Tao of the Day S2_055

A wonderful day with seven guests Starting out with Joseph MoJoe who is becoming a regular on Tao of the Day and we covered #13 followed by Energy Lady and Kathryn with numbers #21 and #15. I am always happy to welcome Mina who chose #66 and followed up with the mother/daughter team of Charente and Loyce with #51 and #66. I wrapped it all up with #61 with Dr. Gooman.

#13
Success is as dangerous as failure.
Hope is as hollow as fear.

What does it mean that success is a dangerous as failure?
Whether you go up the ladder or down it,
you position is shaky.
When you stand with your two feet on the ground,
you will always keep your balance.

What does it mean that hope is as hollow as fear?
Hope and fear are both phantoms
that arise from thinking of the self.
When we don't see the self as self,
what do we have to fear?

See the world as your self.
Have faith in the way things are.
Love the world as your self;
then you can care for all things.

#15
The ancient Masters were pretty damn impressive.
They were deep. Real deep.
Words can't even begin to describe how deep they were.
You can only talk about what they were like.

They were careful, like a man walking on thin ice.
They were cautious, like a soldier behind enemy lines.
They were polite, like a guest at a party.
They moved quickly, like melting ice.
They were as plain as a block of wood.
Their minds were as wide as a valley,
and their hearts were as clear as spring water.

Can you wait for that kind of openness and clarity
before you try to understand the world?
Can you stay still until events have unfolded
before you do the right thing?

When you act without expectations,
you can accomplish great things.

#21
A Master stays focused on Tao.
Nothing else, just Tao.

But you can't pin Tao down--
you can't even see it!
How are you supposed to focus on something like that?

Like this:
First, there's nothing.
Then, the void is filled with images.
Images lead to the creation of objects.
And every object has Tao at its core.

That's the way it's been, ever since the world began.
How can I be so sure?
I just know.

#51
Tao is the source of all living things,
and they are nourished
by Tao's power.
They are influenced
by the other living things around them,
and they are shaped
by their circumstances.

Everything respects Tao
and honors its power.
That's just the way it is.

Tao gives life to all things,
and its power watches out for them,
cares for them, helps them grow,
protects them, and comforts them.

Create something
without holding on to it.
Do the work
without expecting credit for it.
Lead people
without giving them orders.
That's the secret of the power of Tao.

#61
Power flows down
to every level of existence
like a river to the ocean.

Victory comes
from lying perfectly still
and waiting for power
to come your way.

If you yield to someone
less powerful than yourself,
you will be in a position
to influence them.

If you submit to someone
more powerful than yourself,
you create an opportunity
to get your own way.

So if you want to get ahead,
lay low and bide your time.
That way, everybody's happy.