That　is　why　they　sometimes　appeared　deep　and　inscrutable；　sometimes　even　great。
  Their　leadership　did　not　rest　on　technique　or　on　theatrics；　but　on　silence　and　on　their　ability　to　pay　attention。
  They　moved　with　grace　and　awareness；　and　they　were　able　to　negotiate　complex　situations　safely。
  They　were　considerate。　They　did　no　injury。　They　were　courteous　and　quiet；　like　guests。　They　knew　how　to　yield　gracefully　and　how　to　be　natural　and　inconspicuous。
  They　were　as　open　and　receptive　and　available　as　the　valleys　that　lie　among　the　hills。
  They　could　clarify　events　for　others；　because　they　had　done　it　for　themselves。　They　could　speak　to　the　depths　of　another　person；　because　they　had　known　their　own　deeper　conflicts　and　blocks。
  Because　they　had　given　up　selfishness；　they　could　enhance　others。
  They　were　not　trying　to　become　enlightened；　because　they　were　enlightened。
  16
  To　become　more　profound；　give　up　your　selfishness。　Let　go　of　your　efforts　to　be　perfect　or　rich　or　secure　or　admired。　Such　efforts　only　limit　you。　They　block　your　universality。
  Letting　go　is　like　dying。　Everything　emerges；　becomes　formed；　and　dies。　You；　too。
  When　you　die；　you　give　up　selfishness。　You　become　one　with　everything　else。
  My　deeper　self　knows　that　I　am　one　with　everything　else　anyway。　All　creation　is　a　single　whole　which　works　according　to　a　single　principle。
  I　let　my　selfishness　go　and　give　up　the　illusion　of　being　separate。　I　act　in　behalf　of　the　whole。　I　benefit　me　and　I　benefit　you。　I　am　at　odds　with　no　one。　I　am　at　peace；　and　have　energy　to　spare；　because　I　am　not　resisting　what　is　happening。
  Death　is　not　frightening；　because　I　know　how　to　let　go；　and　I　know　the　nature　of　the　Eternal。
  17
  The　wise　leader　does　not　intervene　unnecessarily。　The　leader's　presence　is　felt；　but　often　the　group　runs　itself。
  Lesser　leaders　do　a　lot；　say　a　lot；　have　followers；　and　form　cults。
  Even　worse　ones　use　fear　to　energize　groups　to　overcome　resistance。
  Only　the　most　dreadful　leaders　have　bad　reputations。
  Remember　that　you　are　facilitating　another　person's　process。　It　is　not　your　process。　Do　not　intrude。　Do　not　control。　Do　not　force　your　own　needs　and　insights　into　the　foreground。
  If　you　do　not　trust　a　person's　process；　that　person　will　not　trust　you。
  Imagine　that　you　are　a　midwife；　you　are　assisting　at　someone　else's　birth。　Do　good　without　show　or　fuss。　Facilitate　what　is　happening　rather　than　what　you　think　ought　to　be　happening。　If　you　must　take　the　lead；　lead　so　that　the　mother　is　helped；　yet　still　free　and　in　charge。
  When　the　baby　is　born；　the　mother　will　rightly　say：　〃We　did　it　ourselves！〃
  18
  Do　not　lose　sight　of　the　single　principle：　how　everything　works。
  When　this　principle　is　lost　and　the　method　of　meditating　on　process　fails；　the　group　becomes　mired　in　intellectual　discussion　of　what　could　have　happened；　what　should　have　happened；　what　this　technique　or　that　might　do。　Soon　the　group　will　become　quarrelsome　and　depressed。
  Once　you　leave　the　path　of　simple　consciousness；　you　enter　the　labyrinth　of　cleverness；　competition；　and　imitation。
  When　a　lesser　person　forgets　that　all　creation　is　a　unity；　allegiance　goes　to　lesser　wholes　such　as　the　family；　the　home　team；　or　the　company。
  Nationalism；　racism；　classism；　sexism：　all　arise　as　consciousness　of　unity　is　lost。　People　take　sides　and　favour　this　versus　that。
  19
  Forget　those　clever　techniques　and　self…improvement　programs；　and　everyone　will　be　better　off。
  Do　not　promise　to　cure　people；　to　make　people　feel　good；　to　make　life　sane　or　fair　or　humane。　Do　not　offer　programs　that　appeal　to　selfishness；　programs　that　teach　how　to　be　rich；　powerful；　sexy　…　and　greedy；　paranoid；　an　manipulative。
  No　teacher　can　make　you　be　happy；　prosperous；　healthy；　or　powerful。　No　rules　or　techniques　can　enforce　these　qualities。
  If　you　wish　to　improve　yourself；　try　silence　or　some　other　cleansing　discipline　that　will　gradually　show　you　your　true　selfless　self。
  20
  Our　job　is　to　facilitate　process　and　clarify　conflicts。　This　ability　depends　less　on　formal　education　than　on　common　sense　and　traditional　wisdom。
  The　highly　educated　leader　tends　to　respond　in　terms　of　one　theoretical　model　or　another。　It　is　better　simply　to　respond　directly　to　what　is　happening　here　and　now。
  Make　sure　that　any　model　you　do　have　is　compatible　with　traditional　wisdom；　admire　the　wise　of　all　religions。
  For　example；　most　people　act　in　order　to　fill　their　desires。　They　believe　that　the　world　serves　them。　But　the　wise　leader　serves　others　and　is　relatively　desireless；　even　defenseless。
  Most　people　are　plagued　by　endless　needs；　but　the　wise　leader　is　content　with　relatively　little。　Most　people　lead　busy　lives；　but　the　wise　leader　is　quiet　and　reflective。　Most　people　seek　stimulation　and　novelty；　but　the　wise　leader　refers　what　is　common　and　natural。
  Being　content　permits　simplicity　in　life。　What　is　common　is　universal。　What　is　natural　is　close　to　the　source　of　creation。
  This　is　traditional　wisdom。
  21
  All　power　and　effectiveness　come　from　following　the　law　of　creation。　There　is　no　substitute　for　knowing　how　things　happen　and　for　acting　accordingly。
  Everything；　like　it　or　not；　is　bounded　by　this　principle。　The　principle　is　like　the　blueprint　for　everything。
  All　power　derives　from　conscious　or　unconscious　cooperation　with　the　principle。
  The　single　principle　is　manifest　everywhere；　all　the　time。
  All　birth　and　growth　and　death　that　ever　happened；　or　is　happening　today；　or　will　happen　in　the　future　behaves　according　to　this　one　rule　of　existence。
  To　be　sure；　new　forms　do　emerge　with　the　passage　of　time；　but　they　still　conform　to　the　same　old　principle。
  How　do　I　know　that　Tao　is　universal？
  I　cannot　answer　that　rationally。　I　know　it　from　being　silent。　I　know　it　by　virtue　of　God。
  22
  When　I　let　go　of　what　I　am；　I　become　what　I　might　be。　When　I　let　go　of　what　I　have；　I　receive　what　I　need。
  These　are　feminine　or　Yin　paradoxes：
  …　By　yielding　I　endure。
  …　The　empty　space　is　filled。
  …　When　I　give　of　myself；　I　become　more。
  …　When　I　feel　most　destroyed；　I　am　about　to　grow。
  …　When　I　desire　nothing；　a　great　deal　comes　to　me。
  Have　you　ever　struggles　to　get　work　or　love　and　finally　given　up　and　found　both　love　and　work　were　suddenly　there？
  Do　you　want　to　be　free　and　independent？　Conform　to　God's　law；　that　is　how　everything　happens　anyway。
  When　I　give　up　trying　to　impress　the　group；　I　become　very　impressive。　But　when　I　am　just　trying　to　make　myself　look　good；　the　group　knows　that　and　does　not　like　it。
  My　best　work　is　done　when　I　forget　my　own　point　of　view；　the　less　I　make　of　myself；　the　more　I　am。
  When　I　yield　to　the　wishes　of　the　person　working；　I　encounter　no　resistance。
  This　is　the　wisdom　of　the　feminine：　let　go　in　order　to　achieve。　The　wise　leader　demonstrates　this。
  23
  The　wise　leader　speaks　rarely　and　briefly。　After　all；　no　other　natural　outpouring　goes　on　and　on。　It　rains　and　then　it　stops。　It　thunders　and　then　it　stops。
  The　leader　teaches　more　through　being　than　through　doing。　The　quality　of　one's　silence　conveys　more　than　long　speeches。
  Be　still。　Follow　your　inner　wisdom。　In　order　to　know　your　inner　wisdom；　you　have　to　be　still。
  The　leader　who　knows　how　to　be　still　and　feel　deeply　will　probably　be　effective。　Bu　the　leader　who　chatters　and　boasts　and　tries　to　impress　the　group　has　no　center　and　carries　little　weight。
  Tao　works　for　those　who　follow　Tao。　God　serves　those　who　serve　God。　When　you　are　in　touch　with　the　single　principle；　your　actions　will　be　effective。　But　if　you　are　simply　being　egocentric；　or　if　you　are　just　trying　to　be　dramatic；　you　will　neither　do　good　nor　look　good。
  Remember　that　the　method　is　awareness…of…process。　Reflect。　Be　still。
  What　do　you　deeply　feel？
  24
  Trying　too　hard　produces　unexpected　results：
  …　The　flashy　leader　lacks　stability。
  …　Trying　to　rush　matters　gets　you　nowhere。
  …　Trying　to　appear　brilliant　is　not　enlightened。
  …　Insecure　leaders　try　to　promote　themselves。
  …　Impotent　leaders　capitalize　on　their　position。
  …　It　is　not　very　holy　to　point　out　how　holy　you　are。
  All　these　behaviours　come　from　insecurity。　They　feed　insecurity。　None　of　them　helps　the　work。　None　contributes　to　the　leader's　health。
  The　leader　who　knows　how　things　happen　does　not　do　these　things。
  Consider：
  When　do　you　think　that　you　are　so　good；　what　are　you　comparing　yourself　with？　God？　Or　your　own　insecurities？
  Do　you　want　fame？　Fame　will　complicate　your　life　and　compromise　simplicity　in　your　comings　and　goings。
  Is　it　money？　The　effort　of　trying　to　get　rich　will　steal　your　time。
  Any　form　of　egocentricity；　of　selfishness；　obscures　your　deeper　self　and　blinds　you　to　how　things　happen。
  25
  This　is　what　Tao　is　not：
  …　It　is　not　a　thing。
  …　It　is　not　a　sound　or　any　other　vibration。
  …　It　is　not　divisible　into　parts。
  …　It　does　not　change。
  …　It　cannot　be　diluted　or　augmented。
  …　It　has　no　partner　or　compleme