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This is the way you nourish others wi...
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by not trying to do anything other than simply flow.
it’s within the realm of possibility that our intentions can impact the entire planet (and beyond) in a destructive way.
Living humility knows when to just stop, let go, and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
This verse clearly analogizes that the pursuit of more status, more money, more power, more approval, more stuff, is as foolish as honing a carving knife after it has reached its zenith of sharpness.
Lao-tzu advises us to be careful about amassing great wealth and storing it away.
we must know when to retire from the treadmill
Practice humility rather than ostentation and uncontrolled consumption. The
Eat, but stop when you’re full—to continue stuffing food into a satiated body is to be trapped in believing that more of something is the cause of your happiness.
Enough is not only enough, it is in alignment with the perfection of the eternal Tao.
Seek the joy in your activities rather than focusing on ego’s agenda.
you’re in a state of loving appreciation in each of your present moments, you’re letting go of the absurd idea that you’re here to accumulate rewards and merit badges for your efforts.
Seek the pleasure in what you’re doing, rather than in how it might ultimately benefit you. Begin to trust in that infinite wisdom that birthed you into this material world. After all, it knew the exact timing of your arrival here. It didn’t say, “If nine months will create such a beautiful baby, I’ll extend the gestation period to five years. Now we’ll have an even more perfect creation!” Nope, the Tao says that nine months is perfect—that’s what you get, and you don’t need any more time.
“Retire when the [eating] is done; this is the way of heaven.”
Embrace oneness by seeing yourself in everyone you encounter.
view others as an extension of yourself.
Letting go of ego-dominated thoughts lets you sense the oneness that you share with others; thus, you give yourself the opportunity to feel a part of the all-embracing Tao.
Practice inner awareness whenever you feel yourself about to criticize anyone or any group.
Take pleasure from what you possess without being attached to these things.
So step back a bit and allow yourself to be an observer of this world of form. Becoming a detached witness will put you into a state of bliss, while loosening your tight grip on all of your possessions. It is in this releasing process that you’ll gain the freedom to live out what the Tao is always teaching by example.
Today, know that practicing oneness thinking will help you see that Kingdom.
change how we think about it.
A house is not a house if there is no inner space for the exterior to enclose.
You have an inner state of nonbeing at your center, so take note of what is visible (your body) as well as the invisible essence that your existence depends upon . . the Tao part of you.
Your imperceptible center is your vital essence.
And vow to spend some time each day just being attentive to the awesome power of your imperceptible vital essence.
Practice the power of silence every day.
This is the primary purpose of learning to meditate, or to be in the silence, inviting your essence to reveal itself and allowing you to live in the void.
Sight, scent, sound, touch, and taste are the domains of the senses.
This quest for adoration, money, and power is a waste of energy because there’s never enough, so striving for more defines your daily regimen.
You can’t arrive at a place of peace and inner satisfaction when your entire existence is motivated by not having enough.
In fact, Lao-tzu states that the relentless chase is a for...
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The master goes within, where inner convictions replace the chase.
The master sees the folly of appearances and avoids the seductive lure of acquisitions and fame.
Extend your perspective beyond the sensory level.
Discontinue pressuring yourself to perpetually accumulate more.
Cultivate awe and appreciation as inner touchstones, rather than an outer determination for more adoration and accumulation.
When you see a beautiful sight, hear an enchanting sound, or taste a mouthwatering delicacy, allow yourself to think of the miracle within these sensory pleasures.
Allow things to come and go without 12th Verse any urgency to bec...
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One who loves himself as everyone is fit to be teacher of the world.
it’s crucial to remain independent of both the positive and negative opinions of other people.
Regardless of whether they love or despise us, if we make their assessments more important than our own, we’ll be greatly afflicted.
Allow yourself to be guided by your essential beingness, the “natural you” that nourishes your independent mind.
Whatever approval is supposed to come your way will do so in perfect alignment.
Both outcomes result in the dependent mind dominating, as opposed to the way of the Tao, in which the independent mind flows freely.
your true nature will replace the pursuit of external favor with the awareness that what others think of you is really none of your business!
Practice trusting your own inner nature.
you’re tempted to feel insecure because others disagree with you, recall that Lao-tzu counseled that “seeking favor is degrading” and will lead you out of touch with your true self.
Give yourself permission to remember that you’re not only your body, and that others’ opinions about what you should or shouldn’t be doing probably aren’t taking into account your true, eternal being. Those other people are also not only their bodies, so seeking their approval doubles the illusion that the physical is all we are.
Practice being the person Lao-tzu describes
