The　leader；　the　people；　the　nation…
  These　unite　with　the　Sage
  In　a　continual　return
  To　a　deeper　understanding。
  Lao　Tzu；　with　his　characteristic　gentle　humor；　uses　a　seemingly　mundane　image　to　make　a　point　about　a　matter　of　immense　substance　to　both　his　own　time　and　ours。　Cooking　a　fish　may　seem　mundane　indeed　compared　to　governing　a　nation；　but　it　wasn't　for　a　common　person　living　in　Lao　Tzu's　time　in　ancient　China。　You　had　to　work　to　catch　a　fish　and　prepare　the　materials　necessary　for　cooking　it；　and　you　weren't　likely　to　get　a　second　chance　at　dinner　if　you　did　it　wrong。　Aside　from　the　work　of　catching　the　fish；　a　fire　had　to　be　built　and　tended　until　it　was　a　bed　of　hot　coals　appropriate　for　cooking。　The　ting；　or　cooking　pot　used　in　those　days；　had　to　be　properly　set　over　the　heat　for　optimal　results；　and　attention　had　to　be　directed　toward　the　entire　process。　This　might　have　involved　shaking　the　ting　regularly；　so　that　the　fish　cooked　itself；　as　it　were；　in　its　own　fat；　and　then　recognizing　the　visual　signs　of　〃done…ness。〃
  This　kind　of　care　and　attention　is　what　Lao　Tzu　would　like　leaders　among　people　to　apply　to　their　governmental　and　administrative　functions；　for　it　is　this　non…intrusive　and　modest　attention　that　allows　the　Tao　and　its　helpers　to　complete　the　work　of　both　cooking　（providing　outer　nourishment）　and　leadership　（providing　inner　nourishment）。　Even　where　the　details　vary　（according　to　the　kind　of　fish　you　are　cooking；　or　the　population　you　are　leading）；　there　is　a　common　element　to　the　experience：　removing　power　and　its　trappings　from　the　relationship；　and　allowing　it　to　be　transformed　from　a　demonic　display　of　force　and　manipulation；　into　a　natural　harmony　between　the　leader　and　the　led。　At　all　events；　it　must　be　remembered　that　the　nourishment　and　protection　come　not　from　ourselves；　but　from　the　hidden　consciousness　that　is　aroused　by　Modesty　（Te）。
  There　is　a　palpable　lesson　in　this　poem　for　modern　leaders梕specially　those　who　contemplate　the　invasion　of　foreign　lands　with　the　most　spurious　and　concocted　justification。　To　thus　attack　and　destroy　the　land　and　homes　of　others；　when　there　exist　far　more　efficient　means　of　resolving　a　conflict；　is　to　〃burn　the　fish〃　and　rob　the　people　of　the　nourishment　they　most　need梩heir　own　individual；　inner　independence。
  61
  How　does　a　great　nation　know　its　neighbors？
  As　a　river　modestly　accepts　its　feeding　streams；
  As　a　woman　blissfully　receives　the　man　she　loves。
  The　way　of　Nature　is　attraction：
  Pure　strength　rests　below；
  And　thus　absorbs　what　lies　above。
  Genuine　love　receives　its　complement；
  The　greatest　nation　yields。
  Small　and　great　are　mutually　fulfilling：
  Set　them　into　opposition；
  And　you　have　made　your　first　and　final　error。
  Therefore；　let　your　nation　follow　Nature抯　way：
  If　it　is　big；　let　its　actions　be　small。
  If　it　is　small；　it　is　already　complete；
  So　it　need　not　strive　for　greatness。
  In　the　service　of　the　Cosmic　Teacher；
  Borders　and　boundaries；　fences　and　flags
  Have　no　meaning。
  In　this　there　is　benefit　for　all。
  Thus　among　both　hearts　and　nations：
  If　you　would　discover　the　great；
  You　must　look　first　below。
  All　sense　of　territory　is　the　mark　of　ego；　and　is　repugnant　to　the　cosmic　order。　Thus　the　poet　declares　that　〃borders　and　boundaries；　fences　and　flags〃　are　meaningless　to　one　who　follows　the　Sage：　this　applies　to　both　〃hearts　and　nations〃梚ndividuals　and　entire　civilizations。
  Here；　a　personal　meditation　image　may　help　to　illustrate　Lao　Tzu's　point。　It　is　a　meditation　that　I　have　sometimes　wished　I　could　offer　to　members　of　the　armed　forces。　It　is　very　simple：　you　close　your　eyes　and　take　a　space　flight；　journeying　out　to　an　orbiting　distance　of　the　earth。　Then；　as　many　astronauts　have　done梠ften　in　a　transformational　experience；　as　was　the　case　with　Edgar　Mitchell梱ou　look　back　onto　the　earth　and　see　both　what　is　there；　and　what　is　not。　Water　and　clouds；　light　and　shadow；　earthen　colors　of　varying　hues；　from　tawny　mountain　to　verdant　plain；　all　appear　to　the　eye。　But　no　borders；　walls；　fortresses；　or　other　emblems　of　territory　are　seen　from　this　distance。　In　such　a　setting；　the　Cosmos　is　seen　to　lack　a　sense　of　power；　and　the　superficial　paradigm　of　the　universe　as　a　mechanical　system　is　annihilated　and　transformed：　things　in　motion　appear　to　rest　in　stillness；　while　the　Whole；　in　this　suspension；　seems　to　dance　with　small；　unceasing　movement。　But　perhaps　the　most　significant　part　of　the　meditation　is　the　return　to　earth；　where　the　perspective　thus　received　is　brought　back　into　contact　with　a　chair；　a　room；　and　light　through　a　window。　It　is　here；　rather　than　in　the　〃space　flight〃　that　the　transformation　is　revealed；　it　is　back　on　earth　where　the　discovery　occurs　that；　as　Lao　Tzu　says；　〃pure　strength　rests　below；　and　absorbs　what　lies　above。〃
  62
  Tao　is　the　treasure　of　all　being。
  Those　who　accord　with　it
  Are　embraced　by　it。
  And　for　those　who　wander；
  Its　arms　remain　open。
  Eloquence　may　fetch　its　price；
  Heroic　deeds　may　garner　glory；
  But　only　at　the　brutal　cost
  Of　a　person抯　deepest　self。
  Is　fame　worth　such　a　sacrifice？
  What　if　you　were　called　to　command
  At　the　coronation　of　a　king…
  If　the　three　imperial　generals
  Marched　in　state　before　you；
  Leading　out　majestic　stallions；
  To　confer　on　you　the　jade　emblem
  Of　the　highest　office？
  Could　such　opulence　ever　equal
  The　inner　gift　of　simply　sitting
  Where　the　Tao　resides？
  Does　this　perhaps　explain　the　truth
  Of　what　the　ancients　have　told　me？
  That　when　the　Tao　is　your　treasure；
  You　will　always　receive　what　is　truly　yours；
  That　every　error　can　be　corrected；
  And　that　the　treasure　of　Nature
  Is　already　within　you。
  This　verse　contains　a　life…affirming　message：　there　is　no　such　thing　as　a　point　of　no　return；　at　or　beyond　which　the　treasure　of　Tao　is　forever　lost。　However　far　ego　may　have　made　you　wander；　into　whatever　dark　dead　end　it　might　have　brought　you；　return　to　the　treasure　is　always　possible；　as　long　as　you　have　the　inner　ability　to　make　a　choice。　Thus；　〃every　error　can　be　corrected；〃　for　it　is　in　that　simple　moment　of　decision　and　commitment　that　the　open　embrace　of　the　Cosmos　is　rediscovered。
  63
  Act　without　effort；
  Work　but　don抰　grind；
  Savor　the　tasteless；
  See　greatness　in　smallness；
  And　the　multitude　in　the　few。
  Answer　evil　with　the　firmest　Modesty；
  Resolve　difficulty　at　the　very　beginning…
  Before　it　becomes　difficult。
  For　enduring　greatness　is　achieved
  In　attending　to　incipient　detail。
  Nature　transforms　complexity：
  Its　greatness　depends
  On　its　infinitesimal　precision。
  Just　so；　the　Cosmic　Sage：
  It　never　strives　toward　greatness；
  It　simply　accomplishes　it。
  It　is　not　bound　by　promises；
  Nor　moved　by　faith。
  In　the　easy　is　the　difficult　surpassed。
  The　Sage　treats　the　illness
  Before　the　symptoms　arise。
  Thus　is　struggle　prevented；
  And　heroes　made　extinct。
  64
  Affairs　in　balance　are　easily　arranged。
  Trouble　that抯　but　faintly　manifest
  Is　resolved　through　preparation。
  Fragile　matter　is　quickly　broken；
  Small　force　is　easily　scattered。
  Manage　trouble　before　others　see　it…
  That　is；　before　it　becomes　troublesome。
  The　problem　that　you　can　barely　get　your　arms　around
  Grew　like　a　tree　from　the　tenderest　sprout。
  A　tower　of　trouble　rises　from　a　mere　hole　in　the　ground。
  That　march　of　agony；　a　thousand　miles　long；
  Began　where　your　feet　touch　the　Earth。
  Live　by　force　and　you　will　be　destroyed　by　it。
  Take　things　in　your　grasp；　and　they　will　slip　away。
  The　sage　relies　on　unforced　action；
  And　this　upholds　the　dignity　of　his　effort。
  He　doesn抰　clutch　at　success；
  Therefore；　he　never　fails。
  Others　seem　to　collapse　in　failure
  At　the　very　threshold　of　success；
  Yet　he　is　humble　and　cautious
  Both　at　the　end　and　the　beginning：
  Thus　are　his　affairs　brought　safely　to　completion。
  Therefore；　the　sage　monitors　desire；
  Retreats　from　attachment；
  And　abandons　the　accumulation　of　learning。
  Through　dropping　his　excess；
  He　returns　to　his　essence。
  And　then；　insensibly　and　effortlessly；
  He　helps　others　to　do　the　same。
  He　does　it　without　a　breath　of　bluster；
  For　he　never　presumes　upon
  The　living　truth　of　Nature。
  This　verse　is　notable　for　containing　what　is　perhaps　the　most　famous；　and　therefore　the　most　misinterpreted；　expression　from　the　Tao　Te　Ching　（and　perhaps　from　all　of　Chinese　philosophy）；　which　is　usually　translated　as：
  The　journey　of　a　thousand　miles
  Begins　with　a　single　step。
  As　I　worked　with　this　couplet　and　the　other　metaphors　from　that　second　stanza；　the　question　arose：　〃does　Lao　Tzu　really　mean　to　glorify　the　tree　and　the　tower；　and　to　have　us　pursue　the　搕housand　mile　journey？？It　seems；　from　the　context　of　the　verse　itself　and　the　rest　of　the　Tao　Te　Ching；　that　the　answer　to　this　question　would　be；　i