Tao Tuesdays: Chapter 39

I got this great photo at www.hetemeel.com!

Who needs Taco Tuesdays when you can have Tao Tuesdays? I am sure that Einstein would have really loved this…

Here is How it Works

I will post a chapter of the Tao Te Ching each Tuesday.  (My version – you can see all of the chapters on my List of Chapters page if you want to work ahead!) I will put a Mr. Linky entry form with it so that you can write your OWN commentary to the chapter on your own blog and then come back here after you post and add your link! Simple! (Please add the DIRECT link to your post about that particular chapter to make it easy for our readers!) I am so excited to read what you wrote! It has been so fun for me to work with this material and I really got the depth when I started writing about it. It is my wish that you will find the same! (Plus some extra traffic to your blog!) Don’t worry if you miss a week. Don’t worry if you just join us now and again. It is totally open. You can even go back to a previous chapter and post there. I will add each Tao Tuesday entry post to the List of Chapters page so you can read the other entries as you are reviewing all of the chapters.

We are all sages.

Chapter 39

Sages have achieved oneness
since ancient times.

Sky is in harmony with Tao
and becomes pure.
Earth is in harmony with Tao
and becomes tranquil.
Spirits are in harmony with Tao
and become inspired.
Valleys are in harmony with Tao
and become replenished.
The Ten Thousand Things
are in harmony with Tao and live fully.
Leaders
are in harmony with Tao and become pure action.

If sky were not pure, it might split open.
If earth were not tranquil, it might crumble.
If spirits were not inspired, they might dissolve.
If valleys were not replenished, they may be exhausted.
If the Ten Thousand Things did not live fully,
they might become extinct.
If leaders do not have purity in action, they may fall.

Therefore, the basis for honor is humility.
Sages take the low position.
For this reason, true leaders refer to themselves as alone, not worthy
because this is the root of humility.

The highest position requires no praise.
The highest position does not wish to sparkle like a gem,
But rather to be humble like a stone.

Read the essay to Chapter 39

If you haven’t participated yet, why not join us next week? We will be looking at Chapter 40 next week. Or, you can always start at the beginning and do the earlier ones. They are all linked up on the List of All Chapters page so they do get looked at later on by people stopping by.