Therefore, nobility is r ooted in humility;
loftiness is based on lowliness. This is why noble people r efer to themselves
as alone, lacking, and unworthy . The pieces of a chariot ar e useless
unless they work in accor dance with the whole. A man’ s life brings nothing
unless he lives in accor dance with the whole universe. Playing one’ s part
in accor dance with the universe
is true humility . Truly, too much honor means no honor . It is not wise to shine like jade and
resound like stone chimes. OceanofPDF .comLiving Wholeness
We traditionally  think of wholeness as something that’s complete. “The
whole nine yards,” for instance, implies the entire distance. “I ate the whole
thing” signifies having consumed something completely . Lao-tzu, however ,
seems to view the concept differently: Who leness, he writes, has roots in
humility . When  humility evokes our wholeness, we live the reality that
we’re pieces of the whole. With this attitude, you want to exist harmoniously with the entire universe
—cooperating with, and being subjugated to, other aspects of the whole. You can’t even consider interfering with any piece of it because you’re one
with it. The mom ent you begin to place yourself in a transcendent position
in relation to others, or to your world of the 10,000 things, you’re
interfering with the Tao. I encourage you to examine your concept of
wholeness based upon this 39th verse of the Tao Te Ching. I can assure you
that the world will appear to have changed when you see it through this
lens. Lao-tzu insists that the universe is whole; that is, it’s in a state of oneness. There are no parts needing separation from this state. Sky, earth, spirit, and
the 10,000 things are all parts of the whole—and what’ s more, that’s their
virtue! Now while the sky and the trees may truly be in a unified state, your
ego insists that you’r e separate, distinc t, and generally superior . But if you
can modify your ego’ s viewpoint, your life will change. When you’re cooperative and looking for signs of oneness, you’ll begin to
see and feel the interconnectedness of everything. For exam ple, your body
is a conv enient analogy for a universe all unto itself. While it is one entity ,
it certainly has trillions of individual, although interconnected, cells. Just
one cell with an arrogant relationship to the whole makes all the cells suffer
and ultim ately become extinct, much like the individual who interferes with
the Tao by polluting the sky, depleting the earth, and disrupting the
equilibrium of the whole. A cancer cell that refuses to cooperate with the
cells adjacent to it will ultimately gobble them up, and if left unchecked,
will destroy the whole. Why? Because that cancerous cell has no
relationship to the whole. It will destroy itself as it kills the host upon whichit depends for its own survi val. And you’ll destroy yourself if you
participate in destroying the Tao upon which you are dependent for your
survival. Each seemingly  individual part of a whole is potentially dange rous (and
generally useless) if it doesn’ t function in harmony . What’ s true for the
chariot in this verse of the Tao Te Ching is true for you as well. Your life
needs to have a relationship with the Tao, and that relationship is
characterized by Lao-tzu as a bond forged by humility . In other words,
wholeness and humility are one and the same, so update the way you think
about your relationship to life, and play your part “in accordan ce with the
whole.”
Here’ s what Lao-tzu seems to be instructing as I read and interpret this
verse of the ancient T ao Te Ching:
Cultivate your r elationship with the planet. Live in the spirit of wholeness, knowing that you have a role as one of the
parts of the Tao. Remind yourself that you cannot interfere with the Tao and
live a life of greatness. This means respecting the environment in every way
by living in an Earth-friendly manner as a part of its oneness. Become an
advocate for conservation. Make time to pick up and recycle trash. Drive an
environmentally friendly automo bile, or better yet, walk in peace to as
many places as possible. Whole ness means maintaining a sense of balance
with the all-providing, gentle, nonpushy T ao. In humility , you’re able to feel
your own tiny role in this great drama orchestrated by your Sources. You’ll
see what Lao-tzu means by: “A man’ s life brings nothing unles s he lives in
accordance with the whole universe.”
Change the way you think of yourself fr om being separate to seeing
yourself in all that you encounter . As you live in wholeness, notice how you begin to feel a connec tion to all
of life, rather than the separateness that your ego prefers. See yourself in
everyone you encounter , in every creature on our planet, in the forest and
the oceans and the sky—the more you do, the more you’ll want to stay in a
state of coopera tion rather than competition. You’ll also feel more inclined
to reject the concept that there is a “them.” Practice this way of being andnotice that the type of happiness that may have eluded you for a lifetime is
part of the oneness you begin to enjoy . Here’ s how Rumi expressed this sentiment:
If you put your heart against the earth with me, in serving every cr eatur e,
our Beloved will enter you fr om our sacr ed realm and we will be, we will be
so happy . Do the T ao Now
Go for a walk today and think in wholeness terms with all that you
encounter durin g a 30-minute period. See yourself in those  you might
otherwise have judged, includin g the very old, very young, obese, disabled,
or indigent. As you look at them, remind yourself, I share the same
originating spirit with every one of these people. This will help you feel
whole by shifting from your ego to the virtue of the T ao. OceanofPDF .com40th Verse
Returning is the motion of the T ao. Yielding is the way of the T ao. The 10,000 things ar e born of being. Being is born of nonbeing. OceanofPDF .comLiving by
Returning and Yielding
I see one of the greatest teachings of the Tao Te Ching here in the shortest
of its 81 passage s. If you can master the wisdom in these four lines, you’ll
be as happy , content, and centered in the T ao as any sage. With the first word, returning, you’re being nudged toward an
understanding of the basic principle of your existence. Without needing to
leave your body , you’re asked to die while alive . You accomplish this by
realizing that you’re one of the 10,000 things that has appeared in the world
of form. What Lao-tzu is expressing here in the 40th verse is what
contemporary quantum physic s has confirmed many centuries later:
Particles do not come from particles at the tiniest subatomic level. Instead,
when the infinitesimally small specks are collided in a particle accelerator ,
there’ s nothing remaining but waves of “particle-less” energy. In order for
you, a much bigger speck, to form, you must have come from an originating
spirit. Now Lao-tzu may have known nothing of quantum physics in the 6th
century b.c., but he was teaching  an essential truth even then: It’s spirit that
gives life. So to truly live out your destiny as a piece of the originating Tao,
you must shed your ego and return to spirit—or you can wait until your
body dies and make your return trip at that time. Six centuries after Lao-tzu dicta ted the 81 verses of the Tao Te Ching, the
man who wrote a huge percen tage of the New Testament also spoke of
whence we come. Formerly called Saul of Tarsus, he became known as
Saint Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. In his letter to the people of Ephesus,
he wrote: “You were created to be like God, and so you must please him
and be truly holy” (Eph. 4:24). This is an invitation for us all to return to
what we came from, which is loving, kind, and not exclusive in any way . How is this accomplished, according to Saint Paul and Lao-tzu, who
emphasizes this point in many of the verses of the Tao Te Ching? You do so
by yield ing your ego, surrendering, and being humble. To that end, in hisletter to the people of Corinth, Saint Paul quote s Jesus directly: “My grace
is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness .” Paul then
goes on to say himself, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my
weaknesses, so that Christ’ s power may rest on me. That is why , for Christ’ s
sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in
difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:9–10). Indeed, yielding is the way of the Tao, as well as the key to an uplifted
existence, according to virtually all spiritu al texts that have survived over
the centuries. When you truly change the way you think about all of life, the world
begins to look very different. You begin seeing everyone and everything as
if they have round-trip tickets: You know they all arrived from spirit, and
you know they must return. All that composes also decomposes, and
whether anyone  else understands that isn’t important to you. You find the
awareness that life on Earth is a death senten ce to be a liberating and
amusing viewpo int. You’re choosing to live every day, each moment that
you have and as much as you can, as the nonbeing aspect of yourself. As a being of spirit, you decide  to use your “return ticket” while you’re
still in physical form by keeping yourself in precisely the same loving status
that you occupied before enter ing this world of boundaries. As you take
your return journey , you not only get to lose your ego-identification card,
you have the added bonus of regaining the power of your Source, which is
the all-creating power of the unive rse. You merge into the onene ss of a
being who dissolves ego concerns, and the world that you now see is
perfect and infinite in nature . There is no more worry , anxiety , or
identification with your possessions—you’re a free person. You’re a
spiritual being first, last, and always. This is what I feel that Lao-tzu is telling you in this brief yet profound
teaching of the 40th verse of the T ao Te Ching: 40th V erse
Monitor your dir ection, emphasizing r eturning and yielding. Mentally make an ef fort to assess every step you’re taking in all aspects of
your life—including in your career , your relationships, and your health—in
terms of directionality . That is, ask yourself, In which way am I truly
moving? Am I getting away from my originating place, or am I returning toit? As you make this assessment, you can be more forthright about
returning to, rather than movi ng away from, the Tao. A resolution to
exercise or eat more nutritious foods is a step taking you back to the well-
being from which you originated. A decision to suspe nd your ego and take
an interest in another person is a movement of moving back to the Tao. A
determination to be generous rather than hoard is a choice to be in the
return motion. All of these actio ns come from your thinking first about the
direction in which you’re moving— away from your origination spirit or
back to it. Surr ender! This is what yielding is all about. Recognize that your little ego does
nothing and that the Tao creates everything, including you. As I sit and
write these words in my magic al writing space, I know that I don’t own
what mysteriously appears on the paper . I’ve surre ndered. I know that God
writes all the books, composes all the music, and erects all the buildings. I
bow to this all-creating power . While  it appears that all of the 10,000  things
are born of the world of beingness, as I think about it more, the beingness
itself came from nonbeing. It is to this glori ous state of nonbeing spirituality , or the Tao, that I yield. I
encourage you to do the same, and then peacefully obser ve how it all flows
together perfectly . Do the T ao Now
Strategically place a picture of a yield sign, frequently found as a traffic
device, within your field of vision. Each time you look at this sign, use it as
a remind er for you to return to the Tao. At least once each day, rather than
continuing a disagreement, cede on the spot. In the midst of talking about
your own achievements or basking in the light of your ego, stop and
become an instant listener . The more you yield each day, the more you
return to the peace and harmony of the T ao. OceanofPDF .com41st Verse
A great scholar hears of the T ao
and begins diligent practice. A middling scholar hears of the T ao
and r etains some and loses some. An inferior scholar hears of the T ao
and r oars with ridicule. Without that laugh, it would not be the T ao. So ther e are constructive sayings on this:
The way of illumination seems dark,
going forwar d seems like r etreat,
the easy way seems har d,
true power seems weak,
true purity seems tarnished,
true clarity seems obscur e,
the gr eatest art seems unsophisticated,
the gr eatest love seems indiffer ent,
the gr eatest wisdom seems childish. The T ao is hidden and nameless;
the T ao alone nourishes and brings everything to fulfillment. OceanofPDF .comLiving Beyond
Appearances
This verse of the Tao Te Ching  influenced my choice of the title for this
book. By changing your thoughts so that they harmonize with the Tao, you
see that what you’ve called “reality” is in fact an outward form, an
appearance only. In the beginning, your new way of regarding oneness is
clouded by old ego-inspired habits. What you’ve been accustomed to still
resonates within you as real, and your Tao-ins pired world may not be
consistently recognizable. But you will begin to look beyond what only
seems to be your truth and move into a direct experience of the Tao,
uncluttered by your previously limited views. Reread the first section of this 41st verse of the Tao Te Ching , noticing
your response. Ask yourself whether you’re a great, middling, or inferior
scholar when it comes to unde rstanding and applying the wisdom of the
Tao. For example, I can unabashedly proclaim myself  a great scholar after
so many years spent studying and writing it. And the more I’ve studied, the
more diligently I’ve practiced. I’ve become highly attuned to the infinite
variety of daily opportunities to employ the principles of the Tao. As you
examine your own thoughts, you may discover an aspect of yourself that
wants to learn how to utilize these ancient teachings. Thus, you can move
from being a person who knew very little about the Tao, and might even
have ridiculed it, to being a great scholar . The application of the Tao each day determines the greatness of a scholar ,
rather than whether he or she intellectually understands these paradoxical-
sounding concepts. Lao-tzu points out that without the ridiculing laughter of
inferior scholars, the Tao couldn’ t even exist. Talk about paradoxical
concepts! In A Warrior Blends with Life: A Modern T ao, Michael LaT orra comments
on this 41st verse:
The Way is only attractive to those who are already wise enoug h
to know  how foolish they are. Sarcastic laughter from other foolswho believe themselves wise does not deter the truly wise from
following the Way. Following the Way, they do not beco me
complicated, extraordinary , and prominent. Rather they become
simple, ordinary , and subtle. As you elect to live the Tao each day, what you experience within and
around you will be different from what it appears to be. You will go way
beyond surfaces into the blissful world of the Tao, and it’s vital that you
choose to stay in this truth regardless of how it all seems. Others will make
fun of you, but remember the paradox that without that ridiculi ng laughter ,
it wouldn’ t be the T ao. You’ll experienc e times of darkness, but your new vision will eventually
illuminate your inner world. And when it seems as though you’re moving
backward, remember that “the Tao is hidden and nameless.” If it was
knocking at your door, or readily accessible like a pill to swallow , it
wouldn’ t be the Tao. So when life looks difficult, stop and realize that
you’re only one thought removed from being at peace. You’ll know what
Lao-tzu meant when he said that the easy way seems hard, and true power
seems like weakness. Y ou don’ t have to struggle or dominate others in order
to feel strong. A perso n in the Tao sees the world quite differently , knowing that inner
peace is power . Less effort is actually easier—work gets done when you
lighten up intern ally and let yourself be moved along by the ceaseless Tao,
rather than by setting goals or meeti ng stand ards set by others. Allow the
Tao, and see the purity and clarity that originates from this vantage point. The outw ard appearance of anyone or anything may appear tarnished, but a
Tao view will remind you that essential goodness is always there. It’s
hidden and nameless, though,  so don’t be obsessed with finding and
labeling it. In this way you become a great scholar who diligently works to live in
harmony with the Tao even though it remains obscure. Apply this same
insight to the times you feel unloved: When you see what appears to be
indifference, know in your heart that love is present. The Tao isn’t
concerned with proving its fidelity . It appears to be uninteres ted, but it’s
nevertheless always there, everywhere. As your thinking changes from aposition dictate d by your ego to one that transcends it, you’ll see an
illuminated world that is truly inviting. Ego convinced you to see a cold and
indifferent planet, while the ego-transcending Tao shines pure love to all
that you’re connected to. Allow it to work its magic in your life. This is what Lao-tzu seems to be instructing, as I sit here asking how I
might serve those who read this book:
Be diligent. You’re not an inferior scholar of Tao if you’re reading these words. So if
you’re a middling scholar who “retains some and loses some” of this
wisdom, make a commitment to work toward your greatness. Just practice a
few of these insights each day. Be diligent about it—set aside your
inclination to be puzzled or argumentative, and allow yourself the freedom
to be a persistent practitioner . Even a small thing such as an affirmation or a
rereading of a verse each day puts you on the path of living according to the
Great Way. Lao-tzu simply says to live it by zealously practicing these
insights. Here are some lines from Walt Whitman to remind you that you’re not
who you appear to be:
O I could sing such grandeurs and glories about you! You have not known what you ar e,
you have slumber ’d upon yourself all your life,
Your eyelids have been the same as closed most of the time . . . Whoever you ar e! claim your own at any hazar d! These shows of the East and W est ar e tame compar ed to you, These
immense meadows, these interminable rivers, you ar e immense and
interminable as they . . . The T ao truth is unpr ovable in physical terms. Let go of your conditioned way of needing proof in the phys ical world
before somethin g becomes your truth. The Tao is hidden permanently and itcannot be named, so accept this as a fact. You’re not going to find it in a
material form; it has no boundaries, and the moment you try to name it,
you’ve lost it. (See the 1st verse.) Just as modern scientists must accept the
fact that quantum particle s originate in waves of formless energy or spirit,
without their ever seeing that infinite all-creating field, so too can you let go
of your need to see and touch the Tao before you can believe it. By
changing the way you look at the world, you’ll see a realm beyo nd the
appearance of darkness, dif ficulty , weakness, indif ference, and death. As the poet Rainer Maria Rilke observed,
. . . behind the world our names enclose is
the nameless: our true ar chetype and home. Do the T ao Now
Spend an hour with a child today, taking note of how much wisdom is
embodied in what appears to be juvenile behavior and beliefs. Notice his or
her fascination with seemingly insignificant items, repeating the same
senseless phrase, tantrums, or laughter . Jot down your impressions of the
wisdom behind such so-called childish impulses and vow to be a kid again
as frequently as possible. OceanofPDF .comOceanofPDF .com42nd Verse
The T ao gave birth to one. One gave birth to two. Two gave birth to thr ee. And thr ee begat the 10,000 things. The 10,000 things carry yin and embrace yang;
they achieve harmony by combining these for ces. People suffer at the thought of being
without par ents, without food, or without worth. Yet this is the very way that
kings and lor ds once described themselves. For one gains by losing,
and loses by gaining. What others taught, I teach. The violent do not die a natural death. That is my fundamental teaching. OceanofPDF .comLiving by Melting
into Harmony
The beginning of this verse reiterates what Lao-tzu has been saying
throughout the previous 41 sections of the Tao Te Ching—that is, the Tao is
the hidden force that brings all of the creatures and substances that
comprise the 10,000 things into being, as well as being  the intangible that
we think of as oneness or wholeness. All carry and embrace the opposites
of yin and yang, or the feminine  and masculine principles. This verse
reinforces the idea that blending  these seemingly opposing forces is the way
to achieve harmony . Lao-tzu reminds you of the things that you probably think cause  suffering
and suggests that being orphaned, going hungry , or feelin g worth less are
high on the list. But then he says that achieving harmony in terms of the T ao
involves gaining by losing. Does he mean that if you lose your home, your
mom and dad, your belongings, or your sense of self-esteem, you’ll gain all
that you need? What? How is that possible? Your infinite self that originated in, and is animated by, the Tao needs
nothing to sustain itself. Parents, possessions, and self-worth are only
necessary to the existence of your mortal self. Lao-tzu wants you to
recognize this difference within the oneness that you are. He teaches that
you gain awareness of your Tao nature through the loss of emphasis on the
physical conditions of your life. In your oneness, you’re likely to lose the
Tao sensibility in proportion to the emphasis you place on worldly desires. At the same time, Lao-tzu emphasizes that death of the mortal self is
influenced by the way you live. You will die as you live is the fundamental
teaching for the mortal self. This is the balancing act that’s required to truly
melt into harmony with the T ao. The last several  lines of this verse insistently drew my attenti on when I
was researching, writing, and meditating on this 42nd passage. I studied
many translation s of it, and I spent countless hours communing with Lao-
tzu, gazing at his likeness in my writing space. I discov ered that this
particular verse was always interpreted with the same kind of dramaticemphasis. All said something similar to the following: “I take this to be the
father of teachings”; “Know this to be the foundation of my teachings”;
“This will be the essence of my teaching”; “Whoever says this is my
beloved teacher”; and the one I used here, “That is my fundamental
teaching.” My conclusion is that when you’re violent in any way—
including in your thoughts, behavior , prono uncements, and allegiances—
then you’re choosing to die in the same way. Of course, you’ll draw your
own conclusions about the significance of this particularly dramatic
instruction of the T ao Te Ching. The insistence with which this teaching presented itself to me leads me to
believe that Lao-tzu wants me to emphasize that its opposite is also true. That is, a person who embraces the Tao and eschews violence and hatred
will live and die naturally . . . which is in harmony with the perfection of
the Tao. So I invite you to change the way you perceive what keeps you
from harmonizing with your Source. The birthing agent of all is also your
ultimate place of return when you leave your body in that moment called
“death.” You must be willing to give up your attachment to all forms of
violence in your life if you want to melt into harmony . Here are Lao-tzu’ s suggestions , written through me, for embracing this
fundamental teaching of the T ao Te Ching:
Remember that violence violates the harmony of life and death. Make a decision to live harmoniously with the Tao by removing all
associations that you have with violence. Stop supporting entertainment that
promotes any type of it, for instance. Monitor your vocabulary to remind
yourself to remove words that direct hatred 42nd Verse or killing toward
any living creature. Explore avenues for resolving disputes peacefully , and
get involved with organizations that discourage violence. Remem ber that
the one fundam ental principle of the Tao Te Ching is that if you take up
savagery in any way, then you’re signing up for a savage end on this planet. And this includes your mental activity as well as behavior , so seek kind and
forgiving though ts in place of revenge and hatred. Change the way you look
at life to seeing a picture that’s free of violence and melts into harmony as
you live and die.Examine your attachments with the idea that you gain by losing and
lose by gaining. Your attachmen ts to objects, status, your culture, and even other people
prevent you from being free in the Great Way of the Tao. The more stuff
that accumulates, the more you have to watch it, insure it, worry about it,
protect it, polish it, distribute it, and identify with it. In other words, you
lose harmony while seeking to gain. Practice giving your possessions away
and loosening your need for who and what you have. Imagine strings
attached to everyone and everything that you feel you own; then
symbolically cut those strings and be an observer rather than an owner . This
is how you melt into harmony with the T ao. The poet Hafiz advises:
Start seeing everything as God
But keep it a secr et. Do the T ao Now
Think of one person who may have wronged you at some time in your
life: someone who abandoned or mistreated you, someone who stole from
or cheated you, someone who abused you or spread ugly rumors about you. Spend one day putting all thoughts of revenge aside, and instead feel
forgiveness and love for that individual. Notice the difference in your body
when you don’t have violent thoughts . . . this is the essential teaching of
the T ao. OceanofPDF .com43rd Verse
The softest of all things
overrides the har dest of all things. That without substance enters wher e ther e is no space. Hence I know the value of nonaction. Teaching without wor ds,
performing without actions—
few in the world can grasp it—
that is the master ’s way . Rare indeed ar e those
who obtain the bounty of this world. OceanofPDF .comLiving Softly
The T ao Te Ching is full of parallels to nature, and in fact the pure essence
of the teachings  seems to be to help us become Tao-inspired sages through
oneness with the environment. The opening lines of this 43rd verse remind
me of the way of water , of its softness and ability to enter everywhere, even
where there’ s seemingly no space to do so. Water is used symbolically in
many reference s to Taoism, such as in the title of the outstanding
contemporary work by Alan Watts, Tao: The Watercourse Way. To live
softly is to live the watercourse way . In this verse, Lao-tzu invites you to change the way you view hardness. To you, the concept is probably equated with strength. You may work out
because the firmer your muscles, the tougher you think you are. Do you
consider diamon ds more valuable than a soft mineral, like volcanic ash,
which crumbles in your hand? Perhaps you subscribe to the idea that doing
a difficult task makes you a better person. Now imagine emulating water ,
this basic element that is the embodiment of nature (after all, it does
comprise 75 percent of both the world’ s surface and our physical makeup). Think about the way water courses, flowing to the lowest place, and how in
order to experien ce it, you can’t just grab a handful. You must instead relax,
lightly placing your fingers inside of it. Reflect upon how the gentle water compares to the solid stone and marble
it’s capable of carving through. The soft water overrides hardness—deep
valleys surround ed by mountains of granite have been carved away over the
centuries by the patient, quiet, moving liquid. Imagine being able to enter
where no space appears to be available, and to move slowl y, speaking
seldom and allowing yourself to be harmoniously intact as you seek a
lower , less noisy and noticeable place . . . a place where all others desire to
come to you. This is the watercourse way . There’ s value in the nonaction of being able to flow like water , naturally
and ef fortlessly . I can’ t help but think of this when I enter the ocean to swim
for an hour or so. I want to go with the current rather than swim against it,
so my first choice involves seeing which way the water is coursing. As I
move through the sea, emulating its naturalness, I trust my instinct andswim without trying to direct my arms and legs in their strokes. I think of it
as doing, but not interfering—th at is, I’m allowing my body to propel  itself
through the water without my mind telling it how to move. As I’ve changed
my thoughts about “hard” and “soft,” I don’t have to do anything but be in
the water . I’ve chosen to make my daily swim a soft, silent experience that
requires very little action on my part. And my swimming world has
changed, becom ing easy, joyful, and almost effortless. I’ve learned “the
value of nonaction,” as Lao-tzu expresses it in this verse. It’s performing
without action! Apply this way of seeing everything in your world: Tasks will be
simplified, your performance level will increase, and the pressure to be
better than others by using superior hardened strength will cease to be a
factor . You’ll naturally incorporate the wisd om of peaceful harmony that’s
found in the martial arts by letting the efforts of others become a source of
your own power . Your softness will override the hardness of others. This principle is clearly seen when you look at great champio ns as they
perform their chosen activities. The greatest golfers are effortless in their
swing. The most successful ballplayers run, jump, throw , catch, and shoot
with a softness that seems to stupefy most observers—they don’t use force,
nor can they find words to descr ibe how they do it. The most talented artists
dance softly , without effort; paint quietly , without force; and write easily ,
without struggle, by allowing the words to come to them. As Lao-tzu
reminds you, 43rd Verse these are rare beings who live the master ’s way. These sages “obtain the bounty  of this world,” which is availab le to you,
too. As I contemp late Lao-tzu’ s counsel, he urges me to offer you
encouragement to apply the spirit of the watercourse way that’s found in
this 43rd verse of the T ao Te Ching:
Introduce a soft, nonaction style to your life. Practice the way of nonaction, or performing without effort. By letting go
of your inner drive to push ahead, you’ll see that you ironically do better
than when you tried so hard. In your work, become more tolerant in your
drive to achieve by softening your attitude and behavior . You’ll see that
customers and larger opportuni ties are attracted to you. Why is this true?Because you’re allowing  the perfect flow of the Tao, like the great gray
heron lets the tide recede in order to reveal the nourishment he needs to
live. Notice how your life changes as you change the way you look at it. Practice perform ing without effort in other areas of your life, too. For
example, some marathon runners say that they’ve learned to relax and stop
pushing, letting their legs, arms, and torso simply be as their bodies begin
experiencing extreme exhaustio n with only a few miles to go. They report
that when they shut down the mental interference and instructions, they
magically cross that finish line. Soft always has its place, for it is the
watercourse way . . . the way of the T ao. Encourage desir es to fr eely flow in your imagination. Consider what you’ve wanted to have in this life as if it’s behind a locked
door. Examine what you’ve been telling yourself about the prosperity ,
superb health, good luck, business success, or wonderful relationships
you’ve craved—that no matter how hard you’ve tried, it’s all come to
naught. Then imagine yourself flowing like water through the barrier of that
locked room. Do it softly , gently , and silently in your mind. In other words,
just spend some time getting used to practicing the watercourse way of the
Tao. As you allow softness to be part of the picture of your life, the hard way
will soften. Begin to exercise this kind of effortlessness in all areas of your
desires. According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, “It is the condition of
Inspiration—marry nature, don’t use her for pleasure.” I urge you to
consider this kind of marriage. Do the T ao Now
Have a day of silence. Don’ t speak aloud to anyone; instead, just observe
and see if you can be in a state of softness without telling yourself or
anyone else what to do. Gently  consider the powerful words of Herman
Melville, who once said that God’ s one and only voice is silence. OceanofPDF .comOceanofPDF .com44th Verse
Which means mor e to you,
you or your r enown? Which brings mor e to you,
you or what you own? I say what you gain
is mor e trouble that what you lose. Love is the fruit of sacrifice. Wealth is the fruit of gener osity. A contented man is never disappointed. He who knows when to stop is pr eserved fr om peril, only thus can you
endur e long. OceanofPDF .comLiving by Knowing
When to Stop
The 44th verse tells you that changing the way you prioritize your life
ensures a fruitful one. I call it the “Enough is enough” section of the Tao Te
Ching. When you update your view of the most important things in your
life, the world around you is going to seem very different. Lao-tzu is urging
you to look into your heart and examine what is truly important. Earlier verses of the Tao Te Ching counsel that the essential mission of
your life is to go back to (or get to know) your originating Source before
physical death. In other words, you don’t have to die to make the return
trip! It’s not only possible, but essential, to feel your connection to the Tao
while you’re still alive. Knowing when to stop is part of the path leading you to your essential
self, where the need for fame and possessions is nonexistent. You see, it’s
not the things or even a desire for recognition that keeps you from a living
connection to the T ao—it’ s your attachment to them that gets in the way. So
shift the importance you’ve placed on success or belongings, which has
obscured your connectedness to the Tao. Begin to note the senselessness of
demanding more , exhausting yourself in pursuit of what keeps you trapped
in a vicious cycle of “striving and never arriving” or trying to find
fulfillment. This verse implores you to know when to stop. I’m sure that you can easily see people in your environment who spend
their entire lives seeking more of everything—more possessions, money ,
recognition, awards, friends, places to go, substances, food—you  name it. If
you live with this same philosophy , you’ve signed up for a life of frustration
and dissatisfaction because the search itself becomes your jailer . It’s easy to
see then why Lao-tzu advises that what you gain is far more trouble than
what you lose! When you prioritize your life, you’ll find that love and a
feeling of abund ance are not only what you desire, but these two principles
are insta ntly available because you’ve changed the way you look at the
world. From this new perspective, you’ll feel totally loved and wealthy in
all ways.I realize that Lao-tzu is again speaking in what seem to be paradoxical
words. But he’s coming to you from the perspective of having changed the
way he looked at things, and noting that what he looked at changed. He
now sees love and wealth everywhere—yet he knows intuitively that he can
never possess them by chasing after them, since they’ll always remain just
outside of his grasp. And so he looks at the Tao and sees that the Great Way
keeps nothing for itself, is willing to let go of its life-giving essence, and is
desirous to share  with all. When you give of yourself , asking nothing in
return and withdrawing your need for recognition, you’ll experience more
contentment. The fruits of wealth and love are seen right there before you
when you simply stop the chase. The beauty of the wisdom in this 44th verse is that you give away your
attachment to things or ways of being, which is what I mean by knowing
when to stop. If the chase is wearing out your health, stop! If the chase is
wreaking havoc on your relationships, stop! If the chase is exhausting you,
stop! If the chase is keeping you from enjoying your life, stop! When you
know when to cease and desist, you’re protected from all of those perils,
and you’ll enjoy a long and contented existence connecting with the T ao. The following is what Lao-tzu asks me to offer you as a means for
implementing this teaching:
Make your r elationship to the T ao your top priority . Prioritize your life by making this the essential and foremost
responsibility you have. Your primary relationship needs to be with
yourself, not your family , business, country , culture, or ethnicity . Affirm:
The number one priority in my life is my relationship with my Source of
being. Go there first, before any other considerations, and you’ll
automatically discontinue demanding more of anything else. You’ll begin to
emulate the T ao ef fortlessly , living heaven on earth. Practice knowing when to stop. Alert yourself to recognizing when it’s a good time to stop demanding,
chasing, talkin g, walking, working, sleeping, playing, shopping,
complaining, striving, and so on. By practicing cessation, you’ll move into
prioritizing what’ s important in your life in that moment. Is your business
doing well? Let it stop growing. Is your stomach full? Quit eating rightnow. Do you have enough money saved? Give some of it away , without
taking deduction s or asking for credit for your generosity . The more you’re
attached to needing and wanting and possessing, the more you lose in your
relationship to the Tao. But when you know the time to stop, you say good-
bye to the troubles that accrue for those who sacrifice arriving for a lifetime
of striving. Do the T ao Now
Pick an area of your life to practice releasing an attachment by deciding
when to stop. For example, plan to leave ten minutes before you think
you’re done in the grocery store, or refrain from buying anything that’s not
on your list. At work, restrain yourself from getting another cup of coffee or
writing one more personal e-ma il. In a relationship, don’t say anything else
in a discussion that’s going nowhere. Those are all examples of attachment
to being or doing. You can also practice detaching by giving something away . Just recently ,
for insta nce, my son surprised both of us by doing just that. I was admiring
a new T-shirt he’d just purchased , and he said, “Here, Dad, you like this one
so much that even though it’s my favorite, I want you to have it.” It was a
simple, spontaneous letting go of an attachment, and both of us felt the
wealth that is the fruit of generosity . OceanofPDF .com45th Verse
The gr eatest perfection seems imperfect,
and yet its use is inexhaustible. The gr eatest fullness seems empty ,
and yet its use is endless. Great straightness seems twisted. Great intelligence seems stupid. Great eloquence seems awkwar d.
Great truth seems false. Great discussion seems silent. Activity conquers cold;
inactivity conquers heat. Stillness and tranquility set things in or der
in the universe. OceanofPDF .comLiving Beyond
Superficialities
This verse subtly asks you to view the world with new eyes. Most likely
you’ve been conditioned to evaluate just about everything with a cursory
and fleeting glance. Here, however , Lao-tzu is asking you to stop seeing
through your ego-dominated culture, and to instead begin noticing the still
and tranquil invisible space within everything. When you go beyond
superficialities, you beco me aware that what used to look imperfect, empty ,
awkward, or even stupid now appears perfect, full, eloquent, and intelligent. Your previous way of thinking about the world told you that it’s full of
imperfections—the people in your life should be different, politicians
should be aligne d with your values, the weather should be more consistent
and reliable, the multitudes should be more peaceful, young people  should
study harder , and older people should be more tolerant. The assessments are
relentlessly endless, and they’re all based on teachings that you’ve adopted. While they may seem sensible and correct, these views are simply the result
of only looking at what exists on the surface. “Hold on a minute,” this verse
of the Tao Te Ching seems to say, “try looking at it this way. What seems to
be imperfect has perfection, and what seems empty and false has a profound
spiritual truth supporting it.”
The paradox here is evident: Hunger does exist in the world as an element
of the perfection of the Tao, and the desire to help those who are starving is
also part of that perfection. You’re being asked not to label what you see as
imperfect, stupid, or empty; rather , look for the stillness and tranquility
within you that you can bring to these superficial appearances . When you
refrain from engaging in judgments based solely on looks, you
paradoxically become an instrument for change. Study the opening lines of this verse. What seems imperfect is
nevertheless inexhaustible; what seems empty is endless. Imagine a pitcher
out of which you could pour delicious iced tea without ever needing to
refill. “Impossib le!” you say, yet that’s precisely what the Tao does. It
never , ever runs out. It never has, and it never will. It cannot be exhausted.You are asked to be like this inexhaustible, always-full Tao—be
nonjudgmental, still, and above all, tranquil. Let the world and all of its
creations unfold  while you remain constant with the invisibleness that
allows it all to take place. Allow whatever you feel deep within you in that
quiet and peaceful space to guide you in the direction that is your true
destiny . Recently I attended a talk by my friend, colleague, and mentor Ram Dass,
who had a stroke in 1997 that impacted his speech. As of this writing, he
still spends almost all of his waking moments in a wheelchair , and his
lecture lasted approximately 45 minutes. He received a standing ovation at
the end, and I personally felt so blessed and blissful by having been in the
audience. There  are some who might have only seen superfi cialities—to
them, the lecture might have seemed halting and slow because of the stroke,
and judged as embarrassing or even intellectually challenging. Much of my
dear friend’ s time onstage was silent, and it certainly appeared to be
awkward in comparison to his earlier speeches, which were always
masterful and eloquent. But as I sit here writin g, I can only say that because
I changed the way I looked at this experience, the entire thing changed for
me in a very dramatic way . While Ram Dass’ s words were few, his message was straightforward,
laconic, and direct. What might have appeared as unintelligible to others
struck me as brilliance masked by circumstance. What could have been
viewed as fumb ling was articulate and perfect in every way. I heard a great
presentation to a loving, receptive crowd that was done largely between
long periods of luscious silence. Through out this lecture, all of the audience
members and I 45th Verse remained still and tranquil. As Lao-tzu concludes
in this 45th verse of the Tao Te Ching, it “set things in order in [our]
universe.”
I can feel the presence of Lao-tzu here this morning as I gaze at the
drawing of that beautiful old man sitting on an ox. He seems to be urging
me on to tell you how to apply this great wisdom, which comes from living
beyond shallowness:
See imperfections as perfect, even if your ego-mind cannot compr ehend
this.Become aware of your conditioned responses that lead you to label
people, places, and circumstances as less than perfect. See the flawlessness
behind the supposed defects. As I watched my children grow up, for
instance, there were many times when their challenging behavior at a
certain age was really a kind of brilliance. For example, I observed them
refusing to eat certain nutritious foods, knowing that they needed to go
through these phases in order to reach higher places. An adamant refusal to
eat vege tables isn’t stupid or twisted thinking—it was perfect and necessary
for them at the time. You can apply this same kind of patient stillness to
your world. Inch by inch, we evolve as a people toward a fuller  union with
the T ao. One of history’ s great mystical thinkers, Meister Eckhart, poetic ally put it
this way several centuries ago:
Every object, every cr eatur e, every man, woman and child has a soul and it
is the destiny of all,
 
to see as God sees, to know as God knows,
to feel as God feels, to Be
as God
Is. Give yourself permission to be perfect, even with
all of your seeming imperfections. Recognize yourself first and foremost as a creation of God, which is your
perfection. It has nothing to do with how you look or any so-called mistakes
or failures you may have attracted to yourself, even though these
superficialities will continue throughout your entire lifetime in this body . The Source of your material self, the eternal Tao, is flawless, straight, full,
and an expressi on of truth. When those ways that you’ve been  taught are
imperfect appear and you notice the pain you’re causing yourself by
disliking or judging them, call in your Tao-perfect self to tend to the so-
called faults. When you surround it with love, the superficial appearance
and feeling of being unloved will become tranquil.The 13th-century mystical poet Rumi sums this up perfectly in this short
observation:
You are the truth
from foot to br ow. Now ,
what else would you like to know? Do the T ao Now
Make a list of ten things you’ve labeled as imperfect, twisted, or stupid. Then take one at a time and elicit the feeling in your body that’s attached to
that item. Allow the sensation to be observed and to be held in your
thoughts from a perspective of loving permission. Do this for as long as
you’re comfortable, allowing the “Tao now!” to be present. Remember as
you do this exercise that the Tao is nonjudgmental and provides equall y to
all. You can take the sunshine and bask in it, or you can burn yourself to a
crisp. The T ao just is, and it doesn’ t care! OceanofPDF .comOceanofPDF .com46th Verse
When the world has the W ay,
running horses ar e retired to till the fields. When the world lacks the W ay,
warhorses ar e bred in the countryside. There is no gr eater loss than losing the T ao,
no gr eater curse than covetousness,
no gr eater tragedy than discontentment;
the worst of faults is wanting mor e—always. Contentment alone is enough. Indeed, the bliss of eternity
can be found in your contentment. OceanofPDF .comLiving Peacefully
If you’re presently evaluating your level of achievement based on how
much you’ve accumulated, prepare to sense a major shift in your state of
personal satisfaction and conten tment. Verse 46 of the Tao Te Ching invites
you to discover a more peaceful and self-satisfying way of knowing success
—and as your determination to acquire more begins to weaken , your new
views will change the world you’ve known. You’ll find that the experience
of inner peace becomes your true gauge of accomplishment. This 46th verse begins with a look at what happens when a planet loses its
connection to the W ay. Countries begin needing to conqu er more territory . . . and in their quest for more land, power , and control over other s, they must
constantly prepare for war. Lao-tzu speaks symbolically of horses here:
When connected to the Tao, the animals fertilize the fields; when
disconnected from it, the beautiful creatures are bred for war . In a modern translation of the Tao Te Ching, my friend Stephen Mitchell
interprets this message in present-day terms:
When a country is in harmony with the T ao,
the factories make trucks and tractors. When a country goes counter to the T ao,
warheads ar e stockpiled outside the cities. It’s painfully obvious that our world has largely lost contact with the Way
as descr ibed by Lao-tzu. These days so much of our energy is placed on
breeding warhorses at the expense of using our resources to fertilize our
fields so that we can live in peace. The United States is chock-full of
weapons of mass destruction, and we continually legislate more funding to
make our weapons so menacing that they’re capable of rendering our entire
planet uninhabitable. The “disease of more” has created an environment
that personifies Lao-tzu’ s observ ation that there is “no greater tragedy than
discontentment.” But even if so many of our Divine selves seem to be
engulfed by the flames of unease, you can begin the process of putting Lao-
tzu’s advice to work.When you truly understand what it means to live peacefully , satisfaction
will begin to replace your desire for more. Your world will begin to become
tranquil as you change your own life and then touch the lives of your
immediate family , your neighbors, your coworkers, and ultimately your
nation and the entire planet. Begin by simply thinking of the opening line of
the famous Prayer of Saint Francis when you notice that you’re demanding
more of anything. Silently say, Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; wher e there is
hatred, let me sow love. As that instrument of peace, you’ll radiate
tranquility to those in your immediate surroundings, and you’ll feel the
flicker of a new and different success in contentment, perhaps for the first
time in your life. By refusing to lose the Tao, regardless of how lost others
are and what our world’ s governments elect to do, you’re living
harmoniously . Your connection to the Tao will make a difference, gradually
inching Earth away from the precipice of discontentment that Lao-tzu
called “no greater tragedy .”
The sublime Hafiz beautifully sums up the kind of success I’m referring
to in his poem “W ould Y ou Think it Odd?”:
Would you think it odd if Hafiz said,
“I am in love with every chur ch
And mosque
And temple
And any kind of shrine
Because I know it is ther e
That people say the differ ent names
Of the One God.”
Getting back to Lao-tzu, here are his messages from the powerful 46th
verse that are applicable today in your personal life:
Practice gratitude and contentment every day . When your feet hit the floor every single morning, without exception, say,
“Thank You for an opportunity to live in a state of contentment.”  Invite themagical energy of the Tao to freely flow through you and inform your
responses throug hout the day. You’re in harmony with your Source when
you’re soliciting gratitude and gratification in these ways. Be one with your natur e.
In a world that seems to produce more and more violence, become a
person who chooses to be an instrument of peace. Let your nature be the
“horses” that are bred to till the fields, feed the hungry , and offer comfort to
the lame or less fortunate. Live as if you and the Tao are one, which of
course you are when you’re in your natural state. When enough of us are able to do this, we’ll reach a critical mass, and
eventually the Great Way will surpass the demands of the ego. I truly
believe, to use a baseball analogy , that nature always “bats last.”
Do the T ao Now
Set aside time to make a conscious effort to send peaceful energy to
someone or some group whom you think of as the enemy . Include a
competitor; an alienated family  member; a person of a different religious
persuasion; or those you oppose in a government, political party , or
disagreement. Then literally send something to them if that feels okay to
you, such as a flower , a book, or a letter. Begin your conscious  effort today ,
right now, to surrender to the Tao and know authentic success, which has no
separation. OceanofPDF .com47th Verse
Without going out the door ,
know the world. Without looking out the window ,
you may see the ways of heaven. The farther one goes, the less one knows. Therefore the sage does not ventur e forth and yet knows, does not look and
yet names, does not strive and yet attains completion. OceanofPDF .comLiving by Being
I encourage you to change your belief that effort and striving are
necessary tools for success. In verse 47, Lao-tzu suggests that these are
ways of being that keep you from experiencing the harmony and attaining
the completion that’s offered by the Tao. Living by being instead of trying
is a different viewpoint; as Lao-tzu states, you can see and accom plish more
by not looking out the window . How is this possible? Let’s look at an example to clarify this conundrum. I’d like you to place all of your attention on one of God’s greatest creations. I’m referring to your heart, that always-beating, mysteriou s chunk of
arteries, vessels, muscle, and blood that you carry with you wherever you
go. It continuall y maintains its thump, thump, thump without your trying to
make it beat, even while you sleep. You don’t make it thump away—even
without your conscious attention, it works as perfectly as the ocean does. Its
continuous beat is even reminiscent of waves on the sea’ s surface. Your heart is indeed a thing of wonder as it delivers life itself; it is
essentially you. That organ in your chest is a model for understanding and
applying the lesson of living by being. Your heart attains completion (your
life) by not venturing forth, looking beyond its chest cavity , or striving. As
you sit here reading these word s right now, it’s keeping you alive just by
being, and you don’ t even feel it. I’d like you to think of your entire self as a heart that already knows
exactly what to do by virtue of its very nature. That is, you don’t have to go
anywhere to know the world because you already are the world. The
moment you attempt to control the beating of your own heart, you realize
the futility of such an effort. No amount of trying or striving will make any
difference, for your heart operates by its natural connection to the Tao,
which does nothing but leaves nothing undone. Michael LaTorra points this out in his commentary on this verse in A
Warrior Blends with Life:
As the wisest of sages have always realized, the root of essentia l
being is in the heart, especially in the heart-beat mechanism. Fromhere, the radiance of essential being spirals upward to illuminate
the head. This mechanism lies beyond any technology . You already
inhabit it. . . . And through deep feelings (rather than superfic ial
emotions) you can connect with it immediately . . . . The ultimate
act that enlightens involves no action at all. So now you know that the paradoxical state Lao-tzu describ es in this
verse is not only possible, but it’s actually taking place everywhere right
now, in billions of human heart s. The further reality is that this is true for
the hearts of all creatures, as well as the life system of every tree, flower ,
bush, and even mineral on Earth. And this is only one planet in a universe
that contains so many heavenly bodies that counting them is so far beyond
our ability that we can’ t even devise calculators to undertake such a task. The 21st century is often called “the information age”: We live in a time
when there’ s more data available on tiny computer chips than ever before in
human history . We can also easily see that our efforts do indeed bring us
more facts and the like. In fact, you may be one of the computer wizards
whose greater efforts have made  all of this possible. What’ s at issue here is
the relationship of information to knowledge and wisdom. Let’s take apart the very name of this era—information—to explain what I
mean. When you stay “in-form” (in your body and the material world),
you’re rewarded with informat ion. But move beyond form (transform to
spirit) and you’ll receive inspiration. Thus, information is not always
knowledge, and knowledge is not always wisdom. Wisdom connects you to
your heart in your waking moments; it is the Tao at work. Lao-tzu is asking
you to recognize  the difference 47th Verse between striving for more facts
and being in the world that is complete as it is. As you live from this
perspective of wisdom or conn ection to the Tao, the world looks so very
different. You are a single beat in the one heart that is humanity . You don’t have to
look outside your window or venture forth—all you have to do is just be in
the same way that you allow your heart to be. This concept was difficult
2,500 years ago, and I realize that it may still be challenging to grasp, but
you must! In a world mad for information without the grace of being theTao, you are one of the heartbeats that keeps the Tao wisdom flowing freely
. . . just by being. Through me, Lao-tzu urges you to work at this new awareness and try out
these suggestions:
Begin the pr ocess of trusting your heart. Listening to your heartbeat, you can clearly recognize the Tao practicing
the paradox of doing nothing and at the same time leaving nothing undone. Your deepest feelings are reflections of your “heart space” talking to you. You don’ t have to do anything to activate this internal profundity; simply let
your heart speak to you. Begin noticing and appreciating its continual silent
thumping—and whatever provides the energy for the beat to go on, let its
presence in your chest be a constant reminder of the T ao at work. Trust in your “sense of knowing,” which is always with you. An internal knowing is there independent of your venturing forth—it’ s
there even when your eyes are closed and you’re sitting still. This doesn’ t
necessarily mean you should become a couch potato. Rather , you must
allow yourself to be guided by the same Source that twirls the planets
around the sun, and trust that it will direct you perfectly without your
having to interfere. Experience your innate creativity while being an
observer , watching in amazement as everything falls perfectly  into place. Just as moving water never stagnates, you will be moved by a natural force
that seeks being complete withi n you and without your needing  to step in. You can get in touch with this knowing through the practice of meditation. Do the T ao Now
Find or make a picture of a heart, and spend time today contemplating it
as a reminder of the Tao effortlessly at work within your chest cavit y. At
some point during the day, allow yourself to be guided by the Tao to do
something creative that comes from within, such as painting,  writing a
poem, taking a walk in the park, beginning a personal project, or anything
at all. Just let yourself be guided without having to venture forth in any
way. Then bring this magic of the Tao more frequently into all aspects of
your life.OceanofPDF .comOceanofPDF .com48th Verse
Learning consists of daily accumulating. The practice of the T ao consists of daily diminishing; decreasing and
decreasing, until doing nothing. When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. True mastery can be gained
by letting things go their own way . It cannot be gained by interfering. OceanofPDF .comLiving by Decreasing
We live in a society that seems to say, “The more you amass,  the more
value you possess as a human being.” Here, in the 48th verse of the Tao Te
Ching, you’re asked to change the way you look at this notion. Rather than
validating yourself by acquiring more, you can reverse this embedded idea
of increasing as the criteria for mastering life. The benefit of living by
decreasing is seeing your world in a different light—one in which, believe
it or not, you’ll experience a greater sense of completeness. Throughout the years of your formal schooling, you were encouraged to
accumulate more of everything being made available to you: more
mathematical formulas; rules of grammar; knowledge of ancient and
modern history; information about the human body , the inner and outer
galaxies, religion, chemical compounds, and so forth—on and on. You
amassed a series of transcripts, diplomas, and degrees that summarized your
voyage of collecting, gathering , and hoarding evidence of your learning. Lao-tzu suggests reexamining this legacy , for then you can base your level
of success on something that appears to be the exact opposite of what
you’ve pursued so far . The Tao asks you to release the external indicators and symbols of your
educational status. While learning is about accumulating information and
knowledge, the Tao is about wisdom, which involves letting go of
information and knowledge and living in harmony with your Source. In
order to enliven your experience  of the Tao and live by its principles, you’re
being asked to practice decreasing your reliance upon things. As I’ve already mentioned in these pages, everything that you add to your
life brings with it an element of imprisonment: Your stuff requires you to
insure it and protect it from  potential thieves or natural disasters;
furthermore, you need to polish, paint, clean, store, and pack it, as well as
move it from place to place. There’s infinite wisdom in the ideas that Lao-
tzu outlines in this verse of the Tao Te Ching, especially in his view that
true mastery can only be gained by freeing yourself of attachments to things
and, in fact, downsizing what you already have.When you serio usly think about this idea and change the way you look at
accumulation, you’ll realize that you can never truly own anything. Native
Americans once had no term for owning land; today , the modern
individual’ s purchase of a piece of property involves an endless cascade of
legal maneuvers  including title searches, liens, attorney fees, mortgages, tax
stamps, and so on. We’ve created gargantuan hurdles for the purchase and
ownership of a piece of land that we only really occupy temporarily . Lao-
tzu urges you to think of yourse lf as a guest here, rather than a proprietor . Cease interfering with the natural world by doing as much as you can to
decrease your impact on the environment. That is, live in harmony with the
no-thing-ness state from which you emer ged and to which you are destined
to ultimately return. Lao-tzu says that you must think  about your lifetime, your “parentheses in
eternity ,” as an opportunity to be in harmony with the always-decreasing
Tao by putting into practice these suggestions:
See the value in subtraction, or “daily diminishing.”
Begin to consciously decrease your need to purchase more thing s. Keep in
mind that the advertising world is designed to convince you that your
happiness is tied to whatever it’s promoting—so instead of buying more,
see how many of your accumulated possessions you can recirculate. I
guarantee that you’ll notice a refreshing feeling of freedom as your desire
diminishes and you let go of your obsession with the material objects
you’ve amassed . As Lao-tzu might say, you came here with no-thing and
you leave with no-thing, so take great pleasure in all that has arrived in your
life. There’s even greater pleasure to be had in knowing that your ability to
live peacefully and happily isn’t dependent on how much stuff you add to
your life. Living by decreasing is the way of the T ao. Practice seeing joy in the natural world, rather than seeking fulfillment
in ownership. See the folly of ownership in a universe that’ s eternally composing and
decomposing . . . just like you are. In essence, Lao-tzu is saying that what’ s
real never changes because it has no form. So the more you can let things
unfold naturally , the more harmoniously you’re living the T ao. Enjoy the
flowers, clouds, sunsets, storms, stars, mountains, and all the people youencounter . Be with the world, in it and adoring it, but not needing to possess
it. This is the way of peace. This is the way of the T ao. For more than 500 years, Kabir has been one of India’ s revered poets. One
of his most popular observations sums up this 48th verse of the T ao Te
Ching:
The fish in the water that is thirsty needs
serious pr ofessional counseling. Do the T ao Now
Right this minute, let go of five items that you have in your possession,
putting them in circulation so that others might find them. Next, pick
something that has some particular value to you and give it away . It’s
important that it be something you really like, for the more attachment you
have to an item, the greater the joy you’ll feel as you let it go. This can
become a practice of living a life of daily diminishing. OceanofPDF .com49th Verse
The sage has no fixed mind;
he is awar e of the needs of others. Those who ar e good he tr eats with goodness. Those who ar e bad he also tr eats with goodness because the natur e of his
being is good. He is kind to the kind. He is also kind to the unkind
because the natur e of his being is kindness. He is faithful to the faithful;
he is also faithful to the unfaithful. The sage lives in harmony with all below heaven. He sees everything as his own self;
he loves everyone as his own child. All people ar e drawn to him. He behaves like a little child. OceanofPDF .comLiving
Beyond Judgment
In this gently powerful verse, we’re encouraged to change the way we
view virtually everyone on the planet.
_OceanofPDF.com_Change_Your_Thoughts_-_Change_Your_Life_-_Wayne_W_Dyer.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Therefore, nobility is r ooted in humility;
loftiness is based on lowliness. This is why noble people r efer to themselves
as alone, lacking, and unworthy. The pieces of a chariot ar e useless
unless they work in accor dance with the whole. A man’ s life brings nothing
unless he lives in accor dance with the whole universe. Playing one’ s part
in accor dance with the universe
is true humility. Truly, too much honor means no honor. It is not wise to shine like jade and
resound like stone chimes. OceanofPDF. comLiving Wholeness
We traditionally  think of wholeness as something that’s complete. “The
whole nine yards,” for instance, implies the entire distance. “I ate the whole
thing” signifies having consumed something completely. Lao-tzu, however,
seems to view the concept differently: Who leness, he writes, has roots in
humility. When  humility evokes our wholeness, we live the reality that
we’re pieces of the whole. With this attitude, you want to exist harmoniously with the entire universe
—cooperating with, and being subjugated to, other aspects of the whole. You can’t even consider interfering with any piece of it because you’re one
with it. The mom ent you begin to place yourself in a transcendent position
in relation to others, or to your world of the 10,000 things, you’re
interfering with the Tao. I encourage you to examine your concept of
wholeness based upon this 39th verse of the Tao Te Ching. I can assure you
that the world will appear to have changed when you see it through this
lens. Lao-tzu insists that the universe is whole; that is, it’s in a state of oneness. There are no parts needing separation from this state. Sky, earth, spirit, and
the 10,000 things are all parts of the whole—and what’ s more, that’s their
virtue. Now while the sky and the trees may truly be in a unified state, your
ego insists that you’r e separate, distinc t, and generally superior. But if you
can modify your ego’ s viewpoint, your life will change. When you’re cooperative and looking for signs of oneness, you’ll begin to
see and feel the interconnectedness of everything. For exam ple, your body
is a conv enient analogy for a universe all unto itself. While it is one entity,
it certainly has trillions of individual, although interconnected, cells. Just
one cell with an arrogant relationship to the whole makes all the cells suffer
and ultim ately become extinct, much like the individual who interferes with
the Tao by polluting the sky, depleting the earth, and disrupting the
equilibrium of the whole. A cancer cell that refuses to cooperate with the
cells adjacent to it will ultimately gobble them up, and if left unchecked,
will destroy the whole. Why. Because that cancerous cell has no
relationship to the whole. It will destroy itself as it kills the host upon whichit depends for its own survi val. And you’ll destroy yourself if you
participate in destroying the Tao upon which you are dependent for your
survival. Each seemingly  individual part of a whole is potentially dange rous (and
generally useless) if it doesn’ t function in harmony. What’ s true for the
chariot in this verse of the Tao Te Ching is true for you as well. Your life
needs to have a relationship with the Tao, and that relationship is
characterized by Lao-tzu as a bond forged by humility. In other words,
wholeness and humility are one and the same, so update the way you think
about your relationship to life, and play your part “in accordan ce with the
whole. ”
Here’ s what Lao-tzu seems to be instructing as I read and interpret this
verse of the ancient T ao Te Ching:
Cultivate your r elationship with the planet. Live in the spirit of wholeness, knowing that you have a role as one of the
parts of the Tao. Remind yourself that you cannot interfere with the Tao and
live a life of greatness. This means respecting the environment in every way
by living in an Earth-friendly manner as a part of its oneness. Become an
advocate for conservation. Make time to pick up and recycle trash. Drive an
environmentally friendly automo bile, or better yet, walk in peace to as
many places as possible. Whole ness means maintaining a sense of balance
with the all-providing, gentle, nonpushy T ao. In humility, you’re able to feel
your own tiny role in this great drama orchestrated by your Sources. You’ll
see what Lao-tzu means by: “A man’ s life brings nothing unles s he lives in
accordance with the whole universe. ”
Change the way you think of yourself fr om being separate to seeing
yourself in all that you encounter. As you live in wholeness, notice how you begin to feel a connec tion to all
of life, rather than the separateness that your ego prefers. See yourself in
everyone you encounter, in every creature on our planet, in the forest and
the oceans and the sky—the more you do, the more you’ll want to stay in a
state of coopera tion rather than competition. You’ll also feel more inclined
to reject the concept that there is a “them. ” Practice this way of being andnotice that the type of happiness that may have eluded you for a lifetime is
part of the oneness you begin to enjoy. Here’ s how Rumi expressed this sentiment:
If you put your heart against the earth with me, in serving every cr eatur e,
our Beloved will enter you fr om our sacr ed realm and we will be, we will be
so happy. Do the T ao Now
Go for a walk today and think in wholeness terms with all that you
encounter durin g a 30-minute period. See yourself in those  you might
otherwise have judged, includin g the very old, very young, obese, disabled,
or indigent. As you look at them, remind yourself, I share the same
originating spirit with every one of these people. This will help you feel
whole by shifting from your ego to the virtue of the T ao.
Humility.
According to the text, what is the root of nobility?
They are one and the same.
What is the relationship between wholeness and humility, according to the author's interpretation of the Tao Te Ching?
The author suggests changing one's perspective to see oneself as part of the universe and to cooperate with the Tao, rather than trying to dominate or control.
What is the author's advice on how to achieve a sense of balance with the universe, according to the 40th verse?
The author suggests that one must let go of their ego and align with the Tao, rather than trying to control or dominate.
What is the author's advice on how to live in harmony with the universe, according to the 41st verse?
The author advises to change one's perspective by recognizing that one's true nature is already complete and that one should not try to accumulate more, but rather live in harmony with the Tao.
What is the author's advice on how to achieve inner peace, according to the 46th verse?