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Today's conversation ebbed and flowed, I started out wiht #11 Marianne joined me for #42, Jay K for #71 and Melissa chose #80. #11 "Emptiness is Valuable" Spokes, tire, rim, and hub all make a wheel, Yet it is the space where the axel goes that makes it worthwhile. Clay is formed into a vessel, A vessel"s function is to hold things, Thus its form includes emptiness. A house can be built But if it were solid, it would be useless. It is easy to see structure, But structure is there to expose the value of emptiness. #42 "Holding both Male and Female" Tao gives birth to Universes. Universes give birth to Planets. Planets give birth to beings. Beings give birth to everything else. Tao is the great Mother All else holds both Male and Female. By all things embracing both Harmony is achieved. To feel alone is avoided by men Yet that is where no identity resides. The Master holds no identity She embraces her aloneness, Realizing when she is at one with herself She is at one with all things. #71 "To Know We Don't Know" To be aware that one does not know is healthy for all things. Avoiding awareness of this is a current plague. By acknowledging you have been infected You can become aware and move toward healing. The Master has cured herself She is aware that she does not know. She is healthy in all aspects. #80 "What's Important" Any state wishing to align with Tao remains small. Too many people bring about too many options and opinions. In a small State its inhabitants are skilled and wise However there is never a need to put their skills on display They will be happy to humbly use their skills and work together. They never dwell on anything too long The next thing to do is always making itself known. They love their surroundings so have no desire to travel. Although they have a few trucks and boats None are inspired to use them. They love their lives and their simple food, They make their own clothes, Spend time in their gardens while speaking to neighbors They take the greatest pleasure being with family. Even though there is a bus to the city that travels through every week Everyone here will be content without ever having made the trip.

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A great day the really showcased what I do started with me talking about #50 and Alicia joined talking about dags and #13. Susan is about to get a heart procedure and chose #9 while Jay K is in Chicago talking #55. #9 "The Danger of Extremes" Having to prove yourself Will allow challenges to best you. Focus your attention on money And lose sight of what is valuable. Keep in mind outside influence And you will be its prisoner. Do what you do and move on, It isn't yours anyway. #13 "Finding Equality at the Extremes" To succeed and to fail are equally undesirable. Creation and destruction are equally present within us. What do I mean by "To succeed and to fail are equally undesirable?" The more success you have the more you protect it by hiding failure. The more you associate with failure the more you embody it. When neither success nor failure is identified as the destination Being becomes the objective. What do I mean by "Creation and destruction are equally present within us?" Having a body and a mind, with which I identify, gets me involved in the manifestation. The manifestation convinces me of my actions And so naming them I both create and destroy Neither of which are unique. To see yourself with indifference You will have faith in all things. To see the world with indifference You will be able to care for it all. #50 "Awareness of Death" Every being is entrusted with life for a time However, it is only a prelude to death. Some live as optimists, embracing life, Others live as pessimists, embracing death, Some even live in preservation, Passively living, advancing toward death. The Master lives aware of her appointment with death, This brings her to knowing Real Life. She cannot be harmed by rhinoceros or man Her movements flow from her being. She cannot be fooled by illusion or hallucination Her actions flow from her being. She has freed herself of all separateness Even the distinction between life and death. #55 "Inner Strength and Harmony" One who has inner strength is like a baby boy, Unspoiled, flexible, and empty with no judgment. Bees, wild beasts, birds of prey cannot harm him. With no knowledge of the world His penis can stand erect, He has no shame or questions of why. Caught in manifestation, the myriad scream for a time, he hardly notices. His harmony is so aligned he can scream forever without getting horse. He is powered by his harmony, and thus all fear is kept at bay. The Master never speaks of possessing anything, life is the blessing. Those who pursue power and excitement find themselves confused, They allow their emotions to guide them, and they become exhausted. It is not from Tao, and whatever is not from Tao arrives dead.

Tao of the Day S6_053

Today we talked a lot about self reflection and allowing others to be who they are, and doing what they do, and us being who we are, and doing what we do, can avoid a lot of conflict. I chose #69, Melissa #30 due to her expereince with a train, Sandy selected #5 and Marianne #14. #5 "Impartial" Nature doesn't care, It knows everything is more than it seems. The Master doesn't care, She knows that as well. It is good to be empty Thus the Master embraces the void. Like a bellows, she produces from emptiness. Stay centered. #14 "Hidden in Plain Sight" Look and there is nothing to see. Listen and there is nothing to hear. Reach and there is nothing to grasp. These three nothings, come together, They combine and are one. This is a mystery and cannot be named. It is present within all manifestation And is forever retuning to nothing. So subtle it cannot be identified, So conspicuous it is never hidden. Consider a time before history To show you how to yield. You cannot know (if you're doing) it You cannot prove (that you're doing) it, But still you can be (doing) it. You are using it now, but for what? #30 "Tao Does Not Dominate" Governing, in any capacity, when led by Tao Doesn't use force to gain power. Every force applied will suffer equal counterforce. So violence, however it is intended, Will always rebound upon itself. Where armies march briers grow And in their wake follows hunger and villainy. Skillful in what she does The Master achieves her goal and stops; Neither forcing nor manipulating further. She knows that dominating Goes counter to Tao And whoever opposes Tao Will certainly die early. #69 "An Invitation to Conflict" In conflict the Master will never host aggression. She would much prefer to be the guest And relinquish space, rather than claim it. This allows the host space to exhaust themselves Without the Master having to weaponize anything. Wanting to control through aggression is foolish This underestimates conflict and its results. When you choose to conflict with another You look down on them and lose the 3 lessons. (Verse 67) By creating an enemy, you become an enemy. When two forces oppose each other The one who relinquishes prevails.

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What a refreshing show today, don't ask me why though, I wouldn't be able to pinpoint that. Melissa talked wtih me abou t#78, Alicia chose #77 and Jay K selected #28. #28 "Knowing There's Depth in the Shallow" Know the world through the masculine But access your power through the feminine: In this way, you will be open to receive. If you can receive then your actions will support, They will never be forced, and you will be innocent. Know the world through the light But connect to it within the dark: In this way, you will be open to the truth. If you can see truth, manifestation will not fool you, It will fall away, and nothing will elude you. Know the world through the particular But know there is no particular here: In this way, you will accept all things. If you can accept all things, you will be a beacon That will guide you, and all beings, back to source. The manifestation was formed from the void. The Master knows the manifestation Yet stays focused on the void within it. That is how she uses all things. #77 "The Bending of a Bow" Tao acts on the world as the bending of a bow. The top is forced down when the bottom is moved up. It is impossible for the one to act Without the other responding. Unlike man, Tao is patient and neutral Quietly adjusting excesses and deficiencies, Taking from what is too much and giving to what isn't enough. Ordinary men go against Tao, Taking resources from the areas that are deficient, Giving resources to the areas that compulsively consume. The Master knows all things are being adjusted. Although she cannot always see it in action She has faith it is working through her. In this way, she allows her actions to unfold Neither dwelling on them nor taking credit. Aligned with Tao they complement all things. #78 "Living in a Damaged State" Air and water are the softest things we know, Causing no damage to those that live within them Yet both erode the hard or rigid in their path. The soft and flexible will always overcome. While the hard and rigid eventually collapse. Ordinary men are well aware of this However, they prefer conspicuous outcomes. Thus they align with rigid hardness, It stands firm for a time, but does not last. Therefore, the Master teaches us that We can live amongst things that damage Without being damaged by them.

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I was talking about #69 and how the USA dropped out of the World Cup losing all their integrity along the way. Stephanie joined me for #50. Virgina took advantage fo Newbie Tuesday and chose #10. #10 "Authentic Action" Can you control your mind, so it doesn't wonder? Can you control your body, so it doesn't wander? Can you endorse all that you do? Can you love everyone so as to inspire them? Can you do all this without interfering and remain unknown? Can you leave behind knowing and open yourself to understanding? Can you be like Tao and give birth Without possessing? Can you be like Tao and act Without expecting? Can you be like Tao and lead without dominating? If so, it would be considered great. #50 "Awareness of Death" Every being is entrusted with life for a time However, it is only a prelude to death. Some live as optimists, embracing life, Others live as pessimists, embracing death, Some even live in preservation, Passively living, advancing toward death. The Master lives aware of her appointment with death, This brings her to knowing Real Life. She cannot be harmed by rhinoceros or man Her movements flow from her being. She cannot be fooled by illusion or hallucination Her actions flow from her being. She has freed herself of all separateness Even the distinction between life and death. #69 "An Invitation to Conflict" In conflict the Master will never host aggression. She would much prefer to be the guest And relinquish space, rather than claim it. This allows the host space to exhaust themselves Without the Master having to weaponize anything. Wanting to control through aggression is foolish This underestimates conflict and its results. When you choose to conflict with another You look down on them and lose the 3 lessons. (Verse 67) By creating an enemy, you become an enemy. When two forces oppose each other The one who relinquishes prevails.