The Way and the Power of Virtue

Therefore, the Way is expansive, the heavens are expansive, the earth is expansive, and people are, for their part, expansive. There are Four Expansives in the realm,  and humanity resides as one of them. Humanity emulates the earth, the earth emulates the heavens, the heavens emulate the Way,  and the Way emulates things just as they are. What the “Old Master” called the “Four Expansives” are four sources of inspiration, four places we can turn to in expanding and enlarging our souls, our thoughts, our beliefs, and our ability to do good in the world.   They are: the Way, the heavens, the earth, and people.   The Way is expansive .   It expands us.   It enlarges our view of ourselves, our possibilities, our potential, the world, and those around us.  This is because there is ALWAYS a Way -- a Way to get from wherever we are to wherever we want to be in our lives.   The Way meets us where we are and provides a personal path of possibi...

  There is a phenomenon formed from the co-mingling of matter,  it preceded the birth of heaven and earth. Solitary and still, like an empty house,  it stands independent and it changes not    – it does not need to work on itself.   It is constantly in motion    –it ’s intersections are an all-encompassing fertile field  and yet it is never in danger of breaking down, It can be regarded as the mother of heaven and earth. I don’t know its name but if forced to give it one, I call it: the Way.   If forced to label it, I’d call it: great and enlarging. Enlarging, it is called: precious floodwaters.   As precious floodwaters, it is called: far-reaching.   Far-reaching, it is called: returning. This chapter opens with a description of the Way as a phenomenon formed from the combination of matter that preceded the earth and the cosmos.   As such, it exists apart from and independent of the Newtonian world we l...

Those who boast are not established,  those who exaggerate cannot take action; Those who see only themselves,  cannot radiantly play their part; Those who only show themselves off,  cannot shine bright like the sun and the moon. Those who are only out to get for themselves,  cannot be accomplished; Those who only boast of themselves in each moment,  cannot grow and endure long. On the Way,  these are called excessive indulging and superfluous shaping. Things detest them,  therefore those who have the Way do not dwell on them. People get carried away sometimes.   When we boast, we run the risk of getting blown about and carried away in our own boastings.   We sometimes don’t keep our feet on the ground in our ripping good yarns.   Similarly, when we exaggerate the things we are doing, it can often prevent us from making a choice and taking action.    Often, we exaggerate to try and fit in, show off, gain accept...