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...

  The all-encompassing nourishment of Virtue, is only in following the Way.   As a phenomenon, the Way is a moonlit perspective, an indistinct flash, Flashing indistinctly, peering through the moonlight,  at its core there is an image; Peering through the moonlight, flashing indistinctly,  at its core there is something; Profoundly twinkling from afar,  at its core there is an essence – an essential invitation, Its vital essence is the sweet serenade of self-actualization,  at its core there is trust. From the present to antiquity, its name has not departed,  it was the course our forbearers followed. How do I know it was this way for our forbearers?   Because of this. The power and potency of virtue is abundant, all-encompassing , nourishing, and nurturing – like a newborn babe breastfeeding.  However, it is only in following the Way – in making or finding “our” Way  –  that we gain access to it.   Rememb...

The best leaders are those whose subordinates know that they are there for them; The next best leaders see and are seen by their subordinates and are praised by them; Next are those leaders who are feared by and threaten their subordinates; Next are those who are reviled by their subordinates  – everyone’s criticism flows like a woman’s hair. When there is insufficient trust in upper leadership,  there is untrustworthiness among subordinates. Even when far away, people value their words. When successes are achieved and matters attended to,  the masses all proclaim: “we did it on our own.” This passage describes the Way of a Leader .   The best leaders are those whose subordinates know that their leaders are there for them.  The next best are those who see – and are seen by – their subordinates as whole people rather than just an object or an asset to be used .  Such leaders are approachable and show up for their subordinates in holistic ...

  As we care about people and bring order to our nations,  can we still practice unmediated action? As the gates of Heaven swing open and shut, can we stand still as a bird? Understanding clearly the Four Attainments, can we be free of outsmarting? In caring for others, governing ourselves , bringing order to our communities and countries, the first question to ask ourselves is are we continuing to practice unmediated action – free from the failures and successes of the past as well as any expected outcomes in the future?   The more successful we are in our endeavors, the more prestigious the past, the harder it can be sometimes to manage and not elevate our expectations .   In caring about others and improving our communities and nations, we must be cautious of letting our successes go to our heads, of attaching our worth and our identity to our performance, and drinking our own Kool-Aid a little too much.   As the Proverb goes, “pride goeth before the...