Keep　your　government　free　of　power；
  And　your　personal　affairs　in　harmony
  With　the　life　of　Nature。
  Drop　the　struggle；　silence　the　demons；
  And　your　natural　self　will　be　free。
  Following　Tao　is　not　about　adopting　an　attitude　of　passivity；　but　nurturing　inner　strength　instead。　The　superficial　or　populist　interpretation　of　the　so…called　Taoist　philosophy　often　invokes　the　phrase　〃go　with　the　flow；〃　in　the　sense　of　passive　acceptance　of　injustice　or　encroachment。　But　with　the　phrase；　〃silence　the　demons；〃　Lao　Tzu　reminds　us　that　we　are　not　meant　to　〃go　with　the　flow；〃　for　that　is　the　stuff　of　inner　weakness。　He　would　encourage　us　to　act　with　inner　determination　in　this　respect：　to　silence　demons；　both　our　own　and　those　of　others；　through　the　fluid；　invisible　work　of　inner　action。　Water　does　its　work　with　persistent　strength　but　no　effort；　and　thus　it　is　effective。　Even　where　it　appears　turbid；　it　nourishes；　settles；　flows；　and　acts。　The　same　is　true　of　the　person　in　harmony　with　Cosmic　Principles：　he　can　speak　simply　and　briefly；　yet　make　his　point　clear；　he　can　live　〃close　to　the　earth〃　in　wonderful　abundance；　he　can　remain　poised　amid　conflict；　but　without　bowing　to　power　or　resorting　to　manipulation。　Water　doesn't　try　to　carve　canyons　or　wear　down　mountains；　it　just　does　it。　Its　action　occurs　at　an　invisible　and　quantum　plane　of　being。　This　is　how　transformation　happens；　and　it　is　how　it　can　happen　through　us　as　well：　when　we　〃nourish　our　depths〃　and　〃silence　our　demons；〃　the　natural　self　that　arises　is　the　same　kind　of　quantum　actor　as　the　water　that　shapes　and　sustains　ourselves　and　our　planet。　It　has　the　unique　ability　to　transform　conflict　into　understanding；　and　bring　us　fulfillment　and　completion　in　every　aspect　of　our　lives。　This　is　because　its　unforced　action　engages　the　helping　presences　of　the　Tao梩he　force　of　Nature　that　make　things　happen；　and　endure。　These　presences　are　what　the　I　Ching　calls　〃Helpers。〃
  9
  Overstuff　your　life　with　thought；
  And　it　will　stiffen　and　suffer。
  Keep　an　eye　out　for　trouble；
  And　you　invite　it　in。
  Make　wealth　your　sole　objective
  And　your　heart　will　grow　rigid　as　ice。
  Let　fame　define　you
  And　you　become　a　stranger　to　yourself。
  Stop　the　treadmill　and　renounce　expectation：
  This　is　entering　the　Cosmic　rhythm。
  We　have　a　phrase　in　vernacular　English　for　what　Lao　Tzu　is　describing　here：　it　is　called　〃paralysis　by　analysis。〃　Nothing　so　stiffens　feeling；　foreshortens　influence；　or　limits　understanding；　as　intellectual　reductionism。　What　follows　from　this　saturation　of　thought　is　a　kind　of　hypervigilance　and　obsessive　doubt　known　in　both　medical　and　popular　pathology　as　paranoia。　We　run　the　same　destructive　course　when　we　allow　institutional　or　dogmatic　criteria　of　outer　success　to　define　our　life's　destiny。　The　correction　to　all　of　this　is　direct　and　immediately　available：　we　can　step　off　the　treadmill　and　renounce　the　expectations　that　have　been　burned　into　us　by　a　superficial　and　self…referential　culture。
  Guilt　and　doubt　are　the　engines　that　drive　paranoia；　this　constant；　fearful　referencing　of　experience　and　phenomena　to　the　bizarre　self…interest　of　a　solipsistic　world…view。　The　foundation　of　this　world…view　is　unstable　because　it　is　simply　an　inaccurate；　mistaken　vision　of　the　Cosmos　and　its　operations；　therefore；　it　needs　to　be　propped　and　reinforced　by　manipulation　and　the　pursuit　of　power。　We　push　others　around　and　manipulate　Nature　not　because　we　are　designed　that　way；　but　because　we　have　been　so　stuffed　with　fear　that　we　can　no　longer　feel　ourselves。
  10
  Nourish　every　sense；
  Embrace　your　undivided　nature。
  Let　your　chi　course　fresh　and　fluid
  With　the　iridescence　of　a　newborn　body。
  Cleanse　guilt　and　shame…the　mud　of　culture…
  From　all　your　being；
  And　feel　your　natural　form。
  Let　yourself　be　led　by　the　fearless　love
  Of　a　caring　Cosmos。
  Close　the　gates　of　Heaven；
  Abandon　manipulation；
  Open　yourself　to　the　perfect　nature
  That　has　always　been　there。
  Release　the　Sage　within　you
  And　let　your　clarity　extend
  To　every　corner　of　the　universe。
  Then　may　your　words　and　actions
  Nourish；　develop；　and　sustain
  Others　as　well　as　yourself。
  When　you　realize　that　there　is　nothing　to　claim；
  Nothing　to　assert；
  Nothing　to　control；
  Nothing　to　dominate；
  This　is　called　the　actualization　of　Modesty。
  11
  Thirty　spokes　unite　around　a　single　hub：
  Thus　a　wheel　is　made。
  Yet　it　is　the　formless　core
  That　makes　the　wagon　roll。
  Clay　is　formed　and　baked：
  Thus　a　cup　is　made。
  Yet　it　is　the　invisible　interior
  From　which　we　drink。
  Framed　walls　and　brick　are　joined
  To　make　a　house。
  Yet　it　is　the　open　space　within
  That　makes　it　livable；
  That　gives　doors　and　windows
  Their　unique　functions。
  Therefore；　make　being　your　element；
  But　non…being；　your　life。
  What　you　see　is　barely　the　beginning　of　what　is　really　there。　In　a　culture　such　as　ours；　with　its　unceasing　obsession　with　the　exploitation　of　the　marketplace　and　the　accumulation　of　object…attachments；　there　is　an　urgent　practicality　to　this　message。　If　your　inner　house　is　so　cluttered　with　form　and　outer　convenience　that　there　is　no　more　space　to　support　that　form；　then　the　invisible　realm　is　ignored；　and　the　inner　space　of　freedom　and　autonomy　is　repressed；　buried　amid　accumulation。
  Some　may　recognize　this　as　a　principle　of　the　now　popular　Chinese　environmental　art　known　as　Feng　Shui。　Lao　Tzu　would　probably　remind　us　that　〃good　Feng　Shui〃　begins　from　within　one's　own　being；　and　that　this　in　turn　depends　on　our　own　continuing　inner　sensation　of　that　deep　space　from　which　our　outer　life　is　shaped。　If　the　space　within　is　muddled　amid　the　repressive　influence　of　acculturation　and　attachment；　then　our　surroundings　will　appear　concomitantly　muddled；　and　what　others　perceive　and　experience　of　our　personality　will　be　similarly　blurred　and　superficial。　But　if　we　honor　the　〃open　space　within；〃　then　we　will　be　led　to　clarity；　and　life　can　then　become　an　effortless　dance　of　Te。　This；　indeed；　is　the　kind　of　Feng　Shui　that　Lao　Tzu　would　have　us　become　familiar　with；　before　we　turn　to　the　arrangement　of　the　forms　and　objects　of　our　environmental　life。
  12
  Rampant　color　impairs　vision；
  A　profusion　of　sound　obstructs　the　ear；
  Gluttonous　tastes　poison　the　mouth；
  Attachment　to　belief　warps　the　self；
  Predatory　impulse　reviles　the　treasure。
  The　Sage　uses　the　outer　to　point　to　the　inner；
  By　exposing　the　image；　it　shows　us　ourselves。
  Self…display　corrupts　your　ability　to　see　within；　making　noise　about　yourself　closes　off　your　inner　ear；　the　Tao　itself　cannot　be　tasted　when　one　is　obsessed　with　outer　sensation。　Lao　Tzu　never　asks　us　to　abandon　the　delights　available　to　our　outer　senses；　he　simply　asks　us　to　place　them　in　a　more　holistic　context；　one　that　allows　equality　to　our　inner　senses。　Indeed；　once　these　inner　senses　are　activated　and　trusted；　they　are　discovered　to　deepen　and　enrich　the　experience　of　the　outer　senses。　The　same　is　true　of　belief　and　action：　when　we　can　consistently　feel　and　sense　beyond　the　level　of　the　superficial；　then　our　understanding　becomes　deeper　and　wider；　and　our　action　becomes　naturally　measured　and　penetrating。　When　the　cursory　images　of　attachment　and　gross　sensation　are　exposed　for　what　they　are梐　vain　and　ephemeral　veneer　of　experience梩hen　the　true　self；　in　all　its　depth　and　strength；　arises　without　display；　without　vanity；　without　effort。
  13
  Great　renown　is　more　deadly　than　disgrace；
  To　impugn　your　bodily　nature　is　self…loathing。
  Fear　is　the　blood　of　fame；
  Your　own　imbalance　is　the　fuel
  Of　favor…seeking　and　the　lust　for　praise。
  The　only　real　misfortune
  Is　to　look　at　Nature　and　see　affliction。
  When　the　treasure　is　split　from　its　source；
  Body　and　nature　become　a　well　of　sorrow。
  Cherish　your　bodily　being；
  Reconnect　with　the　Source。
  Creating　and　dissolving　are　one　in　the　Cosmos：
  Honor　the　life　of　the　body；　and　your　care　will　extend
  To　the　formless　Essence。
  Throughout　the　Tao　Te　Ching；　the　error　of　the　pursuit　of　fame　is　exposed。　In　this　verse；　Lao　Tzu　shows　how　the　desire　for　fame　arises　from　a　view　of　the　self　and　of　Nature　as　somehow　limited；　stained；　or　at　fault。　To　thus　〃look　at　Nature　and　see　affliction〃　means　that　one　must　do　something　to　rise　above　this　Cosmic　affliction；　this　inborn　insufficiency　of　the　self　and　the　universe。　Frequently　this　means　seeking　renown　or　other　recognition　according　to　a　group　norm；　usually　in　the　service　of　intellectual　or　spiritual　values。　In　most　religious　and　cultural　ideologies；　this　means　belittling　or　demonizing　the　body　and　its　functions　as　part　of　one's　〃lower　nature。〃　This　act　of　dividing　nature；　especially　one's　own　nature；　into　higher　and　lower　aspects；　is　to　〃split　the　treasure　from　its　Source。〃　It　is　a　fundamental　error　of　human　thought；　and　is　entirely　unnecessary：　our　bodies　are　the　formed　expression　of　the　Tao；　the　vessels　of　chi；　the　life　force　that　pervades　the　Cosmos。　Wi