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The heavens' Dao is similar to an expanding bow. What is high it presses downward. What is low it lifts up. What has excess it reduces. What is lacking it replenishes. Therefore, the heaven's Dao decreases what is in excess, and increases what is lacking. A person's Dao decreases what is lacking, and adds to what is in excess. Well, who has the ability to have excess and considerately give in the manner of the heavens? Only one who follows Dao can do that. It's correct for a wise person to act but not be willing to possess; To succeed but not be willing to rest on his laurels. It seems as though what he rejects is paying attention to what is perceived as valuable.  Commentary: 77 ~ Preventing change If we look to Nature, we can see that things are always changing. The sun rises, reaches its zenith, then starts to set. The seasons, when they reach their hottest, start to cool down. The natural progression of things allows for peaks and valleys. That's how life is sustained. People tend to do the opposite. When things seem to be going very well, people expect it to stay that way and try to increase whatever it is they're finding pleasure in. That never works, simply because without darkness there wouldn't be light. When things seem to be unpleasant, people tend to want to wallow in their misery and don't want to see a way out. That doesn't work either. The Yi Jing (I Ching) gives many examples of how Yin changes into Yang and vice versa - whether we like it or not. When the deepest darkness is reached, a new light begins to appear. How many times have you decided you're so unhappy or upset that nothing is going to make you feel better? Then a friend might tell a stupid joke that has you laughing despite yourself. Or maybe the opposite happens - you're flying high on Cloud 9, then you have an experience that crashes you down to smithereens. For some reason, people want to keep things just the way they are. They find familiar territory they're comfortable with and get annoyed at anything that threatens their sense of security. Maybe the changes aren't terrible, but beneficial? Haven't there been times in your life when something rocked you to your roots, then later on you were glad it happened? It's only when we give up on the idea that what we have now is valuable that we can be open to receiving something that's more valuable. If you try to cling to what you have right now, dreading the idea of a possible change, who are you really causing harm to? Do you think what you hold dearest to your heart makes you a more respected and admired person? Is the sun more valuable when it's high in the sky or when it's providing a sunset? Change is the spice of life. Without it, the world would be a dreary and lackluster place. If Dao doesn't retain or increase the high or the lows, why would we try to do that? | BY: Nina | Guodian Laozi | DDJ Concordance | Comparisons | From the DIO Forum | BY: Bao Pu | By: Joshua | Who was Laozi | | Return Home | Laozi's Dao De Jing | Your Dao De Jing | Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) | Links | Meditation | Dao (Tao) is Open Forum | Book List | Other Stuff | |
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