Jessica’s Reviews > Tao Te Ching: An Illustrated Journey > Status Update

The Chinese have traditionally believed that all natural phenomena (the seasons, for example) were caused by fluctuations in the cosmic balance of Yin and Yang, force born of the Tao. Consciousness of this underlying duality and its machinations characterizes much Chinese thought.

When they lose their sense of awe,
people turn to religion.
When they longer trust themselves,
they begin to depend on authority.

I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and in thoughts,
you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
your reconcile all beings in the world.

Rushing into action, you fail.
Trying to grasp things, you lose them.
Forcing a project to completion,
you ruin what was almost ripe.

Therefore the master takes action
by letting things take their course.

Prevent trouble before it arises
Put things in order before they exist.
The giant pine tree
grows from a tiny sprout.
The journey of a thousand miles
starts from beneath your feet.

When rich speculators prosper
while farmers lose their land;
when government officials spend money
on weapons instead of cures;
when the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible
while the poor have nowhere to turn —
all this is robbery and chaos.
It is not in keeping with the Tao.

If you want to shrink something,
you must first allow it to expand.
If you want to get rid of something,
you must first allow it to flourish.
If you want to take something,
you must first allow it to be given.
This is called the subtle perception
of the way things are.

Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men
doesn't try to force issues
or defeat enemies by force of arms.
For every force there is a counterforce.
Violence, even well-intentioned,
always rebounds upon oneself.

‘Don’t push the river’

There is a time for being ahead,
a time for being behind;
a time for being in motion,
a time for being at rest;
a time for being vigorous,
a time for being exhausted;
a time for being safe,
a time for being in danger.

The master sees things as they are,
without trying to control them,
letting them go their own way
and residing at the center of the circle.