THE TAO TE CHING - VERSE 10

In week ten of my journey through the Tao I am using Stephen Mitchell’s interpretation. 

Can you coax your mind from its wandering and keep to the original oneness? Can you let your body become supple as a newborn child’s? Can you cleanse your inner vision until you see nothing but the light? Can you love people and lead them without imposing your will? Can you deal with the most vital matters by letting events take their course? Can you step back from your own mind and thus understand all things? Giving birth and nourishing, without possessing, acting with no expectations, leading and not trying to control: this is the supreme virtue.

What I glean from this message is how, when we come into this world as babies, we are pure love, straight from the Creator. But as we stay in this world we begin to feel the separation from where we came and soon we are no longer supple, our vision is clouded, and judgment rears its ugly head.  Yet the ultimate truth of what we are doing here is to accept the duality of humanity and try to become like the new born baby again.  We must learn to transcend the body and touch the soul, to make peace with both our feminine and masculine natures, to acknowledge the ego then move beyond it to the Tao.  For the Tao is the unconditional love we all long for while the ego is nothing but judgment.  Unfortunately from the moment we are born we are taught to label and then judge...labeling everything as either good or bad.  Yet in reality nothing is good or bad until we put a label on it and judge it. 

So my journey through the Tao this week is to take note of my judgments.  Where do I label something good and something else bad?   Can I move through this world without wanting to possess anything or have an expectation of others?  Wow, no judgment is a heavy order. Wish me luck!

References:

Mitchell, Stephen (2009-10-13). Tao Te Ching (p. 6). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

The Laozi (2009-10-04). The Tao Teh King, or the Tao and its Characteristics (Kindle Locations 29-30). Public Domain Books. Kindle Edition.

Mitchell, Stephen; Katie, Byron (2007-02-06). A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are (p. 13). Random House, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

Dyer, Wayne Dr. 1 Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life, Audio Version, (Disc 2)