The Way and the Power of Virtue

  To produce things and then nourish them and yet,   To produce and not possess, to act and not presume,  to lead and not dominate – this is what is called profound virtue. We live in a culture of production.   Businesses are constantly looking at things like logistics, automation, and process improvement to increase productivity.   Countless self-help programs, inspirational videos, and motivational speeches exist to help us become more productive in our lives.   We also live in a consumer society; a world driven by the accumulation of wealth and material goods.   We amass and stockpile; we hoard and store.   The more money we make, the more things we get – cars, boats, ATVs, summer homes, winter cabins.   There is nothing inherently wrong with any of those things – the danger lies in when we attach our worth to those external commodities or allow our status to justify feelings of superiority rather than service and gratitude....

  The highest good is like water.    Water is good because it excels in benefitting all life and doesn’t contend.    It goes places the masses despise.   Thus it is nigh unto the Way.   The greatest good, the highest excellence is like water.  Water goes where it is drawn.  It doesn’t contend or compete to go somewhere “better” and doesn’t avoid going places where it is needed – regardless of what the masses think.  It is immune to public opinion.  It is free of the cultural constructs, relative reality, and the constant comparisons  of people.  It doesn't participate in the despicable and ugly social stereotypes of what is "best" and who is "worthy."  Water is impartial and doesn’t feel superior.  It doesn't compete or contend .  Like heaven and earth, water is selfless , having no personal agendas or its own self-interest.  It benefits all living things.  Nothing is beneath it.  Wherever...

Wise people set themselves and others forever free from outsmarting and expectations.   They won’t ever try to outsmart others and they do not act only for themselves – then nothing is left ungoverned. To become sages, we engage in a two-fold process of self-acceptance and surrender of our own expectations.   To become sages, or wise people, we must constantly setting ourselves and others free from the need to “outsmart” others – understanding that we are already enough.   Content in our identity and purpose, we don’t need to look for opportunities to appear smart or put others down to curry favor or to outmaneuver others through our cunning or intellect, our best laid plans, or by devising strategies to outcompete or get ahead at the expense of others.   We don’t need to “ show off ," roast someone, always have a witty or barbed comment or backhanded complement -- even though that is what is portrayed and propagated in so much of our entertainment and social med...

  This is how wise people govern themselves and others:    They empty their hearts and minds and they fill their core. Because of the tendency and social pressure to try to engage in self-promotion to prove ourselves worthy , place excessive value external commodities, thereby robbing ourselves or our inherent worth , and show off our desirable attributes and abilities, the sage, or wise person leads out by regulating or governing four aspects of their lives – their hearts and minds, their core, their worldly ambitions, and their personal appetites.   They do so in four ways.   First, wise people empty their hearts and minds, their thoughts and feelings, of superfluous and frivolous things – things that are empty and vain and therefore contribute to a feeling of emptiness inside.   How much mental and emotional energy do we spend on things that are empty?   Do we keep ourselves so busy and full with memes, social media trends, fantasy sports leagu...

  Don’t put "desirable" objects on display and people’s hearts won’t be disturbed. We live in a world that feels like it must constantly “show off” and “showcase” its bling and put itself on display for all to see.   We are constantly bombarded with marketing manipulations telling us what is "desirable," what we should want, and what we need to do be "desirable."  So w e don our new swag, accessories with the latest fashions, surround ourselves with “eye candy” and wonder if it's enough.  We feel pressure from the world and put pressure on ourselves to look “desirable” personally and professionally – to be wanted, accepted, valued, and deemed worthy.   When we try to show-off, either our accomplishments, attributes, abilities, or accessories, we disturb our hearts and stir up trouble.   Who likes feeling that we are an object on display all the time?   Who likes the pressure of having to dress up, get made up, and appear a certain way to win acceptance...