Today I spoke about #58 and then had a number of people in my que not all got the opprotunity to speak but had Mayvel choose #37, Sandy joined to talk about #12, then Linda and Juan came up to discuss #43 and #15 respectively. #12 "The Senses" Colors blind the eyes of men. Sounds deafen the ears of men. Flavors dull the tongues of men. Thoughts will lead a mind to turmoil. Desires and greed will lead a life to turmoil. Therefore, the Master satisfies her inner vision Allowing external cravings to come and go. #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. #37 "Inspired Action" Tao never does anything Yet inspires everything to do. When beings maintain the action of Tao They spontaneously transform from within. When that transformation acquires a name (an identity) External forces inspire actions from desire. Actions without identity Are free from external goals. Without desire, honoring stillness, All things are at peace. #43 "Be Silent and Learn" The flexible will outlast the ridged. The gentle will outlast the hard. Tao, which has no structure, has penetrated all Even that which has no space to enter. Through this I see that unforced action, and silence are the only path to completeness. Action, free of expectation and desire, This is the lesson of the nature of things. Listen to your nature, be silent and learn. #58 "To Oversee, Don't Interfere" In overseeing anything, don't interfere, Let everything flourish in its own time. Interfering, you get met with resistance Or worse, apathetic adherence. Misery and misfortune are tied to expectation. To expect success is to focus on failure, To expect happiness is to invite misery, To expect moral adherence is to flirt with tragedy. There is no escaping it, expecting good yields bad, This is interfering, it has always been true. The Master therefore is content to simply be an example She has no desire to impose, and trusts all she oversees, She is firm but yielding, she is sharp, yet none are cut by her She is radiant, but easy on the eyes.
