The Way and the Power of Virtue

  Broken yet made whole, twisted yet straightened out,  hollowed out yet filled up,  tattered yet renewed,  among the few yet obtaining, among the many yet confused. This is why the sages embrace and hold on to unity  as the shepherd of the world. The metaphors used in this passage to describe our journey of becoming sages (wise people) on the Way are all about restoration and speak to deep-seated emotional needs.  In our own ways, each of us feels misshapen, crooked, twisted, and broken at times as we go round and round riding on that roller coaster of relative worth with its corkscrew of constant comparison .  We get all screwed up and bent out of shape about things that don’t really matter.  Sometimes we feel heavily burdened and weighed down with regret, remorse, guilt, and shame, dragging the past around with us like a weight around our necks.  We feel empty inside, hollowed out, and tattered, and alone even as we feel like we are ju...

  Understanding constancy leads to becoming all-encompassing.   Becoming all-encompassing leads to impartiality. Becoming impartial leads to nobility, nobility leads to becoming heavenly.    Becoming heavenly is the Way, and t he Way is long-enduring,  and until the body is buried there will be no self-imposed misfortune. Understanding, or possessing knowledge of the constants in our own lives increases awareness of the constants of those around us – the deep seated motivations and aspirations of soul that stay with them throughout their lives.   The greater our understanding of constancy the more encompassing, accepting, and embracing we become.   Like an all-encompassing valley with an equal place and opportunity for all, understanding constancy expands our vision of ourselves and others, opens our minds and hearts to new thoughts and perspectives, and empowers us to embrace differences and diversity.   We become great-hearted and ...

  Returning home to our roots is called serenity – returning to the wellspring of our souls.  Serenity is called returning to our destinies – our life’s mandates. Returning to our destiny is called constancy.   Understanding constancy is called enlightenment. Not understanding constancy, one acts blindly,  as if trapped in a pit, and brings misfortune. To experience renewal, regeneration, and growth, each of us needs to return to our roots, strengthen the deep taproot of our souls , and experience a joyous homecoming after long periods disconnected from our core – our true selves.   We need to return to the nourishing and life giving wellspring of our souls , and drink deeply from its strengthening and sustaining waters.   Doing so brings renewed levels of serenity, along with clarity of identity and purpose.   This, in turn, helps us embrace our place in the universe , to become more embracing and encompassing , to more selflessly serve oth...