The Tao te Ching Chapter 37: Leading Naturally

Tao is apparently inactive (wu wei) and yet nothing remains undone. If princes and kings desire to keep) everything in order, they must first reform themselves. (If princes and kings would follow the example of Dao, then all things will reform themselves.

If they still desire to change, I would pacify them by the simplicity of the ineffable Dao.

This simplicity will end desire, and if desire be absent there is quietness. All people will of themselves be satisfied.

Interpretation:

This chapter is again about the rule of people but may also be interpreted as advice on management of the self as well.  

It is important to note, here as in other chapters, the author does not indicate that the Tao does not act.  Wu wei suggests natural action rather than action inspired by desire.  The practitioner of Wu wei will stay at rest unless and until they are motivated, they will act in accordance with the need and then return to rest without claiming credit or glory for themselves.  There was a television show once about sailors in Indonesia.  It described their actions this way;  "I never heard Captain Tundry give an order but the crew responded at once to the needs of the ship."  A very wu wei sort of leadership and crew and very much the message of this Chapter.

The first stanza restates the function of wu wei and observes that, like Captain Tundry's crew, the people with respond with wu wei to a leader who practices wu wei.

The second stanza may be interpreted to mean the the author advocates the teach of Tao, or that Tao can be used like television to keep the masses at rest.

The third stanza agrees that a desireless person or nation will remain at rest and that people can of their own accord remain at peace.

The Tao te Ching Chapter 36: Understanding The Rising and Falling

That which has a tendency to contract must first have been extended; that which has a tendency to weaken itself must first have been strong; that which shows a tendency to destroy itself must first have been raised up; that which shows a tendency to scatter must first have been gathered.

This is the explanation of a seeming contradiction: the tender and yielding conquer the rigid and strong.

The fish would be foolish to seek escape from its natural environment. There is no gain to a nation to compel by a show of force.

Interpretation:

This chapter is one of the cases where the Tao te Ching is so obvious that many people miss the point and so the value.

The first stanza may be taken to say that all things have an origin.  No balloon ever popped that was not first blown up.  No tree ever grew strong that was not first a seedling.

The second stanza makes a subtle but very important point.  That which is young and flexible tends to overcome the strong.  For example:  Stone yields to the prying of tender tree roots.  The new movable type printing press allowed the people of France to communicate quickly and freely and so spawned the French Revolution and the end of the centuries old Monarchy. Can you think of an example where something tender and yielding overcame something rigid?  Water beneath the foundation of a house perhaps.

The interpretation of the third stanza is more challenging.  The first in the first sentence may be said to be the nation in the second sentence.  Perhaps the author means to suggest that "compelling by a show of force" is not the natural environment for a nation.  If this is not the natural manner of action for a nation, what is?

Understanding the Tao te Ching Chapter 13: Favor and Disgrace are Equal

13.

Favor and disgrace are alike to be feared, just as too great care or anxiety are bad for the body.

Why are favor and disgrace alike to be feared? To be favored is humiliating; to obtain it is as much to be dreaded as to lose it. To lose favor is to be in disgrace and of course is to be dreaded.

Why are excessive care and great anxiety alike bad for one? The very reason I have anxiety is because I have a body. If I have not body why would I be anxious?

Therefore if he who administers the empire, esteems it as his own body, then he is worthy to be trusted with the empire.

Interpretation:

This chapter is again talking about seeking balance rather than a high place.  This time the context is appearance before other people.  Are we considered to be "favored?"  Are we considered to be "disgraced?"  The author recommends avoiding both positions.  It is easy to understand why disgrace is undesireable who why favor?  Perhaps the life of the movie star can be used as an example.  The famous person, while receiving many benefits from fame also cannot go to a restaurant without being approached by fans, photographers hound them constantly and their private affairs are likely to appear on the front page of magazines.  Truly they pay a high price for their fame.

The author, desiring a quiet, and balanced life, avoids both favor and disgrace.  Preferring to live a quiet, unnoticed life.

The second stanza is often interpreted to mean that it is somehow unsatisfactory to have a body or to be living.  This is inconsistent with the message of the Tao te Ching.  It is more likely that this passage is meant as reminder that the Tao itself is not concerned with issues of favor and disgrace.  It is only those of us seeking to care for our human bodies that conceive and worry about such notions.  A good way to observe the truth of this is to explain to a dog or cat the shame of nudity.  Truly favor and disgrace are human attributes. 

The final message is for those who would rule.  If you would treat the ruled as your own body, your worries will serve those you lead.

Understanding the Tao te Ching Chapter 1: What is Tao?

1.

The Dao that can be understood cannot be the primal, or cosmic, Dao, just as an idea that can be expressed in words cannot be the infinite idea.

And yet this ineffable Dao was the source of all spirit and matter, and being expressed was the mother of all created things.


Therefore not to desire the things of sense is to know the freedom of spirituality; and to desire is to learn the limitation of matter.


These two things spirit and matter, so different in nature, have the same origin. This unity of origin is the mystery of mysteries, but it is the gateway to spirituality.

Interpretation:

This passage makes two points.  One on the nature of Tao, one of the way to experience Tao.  

Many enlightened individuals have made the observation that the thinking mind, the "worried" mind can't understand the true nature of the Universe.  The argue goes like this "eyes don't hear,"  "ears don't see."  Your problem solving mind is only eyes or ears.  There are a lot of things going on in the universe that can't be seen or heard.  

This information is still experienceable, just not through thought.  A good way to get at this understanding is through the work of Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor http://drjilltaylor.com/ 

Dr. Taylor observes that only a very small part of our brains "think" thoughts, the rest is occupied with a wide array of feelings and understandings that are not thoughts, nor are they problems to be solved.  Joy, is not a thought, empathy is not a thought.  The  motivating force behind the Universe is not a thought.

Perhaps the first message of the Dao could be restated this way:  "You are not going to be able to think your way through this one.  The Universe does not think in any way that we understand nor does it need to think in order to act.  If you want to get to know it, you'll have to stop trying to figure it out."

Learning how to "know things" without "figuring them out, leads us to the second message.  It comes in the third stanza.  You can't really "want" to know Dao.  Desire inspires us to reason, to figure out, to find a way to get what you want.  If worried thoughts are not the path to the Tao, then desire can not lead you there.  It's like a deaf person staring harder at the radio in hopes of hearing.  The Tao already is.  You already are.  Understanding of the Tao is something you let happen, not make happen.