Today I hosted Isabelle for the first time in months with #63. Ad joined me after that for #19 and Dr. Rao came up to impart some wisdom as well. Julie and Johnny then wrapped everything up with #59 and #15 respectively.
#15 "Ancient Tao"
The Ancient Masters’ ability to comprehend the mystery
Was so profound and subtle that they were misunderstood.
One could only describe how they must have appeared.
Careful as someone hearing the ice crack midway through crossing a lake;
Observant as someone surrounded by toxic threats;
Courteous as a guest in awe of her host;
Unpretentious as a felled branch in a wood;
Vacant as someone staring into space;
Dull as a man with nothing to boast about.
Can you be still, adding nothing until the mud settles
And it gives you the opportunity to see clearly?
Can you be still until, on its own accord,
The next action presents itself to you?
The Master has no need for herself.
She doesn’t seek or expect attention.
Not needing to appease herself
She has no requests.
#19 "Real Education"
Don’t aspire to be holy or smart,
You will finally find happiness,
Don’t inquire about morality or justice,
You will finally be perfect.
Don’t create things in order to profit,
You will finally be secure.
If all that fails to inspire you
Stay as humble and simple as possible
And at least you won’t be selfish.
#59 "Serving Others"
While serving others, be as reserved as you can be.
Be like Tao, nurture all things without influencing them.
This is possible through moderation
Free yourself from the constraints of your own ideas.
Respect all things as they are and remove their limits.
Embrace this virtue and your limits are removed as well.
Find within yourself both solid ground and yielding sky.
Be at one with Tao and the landscape creates itself.
Limitless you achieve immortality.
#63 "Problems are no Problem"
Be still and you will act without doing,
Be still and your work will happen regularly.
Be still and your senses will engage the subtle.
Similarly engage a stranger as the multitude.
See the majesty of mountains in a grain of sand.
The Master knows greatness cannot be grasped.
Remaining still, she allows greatness to flow through her.
With no desire to achieve it, her stillness guides her,
Making subtle movements the difficult seems easy.
She knows that all of life is not without its problems
So problems turn out to be no problem at all.
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En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.