The journey from teaching about love to allowing myself to be loved proved much longer than I realised. ~Henri Nouwen As a spiritual practice, “allowing” is often described as an acceptance of what is. We sometimes think of this acceptance of reality as not struggling against something that we don’t like. But we overlook the […]
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Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. ~C. S. Lewis As the tectonic plates of culture alternately drift further apart and then crash into each other with increasing violence, I am reminded of blog posts of the past, written in times of heart pain
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My grandson and I watched an animated movie recently in which a main character was a star celebrity athlete who couldn’t stand to lose. So much so that he returned to his small home town to humiliate and defeat the one person who ever beat him, and to buy up the town in order to
When people do not fear powerGreat power appearsThese first two lines have been translated and interpreted so many ways, it’s difficult to find any footing in a particular meaning. Like many passages in the Tao Te Ching which seem to address governance, this couplet could refer to actual political government, and could also refer to
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Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. ~C. S. LewisWhen my dog Rosie was a puppy, she was so terrified of other dogs that I could not take her for a walk. So I went to a wonderful trainer for help. We were in
Like other chapters which address principles of governance, this chapter applies just as well, and perhaps with more relevance, to how we govern ourselves. In ancient times rulers who followed TaoDid not teach people to be cleverBut rather encouraged people to follow their true natureGoverning by manipulation brought ruinBut governing in alignment with Tao brought
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This chapter address the theme of power in the context of the relationship between large and small countries. Like other chapters addressing nations and government, this chapter can also apply to individuals – how we govern ourselves and how we relate to others. A large country is like a river deltaThe lowest point where all
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Governing a big country is like frying a small fish Hmm, this sounds like a set up for a punch line in a bad joke. But the punch line is: Thus use Dao to govern all under heaven Okay, that’s better. Using Dao (Tao) as a governing principle is a theme of the Tao Te
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“Everything in moderation,” goes the adage. The Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism is described as the “middle way.” A meditation instruction teaches “not too tight, not too loose.” The concept of moderation is the foundation of this chapter.Governing people in alignment with heavenIs accomplished only through moderationAs with other chapters on governing, I find this most
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This chapter has a surprise bonus in it, a little hidden wisdom treasure. But before we get to that… The chapter begins with a passage comparing a person with abundant Te (Virtue) to an infant, a metaphor repeated in several places in the Tao Te Ching. A baby is supple and soft, yet amazingly strong
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This chapter beautifully expresses the nature of Te (the Te from the title Tao Te Ching) in every aspect of the universe. Good rooting cannot be uprootedGood holding cannot be taken away Te is loosely translated as Virtue, but it does not mean virtue in the sense of morality or righteous behavior. We might think
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This chapter paints an accurate picture of the human experience. If I have even a little knowledgeI will walk on the path of the great TaoStraying from it is my only fearThis path is very smooth and easyBut people love to veer off on side roadsWhile the palace courts are splendid The fields lie fallowAnd the
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This chapter is a dance between Tao and Te – Tao as the source of all things, and Te as the life force that sustains all things. Many chapters focus on one or the other, so it is enlightening to see here the interplay between the two fundamental concepts of the Tao Te Ching. It
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I am good to those who are goodI am good to those who are not goodI am trustworthy to those who are trustworthyI am trustworthy to those who are not trustworthy The heart of this little chapter says it all. The Bible observes that the sun shines on the good and the evil, and the
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I love this chapter because it starts with several lines that reveal a lot more about the reader than whatever point the author was trying to make. The high scholar hears Tao and diligently practices itThe middle scholar hears Tao and sometimes keeps it, sometimes forgets itThe low scholar hears Tao and has a great
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This chapter contains one of my favorite passages in the Tao Te Ching. Before you read it, consider for yourself what you think the best qualities are for a society or an individual to manifest. When Tao is lost, Virtue (Te) followsWhen Virtue is lost, kindness followsWhen kindness is lost, justice followsWhen justice is lost, ritual
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