How　can　we　gain　this　oneness？　How　can　we　lead　with　the　Tao；　if　called　upon　to　lead？　The　clues　are　everywhere。　Nature　shows　us　that　the　high　must　be　built　upon　the　low。　Tall　trees　grew　from　short　saplings；　in　a　mountain；　its　lower　half　supports　the　higher　half；　and　most　of　the　mountain　supports　its　majestic　peak。　It　is　the　same　in　life：　the　highest　honor　must　be　built　upon　low…profile；　sincere　humility。
  This　is　why　the　sages　never　wish　to　shine　brightly　like　expensive　jewelry。　Instead；　they　prefer　to　be　more　like　plain　rocks；　with　only　steadfast；　solid　consistency；　and　no　dazzling　brilliance　whatsoever。　This　is　also　why　the　rulers　of　ancient　China　tended　to　use　the　lowliest　terms　to　refer　to　themselves。　Over　time；　the　practice　lost　its　meaning；　but　its　original　intent　was　very　much　congruent　with　the　Tao。
  Notes
  The　concept　of　establishing　a　personal　connection　to　the　Tao；　and　thereby　attain　the　power　and　energy　of　oneness　is　one　that　can　cause　much　confusion。　Isn't　the　Tao　already　in　everything？　How　can　one　connect　to　it　if　one　is　never　disconnected　from　it　in　the　first　place？
  The　Tao　that　we　are　inseparably　part　of　is　the　all…encompassing　Tao。　It　contains　everything；　with　no　distinctions　whatsoever。　In　human　beings；　it　is　represented　as　the　ambivalent；　indeterminate　state　before　any　choices　are　made。　In　that　state；　the　potential　for　every　possible　outcome　exists　…　fulfilling；　satisfying　outcomes　as　well　as　disastrous；　miserable　outcomes。
  The　Tao　of　which　Lao　Tzu　speaks　is　a　particular　path　through　this　wealth　of　options。　This　path　is　quite　specific。　It　is　the　path　of　silence；　calmness；　kindness　and　humility。　It　is　not　the　path　of　cacophony；　agitation；　cruelty　and　arrogance。　Both　paths　are　part　of　the　overall　Tao　that　includes　everything；　but　Lao　Tzu　points　to　one　of　them　as　the　path　that　will　best　lead　us　to　happiness　and　fulfillment。
  40
  The　returning　is　the　movement　of　the　Tao
  The　weak　is　the　utilization　of　the　Tao
  The　myriad　things　of　the　world　are　born　of　being
  Being　is　born　of　non…being
  That　which　reverses　course；　reflects　back；　or　returns　to　its　point　of　origin　characterizes　the　cyclical　motions　of　the　Tao。　Because　the　Tao　process　underlies　everything　in　existence；　we　observe　its　cycles　reflected　everywhere　in　the　universe。
  That　which　exhibits　weakness；　a　soft　touch；　or　a　yielding　nature　characterizes　the　function　and　utilization　of　the　Tao。　This　is　because　the　Tao　drives　life　forward　endlessly；　and　the　living　is　always　pliant　and　flexible　while　death　is　invariably　stiff　and　unyielding。
  The　above　applies　to　the　mind　as　well。　An　awareness　that　is　in　tune　with　the　Tao　is　open　to　possibilities　and　adaptable　to　new　ways　of　thinking。　In　contrast；　a　mind　that　stubbornly　clings　to　preconceptions　and　automatically　rejects　anything　different　is；　in　a　real　sense；　already　dead。
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  Higher　people　hear　of　the　Tao
  They　diligently　practice　it
  Average　people　hear　of　the　Tao
  They　sometimes　keep　it　and　sometimes　lose　it
  Lower　people　hear　of　the　Tao
  They　laugh　loudly　at　it
  If　they　do　not　laugh；　it　would　not　be　the　Tao
  Therefore　a　proverb　has　the　following：
  The　clear　Tao　appears　unclear
  The　advancing　Tao　appears　to　retreat
  The　smooth　Tao　appears　uneven
  High　virtue　appears　like　a　valley
  Great　integrity　appears　like　disgrace
  Encompassing　virtue　appears　insufficient
  Building　virtue　appears　inactive
  True　substance　appears　inconstant
  The　great　square　has　no　corners
  The　great　vessel　is　late　in　completion
  The　great　music　is　imperceptible　in　sound
  The　great　image　has　no　form
  The　Tao　is　hidden　and　nameless
  Yet　it　is　only　the　Tao
  That　excels　in　giving　and　completing　everything
  But　〃not　laughing〃　in　itself　is　not　sufficient　to　be　called　the　Tao；
  and　therefore　it　is　said：
  The　sparkling　Tao　seems　dark
  Advancing　in　the　Tao　seems　like　regression。
  Settling　into　the　Tao　seems　rough。
  True　virtue　is　like　a　valley。
  The　immaculate　seems　humble。
  Extensive　virtue　seems　insufficient。
  Established　virtue　seems　deceptive。
  The　face　of　reality　seems　to　change。
  The　great　square　has　no　corners。
  Great　ability　takes　a　long　time　to　perfect。
  Great　sound　is　hard　to　hear。
  The　great　form　has　no　shape。
  The　Tao　is　hidden　and　nameless。
  This　is　exactly　why　the　Tao　is　good　at　developing　and　perfecting。
  The　true　student　hears　of　the　Tao；　h　is　diligent　and　practices　it。
  The　average　student　hears　of　it；　sometimes　he　appears　to　be　attentive；　then　again　he　is　inattentive。
  The　half　hearted　student　hears　of　it；　he　loudly　derides　it。　If　it　did　not　provoke　ridicule　it　would　not　be　worthy　the　name…Tao。
  Again　there　are　those　whose　only　care　is　phraseology。
  The　brilliancy　of　the　Tao　is　as　obscurity；　the　advance　of　the　Tao　is　as　a　retreat；　the　equality　of　the　Tao　is　as　inequality；　the　higher　energy　is　as　cosmic　space；　the　greatest　purity　is　as　uncleanness；　the　widest　virtue　is　as　if　insufficient；　established　virtue　is　as　if　furtive；　the　truest　essence　is　as　imperfection；　the　most　perfect　square　is　cornerless；　the　largest　vessel　is　last　completed；　the　loudest　sound　has　fewest　tones；　the　grandest　conception　is　formless。
  The　Tao　is　concealed　and　nameless；　yet　it　is　the　Tao　alone　which　excels　in　imparting　and　completing。
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  Tao　produces　one
  One　produces　two
  Two　produce　three
  Three　produce　myriad　things
  Myriad　things；　backed　by　yin　and　embracing　yang
  Achieve　harmony　by　integrating　their　energy
  What　the　people　dislike
  Are　alone；　bereft；　and　unworthy
  But　the　rulers　call　themselves　with　these　terms
  So　with　all　things
  Appear　to　take　loss　but　benefit
  Or　receive　benefit　but　lose
  What　the　ancients　taught
  I　will　also　teach
  The　violent　one　cannot　have　a　natural　death
  I　will　use　this　as　the　principal　of　teachings
  What　people　dislike　are　abandonment；　loneliness　and　being　unworthy
  And　yet　kings　and　lords　name　themeselves　with　such　terms
  Therefore
  That　which　people　hate　to　think　of　themselves　as　〃orphan；〃　〃lowly；〃　and　〃unworthy〃
  Yet　the　kings　call　themselves　by　these　names
  Some　lose　and　yet　gain；
  Others　gain　and　yet　lose。
  That　which　is　taught　by　the　people
  I　also　teach：
  〃The　forceful　do　not　choose　their　place　of　death。〃
  I　regard　this　as　the　father　of　all　teachings。
  That　which　men　hate　is　to　be　kithless；　friendless　and　considered　unworthy；　but　princes　and　dukes　thus　style　themselves。
  From　this　it　would　appear　that　advantages　are　disadvantageous；　and　disadvantages　are　advantageous。
  I　teach　that　which　others　have　taught。
  The　violent　and　the　fierce　do　not　live　out　their　years。
  I　shall　be　chief　among　the　teachers。
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  The　softest　things　of　the　world
  Override　the　hardest　things　of　the　world
  That　which　has　no　substance
  Enters　into　that　which　has　no　openings
  From　this　I　know　the　benefits　of　non…attached　actions
  The　teaching　without　words
  The　benefits　of　actions　without　attachment
  Are　rarely　matched　in　the　world
  Our　observation　of　nature　shows　us　that　the　softest　things　have　power　over　the　hardest　things　in　the　world。　Consider　a　horseman　riding　a　powerful；　galloping　steed。　The　rider　cannot　compare　to　the　horse　in　terms　of　physical　strength；　but　there　is　no　question　who　is　controlling　whom。
  Water　seeps　into　and　dissolves　rocks；　electricity　flows　through　a　block　of　metal。　This　is　how　the　Tao；　which　lacks　substance；　can　permeate　all　things　…　even　if　they　appear　to　be　solid；　without　any　cracks　or　openings。
  I　can　extrapolate　from　this　to　understand　life。　The　Tao　acts　in　a　wu　wei　manner　and　effortlessly　achieves　the　miracle　of　life。　I；　too；　can　act　without　attachment　in　affairs　of　the　world　to　achieve　great　benefits　effortlessly。
  The　most　effective　teaching　is　conveyed　through　personal　examples　rather　than　preachy　words。　The　most　effective　results　are　achieved　through　acting　without　any　attachments　to　specific　outcomes。
  This　is　the　way　of　the　Tao。　Its　power　and　effectiveness　are　unmatched　in　the　world。　At　the　same　time；　it　is　also　rarely　understood　by　most　people。
  Notes
  Other　points　to　reinforce　this　concept：
  1）　When　one　grows　old；　the　teeth　fall　out　but　the　tongue　remains。
  2）　The　pliant　grass　survives　a　fierce　storm　while　the　unyielding　tree　is　uprooted。
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  Fame　or　the　self；　which　is　dearer？
  The　self　or　wealth；　which　is　greater？
  Gain　or　loss；　which　is　more　painful？
  Thus　excessive　love　must　lead　to　great　spending
  Excessive　hoarding　must　lead　to　heavy　loss
  Knowing　contentment　avoids　disgrace
  Knowing　when　to　stop　avoids　danger
  Thus　one　can　endure　indefinitely
  Which　do　you　hold　more　dear；　fame　or　your　true　self？
  Which　do　you　value　more；　your　true　self　or　material　possessions？
  Which　is　more　painful；　gain　or　loss？
  Therefore　we　always　pay　a　great　price　for　excessive　love
  And　suffer　deep　loss　for　great　accumulation。
  Knowing　what　is　enough；　you　will　not　be　humiliated。
  Knowing　where　to　stop；　you　will　not　be　imperil