The written history of humankind involves wars as far back as it can go, and we measure our supposed march toward civilization by the sophistication of our weapons. We’ve advanced from simple spears used in close individual combat to bows and arrows that kill from a short distance, rifles and explosive devices that execute from farther away, and bombs that decimate when dropped from the air. We’ve reached the level where we have to invent terms like mega-death and weapons of mass destruction to describe our current ability to annihilate millions of people and other life-forms with one nuclear blast.
The current level of presumably enlightened sophistication means that we have the capacity to destroy all life on our planet with the weapons we’ve amassed. This perilous state has emerged because we’ve ignored the basic tenet of the Tao Te Ching, particularly as stressed in the infinite wisdom of this verse: “Arms serve evil. They are the tools of those who oppose wise rule.”
I believe that Lao-tzu was not only speaking about physical weapons, but also nonphysical behaviors that are just as destructive. These include violent words, gestures, and threats that aren’t a part of humankind’s higher nature. If you change the way you look at your world, you must include noticing your language and your demeanor. Do you demonstrate that you’re a person who values life in all of its costumes? Are you someone who wouldn’t take up any type of arms—be they physical or not—against another, unless alternative means had been exhausted? And then, if forced to injure another, are you able to feel compassion for your so-called enemy? Weapons designed to kill are inconsistent with the very essence of the Tao. Thus, you must make every effort to be peaceful and harmonious with its life-giving energy.
The massive proliferation of guns in our modern society is a giant step away from humankind’s highest nature. So replace defending the right to own and use weapons with the Tao consciousness. Seek instead to aspire to a time when our collective human energy is elevated to such a high status that even the contemplation of killing is impossible. You can begin to do so by changing the way you look at the necessity for weapons. It begins with each and every one 31st Verse of us, and we can start by taking heed of what the Tao Te Ching teaches us. By making this verse your personal calling, you have the ability to save our planet from becoming a lifeless one.
This is what I believe Lao-tzu is saying to you personally from his 2,500-year-old perspective:
Begin to see the use of physical or verbal weapons as unwanted responses.
Change your need to defend yourself to a stance of realizing that this is evidence you’re ignoring the teachings of your Source of being. Refuse to consider using weapons of violence in any form by noticing your language and abolishing hatred from your vocabulary. Replace defending your right to possess and use arms with an attitude that all deaths from such instruments are signals of detachment from the wisdom of the Tao. When enough of us reach a critical mass in our thinking so that it disallows the existence of weapons, we’ll be moving the direction of our world. No longer will we be able to evaluate the planet’s level of civilization by the sophistication of our weapons; instead, the measurement will be on the Tao scale of how well we’re able to feed and love each other. Then being civil will authenticate the root word found in civilization.
Discontinue celebrating death or violence in any form.
Distance yourself from as many images of death as possible, including watching movies or TV shows that depict killing as a form of entertainment, along with news reports that emphasize the extinguishing of life. Teach your kids, and any children you can, to sanctify life. Encourage them not to take pleasure in the demise of so-called enemies, terrorists, or insurgents—all of these kinds of death, be they on a battlefield or an urban street, are evidence of our collective will to kill. And don’t demonstrate hatred and outrage; rather, teach yourself and others that every victory accomplished with weapons is a funeral that should be mourned.
Here are some sensitive lines from Saint Thomas Aquinas, a holy man who attempted to teach us what Lao-tzu offered in this verse of the Tao Te Ching:
How is it they live for eons in such harmony—
the billions of stars—
when most men can barely go a minute
without declaring war in their mind against someone they know.
There are wars where no one marches with a flag,
though that does not keep casualties
from mounting.
Our hearts irrigate this earth.
We are fields before
each other.
How can we live in harmony?
First we need to
know
we are all madly in love
with the same
God.
Do the Tao Now
Say a private prayer today for every person you read or hear about who’s a victim of killing by a weapon, no matter how distant.
32nd Verse
The eternal Tao has no name.
Although simple and subtle,
no one in the world can master it.
If kings and lords could harness them,
the 10,000 things would naturally obey.
Heaven and earth would rejoice
with the dripping of sweet dew.
Everyone would live in harmony,
not by official decree,
but by their own goodness.
Once the whole is divided, the parts need names.
There are already enough names;
know when to stop.
Know when reason sets limits
to avoid peril.
Rivers and streams are born of the ocean,
and all creation is born of the Tao.
Just as all water flows back to become the ocean,
all creation flows back to become the Tao.
Living the Perfect
Goodness of the Tao
In this verse, Lao-tzu describes the ecstasy of being truly on the same page as your Source. What you might describe as openheartedness or joy is the “simple and subtle” flow of the Tao energy that’s responsible for all of life . . . and no effort on your part is necessary.
Lao-tzu opens this verse with a reminder that no one—not you, me, or even the most powerful king or dictator—can rein in or master this force known as the Tao. If it were under our control, then all of nature and its 10,000 things would celebrate because we’d live in peace and harmony. When we’re able to live and breathe the perfect goodness that is the Tao, wars, famine, conflict, and other negative human creations cease to exist. The challenge presented in this 32nd verse of the Tao Te Ching is how to live in our physical world in unison with the eternal, always-molding and always-creating Tao.
Look at what you desire to bring into your life; then, in the context of this sweet verse, feel grateful for everything you encounter. Express gratitude by riding the flow of your existence and allowing it to be your ally. You can steer while still enjoying this glorious ride, but if you elect to fight it, you’ll ultimately get pulled under by its current. This is true for every aspect of your life: The more you push against it, the more resistance you create.
Be aware of anything that’s directing you toward activities that truly ignite your passion. If events seem to be taking you in a new direction in your work, for instance, or signs point to changing your job or location, pay attention! Don’t get pulled under by refusing to budge and continuing a familiar frustrating routine, and then justifying your fear of change. Recognize the Tao energy coursing through your life and quit fighting your calling.
I watch my young son on a surfboard each day of the summer here on Maui. He loves the thrilling ride as he accelerates by going with the wave—he’s not attempting to control it by prolonging it or forcing it to move in a different direction. I use this as a metaphor for my life, for I write in the flow. I allow thoughts and ideas to come in and move onto the page. I allow myself to be carried by the great wave of the Tao in all of my decisions, which brings me peace. That’s be
cause I trust in the perfect goodness of the Tao to guide me, direct me, and take me where it will.
You and I are like the rivers and streams that Lao-tzu mentions in this verse. We were born of the Tao, our Source of being, and we’re returning to the Tao. The return trip is inevitable—it can’t be stopped. So watch your body as it goes through its changes, noting that it does so in the same way that the rivers head down to the ocean to reemerge and become one with it.
Lao-tzu urges you to know when to stop driving yourself, advising you to instead jump into the oneness and avoid all manner of difficulties that he calls your “peril.” Flow with the Tao in everything you do. Give up the need to be in charge, which is just your ego working overtime. You cannot force the Tao . . . let it carry you by relaxing into it with trust and faith.
As you ride this glorious wave of the Tao, consider this advice from Alan Watts in Tao: The Watercourse Way:
Let your ears hear whatever they want to hear; let your eyes see whatever they want to see; let your mind think whatever it wants to think; let your lungs breathe in their own rhythm. Do not expect any special result, for in this wordless and idealess state, where can there be past or future, and where any notion of purpose?
Stop, look, and listen right now before you go on reading. Yes, get in the perfect goodness of the Tao right now—in your business, in your relationships, in your career, in your everything! Stop, listen for your passion, and then allow yourself be taken there by the ceaseless tide of all creation, which continues in spite of your ego’s opinions.
Here’s what Lao-tzu seems to be saying to you, through me, about implementing the idea of this 32nd verse of the Tao Te Ching:
Pay attention to the flow of your life.
Remind yourself that you don’t have to be in charge—that, in fact, it’s impossible for you to be in charge. The nameless force, which Lao-tzu calls the Tao, moves everything, so your continual argument with it only causes dissatisfaction. Each day, practice letting go and seeing where you’re directed. Take note of who shows up and when. Observe the “strange coincidences” that seem to collaborate with fate and in some way steer you in a new direction. Keep track of situations that occur spontaneously or out of the realm of your control.
Look for a new, joyous feeling within you.
As you move in the direction of “loosening the leash,” so to speak, you’ll become keenly aware of the exhilaration of the Tao flowing through you. Begin to see what passions are stirred up as you allow the ride to be directed by your Source rather than ego. These joyous feelings are clues that you’re beginning to harmonize with what Lao-tzu calls “[your] own goodness.” Your enthusiastic inner receptivity is your reminder that all is perfect, so trust that energy.
Do the Tao Now
Pick a time today, perhaps between noon and 4 p.m., to consciously free your mind from attempting to control the events of your life. Go for a walk and simply let yourself be carried along: Let your feet go where they will. Observe everything in your line of vision. Notice your breath, the sounds you hear, the wind, the cloud formations, the humidity, the temperature—everything. Simply let yourself be immersed and transported, and notice how it feels to just go with the flow. Now decide to let freedom be your guide. Realize that traffic, the people in your life, the stock exchange, the weather, the tides . . . all of it is taking place at its own pace in its own way. You can move with the eternal, perfect Tao as well. Be it . . . now.
33rd Verse
One who understands others has knowledge;
one who understands himself has wisdom.
Mastering others requires force;
mastering the self needs strength.
If you realize that you have enough,
you are truly rich.
One who gives himself to his position
surely lives long.
One who gives himself to the Tao
surely lives forever.
Living Self-Mastery
In our contemporary world, an educated person is generally thought of as someone with several diplomas who’s in a position to intelligently discuss all manner of topics, particularly in the academic field. In addition to amassing scholastic credits, highly learned people often understand and reach out to help others. In fact, they seem to possess the ability to effectively “read” other people. These individuals’ power and status tends to increase in proportion to the number of men and women they oversee, such as with the president of a university, a CEO of a business, or a general of an army.
In this 33rd verse of the Tao Te Ching, Lao-tzu is asking you to change the way you look at these twin ideas of knowledge and power. You’re invited to evaluate your level of self-mastery by turning your gaze inward and seeing the world, and your place in it, in a new light. A Tao-oriented life focuses on understanding yourself, rather than on the thinking and behaviors of others. You shift from the acquisition of information and the pursuit of status symbols to understanding and mastering yourself in any and all situations. Power over others is replaced with an inner strength that empowers you to behave from a wisdom that is inherently the Tao.
As you modify your thinking, your world will undergo pleasantly dramatic changes. For example, as you realize that you are responsible for your reactions in any given moment, others will cease to have any power or control over you. Rather than worrying, Why is that person behaving that way and making me feel so upset? you can see the situation as an invitation to explore yourself from a new attitude of self-mastery. Your inward exploration allows you to permit the flow of inner responses, examining them with tolerance directed toward yourself. By seeking your stream of thoughts and simply going with them, the conduct of that other person instantly loses its potency. You begin seeing your world suffused with the harmony of the Tao eternally (and internally!) flowing through you.
In any situation—whether it be under the heading of “family,” “work,” or “social”; or even just seeing the atrocities reported on the evening news—you’ll become aware that there’s no “they” who have power over you. By refusing to turn the controls of your existence over to anyone or any set of circumstances, you’re exercising personal strength instead of force. You are indeed experiencing self-mastery, and this new state of internal control has come about because you’ve elected to live in accordance with the Tao. You don’t need the approval of others or another possession in order to be happy—you must merely understand yourself as a Divine piece of the eternal Tao, always connected to that infinite essence.
Lao-tzu equates the ability to look within for the Source of enlightenment and strength with eternal life. He reminds you that while externals such as knowledge and the power over others may provide a long life, shifting to being in charge of yourself offers imperishable wisdom and a ticket to immortality.
Here’s what this great master wants you to take from this verse of the Tao Te Ching and apply to your world:
Focus on understanding yourself instead of blaming others.
Whenever you’re anxious, in pain, or even mildly upset over the conduct of others, take the focus off those you’re holding responsible for your inner distress. Shift your mental energy to allowing yourself to be with whatever you’re feeling—let the Tao flow freely, without blaming others for your feelings. And don’t blame yourself either! Just allow the Tao to unfold. . . . Tell yourself that no one has the power to make you uneasy without your consent, and that 33rd Verse you’re unwilling to grant that authority to this person right now. But you are willing to freely experience your emotions without calling them “wrong” or needing to chase them away. Flow in the Tao now! In this way, with this simple exercise at the moment of your dis-ease, you’ve made a shift to self-mastery.
It’s important to bypass blame and even your desire to understand the other person; instead, focus on understanding yourself. By taking responsibility for how you choose to respond to anything or anyone, you’re aligning yourself with the Tao. Change the way you choose to perceive
the power that others have over you and you will see a bright new world of unlimited potential for yourself.
Cultivate your desire for others to discover the Tao in their lives.
Dismiss any desire to extend power over others through the forceful nature of your actions and your personality. Ego believes that others are incapable of running their own lives and wants to control with force, so demonstrate your inner strength by abandoning such tactics. Catch yourself as you’re about to tell others how they “should” be. Use the opportunity to practice allowing them to learn their own lessons without interference from you. Notice how often you attempt to use verbal force to convince others to listen to you. Remind yourself to remain quiet and send loving energy. Practice this kind of self-mastery even though it’s rare in today’s world. You are strong enough to trust the Tao.
When your judgments dominate, the flow of the Tao slows. See how the world truly changes right before your eyes when you sincerely desire that others follow their own life paths, which will lead them to realize the greatness of the Tao. All those formerly perceived as needing you to tell them what or how to live are also the same as you are in the Tao’s wisdom and strength.
Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life Page 13