The most powerful words in the Universe

The 3 ancient secrets hidden in the Tao Te Ching

The Tao Te Ching has the wisdom you seek.

“The Book of the Way” was written by Master Lao Tzu (“the old boy”) in legend during his escape from war-torn China in the Waring States period of ~600 BC. The gate guard granted his passing on the condition he leave behind his wisdom.

He wrote down 81 chapters.

Here’s 3 ancient secrets hidden in one of the most relevant verses to our age…

“Better stop short than fill to the brim. Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.

Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it. Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow.

Retire when the work is done. This is the way of heaven.”

–The Tao Te Ching, Ch. 9

👸 #1: Moderation

“Better stop short than fill to the brim. 
Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt."

The world lacks wisdom.

We have plenty of knowledge, but seeing war, strife, and misery continue, it’s fair to say faster wifi isn’t solving anything. We live in utter abundance, yet no one has enough. More:

• Sex

• Food

• Money

Is the agenda of the day.

And we have these things. The modern peasant lives a more luxurious life than a king did 100 years ago – so why’s everyone so unhappy? Legendary philosopher Alan Watts said: “We live in a brain [ego] heavy culture.”

The mind has been separated from the body (symbolised by the neck tie).

The ego can’t fathom its impermanence and unimportance in the Universe.

It seeks the thrills of ecstasy and endless pleasure in order hide from this reality. No limits. The body knows however, but we don’t listen:

• We gorge when we’re not hungry

• Consume content even though it’s giving us a headache

• Take pills to keep “making love” even though our poor bodies have tried to stop

It’s insanity.

And it’s killing us (physically and spiritually).

Listen to your body. It’s wiser than your egotistical mind. Not filling your bowl to the brim means avoiding dangerous excess:

“Colors blind the eye.
Sounds deafen the ear.
Flavors numb the taste.
Thoughts weaken the mind.
Desires wither the heart”

– Ch. 12

The first thing I noticed after cutting back on sugar was how much sweeter everything tasted.

Perennial joy is available to us – it’s just found in moderation.

🌍 #2: Wanting the World

"Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it. 
Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow."

Friedrich Nietzsche’s ‘Will to Power’ describes our human desire to dominate.

No matter how altruistic you think you are, we all have a very human desire to secure a better future for ourselves and loved ones. The funny thing is, the most dangerous course of action is getting what you want.

Childhood superstars are a great example.

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably experienced:

• Loneliness

• Financial difficulties

• Unpopularity and low self-esteem

We think: “man, if I was a movie star, a rock and roller, or [insert title of influence], then I’d have all the friends, money, and respect I deserve.” Maybe you’re right. But I think the turbulent lives of many young people who get these things shows having the world at your fingertips isn’t that great.

Having both nothing and something to lose is the same problem on different sides of the spectrum.

Ultimately, happiness is determined by something outside your control.

🛀 #3: Know When to Quit

"Retire when the work is done. 
This is the way of heaven.”

Someone once said: “if it costs your peace of mind, it’s too expensive.”

I half agree. Getting where you need to be in life requires determination and sacrifice. But there’s also 10,000 things you shouldn’t concern yourself with:

• Gossip

• The approval of others

• Ideas of perfect wholes etc

Knowing when to quit is an art in itself. Like soldiers on the retreat, quitting allows us to live to fight another day. I can’t give you specifics. Because to be honest, I’m still figuring it out.

But I know this is the skill that separates the intelligent from the wise.

Do the work. Rest. This is the way we’re meant to live.

“The Master does nothing,
yet he leaves nothing undone.
The ordinary man is always doing things,
yet many more are left to be done”

– The Tao Te Ching, Ch. 38

That’s it!

Let me know your thoughts.

If you liked it, you’ll love this other letter about Jung and Daoism.

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Suggested reading & bonus links

• Tao: The Watercourse Way by Alan Watts

• The Tao Te Ching read by Wayne Dyer on YOUTUBE