Tao Te Ching 27

 Tao Te Ching 27

A good traveler leaves no tracks, and a skillful speaker is well rehearsed.

A good bookkeeper has an excellent memory, and a well-made door is easy to open and needs no locks.

A good knot needs no rope and it can not come undone.

Thus the Master is willing to help everyone, and doesn't know the meaning of rejection.

She is there to help all of creation, and doesn't abandon even the smallest creature.

This is called embracing the light.

What is a good person but a bad person's teacher?

What is a bad person but raw material for his teacher?

If you fail to honour your teacher or fail to enjoy your student, you will become deluded no matter how smart you are.

It is the secret of prime importance.

Lao Tzu

Tao Te Ching 26

 Tao Te Ching 26

Heaviness is the basis of lightness.

Stillness is the standard of activity.

Thus the Master travels all day without ever leaving her wagon.

Even though she has much to see, she is at peace in her indifference.

Why should the lord of a thousand chariots be amused at the foolishness of the world?

If you abandon yourself to foolishness, you lose touch with your beginnings.

If you let yourself become distracted, you will lose the basis of your power.

Lao Tzu

Tao Te Ching 25

 Tao Te Ching 25

Before the universe was born there was something in the chaos of the heavens.

It stands alone and empty, solitary and unchanging.

It is ever present and secure.

It may be regarded as the Mother of the universe.

Because I do not know it's name, I call it the Tao.

If forced to give it a name, I would call it 'Great'.

Because it is Great means it is everywhere.

Being everywhere means it is eternal.

Being eternal means that everything returns to it.

Toa is great.

Heaven is great.

Earth is great.

Humanity is great.

Within the universe, these are the four great things.

Humanity follows the earth.

Earth follows heaven.

Heaven follows the Tao.

The Tao follows only itself.

Lao Tzu

The Salesman Relationship Lesson

It's 4 in the morning and I've been awake for over an hour.  My standby for getting back to sleep is to put on an audiobook that I've already listened to.  This morning it didn't work because I put on a book about how to be a great salesperson and I heard something that, even though I've heard it before, really got me thinking. I realized that lessons about being a good salesperson are equally good at teaching how to pick up on when you're being sold to and that got me thinking about how I could've avoided the pain caused by the men I've loved, if I'd listened to our conversations.

You see, this author was talking about controlling the conversation and manipulating the other person's response to get the desired outcome.

What I've figured out is that the men with whom the relationship ended because they were only in it for what they could get from me had one of two conversations.  Either they overwhelmingly talked about themselves with very little learning about me or they did almost nothing but ask questions about me with little to no offering or answering anything about themselves.

What this book inadvertently taught me was that the first type of talker just wants an adoring fan to take care of them and the second type of talker doesn't plan on sticking around once he's gotten what he wants.

Real relationships, romantic or not, are with people who communicate in an equal back and forth.

Tao Te Ching 24

 Tao Te Ching 24

Those who stand on tiptoes do not stand firmly.

Those who rush ahead don't get very far.

Those who try to outshine others dim their own light.

Those who call themselves righteous can't know how wrong they are.

Those who boast of their accomplishments diminish the things they have done.

Compared to the Tao, these actions are unworthy.

If we are to follow the Tao, we must not do these things.

Lao Tzu

Tao Te Ching 23

 Tao Te Ching 23

Nature uses few words: when the gale blows, it will not last long; when it rains hard, it lasts but a little while; what causes these to happen? Heaven and Earth.

Why do we humans go on endlessly about little when nature does much in a little time?

If you open yourself to the Tao, you and Tao become one.

If you open yourself to virtue, then you can become virtuous.

If you open yourself to loss, then you will become lost.

If you open yourself to the Tao, the Tao will eagerly welcome you.

If you open yourself to virtue, virtue will become a part of you.

If you open yourself to loss, the lost are glad to see you.

When you do not trust people, people will become untrustworthy.

Lao Tzu

Tao Te Ching 22

 Tao Te Ching 22

If you want to become whole, first let yourself become broken.

If you want to become straight, first let yourself become twisted.

If you want to become full, first let yourself become empty.

If you want to become new, first let yourself become old.

Those whose desires are few get them, those whose desires are great go astray.

For this reason the Master embraces the Tao, as an example for the world to follow.

Because she isn't self-centered, people can see the light in her.

Because she does not boast of herself, she becomes a shining example.

Because she does not glorify herself, she becomes a person of merit.

Because she wants nothing from the world, the world cannot overcome her.

When the ancient Masters said, 'If you want to become whole, then first let yourself be broken,' they weren't using empty words.

All who do this will be made complete.

Lao Tzu

Tao Te Ching 21

 Tao Te Ching 21

The greatest virtue you can have comes from following only the Tao; which takes a form that is intangible and evasive.

Even though the Tao is intangible and evasive, we are able to know it exists.

Intangible and evasive, yet it has a manifestation.

Secluded and dark, yet there is a vitality within it.

Its vitality is very genuine.

Within it we can find order.

Since the beginning of time, the Tao has always existed.

It is beyond existing and not existing.

How do I know where creation comes from?

I look inside myself and see it.

Lao Tzu

Tao Te Ching 20

 Tao Te Ching 20

Renounce knowledge and your problems will end.

What is the difference between yes and no?

What is the difference between good and evil?

Must you fear what others fear?

Nonsense, look how far you have missed the mark!

Other people are joyous, as though they were at a spring festival.

I alone am unconcerned and expressionless, like an infant before it has learned to smile.

Other people have more than they need; I alone seem to possess nothing.

I am lost and drift about with no place to go.

I am like a fool, my mind is in chaos.

Ordinary people are bright; I alone am dark.

Ordinary people are clever; I alone am dull.

Ordinary people seem discriminating; I alone am muddled and confused.

I drift on the waves of the ocean, blown at the mercy of the wind.

Other people have their goals, I alone am dull and uncouth.

I am different from ordinary people.

I nurse from the Great Mother's breasts.

Lao Tzu