielding is
learning how to accept what life has to offer without resistance. When life
pushes at you through other people or events, the automatic tendency is to push
back. When someone slaps you, you want to slap them back. Jesus preached to
turn the other cheek. The sage teaches to accept what life gives you and not to
react with habitual responses, which may cause further pain. Be like the water
that yields without force instead of the ram, which likes to butt heads.
“Simple, like uncarved blocks of wood.” The “uncarved block” is often referred
to the Chinese word,” Pu.” It is considered the primordial state of the mind prior
to relative experience. Relative experience is all experience, which is judged by
our dualistic minds as good and bad, black and white, rich and poor, etc. The
majority of our experience in this world is colored with our preconceptions, as
we continually judge experiences that come our way. The sage strives for
simplicity in the primordial state of mind, which means experiencing life as it is,
without preconceptions. This is much easier said than done, as most of us have
been raised and educated with various notions about life. Our schools have
taught us what to think, our parents have taught us what to value and religions
have taught us what to believe. Experiencing the primordial state of mind takes
practice. You have to unlearn your normal way of perceiving the world. The key
is to become aware of habitual thoughts and emotional reactions to life. Observe
your continual stream of thoughts. Where on earth do they all come from?
People rarely take the time to become aware of their own steady stream of
thoughts, which occur throughout their daily lives. By becoming aware of our
thoughts and emotions, without judgment and reaction, we begin to experience
the primordial mind. The primordial state of mind exists before ideas, thoughts
and emotions occur. It is in harmony with the Tao and is a natural state of peace
and joy.
“Hallow like caves.” Hallow, like a cave emphasizes emptiness. A cavern is
empty space beneath the earth’s surface. It is hidden from the outside, but it is
mysterious, empty and deep. Although the sage appears like everyone else from
the outside, there resides a deep spaciousness within. That spaciousness is
connected to the Tao. It is a deep feeling of stillness and peace at the center of
consciousness. It is deep within the earth where the hidden jewels of wisdom lie.
“Opaque, like muddy pools.
Who can wait quietly while the mud settles.
Who can remain still until the moment of action.”
The mind is turbulent when filled with thoughts and emotions. When a pond is
filled with waves, the water becomes opaque and the bottom may not be seen.
Once the waves cease and the waters become stilled, then the water is crystal
clear, and the bottom of the pond can be seen. The mind of a sage is like a crystal
pond, still and clear. In beginning meditation, the mind is usually opaque like
disturbed muddy waters. The mind is constantly churned up with daily concerns,
frustrations and anxiety about the past and future. Patient and persistent
meditation brings clarity of mind, where disturbed thoughts, emotions and
perceptions begin to settle. Once the mind becomes quiet, inner reflection
becomes clear. Then the stillness reveals the clarity of the Tao, like the moon
reflected in a still pond at night.
SIXTEEN

Empty yourself of everything.

Let the mind rest at peace.

The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return.

They grow and flourish and then return to the source.

Returning to the source is stillness, which is the way of nature.
The way of nature is unchanging.

Knowing constancy is insight.

Not knowing constancy leads to disaster.

Knowing constancy, the mind is open.

With an open mind, you will be openhearted.

Being openhearted, you will act royally.

Being royal, you will attain the divine.

Being divine, you will be at one with the Tao.

Being at one with the Tao is eternal.

And though the body dies, The Tao will never pass away.

This is the essence of Taoism and is the mystical way, which leads to union with
the Tao. The sage is aware that everything in nature is cyclical. Things in nature
grow and die under the cycles of the sun and moon, day and night, and the
interplay between heaven and earth. All of creation is constantly undergoing
birth and death. It is what the Yogis and Buddhists call “Samsara.” Samsara is
the way of nature and is considered illusory because of the continual field of
change in creation. And yet there is something constant in all of us called, the
“Self” that watches this interplay of nature. This Self is not the body, ego or
personality, but is the Soul, which undergoes many incarnations or lifetimes on
the road to awakening. It is analogous to the perennial plant root, where every
year the flower blossoms and dies, but is born again in the spring as a new
flower. Likewise the Self incarnates on the physical plane with a body that
grows, develops and dies, only to reincarnate again with a new body. Although
the body dies, the Self, which is rooted in the Tao never passes away.
This is an old Vedic story. Once upon a time, a disciple was walking with his
Guru in the forest. Some people from a nearby village walked by, and the
disciple could hear them talking about their fears and concerns about the future.
The disciple asked his Guru, “How do people get so caught up in the drama of
their lives? Don’t they understand that it is all an illusion?” His Guru replied,
“Could you go to the nearby village and fetch me some water as I am very
thirsty?” The disciple replied to his Guru, “But of course!” The disciple headed
off to the nearby village. Once he arrived at the village, he met a beautiful
woman who asked him to come and sit for tea. He stayed at the village and fell
in love with this woman. They were later married and had three children. They
were very happy. Then one day there was a sudden storm. The nearby river
overflowed and flooded the village. The disciple was up on a bank with his wife
and children, but the river kept rising. There was nowhere to run. The river
continued to rise and his wife cried out as she was swept away by the raging
waters. The disciple yelled out, but was not able to help her as he was holding on
to the children. Now the water was up to his neck and he could no longer hold on
to the children. They too, were swept away by the strong current. The disciple
cried out in sorrow and allowed the river to take him under. Suddenly, the
disciple was awakened by a splash of water to his face. He opened his eyes and
there was his Guru standing over him. The Guru replied, “I sent you for some
water and you never returned. What happened to you, he said with a gleam in
his eye.”

SEVENTEEN

The very highest is barely known by man.

Then comes that which they know and love.

Then that which is feared,

Then that which is despised.

He who does not trust enough, will not be trusted.

When actions are performed,

Without unnecessary speech,

People say, “We did it!”

“He who does not trust enough, will not be trusted.” This demonstrates the inner
workings of the Tao. In order to receive, one must give. In order to receive trust,
one must trust others. In order to receive love, one must love others. What you
put forth, you shall receive. This is called “Karma.” Basically, karma is the law
of cause and effect. As you sew, sew shall you reap. If you sew good things, then
good things will come back to you. And of course, if you sew negative things,
then negative things will come back to you. That is why it is so important to be
positive in your life. It is important to think positive thoughts, express positive
emotions and do positive actions. Otherwise, you will experience the effect from
any negative actions as they will come back to you, just like a boomerang. Make
it a priority in your life to plant good seeds of thoughts, emotions and actions.
Uproot any negative seeds of thoughts or emotions by focusing on its’ opposite.
For instance, if you have feelings of anger, focus on feelings of peace. If you
have thoughts of hate, focus on feelings of love. Of course, this is easier said
than done, but with persistence, you can change the world around you to one of
peace, rather than hostility. This is true because the outer world is a reflection of
your inner self. Transform your inner self and the world will change around you.

EIGHTEEN

When the great Tao is forgotten,

Kindness and morality arise.

When wisdom and intelligence are born,

The great pretense begins.
When there is no peace within the family,

Filial piety and devotion arise.

When the country is confused and in chaos,

Loyal ministers appear.

When the Way of the Tao is lost, we become mired in worldly delusions. Then
relativistic existence holds sway over our mind and senses. We are bounced up
and down on the waves of duality. We become caught in the morality of good
and evil, between the wise and the foolish, and the nature of war and peace.
When we forget our true nature, we become lost in the ever-increasingly
complexities of life. Then the “great pretense begins.” We pretend to be happy
with our possessions, our careers, our friends and our life. Instead of seeking
truth and simplicity, we seek more knowledge and more things in our life, which
never satisfies us.
Chuang Tsu told an interesting story:
Yi Erh Tsu went to see Master Hsu Yu. Hsu Yu asked, “What has Yao taught
you?” Yi Erh Tsu said, “Yao instructed me to practice kindness and goodness,
and to distinguish clearly between right and wrong.” Hsu Yu said, “Then why do
you come to see me? Yao has already branded you with kindness and goodness,
and cut off your nose with right and wrong. How will you be able to wander on
the path, freely and without a care, doing whatever you like?” Yi Erh Tsu said,
“That may be so, but I would still like to wander along the fringes if I can.” Hsu
Yu said, “No, when a man is blind, it is impossible for him to appreciate the
beauty of face and complexion, or to tell a blue sacrificial robe from a yellow
one.” Yi Erh Tsu said, “Wu Chuang surrendered her beauty; Chu Liang
abandoned his strength, and the Yellow Emperor discarded his knowledge. All of
these were part of purging and purification. How do you know that the Maker of
Things would not rid me of my brands, replace my nose and make me fit to be
your disciple?” Hsu Yu said, “Ah! We cannot tell yet. But let me give you the
general idea. O my master! O my master! He set the ten thousand things in
order, yet he does not consider himself kind. He is more ancient than the oldest
antiquity, yet he does not consider himself old. He covers heaven, sustains the
earth, carves and fashions all forms, yet he does not consider himself skillful. I
follow him!”

NINETEEN

Give up sainthood, renounce wisdom,

And it will be a hundred times better for everyone.

Give up kindness, renounce morality,

And men will rediscover filial piety and love.

Give up ingenuity, renounce profit,

And bandits and thieves will disappear.

These three are outward forms alone; they are not sufficient in themselves.
It is more important,

To see the simplicity,

To realize one’s true nature,

To cast off selfishness,

And temper desire.

The sage encourages us to let go of saintliness or righteousness, morality and

ingenuous ways of making profits. The righteous always think they know what
is best for everyone and how they should think, and act. They care less about
other people’s perspectives on life and want you to blindly follow theirs. I was
once accosted by a group of righteous “Born Again Christians.” It was clear they
wanted to convert me. They told me I would go straight to hell, if I did not
change my beliefs. They did not know anything about me or what my beliefs
were. I attempted to discuss my theology with them peacefully. And they cried
out; “Blasphemy, you are going to burn in hell”. If they could have crucified me,
they would have done it right then and there. Renounce righteousness and it will
be a hundred times better for everyone. It is important to respect other people’s
beliefs, even if you don’t agree with them. By accepting other people’s beliefs
and values, you will be more open-hearted and compassionate.
I really like an article called, “Just to the Purpose, The Yoga of Ethics” written
by Phillip and Leigh Hurley. It basically states: “We do not know the purpose.
But we do know that the purpose is in the process of manifestation. Thus, all
manifestation is just to the purpose.” It is a simple and profound declaration.
What this means is we do not know the purpose of existence, but we do know
that the purpose of existence is in the process of manifestation. All people are
part of this process and therefore, just to the purpose. Our movement through
time and space has cosmic origins. We are all at one with the Tao, Absolute or
the Purpose. We do not need the authority of others to tell us who we are and
how we should live. We possess the keys to our own identity and freedom. What
this means in terms of ethics is everyone has a right to believe in what they wish
and everyone is valid in their belief, but most importantly, other people do not
have the right to impose their belief on anyone else. Unless, of course they
choose too. In other words, if I choose to practice Taoism, I am valid in my
belief. If you choose to practice Buddhism, Christianity, Islam or whatever belief
system, you are also valid in your belief. I may not like what you believe, but I
honor your right to believe as you wish, as we are all just to the purpose. I think
from a Taoist perspective, it allows everyone the right to find their own true
nature for themselves and not to rely on other authorities for proper belief and
morality.
“Renounce morality.” Morality is something society determines for its
constituents on what is right and wrong. And it is always changing with various
cultures, and the prevailing popular rule or opinion. There are rules for this and
for that, and just about every aspect of life. People should be careful not to judge
other people by the moral majority rule of what is right and wrong, but rather on
what is in one’s heart and conscience. The Taoist sage recognizes certain codes
of interpersonal conduct are not really important in life; what’s really important
is to realize one’s true nature and live simply according to the principles of the
Tao, which brings peace and harmony to one and all.

TWENTY

Give up learning and put an end to your troubles.

Is there a difference between yes and no?

Is there a difference between good and evil?

Must I fear what others fear? What nonsense!

Other people are contented, enjoying the sacrificial feast of the ox.

In spring, some go to the park and climb the terrace.

But I alone am drifting, not knowing where I am.

Like a newborn babe before it learns to smile,

I am alone, without a place to go.

Others have more than they need, but I alone have nothing.

I am a fool. Oh, yes! I am confused.

Other men are clear and bright,

But I alone am dim and weak.

Other men are sharp and clever,

But I alone am dull and stupid.

Oh, I drift like the waves of the sea,

Without direction, like the restless wind.

Everyone else is busy,

But I alone am aimless and depressed.

I am different.
I am nourished by the great mother.
I am so reminded of what Jesus said,
“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has
nowhere to lay his head.” Matt 8:10.
This verse appears somewhat depressing! At least, it would be to the
materialistic person who seeks happiness in the temporary pleasures of the
world. It’s very interesting to sit in the middle of Time Square in New York and
watch all the people scurrying about talking on their cell phones, not really
looking at each other, eagerly heading to their destination. What a mad, mad
world this is!
The sage is quite aware of the demands of the everyday world, but moves to the
beat of a different drummer. The sage moves to the beat of the divine mother!
She gives nourishment to the soul and to all creation. Look to her and all your
needs will be met. The sage does not call the material world their true home.
Their home resides in the Tao, which is not in any particular place or time. It is
in the home of the eternal Self, beyond space and time, but existing in every
present moment behind the world of form. In the ancient scriptures of India, we
read:
“What cannot be seen with the eye, but that whereby the eye can see: know that
alone to be Brahman the Spirit and not what people here adore. What cannot be
heard with the ear, but that whereby the ear can hear: know that alone to be
Brahman the Spirit and not what people here adore…What cannot be thought
with the mind, but that whereby the mind can think: know that alone to be
Brahman the Spirit and not what people here adore.” Kena Uphanishad
The majority of people in the world adore what they can see, hear, touch and
feel. They are unaware of a higher reality, which exists beyond the forms of
sense perception. And it is within the Tao, which exists beyond the forms of our
sense perception, where our true home is.

TWENTY-ONE

The greatest Virtue is to follow Tao and Tao alone.

The Tao is elusive and intangible.

Oh, it is intangible and elusive, and yet within is image.

Oh, it is elusive and intangible, and yet within is form.

Oh, it is dim and dark, and yet within is essence.

This essence is very real, and therein lies faith.

From the very beginning until now, its name has never been forgotten.

Thus I perceive creation.

How do I know the ways of creation?

Because of this!

Although the Tao is intangible, its’ essence is very real. It exists and without it,
nothing would exist. The Tao manifests through all the various forms in creation,
which we certainly can perceive through our normal senses. The Tao also exists
beyond form that we cannot perceive through our normal senses. Because the
Tao also exists within us, we can become aware of the Tao through faith. I like
the biblical definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1-2, which says: “Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” Faith here is
a real force that provides evidence of things beyond our normal senses. Faith can
be accessed through devotion, meditation, stillness and our intuition. The
majority of people in the world today have very little faith. We have become a
rational society who relies on scientific data and facts. If it cannot be observed
and measured, it does not exist. Although science is very useful for tangible
reality, it is lost with things that are not tangible. Many people with faith have
witnessed many miracles in their lives, though they cannot explain it. Miracles
of healing, supernatural acts and events are attested to in most religions. Within
Taoism, there are practices of alchemy, magic, devotion, and the development of
sacred powers. All of this points to a reality existing outside of our normal
perceptions.
Confucius tells the student, Yen Hui:
“You understand how to fly using wings, but you have not yet seen how to fly
without them. You understand how to act from knowledge, but you have not yet
see how to act from not-knowing. Look at empty space. It is in emptiness that
light is born. There is happiness in stillness.”
Chuang Tsu also tells the story about the Hunchback woman:
“NanPo Tsu Kuei asked Hunchback Woman. “You are old, and yet you look like
a child. Why is this?” “I have found Tao.” she replied. “Can Tao be learned?” he
asked. “No, how could it be? You are not the one to do it anyway. Now, consider
Pu Liang. He has the talent of a sage, but not the Tao of a sage. I have the Tao of
a sage, but not the talent. I wished to teach him so that he might indeed be a
sage. Teaching the Tao of a sage to one who has the talent of a sage seems to be
an easy matter. But no, it took a long time to reveal it to him. After three days, he
began to transcend the physical world. After his transcendence of the physical
world, I kept working with him. After seven days, he began to transcend all
material existence. I kept working with him. After nine days, he began to
transcend all life. Having transcended all life, he began to achieve the clear
vision of dawn. Having achieved the clear vision of dawn, he began to see the
One. Having seen the One, he began to transcend the distinction of past and
present. Having transcended the distinction of past and present, he began to
enter the land where there is no life or death…”
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt in your
philosophy.” William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 1 Scene 5.
TWENTY-TWO

Yield and overcome;

Bend and be straight;

Empty and be full;

Wear out and be new;

Have little and gain;

Have much and be confused.

Therefore wise men embrace the one

And set an example to all.
Not putting on a display,

They shine forth.

Not justifying themselves,

They are distinguished.

Not boasting,
They receive recognition.

Not bragging,

They never falter.

They do not quarrel,

So no one quarrels with them.

Therefore, the ancients say, “Yield and overcome”.

Is that an empty saying?

Be really whole,

And all things will come to you.

In the practice of Tai Chi, instead of opposing a direct force, one learns how to
yield and overcome an opponent. During a storm, the strong winds may blow
over a mighty oak tree, whereas the flexible willow tree yields to the winds, and
survives the storm. Learning how to yield in one’s life will save much
frustration. Instead of always insisting in having your way in life, let other
people have their way. It is amazing how much energy we expend in life
situations trying to get our own way for the smallest, most insignificant things. I
have seen people quarrel for hours with their friends or partners on what kind of
toothpaste they should buy, what clothes they should wear, and to what movie
they should see. Is this all really necessary? Isn’t there a more harmonious way
of interacting with others? The sage understands the illusions of the ego. The ego
is identified with form in this world. It becomes threatened by anything that
would reduce its control, power and attachments. The Buddhists call this being
attached to a physical form, emotional habit or mental viewpoint. One can be as
attached to a particular point of view as one can be attached to an old piece of
luggage. It is important to recognize our physical form (our bodies), our
emotions and our thoughts are not who we really are. They are “form-u-lations”;
we use to negotiate the world around us. The ego becomes identified with the
forms and attached to them. Therefore, when anyone quarrels with a person who
is attached to their forms, they become threatened and will become angry or
fearful. We can become aware of our own attachments by paying attention to
how we react when someone challenges our perspectives or viewpoints. If you
react with anger or fear, than you are attached to a particular viewpoint because
you are feeling threatened. It is really your ego, which is being threatened as it is
identified with a particular point of view and cannot accept another point of
view. The thing to realize is all viewpoints are valid as it is just a point of view,
and we all have them. Every morning I walk around a small lake near my home.
As I circumambulate the lake, I realize there is a different angle of perspective or
view from different points around the lake. They are all different and unique
views of the lake. As an analogy, each of us is like a different viewpoint around
the circle of life. Instead of being threatened by someone with a different
viewpoint, is it not better to see it as an opportunity to see the lake from a
different perspective, enhancing your own overall view of the lake?

TWENTY-THREE

To talk little is natural.

High winds do not last all morning.

Heavy rain does not last all day.

Why is this? Heaven and Earth.

If heaven and earth cannot make things eternal.

How is it possible for man?

He who follows the Tao,

Is at one with the Tao.

He who is virtuous,
Experiences Virtue.

He who loses the way,

Feels lost.
When you are at one with the Tao,

The Tao welcomes you.

When you are at one with Virtue,

The Virtue is always there.

When you are at one with loss,

The loss is experienced willingly.

He who does not trust enough,

Will not be trusted.

Isn’t it funny when things start to go wrong in our lives, how we feel so
frustrated, sad or depressed? There is an old tale about a Taoist farmer:
A man who lived on the northern frontier of China was skilled in interpreting
events. One day, for no reason, his horse ran away to the nomads across the
border. Everyone tried to console him, but his father said, "What makes you so
sure this isn't a blessing?" Some months later his horse returned, bringing a
splendid nomad stallion. Everyone congratulated him, but his father said, "What
makes you so sure this isn't a disaster?" Their household was richer by a fine
horse, which his son loved to ride. One day he fell and broke his hip. Everyone
tried to console him, but his father said, "What makes you so sure this isn't a
blessing?
A year later the nomads came in force across the border, and every able-bodied
man took his bow and went into battle. The Chinese frontiersmen lost nine of
every ten men. Only because the son was lame did the father and son survive to
take care of each other. Truly, blessing turns to disaster, and disaster to blessing:
the changes have no end, nor can the mystery be fathomed.
The sage is not fazed by all the changes and reversal of fortunes one may go
through in this life. They are not permanent. “Heavy rains do not last all day!”
The rains will stop and the sun will shine again. Swami Kriyananda
recommended the affirmation: “I will let things come as they come.” It is better
to learn to respond to events in your life, than to just react to them. The
difference between responding and reacting to events is a matter of self-
awareness. Most people react to events in their lives with immediate judgment,
which may result in anger, fear, etc. The sage responds to events with an open
awareness that casts no immediate judgment. In other words, events are
perceived as they are and then a response is formulated for that particular
circumstance. This is a very important spiritual practice. It can bring more peace
and harmony into your life. Begin to pay attention on how you react to various
situations in your life. Do certain events cause anger or anxiety? Do you
experience road rage when someone cuts in front of you? Does a visit by your
mother-in-law want to make you run and hide? How do you react to
confrontation? Do you automatically become fearful or angry? These are the
things to observe and become aware of. Once you become more aware of your
habitual reactions, then you can begin to change a negative reaction to a more
positive response. Allow space for life to unfold and then respond accordingly.
Be a good actor in life, instead of a re-actor.

TWENTY-FOUR

He who stands on tiptoe is not steady.

He who strides cannot maintain the pace.

He who makes a show is not enlightened.
He who is self-righteous is not respected.

He who boasts achieves nothing.

He who brags will not endure.

According to followers of the Tao,

“These are extra food and unnecessary luggage.”
They do not bring happiness.

Therefore, followers of the Tao avoid them.

The quiet sage, Loud Sue says;

“He who is not steady should not stand on tiptoe.
He who runs like the sporadic rabbit should remember the slow, but steady
tortoise.
He who is enlightened will not try to prove it to you.
He who is truly respected cares little about respect.
He who has nothing has nothing to boast about.
He who brags to build himself up will surely tumble down.
According to the wise, these are the ways of the foolish.
Who prefer fame and fortune, rather than true happiness.

TWENTY-FIVE
Something mysteriously formed,
Born before heaven and earth.
In the silence of the void,
Standing alone and unchanging,
Ever present and in motion.
Perhaps, it is the mother of ten thousand things.
I do not know its name.
Call it Tao.
For lack of a better word, I call it great.
Being great, it flows.
It flows far away.
Having gone far, it returns.
Therefore, “Tao is great;
Heaven is great;
Earth is great;
The king is great.”
These are the four great powers
Of the universe,
And the king is one of them.
Man follows the earth.
Earth follows heaven.
Heaven follows the Tao.
Tao follows what is natural.

The word “Tao” basically means the “Way” or “Path.” It is considered the
eternal principle of the universe, which transcends reality and is the source for
all being, and creation. The Tao is ineffable. It really cannot be put into words
because it transcends language and ordinary communication. So everything we
say about it is only descriptive and not really it. You can describe the taste of a
strawberry all you like, but until you taste it, you really do not know what a
strawberry tastes like. The interesting thing about the Tao is although it is
beyond language and normal perception, it can be experienced through our
consciousness. Indeed it is the source of consciousness. Its’ bliss flows naturally
in meditation or contemplation when the mind is still.
In Shang-ch’ing Taoism, the essence of meditation lies in attaining oneness,
which lies beyond the relative dualities in life. By quieting the mind and the
emotions, one begins to perceive stillness. Through the stillness, the “mind of
Tao” emerges.
“The mind of Tao is consciousness that is rooted in the Tao and sees all things as
one. With continued practice, the experience of oneness will take hold, and the
union with the Tao is achieved.” (Taoism, Eva Wong)
According to the sage, the four great powers are Tao, Heaven, Earth and Man.
Man follows the Earth, Earth follows Heaven and Heaven follows the Tao. Why
is this so? Heaven and earth are the polarities of creation, which is part of the
philosophy of yin and yang in Taoism. The important thing to remember is the
connection and interplay between heaven and earth, yin and yang, divine and
man. It is because of this inherent connection we are able to experience relative
consciousness through our senses and everyday living, and yet are able to
experience divine consciousness through union with the Tao. We are the
embodiment of the Earth with the indwelling consciousness of heaven, which
follows the Tao.

TWENTY-SIX

The heavy is the root of the light;

The still is the master of unrest.

Therefore the sage, traveling all day,

Does not lose sight of his baggage.

Though there are beautiful things to be seen.

He remains unattached and calm.

Why should the lord of ten thousand chariots act lightly in public?

To be light is to lose one’s root.

To be restless is to lose one’s control.

The sage is not carried away by the myriad sights and sounds of the world. She
holds fast to the Tao at the center of her being. The sage is like the center of a
cyclone, calm and peaceful while all around her are the whirling debris of the
phenomenal world. She remains observant, but detached from the ups and downs
of daily life. There are amazing and beautiful things to behold, but she does not
lose her footing by being carried away by the restless winds of desire and
attachment. The sage realizes life is like a picture show, which is fueled by
desire. The crux is to learn how to enjoy the show, without losing oneself in the
show.
There is the old story of a sadhaka (spiritual practitioner) who was sent to King
Janaka to obtain wisdom. King Janaka gave the sadhaka a task. He asked the
sadhaka to carry a lamp filled to the brim with oil around his entire palace. He
was not to let one drop fall on his precious carpets. The sadhaka thought to
himself, “This will be very difficult, but I am up to this task.” So, he walked very
carefully around the King’s palace and visited every room. He was so careful not
to spill any of the oil. He returned to King Janaka with a smile on his face and
said, “I have completed your task successfully!” Then King Janaka asked him,
“Can you please describe to me the color of the table in the main dining hall?”
The sadhaka replied, “I have no idea, I was paying very close attention to
carrying the oil and did not notice the contents of the room!” King Janaka told
him, “You have failed! I want you to try it again, but this time be careful not to
drop any oil on my precious carpets and pay close attention to the contents of the
room.” Again the sadhaka walked around the King’s palace and was very
careful not to spill any oil. He also paid close attention to the contents of every
room. He again returned back to the King. The sadhaka told the King that he had
completed the task successfully. He described the contents in every room of his
palace. He also did not spill any oil. King Janaka exclaimed, “You have begun to
learn wisdom.”
The crux of this story is to learn to stay centered in the Tao while going through
the many tasks of your daily life. Carrying the oil lamp represents holding on to
the precious Tao, while at the same time engaging in the daily events of your
life.

TWENTY-SEVEN
A good walker leaves no tracks;
A good speaker makes no slips;
A good reckoner needs no tally.
A good door needs no lock,
Yet no one can open it.
Good binding requires no knots,
Yet no one can loosen it.
Therefore the sage takes care of all men
And abandons no one.
He takes care of all things
And abandons nothing.
This is called “following the light.”
What is a good man?
A teacher of a bad man.
What is a bad man?
A good man’s charge.
If the teacher is not respected,
And the student not cared for,
Confusion will arise, however clever one is.
This is the crux of the mystery.

My inner muse, Loud Sue says the essence of this verse is “The proof is in the
pudding.” I have found it very interesting while writing this book, the variety of
synchronistic phenomenon, which happens along with it. I may be working on a
particular verse and while reading another book, a quote or passage will speak
directly to what I am working on. Or I may be walking out in nature and
something will happen that will shed light on a particular passage. When I read
the “Tao Te Ching”, I do not read it like a novel. It is a profound work that I tune
into. I contemplate, reflect and meditate on each verse, and try to key into the
essence of it with my intuition. Then, I also pay close attention to what events
and phenomenon occur in my life as they may shed further light and realization
to my understanding. If you read the “Tao Te Ching” in this way, it will change
and transform your life!
The “proof is in the pudding” means a good pudding will taste good. Proof of
the pudding also means that one is known by the fruits of ones’ actions. In
Matthew 7:16, we read,
“Ye shall know them by their fruits…Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit,
but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”
A good speaker speaks well and makes no slips. A good person does well and it
is reflected in their actions. Gia-Fu Feng said, “You can see the essence of the
practice of Taoism in some people. You can see the essence of Taoism in
someone who is further along the path.” How can you see this? By their fruits or
their vibrations. According to Fritz Capra in “Tao of Physics”, everything in the
universe vibrates from the smallest particles to the planets. People also have
good and bad vibrations or low and high vibrations. In Vedic scriptures there are
three basic types of vibrations, which are: “tamasic”, “rajastic” and “sattvic”.
People with a tamasic vibration have a low vibration, which is very self-centered
and focused on sense pleasures. People with a rajastic vibration possess a higher
vibration. They are more active, competitive and looking to improve themselves.
People who are sattvic have the highest vibration. They are more spiritual,
receptive, harmonious and selfless. Of course, people are always changing and
then their corresponding vibration changes. You can sense a person’s vibration
by your feelings and intuition. Most people can sense when other people are
angry, fearful, sick, happy, sad, etc. That is because every emotion and thought
has a corresponding vibration. And so do places and things. Have you ever
wondered into a bad neighborhood and had that sinking feeling you had better
leave? When you are in a bad mood, isn’t it interesting how other people keep
away from you? It is important to maintain harmonious, positive vibrations in
your life and to associate with good and positive people. You can actually raise
yourself up by hanging around with energetic, happy and positive people. Of
course, you can also lower your vibration by associating with negative, violent
people, such as street gangs and the like. It is interesting that “Birds of a feather
tend to flock together,” which basically means people with similar vibrations
tend to hang together. Lao Tzu asks, “What is a good man? And the response, “A
teacher of a bad man.” The good man brings the positive vibrations of love,
wisdom and guidance to those who are bad with negative vibrations of
selfishness, hatred and ignorance. The sage tries to help others who are living in
darkness, misery and despair towards developing positive vibrations of peace
and harmony.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Know the strength of man,
But keep a woman’s care!
Be the stream of the universe!
Being the stream of the universe,
Ever true and unswerving,
Become as a little child once more.
Know the white,
But keep the black!
Be an example to the world!
Being an example to the world,
Ever true and unwavering,
Return to the infinite.
Know honor,
Yet keep humility.
Be the valley of the universe!
Being the valley of the universe,
Ever true and resourceful,
Return to the state of the uncarved block.
When the block is carved, it becomes useful.
When the sage uses it, he becomes the ruler.
Thus, “A great tailor cuts little.”

“Know the strength of a man, but keep a woman’s care.” Balance is the center
point of creation and the way of the sage. It is important to maintain a balance
between yin and yang, and all dualities in life. Know the outgoing energy of the
masculine, but also balance it with the ingoing energy of the feminine. In Tantra
Yoga, every God has a consort or Goddess. The masculine and feminine are in
all aspects of creation from the lowest to the highest. Masculine and feminine
polarity also exists within each of us. They manifest on many different levels
from consciousness and sub-consciousness, outgoing and ingoing energies,
external and internal, reason and feeling, strength and compassion. You can
clearly see these polarities operating in our personalities. Some people are more
outgoing and assertive expressing masculine polarity. Other people may be more
introverted and quiet expressing feminine polarity. I was quite introverted
growing up and not very assertive. I was very feminine and needed to learn to be
more assertive and outgoing in my life. I became happier when I learned to
assert myself, which helped to balance my personality. Everyone has to find this
balance for themselves. Relationships can help each other find this balance. Our
partners can be very quick to point out our problems and lack of balance.
Couples can also learn to work together to bring peace and harmony into their
relationship, which will help develop harmony and balance within themselves. In
Tantra Yoga, the coming together of male and female is considered a sacred act
bringing balance and transformation.
“Be the valley of the universe.” Being the stream of the universe is to flow with
the Tao and to retain the primordial mind like a little child. Being an example to
the world is to be a good role model, not only talking the talk, but walking the
walk. Being the valley of the universe is being receptive to the Tao. To be
receptive, one has to quiet the mind and the outer senses to the subtle feelings of
the Tao within.
“Return to the state of the uncarved block.” Returning to the state of the
uncarved block is to return to a state of simplicity. The uncarved block is equated
with Chinese “pu”, meaning “uncut wood” and represents the original nature
prior to social and cultural conditioning. It is a mental state empty of
preconceived ideas and beliefs. It is experiencing life in the eternal present, ever
fresh and ever anew. While modern man seeks to learn with increasing
complexity, the sage seeks to unlearn in natural simplicity.

TWENTY-NINE
Do you think you can take over the universe and improve it?

I do not believe it can be done.

The universe is sacred.

You cannot improve it.

If you try to change it, you will ruin it.

If you try to hold it, you will lose it.

So sometimes things are ahead and sometimes they are behind;

Sometimes breathing is hard, sometimes it comes easily;
Sometimes there is strength and sometimes weakness;

Sometimes one is up and sometimes down.

Therefore the sage avoids extremes, excesses, and complacency.

It seems like everyone wants to change the world, instead of changing

themselves. It is easier to see the mote in another’s eye than it is in your own.
From the perspective of the ego, the world has a ton of problems and the ego
thinks it can improve it. But the ego has a very narrow and limited perspective in
the scheme of things. So it seeks to change the world according to its own likes
and dislikes. The problem is there are a lot of egos out there and one persons’
heaven may be another persons’ hell. What you may think of as the best possible
world might be completely different than what the next person believes. The
world is as it is!
So the little ego asks, “Why bother doing anything if I can’t change the world for
the better?” The sage replies, “The universe is sacred and perfect as it is.”
However, the ego lives in the periphery of creation in the illusion of duality.
From this perspective, everything is good and bad, sometimes ahead and
sometimes behind, sometimes low and sometimes high. From this perspective,’
“Life can be one damn problem after another.’” But we can change ourselves!
We can change ourselves for the better by moving closer to harmony with the
Tao. We do this by becoming more balanced and avoiding excessiveness.
Excessive eating, drinking and stimulation cause ill health. Excessive anger, fear
and restlessness cause emotional disturbance, and strain on the nervous system.
Learn to balance sadness with joy, restlessness with stillness, fear with courage,
and anger with love and compassion. It is by improving ourselves that we can
improve the world.
Be aware you do not know what is best for the world, just as you do not know
what is best for another person. Just as another person does not know what is
best for you. You have to find out what is best for yourself and no one can find it
for you. Also, other people have to find out what is best for them and you cannot
do this for them. So many people try to tell others how to live their life! Culture
tells you how to live your life, religions tell you how to live your life, society
tells you how to live your life, and all your friends and family tell you how to
live your life. Only you can determine how to live your life. Of course, it is wise
to hear from others on how you may improve your life, but ultimately you have
to decide and make any changes on your own. The Tao does not tell you what to
do with your life; the sage only advises you how to live more harmoniously in
the world around you.

THIRTY
Whenever you advise a ruler in the way of the Tao,
Counsel him not to use force to conquer the universe.
For this would only cause resistance.
Thorn bushes spring up wherever the army has passed.
Lean years follow in the wake of a great war.
Achieve results,
But never glory in them.
Achieve results,
But never boast.
Achieve results,
But never be proud.
Achieve results,
Because this is the natural way.
Achieve results,
But not through violence.
Force is followed by loss of strength.
This is not the way of the Tao.
That which goes against the Tao comes to an early end.

The sage advises against using force or violence to achieve your goals. Why?
Because violence begets violence, hate begets hate and those who live by the
sword shall die by the sword. Have you ever watched things escalate out of
control whenever you feed into anger? I have seen this all too often in my own
experience and in other people. Whenever you lose yourself in anger, it stirs up
more anger in yourself and in your surroundings. It would be comical if it wasn’t
so sad, how things can quickly escalate when you are in a state of anger. You
may yell, scream and shout or throw things, which you would never normally
do. When you are in a state of anger, you have lost conscious awareness of who
you are. There is the story about the old man and the two wolfs;
A young man visits an old man who is accompanied by two wolfs. One wolf is
anger and the other wolf is peace. A young man asks the old man, “Which wolf is
yours?” The old man replies, “It depends on which wolf I feed!”
When we are in a state of anger, our anger likes to be fed. And of course, the
more it is fed, the bigger it gets. The way to resolve the anger is not to feed it.
First, become aware of it. Become aware that you are angry. Once you become
aware of it, then you will stop feeding it. Stop feeding it and it will begin to
subside. Always be aware of your emotions by simple awareness and gentle
observation. The way of the Tao is the way of awareness. Awareness of our real
nature. Anger and violence sets us apart from our real nature and the harmony
inherent in the universe.

THIRTY-ONE
Good weapons are instruments of fear; all creatures hate them.
Therefore, the followers of the Tao never use them.
The wise man prefers the left.
The man of war prefers the right.
Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not a wise man’s tools.
He uses them only when he has no choice.
Peace and quiet are dear to his heart,
And victory no cause for rejoicing.
If you rejoice in victory, then you delight in killing;
If you delight in killing, you cannot fulfill yourself.
On happy occasions precedence is given to the left.
On sad occasions to the right.
In the army, the general stands on the left.
This means that war is conducted like a funeral.
When many people are being killed,
They should be mourned in heartfelt sorrow.
That is why a victory must be observed like a funeral.

War is not in harmony with the Tao. However, sometimes it cannot be avoided.
The sage prefers to avoid war and fighting, but will stand up when he or she
needs to. Sometimes we are called to defend our lives, our country and those we
love. Even though great men like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King
were men of non-violence and peace, they still stood up for their principles. And
they gave up their lives for it.
It’s ironic that I am writing this piece during Memorial Day. A day we honor
those who have fought and died in war for our country, and our freedom. My
father fought in WWII and he had many stories to share regarding his escapades.
He did not delight in the war, but felt it was his duty. He lost many friends and
mourned the loss of life on both sides.
Jesus preached to love one’s enemy. Why? Because love is greater than hatred.
Love moves towards union and hatred moves toward separation. Moving
towards union is moving towards the Tao. The Tao embraces the opposites of yin
and yang. Embracing the Tao, one can embrace the light and the dark, and know
when to stand on the left and when to move to the right. There is a proper time
and place for everything under Heaven. There is a time to stand up and a time to
sit down. Sometimes you need to move to the left, which is associated with the
nature of yin and sometimes you need to be at the right, which is associated with
the nature of yang. This is the essence of the philosophy of the “I Ching” or
“Book of Changes,” that consists of learning to move in harmony and balance
with the constant change of the universe.

THIRTY-TWO
The Tao is forever undefined.
Small though it is in the unformed state, it cannot be grasped.
If kings and lords could harness it,
The ten thousand things would naturally obey.
Heaven and earth would come together,
And gentle rain would fall.
Men would need no more instruction and all things would take their course.
Once the whole is divided, the parts need names.
There are already enough names.
One must know when to stop.
Knowing when to stop averts trouble.
Tao in the world is like a river flowing home to the sea.

According to the sage, everything is one. We have divided the whole into parts
with our analytical consciousness. Our normal everyday rational consciousness
views reality in terms of identification and discrimination. All things become
labeled and identified in terms of its constituent parts. Although this is useful in
terms of negotiating our world, it does not get to the essence of things. A student
asks his teacher, “Why is the sky blue?” The teacher replies, “The sky is blue
because the air molecules scatter blue light in all directions creating a blue
atmosphere.” The student replies, “But why do the air molecules only scatter
blue light?” The teacher says, “Well, because blue light has a shorter wavelength
making it easier to scatter than other colors.” The student pensively asks, “Why
does blue have a shorter wavelength than other colors like red?” The teacher
replies, “It just does, we don’t know why.” It is interesting that white light
contains all the colors of the spectrum. When you point a white light at a prism,
all the colors can be seen just like a rainbow. Absolute reality is like the white
light, which contains all the variety of colors within it. Our everyday relative
reality is the multi-colored universe we live in from day to day.
“There are already enough names.” We have become an overly rational world
and have lost contact with our natural sense of wonder or (one-der). We need to
rediscover our sacredness, which is beyond the grasp of our rational mind. We
can do this by realizing our essential oneness with the Tao. We have made great
strides as a civilization through modern science. But we have lost something
along the way and that is our sacredness. Science does not understand
sacredness. They are as different as day and night. Science is the result of the
development of rational mind consciousness. Sacredness is the mystery and
unity inherent in the universe realized by our higher awareness, and intuition.
Fritjof Capra, “Tao of Physics” states: “When the rational mind is silenced, the
intuitive mode produces an extraordinary awareness; the environment is
experienced in a direct way without the filter of conceptual thinking…It is a state
where every form of fragmentation has ceased, fading away into unity.”
The sage is more interested in the intuitive wisdom of the Tao, rather than the
rational knowledge of the world. Our intuition is directly in touch with the
sacredness of heaven and earth where the gentle rains fall to nourish the ten
thousand things.
“Tao in the world is like a river flowing home to the sea.” I was at a Zen
Monastery attending sangha recently, when one of the members started talking
about Buddha dharma and the sutras. He had read much about the dharma and
the sutras. He showed his knowledge of the teachings, but he had not applied
them to his life. He lacked wisdom. He had not yet integrated his knowledge into
experience. This is kind of like a Boy Scout knowing the basics of survival from
reading his manual, without ever having used that knowledge in a real life
situation. Until he actually applies the knowledge, it isn’t integrated into his life.
A book or computer can give you all the knowledge in the world, but cannot give
you wisdom. You can read the “Tao Te Ching” until your blue in the face, but if
you do not apply the principles to your life, they will have little meaning for you.
The sage values wisdom rather than accumulation of knowledge. Wisdom is one
of the keys to self-realization and knowing the Tao. It is something, which has to
be earned through living the path and integrating that knowledge into one’s life.
As Loud Sue says, “Knowledge can be learned, but wisdom has to be earned.”

THIRTY-THREE
Knowing others is wisdom;

Knowing the self is enlightenment.

Mastering others requires force;
Mastering the self needs strength.

He who knows he has enough is rich.

Perseverance is a sign of will power.

He who stays where he is endures.
To die, but not to perish is to be eternally present.

The Greek aphorism “Know Thyself” was inscribed at the forecourt in the
Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Knowing the Self is the gateway to enlightenment
and realization. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a poem entitled “Gnothi Seauton”,
which illustrates the belief that God exists within everyone and by deeply
knowing oneself, you can know God. This is similar to the Taoist understanding
of the microcosm and the macrocosm, and the Hermetic axiom, “As above, so
below.” This can be a difficult concept to understand, but basically the universe
is a totality and it is manifested in its totality within everything else. We are in
the Tao and the Tao is in us. So by deeply knowing ourselves, we can know the
Tao. We can see an illustration of this phenomenon through the nature of the
hologram. A hologram is basically a three dimensional image made with the use
of a laser. The interesting thing about a holographic image is it includes
information about light scattered from every point of the picture. In other words,
every piece of the holographic image contains the whole image. If you take a
holographic image and cut it into half, the entire scene can still be seen in each
piece. And if you cut those pieces in half, the entire scene can be seen in each
new piece. This is a concrete analogy of the macrocosm being reflected in the
microcosm, or the Universe being reflected as a totality in each living being. All
the answers to our questions regarding the cosmos and who we are exist within
us.
“To die, but not to perish is to be eternally present.” How can one die and yet
not perish? How can one be eternally present? According to the sage, one is
eternally present when one is centered in the Tao. When one is centered in the
Tao, one may die, but does not perish. Birth and death are natural occurrences in
the world. Everything and everybody goes through them. And it is happening all
the time from atoms to galaxies. It is interesting the cells in our own bodies are
continually dying and regenerating every day. So birth and death are just part of
the natural processes of life. There are also many levels of birth and death in the
universe. We experience birth and death of thoughts, which are constantly
coming and going through our minds. We may experience the birth of a variety
of emotions within us that can make us feel good or bad. We give birth to
creative ideas, arts, crafts, goods and services to the world. And all of these pass
away in time. We (our bodies) also pass away in time. But our essential self does
not. It does not perish. As the sage says, “And though the body dies, The Tao will
never pass away.” And although our bodies will die, our inner self, which is
centered in the Tao will never pass away also.
In our culture, death is a very scary thing. The majority of people are very
fearful of dying and do not like thinking about it. Many people look to their
religion for answers and comfort about death, and the possibility of an afterlife.
However, there are many documented cases of near death experiences where
one’s body has technically died, but the person remains conscious throughout the
experience of death. The famous psychiatrist, Raymond Moody in his book
“Life after Life,” interviewed over a hundred people who have had near death
experiences. He also found a commonality to their individual experience. They
included an overwhelming sense of peace, feelings of floating or being outside
of one’s body, becoming aware of golden light, past review of one’s life events
and being in another world or dimension. There are also many documented cases
of out-of-the body experiences where one is conscious outside of one’s body. I
have experienced several out of the body experiences. My first OBE was back in
1974, while camping at Devil’s Lake State Park in Wisconsin:

“One moonless dark night, I had just curled up in my

sleeping bag. I begun to drift off into sleep
when suddenly I found myself outside the tent, kind
of walking/floating around in the dark. I became alarmed
and felt really disoriented. I could not figure out how
I had gotten outside the tent and what I was doing there.
I cried out for my cousin who was in the tent sleeping.
But he did not hear me. I went into the screen tent
looking for help. I yelled as loud as I could and in the
next instant, I was back in the tent laying in my sleeping bag.”
I have had many other OBE experiences in my life, which have helped me to be
at peace with death. I know I will die one day, but I know from experience my
consciousness or spirit can exist apart from the body. So for me, death is a
transformation resulting in continued experience in a new dimension of life or
reality. In Shang-ch’ing Taoism, there are mystical practices whereby the Self
ascends to the celestial realm. One practice involves leaving the physical body
and rising to the celestial domain where the Self may journey to celestial bodies,
meeting with various deities and learning new wisdom. This is very similar to
OBE and Astral Projection practices, whereby the practitioner can leave his or
her body, and visit other worlds and dimensions. Yram, Practical Astral
Projection, talks about one of his experiences in astral projection:
“This awakening of the conscious personality happens in a clear, lucid manner,
with immediate memory of all the facts, past, present and future in which we are
interested. Whilst this was happening, I was fully conscious of all the work I had
done regard to astral projection, of the presence of my sleeping body, and of the
exteriorization of my double, at the same time as I was working out how best to
use my momentary powers. No expression can define the feeling of joy of being
free in space, all the time knowing that we are fully alive on earth. Great is the
happiness at being able to act as we wish, to go where we will, without have to
consider our material necessities.”
The sage realizes there are many dimensions to life. There is an inner universe as
well as an outer universe we can explore through our consciousness. Death is
also an important part of life. But it is only a transition in spiritual growth. Loud
Sue says, “Like the root that remains after a plant dies, which grows again in the
spring, the self remains after the body dies to be reborn again anew.”

THIRTY-FOUR
The great Tao flows everywhere, both to the left and to the right.
The ten thousand things depend upon it; it holds nothing back.
It fulfills its purpose silently and makes no claim.
It nourishes the ten thousand things,
And yet is not their lord.
It has no aim; it is very small.
The ten thousand things return to it,
Yet it is not their lord.
It is very great.
It does not show greatness,
And is therefore truly great.

The Tao is like water. Water gives life and nourishment to all things. It does not
care if one is moral or immoral, good or bad, left or right. It nourishes all equally
without judgment. The Tao is also like the sun, which radiates light giving
warmth to everything and animates all of creation. The Tao is like the air giving
space for all things, connecting everything in a cosmic dance of continual
inspiration and expiration. The Tao is also like the earth supporting all the ten
thousand things, whether they are big or small, black or white, yin or yang. The
Tao does not seek acclaim, it gives it’s all to all. But it is up to each individual to
be receptive to the Tao. One can turn to the sun and receive its warmth or hide in
the shade. One can drink the life giving nourishment of water, or die of thirst.
There is an old saying, “You can bring a mule to water, but you cannot make him
drink it.” One can choose to remain blind and ignorant or attune to the wisdom
of the sages. The Tao does not force its way and therefore is truly great.
The greatest teachers do not try to force their wisdom on their students. They let
them figure it out for themselves, which is the greatest treasure. We should be
careful not to exert our will over others, but to allow for freedom of self-
expression and development. We can nurture and support other people, but not
dominate those we love. We can offer guidance to others, but they have to find
their own way in life. The Tao does not dictate how people should live, even
though it provides the groundwork for all creation. It’s rather funny that the most
powerful of all forces in the Universe does not force anyone to do anything!

THIRTY-FIVE
All men will come to him who keeps to the one.
For therein lie rest and happiness, and peace.
Passersby may stop for music and good food,
But a description of the Tao,
Seems without substance or flavor.
It cannot be seen, it cannot be heard.
And yet, it cannot be exhausted.

Everyone is searching for happiness in this life. Whether they seek it in a new
job, home, car, relationship, power, wealth, etc.; they are still looking for what
they think will make them happy. It is only when people get tired and weary of
seeking temporary happiness through their possessions and fame that they begin
to search for real permanent happiness. Then they begin to look for wisdom,
truth and lasting joy. Many people turn to religion and philosophy to guide them
to the truth. But all religion and philosophy can do is point to the truth. Religions
cannot give the truth; it can only give a description of the truth. And a
description of the truth does not bring realization or fulfillment. It is like
worshipping the teapot, instead of drinking the tea. In order to experience the
tea, you have to drink it. Talking about how the tea may taste does not reveal the
nature of the tea. When one does drink the tea, then they know the tea and say
“ahhh!” The Tao may seem to be without substance or flavor, but it is fulfilling
and brings true happiness to the soul.

THIRTY-SIX
That which shrinks,
Must first expand.
That which fails,
Must first be strong.
That which is cast down,
Must first be raised.
Before receiving,
There must be giving.
This is called perception of the nature of things.
Soft and weak overcome hard and strong.
Fish cannot leave deep waters,
And a country’s weapons should not be displayed.

The sage exclaims it is important to observe the nature of the universe.

According to the Tao, subject and object are fundamentally related in unity. Yin
and yang are bound together within and without by the circumference of the
circle. Of course our everyday perception is much different than the underlying
reality. Our senses reveal to us a world where everything is separated. I tend to
perceive everything outside of me as an object of my perception. I am here and
you are there. We do not appear to be connected in any way. But this is just an
illusion. Because we are connected by everything! We are connected by the air
we breathe, the earth we stand upon and the life, which flows through us. My
teacher once showed me a good example of this illusion. If you took a horseshoe
and stuck the ends through a sheet of paper, it would look like there were two
separate objects or bars above the paper. But if you looked under the paper, you
would see that both of the bars were connected together in the “U” shape of the
horseshoe. Although they appear separate to our senses, if we could look beneath
our normal perception, than we would see they are attached together. Another
very interesting example of this unity in nature is the aspen trees. Aspen trees
grow in what are called “clonal colonies.” Clonal colonies are common in many
plants. Above ground, they appear as separate individuals, but below ground
they are all interconnected together by their root system in one big colony with
the same genetic identity. We, as human beings also appear as separate
individuals, but actually deep within us, we are all connected. Because of this
unity of connectedness, the sage says; “In order to receive, there must be giving”
or as the famous singer, James Brown exclaims, “How can you get on up, if you
have never been down?” Opposites exist together in unity; therefore if you want
to receive in life, you must give. If you want love in your life, than give love. If
you want respect from others, than be respectful of others. That is how it works
and it is a very practical way to improve your life. How you treat other people
will determine how they will treat you. If you want people to be nice to you, be
good to them. If you want peace in your life, than give peace to the world around
you. Have you ever noticed when you are angry, how everything appears to be
hostile to you? I have watched this happen in my own life. At times when I may
feel angry for whatever reason, I notice I tend to bump into things or trip over
things, which will tend to make me angrier. The universe is trying to tell me
something. Calm down, pay attention! Let go of the anger and practice being
peaceful. When I become peaceful, I immediately notice the world around me
becomes more peaceful. It is funny how this works! So grasshopper, apply this
rule in your own life for greater happiness with the world around you.

THIRTY-SEVEN
Tao abides in non-action,
Yet nothing is left undone.
If kings and lords observed this,
The ten thousand things would develop naturally.
If they still desired to act,
They would return to the simplicity of formless substance.
Without form, there is no desire.
Without desire, there is tranquility,
And in this way all things would be at peace.

It was the Buddha who proclaimed the four noble truths. Basically in a nutshell,
they consist of: 1) All beings experience pain and suffering, 2) The origin of
suffering is in desire and ignorance, 3) Suffering can be alleviated, 4) There are
ways or spiritual practices to alleviate suffering. Buddha proclaimed these truths
after his enlightenment and cessation of suffering. He then began teaching this
dharma to the world to help ease pain and suffering. Buddha’s teachings are also
reflected in the teachings of the Tao. “Without desire, there is tranquility; and in
this way all things would be at peace.” Desire is the fuel, which makes the
wheels of samsara go round and round. It is our desire that perpetuates the
illusion of form. We incarnate in this world because we want this or that,
whatever form it may take. That form could be any of the ten thousand things,
such as a nice body, home, relationship, career, car, airplane, etc. When our
desires become thwarted, then we may experience pain and suffering. The sage
teaches us to let go of desires and return to the simplicity of the formless Tao.
This is done through the spiritual practices of non-action. The practice of non-
action is called “wu wei” in Taoism and means “without action or effort.” This
spiritual practice is being mindful of one’s actions and attuning to the natural
harmony of the Tao. Being mindful of one’s actions is to observe all behavior
from a center point of stillness, without judgment or desire. For example, when
emotions arise, the practice is to just observe them rise and fall in your
consciousness. You do not try to do anything, but practice non-action. You
observe the emotion as it comes, without judging it, and then let it go. It is the
same with thoughts; you observe your thoughts as they come and go across the
screen of your consciousness with impartial observation, centered in stillness,
and then let them go. This practice helps one to let go of attachments and to be
aware of how one’s thoughts and desires stir the emotions, and actions. It also
helps one to be more centered in the Tao and less centered in the ego, which is
always striving to control everything. The Tao flows naturally without trying to
control anything, whereas our ego wants to control everything and becomes
fearful of letting go. If we can just learn to let go of our need to control life and
learn to flow with life, there would be much more tranquility and peace.

THIRTY-EIGHT
A truly good man is not aware of his goodness,
And is therefore good.
A foolish man tries to be good,
And is therefore, not good.
A truly good man does nothing,
Yet leaves nothing undone.
A foolish man is always doing,
Yet much remains to be done.
When a truly kind man does something, he leaves nothing left undone.
When a just man does something, he leaves a great deal to be done.
When a disciplinarian does something and no one responds,
He rolls up his sleeves in an attempt to enforce order.
Therefore, when the Tao is lost, there is goodness.
When goodness is lost, there is kindness.
When kindness is lost, there is justice.
When justice is lost, there is ritual.
Now ritual is the husk of faith and loyalty, the beginning of confusion.
Knowledge of the future is only a flowery trapping of Tao.
It is the beginning of folly.
Therefore the truly great man dwells on what is real
And not what is on the surface,
On the fruit and not the flower.
Therefore, accept the one and reject the other.

The wise man knows the Tao is very deep and beyond the surface appearance of
what we experience as reality. The Tao is like the ocean and we are like the
waves floating on the surface. We see all the other waves in their various forms,
but beneath the surface is the deep ocean, where all the waves have their origin.
Without the ocean, there would be no waves. Therefore, the sage dives deep
within herself, in the calm of meditation for the expansive bliss of the Tao.
Many of us are caught in the web of the past or the trappings of the future. But
these do not exist, except in our minds. The presence of now is the only reality. It
is the fruit that we taste as we experience the present moment. It is not a
moment, which existed in the past, where we may be stuck in the web of fleeting
memories or in the future of false expectations. Reality exists right here and now,
beyond time and space. Why is it beyond time and space? Because, you cannot
put your finger on it. Try! It will slip right through your fingers. Every time you
grasp for it, it is no longer the present moment. It is very interesting! That is why
they say you cannot stand in the same river twice. Because, it is always flowing
by you and is never the same. This is why the sage says; “The Tao flows.”
The Tao flows constantly and you cannot grasp it. You can only flow with it or
struggle against it. Struggling against it, you are either holding on to the past or
reaching for the future. You may be holding on to past regrets, hurt and pain, or
to the wish of future gain or worries of future loss. But the past is gone and the
future is never here. Why not accept the present moment?
“A foolish man tries to be good and is therefore, not good.” Picture a boy scout
or a girl scout trying to help a little old lady across the street, so he or she can get
their next merit badge. Now there is nothing wrong about helping a senior
citizen to cross a street; it is a very kind thing to do. But was the scout more
interested in attaining a merit badge or really interested in helping someone? So
many people think they know what is good for someone else, without bothering
to find out what really is good for someone else. In other words, they are really
acting in their own interest, rather than being interested in helping someone.
When I was growing up, my dad wanted me to go to law school and become a
lawyer. I had no interest at all in becoming a lawyer and had told him so many
times. But in his mind, he thought it would be good for me to go to law school. I
did not really know what I wanted to do at the time, but I knew I didn’t want to
be a lawyer. He did all this research on law schools and loan applications for me,
without even asking me. Finally, I had to make it very clear to my dad that
although I appreciated his concern, I was not interested in law school and he
reluctantly let it go. I loved my dad very much, but he was acting out of what he
thought was good for me and not what was good for me.
“A foolish man is always doing, yet much remains to be done.” This reminds me
of an associate where I used to work! She was always in a hurry and in a
constant state of panic about finishing her work, and her work never got done.
Although she did a flurry of activity, nothing ever was finished. She was very
insecure and did not know how to let things flow. She was always pushing and
pushing, without good results or accomplishing her goals.
“A good man does nothing and leaves nothing yet undone.” It is not that a good
man does nothing. He actually does everything, which needs to be done, but
from a center of calm stillness. This makes all the difference! A good man will
not try to force his way with things, but move calmly from a center of peace to
complete what needs to be done.
“When the Tao is lost, there is goodness.” When we lose our connection to the
Tao, then people search for meaning in goodness, kindness, justice and ritual.
These are pathways to the Tao. We also see these pathways in Yoga. For
instance, there is Jnana Yoga, the path of knowledge or wisdom; Bhakti Yoga,
the path of love and kindness; Royal Yoga, the path of balance and meditation,
and Karma Yoga, the path of action and ritual. These are different pathways of
yoga, which lead to union with the Tao. Once the Yogi has reached the Tao, there
is no longer any need for these pathways, just as a ladder is no longer needed
after reaching the top. Of course, the Tao is never really lost; it just is and always
is! It just becomes lost to us when our attention becomes centered in the realm of
sense perceptions. This happens to most of us when we incarnate on the physical
plane of reality. We become engrossed in the manifestations of the world and
lose our connection to the Tao. So we have to find our way back home.
“For in and out, above, about and below,
Tis nothing, but a Magic Shadow-show,
Play’d in a Box whose candle is the Sun,
Round which we Phantom Figures come and go.”
(Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam)

THIRTY-NINE
These things from ancient times arise from one:
The sky is whole and clear.
The earth is whole and firm.
The spirit is whole and strong.
The valley is whole and full.
The ten thousand things are whole and alive.
Kings and lords are whole, and the country is upright.
All these are in virtue of wholeness.
The clarity of the sky prevents its falling.
The firmness of the earth prevents its splitting.
The strength of the spirit prevents its being used up.
The fullness of the valley prevents its running dry.
The growth of the ten thousand things prevents their drying out.
The leadership of kings and lords prevents the downfall of the country.
Therefore, the humble is the root of the noble.
The low is the foundation of the high.
Princes and lords consider themselves orphaned, widowed and worthless,
Do they not depend on being humble?
Too much success is not an advantage.
Do not tinkle like jade,
Or clatter like stone chimes.

“Wu Xing” is the Taoist term for the theory of the five elements, which is a
working cosmology of the universe. They consist of: earth, water, wood, metal
and fire. These elements work as a whole and are interdependent on each other.
Fire cannot exist without the air to sustain it and water could not exist without
the earth to support it. Each element has its specific virtue or quality, and is part
of the whole, yet also whole in itself. It is much like astrology where each person
has their own individual sign, yet each individual’s horoscope consists of the
circle with all the other astrological signs together. In Chinese Astrology, the
astrological signs correspond with the five elements. Each element has its own
virtue. The virtue of the sky or air element is clarity, the virtue of the earth
element is its firmness, the virtue of the valley or the water element is its
fullness, the virtue of the spirit or fire element is strength, the virtue of the ten
thousand things or wood element is growth, and the virtue of the kings and lords
or metal element is uprightness.
Every person possesses these five virtues. But it is also up to each individual to
cultivate these virtues much like an athlete has to train in order to excel at their
sport. The training consists of: concentration, meditation, compassion,
purification and equanimity. These are the pathways to aligning oneself with the
Tao. Concentration consists of focusing the mind like a magnifying glass for
clarity and insight. Meditation expands the consciousness towards understanding
the Tao and Self-Realization. Compassion brings love and peace to oneself and
others towards universal harmony. Purification is a process to cleanse our being
of negativity and attachments towards transformation, and union with the Tao.
Equanimity is becoming more balanced and centered in the Tao, and not being
tossed about by the waves of desires in the mind, and the toils of daily life.

FORTY
Returning is the motion of the Tao.
Yielding is the way of the Tao.
The ten thousand things are born of being.
Being is born of not being.

The Tao flows and then returns much like the ripples on a pond or like the
salmon that return to their place of birth to spawn, and die. Everything flows
outward to manifestation in form and then returns inward to the Tao, which is
formless. The formless is the foundation of the forms. Forms are constantly
being born. They grow, evolve, perish and return to the source. We are
essentially consciousness evolving through forms. Although our forms go
through the process of change, our consciousness is everlasting because it is
formless. Consciousness is aware of form as we are aware of our bodies, but
consciousness is not form and we, like our consciousness are not our bodies. We
are really just visitors in the formations of space and time. Our real home is the
Tao, which exists outside of space and time.
“Yielding is the way of the Tao.” To yield is to accept what is. You may have
heard of the popular expression, “It is what it is”. What this means is things are
what they are regardless of what we think or feel about them. We are
experiencing life this very moment and it is what it is. We can either accept what
life is presenting to us or we can try to deny it, but things will happen whether
we like it or not. It is better to accept what life is presenting to you, than to rage
against it. That does not mean you shouldn’t try to improve things. What it
means is to accept what life gives you and then deal with it positively. For
example, imagine it starts to rain. You can accept the fact it is raining and get an
umbrella, or you can become enraged because the rain is getting your new
clothes wet, and let it ruin your day. The choice is up to you, but it is better to
yield and flow with life than fight against it. When I was younger, I used to have
to drive in and out of Chicago daily for my job. I would get so upset whenever I
encountered a traffic jam. Instead of accepting the fact of the traffic jam calmly, I
would get angry at the situation. This only led to my own frustration and a lot of
stress. I later learned how to relax and accept the phenomenon of a traffic jam
without getting angry. This is the way of yielding to life and accepting the
present moment with equanimity, which brings peace and joy.
On a spiritual level, yielding is learning to be receptive to the Tao. In order to
experience union with the Tao, you have to be receptive to it. It is kind of like
being a radio, which receives specific wavelengths broadcasted in the
atmosphere and then plays them over the loud speakers. We have to tune our
mental radio to the frequency of the Tao. The best way to do this is through the
practice of meditation, where the practitioner turns off the normal broadcasting
of the flow of mental thoughts, and tunes into the frequency of the Tao. When
the mind becomes receptive and clear enough, it then naturally becomes filled
with the Tao. In order to return to the Tao, we have to yield ourselves to the
motion of the Tao. Then the Tao will fill our consciousness with inner peace and
joy.

FORTY-ONE
The wise student hears of the Tao and practices it diligently.
The average student hears of the Tao and gives it thought now and again.
The foolish student hears of the Tao and laughs aloud.
Hence it is said:
The bright path seems dim,
Going forward seems like retreat,
The easy seems hard,
The highest virtue seems empty,
Great purity seems sullied,
A wealth of virtue seems inadequate,
The strength of virtue seems frail,
Real virtue seems unreal,
The perfect square has no corners,
Great talents ripen late,
The highest notes are hard to hear,
The greatest form has no shape,
The Tao is hidden and without name,
The Tao alone nourishes and brings everything to fulfillment.

The foolish student finds the idea of the Tao absurd. Its nature appears illogical
and contradictory. How can something be beyond form and yet contain all
forms? “Look, it cannot be seen, it is beyond form. Listen it cannot be heard, it is
beyond sound. Grasp it cannot be held, it is intangible.” What poppycock! How
can something exist beyond the senses and still be known? How can the Tao be
empty and yet contain everything? How does the Taoist sage stay behind and yet
be ahead? All these statements appear paradoxical and beyond understanding.
Why would anyone want to practice the way of the Tao? Why should anyone
practice detachment, stillness and meditation when sense perception is really all
there is? Why waste time with spiritual development when the important things
are really fame, wealth and sense gratifications? So, the foolish student laughs
out loud at such absurdities! They make no sense. It is all nonsense to them.
The average student finds the idea of the Tao very interesting. Some have
learned that modern science has discovered many paradoxes, which exist beyond
the world of the senses. In quantum mechanics, subatomic particles may appear
as a wave or a particle, and what appears to be solid matter is really a field of
magnetic energy. Matter and energy, like yin and yang exist interdependently
together as a whole. The average student is aware there is perception beyond the
senses. Many have had experiences of intuition, where they have had knowledge
of something or some event before it happened. Some have had visions of higher
consciousness and profound insights in meditation. But the average student has
not yet begun to walk the path of the Tao. They may still be attached to countless
desires, amusements or habits preventing them from practicing the way of the
Tao.
The wise student practices the way of the Tao diligently. The wise student knows
there is much more to life than the gratification of the senses. They are aware
that reality is deeper than tangible perception and the Tao is the foundation of all
reality. They are aware of a spiritual dimension to the universe, which can be
known through intuition and meditation, bringing peace and fulfillment.
Therefore, the wise student practices the way of the Tao daily in everything they
do. They practice it in their meditation and in relationships with other people;
they practice it in their daily activities and in their job or career; they practice it
in their finances, and in all aspects of their life. They practice living their lives in
harmony with the way of the Tao.

FORTY-TWO
The Tao begot one.
One begot two.
Two begot three.
And the three begot the ten thousand things.
The ten thousand things carry yin and embrace yang.
They achieve harmony by combining these forces.
Men hate to be orphaned, widowed or worthless,
But this is how kings and lords describe themselves.
For one gains by losing,
And loses by gaining.
What others teach, I also teach; that is
“A violent man will die a violent death!”
This will be the essence of my teaching.

The essence of Taoist cosmology is contained in this verse. “The Tao begot
one.” From the Tao, the universe or one verse was formulated. Why this
happened, no one knows! Philosophers, saints and sages have speculated
theories as to why the universe was created, but no one really knows. Science
tells us the universe was created by the “Big Bang”. But why was there a Big
Bang? Who knows? I once had a vision where I received inner knowledge of the
cosmos. And during the vision, many of my questions regarding existence had
been answered, but I did not retain the awareness upon my return to normal
consciousness. Now, only a dim memory remains with me. Many mystics, saints
and yogis have experienced union with the Tao or the Divine throughout the
ages, but the mystery still remains for most of us on this planet.
“One begot two”. When the One created existence, it manifested into polarity of
yin and yang. Yin is the feminine or negative aspect of creation and yang is the
masculine or positive aspect of creation. Yin is the force of division, which
brings diversity of forms into creation. Yang is the force of union that holds the
universe together. Yin is space and yang is time. The forces of yin and yang are
involved in all aspects of creation, from the protons and electrons in an atom, to
male and female polarity, to the cycles of night and day, and the changing
seasons of the earth. Even within our consciousness; we have our normal waking
awareness, which is yang consciousness and our underlying subconscious that is
yin consciousness. In Taoist philosophy, yin and yang exist together equally as a
whole. You cannot have one without the other, any more than you could have a
one-sided coin. There always is a heads and a tails. There is always yin and
yang.
“Two begot three.” When the universe manifested as yin and yang, the third
aspect of creation became the interaction, and movement of yin and yang. This is
the constant interplay, movement and communication between polarities. Yin
and yang exist together in a state of constant flux and change. Yang energy
grows to its potential and then turns into yin energy as it diminishes, dissolves,
and begins a new cycle. In the “Book of Changes” called the “I Ching”, yin is
symbolized by a broken line and yang, by a solid line. They are grouped together
as trigrams, which correspond with cyclic movements of energy. For example,
“KUN” is composed of three broken lines [Yin] and is receptive energy, which
corresponds with Earth, and the Mother. “QIAN” is composed of three solid
lines [Yang] and is creative energy that corresponds with Heaven, and the Father.
The trigrams are related to the five elements of the Wu Xing. They correspond
with the elements of fire, water, air, earth and metal. These elements are
interrelated and in constant motion. We see their cyclic movement in nature as
the seasons change and plants grow, wither, die and are reborn again in the
spring. It corresponds with the cycles of the moon as it waxes and becomes
increasingly yang until the full moon. Then the moon wanes and becomes
increasingly yin until it reaches the new moon. Everything in creation is in flux.
As I write this, our planet earth is moving through space at a speed of 67,000
miles per hour and we don’t even feel it! Our blood is coursing through our veins
at 300 mm per second. Electric impulses travel through our brain and nervous
system as fast as 120 meters per second. The sun orbits the galaxy at over
500,000 miles per hour! It is hard to believe how fast everything is moving
within and around us. A wise sage once told me, “Everything in the universe is
constantly moving from one place to another.” That constant flow is the third
aspect of creation. We are always on the move. Our minds and our bodies are
always in motion. Thoughts are constantly flowing through our minds, much like
clouds moving across the sky. Our bodies are also on the move. Every morning,
we get up and go to work, school, travel, visit friends, etc. We are born, grow
through our youth, mature to adults, then become old and die. Everything
changes. Everything moves!
“And the three begot the ten thousand things.” The ten thousand things represent
all of created form. All of creation is “in-formation.” There are a myriad of
diverse forms, which constantly manifest in the universe and then dissolve. The
Tao becomes one, and the one bifurcates and becomes two, the two interact and
are three. Through the interactions of yin and yang, all form comes in and out of
being.

FORTY-THREE
The softest thing in the universe,
Overcomes the hardest thing in the universe.
That without substance can enter where there is no room.
Hence, I know the value of non-action.
Teaching without words and work without doing
Are understood by a very few.

One of the softest things in the world like water can wear down huge boulders in
a riverbed. One of the softest feelings, called love can overcome the hardened
ego full of anger and hate. Love and compassion can change the world. It
overcomes fear and suffering, greed and selfishness. It brings joy and light into
the world. There is no work you need do, except to open your heart and mind.
I once worked as a counselor for a state rehabilitation agency. I had a client who
was so full of hate and anger that she was very hard to communicate with. She
would attack me verbally whenever we met. I was just trying to help her, but she
treated me like her enemy. I was puzzled how to move forward with her. She had
been severely injured in an auto accident, which left her disabled and bitter about
life. One day I asked her if there was anything she loved in life. She said the
only thing she liked to do was draw. I asked her if she would draw me a picture
of anything and bring it in for our next session. She reluctantly agreed. At our
next meeting, she brought in her drawing. It was very similar to “The Scream”
by the famous artist, Edvard Munch. I asked her to explain what it meant to her.
As she explained, she broke down in tears and let go of all the anger she was
feeling inside. Along with her physical disabilities from the auto injury, she had
suffered terrible abuse as a child. She had been mad at the world as a way of
dealing with her pain. Things began to improve for her after that session. I had
looked for what brought her love to break down the walls of her hard shell. Jesus
said to love your enemies. This is very good advice. Love is very soft and tender,
and it overcomes the hardest of emotions. Try loving those who dislike you as it
will free you from much pain and misery.

FORTY-FOUR
Fame or self: Which matter more?
Self or wealth: Which is more precious?
Gain or loss: Which is more painful?
He who is attached to things will suffer much.
He who saves will suffer heavy loss.
A contented man is never disappointed.
He who knows when to stop does not find himself in trouble.
He will stay forever safe.

I just watched the TV show “America’s Got Talent” last night. There were
thousands of new contestants very eager to perform with the dream of becoming
rich and famous. This appears to be the impetus for many people in our society
today. They want to be leaders, movers, shakers, and society page-makers. Very
few people want to seek Self-Realization. They would rather pursue ego-
fulfillment. But as the inner Self knows all too well, the ego can never be
satisfied. There is always one more mountain to climb, one more trophy to get,
and much more money to earn. It is usually when one has grown weary of
chasing the golden carrot that one pursues Self-Realization. Self-Realization is
an inner journey towards the Tao. It is an awakening to the nature of reality,
one’s higher Self and the universe.
“The ten thousand things rise and fall, while the Self watches their return.” The
Self is the watcher behind the ego or what Eckhart Tolle calls the “Presence.” It
is the divine space, which allows room for form. It is pure consciousness, and it
is aware of all the forms, but not attached to them. It observes the ten thousand
things rise and fall. It is the stillness of being at one with the Tao.
We all have this center of stillness within us. Our center connects with all other
centers. It is the connection between the microcosm and the macrocosm. Find
your own center in stillness; whether through meditation, mindfulness practices,
tai chi, yoga or communing with nature. Whatever brings you to the quiet space
of peace and tranquility. Finding peace within yourself will bring peace to the
world. Learn to know when to stop and be still. Then you will be forever safe.

FORTY-FIVE
Great accomplishment seems imperfect,
Yet it does not outlive its usefulness.
Great fullness seems empty,
Yet it cannot be exhausted.
Great straightness seems twisted.
Great intelligence seems stupid.
Great eloquence seems awkward.
Movement overcomes cold.
Stillness overcomes heat.
Stillness and tranquility set things in order in the universe.

Chuang Tsu says:

“Great knowledge is all-encompassing; small knowledge is limited. Great words
are inspiring; small words are chatter. ….Our words fly off like arrows, as
though we know what is right and wrong. We cling to our own point of view, as
though everything depended on it. And yet our opinions have no permanence:
like autumn and winter, they gradually pass away.”

The great attributes that derive from the Tao appear limited because of our ego.
Our ego always wants to appear important and in control. It likes to build itself
up by showing others what is correct and tear others down by showing what is
incorrect. Now this is not always the case, but sometimes we stick to our
viewpoint like our life depended on it. I was discussing the nature of the Self
with a Buddhist monk at a Zen Monastery. From his perspective, the nature of
the Self or what the yogis refer to as the “Atman” was the same as the ego. I
disagreed with his viewpoint. I explained the Taoist believe in a higher Self,
which is not part of the ego. It is a higher state of awareness that is at one with
the Tao. It is a state of higher consciousness, which the yogis call “Self-
Realization.” It is not ego realization as we already are quite aware of our own
egos. Well, the Buddhist monk could not understand this perspective and
appeared very confused. And to make matters worse, several members of the
Sangha were upset with me for challenging their beliefs. Finally, we agreed to
disagree and left it at that. However, we met again the following week. At our
next meeting, he was very joyful. He said to me he now understood where I was
coming from. He had done some research about the nature of the Self from
Taoism and Vedic scriptures. He had a much better understanding on the concept
of the higher Self. Although, he still did not quite agree with it, he understood it.
I told him I also had done some research on the nature of the Self in the
Diamond and Heart Sutras. I understood more clearly about the nature of the
Self from a Buddhist perspective. Afterwards, we became close friends sharing
tea and friendship at dharma talks.
I find it very interesting how people of various faiths will vehemently challenge
one another’s theological perspectives. It causes tremendous suffering and pain.
Look at the age old conflicts in the Middle East. The Sunnis disagree with the
Shiites over interpretation on the proper practice of Islam. This has caused years
of fighting, killing and much suffering. And these conflicts have gone on
throughout history within Christianity, Judaism, Islam and other religions. I hope
one day all the religions of the world can learn to live together in peace and
harmony, as one people within a diversity of faiths and ideals.

FORTY-SIX
When the Tao is present in the universe,
The horses haul manure.
When the Tao is absent from the universe,
War horses are bred outside the city.
There is no greater sin than desire,
No greater curse than discontent,
No greater misfortune than wanting something for oneself.
Therefore, he who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.

Most people I know never have enough. They never have enough money. They
never have enough notoriety. They never have enough friends. They never have
enough pleasure. And even though some people may be rich and famous with
hundreds of friends, they are never satisfied. And most often, they are not happy.
What is it that causes such unsatiated hunger? The sage points to desire,
discontent and attachments. I think it is important to be grateful for what you do
have. Look around the world and see how little some people have to live on.
Most Americans have way more than they ever need. People in third world
countries have to get by on very little. They may have poor shelter and little food
to survive. A grateful heart is happy to live each day. A grateful heart is thankful
for their health, food, shelter and ability to earn a living. Many, many people do
not have these simple things. An economist once told me there is enough food,
land and shelter to provide the basic needs for every person on this planet. And
yet, people are starving and lacking basic necessities. Why is this so? The sage
again points to greed, desire, and discontent. I am not saying people should not
try to improve their situation in life. I am all for the entrepreneurial spirit, which
wants to bring new developments to improve our everyday world. The question
is; when is enough, enough? Can we learn to be satisfied with what we have and
share with those who have so little? Can we learn to live more simply in
harmony with nature? Can we learn to give as much as we receive?

FORTY-SEVEN
Without going outside, you may know the whole world.
Without looking through the window, you may see the ways of heaven.
The farther you go, the less you know.
Thus, the sage knows without traveling;
He sees without looking;
He works without doing.

How is it one can know the whole world without going outside? By going
within! The ancient Hermetic axiom “As above, so below; As within, so without”
is equivalent to the Taoist notion of “WuXing”, which is the correspondence
between the microcosm and the macrocosm. There is a direct connection
between man and the cosmos. Everything that exists in the outer cosmos exists
within each of us. The five elements of fire, water, earth, wood and metal, which
make up the universe, also exist within our own bodies and minds. Just as
astronauts can explore outer space, we can explore inner space through our
minds. Everything existing in outer space also exists in inner space. That is why
we can learn the ways of heaven and know the world without ever going outside.
Thus the sage knows the universe by going deep within and learns the way of the
Tao. We all have the ability to quiet the mind and discover our inner being, but
most people are too busy dealing with the demands of the everyday world. There
is another dimension of reality, which we cannot see with our physical eyes, but
that we can see with inner vision. This inner dimension is open to us during our
sleep when we experience dreams and also in deep meditation. Tibetan Yogis
and Taoists practice esoteric disciplines to awaken during the dream state, and
move about consciously in our inner world. Transpersonal Psychologists refer to
it as “Lucid Dreaming” and “Astral Projection.”
“Once upon a time, I, ChuangTsu, dreamed I was a butterfly flying happily here
and there, enjoying life without knowing who I was. Suddenly, I woke up and I
was indeed Chuang Tsu. Did Chuang Tsu dream he was a butterfly, or did the
butterfly dream he was Chuang Tsu?
Lucid dreaming is the ability to awaken during a dream and realize you are
dreaming. Once you realize you are dreaming within your dream, it gives you
tremendous freedom. You are able to travel to distant places and visit with other
people just by thinking about them. I have had many lucid dreams in my life.
During a recent lucid dream, I visited a beautiful wooded sanctuary, where
people were learning how to float in the air. There were many beautiful buildings
and temples for meditation. The people were extremely friendly with feelings of
peace and serenity. The grounds were landscaped with beautiful exotic plants
and flowers. There were tall pine trees, which soared high into a mazarine sky. I
was with a group of students in a clearing. I was helping them to learn to float
upwards off the ground and then float gently back down. I was able to fly easily
there and I was helping others to focus their minds, so they could also fly. Some
of the practitioners were feeling a little anxious and were not able to lift off the
ground. I helped them to calm their minds, so they could focus on the practice.
Soon, they were lifting off the ground and floating like balloons. It was amazing
to watch this group of people practicing floating up and down in this beautiful
wooded clearing. I was feeling very joyful. Then suddenly, something pulled my
consciousness back to my body in bed. I was not really happy about returning to
my body and would have liked to stay longer. But, this is a good example of a
lucid dream. I was quite aware I was dreaming and everything was very clear,
just like it is right now, as I write this chapter.
Now, you may say my inner lucid experience was just a dream and not real. But
what is real? Most people think the only reality is our experience on this physical
plane, through the interaction of the mind and body in nature. I can tell you from
my experience that it is not. There are other realities on the inner planes or
dimensions, if you will. There you can use your mind and inner senses to interact
with an environment where you can see, taste hear, smell and touch. So, what is
real?

FORTY-EIGHT
In the pursuit of learning, everyday something is acquired.
In the pursuit of the Tao, everyday something is dropped.
Less and less is done,
Until non-action is achieved.
When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.
The world is ruled by letting things take their course.
It cannot be ruled by interfering.

My old professor at Wisconsin University would have a field day with this verse.
It appears to question the validity of modern day scholastics. However, I don’t
think Lao Tzu advocated discarding conventional learning. What he really
advocated was the pursuit of wisdom rather than acquiring knowledge.
Knowledge is very good for gaining information about things, but wisdom is the
realization of things. For example, you can read books on edible strawberries,
which will tell you about their nature, habitat, varieties and such. But you will
not really know a strawberry until you taste it. A teacher can tell you all about
meditation, but unless it is experienced, you will not really know anything about
it. Knowledge is about talking the talk and wisdom is about walking the walk.
Knowledge becomes wisdom when it is integrated into your understanding,
practice and life experience. Seeking the Tao does not require a Doctorate
degree. There are many stories of sages who were not even literate, but they had
profound wisdom. Knowledge explains. Wisdom knows!
Parmahansa Yogananda told an interesting story about his guru, Sri Yukestwar.
One day at his ashram, Sri Yukestwar had a visitor who was an expert on Vedic
scripture. He was a well-known speaker, who had given many public talks. Sri
Yukestwar requested he give a talk for his students. Mid-way into his talk, Sri
Yukestwar interrupted him and told him to stop. He told the speaker that
although he had memorized the Vedas well, he had no real understanding of
them. He was fully versed in the scholarly study of the scriptures, but had not
integrated them into his life. His words were like hallow logs, which would be
useless in building a house. The speaker left humbled by Sri Yukestwar’s
penetrating insight. Hoarding knowledge is useless on the pathway to Self-
Realization. One could read every book written about it and still know nothing if
the knowledge is not integrated into one’s life.
FORTY-NINE
The sage has no mind of his own.
He is aware of the needs of others.
I am good to people who are good.
I am also good to people who are not good.
Because Virtue is goodness.
I have faith in people who are faithful.
I also have faith in people who are not faithful.
Because Virtue is faithfulness.
The sage is shy and humble-to the world he seems confusing.
Men look to him and listen.
He behaves like a little child.

The sage has no mind of his own because he has given up his ego. He has given
up his own preferences and likes for this and that. He is a follower of the Tao
and devoted to the practices of virtue and contemplation. Most people are only
good to other people who are good to them, whereas the sage is good to all
people, whether good or bad, rich or poor, black or white, male or female. For
the sage, all people at their essence are connected with the Tao and therefore
should be treated with respect; even when they are behaving badly. This does not
mean bad behavior should be permitted. The sage helps others to become aware
of their behavior and the harm it may cause to others. As a society, we are quick
to cast judgment on other people and condemn their bad behavior. Then we label
them as bad people. This only creates more hatred. There was an interesting
experimental study done by a group of college students. They wanted to see how
good people would treat each other in a prison environment, where people in
prison are viewed as bad people. The students were divided up into two groups.
One group was randomly picked as the guards and the other group was randomly
picked as the inmates. The student inmates were confined to prison cells and the
student guards were assigned to watch over them. I believe this experiment went
on for two weeks. The results were very interesting. Over time the student
guards became very abusive towards the student inmates, treating them like bad
people. The student guards would yell at the student inmates, call them names,
push them around and mistreat them. In fact, the student guards became so
abusive the study had to be cancelled prematurely. The study clearly shows that
when people label other people as bad, they tend to treat them badly. The sage
treats all people as good. Jesus preached to love thy neighbor and Buddha taught
compassion for all sentient beings. Treating everyone with love and respect is
the path of the heart. Even if you feel persecuted, it is best to forgive as it frees
you from the bondage of hate and revenge.
The Dalai Lama advocates cultivating a kind and loving heart. He says:
“Human emotions are very powerful and sometimes overwhelm us. This can
lead to disasters. I think that anger and hatred actually cause more harm to us
than to the person responsible for our problem. Imagine that your neighbor
hates you and is always creating problems for you. If you lose your temper and
develop hatred toward him, your digestion will be bad, your sound sleep will go,
and you will have to start to use tranquilizers and sleeping pills. You will have to
increase the doses of these, which will harm your body. Your mood will be
affected, and as a result your old friends will hesitate to visit you. You will
gradually have more white hair and wrinkles, and you may eventually develop
more serious health problems. Then your neighbor will be really happy. Without
having inflicted any physical harm he will have fulfilled his wish!”
“When we are faced with a person or group of people wishing us harm, we can
view this as an opportunity to develop patience and tolerance. We need these
qualities; they are useful to us. And the only occasion we have to develop them is
when we are challenged by an enemy. So, from this point of view, our enemy is
our Guru, our teacher. Irrespective of their motivation, from our point of view
they are very beneficial, a blessing.”
- See more at:http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/cultivate-open-heart.

FIFTY
Between death and birth,
Three in ten are followers of life,
Three in ten are followers of death,
And men just passing from birth to death also number three in ten.
Why is this so?
Because they live their lives on the gross level.
He who knows how to live can walk abroad,
Without fear of rhinoceros or tiger.
He will not be wounded in battle.
For in him rhinoceros can find no place to thrust their horn,
Tigers no place to use their claws,
And weapons no place to pierce.
Why is this so?
Because he has no place for death to enter.

How can death have no place to enter? We all have to die someday! It is one of
those sure things, just like bills and taxes. Even all the great and enlightened
beings pass away on this physical plane; Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, Buddha,
Lao Tzu, Gandhi, and many others. They have all lived and died. So what is the
great sage trying to tell us? The majority of people live their lives on the gross
physical plane of reality. They are unaware of a higher reality. We are kind of
like the tip of an iceberg. When you look at an iceberg, you are really looking at
a very small portion of the entire iceberg. Hidden beneath the water, lies the bulk
of the iceberg, which is obscured from our view. Human beings are like the
iceberg. We can plainly see gross physical reality through our sense perceptions,
but hidden from our view is a deeper reality. According to the ancient alchemical
Taoist practice of “Neidan”, there are the “Three Treasures” known as: “Jing,
Chi and Shen.” They are internal energy fields, which exist within and
interpenetrate the physical body. “Jing” means “essence” and is the generative
energy closest to the body associated with the lower tan-t’ien (energy center) just
below the navel in the region called the “Water Realm”. “Chi” is the vital energy
connected with the breath. Chi is considered the natural energy of the Universe,
but it flows through the body residing at the middle tan-t’ien in the heart region
called the “Terrestrial Realm.” “Shen” is spiritual energy and is the highest
manifestation of the One. It is connected with the mind and potential for
enlightenment. It resides in the upper tan-t’ien at the area between the eyes in the
region called the “Celestial Realm”. These three treasures exist as subtle energy
fields within the body and they have their own realm, or world of inner reality.
We can experience these subtle energy fields through Taoist Meditation, Yoga,
Tai Chi, and other spiritual practices. The interesting thing is that most people in
our world live their lives without any knowledge or experience of these subtle
realms of being. Their consciousness is centered on the physical plane of reality,
where one experiences birth and death from one incarnation to the next.
Whereas, the sage is conscious of the spiritual plane of reality, where one is free
from samsara or the cycles of birth, death and rebirth. On the spiritual plane of
reality, death has no place to enter. Although the body may die, the spirit is
immortal and never dies.
You can develop your inner perception of subtle planes of consciousness through
Taoist inner alchemy practices. Although it is best to find a suitable teacher,
there are some basic Taoist meditation practices appropriate for everyone. The
first practice consists of observing your internal mental formations. Begin by
finding a comfortable space using a meditation cushion or chair where you will
not be disturbed. The important thing is for your back to be straight, feet flat on
the floor and hands comfortably on your lap. Then begin to watch your breathing
as you inhale and exhale. This will bring you back in touch with your body and
slow your mental processes. After a few minutes, begin to pay attention to your
mental formations. Watch your thoughts or feelings arise in your consciousness
like an impartial observer. Do not judge them or react to them. Just let them be
and flow across the screen of your mind. Feel yourself to be the space in your
mind, where your thoughts move across like clouds in the sky. After a while,
your mind will naturally become quiet. As the mind clears like a still pond, the
Tao begins to reveal itself. The second practice consists of concentrating your
attention on a particular center in your body. Focusing your attention on the
lower tan-t’ien area of the body near the navel will connect you with your chi or
energy center. Placing your awareness at this center, while paying attention to
your breathing will help calm any nervous tension in the body, and help you to
feel more centered or balanced. Focusing your attention on the middle tan-t’ien
area of the body near the heart region helps you to connect with love and
compassion. Placing your awareness at this center, while focusing on your
breathing will open up your heart center to an expanding, radiant peace. Lastly,
focusing your attention on the upper tan-t’ien area of the body at the center
between the eyebrows will connect you with the spirit realm. Placing your
awareness at the center point between the eyebrows (sometimes referred to as
the “Third Eye”) while continuing to pay attention to your breathing will
develop your perception of the subtle realms of consciousness. Through practice,
you can perceive the inner reality of the universe and subtle planes of
manifestation. You may experience deep feelings of bliss and radiant light at this
center. The third practice is sometimes called the “circulation of the light” or the
“microscopic orbit”. This practice basically consists of the circulation of energy
from the base of the spine or lower tan-t’ien upwards to the upper tan-t’ien. The
energy is circulated upwards along the spine to the forehead and then back
downwards again to the base of the spine, usually along with the breath. The
energy becomes purified as it ascends upwards transmuting base energy into
spirit energy. It is an internal alchemical process of transformation ultimately
resulting in union with the Tao. It also opens the mind to higher states of
consciousness and awareness of celestial realms of being. This is an advanced
practice that is usually done under the supervision of a teacher. It is very similar
to kundalini yoga and tantric practice, which is also usually done under guidance
from a teacher.
The next page depicts an ancient illustration of the lower, middle and upper tan-
t’ien regions. It is from a woodblock carved during the Ch’ing dynasty in a
Taoist Temple.
FIFTY-ONE
All things arise from the Tao.
They are nourished by Virtue.
They are formed from matter.
They are shaped by the environment.
Thus the ten thousand things all respect Tao and honor Virtue.
Respect of the Tao and honor of Virtue are not demanded.
But they are in the nature of things.
Therefore, all things arise from the Tao.
By Virtue, they are nourished.
Developed, cared for,
Sheltered, comforted,
Grown and protected.
Creating without claiming,
Doing without taking credit,
Guiding without interfering,
This is the Primal Virtue.

What is Virtue? The majority of people today think of virtue as moral goodness.
But moral goodness is usually based on what culture or society thinks what is
good. You often hear the expression, “Be a good girl or be a good boy.” And
what this often means for girls is not to sleep around and for boys not to get into
trouble. Many of the affluent like to think of themselves as good people because
they give to various charities even though they have little concern for people
who are poor. To the sage, moral goodness is not Virtue. Virtue is translated from
the Chinese “de”. It is an ability, which one realizes by following the Tao. Virtue
arises naturally when one is connected to the Tao. For the Buddhists, it is the
arising of compassion for those who are suffering. For Christians, it is about
loving God along with thy neighbor. Virtue is a real energy or force much like
magnetism given off by a magnet. There is a story in the New Testament (Mark
5:30) where Jesus is walking among the crowds and a woman who is ill touches
him for healing: “And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had
gone out of him, turned about and said, “Who touched me?” Jesus radiated
Virtue because he was one with God, which manifested as healing energy that
cured the woman. Virtue manifests as living energy. It heals, provides comfort,
compassion, love and nourishment.
We had a visiting Tibetan monk come to our Sangha the other day. During his
Dharma talk, he told a story about his old Tibetan master. After several years of
study, he asked his master what he was supposed to learn about Buddhism. He
had been mostly studying and memorizing scriptures, but did not feel he was
really learning anything. The master smiled at him and said, “There are really
only three important things I want you to learn about Buddhism. The first is to
do no harm, the second is to practice virtue and the third, and most important is
to understand the mind.” At the time, he could not appreciate his master’s
words. He thought they were too simple. It was only after many years of practice
that he began to understand his master’s words. How does one practice virtue?
Does one go around helping people in need? What does it mean to do no harm?
Does it mean you should no longer eat meat because you would be harming
animals? Does doing no harm mean you should not defend yourself if someone
attacks you, because you may harm them? He had all these questions about
virtue, which he could not answer. It was only until he discovered higher virtue
through insight meditation that he realized a living wisdom energy (prajna),
which guides with kindness, comfort, love and compassion.
Lao Tsu talks about ordinary virtue and higher virtue, or primal virtue. Ordinary
virtues are those virtues prescribed by the scriptures and most religions. For
instance, there are the eight virtues of Fung Loy Kok Taoism, which include:
honor, conscientiousness, sacrifice, propriety, trust, dedication, harmony and
piety. There are the eight practices of Buddhism including: refraining from
causing harm, stealing, sexual activities, wrong speech, doing drugs/alcohol,
wrong eating and sleeping. And of course, most people in the West are familiar
with the Christian/Jewish Ten Commandments. All of these are considered
ordinary virtues. They are practices to guide one’s behavior in spiritual
development. Now there is a higher virtue, which occurs when there is a turning
of the heart that usually happens through meditation/contemplation. This reveals
higher virtue and it has no written rules or guidelines. It comes from within. It is
a living wisdom guiding one through every life situation from being connected
to the Tao.
Living your spiritual ethics is where the tire meets the road. It is living out your
spirituality in daily living. Many people tend to separate spirituality from their
day to day lives. When they meditate or go to church, then they are practicing
their spirituality. They soon forget spirituality when they go to work. But
following the Tao is walking the path 24/7 through everyday experience. This
brings the spiritual reality to everyday reality, making it profound and sacred.
This life is so precious and wonderful that every moment is really an experience
of the nature of the Tao.

FIFTY-TWO
The beginning of the universe
Is the mother of all things.
Knowing the mother, one also knows the sons.
Knowing the sons, yet remaining in touch with the mother,
Brings freedom from the fear of death.
Keep your mouth shut,
Guard the senses,
And life is ever full.
Open your mouth,
Always be busy,
And life is beyond hope.
Seeing the small is insight;
Yielding to force is strength,
Using the outer light, return to insight,
And in this way be saved from harm.
This is learning constancy.
The mother of all things gives birth to all creation. That which gave birth to all
things is in the essence of all things. The creator outwardly manifests in the
creation and inwardly manifests as individual consciousness experienced
through form perceptions. It is indeed a wonder (one-der) how the Tao
manifested into the world of relativity, but we are all part of this manifestation,
and carry within us the seed of immortality or divine consciousness. The Yogis
chant “Om Brahma Smi”, which means “I am God.” The Buddhists believe the
Buddha exists within everyone as a source for liberation. We all hold within us
the essence of the Tao. To fully realize this is to become aware of our natural
birthright as children of the divine mother. As children of the divine mother, we
no longer need to fear death, because we share in the immortality of the Tao.
Although we share in the immortality of the Tao as “shen” or spirit, we also
share in the manifestation of creation as body and mind. As part of the creation,
we share in the processes of birth and death. Like ripened fruit falling from the
tree, our bodies will also ripen as we grow older, wither and die. But like the
tree, our spirit will continue and our consciousness will experience life again
with a new body, similar to new fruit. Being aware that our spirit or
consciousness continues after death, brings freedom from the fear of death
knowing it is essentially just transformation of form. Our essence always is; it is
just our form, which undergoes change. Now according to the sages, there is
liberation from countless incarnations on the wheel of “samsara”. For the Yogis,
it is through self-realization; for the Buddhists, it is liberation through nirvana
following the “dharma” or teachings of the Buddha; for the Taoists, it is through
the inner alchemy of the spirit and becoming one with the Tao. Liberation from
death and rebirth is “learning consistency.”
“Guard the senses and life is ever full.” This phrase is repeated in Verse Fifty-
six in the Tao Te Ching. What does it mean to guard the senses? Well, a guard’s
job is usually to watch over or protect something. The sage is saying we need to
watch over our senses and not let them run wild. It is like the charioteer who is
driving the chariot and his horses. If the charioteer does not pay attention to
where the horses are going, it could lead to disaster. Similarly, if we do not
watch over our senses in terms of overindulgence, we could end up in disaster. If
we eat too much, drink too much, talk too much and are reckless, then “life can
be beyond hope.” Practicing mindfulness in all that we do, hear and say, leads to
a full and balanced life.
“Using the outer light, return to insight.” What is the outer light? It is the outer
light of our normal, everyday consciousness. It is the consciousness we wake up
to every morning and go to sleep with every night. It is always present in the
background aware of our thoughts and perceptions. It is like the sun, which
illuminates our surroundings and shines wherever we focus our attention. We
can utilize this outer light to penetrate our inner world of being. By turning our
attention inward, we can develop our inner sight to higher levels of
consciousness leading to happiness, liberation and union with the Tao.

FIFTY-THREE
If I have even just a little sense,
I will walk on the main road and my only fear will be straying from it.
Keeping to the main road is easy,
But people love to be sidetracked.
When the court is arrayed in splendor,
The fields are full of weeds,
And the granaries are bare.
Some wear gorgeous clothes,
Carry sharp swords,
And indulge themselves with food and drink;
They have more possessions than they can use.
They are robber barons.
This is certainly not the way of the Tao.

Loud Sue says;

“If you want to walk the way of the Worldly,
Earn tons of money,
Wear the finest of clothes,
Buy the best jewelry,
Shop till you drop at the Market,
Eat to your heart’s content.
Buy more stuff than you could possibly use.
Keep ahead of the Jones’ next door.
Party hearty,
Drink loads of liquor,
Obey your thirst, and blindly indulge your senses.
This is certainly not the way of the Tao.”

FIFTY-FOUR
What is firmly established cannot be uprooted.
What is firmly grasped cannot slip away.
It will be honored from generation to generation.
Cultivate Virtue in yourself.
And Virtue will be real.
Cultivate it in the family,
And Virtue will abound.
Cultivate it in the village,
And Virtue will grow.
Cultivate it in the nation,
And Virtue will be abundant.
Cultivate it in the universe,
And Virtue will be everywhere.
Therefore, look at the body as a body;
Look at the family as a family;
Look at the village as a village;
Look at the nation as a nation;
Look at the universe as the universe.
How do I know the universe is like this?
By looking!

Cultivating virtue starts in oneself. Cultivate virtue in oneself and it will bring
harmony to the world. It can be disastrous to try and cultivate virtue in the
world, without first cultivating virtue in oneself. But this is what many people
try to do. They want to make the world in their image of what they think the
world should be. The sage advises to look deeply at the self and the universe.
Looking deeply means to understand the self and the universe. “Know Thyself”
is a maxim inscribed in the pronaos at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. It means
to investigate who you really are and your relationship to the universe. Most
people do not take the time to look. They rely on outward appearances and what
other people tell them is correct. Look for yourself! Take the time to investigate
your body, emotions, thoughts and nature. Contemplate on who you are. There is
a great Zen Buddhist koan, “Who am I?” It is a question to pose to yourself,
while in meditation and during daily activities. It is a riddle, which can only be
solved by you.
Solveig Russell wrote a wonderful poem called, “Who am I”:
“Why am I what I am? I want to find the answer to my heart and mind.
I want to know why in all the world of wind and sun, I am myself alone.
And only one. I want to understand the way I am.
And be the very best of what there is in me.”

FIFTY-FIVE
He who is filled with Virtue is like a new born child.
Wasps and serpents will not sting him;
Wild beasts will not pounce upon him;
He will not be attacked by birds of prey.
His bones are soft, his muscles weak.
But his grip is firm.
He has not experienced the union of man and woman, but is whole.
His manhood is strong.
He screams all day without becoming hoarse.
This is perfect harmony.
Knowing harmony is constancy.
Knowing constancy is enlightenment.
It is not wise to rush about.
Controlling the breath causes strain.
If too much energy is used, exhaustion follows.
This is not the way of the Tao.
Whatever is contrary to the way of the Tao will not last long.

A newborn comes into this world with a clean slate. A newborn baby is innocent
with no preconceived ideas or notions about the world. The sage strives to be
like a newborn baby, letting go of preconceived ideas, notions and opinions for
primordial truth. In order to understand the Tao, we have to open our minds and
let go of all our preconceived ideas about the Tao.
One day, Confucius went to visit Yen Hui to check on his spiritual progress. Yen
Hui saw Confucius and said, “I am making progress.” Confucius said, “In what
way?” Yen Hui said, “I just sit and forget.” Confucius was startled and asked,
“What do you mean by sitting and forgetting?” Yen Hui said, “I am not attached
to the body and I give up any idea of knowing. By freeing myself from the body
and mind, I become one with the infinite. This is what I mean by sitting and
forgetting.” Confucius said, “When there is oneness, there are no preferences.
When there is change, there is no constancy. If you have really attained this, then
let me become your pupil.” Book of Chuang Tsu
I like the old Zen story, where a prospective student wants to learn the essence of
Zen. He has all these ideas of what Zen should be like after reading a book or
two about it. Finally one day, the student goes before the Zen master, requesting
to learn about Zen. He tells the Master all the things he has read about Zen and
wants to learn. The Zen Master says nothing, but brings out a pot of tea, and asks
the student if he would like some. The student does not want to appear
ungrateful and accepts the offer for tea. But he continues on with his discourse
on his many ideas about Zen. The Master pours the student some tea. Soon the
tea has reached the brim of the cup and starts to overflow. The student becomes
alarmed, and tells the Master, “Sir, the tea is overflowing!” The Master replies,
“It is like your mind, overflowing with thoughts on Zen, but if you are to really
learn Zen, you have to empty yourself of all thoughts and ideas of Zen, and be
open to the real nature of Zen.” One must empty and calm the mind in order to
“sit and forget” to experience the Tao.
“Knowing harmony is consistency
Knowing consistency is enlightenment.”
What is enlightenment? The Merriam Dictionary defines “enlightenment” as,
“The state of attaining spiritual knowledge or insight, which frees a person from
the cycle of rebirth. It is the awakening to ultimate truth, where one is freed from
the cycles of reincarnation.”
This is consistency where one is no longer bound to the impermanent cycles of
incarnation. This is also the realization of perfect harmony in union with the Tao.
I really cannot say from experience what perfect enlightenment is. I do not know.
There are very few beings on this planet who are perfectly enlightened. This is
because once you are perfectly enlightened, there is no need for you to be on this
planet anymore. You are no longer bound to physical manifestation. Of course;
Buddha, Lao Tsu, Babaji, Jesus Christ and others were perfectly enlightened, yet
they continued to exist on this physical plane. But this was mainly to guide and
teach other beings to obtain enlightenment. There was not any personal karma or
impetus for them to be here.
I was listening to an internet talk show called; “Buddha at the Gas Pump” with
Rick Archer. Rick does interviews with various normal, everyday people on the
subject of spirituality. I find them entertaining with glimpses of wisdom here and
there. He did an interview with Lama Surya Das, who has written many books
on Buddhism. Rick asked Lama Surya Das the question about enlightenment. He
specifically asked Lama Surya Das if he was enlightened. I liked his response.
He said, “I am enlightened enough for now!” My friend and guru told me there
are degrees of enlightenment. This makes sense to me. I think enlightenment
comes gradually, but occasionally there are big leaps. I have had flashes of
insight and enlightenment that have changed the course of my life. In my early
twenties, I experienced an enlightenment, which completely changed my life.
Prior to that time, I had the normal western mind set of finishing college, starting
a career, family, house, etc. Then one day a friend gave me a book called “Be
Here Now” by Ram Dass. As I read the book, bells and whistles started going off
in my mind. It seemed so alien, yet somehow familiar to me and completely
challenged my perception of reality. I went off to spend time alone in nature. I
returned completely transformed. My friends could not believe the change,
which came over me. I was no longer interested in partying all night, drinking,
shopping and going out. I no longer found meaning in material values; I found a
new way of being, living in the present moment. I meditated for long periods
transforming my consciousness with feelings of unity and bliss. This period was
a time of enlightenment for me. It totally changed my life. I would call it
enlightenment because it was an awakening and insight into spiritual truth. But it
was just the beginning. I was still very much bound to “samsara” or the cycles
of rebirth. Perfect enlightenment brings liberation from suffering and the endless
rounds of reincarnation. It is everlasting peace and bliss, and perfect union with
the Tao.
Parmahansa Yogananda wrote a poem called, “Samadhi”, which I think best
describes what enlightenment may be like:
“Vanished the veils of light and shade,
Lifted every vapor of sorrow,
Sailed away all dawns of fleeting joy,
Gone the dim sensory mirage.
Love, hate, health, disease, life, death:
Perished these false shadows on the screen of duality.
The storm of maya stilled
By magic wand of intuition deep.
But ever-present, all-flowing I, I, everywhere.
Planets, stars, stardust, earth,
Volcanic bursts of doomsday cataclysms,
Creation’s molding furnace,
Glaciers of silent X-rays, burning electron floods,
Thoughts of all men, past, present, to come,
Every blade of grass, myself, mankind,
Each particle of universal dust,
Anger, greed, good, bad, salvation, lust,
I swallowed, transmuted all
Into a vast ocean of blood of my own one Being.
Smoldering joy, oft-puffed by meditation
Blinding my tearful eyes,
Burst into immortal flames of bliss,
Consumed my tears, my frame, my all.
Thou art I, I am Thou,
Knowing, Knower, Known, as One!
Tranquilled, unbroken thrill, eternally living, ever-new peace.
Enjoyable beyond imagination of expectancy, samadhi bliss!
Not an unconscious state
Or mental chloroform without willful return,
Samadhi but extends my conscious realm
Beyond the limits of the mortal frame
To farthest boundary of eternity
Where I, the Cosmic Sea,
Watch the little ego floating in Me.
Mobile murmurs of atoms are heard,
The dark earth, mountains, vales, lo! molten liquid!
Flowing seas change into vapors of nebulae!
Aum blows upon vapors, opening wondrously their veils,
Oceans stand revealed, shining electrons,
Till, at the last sound of the cosmic drum,
Vanish the grosser lights into eternal rays
Of all-pervading bliss.
From joy I came, for joy I live, in sacred joy I melt.
Ocean of mind, I drink all creation’s waves.
Four veils of solid, liquid, vapor, light,
Lift aright.
I, in everything, enters the Great Myself.
Gone forever: fitful, flickering shadows of mortal memory;
Spotless is my mental sky, below, ahead, and high above;
Eternity and I, one united ray.
A tiny bubble of laughter, I
Am become the Sea of Mirth Itself.”

THE FIVE PRACTICES

The whole point of this book is not only to provide a better understanding of the
Tao Te Ching for spiritual aspirants, but also to provide practices to realize the
nature of the Tao for oneself. The following are five practices that correspond
with Wu Xing, which is the manifestation of universal processes in nature. They
consist of the five elements of: earth, water, fire, wood and metal. They
correspond with the natural phases in nature and are an essential part of Taoist
philosophy outlined in the I Ching, Feng Shui, Chinese Medicine, Tai Chi,
Acupuncture and Chinese Astrology.
“The wise student hears of the Tao and practices it diligently.”
The first practice corresponds with the earth element. The keywords are
diligence, persistence and foundation. The earth element represents the principle
of solidity. It is the force, which holds things together in the universe. “The
firmness of the earth prevents its splitting.” The basic practice consists of being
mindful of the imprint we leave upon the earth. Thich Nhat Hahn suggests,
“Every step we take upon the earth should be marked with peace.” We should try
to become more aware of the results of our actions upon the earth. Are we
contributing to the peace and welfare of the earth and its inhabitants, or are we
contributing to the destruction of the earth? Our present actions determine our
future karma. The path of Karma Yoga is about doing right actions and realizing
our actions have certain consequences. Doing positive actions will give positive
results. Negative actions give negative results. “A violent man will die a violent
death! This will be the essence of my teaching.” The sage exclaims, rather
poignantly, that as you sew, so shall you reap! So it is important to plant good
seeds. Plant seeds of creativity, kindness and peace upon the earth. Then you will
harvest crops of beauty, enrichment and well-being.

“The great Tao flows everywhere, both to the left and to the right.
The ten thousand things depend upon it; it holds nothing back.
It fulfills its purpose silently and makes no claim.
It nourishes the ten thousand things.”
The second practice corresponds with the water element. Its keywords are:
receptivity, flowing, yielding, and nurturing. The water element is the quality of
fluidity. The basic practice is learning how to let things flow and to allow nature
to take her course. This is the Taoist practice of “Wu Wei,” which means “non-
action.” This non-action means to cease useless struggling against life.
Underlying this struggle is the egocentric fear that one is alone in the universe
with no sense of support. The key practice is to learn to let go of this fear and to
develop trust in the harmony of the Tao. Swami Kriyananda likened this practice
to a surfer riding the waves on his or her surfboard. The surfer does not try to go
against the waves, but rides with the waves gracefully. It is learning to go with
the current, instead of fighting against it. It is giving up control of things, which
you have no control over anyway. This way only reveals itself through the
practice. It is based on trust and faith in the Tao.

“Knowing others is wisdom;

Knowing the self is enlightenment.
Mastering others requires force;
Mastering the self requires strength.”
The third practice corresponds with the fire element. Its keywords are: strength,
creativity, energy and purification. The fire element has the qualities of heat and
light. The basic practice is learning to control and purify oneself. The first aspect
of this practice is learning to concentrate and focus your energy, much like a
magnifying glass, which can focus the sun’s rays to produce fire. It is important
to concentrate so you don’t scatter your energies in meditation. Simple
concentration exercises consist on focusing your attention on a single object or
your breath without letting your mind wander. A fun project is to make a copy of
the Taoist Yin/Yang symbol and then practice concentrating on it for a few
minutes per day. Keep practicing until you can maintain your concentration for
several minutes without interruption. The second aspect of this practice is to
learn to control your thoughts and emotions. This is probably the most difficult
practice for the majority of people. We are used to allowing our mind and
emotions to run rampant like wild horses. But we need to learn to tame our mind
like a good horse that will take us safely to our destination. I find a very good
tool for taming the mind is to just observe it impartially. Be more aware of your
thoughts and emotions in your daily life. If you are feeling angry, just be aware
you are angry. Say to yourself, “I am filled with anger.” Then quietly observe
your anger. This will change it. An observed emotion becomes a changed
emotion. Most people let their thoughts and emotions run them ragged. The
practice is to learn to direct your mind like a good conductor. A conductor
directs the various members of the orchestra to play in harmony. If a member is
out of tune with the orchestra, he or she will move to correct it. Likewise when
our thoughts or emotions become out of tune and cause a disturbance, we direct
our awareness to calmly resolve the problem. I would recommend reading
“Miracle of Mindfulness” by Thich Nhat Hahn and “The Power of Now” by
Eckhart Tolle if you need help in resolving long term mental or emotional
problems. These books are very in tune with Taoist principles. It is very
important to work on any deep seated mental or emotional problems in order to
be in harmony with the Tao. Most of us have various kinks or knots that have to
be worked out in order to find peace and happiness.
“By Virtue, they are nourished, developed, cared for,
Sheltered, comforted, grown and protected.
Creating without claiming,
Doing, without taking credit,
Guiding, without interfering,
This is primal Virtue.”
The fourth practice corresponds with the element of wood. Its keywords are:
love, compassion, and understanding. The element of wood has the quality of air
or wind. Air flowing through hallow wood makes the most beautiful sounds. The
basic practice is the cultivation of virtue. The highest practice of virtue is to
follow the Tao before all things. “The greatest Virtue is to follow Tao and Tao
alone.” This basically means we should follow the Tao first and foremost. In
other words, our central goal in life should be to follow the Tao. Everything else
is secondary. It is similar to Jesus’s practice to love God with all your heart
before all other things. If we do this practice, then everything else will take care
of itself quite naturally. Unfortunately, many people are insecure and need a little
more guidance than this, so the sage gives some advice for the way.
“Creating, without claiming and doing without taking credit” means to practice
non-attachment in your daily life. Do the things you need to do, create the things
you love to create, but try not to be attached to them. Attachments create fear
and suffering in a world that is constantly changing. I had a friend ask me the
other day, “Does being non-attached mean not caring?” This is a good question
because ordinarily, people do not care about other people or things they don’t
have a stake in. But this is not what the sage means by non-attachment. “The
sage takes care of all men and abandons no one. He takes care of all things and
abandons nothing.” This is the path of the heart. It is to treat all people and
things with kindness and respect. The practice is to extend your love to
everyone, and not just your friends and family. This is what Jesus meant by “love
your neighbor.” It is the art of loving-kindness. It is the practice of caring and
compassion for the world, yet not clinging to it.
“Guiding, without interfering” means to give guidance and help to people who
ask for it, but not to control other people. Everyone has a right to live their own
life the way they want to live it, as long as it does not harm anyone else. A parent
hates to see their children suffer from poor choices, but people have to learn
from mistakes on their own. Before Buddha was Buddha, he was a prince about
to inherit a kingdom of wealth and power. His father, who was the king tried to
shield him from the cold realities of the world of pain and suffering. But Buddha
went out in the surrounding lands and learned about the suffering of the native
people. He became disillusioned about power and wealth. He left it all behind to
seek the truth about reality and find liberation from suffering. So the practice is
to give guidance and support to other people, but not to interfere with their lives,
unless they ask for it.
“The sage avoids extremes, excesses, and complacency.” The last practice of the
wood element I want to discuss is balance. One of the keys to mastering Tai Chi
is to learn to maintain your balance in the midst of constant movement.
Maintaining balance in your daily life in the midst of constant change brings
about peace and harmony. Avoid excesses of drinking, eating and pleasurable
experiences. Excessive pleasure will be balanced by excessive pain. Extreme
yang is balanced by extreme yin. When you are out of balance, you are like a
wobbly tire threatening the peace and safety of your travel. Practice equanimity
called “upeksha.” This is a Sanskrit yoga term, which means balance of the
mind. Kriyananda calls it the practice of not letting things get your goat. Your
goat is your peace of mind. When something tries to disturb you, don’t let it
destroy your peace of mind. Try to maintain your equilibrium by holding fast to
your center and being mindful of what is going on around you. It is like being
calm in the eye of the hurricane, while the winds blow fiercely around you.
Maintain your calmness through your daily activities that will be up and down,
good and bad, and constantly changing, but try not to let things get your goat.

“The sage avoids complacency.” Complacency is a form of laziness and

resignation. It is a pariah to spiritual practice. I know this from experience.
When I was first learning Tai Chi, I was very attentive in learning the Tai Chi
form. But after I learned the form, I became complacent. I was practicing the
form, but just going through the motions. One day, I was practicing and twisted
my ankle. This happened because I was not paying attention to what I was doing
and it resulted in my injury. I remember the late Steve Irwin (The Alligator
Hunter) talking about how he had to guard against complacency when dealing
with dangerous animals. He said it was easy to become complacent after many
years of handling wild animals. And when you become complacent, then you
can get severely injured or even killed when handling crocodiles. It is easy to
become complacent in spiritual practice and just go through the motions. Then
you might as well be watching TV for all it matters. It is important to treat your
practice as ever anew with careful mindfulness, like a tightrope walker watching
his every step.

“Stillness and tranquility set things in order in the universe.”

The fifth practice corresponds with the element of metal. Its keywords are:
stillness, intuition and the mind. The element of metal has the quality of spirit.
Its movement is to withdraw or go within. The basic practice is to quiet the mind
through meditation, contemplation and mindfulness. When the mind is still, then
the nature of the true Self reveals itself. When the mind is engaged in the
phenomenal world, the true Self is obscured by the senses. “The five colors blind
the eye.” The meditation practice is to empty the mind of everything. “Empty
yourself of everything. Let the mind rest at peace.” Find a quiet place to practice
calming your mind and letting go of all thoughts, and concerns regarding the
world. Empty yourself of all preconceived ideas, thoughts and emotions. It is
only when you are empty that you can receive. Your mind has to become like an
empty tea cup in order for the spirit of the Tao to fill it up. This practice takes
time and persistence. We have lived our lives over the course of many years
filling our minds with worldly ideas and perceptions. It takes patience and
persistence to unclutter the mind to realize our true nature. As you practice
sitting, watch your thoughts like clouds floating across the sky of your mind.
Observe them and then let them go. Soon, your thoughts should diminish and
your breathing should deepen. Watch your breath as it flows in and out, gently
and quietly. Let the breath flow naturally and just observe. Watch for the space
between thoughts in your mind. Become receptive to the Tao and be still. Try to
feel the presence of the Tao. The quieter the mind becomes, the louder the Tao
will be. There are many meditation techniques, but find one that suits your
particular personality. Then be persistent in the practice.

“The valley spirit never dies;

It is the woman, primal mother.
Her gateway is the root of heaven and earth.
It is like a veil barely seen.
Use it; it will never fail.”
The second practice of the metal element is the development of your intuition.
Your intuition is like a sixth sense and can be used for guidance in your everyday
life. It gets better with concentration and practice. Your intuition can be used for
the smallest of concerns to major life decisions. Whenever you have a question
or concern, inwardly ask your intuition for guidance. You probably will not hear
a voice, but you should receive a feeling as to how you should proceed. The
feeling becomes stronger with practice. It is uncanny how accurate your intuition
can be and how it enables you to be more in touch with everything. This inner
perception extends beyond your little self and connects you with the higher Self,
which is the gateway to heaven and earth. It also helps you to realize you are not
alone in the universe and are interconnected with all things, including the
primordial wisdom of the Tao.

“Stand before it and there is no beginning.

Follow it and there is no end.
Stay with the ancient Tao,
Move with the present.”
The last practice of the metal element is sometimes called “mindfulness” or
being in the present moment. The practice consists of being in the here and now,
and not being stuck in the past and future. It consists of accepting what the Tao is
revealing to you in the present moment. The present may appear pleasant or not
pleasant depending on your circumstances, but the practice is to allow it to be.
Accept what is happening as it is the truth revealing itself to you right now.
Buddha recommended practicing mindfulness or “satipatthansa” in one’s day to
day life while maintaining a centered and calm awareness of one’s body,
emotions and thoughts. The sage also counsels to “hold fast to the center” and to
maintain calmness with the ever changing world of events. Try to observe what
is happening within and around you with a sense of peace in your daily life. Be
the center of peace, joy and harmony. That is your true nature.
 POSTLOGUE

I hope you have enjoyed reading this book and that it helps you to understand,
and practice the great wisdom of the Tao Te Ching. It has been a great
inspiration in my own life. Some of my readers may be wondering why I
stopped at Verse 55. When I first started this book, which was exactly a year
ago; I told myself I would write for a whole year and stop at whatever verse I
ended up with. This was Verse 55. I also think it is an excellent verse for the
ending.
“Knowing harmony is constancy.
Knowing constancy is enlightenment.”

May we all find the enlightenment we seek upon the path!

 REFERENCES

Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English, Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching; Random House, Inc.
1972.
James Legge, Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching, Sacred Books of the East (Vol 39), 1891.
Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English, Chuang Tsu, Inner Chapters; Random House,
1974.
Paramahansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi; Self-Realization
Fellowship, 1993.
Fritjof Capra, The Tao of Physics; Shambhala, 1991.
Eva Wong, Taoism; Shambhala, 1997.
Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now; Penguin Group, 1997.
Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth; Plume Publishing, 2006.
Thich Nhat Hahn, The Miracle of Mindfulness; Beacon Press, 1996.
Swami Kriyananda, The Essence of Self-Realization; Crystal Clarity Pub.,
1990.
Ram Dass, Be Here Now; Lama Foundation, 1971.
Yram, Practical Astral Projection; Weiser, 1967.
Wilhelm, Baynes, The I Ching; Princeton University Press, 1977.
Eugen Herrigel, Zen in the Art of Archery; Vintage Press, 1971.
Raymond Moody, Life after Life; Mockingbird Books, 1975.
Edward FitzGerald, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam; Dover Pub., 2011.
William Shakespeare, Hamlet; Simon & Shuster, 2003.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Gnothi Seauton, American Writers; University of
Minnesota, 1964.
Lama Surya Das, Awakening the Buddha Within; Random House, 2009.
Richard Wilhelm, The Secret of the Golden Flower; Causeway Books, 1975.
Phillip & Leigh Hurley, Just to the Purpose, The Yoga of Ethics; Phillip &
Leigh Hurley, 1996. (www.tantrayoga.us.)
Rick Archer, Buddha at the Gas Pump-Interview with Lama Surya Das.
(Online internet show-www.batgap.com)
Dalai Lama, Open Heart; Spiritualityhealth.com.

OTHER BOOKS BY JILL LOWY

YOGA AND THE ART OF ASTRAL PROJECTION

TO JILL WITH LOVE: MEMOIRS OF A MODERN
DAY MYSTIC
MYSTICAL PEARLS OF WISDOM