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Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.
based on how they resonated with me.
This book is my personal interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, each verse of which gave me an insight into life and nature.
If you feel that grasping will help you acquire what you need or want, he counsels you to let go and be patient.
Tao as “the Way,” Te as “the shape and power” (that is, how the Tao manifests), and Ching as “book.”
letting the words stay with me and inviting the forces of both the outer and the inner life to inform me.
feel more peaceful and patient. I keep being reminded of the cyclical nature of the world of the 10,000 things and have powerful insights that change what I see.
Finally, individualize the verse by writing, recording, drawing, or expressing yourself in whatever way you’re called to.
You experience unimaginable things, receive thoughts and learning as if from nowhere, perceive things that could be classified as prescient.
That is why it is said that those who know do not speak.
If you meet someone who can profit by your experience, you should share. But if you are merely a wanderer in a crowd of strangers, it is wisdom to be silent.
He counsels us that letting go of trying to see the mystery will actually allow us to see it.
One way is to permit ourselves to practice more paradoxical thinking by recognizing that desiring (wanting) and desireless (allowing) are different and the same .
The point here is to recognize the difference in your body between trying and allowing, and to then become aware of the effortless sensation of the latter.
Consciously allowing this nameless mystery is ultimately the way to practice the Tao.
does mean cultivating a practice of being in the mystery and allowing it to flow through you unimpeded. It means permitting the paradox of being in form at the same time that you allow the mystery to unfold. Do the Tao; find your personal ways of living in the mystery. As Lao-tzu says in this 1st verse, “And the mystery itself is the doorway to all understanding.”
Let relationships just be,
Don’t try so hard to make something work—simply allow. Don’t always toil at trying to understand your mate, your children, your parents, your boss, or anyone else, because the Tao is working at all times. When expectations are shattered, practice allowing that to be the way it is. Relax, let go, allow, and recognize that some of your desires are about how you think your world should be, rather than how it is in that moment. Become an astute observer . . . judge less and listen more. Take time to open your mind to the fascinating mystery and uncertainty that we all experience.
in this universe is what it’s named.
We must bask in the magnificence of what is seen and sensed, instead of always memorizing and categorizing.
Permit the paradox of wanting the irritant to vanish and allowing it to be what it is. Look inward for it in your thoughts and allow yourself to feel it wherever it
Accept whatever comes. Encounter the mystery within without labeling, explaining, or defending.
By changing your thoughts, you can change your life and truly live the bliss of oneness.
Living without judgment and in perfect oneness is what Lao-tzu invites his readers to do. He
You are both the Tao and the 10,000 things simultaneously.
criticism is not always necessary or helpful. See
and be at peace with what you observe.
“When the work is done, it is forgotten.
You can compete without being focused on outcome.
Tao Te Ching in these two simple words: Just be.
Don’t get caught up in the apparent duality of being right or wrong.
Pursuit of status, be it monetary or a position of power, blinds us to our relationship to the eternal Tao, along with the contented life that is available.
The Tao recommends refraining from this kind of discontented way of life, which leads to thievery, contentiousness, and confusion.
Rather than seeking more, the Tao practice of gratitude is what leads us to the contented life. We must replace personal desires with the Tao-centered question: How may I serve? By simply changing
he’s suggesting that trusting in the Tao is the way to be directed by the Source of your creation and to be guided by a higher principle than your ego-driven desires.
Encourage your relatives to empty their minds of thoughts about status and acquisitions, and think instead about serving others and contributing to the health and strength of all.
The Source of creation is not interested in material possessions or status.
Demonstrate this to others by being a leader who removes the egocentric temptations that foster envy, anger, and competition.
Remind yourself daily that there is no way to happiness; rather, happiness is the way.
Bring happiness to every encounter in life, instead of expecting external events to produce joy.
“Stop pushing yourself,” Lao-tzu would say, “and feel gratitude and awe for what is.
Your life is controlled by something far bigger and more significant than the petty details
of your lofty aspi...
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Inventory your desires and then turn them over to the unnameable.
Yes, turn them over and do nothing but trust.
Instead, allow the eternal perfection of the Tao to work through you. This is Laotzu’s message for our world now.
“When action is pure and selfless, everything settles into its own perfect place.”
This 4th verse of the Tao invites you to consider rearranging your thoughts about who you are. It
seems to be saying that cultivating an awareness
As you relax your hold on the idea of yourself as the job you do or the life you’re living and seek to acquaint yourself with the limitless creative energy that’s a part of you, the time and energy you require will appear.
