Taoism and Lao Tzu
The transformation of the spirit seems never complete, as it always appears unfinished, almost translucent. With the spirit continually evolving, its usefulness is endless and never depleted. Alongside the teachings of Taoism, I find peace in the wisdom of Lao, Chuang, and Lieh Tzu, as well as following in the footsteps of those who have walked the Way before me.
I like the word translucent—it’s one of those words we don’t often use. It’s like allowing light to pass through us, but in a way that diffuses it so people or objects on the other side aren’t clearly what they appear to be. It’s like being present, but not fully here.
The spirit is remarkable, knowing no limits, able to be both full and empty at once. Yet its usefulness is never used up.
Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching tells us that our human frailties remind us of the wisdom we’re meant to gather and learn each day. That when we want balance, we should look first to perfect stillness.
Seeing the same thing daily but noticing something new is the key to our growth and to taking that ever-present next step we’re here to take. When others see something as straight, the sage can spot where it’s still crooked and recognize true straightness.
When great skill seems awkward due to lingering imperfections, it’s a reminder that practice leads to mastery. Noticing ourselves talking too much, stammering, pausing unexpectedly, or repeating words can be a sign that it’s better to stay quiet. Just as knowing that activity overcomes cold, we know that keeping still can lead to tranquility and show remaining quiet and tranquil is best. Remaining still and letting the world take care of itself.
Su Ch’e who was considered to be a great prose writer in both the T’ang and Sung dynasties says,
“The world considers what is not incomplete as great, hence great includes worn out. It considers what is not empty as full, hence full includes exhausted. The sage, meanwhile, doesn’t mind if the greatest thing is incomplete or the fullest thing is empty. For the greatest thing never wears out, and the fullest thing never runs dry.”
It’s like the Confucius analogy that says, “We should keep our virtue intact like the North Star, staying in place while countless other stars move around us.”
Su Ch’e and Confucius speak of the eternal spirit that resides in all things in nature. Our spirit, like everything in the universe, is always evolving. Left to itself, everything transforms into its highest form. What dies is reborn as something greater than before. We build on our past and hold close what matters in the present, carrying it with us for eternity.
Verse 45 – Becoming Translucent
By not treating things as they are but as they can be everything has an opportunity to complete its cycle and return empty.
To treat what seems incomplete as great, what seems empty as full, what seems crooked as straight, what seems clumsy as clever is transcendent.
To do all while seeming translucent, or still, is in keeping with your highest purpose and in keeping with your place in the ten thousand things.
The sage is content if the greatest thing is incomplete or the fullest thing is empty for the greatest thing never wears out and the fullest thing never runs dry. He understands that the greatest thing cannot be seen in its entirety hence it seems incomplete. That the fullest thing cannot be seen in its totality hence it seems empty.
That the straightest thing cannot be seen in its completeness; hence it seems crooked. That the cleverest thing cannot be seen in its perfection, hence it seems clumsy.
It is when opposites complement each other that the highest order is maintained. When order is found and balance maintained we become perfectly still. When we become perfectly still the order of the universe becomes known and all becomes translucent, or clear.
45. 清晰明朗
不固守于今天而放眼于未来，万物就都有机会完成自己的使命，回归虚空。视缺陷为完美，虚空为充实，扭曲为笔直，笨拙为聪慧，此谓超凡。在半透彻或宁静状态下，这样做与你的最高目标一致，与你在万物中的地位相符。
圣人满足于伟大的缺陷和充实的虚空，因为伟大从不消亡，充实从不枯竭。他知道，伟大从不显示全部，因此看起来不完整；充实从不显示一切，因此看起来虚空；笔直从不显示所有，因此看起来扭曲；聪慧从不显示完美，因此看起来笨拙。
当对立互相补充，修炼就达到了最高层次。当万物的秩序被揭示，自然达到平衡时，我们就处于绝对的宁静之中。当我们处于绝对的宁静时，我们就能够揭示宇宙的秩序，万物变得半透明或清晰明朗。
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