21st Verse

The greatest virtue is to follow the Tao
and the Tao alone.

The Tao is elusive and intangible.
Although formless and intangible,
it gives rise to form.
Although vague and elusive,
it gives rise to shapes.
Although dark and obscure,
it is the spirit, the essence,
the life breath of all things.

Throughout the ages, its name has been preserved
in order to recall the beginning of things.
How do I know the ways of all things at the beginning?
I look inside myself and see what is inside me.

~Lao Tzu
The Tao Te Ching

Living the Wisdom of the Tao
by Dr. Wayne Dyer
Published by Hay House

23rd Verse

To talk little is natural:
Fierce winds do not blow all morning;
a downpour of rain does not last the day.
Who does this?  Heaven and earth.

But these are exaggerated, forced effects,
and that is why they cannot sustain a
forced action,
how much less is man able to do?

Those who follow the Way
become one with the Way.
Those who follow goodness
become one with goodness.
Those who stray from the Way and goodness
become one with failure.

If you conform to the Way,
its power flows through you.
Your actions become those of nature,
your ways are those of heaven.

Open yourself to the Tao
and trust your natural responses...
then everything will fall into place.

~Lao Tzu
The Tao Te Ching

25th Verse

There was something formless and perfect
before the universe was born.
It is serene. Empty.
Solitary. Unchanging.
Infinite. Eternally present.
It is the Mother of the universe.
For lack of a better name,
I call it the Tao.

I call it great.
Great is boundless;
boundless is eternally flowing;
ever flowing, it is constantly returning.

Therefore, The Way is great,
heaven is great,
earth is great,
people are great.

Thus, to know humanity,
understand earth.
To know earth,
understand heaven.
To know heaven,
understand the Way.
To know the Way,
understand the great within yourself.

~Lao Tzu
The Tao Te Ching