#TTC chapter 25

Here's the twenty fifth chapter of the #taoteching. Let me know what you think it means in the comments or at

Something mysteriously formed,
Born before heaven and Earth.
In the silence and the void,
Standing alone and unchanging,
Ever present and in motion.
Perhaps it is the mother of ten thousand things.
I do not know its name Call it Tao.
For lack of a better word,
I call it great.

Being great, it flows It flows far away.
Having gone far, it returns.

Therefore,
"Tao is great;
Heaven is great;
Earth is great;
The king is also great." These are the four great powers of the universe,
And the king is one of them.

Man follows Earth.
Earth follows heaven.
Heaven follows the Tao.

Tao follows what is natural

#taoism #philosophy

#TTC Chapter 14

Another long one today! Let me know what you think it means in the comments.

Accept disgrace willingly.
Accept misfortune as the human condition.

Look, it cannot be seen - it is beyond form.
Listen, it cannot be heard - it is beyond sound.
Grasp, it cannot be held - it is intangible.
These three are indefinable;
Therefore they are joined in one.

From above it is not bright;
From below it is not dark:
An unbroken thread beyond description.
It returns to nothingness.
The form of the formless,
The image of the imageless,
It is called indefinable and beyond imagination.

Stand before it and there is no beginning.
Follow it and there is no end.
Stay with the ancient Tao,
Move with the present.

Knowing the ancient beginning is the essence of Tao.

#taoism #taoteching #philosophy

#TTC Chapter 10

Longer one today! Also at http://waterpigs.co.uk/tao-te-ching/chapters/10/

Carrying body and soul and embracing the one,
Can you avoid separation?
Attending fully and becoming supple,
Can you be as a newborn babe?
Washing and cleansing the primal vision,
Can you be without stain?
Loving all men and ruling the country,
Can you be without cleverness?
Opening and closing the gates of heaven,
Can you play the role of woman?
Understanding and being open to all things,
Are you able to do nothing?
Giving birth and nourishing,
Bearing yet not possessing,
Working yet not taking credit,
Leading yet not dominating,
This is the Primal Virtue.

#taoism #philosophy #taoteching