Wisdom book of today : Tao Te Ching - The Ancient Classic by Lao Tsu

with an introduction by Tom Butler-Bowdon.

"Elusive and obscure, indeed, but at its heart ... is all being. Unfathomable and obscure, indeed, but at its heart is all spirit, and spirit is reality. At its heart is truth."

What is Tao? Very simple, it is the timeless, changeless spirit that runs through all life and matter. God, or Universal Mind or Intelligence, are other ways to describe it, but it is beyond the categorisation of man. (...) Tao both creates everything in the universe, and keeps it all going. Tao is variously translated as "Way" or "Creative Principle,", the principle behind all reality. In concrete terms, Tao manifests as "Teh" which means virtue or moral action. By being in tune with Tao, we naturally know the best action to take in any situation. Yet Lao Tzu did not lay out a set of social rules to be obeyed as such, but rather pointed to a certain positive way of being and acting that upholds Tao's creative principle.

"Therefore the wise man, embracing unity as he does, will become the world's model. Not pushing himself forward he will become enlightened; not asserting himself he will become distinguished; not boasting of himself he will acquire merit; not approving himself he will endure. Forasmuch as he will not quarrel, the world will not quarrel with him."

Before people can become effective leaders, they must first be able to control themselves. Such restraint means that, when we have to act, it is done out of pure objective justice rather than through any kind of emotional compulsion:

"By patience the animal spirits can de disciplined. By self-control one can unify character. By close attention to the will, compelling gentleness, one can become like a little child. By purifying the subconscious desires one may be without fault."

"The wise man", Lao Tzu notes, "attends to the inner significance of things, and does not concern himself with outward appearances." 

Yet by focusing on the spiritual realm, his physical world becomes well ordened. He can see through the world's appearances, separating truth from delusion. 

"True goodness is like water", Lao Tzu says, "in that it benefits all and harms nothing".

"Tao is Eternal. The decay of the body is not to be feared."

Seek first the Tao always, and your life will tend to be free of dramas and troubles, because you will not get lost in the way things seem, but rest in how they are. In practical terms, the path to this kind of peace that Lao Tsu advocates is simple:

"... let all men hold to that which is reliable, namely, recognise simplicity, cherish purity, reduce one's possessions, diminish one's desires."

The Tao treasures three things in human beings : compassion, economy and humility. Only the person who is compassionate can be truly brave; one who is thrifty can be generous; and those who are humble can be a good servant to others. Compassionate action is the joy of life, and Lao Tsu notes the paradox that the person always working for others, and not trying to hoard things, usually ends up with security and plenty.

The others essential quality of Lao Tsu's leader is their self-control.

(...)

The wise person therefore recognizes :

"If a ruler practices wu wei the people will reform themselves. If I love quietude the people will of themselves become righteous. If I avoid profit-making the people will of themselves become prosperous. If I limit my desires the people will of themselves become simple."

"Peace and quietude are esteemed by the wise man, and even when victorious he does not rejoice, because rejoicing over a victory is the same as rejoicing over the killing of men. If he rejoices over killing men, do you think he will ever really master the Empire?"

"He who identifies himself with Tao, Tao rejoices to guide. He who identifies himself with teh, teh rejoices to reward. And he who identifies himself with loss, loss rejoices to ruin."

Avoiding War

Even successful arms, among all implements, are unblessed. All men come to detest them.Therefore the one who follows Tao does not rely on them. Arms ae of all tools unblessed, they are not the implements of a wise man. Only as a last resort does he uses them.

Peace and quietude are esteemed by the wise man, and even when victorious he does not rejoice. (...) 

In prospitious affairs the place of honor is the left, but in unpropitious affairs we honor the right.

The strong man while at home esteems the left as the place of honor, but when armed for war it is as though he esteems the right hand, the place of less honor.

Thus a funeral ceremony is so arranged. The place of a subordinae army officer is also on the left and the place of a superior officer is on the right. The killing of men fills multitudes with sorrow; we lament with tears bacause of it, and rightly honor the victor is if he was attending a funeral ceremony.

Follow the Tao ... Follow the Way yourselves,

Blessings,

Kristof Gabriel Carina van Hooymissen