How to get power out of the Tao Te Ching

Today, I want to share with you a page from my translation of the Tao Te Ching.

I want to share with you how I use it to help me every day; so you can do the same.

Firstly, let me just explain that the Tao Te Ching has been around for over 2600 years. This book of 81 small chapters of wisdom is a must have book.

What I love about the Tao Te Ching is everyone can use it, no matter what religion they are, or are not. It's wisdom can be aligned to help you digest your thoughts and think things through a different way that will show you a positive side.

Let's get started. Below is chapter 2 from my book which I called The Way of Everything (Tao Te Ching).

2. Flow

When people become
obsessed with beauty
their ugliness appears.

When people become
obsessed with perfection
their imperfection appears.

Everything has an opposite side
which together makes
everything whole.

Therefore, the wise act in silence
to let their actions speak,
and they go with the flow
to feel at one with the Way.

It is likely you will take from the text your own meaning and apply a wisdom that differs from mine. In this post though, I would like to share how I pull out wisdom and apply in such a way it helps me in my everyday thinking. By doing this it will hopefully show you how to do something similar and get the most out of the 81 chapters.

Every morning, or whenever I feel in need of some spiritual guidance, I pick up the book and read a chapter.

If I am feeling challenged by something I will try and apply the text to what I am struggling with.

For example. Today I am struggling with how my daughter doesn't see the sense in NOT buying a car for her 18th birthday. The reality is she is going to university in a few months and does not have anywhere to park the car. She also does not have the money to pay for all of the car upkeep and fuel bills. Plus there is no parking and so on and so on.... I get that she is excited to drive in the summer but if you cannot afford it - you cannot afford it. To help me find some peace and not get stressed out, next I look to the Tao Te Ching text to apply its wisdom.

"When people become obsessed with beauty their ugliness appears."

This, to me, says that anyone who focuses on material possessions when there is no practical good reason to buy them is showing a bad attitude. I am a believer in good and kind actions and so reading this makes me feel that I am in the right to not want to help my daughter buy a car she cannot afford to run. I am actually helping her become a good (unspoilt) person who values the meaning of money and an early understanding that possessions are not the source of happiness.

"When people become obsessed with perfection their imperfection appears."

This line, to me, tells me that my thoughts are also not all 100% correct. Everyone has their own viewpoint to be respected. My daughter is just young and excited to drive. She doesn't care about being practical and that is not a bad thing. I take this text as a lesson for me to not be obsessed with worrying about the fact she cannot afford it. The more I worry (and get on my proverbial high horse) the more I start showing my bad (imperfect) side. In essence, there is a happy medium of letting my daughter be excited and encouraging her to save and get a car, and offering my help financially in a sensible way.

"Everything has an opposite side which together makes everything whole."

This makes me realise that my thinking is not the only way to think about this. My daughter has an opinion too and neither is right or wrong. Together our opinions make the situation perfect. I wouldn't want my 18 year old daughter to be a robot drone of my personality, I actually like that she is her own optimistic self and happy about the thought of driving.

"Therefore, the wise act in silence to let their actions speak, and they go with the flow to feel at one with the Way."

Finally, this last line tells me that the best way to react is to try and say nothing. If my daughter is excited and saying she wants to buy a car then leave her to it, smile, let life flow as it has done since humans walked this earth. Be aware that ultimately there is nothing to worry about. We are all connect and part of the body of Everything (aka God) and in that knowledge there is always peace and happiness (no need to think further).

I hope this makes some sense to you? It is sort of like a Tarot reading. Every person will read something different from the same card because of their personal situation.

It is important to note that if I have a different worry (for example if it is about work rather than my daughter driving) that I will apply a totally different train of thought to the above chapter. And note, every day I actually flick through the book and randomly stop so that I can apply a different chapter to give me more wisdom.

This is just one of the key ways in which I love using The Way of Everything (Tao Te Ching). This is just one way you can use this book, you can also choose to just read the book end to end and apply what you read to all kinds of different things which your mind holds in it as you read each chapter.

I seriously cannot stress the incredible impact this ancient wisdom has had on my thinking each day. It gives me such clarity and comfort to never have to worry. It reminds me daily that the Tao (Way / God / Everything) is part of us and we are always loved. Take care today.

Author: Christian Jacques Bennett*

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