Tao Te Ching Verse 69 translated by Bram den Hond Those who use weapons have a saying which goes: "I do not presume to act like the host but instead play the part of the guest; I do not advance an inch but would rather retreat a foot". This is called moving forward without appearing to move - Rolling up one's sleeves without showing one's arms - Grasping firmly, without holding a weapon - And enticing to fight when there is no opponent. Of disasters, there is no greater catastrophe Than thinking you have no rival. To think you have no rival, Is to come close to losing my treasures. Therefor ..read more

Tao Te Ching Verse 74 translated by Frederic Henry Balfour If people do not fear death why attempt to frighten them by capital punishment? Supposing the people are made constantly afraid of death, so that when they commit unlawful acts I arrest them and have them killed, who will dare [afterwards to misbehave]? For then there will always be yiu-sze, or civil magistrates, to execute them. Now the execution of men on behalf of the inflictor of the death-punishment [by those not legally qualified to do so] may be compared to hewing on behalf of a master carpenter; and people who [attempt to] hew ..read more

Tao Te Ching Verse 46 translation by Isabella Mears When Tao was manifested to humanity, Horses were used for cultivating the fields. When Tao was hidden within itself, War horses were reared on the frontiers. There is no sin greater than desire, There is no misfortune greater than discontent, There is no calamity greater than the wish to acquire, Therefore to be satisfied is an everlasting sufficiency. Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash We are the Warhorses A horse can be either a utility animal or a weapon.  Just like our ego idea back in verse 39, isn’t it?  We can use our e ..read more

Tao Te Ching Verse 54 translated by Hua-Ching Ni What is well planted cannot be pulled up. What is closely embraced cannot slip away. The wise establish virtue firmly within themselves, and are honored for generations ever after. Apply natural, integral virtue to your own character, and it will be genuine. Apply natural, integral virtue to the family, and it will abound. Apply natural, integral virtue to the state, and it will flourish abundantly. Apply natural, integral virtue to the world, and it will be pervasive. Understand other people's lives by means of your own life. Understand oth ..read more

Tao Te Ching Verse 76 translated by Xiaolin Yang When people are alive, they are soft; when dead, they are hard. When every living thing is alive, it is soft; when dead, it is hard. So, the strong and hard have no vitality; the soft and weak have vitality. Therefore, when an army is too strong and rigid, it will be extinguished; when a tree is too stiff, it will break. The strong and hard are inferior; the weak and soft are superior. Photo by Faye Cornish on Unsplash Practicing Refining that Energy At home, I can see how my rigid attitudes do damage to my personal relationships.  We ta ..read more

Tao Te Ching Verse 49 translated by Chou Wing Chohan The sage has no self that she can call "mine," She turns the self of the people into her own. I act with goodness toward the good, I act with goodness toward the bad, too, And so the good is contagious. I relate with trust to the person who is worthy of trust, I relate with trust to the person who is not worthy of trust, too, And so trust is contagious. The sage lives in the world in her victory and rules the world with her simplicity. But when all the people look at her and listen to her, The sage takes care of them, like a mother takes c ..read more

Tao Te Ching Verse 47 translated by Ellen Marie Chen Without stepping out the door, Know the world. Without looking out the window, See the Tao of Heaven. The farther one comes out, The less one knows. Therefore the sage knows without traveling, Understands things without seeing them, Accomplishes without work. Photo by ANIRUDH on Unsplash Staying Inside Lao Tzu says we don’t need to leave the house to know what’s going on.  He says we don’t need to peer outside the windows to know the Tao.  My short time in Brazil and the wonderful things I experienced seem to be defying that, don ..read more

Tao Te Ching Verse 65 translated by Hua-Ching Ni In ancient times, those who were well-versed in the practice of the subtle Way of the universe did not lead people to disintegrate their minds through intellectual development for the sake of partial achievement. Instead, they dissolved all contradictory concepts and images in order to maintain the natural state of simplicity. Why are people so hard to manage? Because they have become complicated. He who leads others with a conditioned and complicated mind is the source of calamity. He who leads others with simplicity is the source of blessing ..read more

Tao Te Ching Verse 56 translated by Chang Chung-Yuan One who is aware does not talk. One who talks is not aware. Ceasing verbal expressions, Stopping the entry of sensations, Dulling its sharpness, Releasing its entanglements, Tempering its brightness, And unifying with the earth: This is called the identity of Tao. Hence, no nearness can reach her nor distance affect her. No gain can touch her nor loss disturb her. No esteem can move her nor shame distress her. Thus, she is the most valuable person in the world. Photo by Peter Nguyen on Unsplash Being careful to not Kiss and Tell I feel li ..read more

Tao Te Ching Verse 71 translated by Hua-Ching Ni One who regards one’s intellectual knowledge as ignorance has deep insight. One who overrates one’s intellectual achievement as definite truth is deeply sick. Only when one is sick of this sickness can one cease to be sick. One who returns one’s mind to the simplicity of the subtle truth is not sick. One knows to break through conceptual knowledge in order to directly reach the subtle truth of the universe. This is the foundation of one’s health! Photo by Harry Cunningham on Unsplash Break On Through to the Other Side Jim Morrison’s song lyric ..read more