17 When the Master governs, the people
are hardly aware that he exists.
Next best is a leader who is loved.
Next, one who is feared.
The worst is one who is despised.
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Layer upon layer
She finds deep in her own experience the central truths of the art of living, which are paradoxical only on the surface: that the more truly solitary we are, the more compassionate we can be; the more we let go of what we love, the more present our love becomes; the clearer our insight into what is beyond good and evil, the more we can embody the good. Until finally she is able to say, in all humility, "I am the Tao, the Truth, the Life." S. Mitchell
Translation of the Tao Te Ching by Stephen Mitchell, Harper & Row, 1988. In keeping with copyright law only the chapter under study is fulltext. All other chapters show only the first stanza.
Study Group Contac: Lissa Lord:lissalord@gmail.com
Tao in WordLayers
Layer upon layer
Tao 17 Sam Hamill translation:
ReplyDelete“With all we accomplish, we can say only that we did what comes naturally.” This brought to mind a transformative moment during acts of workplace discrimination targeted at me a few years back. Rather than bravery or exceptional action, what I did, or better, how I responded to hostility, came naturally. “No, this is not going to happen. I will not be bullied by my boss.” I could no longer live in acceptance of abuse and harassment—a reaction that bloomed out of a pattern of playing nice to overbearing men. Life was my teacher and simple truth taught me positive non-acceptance: “I refuse the part. Abuse no longer fits my style.” This action came naturally but not before I trashed the idea of painful workdays. I talked about my dilemma at Tao study group meetings … we read a chapter each week during which I often slipped in “my issue.” Sometimes we discussed how the picture would look if I could live the Tao in the workplace. And, I took this to heart … I took the Tao to work and practiced. And, it worked! I changed my response to abuse.
The transformative moment was recognition of truth, my walk forward. The moment before this moment, it was natural to accept abuse. Now, “what comes naturally” is to step out of the victim’s garb and slip into the graceful gown of individual worth. Worthwhile has become my truth and therefore, my natural way. When I act from the base of truth there is nothing to fear. Fear is gone. Victim is gone. Judgment vanishes. The boss is no different than me. Somehow, I know that he is living in his truth, moving naturally.