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Children raised in families where that blind obedience is demanded have the highest levels of prejudice when they become adults.
See yourself as a being who gives rather than collects, and live on what you need rather than practicing conspicuous consumption.
peace and harmony could only be possible if the territories behaved in accord with the Tao—that is, by subjugating their egos rather than their neighbors.
Think of yourself as the ocean and stay low enough to allow all others to stream down to you and create a “great country” wherever you elect to settle.
Allow yoursef to experience all other people and feel the relationsip that you hold in relation to the oneness of the tao. See myself in others and build a connection
There are many examples to be found for living by remaining low, replicating the example of stillness and yin energy. Jesus Christ, Buddha, Mohammed, Zoroaster, Saint Francis of Assisi, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and others of the highest spiritual persuasion serve as wonderful role models for us.
The Tao is the treasure-house, the true nature, the secret Source of everything. It is the treasure of the good man and the refuge of the bad.
Its treasure of the good man because being good is the same as beingin align with the tao. And the bad man will refuge for the tao because it is tge escence of all good.
See the unfolding of the Tao in them, and picture them as innocent children who are overstimulated by ego’s temporary stronghold.
There’s no such thing as difficulty when you live in the present moment, doing only what you can right now.
Look for the simplicity in what you call complicated by seeing that in this moment, it’s not hard.
Act and destroy it; grasp it and lose it.
In other words, the effective leader guides others to their own nature.
That’s because they’re relying on ego input, which tells them that their true essence is their identification with the physical or material world. One who lives according to the Tao knows that ego is a false master, drawing people away from knowing their true nature.
Thus it is that when a sage stands above the people, they do not feel the heaviness of his weight; and when he stands in front of the people, they do not feel hurt. The sage stays low so the world never tires of exalting him. He remains a servant so the world never tires of making him its king.
Commit to this principle further by encouraging someone to make the decision rather than following your orders.
Humility is akin to surrendering to a force greater than your ego, giving credit to that Source, and being grateful for any wisdom and influence that’s given to you by that power. Be humble; stay low; and be a generous, grateful leader.
This is why the sage dresses plainly, even though his interior is filled with precious gems.
“Your holiness reverses all the laws of the world. It is beyond every restriction of time, space, distance, and limits of any kind.”
“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was ‘Thank You,’ that would suffice.”
What daily habits distance you from your natural state of well-being? Any addictions, no matter how serious or minor they might seem, are beckoning you to be totally fed up with them. Get sick of being weakened by destructive pursuits.
Therefore, the sage knows himself but makes no show of himself; loves himself but does not exalt himself. He prefers what is within to what is without.
The reason it’s crucial to have a sense of awe is because it helps loosen the ego’s hold on your thinking. You can then know that there’s something great and enduring that animates all of existence.
You’re kept grounded in the otherworldly power that manifests a trillion miracles a second, all of which are oblivious to your ego.
The more you are the observer rather than the object of what you see, the easier it will be to remove your fear of dying.
If you weigh yourself down with excessive demands, you’ll wear yourself out or develop symptoms of depression, anxiety, worry, heart disease, or any number of physical ailments. Give yourself a break from self-imposed pressures that burden you, allowing yourself plenty of free time to commune with nature, play with your children, read, see a movie, or just do nothing.
The same is true for the way you relate to others, so listen more, allow your viewpoints to be challenged, and bend when necessary, knowing that you’re actually choosing strength.
The more you think in rigid ways, refraining from considering other points of view, the more you’re liable to break.
Look for opportunities to fill the empty spaces in other people’s lives with money; things; or loving energy in the form of kindness, compassion, joy, and forgiveness.
“Someone must risk returning injury with kindness, or hostility will never turn to goodwill.”
The sage does not hoard, and thereby bestows. The more he lives for others, the greater his life. The more he gives to others, the greater his abundance.
Stay peaceful; trust your nature; know that it is all perfect; and most of all, do nothing. Live the hidden virtue of the Tao. If you feel dragged into a war, refuse to have any enemies. Don’t have any violence in your mind—no revenge and absolutely no judgment. Do this while staying centered in the all-loving, all-knowing perfection of the Tao in the face of what you think of as insurmountable. Then you will be able to call yourself a man of the Tao.
