Today was a long session with 5 guests starting with Yours Truely and #9 then I was joined by Laura and her first interactions with the Tao and #1 Stephanie was next and we talked about #19. Dr. Robert and I have a quick conversation around #66 after which Srping Blossom chose #42.
#1 "Expressing Tao"
Words are particular,
They cannot express Tao.
To have a name is to be limited to manifestation
That which is nameless is the source of manifestation.
Self-referential, those who name, name themselves.
Want to experience the depth of the mystery? Stop identifying.
Want to experience the shallowness of the manifestation? Differentiate.
Either way no one can tell,
The difference is in your experience.
#9 "The Danger of Extremes"
Having to prove yourself
Will allow challenges to best you.
Focus your attention on money
And lose sight of what is valuable.
Keep in mind outside influence
And you will be its prisoner.
Do what you do and move on,
It isn’t yours anyway.
#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.
#42 "Holding both Male and Female"
Tao gives birth to Universes.
Universes give birth to Planets.
Planets give birth to beings.
Beings give birth to everything else.
Tao is the great Mother
All else holds both Male and Female.
By all things embracing both
Harmony is achieved.
To feel alone is avoided by men
Yet that is where no identity resides.
The Master holds no identity
She embraces her aloneness,
Realizing when she is at one with herself
She is at one with all things.
#66 "Leading from Behind"
There are great benefits to humility
All rivers flow to the sea
Because its position is lower.
The Master emulates this by always being a servant,
Inspiring from below, leading from behind,
No one is oppressed, they find their own way.
Like rivers so too will the people flow to the Master,
Never feeling oppressed or as if they are in danger,
The whole world supports her and keeps her in their hearts.
Without a reason or a desire to compete
She is never met with competition.
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