Explanation Of The Tao Te Ching Part Thirty Eight “A truly good man is not aware of his goodness,And is therefore good.A foolish man tries to be good,And is therefore not good.  A truly good man does nothing,Yet leaves nothing undone.A foolish man is always doing,Yet much remains to be done.  When a truly kind man does something, he leaves nothing undone.When a just man does something, he leaves a great deal to be done.When a disciplinarian does something and no one responds,He rolls up his sleeves in an attempt to enforce order.  Therefore when Tao is lost, there is … Continue reading A Good Man Doesn’t Know He’s Good

Explanation Of Tao Te Ching Part Thirty Seven  “Tao abides in non-action,Yet nothing is left undone.If kings and lords observed this,The ten thousand things would develop naturally.If they still desired to act,They would return to the simplicity of formless substance.Without form there is no desire.Without desire there is tranquility.And in this way all things would be at peace.” The idea that if we understand the way of nature we can develop the idea of not contradicting it. If our leaders understood this and governed in a way that harmonised with the ‘way’ and allowed everything to ‘unfold’ with the lightest … Continue reading Tao Abides In Non Action

Explanation Of The Tao Te Ching Part Thirty Six “That which shrinksMust first expand.That which failsMust first be strong.That which is cast downMust first be raised.Before receivingThere must be giving.  This is called perception of the nature of things.” One cannot exist without its opposite and it’s the nature of the universe to pass from one to the other. When we can see this working we can see its true nature. “Soft and weak overcome hard and strong.  Fish cannot leave deep waters,And a country’s weapons should not be displayed.” The power of softness and apparent weakness can then be … Continue reading That Which Shrinks Must First Expand

The Tao Te Ching Explained Part Thirty Two  “The Tao is forever undefined.Small though it is in the unformed state, it cannot be grasped.If kings and lords could harness it,The ten thousand things would come togetherAnd gentle rain fall.Men would need no more instruction and all things would take their course.  Once the whole is divided, the parts need names.There are already enough names.One must know when to stop.Knowing when to stop averts trouble.Tao in the world is like a river flowing home to the sea.” Because The Tao can only be found by stillness and silence it’s hard to … Continue reading The Tao Is Forever Undefined

Explanation Of The Tao Te Ching Part Thirty  “Whenever you advise a ruler in the way of Tao,Counsel him not to use force to conquer the universe.For this would only cause resistance.Thorn bushes spring up wherever the army has passed.Lean years follow in the wake of a great war.” The universe is always in a state of chaos. War is bad but unfortunately inevitable, it always leaves humanity and our environment worse off. Therefore how we deal with it is important. “Just do what needs to be done.Never take advantage of power.  Achieve results,But never glory in them.Achieve results,But never … Continue reading Achieving Results With The Tao

Explanation Of Tao Tao Ching Part Twenty Nine  “Do you think you can take over the universe and improve it?I do not believe it can be done.  The universe is sacred.You cannot improve it.If you try to change it, you will ruin it.” Without a doubt the universe is a delicate balance. From the from stillness to movement, this movement creates an ever spiralling world of opposites always seeking balance. This is karma, the quality of nature, every action creates a reaction. It would take far more than any human mind to create better. “If you try to hold it, … Continue reading The Universe Is Sacred