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Translation and Commentary by Nina


	Dao De Jing Chapter 28 Know the ways in which you act aggressively; guard your passivity. Become a conduit in the world. Becoming a conduit in the world, your perpetual De will never leave you. When your perpetual De never leaves, you will return to what you depended on as an infant. Know the ways in which you receive honor; guard your disgrace. Become a valley to the world. When you become a valley to the world, your perpetual De will always be enough. When your perpetual De is always enough, you will return to what is depended on by simplicity. Know the ways in which you find clarity; guard your darkness. Become a model for the world. When you become a model for the world, your perpetual De will not be used as collateral. When your perpetual De is not used as collateral, you will return to depending on what has no limits. When simplicity is disseminated, it then can be used as a tool. A wise person can employ this tool and in that way guide others. So great new shapes can be formed without cutting. Commentary- 28 ~ Both sides of one coin Most of us have been taught that certain aspects of our personalities are beneficial, but other aspects have to be forcibly done away with. As children, we were encouraged to laugh, but if we cried it made everyone else very uncomfortable. If we screamed when another child took away our toy, we were told not to be so selfish. As we grew older, it seemed as though the list of "bad" behavior just got longer and longer. It might have seemed that everyone was telling us we had to somehow find a way to magically rid ourselves of any emotion or action that was considered to be "dark" or "devilish." Could it be possible to understand and accept both our "light" side and our "dark" side? -Know the ways in which you act aggressively; guard your passivity. -Become a conduit in the world. -Becoming a conduit in the world, your perpetual De will never leave you. -When your perpetual De never leaves, you will return to what you depended on as an infant. Opposites: Aggressive and Passive. Having an aggressive side isn't always a "bad" thing. You have to be aggressive at times just to survive in this world, but there's no reason to go around brandishing it like a sword. You can call on it when it's needed, but it's a lot less stressful to be passive. Most of the time it's just fine to let the events of the world flow through you passively without needing to go into battle. If you can act as a conduit that allows things to enter and leave without obstructions, you'll become more centered on the things that really matter to you instead of reacting with a vengeance to every little bump in the road. If you can get to that place, then you'll find that what's really important is those things that sustain your life - all the rest is just window dressing. -Know the ways in which you receive honor; guard your disgrace. -Become a valley to the world. -When you become a valley to the world, your perpetual De will always be enough. -When your perpetual De is always enough, you will return to what is depended on by simplicity. Opposites: Honor and Disgrace. Everyone enjoys being praised and commended for achievements. Even a small "Thank you" can make us feel happy. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the appreciation of someone else. However, if you can only be happy when you receive what you feel is appropriate praise, then you're going to experience many nose-dives. There will always be times when you feel unworthy or as though you haven't done enough. When you can accept your own shortcomings, it's easier to be open and compassionate to the shortcomings of the rest of the world. Instead of seeing the world as a tool for self-praise, you find yourself opening your arms like a valley to the world; embracing rather than being offended. If you can get to that place, you'll realize that what you naturally are is quite sufficient - praise might be nice, but not necessary. -Know the ways in which you find clarity; guard your darkness. -Become a model for the world. -When you become a model for the world, your perpetual De will not be used as collateral. -When your perpetual De is not used as collateral, you will return to depending on what has no limits. Opposites: Clear and Dark. There are times when you might think you've got all the answers, and solved some nagging questions. You might want to yell your new-found enlightenments from the rooftops. There are also times when you feel like you know nothing at all, like you've fallen into a deep pit of confusion. We'd all much rather feel enlightened and clear than confused and dark. Do you think that no one else on the planet experiences confusion and dark moments? If you can admit your confusion and doubts, then you're letting others know that it's okay for them to feel that way sometimes as well. If you act like you're always bright and clear, then you're trying to pull the wool over your eyes - and over the eyes of others. You might be silently screaming: "Look at how unencumbered I am! Love me!" That attitude might attract others for a little while, but then they'd try to hide their own darkness from you. If you can get to the place of admitting your own darkness, you won't have to be constantly acting like you know it all - that allows others the opportunity to buoy you to heights in ways you might not have imagined. -When simplicity is disseminated, it then can be used as a tool. -A wise person can employ this tool and in that way guide others. -So great new shapes can be formed without cutting. By returning to simplicity and not feeling the need to do away with one side of you in favor of the other, you've found a great and useful tool. This tool allows others to feel more content with who they are, by looking for ways to improve themselves and work with you toward happiness. Instead of being told they're despicable creatures for not being able to cut away the parts of them that society deems inappropriate, they actually learn ways to become happier and naturally diminish those dark parts of themselves that cause unhappiness. 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