The Way and its Power: Gathered Sayings and Commentaries

First, an apology.

This is by no means a complete commentary nor a complete text, and it inevitably falls short of anything I can hope to write upon the topic.

But, such is the nature of The Way.

Cultivation is a task we undertake upon ourselves due to an inherent drive, an inherent desire.  Whether this is done out of altruism or spite, I commend whoever embarks upon this path, and I encourage you to shed your desire, and return.

Maintain your Self, in all things, and through this, transcend.

This book is dedicated, in its entirety, to Bai Xi.  Maybe, one day, I will know the reasons for doing what you did.

~

All things change, in the fullness of time; innocence lost, and innocence gained.  This has been a wonderful journey, one that continues ever onwards. 

One day, I hope that you, dear reader, will find the truths that overcome my own, that sing truth into the world, and overcome the banalities of the patterns that pervade existence.  It is easy to see these patterns, so often fallen into, as the truth of matters, but patterns change just as readily as all else, and overcoming and realizing greater ones spiraling forth is the true task of any Sage.

I wish to thank my colleagues at Soulhaven, at the Heartwood Grove, at the Arcane Tower, at places great and small, high and low.  There is no distinction in my heart for you; each of you are cherished, each of you are loved.  This is the gift I grant you.

Maintain your Self, in all things, and Through This, Transcend.

~

1.

The way that becomes a way is not the Immortal Way.

The name that becomes a name is not the Immortal Name.

The maiden of Heaven and Earth has no name, the mother of all things has a name.

Thus in innocence, we see the beginning, in passion we see the end.

Two different names, for one and the same.

The one we call dark, the dark beyond dark, the door to all beginnings.

~

In this, we see the beginning, in that, we see the end.  If anything, this is the absolute core, the absolute foundation, to the teachings of The Way and its understanding.

A scholar by the name of Ho-Shang Kung wrote, "What we call a Way is a moral or political code, while the Immortal Way takes care of the spirit without effort and brings peace to the world without struggle. It conceals its light and hides its tracks and can't be called a Way. As for the Immortal Name, it's like a pearl inside an oyster, a piece of jade inside a rock: shiny on the inside and dull on the outside."

Through this, we see manifest a fundamental truth at the core of the world: The Way, or the Immortal Way as he referred to it, is the force that sustains the world, without effort, and without being seen.  But to name it as such, in and of itself, does not approach the truth of it, merely the outline.  The Sage cannot reveal the Way, because you cannot exist outside of it to observe it clearly.

The constant within the world is one of change and development, never ceasing, never stopping, and this change and development might, charitably, be called The Way.  All other things hinge upon this, the perspectives of Law and Chaos, Good and Evil, are shifting and changing every single day, depending upon the individual perception of those involved.  But change does not change.

All things spring forth from nothing, and all of these things are termed by some scholars as the “Ten Thousand Things”.  Another way to say innocence and passion might be stillness and motion, and the distinction between the two is ultimately faulty, because they both spring forth from each other.  

So!  Here, we have posed the great mystery, The Way and its manifestations.  It is a dark beyond dark, unable to be pierced by even the keenest light, for to observe it is to exist outside of it, and none exist outside of it.

All other things contained within this text are simply expansions upon this core idea.

~

2.

All the world knows beauty, but if that becomes beautiful, this becomes ugly.

All the world knows good, but if that becomes good, this becomes bad.

The coexistence of have and have not, the coproduction of hard and easy, the correlation of long and short, the codependence of high and low, the correspondence of note and noise, the coordination of first and last, is endless.

Thus the Sage performs effortless deeds, and teaches wordless lessons.

They don't start all the things they begin, they don't presume on what they do.

They don't claim what they achieve, and because they make no claim, they suffer no loss.

~

This is an expansion upon this central idea of disparity, which drives this philosophy.  The distinction between beauty and ugliness, for instance, is the source of the definition of the two.  What would be known as beautiful if ugliness did not exist to contrast it against, and so on.

These distinctions, because they inevitably lead into each other, are endless, meaningless, and arbitrary.

A Sage acts in accordance with the Immortal Way, thus, the distinction between things ceases to matter, and all things are done.  A Sage teaches in accordance with the Immortal Name, thus, no words can approach the lesson they teach, for distinction is the way by which things are named.

A scholar by the name of Wang An-Shih wrote, "The Sage creates but does not possess what he creates.  He acts but does not presume on what he does. He succeeds but does not claim success. These three all result from selflessness. Because the sage is selfless, he does not lose his self. Because he does not lose his self, he does not lose others."

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

~

3.

Bestowing no honors, keeps people from fighting.

Prizing no treasures, keeps people from stealing.

Displaying no attractions, keeps people from making trouble.

Thus, the rule of the sage:

Empties the mind, but fills the stomach.

Weakens the will, but strengthens the bones.

By keeping the people from knowing or wanting, and those who know from daring to act, he thus governs them all.

~

It is easy to read this solely as a passage upon governance, but remember teacher Wang’s words carefully, “Because the sage is selfless, he does not lose his self. Because he does not lose his self, he does not lose others.”

So, where we see the rule of the sage is not merely within the realm of the material, but also within the immaterial as well.

Honors, treasures, and attractions are driven by distinction, and thus madden the senses with an illusion of difference.  Hence, honors and titles bring only fights to earn them, treasures only bring thieves to steal them, and attractions only bring trouble upon oneself.

A scholar by the name of Su Ch’e wrote, "Bestowing honors embarrasses those who don't receive them to the point where they fight for them. Prizing treasures pains those who don't possess them to the point where they steal them. Displaying attractions distresses those who don't enjoy them to the point where they cause trouble. If people aren't shown these things, they won't know what to want and will cease wanting.”

Here, then, I believe a clarification is necessary upon the terms of mind, stomach, will, and bones, because it is easy to treat these as literal, or under a different sense of symbolism as what was intended.  A mind and a will are normally considered two deeply important things to individual thought within the scheme of philosophy of these lands.  The mind, as we are well aware, plays tricks upon us with its desire to categorize and reason about the distinctions of the world, and it manifests from such a will to pursue them, that leads one into trouble.

A scholar by the name of Wang P'ang wrote, “An empty mind means no distinctions. A full stomach means no desires. A weak will means no external plans. Strong bones mean standing on one's own and remaining unmoved by outside forces. By bestowing no honors, the sage keeps people from knowing; By prizing no treasures, he keeps people from wanting."

Another scholar by the name of Wang Pi wrote, “"Bones don't know how to make trouble. It's the will that creates disorder. When the mind is empty. the will is weak."

An unnamed scholar wrote, "The reason the world is in disorder is because of action. Action comes from desire. And desire comes from knowledge. The sage doesn't talk about things that can be known or display things that can be desired. This is how he brings order to the world."

~

4.

The Way is so empty, those who use it never become full again.

And so deep, as if it were the ancestor of us all!

Dulling our edges, untying our tangles, softening our light, merging our dust.

And so clear, as if it were present!

I wonder whose child it is?  It seems it was here before the Heavens.

~

It is necessary, for a moment, to elaborate upon the concept of the Heavens, and how it ties within the Celestial Bureaucracy of Shou Lung.  With many beliefs and philosophies in that land, The Way included, the concept of distinction between the gods does not exist, and so Heavens represents planes that are outside of the Prime Material.  All of existence that is immaterial, is the domain of the Heavens, and thus all spirits are contained within the Celestial Bureaucracy, but The Way reaches deeper still.  

A scholar by the name of Wu Ch’eng wrote, '''Empty' means empty like a bowl. The Way is essentially

empty; and people who use it should be empty too. To be full is contrary to The Way. 'Deep' means what cannot be measured. An ancestor unites a lineage just as The Way unites all things. ‘As if' suggests reluctance to compare."

We speak of the great emptiness of the lesson of The Way, so much so that those who use it never become full again.  Comparing it to a bowl, we see an empty vessel, the mind, who seeks to understand things.  To allow oneself to become full is to cease to question, for a full bowl cannot contain anything more.  Thus, The Way contains all things, and it is so deep, it can never be filled.  A Sage seeks to emulate this, always allowing more space within their bowl, and thus never allowing it to fill.

Many cosmologies insist upon all the world being created by gods and spirits, shaping the world to their own specifications.  But who, in turn, shaped them?  Can we know it?  Can we, for sure, know where the heavens stemmed from?  The Way, perhaps, might be such a source, though we can never be truly sure.

~

5.

Nature is heartless; it treats all things as sacrificial dolls.

The Sage is heartless; they treat all things as sacrificial dolls.

Between all things, an emptiness lays like a bellows.

Empty but inexhaustible, each movement produces more.

To speak of it only wastes it, best to keep it inside.

~

Sacrificial dolls are a curious tradition in many cultures, including Shou Lung, where dolls are created in representation of a good harvest.  During these celebrations, these dolls are honored and respected, but once the celebration has ended, they are cast into the fire, without much thought.

Heartlessness, thus, is not cruelty.  It is indifference.  Nature does not weep or smile when something lives or dies.  So, too, does the Sage not observe the distinction between things, and thus harnesses the emptiness that blows through the world, The Way.

A scholar by the name of Su Ch’e wrote, "Heaven and Earth aren't partial. They don't kill living things out of cruelty or give them birth out of kindness. We do the same when we make dolls to use in sacrifices. We dress them up and put them on the altar, but not because we love them. And when the ceremony is over, we throw them into the fire, but not because we hate them. This is how the sage treats the people."

~

6.

The valley spirit that doesn't die, we call the dark womb.

The dark womb's mouth, we call the source of creation.

As real as gossamer silk, and yet we can't exhaust it.

~

There is a common theme of The Way, the progression of water, and how it inevitably flows to the lowest places.  For all the attempts of magic and learning to change this, even still, water flows to the lowest point!  A valley, in this sense, does not refer to simply the geographical concept, but the place where water flows to, an infinitesimally small point, impossible to perceive.  In this, it is yet another description of the outline of The Way.

A scholar named Yen Fu wrote,. "Because it is empty, we call it a valley. Because there is no limit to its responsiveness, we call it a spirit. Because it is inexhaustible, we say it never dies. These three are the virtues of The Way."

The scholar Su Ch’e also wrote, “'A valley is empty but has form. A valley spirit is empty and has no form. What is empty and has no form is not alive. So how can it die? 'Valley spirit' refers to its virtue. 'Dark womb' refers to its capacity.  This womb gives birth to the Ten Thousand Things. and we call it dark because we see it give birth, but not how it gives birth.”

~

7.

Heaven is eternal and Earth is immortal:

The reason they're eternal and immortal is because they don't live for themselves, hence they can live forever.

Thus the sage pulls themselves back, but ends up in front.

They let themselves go, but end up safe.

Selflessness must be the reason whatever they seek, they find.

~

Here we see a repetition of the idea of Heaven and Earth, the immaterial and the material, and how they carry on existing.  Selflessness is the way in which they do this, for they don’t live for themselves, nor do they live for others, they simply exist without pre-conception or judgment.

Before we delve further into this discussion, an explanation of Immortality must be clarified.  Many assume that immortality is something possessed by gods and other otherworldly spirits, however, one need look no further than the Time of Troubles to see that a god may die just as surely as any other spirit upon existence.

What is immortality, then?  The only constant is change, all else can die and wither within the passage of time, and so, to seek immortality, -true- immortality, one must become one with that constant, and lose oneself within it.

We also see, again, the theme of opposites leading into each other.  A Sage who seeks to be in front will be jostled and interfered with, but a Sage who stays back finds their words cherished more keenly than all others.  A Sage who seeks above all else to be safe will find infinite dangers springing up to meet them, but a Sage who casts aside safety will find it.

Through selflessness, and not living for a concept of the self, one achieves, without achieving.

A scholar named Ch’eng Chu wrote, "Heaven, Earth, and Spirit share the same origin. Why don’t spirits share their immortality? Because Heaven and Earth are not aware they are Heaven and Earth. Only spirits are aware of themselves. And being aware of themselves, there is nothing they won't do to stay alive. But the more they care for their life, the more pained their life becomes. The more they nourish their bodies, the sicker their body becomes. People who have not thought this out say the followers of The Way are afraid of death and only interested in immortality. But this is getting it backwards."

So, if a Sage only seeks what lies beyond the self, then what do they seek?  Some say they have concrete answers to this, that there is but one way, to virtue.  I disagree with this assertion, and instead, insist upon the way a Sage follows always being inconsistent, never remaining the same.

A Sage seeks what gives them clarity, whatever form that takes.

~

8.

The best are like water:

Bringing help to all without competing, choosing what others avoid.

Hence approaching The Way, dwelling with earth, thinking with depth,

helping with kindness, speaking with truth, governing with peace,

working with skill, moving with time.

And because they don't compete, they aren't maligned.

~

This is a reiteration of the course of The Way being like that of water, and of the doctrine of non-competition.  Because the path of a Sage is drawn towards the depths, they experience no competition, because the instinct of others is to strive for greater heights.

The nature of The Way is like water, empty, clear, and deep.  Where water passes, life grows.  It reflects without flaw, and cleanses all.  Water can take any shape, but changes in accordance with the world and its cycles.

A scholar named Li Hung-Fu wrote, "How do we know the best don't compete? Everyone else chooses nobility. They alone choose humility. Everyone else chooses the pure. They alone choose the base. What they choose is what everyone else hates. Who is going to compete with them?"

~

9.

Instead of pouring in more, better stop while you can.

Making it sharper won't help it last longer.

Houses full of treasure can never be safe.

The vanity of success invites its own failure.

Retire when your work is done; this is the course of The Way.

~

Imagine for a moment a clay pitcher, empty.  Pouring in more and more water will eventually only make it overflow, as it is finite.  So too does a blade become useless when sharpened too much, its edge ruined by the gentlest stroke.

Collecting and gathering treasures, or great honors, inevitably leads to envy and downfall, for these things can never last, and are always coveted.

This is the basis of personal cultivation espoused by The Way.

So, what is the best decision to make?  The last line references the second Saying, “They don't claim what they achieve, and because they make no claim, they suffer no loss.”  Once a sculptor finishes their masterpiece, they do not worry and pick away at it.  They simply set their tools down and admire it.

A scholar named Liu Shi-Li wrote, "Since fullness always leads to emptiness, avoid satisfaction; since sharpness always leads to dullness, avoid zeal; since gold and jade always lead to worry, avoid greed; since wealth and honor encourage excess, avoid pride; since success and fame bring danger, know when to stop and where lies the mean. You don't have to live in the mountains and forests or cut yourself off from human affairs to enter the Way. Success and fame, wealth and honor are all encouragements to practice."

~

10.

Can you hold fast your waning soul and not let it wander?

Can you make your breath as soft as a baby's?

Can you wipe your Dark Mirror free of dust?

Can you serve and govern without effort?

Can you be receptive at Heaven's Gate?

Can you light up the world without knowledge?

Beget things and keep them, but beget without possessing, keep without controlling.

This is a deep virtue.

~

A soul’s course is to wax and wane over time, wandering across existence, swept up in existence and themselves.  A baby, however, has no conception of this at birth, no judgment, and so its breath comes unlabored and flawless.  The Dark Mirror is not quite the same as the analogue used by druidic circles, it instead refers to the darkness and depth of one’s own thoughts, and keeping that mirror clear is how one can view the self.

Serving and governing without effort is the very essence of doing without doing, discussed in Saying 2.

Being receptive at Heaven’s Gate is to acknowledge that there are still things to learn from the immaterial, and that the material alone does not dictate all things.  At the same time, lighting up the world without knowledge means using what you have learned, without laying claim to it as your own.

These, all, are deep virtues indeed!

Scholar Wang An-Shi wrote, “The best way to serve is by not serving. The best way to govern is by not governing. Hence, 'without effort.' Those who act without effort make use of the efforts of others. As for Heaven's Gate, this is the gate through which all creatures enter and leave. To be open means to be active. To be closed means to be still. Activity and stillness represent the male and the female. Just as stillness overcomes movement, the female overcomes the male.”

~

11.

Thirty spokes converge on a hub, but it's the emptiness that makes a wheel work.

Pots are fashioned from clay, but it's the hollow that makes a pot work.

Windows and doors are carved for a house, but it's the spaces that make a house work.

Existence makes something useful, but nonexistence makes it work.

~

It is easy to veil great lessons in deep metaphor, to weave a careful tapestry that confounds as much as enlightens.  Here, we see a simple lesson, in a simple form.

How would a pot hold anything at all, if it did not have the space within it?  So, too, is the space within a home the method through which it offers shelter.

What is, then, is equally as important as what is not.  Sometimes, what is not, in fact, is what makes it exist at all.

A scholar named Ch’eng Hsuan-Ying wrote, “A cart, a pot, and a house can hold things because they are empty. How much more the disciple who empties his mind.”

An unnamed scholar wrote,. "Heaven and Earth have form, and everyone knows that Heaven and Earth are useful. But they don't know that their usefulness depends on the emptiness of the Great Way. Likewise, we all have form and think ourselves useful but remain unaware that our usefulness depends on our empty; shapeless mind. Thus existence may have its uses, but real usefulness depends on nonexistence. Nonexistence, though, doesn't work by itself. It needs the help of existence."

~

12.

The five colors make our eyes blind.

The five tones make our ears deaf.

The five flavors make our mouths numb.

Riding and hunting make our minds wild.

Hard-to-get goods make us break laws.

Thus the rule of the sage puts the stomach ahead of the eyes.

Thus, he picks this over that.

~

It is a common practice in Shou Lung to tie many aspects to five, and some cosmologies presented by scholars in my lands also posit five distinct elements making up the totality of things - Water, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Wood.  The exact distinction of this cosmology is not as important as the fundamental lesson that the saying imparts.

It is easy to lose oneself in solely the material.  There are myriad colors, sounds, flavors, experiences, wealth, all of which we can tie ourselves.  This is ultimately to our detriment, however, as the urges these things provide us are ultimately impermanent and non-lasting.  If we try to fill ourselves up with them, we will only find that our hunger for them will never diminish.

A scholar named Li Yueh wrote, "The eyes are never satisfied, the stomach knows when it is full."

Because our desires will never be truly satisfied, we must learn, then, to banish the fleeting, and hold onto the constant.

~

13.

Favor and disgrace are like warnings, honor and disaster are like the body.

And why, are favor and disgrace like warnings?

Favor means descending; to gain it is like a warning, to lose it is like a warning.

Thus are favor and disgrace like warnings.

And why, are honor and disaster like the body?

The reason we have disaster, is because we have a body.

If we didn't have a body, we wouldn't have disaster.

Whoever honors his body as much as the world, can be trusted with the world.

Whoever loves his body as much as the world, can be charged with the world.

~

Favor leads to honor, honor leads to pride.  Pride leads to envy, envy leads to disgrace.

All of these things lead into each other, as that is the nature of these things.  It is thus imperative that the Sage breaks this chain, to not let the cycle control him as it does others.

A scholar named Lu Nung-Shi wrote, “Why does favor become disgrace and honor become disaster? Favor and honor are external things. They don't belong to us. When we try to possess them, they turn into disgrace and disaster.”

Thus, we should treat favor given to us by others as a warning; it means that disgrace from that favor is always possible as a consequence, as we can never truly control the source of the favor.

Thus, we should treat honors bestowed upon us as a disaster; it means that disaster will come for us if we sacrifice ourselves in favor of honors.

A scholar named Lai Yuan-Chi wrote, “We all possess something worthy that we don't have to seek outside ourselves, something that the glory of power or position cannot compare with. People need only start with this and cultivate without letting up. The sages said, ‘Two or three years of hardship, ten thousand years of bliss.’”

~

14.

We look but don't see it, and call it indistinct.

We listen but don't hear it, and call it faint.

We reach but don't grasp it, and call it ethereal.

Three failed means to knowledge, I weave into one.

With no light above, with no shade below,

Too fine to be named, returning to nothing,

This is the formless form, the immaterial image, this is the waxing waning.

We meet without seeing its face, we follow without seeing its back.

Holding onto this very Way, we rule this very realm, and discover its secrets.

This is the thread of the Way.

~

What we fail to perceive are the three failed means to knowledge; our worldly methods fail, inevitably, before understanding what we are unable to sense with our material senses.  Hence, we call these things indistinct, faint, ethereal.

Ho-Shang Kung entitled this verse, "In Praise of the Dark", and wrote, “About what has no color, sound, or form, mouths can't speak and books can't teach. We can only discover it in stillness and search for it with our spirit. We can't find it through investigation.”

All of these things make up the Great Mystery, The Way.  It cannot be spoken of, and no book can teach it, as all we can approach is the mere outline of it.  Our senses fail, our names are insufficient, our distinctions fall apart.

Li Yueh also wrote, “Everything is bright on top and dark on the bottom. But the Way does not have a top or bottom. Hence it is neither bright nor dark. Likewise,we do not see its face because it never appears, and we do not see its back because it never leaves.”

A scholar named Lu Hui-Ching wrote, “The past isn't different from today, because we know what began in the past. And today isn't different from the past, because we know where today came from. What neither begins or comes from anywhere else, we call the thread that has no end. This is the thread of The Way.”

~

15.

The ancient masters of The Way aimed at the indiscernible and penetrated the dark.

You would never know them, and because you wouldn't know them, I describe them with reluctance.

They were careful as if crossing a river in winter, cautious as if worried about neighbors, reserved like guests, ephemeral like melting ice, simple like uncarved wood, open like valleys, and murky like puddles.

But a puddle becomes clear when it's still, and stillness becomes alive when it's roused.

Those who treasure this Way don't try to be full.

Not trying to be full, they can hide and stay hidden.

~

Distinction arises over time, as the Ten Thousand Things distinguish themselves.  But those who mastered the Way in times past cannot be distinguished, as they were simply as everyone else was.  Hence, the description of only some of their acts, some of their habits, serves only as an outline to what they truly were, because who they truly are could never be expressed.

Su Ch’e also wrote, “Darkness is what penetrates everything but cannot itself be perceived. To be careful means to act only after taking precautions. To be cautious means to refrain from acting because of doubt or suspicion. Melting ice reminds us how the myriad things arise from delusion and never stay still.  Uncarved wood reminds us to put an end to fabrication and return to our original nature. A valley reminds us how encompassing emptiness is. And a puddle reminds us that we are no different from anything else.”

They stilled themselves to concentrate their spirit and roused themselves to strengthen their soul. In short, they guarded the self.  Through doing so, those who follow The Way remain hidden, indistinguishable from all others who walk the world.  

As another addendum, a core component of the symbology of The Way revolves around the concept of uncut wood representing the indistinguishable self.  As we distinguish ourselves in the world, chips are cut away from us, and a form begins to take shape.  A Sage of The Way, however, remains uncut.

~

16.

Let limits be empty, the center be still.

Ten thousand things rise, we watch them return.

Creatures without number, all return to their roots, return to their roots to be still.

To be still is to revive, to revive is to endure.

Knowing how to endure is wisdom, not knowing is to suffer in vain.

Knowing how to endure is to be all-embracing, all-embracing means impartial.

Impartial means the king, the king means Heaven, Heaven means the Way, and the Way means long life.

A life without trouble.

~

Inferring from the previous statements upon the nature of emptiness, the emptiness of limits refers to boundless possibility, while the stillness of the center infers a center to return to, but always, stillness returns once more to movement.

Huang Yuan-Chi also wrote, "Heaven has its fulcrum, people have their ancestors, plants have their roots. And where are these roots? Where things begin but have not yet begun, namely. the Dark Gate. If you want to cultivate the Great Way. but you don't know where this opening is, your efforts will be in vain."

When one regards the infinite potential inherent in existence, and its manifestations under The Way, the self as a center cannot help but differentiate itself, distinguish itself as distinct from that infinite potential.  It is through this disconnection that we cannot distinguish that which is real, but merely a rough outline of it, an approximation of the totality of things.  But we must cultivate our self through a variety of means, so that it may come into movement and stillness in accordance with The Way.

Ho Shang-Kung wrote upon this saying, "To know the unchanging course of the Way is to be free of passion and desire and to be all-embracing. To be all-embracing is to be free of self-interest. To be free of self-interest is to rule the world. To rule the world is to merge your virtue with that of Heaven. And to merge your virtue with that of Heaven is to be one with the Way. If you can do this, you will last as long as Heaven and Earth and live without trouble."

The Sage enjoys a life without limits.

~

17.

In times long past, people knew who their rulers were.

Then people loved and praised them, then they feared them, finally they despised them.

When honesty fails, dishonesty prevails.

Hesitate and guard your words.

When their work succeeds, let people think they did it.

~

There is an old song about the Second Age of Shou Lung: "Sunup we rise / sundown we rest / we dig wells to drink / we plough fields to eat / the emperor's might / what is it to us?"  Those unfamiliar with the age must remember that Shou Lung emerged from the chaos of the post-Imaskar period into a time mostly unconstrained by imperial interference with daily life.  The people did not know who the Emperor was, as he did not interfere in his subjects' lives.

A Scholar named Lu Hsi-Sheng wrote, "The virtuous lords of ancient times initiated no actions and left no traces, hence the people knew they were there and that was all. When their virtue began to fade, they ruled with kindness and justice, and the people loved and praised them.  When their kindness and justice no longer controlled people's hearts, they governed with laws and punishments, and the people feared them. When their laws and punishments no longer controlled people's minds, they acted with force and deceit, and the people despised them."

Although outwardly a commentary solely upon temporal political power, this, too, can be a lesson on internal cultivation.  We appeal to things such as kindness, justice, law, as ways to center ourselves in the flux of the world, but these things inherently only spawn reactions to them.  Cultivation, thus, must be achieved through detachment from judgemental concepts.

It is through distinction that the self becomes known, and draws honors and disasters alike.  Thus, a Sage does not draw honor or distinction from having led a task, but lets those involved simply acknowledge their own efforts.  

Lu Hui-Ch’ing also wrote, ':As long as the people think they did it themselves, they have no reason to love or praise anyone."

~

18.

When the Great Way disappears, we meet kindness and justice.

When reason appears, we meet great deceit.

When the six relations fail, we meet obedience and love.

When the country is in chaos, we meet honest officials.

~

Kindness and justice may emerge from The Way and its manifestations, but it is when these are enshrined and judged to be ideal that they become lessened and cheapened.  Reason, too, only draws deceit to fool it.

Family ties, when they fail, only draw lectures about how important the filial virtues may be, enshrining obedience and love, and thus causing resentment.

Chaos draws a demand for someone to make it right.

Wang P’ang also wrote, "During a virruous age, obedience and love are considered normal, hence no one is called obedient or loving. Nowadays, when someone is obedient or loving, we praise them. This is because the six relations are no longer harmonious. Also, when peace prevails, everyone is honest. How can there be honest officials?"

~

19.

Get rid of wisdom and reason, and people will live a hundred times better.

Get rid of kindness and justice, and people once more will love and obey.

Get rid of cleverness and profit, and thieves will cease to exist.

But these three sayings are not enough, hence let this be added:

Wear the undyed and hold the uncarved, reduce self-interest and limit desires.

Get rid of learning, and problems will vanish.

~

Getting rid of our pre-conceived notions, our judgements, is what allows us to remain in motion.  It is through the enshrinement of wisdom and reason, kindness and justice, cleverness and profit, the assignment of honor to these things, that the negative manifestations of these things come to be.  

A scholar named Wang Chen wrote, "Put an end to wisdom that leaves tracks and reason that deceives, and people will benefit greatly. Put an end to arrogant kindness and treacherous justice, and relatives will unite on their own and will once more love and obey. Put an end to excessive cleverness and personal profit, and armies will no longer appear. And when armies no longer appear, thieves will no longer exist.”

How, then, do we get rid of these judgements from ourselves?  By focusing upon that which lacks conception, which lacks distinction. Uncut wood, undyed wool, simply is.  It can become myriad things, but in its incarnation, it is potential.

~

20.

Yes and no aren't so far apart, lovely and ugly aren't so unalike, what others fear, we too must fear.

Before the moon wanes, everyone celebrates, as if they were at the Great Sacrifice, or climbing a tower in spring.

I sit here and make no sign, like a child that doesn't smile, lost with no one to turn to.

While others enjoy more, I alone seem forgotten, my mind is so foolish, so simple.

Others look bright; I alone seem dim.  Others are certain; I alone am confused.

Receding like the ocean, waxing without cease.

Everyone has a goal: I alone am dumb and backward.

For I alone choose to differ, preferring still my mother's breast.

~

A reaffirming of how distinction only reaffirms the sameness of things, lays the backdrop for what I consider one of the most significant sayings upon inner cultivation thus discussed.

The path to inner cultivation lies along a route distinct from the experiences that one is drawn to through judgement; not so much detachment from the aspects of life, but more an acknowledgement, an acceptance, but a refusal to let it shape the self.  Through this, we hone the self into a mirror, that reflects the nature of what is, rather than the judgements and pre-conceptions placed upon us by experience, whether that be others or our own.

A scholar by the name of Lai Tsinyun wrote, "What others love, the Sage also loves. What others fear, the Sage also fears. Where the Sage differs, is that others don't see anything outside their own minds. The mind of the Sage, meanwhile, wanders in The Way."

A celebration draws the senses, like a moth to flame.

So too, does the world, in its myriad shapes.  The many extremes that exist in the world are there to draw us to them, to mold us in their image.  By doing so, we abandon the self, and draw upon distinction to define ourselves.

I want to draw for a moment upon imagery discussed in the Seven Gates of Ascension, namely, the ideas of the self, the body, and the mind.  Through the myriad things in the world, the inherent self is viewed through a prism, warped into a shape that refracts through those concepts, through those judgements.

Much like a carved block of wood is chipped away to take its shape, we can see clearly the parallels in the teachings of The Way, and can apply them in turn.

~

21.

The expression of empty virtue comes from the Way alone:

The Way as a thing, waxes and wanes.

It waxes and wanes, but inside is an image.  It wanes and waxes, but inside is a creature.

It's distant and dark, but inside is an essence, an essence fundamentally real.

Inside is a heart, throughout the ages, its name has never changed, so we might follow our ancestors.

How do we know what our ancestors were like?

Through this.

~

The Way, as we have discussed, is known as being empty, and expressing that emptiness requires one to empty the self of pre-conception and judgement.  Assigning virtue to it, then, seems odd and out of place, yet what other word can we use to describe it?  It shifts and moves, never remaining the same, yet constant in its change.  

Huang Yuan-Chi also wrote, "Emptiness and the Way are indivisible. Those who seek the Way cannot find it except through emptiness. But formless emptiness is of no use to those who cultivate the Way."

Within that virtue, then, lives what was, and what is.  Because we cannot see it actively acting upon the world around us, we say that it is distant and dark, but even if we cannot actively see it acting upon the world, it acts nonetheless.

Wu Ch’eng also wrote, '''Inside' refers to Virtue. 'Image' refers to the breath of something before it is born. 'Creature' refers to the form of something after it is born. 'Distant and dark' refers to the utter invisibility of the Way."

With this constant of change, then, it remains true to itself.  Names and things change, and rise and fall, but this will remain, regardless of the rising of cities and laws to guide the masses to other paths.  Through this understanding, we can know at least some assumptions about the world and its relationship to the things that change and shift it.

~

22.

Partial means whole, crooked means straight.

Hollow means full, worn-out means new.

Less means content, more means confused.

Thus the sage holds onto the one, to use in guiding the world:

Not watching himself, he appears;

Not displaying himself, he flourishes;

Not flattering himself, he succeeds;

Not parading himself, he leads.

Because he doesn't compete, no one can compete against him.

The ancients who said partial means whole came close indeed; becoming whole depends on this.

~

The first few lines of this saying seem paradoxical, of course, but it is the understanding of what is missing that allows us to approach what makes us whole; it is the understanding of where the bends lay that means that they can be straightened.  It is through learning these limits, and these aspects, that we can cultivate ourselves.

Wu Ch’eng also wrote, "By exploring one side to its limits, we eventually find all sides.  By grasping one thing, we eventually encompass the whole. The caterpillar bends in order to straighten itself. A hollow in the ground fills with water. The renewal of spring depends on the withering of fall. By having less, it's easy to have more. By having more, it's easy to become confused."

A scholar by the name of Lai Hsi-Chai wrote, "The reason the sage is able to be chief of all creatures is because he holds onto the one. Holding onto the one. he never leaves the Way. Hence, he doesn't watch himself but relies instead on the vision of others. He doesn't talk about his own strengths but relies instead on the strengths of others. He stands apart and doesn't compete. Hence no one can compete against him."

Through not watching the self, the Sage becomes apparent to all who bear witness.  How does this happen?  Through their presence alone, not through their deeds or words.  Through not displaying their success, the Sage flourishes.  How does this happen?  Through laying no claim to it, and allowing it to simply be.  Through not flattering themselves, the Sage succeeds.  How does this happen?  Through retaining a clear vision of the self, and its relation to the one.  Through not parading themselves, the Sage leads.  How does this happen?  Through letting the people decide for themselves who to follow.

~

23.

Whispered words are natural; A gale doesn't last all morning, a squall doesn't last all day.

Who else could make these?  Only Heaven and Earth.

If Heaven and Earth can't make things last, what about Man?

Thus, in whatever we do:

Let those on the Way be one with the Way.

Let those who succeed be one with success.

Let those who fail be one with failure.

Be one with success, for the Way succeeds too.

Be one with failure, for the Way fails too.

~

Whispered words, in this sense, has been interpreted by a few scholars, myself included, as inferring to inaudible words, unable to be made out.  Words are not natural, and never have been, and it is only words that cannot be heard that can truly be considered natural.

The impermanence of things does not only apply to man, it also applies to wind, storms, rain, and all the manifestations of The Way.  If heaven and earth in kind cannot resist change, who are we to resist it as well?  None of what we uphold can last forever, but will invariably change.  It is thus the imperative of the Sage to change with the Way, and how the Sage changes with the Way is by remaining natural.

A scholar named Chiao Huang wrote, "Those who pursue the Way are natural. Natural means free from success and hence free from failure. Such people don't succeed and don't fail but simply go along with the successes and failures of the age. Or if they do succeed or fail, the result does not affect them."

~

24.

Who tiptoes doesn't stand for long,

Who strides long doesn't walk far,

Who watches himself doesn't appear,

Who displays himself doesn't flourish,

Who flatters himself achieves nothing,

Who parades himself doesn't lead.

On the road they say, too much food and a tiring pace.

Some things are simply unhelpful, thus the Sage shuns them.

~

Standing atop the tip of one’s toes is an exertion that one cannot maintain indefinitely.  So too is the lengthening of one’s stride to speed up one’s journey.  Fundamentally, this is a lesson on exertion, and how when we push ourselves to be what is not natural to us, we suffer as a result.

This exertion runs antithetical to The Way, as a man might run against the course of a river.  He may succeed for a time, but always, the river flows, and even the most stubborn efforts will end up dislodged.

Su Ch’e also wrote, "Anyone can stand or walk. But if someone is not content with standing and tiptoes to extend his height, or is not content with walking and strides to increase his speed. his stance and his pace are sure to suffer. It's the same with someone who watches himself. or displays himself. or flatters himself. or parades himself. It's like eating or drinking. As soon as you're full, stop. Overeating will make you ill. It's like manual work. As soon as you're done, stop. Overwork will only exhaust you."

Although I have spoken much on trying to remove judgement and pre-conception, there are some things within this world that simply will not help you.  It is not good, it is not bad, but in that moment, in that context, it is a hinderance.  In this sense, removing the judgements and pre-conceptions related to these aspects reduces the hold they have upon you.

Lu Hui-Ching also wrote, "Why should Sages avoid things? Doesn't The Way dwell in what others avoid? (Saying 8). The Sage doesn't avoid what others hate, namely humility and weakness. He only avoids what others fight over, namely flattery and ostentation. Hence he avoids some things and not others. But he never fights."

~

25.

Imagine a nebulous thing, here before Heaven and Earth.

Silent and elusive, it stands alone not wavering, it travels everywhere unharmed.

It could be the mother of us all.

Not knowing its name, I call it The Way; forced to name it, I name it Great.

Great means ever-flowing, ever-flowing means far-reaching, far-reaching means returning.

The Way is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, people are also great.

The realm contains four greats, to these, the people belong.

Man imitates Earth, Earth imitates Heaven, Heaven imitates The Way, The Way imitates itself.

~

Because the Way is indistinct, we see it as nebulous.  It stands alone not wavering, it travels everywhere unharmed, because from it, all things came to be.  We cannot know it for certain, and we certainly cannot know its name, but it is a Way one can follow nonetheless, and if forced to describe it, yes, I think I would call it quite great.

Li Hsi-Chai also wrote, "It stands alone but does not stand alone. It goes everywhere but does not go anywhere. It's the mother of the world, but it is not the mother of the world."

As stated above, greatness is signified not simply by a static state, but a constant dynamic change, through which one’s influence becomes far reaching through its inability to merely be pinned down.  To reach far, however, leads right back into returning.

All things in the world are great, from the grandest mountain to the lowliest rat.  We all go through these changes, always shifting, always reaching, but always returning to the center.

A scholar by the name of Wang Pi wrote, "If Man does not turn his back on Earth, he brings peace to all. Hence he imitates Earth. If Earth does not turn its back on Heaven, it supports all. Hence it imitates Heaven. If Heaven does not turn its back on The Way, it covers all. Hence it imitates The Way. And if The Way does not turn its back on itself, it realizes its nature. Hence it imitates itself."

~

26.

Heavy is the root of light, still is the master of busy.

Thus a lord might travel all day, but never far from his supplies.

Even in a guarded camp, his manner is calm and aloof.

Why would the lord of ten thousand chariots treat himself lighter than his kingdom?

Too light, he loses his base, too busy, he loses command.

~

All of the light things in the world weigh nothing at all.  Titles, honors, fame, misfortune, all of it blows away at the slightest of breezes, leaving nothing behind in their wake.  The heavy, however, remain rooted.  As a rock prevents paper from being blown in the wind, so too does the heaviness of the Sage prevent themselves from blowing away.

Stillness is the master of busy, because stillness translates into motion, and then back again.  Those who are busy scurry about, and do not ever return to stillness, hence they are governed by their motion.  Following on arguments presented in Saying 24, whoever occupies themselves in all their time will wear themselves thin in no time at all.

Even though a lord might travel fifty kilometers a day in a passenger cart or thirty kilometers a day in a military cart, he does not hurry so far ahead that he loses sight of the supply carts behind him.  Through this, he maintains his poise and ability to react to situations as they arise, instead of expending oneself foolishly.

In this sense, one who wishes to rule, whether it be over oneself or others, must be careful to treat those who he seeks to rule with heaviness, and not with lightness.  They must be available to address needs, without falling into constant action.

~

27.

Good walking leaves no tracks, good talking reveals no flaws, Good counting counts no beads.

Good closing locks no locks, and yet it can't be opened.

Good tying ties no knots, and yet it can't be undone.

Thus the sage is good at saving, and yet abandons no one, nor anything of use.

This is called cloaking the light.

Thus the good instruct the bad, the bad learn from the good.

Not honoring their teachers, not cherishing their students, the wise alone are perfectly blind.

This is called peering into the distance.

~

When something is done well, there is no need to revisit it.  Good refers to that which comes without effort, that which comes naturally.

A scholar named Zhou Lai wrote, "The sage moves through the world with an empty self and accepts the way things are. Hence he leaves no tracks. He does not insist that his own ideas are right and accepts the words of others. Hence he reveals no flaws. He does not care about life and death, much less profit and loss. Hence he counts no beads. He does not set traps, and yet nothing escapes him. Hence he uses no locks. He is not kind, and yet everyone flocks to him. Hence he ties no knots."

To save people means that some people have been abandoned to begin with.  Thus, a sage does not save anyone, yet offers succor to all in the process.  They encompass all, by refusing to do so.  Through not claiming and showing off their salvation, it remains hidden, and thus they can continue to do their work, untroubled, and uncontested.

A student learns from a teacher, and a teacher teaches a student.  But when the student has finished learning, it is imperative that they cast aside their image of the teacher.  When the teacher has finished teaching, they must cast aside their image of their pupil.  Otherwise, these images impact our perceptions of others, and render it impossible to remain impartial.

Impartiality, as a whole, is a kind of blindness.  You refuse to see the aspects of others that emerge, instead hewing to their truth, and their Self.  A sage remains blind, so he can see farther than others.

S’u Che also wrote, "The sage does not care about teaching, hence he does not love his students. And the world does not care about learning, hence people do not honor their teachers. The sage not only forgets the world, he makes the world forget him."

~

28.

Recognize the male, but hold onto the female, and be the world's maid.

Being the world's maid, don't lose your ancient virtue.

Not losing your ancient virtue, be a newborn child again.

Recognize the pure, but hold onto the defiled, and be the world's valley.

Being the world's valley, be filled with ancient virtue.

Being filled with ancient virtue, be uncarved wood again.

Recognize the white, but hold onto the black, and be the world's guide.

Being the world's guide, don't stray from ancient virtue.

Not straying from ancient virtue, be without limits again.

Uncarved wood can be split to make tools; the sage makes it his chief official.

A master tailor doesn't cut.

~

One cannot help but recognize the acts of Yang upon existence, as fleeting as they may be.  But it is because it is fleeting that we must go to the sole constant, change.  All things rise and fall, it is what makes them part of The Way.  A recurring theme is a return.  To return is to cultivate the self to its original, rejuvenated state, before the drain of life begins, to rejoin The Way in its wholeness.  To use the analogy of a river, it is returning to the source, in a metaphorical and spiritual sense.  

A scholar named Wang Tao wrote, "The sage recognizes 'that' but holds onto 'this.' 'Male' and 'female' refer to hard and soft. 'Pure' and 'defiled' refer to noble and humble. 'White' and 'black' refer to light and dark. Although hard, noble, and light certainly have their uses, hard does not come from hard but from soft. Noble does not come from noble but from humble. And light does not come from light but from dark. Hard, noble, and light are the secondary forms and farther from The Way. Soft, humble, and dark are the primary forms and closer to The Way. Hence the sage returns to the original: uncarved wood. Uncarved wood can be made into tools, but tools cannot be made into uncarved wood. The sage is like uncarved wood, not a tool. He is the chief official, not a functionary."

To draw upon Scholar Tao’s analogy, uncarved wood is the limitless potential of the self.  The Sage thus can manifest anything they need from this potential, thus crafting a tool from that potential.  At the same time, however, the Sage is in a constant state of forming and returning to formlessness, motion and stillness.

This manifestation and de-manifestation is a key component to ki cultivation, and forms the basis by which not only abilities are manifested, but also refinements within the Sage’s body.  This may manifest in a number of ways depending upon the adept’s preference; there is no need for a solid and consistent theory of application.

~

29.

Trying to govern the world with force, I see this not succeeding.

The world is a spiritual thing; it can't be forced.

To force it is to harm it, to control it is to lose it.

Sometimes things lead, sometimes they follow; sometimes blow hot, sometimes blow cold; sometimes expand, sometimes collapse.

Therefore the sage avoids extremes, avoids extravagance, avoids excess.

~

“To pick up sand, one needs a steady hand.  It is not through a tight grasp that one catches it, for it will simply slip through your fingers.  It is through cupping the hand gently, that sand is contained.”

The world is like that sand.  It forms, reforms; where once was reassuring solidity can arise frightening volatility.  By grasping it tightly, you only make it more volatile, and it separates into a thousand grains, and reforms once more.

The reflection of the Self, in this, comes about through recognition of the Self as a mutable thing, capable of changes and shifts.  It is why a careful balance must be done while cultivating, in order to return to the Self.  It must be gently cupped, and through this, it is retained.  To force the Self may allow it to bloom, but it will ultimately harm it.

Allowing the Self to engage with the changes and shifts in things as they come naturally, stillness and motion can be achieved, forming the basis for Ki moving through the meridians.  This movement, and returning to stillness, is often accomplished through meditation and other means.

Su Ch’e also wrote, "The interchange of yin and yang, of high and low, of great and small is the way things are and cannot be avoided. Fools are selfish. They insist on having their own way and meet with disaster. The sage knows he cannot oppose things. He agrees with whatever he meets. He eliminates extremes and thereby keeps the world from harm."

~

30.

Use the Tao to help your king; don't use weapons to rule the land, such things soon return.

Where armies camp, brambles grow.

Best to win then stop, don't make use of force.

Win but don't be proud, win but don't be vain, win but don't be cruel.

Win when you have no choice; this is to win without force.

Virility means old age; this isn't The Way.

What isn't The Way ends early.

~

Because what we emanate into the world returns to us, it is important to consider what it is that we are accomplishing with our cultivation of the Self.  A force of the Self can result in retribution, if not from the acts of rivals, then by more subtle deeds.

Wang An-Shih also wrote, "Man's retribution is clear, while Heaven's retribution is obscure. Where an army spends the night, brambles soon appear. In an army's wake, bad years follow. This is the retribution of Heaven."

Through these means, we must be careful to be able to return in kind.  To project our force into the world means that we must shape ourselves to respond to whatever will come back.  In this way, we recognize that honor becomes a disaster.  Cultivation is not only to define the self, but also to make subtle, to change the self.  It is stillness and motion.

Lu Hui-Ch’ing also wrote, "To win means to defeat one's enemies. To win without being arrogant about one's power, to win without being boastful about one's ability. to win without being cruel about one's achievement, this sort of victory only comes from being forced and not from the exercise of force."

~

31.

Weapons are not auspicious tools; some things are simply bad, thus the Sage shuns them.

In peace the ruler honors the left, in war he honors the right.

Weapons are not auspicious, weapons are not a ruler's tools; he wields them when he has no choice.

Dispassion is the best, thus he does not beautify them.

He who beautifies them enjoys killing others; he who enjoys killing others achieves no worldly rule.

Thus we honor the left for joy, we honor the right for sorrow.

The left is where the governor stands, the commander on the right; which means as at a funeral.

When you kill another, honor him with your tears; when the battle is won, treat it as a wake.

~

As stated before, it would be foolish to deny the influence of Yang within the world.  Their acts cause great suffering, even if they are ultimately ephemeral.  Weapons are not tools, and they must always be recognized as what they are: an implement of death.  While tools can be used to construct and build, weapons always are used to destroy, and to take life.

The ministers who sit to the left of a ruler in the Celestial Empire represent peace and calm, hence represented by a governor, and the ministers who sit to the right of the ruler are his generals and commandants.

Though cultivation can give one an incredible amount of control over life, and the strength and ability to end it, we must recognize that our abilities are not weapons, they are tools.  An axe can be used to fight as well as chop down trees.  To focus it merely upon the martial is to discard an entire subset of development, that can take a number of versatile paths.  

A scholar named Li Jung wrote, "The ancients used weapons with compassion. They honored them for their virtue and disdained them as tools. Once the enemy was defeated, the general put on plain, undyed clothes, presided over a funeral ceremony, and received the mourners."

Remember that others walk these paths.  Harbor compassion for them, especially if they do not quite know the steps they take.  Honing oneself as you would a razor will only render your edge dull.

~

32.

The Way has never had a name.

Simple and though small, no one can command it.

If a lord upheld it, the world would be his guest.

When Heaven joins with Earth, they bestow sweet dew:

No one gives the order; it comes down to all.

The first distinction gives us names.

After we have names, we should know restraint.

Who knows restraint knows no trouble.

To picture The Way in the world, imagine rivers and the sea.

~

We cannot name The Way; even the name ‘The Way’ itself is an outline.  Through the suggestion of what it is, and what it isn’t, we approach an understanding of it, regardless.  The way in which it manifests is the movements of existence, how things interact with each other.

A common example given of this interconnectedness is describing reality as a large sheet.  Tugging upon one corner moves the others; you cannot adjust one part without adjusting all of the others.  This does not happen due to some grand pronouncement or decree, it simply emerges as if it always was.  

Through this, we see a path forwards for Cultivation of the Self, without force.  Stirring one’s Ki to motion, and bringing it to stillness again, allows one to develop the necessary strength for channeling it, without requiring the adept to hone the body as much as one might expect.  

A scholar named Jen Fa-Jung wrote, "In terms of practice, if someone can be serene and natural, free himself from desire, and put his mind at rest, his yin and yang breaths will come together on their own and penetrate every artery and organ. Inside his mouth, the saliva of sweet dew will appear spontaneously and nourish his whole body."

Scholar Jen is detailing the basics of a technique by which one might sustain themselves utilizing their cultivation base, by circulating and replenishing one’s Ki, but it is applicable to any number of uses.

Through this union of forces, and controlling the flow of one’s essence, one may return to the center.  Recognizing the ways in which The Way flows requires a recognition of its traits, however, to facilitate this.

We come to understand that The Way flows to the lowest points, and sustains all.  Thus, do rivers flow to the sea, and the sea meets the rivers where they flow.  Through this, we recognize the forces that act, from both directions, and we start to see the greater outline of things.

~

33.

Who knows others is perceptive, who knows himself is wise.

Who conquers others is forceful, who conquers himself is strong.

Who knows contentment is wealthy, who strives hard succeeds.

Who doesn't lose his place endures, who dies but doesn't perish lives on.

~

Once again, we are called to recognize the external manifestations, but strengthen and affirm the internal.  It is through this that we cultivate the self.  The root of all external manifestations comes from the internal distinction of such, and thus, we govern our approach through our understanding of the internal affairs of external manifestations.

Li Hsi-Chai also wrote, "Perception is external knowledge. Wisdom is internal knowledge. Force is external control. Strength is internal control. Perception and force mislead us. Wisdom and strength are true. They are the door to The Way."

To lose your place is to distance yourself from the unity of the Self.  To die is to shed the Self, to attain the Self.  It is through letting go, not laying claim, that we approach immortality.

A scholar named Ts’ao Tao-Ch’ung wrote, "Though the Great Way might be far off, if we persevere without pause, we advance. We get closer and closer, until suddenly we become one with the Way. Whoever has a goal can do anything. Outside, be content with your lot. Inside, focus on the Way. And you cannot help but live long."

~

34.

The Way drifts; it can go left or right.

Everything lives by its grace, but it doesn't speak.

When its work succeeds, it makes no claim, it has no desires.

Shall we call it small?

Everything turns to it, but it wields no control.

Shall we call it great?

Therefore: the sage never acts great, thus he can do great things.

~

Undefined, undistinguished, The Way flows through the spaces of existence, its presence felt throughout, but never laying claim to any of it.  Desire has nothing to do with its movements and manifestations, as it merely is following its nature.

Li Hsi-Chai also wrote, "The Great Way is a watery expanse that extends to the eight horizons. But when we use it, it's as close as our left or right hand. There is nothing that doesn't depend on it for life, and yet it never speaks of its power. There is nothing that doesn't happen without it, and yet it never mentions its

Achievements."

A common analogy used to describe existence, attributed to Fargh Choi of T’u Lung, is that of a sheet.  Tugging upon one corner of it draws the rest of it, and there can be no action upon it that is not mirrored in a reaction elsewhere.  Although fundamentally being only a metaphor, it serves adequately.

When applied to the Self, actions taken change not only the fabric of the Self, but also the fabrics of the Selfs around them.  It is through this mechanism that we understand the concept embodied in stillness and motion, as applied to cultivation.  To bring to motion is not simply to move, spatially, but to move spiritually and mentally as well.  To bring to stillness is not simply to be still, spatially, and so on.  

An example of this is breath.  Through breathing in, we bring to motion, nourishing the Self, and holding the breath, we bring it to stillness.  We then release the breath, bringing the Self back to motion, and holding it there, we bring it to stillness renewed.  This is the essence of returning.  Other exercises will be covered within an appendix later in this book.

Lu Hui-Ch’ing also wrote, "The Tao hides in what has no name, and the sage embodies it through what has no name. He doesn't consider himself great, and yet no one is greater. For he can go left or right. Hence he is neither small nor great. And because he is neither small nor great, he can do great things."

~

35.

“Hold up the Great Image, and the world will come and be beyond harm, safe, serene, and at one.”

Fine food and song detains passing guests.

When the Way speaks it's senseless and plain.

We look and don't see it, we listen and don't hear it.

But we use it without end.

~

The Great Image is the representation of the Way, formless, shapeless, and infinite.  

Li Jung also wrote, "The Great Image has no form. What has no form is the great and empty Way. To 'hold' means to focus or keep. Those who can keep their body in the realm of Dark Virtue and focus their mind on the gate of Hidden Serenity possess the Way. All things come to them. Clouds appear, and all creatures are refreshed. Rain pours down, and all plants are nourished. And all these blessings come from such a subtle thing."

The various pleasures and desires of the world inevitably detain those who pass them, because few can resist them.  Their complex words and celebrations draw people in.  But The Way has none of these gaudy excesses, instead, it hews to simplicity, efficiency, and plainness.  The reason why it does, harkens back to the uncut wood.

The myriad manifestations of desire are cut, already shaped.  They have taken their forms, and thus stay within them, unable to change, until they are torn apart.  A Sage of The Way, however, remains uncut.  Because they remain uncut, they have nothing but potential.

Zhou Lai also wrote, "A great man's words are plain like water. A small man's words are sweet like wine. The plainness of a great man brings people closer, while the sweetness of a small man drives them apart. Those who come together for no reason, separate for no reason."

This potential, this uncut nature, is the essence of returning to The Way.  It is a renewal, to a fundamental nature, undiminished by time or other factors; an original state.

Ho-Shang Kung also wrote, "If someone used The Way to govern the country, the country would be rich and the people prosperous. If someone used it to cultivate himself, there would be no limit to the length of his life."

~

36.

What you would shorten, you should therefore lengthen.

What you would weaken, you should therefore strengthen.

What you would topple, you should therefore raise.

What you would take, you should therefore give.

This is called hiding the light; the weak conquering the strong.

Fish can't survive out of the deep.

A Sage's greatest tool is not meant to be shown.

~

Approaching things from the opposite direction is a way to gain the full picture of a situation.  Because the tendency is for actions in excess to lead to their own downfall, a Sage guides through opposite actions.  You must consider the opposite of each of these statements just as valid as their contrast.

Lu Hui-Ch’ing also wrote, "To perceive shortening in lengthening, weakening in strengthening, toppling in raising, taking in giving, how could anyone do this if not through the deepest insight. This is the hidden light. Moreover, what causes things to be shortened or lengthened, weakened or strengthened, toppled or raised, taken or given is invisible and weak. While what is shortened or lengthened, weakened or strengthened, toppled or raised, taken or given is visible and strong. Thus the weak conquer the strong. People should not abandon weakness, just as fish should not abandon the depths. When fish abandon the depths, they are caught. When a person abandons weakness, he joins the league of the dead."

Please note a comparison to verse 27: Cloaking the light is hiding it.  These opposite interactions inevitably lead into one another.

~

37.

The Way never does a thing, yet there is nothing it doesn't do.

If a ruler could uphold it, people by themselves would change.

And changing if their desires stirred, he could make them still.

With simplicity that has no name, stilled by nameless simplicity,

They would not desire, and not desiring, be at peace.

The world would fix itself.

~

Existence is made up by a myriad of forces, all acting in concert to push or pull reality in one direction or another.  Some might consider this status a state of ‘balance’, but looking at it closer reveals that there are elements of imbalance even within the balance, moments when the scales tip and have yet to right themselves.  In this aspect, we can consider the balance of existence to be a constantly changing and shifting thing, rather than a consistent, unchanging status; a sort of law arising from chaos, in a sense.

Wu Ch’eng also wrote, "The Way's lack of effort is ancient and eternal and not simply temporary. Although it doesn't do a thing, it does everything it should do. If rulers could uphold this Tao of effortlessness, without consciously thinking about changing others, others would change by themselves."

The Way, however, doesn’t enact its will.  It has no will, in a sense, yet all it wishes to be done is done.  How does it do this?  By holding firm to itself, and acting according to its nature, all the ten thousand things of existence come into being around it.  Its existence necessitates all of existence.

Zhou Lai also wrote, "If nobles and kings could only uphold the Tao, all creatures would change by themselves without thinking about changing. This is the effect of upholding the Tao. When creatures first change, their desires disappear. But before long, their trust fades and feelings well up and begin to flow until desires reappear. When this occurs, those who are adept at saving others must block the source of desire with nameless simplicity."

Through this, we see that the ever-tilting wobble of the ‘balance’ of reality is, in fact, a representation of The Way.  Existence remains so, because we exist in a system that justifies its own existence.

~

38.

Higher Virtue is not virtuous, thus it possesses virtue.

Lower Virtue is not without virtue, thus it possesses no virtue.

Higher Virtue lacks effort, and the thought of effort.

Higher Kindness involves effort, but not the thought of effort.

Higher Justice involves effort, and the thought of effort.

Higher Ritual involves effort, but no response, until it threatens and compels.

When the Way is lost virtue appears; when virtue is lost kindness appears.

When kindness is lost justice appears; when justice is lost ritual appears.

Ritual marks the waning of belief, and the onset of confusion.

Augury is the flower of the Way, and the beginning of delusion.

Thus the great choose thick over thin, the fruit over the flower.

Therefore, they pick this over that.

~

The first thing you must recognize is the nature of Virtue within The Way.  

Han Fei also wrote, “Virtue is The Way at work.”

Scholars have written page after page, asking what is virtue, asking if there is but one concrete definition that holds existence accountable, but at the heart of it, what virtue is, is The Way expressing itself.  Through this, we see the meaning of Higher Virtue: Existence following its nature, wobbling around its central balance.

Lower Virtue, then, is what comes when things distinguish themselves from The Way.  It is when Virtue is named that it begins to be diminished, for distinction is what brings it further from The Way.  After naming and distinction, then, comes an active effort to try and live up to these concepts of “virtue”.  This is where Kindness is birthed, and by it, its opposite, malice.  This results in the rise of Justice, as what should be (kindness) is seen as something to strive for, and thus what should not be (malice) should be punished.  Punishment, then, becomes the ritual, becomes the standard by which all things are approached, and The Way is forgotten in favor of ephemeral constructs.

Wu Ch’eng also wrote, "The Way is like a fruit. Hanging from a tree, it contains the power of life, but its womb is hidden. Once it falls, it puts forth virtue as its root, kindness as its stem, justice as its branches, ritual as its leaves, and knowledge as its flowers. All of these come from the Way. 'That' refers to flowers.  ‘This' refers to fruit. Those who embody the Way choose the fruit over the flowers."

~

39.

Of things that became one in the past;

Heaven became one and was clear, Earth became one and was still,

Spirits became one and were active, Streams became one and were full,

And Kings became one and ruled the world.

But by implication;

Heaven would crack if it were always clear,

Earth would crumble if it were always still,

Spirits would fail if they were always active,

Streams would dry up if they were always full,

Kings would fall if they were always high and noble,

Thus the noble is based on the humble, the high is founded on the low.

Thus do kings refer to themselves as orphaned, widowed, and destitute.

But is this the basis of humility?

Counting a carriage as no carriage at all?

Not wanting to clink like jade, they clunk like rock.

~

The aspects of fullness, of becoming one, must be able to return to a state of division in turn.  This much became evident to me, during the course of a treatment I attempted to administer to an individual, who had slid back in his cultivation to the point that his myriad Selfs had become separate once more, but to an extreme.

This is a constant threat that a practitioner must guard against, the pride and arrogance that comes with cultivation must be tempered.  Just because we have achieved ascension, or progress, does not mean that this progress is ours inherently, or indefinitely.  It is through the course of our movements through our life that the meaning, and the actual consequence of our ascension, comes to bear fruit.

Thus, we can see modeled in nature what happens to those who ascend without contemplating what it actually means.  Inevitably, they reach their zenith, and the moment a delay comes, the moment any backwards movement occurs, they lose it all, because they could never hold the possibility of that loss within themselves.

Wang Pi also wrote, “One is the beginning of numbers and the end of things.  All things become complete when they become one.  But once they become complete, they leave oneness behind and focus on being complete.  And by focusing on being complete, they lose their mother.  Hence, they crack, they crumble, they dissipate, they dry up, and they fall.  As long as they have their mother, they can preserve their form.  But their mother has no form.”

But what is Ascension in nature without Decension in turn?  Clearly, as the two lead into each other, they are inextricably tied with each other.  As the Self unifies, it sets the Self up to separate once more.  Truly, then, to Ascend is not an end, it is merely another step on a journey of understanding.

~

40.

The Way moves the other direction,

The Way works through weakness.

The things of this world come from something,

Something comes from nothing.

~

Liu Ch’en-Weng also wrote, “Once things reach their limit, they have to go back the other way.”

There is nothing more to be said.

~

41.

When a great person hears of the Way, he follows it with devotion.

When an average person hears of the Way, he doesn't know if it's real or not.

When a small person hears of the Way, he laughs out loud.

If he didn't laugh, it wouldn't be the Way.

Hence these sayings arose:

The brightest path seems dark, the quickest path seems slow.

The smoothest path seems rough, the highest virtue low.

The whitest white, pitch-black; the greatest virtue wanting.

The staunchest virtue timid, the truest truth uncertain.

The perfect square lacks corners, the perfect tool does nothing.

The perfect sound is hushed, the perfect form is shapeless.

The Way is hidden and has no name,

But because it's the Way, it knows how to start and how to finish.

~

Great, average, or small; each person who walks the Wheel encounters The Way, even if they do not recognize it as such.  The great dedicate themselves to study, to understanding the methods through which it manifests, and how best to move with it.  The average cannot tell if it is real or not; this, too, is an understanding of it, as it rides carefully the border between the two.  The small laughs, because he understands that it matters little his understanding; this, too, is an understanding of it, as the closer one comes to understanding, the further it slips away.

Li Hsi-Chai also wrote, "When a great person hears of the Tao, even if people laugh at him, they can't keep him from practicing it. When an average person hears of the Tao, even if he doesn't disbelieve it, he can't free himself of doubts. When a small person hears of the Tao, even the ancient sages can't keep him from laughing. Everyone in the world thinks existence is real. Who wouldn't shake his head and laugh if he were told that motion wasn't real and stillness was?"

What follows this are phrases known as the twelve sayings, which I divided up into six couplets that tie together through how they lead into each other.  Because what is perfect can only be approached, and not truly attained, we see that the purest attainment of these concepts cannot be perceived, cannot be understood by a mind constrained.

S’u Che also wrote, “These twelve sayings refer to the Tao as it appears to us. Wherever we look, we see its examples. The Tao as a whole, however, is hidden in namelessness. "

Because we can only approach it, we can see the outline.  This is reiteration of earlier concepts in the work, melded together to form a greater cohesive whole of how they fit together.  The Distinctions blend, and so they become indivisible, indistinguishable, and thus unperceivable.

The task of the adept is to perceive this truth, and to understand.

~

42.

The Tao gives birth to one.

One gives birth to two, two gives birth to three.

Three gives birth to ten thousand things.

Ten thousand things with yin at their backs, and yang in their embrace, and breath between for harmony.

What the world hates, to be orphaned, widowed, or destitute, kings use for their titles.

Thus some gain by losing, others lose by gaining.

Thus what people teach, I teach too.

Tyrants never choose their deaths: this becomes my teacher.

~

What we see here is an establishment of cosmology, at its core.  The infinite permutations of existence arose here, in this moment, to give rise to one.  In this absolute unity, distinction arose, giving form to two.  With these two, and the original whole, two becomes three.  From this, Distinction rules, and all the Ten Thousand Things of existence manifest.

Li Hsi-Chai also wrote, "The yang we embrace is one. The yin we turn away from is two. Where yin and yang meet and merge is three.”

Kings and rulers reinforce their rule by appealing to the experiences that most unite us.  By adopting these experiences, they lose, through which those they rule over gain.  Applying this to cultivation, we must see that those who are above others must give; to do otherwise is to stagnate, and to refuse to receive.  To receive is how progress is made, not only in matters of state, but also in matters of the Self.

Wang P’ang also wrote, "Whatever contains the truth can be our teacher. Tyrants kill others and are the most hated of creatures. But we can learn the principle of creation and destruction from them."

It is through recognizing the ills of the world that we might learn to avoid them.  Pain teaches, as does suffering.  Hate teaches, as does love.  As adepts, we cannot assign morality to these things, as inevitably, we close ourselves off to the lessons that they have to show us.  What we see is Tyrants slaying each other, their bloodlust never sated; through this, we learn a lesson, and we transcend them.

~

43.

The weakest thing in the world excels the strongest thing in the world.

What doesn't exist finds room where there is none.

Thus we know doing nothing succeeds.

Teaching without words, succeeding without effort.

Few in the world can equal this.

~

Yet another reiteration upon how that which seems weak and small can control great and mighty things.

Wang Tao also wrote, "Eight feet of water can float a thousand-ton ship. Six feet of leather can control a thousand-mile horse. Thus the weak excels the strong. Sunlight has no substance, yet it can fill a dark room. Thus what doesn't exist enters what has no cracks."

At the core of this, however, is an interesting paradox.  The proper way to be in accordance with The Way is to act effortlessly, so how does one achieve this without effort?  I think a fundamental aspect of this can be found within the nature of decay itself.

My own studies into this topic have been deep, the lowering of things to a point when they have risen is fundamentally core to the teachings of The Way.  Drawing down, regressing, back to a singular point, these things can describe the Prime as a whole.  As a result of this, we see the development of consequence, and thus the nature of time itself.

Wang Pi also wrote, "There is nothing breath cannot enter and nothing water

cannot penetrate. What does not exist cannot be exhausted. And what is

perfectly weak cannot be broken. From this we can infer that doing nothing

brings success."

~

44.

Which is more vital, fame or health?

Which is more precious, health or riches?

Which is more harmful, loss or gain?

The deeper the love, the higher the cost.

The bigger the treasure, the greater the loss.

Who knows contentment, suffers no shame.

Who knows restraint, encounters no trouble.

And thus, lives long.

~

What do you seek in this world?  What do you dedicate your time, your effort, your will, your choices towards?  In what direction, what distinction shall you point?  Shall you dedicate yourself to one, in hopes of attaining a reward?  Shall you dedicate yourself to many, hoping that you do not spread yourself too thin?  Or do you focus entirely within, and refine the Self, but in turn forsake the world around you?

A scholar named Huang Mao-Tsai writes, “What the world calls fame is something external, and yet people abandon their bodies to fight for it. What the world calls riches are unpredictable, and yet people sacrifice their bodies to possess them. How can they know what is vital or precious? Even if they succeed, it's at the cost of their health."

Perhaps at the core, by allowing oneself to move between distinctions, one may attain knowledge, and unity, with each of them.  Using them as a tool, and in turn, not being used by their consequences.  When it is time to lay a useful thing to rest, it is burned without resentment or regrets, as a straw doll.

Lu Hui-Ching also wrote, "Heroes seek fame and merchants seek riches, even to the point of giving up their lives. The one loves fame because he wants to glorify himself. But the more he loves fame, the more he loses what he would really glorify. Hence the cost is high. The other amasses wealth because he wants to enrich himself. But the more wealth he amasses, the more he harms what he would truly enrich. Hence the loss is great. Meanwhile, the man of virtue knows the most vital thing is within himself. Thus he seeks no fame and suffers no disgrace. He knows the most precious thing is within himself. Thus he seeks no riches and encounters no trouble. Hence he lives long."

~

Appendix 1: Yin Yang - A Consideration

A fundamental aspect of this writing is the interplay between Yin and Yang, or Masculine and Feminine, energies.  This concept is often depicted visually as a circle, divided in two, black and white, with a dot of the opposite color on each side, labeled as ‘Taijitu’.  Before we can explain the relationship between the two, we first have to examine each part, so that we may understand the whole.

Yin represents the female, the passive, the negative.  Water, the moon.  Willingness.  Ultimately receptive.  Yin is discussed in great length in this work.  Inevitably, it draws comparison with its distinction, Yang, because the two interplay with each other, and emerge from within each other to overcome.

Yang represents the male, the active, the positive.  Fire, the sun.  Willfulness.  Ultimately assertive.  Yang is represented through the work through its absence; this is no accident.  We are drawn to consider where something isn’t to consider the use of it, such as the empty space within a pot is what makes it a pot.

A common consideration given by many scholars that are unfamiliar with the concepts contained within is that it is a simple dichotomy of good and evil.  This is simply not the case, as the concept is immeasurably more complicated than what I would say is a gross oversimplification of the whole matter.  The forces that act upon existence defy categorization or labels.

What I would say is the essential focus of cultivation is stillness and movement, or Yin and Yang.  The circulation of these forces is what allows the strengthening of meridians, and the honing of one’s Self.  In this, we see the Self reflected in the forces that drive existence.

~

Appendix 2: The Tripartite Self

When discussing cultivation and aspects of honing the Self, it is important to have some foundational understanding.  For this, I roughly agree with the conclusions put forth by the Seven Gates, although my own traditions offer some different context.

Body, Mind, and Soul exist amongst all living things that possess mortal life as we understand it.  Each reflects a facet of the world as a whole.  

The Body exists as an Elemental Self, a conglomeration of the material aspects that make up the firmament of the Prime.  Associated with it are the catalyst of Jing, the cauldron of the Lower Dantian, the Root Gate, and the underpinning concept of Existence/Action.

Body – Jing – Lower Dantian– Root Gate – Existence/Action

This Body supports Heaven above and supports the Earth below. It has no head and no tail, no front and no back; it stands at the center and does not slant. Through its firmness, it breaks up Emptiness; through its yieldingness, it puts the ten thousand things to rest; through its solidity and stability, it enters water without becoming wet, enters fire without being burnt, and enters metals and stones without meeting obstructions. A tiger cannot harm it, a weapon cannot impose itself on it. This is what your Existence depends on.

The Mind exists as a Contextual Self, a conglomeration of concepts extant and reflected upon the Prime, the intangible, the immaterial.  Associated with it are the catalyst of Qi, the cauldron of the Middle Dantian, the Heart Gate, and the underpinning concept of Nature/Thought.

Mind – Qi – Middle Dantian – Heart Gate – Nature/Thought

This Mind is neither dirty nor clean; it is utterly empty and utterly numinous, silent and unmoving, and pervades throughout by responding to impulses. In its quiescence, it is soundless and scentless; in its movement, it is utterly spiritual and utterly wondrous; in its form and its image, it is like the crescent moon, an upward-facing basin, and the Pearl of Uncut Wood. It is neither form nor emptiness, and yet it is both form and emptiness; it is neither Being and nor Non-Being, and yet it is both Being and Non-Being. This is what your Nature depends on.

The Soul exists as a Conceptual Self, representing the spark of consciousness, and the ability to choose.  Associated with it are the catalyst of Shen, the cauldron of the Upper Dantian, The Third Eye Gate, and the underpinning concept of Choice.

Soul - Shen - Upper Dantian - Third Eye Gate - Choice

This Soul is yours, unique to you, with no other like it.  It emanates forth through your choices, affecting not only yourself but existence around you.  In its outline, it shows from the decisions made; it shows your effects on the firmament and the firmament back upon you; through its movement, it ascends upwards, becoming one with The Way, and joining all of the myriad spirits of the world.  This is what your Choice depends on.

~

Jing, Qi, and Shen are known as the Three Treasures, and exist as, essentially, a catalyst for the cultivation of the tripartite Self.

Jing is essence, a potential of the Body before birth, but also gained through context in the world.  As one’s context grows, one’s Jing grows, thus fueling the Body and maintaining it.  Context can be gained through a basic rooting physical act, such as eating, drinking, and sleeping, but can also be gained through recovery of Shen and other acts.  Some scholars posit a difference between the fundamental Jing and the Jing gained through contextual means, but this argument is beyond the scope of this work.

Qi is Will, the power to dictate one’s own action and assert it.  Essays upon essays have already been done upon it.  It is vital, the means through which one imposes, or asserts.

Shen is divinity.  Fundamentally, Choice.  Your consciousness as presented upon existence, evident.  This is one of the most difficult things to directly cultivate, but it can be done, as evidenced through both the Seven Gates and other methods of cultivation.  

~

Finally, the three Dantians exist as yet another category, and may be described as a mechanism through which Jing, Qi, and Shen are circulated and refined into their developing forms.

It is important to understand the context in which the Dantians exist, as the translation of their name to Common exists as “Elixir Field”.  This means they do not exist as a singular point, as commonly associated with chakras, but instead as an area, a field of circulation.

The Lower Dantian exists centered at the Navel, and may be considered a stove, or a foundation, upon which the greater work begins.  It is the first cauldron upon which Jing is brewed into Qi.

The Middle Dantian exists centered at the Heart, and may be considered the second cauldron.  Here, Qi is brewed into Shen.

The Upper Dantian exists centered at the Third Eye, and may be considered the third cauldron.  Here, Shen is brewed into the Void.

Void rises to rejoin The Way, and The Way emanates new manifestations, hence the cycle repeats.

There are a variety of internal channels that these energies take, and these are known as Meridians.  Covering them in-depth will require another Appendix, but the main two courses that they take are the Tu Meridian (from the base of the spine upwards to the third eye and looping down to the palate, and downwards to the Root Gate), and the Jen Meridian (from the navel upwards to join the Tu Meridian at the Palate, downwards to join the Root Gate).

~

Appendix 3: Meridians, Pressure Points, and their Relation

Meridians are the channels through the body through which the catalysts, Jing, Qi, and Shen, transfer through the body.  These stretch throughout the body, and tend towards certain patterns, regardless of individual circumstances.  Major Meridians stretch down the limbs, center in the chest, and reach up to the crown, but the major Meridians, as stated in the prior Appendix, are the Tu and Jen Meridians.

Methods exist to cultivate the Meridians, in addition to the gates, allowing one to develop a cultivation base that focuses upon a receptive nature.  This allows one to effectively be a conduit for external ki, but does not allow one to have much force otherwise.

The common application of pressure points in martial arts methodologies involves the application of ki into pressure points, theorized to be points where ki most easily can enter the body to enact changes on an internal level.  This methodology fundamentally reflects examples of External Alchemy, or, methods to change the Self through external means.  

The Seven Gates are prime examples of existing pressure points, and may be considered the seven “major” ones.  The exact details of what can be accomplished with the Seven Gates and their activation is best done by reading that text.

[A diagram roughly follows, in a stylized form of a humanoid body, front and back.

The human body has lines and points, tracing across the form, in addition to stylized symbols of the Seven Gates upon the back.  Familiarity with monastic studies will reveal this to be a diagram that shows a rather “standard” configuration of meridians and pressure points.  Each of the Meridians is labeled with two characters, and individual points upon the meridians are marked with a further two points for classification.  What follows are a series of notes upon the diagram, rather than paragraph sections.]

The meridian system consists of twelve main meridians and eight extraordinary meridians.

The Twelve Main Meridians are those that tend to govern matters of the body, rather than being specific to cultivation.  They control various bodily functions, and points along them can impact different parts of the body.  They are as follows:

Three Yin meridians of the hand: course from the thorax to the fingertips (medial side):

▪ lung meridian (LU): 11 points, anteromedial course (radial side).

▪ pericardial meridian (PC): nine points, centromedial course.

▪ heart meridian (HT): nine points, posteromedial course (ulnar side).

Three Yang meridians of the hand: course from the fingertips to the head (lateral side):

▪ large intestine meridian (LI): 20 points, anterolateral course (radial side).

▪ triple heater meridian (TH): 23 points, lateromedial course.

▪ small intestine meridian (SI): 21 points, posterolateral course (ulnar side).

Three Yang meridians of the foot: course from the head to the tips of the toes:

▪ stomach meridian (ST): 45 points, anterolateral course.

▪ gallbladder meridian (GB): 44 points, lateromedial course.

▪ bladder meridian (BL): 67 points, posterolateral course.

Three Yin meridians of the foot: course from the tips of the toes to the thorax:

▪ spleen meridian (SP): 21 points, anteromedial course.

▪ liver meridian (LR): 14 points, centromedial course.

▪ kidney meridian (KI): 27 points, posteromedial course.

Specific meridians lead into each other, like a loop completing.

LU–LI, PC–TH, HT–SI,

SP–ST, GB–LR, BL–KI.

LI– ST (Yang Ming, anterior).

TH–GB (Shao Yang, lateral).

SI–BL (Tai Yang, posterior).

The Eight Extraordinary Meridians focus upon internal manifestations, such as aspects of the Mind or Soul.

1. Governing Vessel (Tu Mai)
2. Conception Vessel (Jen Mai)
3. Thrusting Vessel (Chong Mai)
4. Girdle (or Belt) Vessel (Dai Mai)
5. Yang Heel Vessel (Yangchiao Mai)
6. Yin Heel Vessel (Yinchiao Mai)
7. Yang Linking Vessel (Yangwei Mai)
8. Yin Linking Vessel (Yinwei Mai)

[Here ends the notes that make up the diagram.  At the bottom, there is a paragraph.]

A common practice within Shou Lung is the stimulation of these points and the associated parts of the Self through the insertion of thin needles, known as acupuncture.  These needles are made from metal, and are meant as a temporary stimulation.  The most common is either silver or gold, although steel is popular amongst less-profitable practitioners.

A method does exist that allows a practitioner to continually stimulate the meridians through the permanent implantation of needles corresponding to different planes of existence.  These needles are tied to different meridians, resulting in a more firm link between the microcosmic and the macrocosmic.

Although this method can resculpt the body and allow for great advancement in personal cultivation methods, it is also exceedingly dangerous, difficult to control, and I would not recommend it unless you are ready to accept the risks.  My own experience with it was with several trained individuals, and required great sacrifice.

~

Appendix 4: On Greater Topics

Let us speak for a moment on Ascension.  This specific process is referred to by a number of different terms, be it Ascension, Attainment, Enlightenment, Perfection, so on.  It is the focus of a number of different practices, each of them pointing the Self towards a point of progress.  This point remains semi-consistent throughout many different descriptions, ranging from the Mountain that Celestian Mystics use literally and I myself use as a metaphor, to a debasement or sort of “decension” that some adepts claim exists.

I believe everyone should seek Ascension, and I believe that, fundamentally, many already do without realizing it.  The methods of doing so are myriad and many, whether raising into service of a divinity and being rewarded in turn, or seeking it through a form of undeath.  The adept must take care to avoid rash judgements of another’s path; one may certainly criticize the inefficiency of another’s methods, but casually dismissing them outright due to such things as moral quandaries risks missing a lesson to be learned from their methods.

Appendix 5: Eight Distinctions, One Unity

What I present is my cultivation method, suitable for a practitioner that seeks to advance their understanding of the cycle that dictates existence.  Through becoming one with said cycle, one is sustained by it.  The method of cultivation involves meditation and contemplation upon the eight individual stones, potentially by embodying them within a sort of inner reality.  This method carries its own risks of the archetype growing excessively attached to individual ties or binds.

The first thing one must understand before meditating upon the Eight Distinctions is the Manifestation meditation technique.  Consider the Eight Distinctions Pillars, the verses below, and the Meditation technique as three legs on a cauldron where the Self is refined.

The Manifestation meditation technique is accomplished according to individual elements, where one seeks to embody the concept of that element in the Self to seek attunement to it.  The easiest medium to accomplish this is with a glass of water, and allowing it to become a sea to draw the focus back to.  When one’s focus drifts, imagine a droplet of water falling back into the sea.  This is effective as a basic mental training method, and also for meditation in its water form; the fluid nature of water tends to make it the easiest to manifest.

The ultimate goal of the individual cultivating this method should be to manifest in totality each element, as well as utilize the verses to glean understanding from the whole.

~

Explore the totality of existence, the process by which things change.  Utilize the following mantras to form Eight, then form a Unity of them.

1. Birth - Moon

Element, Category: Air (Complex).

Element, Energy: Storm (Sonic).

Archetype: Feminine (Negative / Shadow).

Traits, Mental: Reactionary, Outgoing, Skittish, Exploratory, Volatile.

Traits, Physical: Youthful, Wet, Loud, Volatile.

Season: Beginning of Spring, End of Winter.

Moon Phase: New Moon.

Planet: Coliar.

Spell Philosophy: Enchantment

Contemplate this as a breaking of ice.  

The moment the eyes open.

Everything delightful, everyone your friend.

Sunlight flickering at the corner of the eyes.

It’s a new day.

When are you going to begin?

1. Childhood - Mountain

Element, Category: Air (Primal).

Element, Energy: Consciousness (Divine).

Archetype: Feminine (Transitory).

Traits, Mental: Intuition, Stubbornness, Loyalty, Groupthink, Opportunism.

Traits, Physical: Repetition, Hot, Wet, Growth.

Season: End of Spring, Beginning of Summer.

Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent.

Planet: Garden.

Spell Philosophy: Illusion.

Contemplate this as a steady breeze.

Strong without knowledge, drawing on creeds.

Unflappable, unfailing, unaware of dwindling.

A mirror reflects what is shown to it.

Sun’s cresting.

What are you going to do?

1. Adolescence - Fire

Element, Category: Fire (Complex).

Element, Energy: Lightning (Electric).

Archetype: Masculine (Positive).

Traits, Mental: Risk-Assessment, Teamwork, Self-discovery, Independence.

Traits, Physical: Hot, Healthy, Fast, Pointed.  Season: Beginning of Summer, End of Spring.

Moon Phase: First Quarter.

Planet: Glyth.

Spell Philosophy: Conjuration.

Contemplate this as a sudden shock.

Walls crumbling, but also new horizons yawning.

With others, together, new things are built.

Speak, and it is called forth.

The day is underway.

Where is your home?

1. Adulthood - Book

Element, Category: Fire (Primal).

Element, Energy: Heat (Fire).

Archetype: Masculine (Positive)

Traits, Mental: Maturity, Revelation, Awareness, Sensitivity, Self-control.

Traits, Physical: Hot, Dry, Irregular, Fresh.

Season: End of Summer, Beginning of Fall.

Moon Phase, Waxing Gibbous.

Planet: Anadia.

Spell Philosophy: Evocation.

Contemplate this as a smith's forge.

Bellows give air to the flames of aspiration.

Too hot, it lays waste; too cold, and nothing bends.

A careful balance tempers the fire.

The day nears its crest.

How does one temper the means of tempering?

1. Middle Age - Sword

Element, Category: Earth (Complex).

Element, Energy: Physical (Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing).

Archetype: Masculine (Positive).

Traits, Mental: Appreciation, Insight, Understanding, Conviction.

Traits, Physical: Dry, Hardened, Shaped, Smooth.

Season: Beginning of Fall, End of Summer.

Moon Phase: Full Moon.

Planet: H’Catha.

Spell Philosophy: Transmutation.

Contemplate this as a visceral act.

The shock of adolescence hardened into insight.

A continuous act; motion into stillness into motion.

The space between is where it is best to dwell.

The day is at its peak.

Will you rest contented upon competence?

1. Seniority - Wheel

Element, Category: Earth (Primal).

Element, Energy: Force (Magic).

Archetype: Masculine (Transitory).

Traits, Mental: Protection, Responsibility, Leadership.

Traits, Physical: Cold, Dry, Stoney, Reflective.

Season: End of Fall, Beginning of Winter.

Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous.

Planet: Chandos

Spell Philosophy: Divination.

Contemplate this as the Mountain.

Flames give light to experience, and force.

Parting myriad things to show what is, in quiet reflection.

By revelation, reveal oneself.

The Sun has crested.

How long will you resist?

1. Old Age - Leaf

Element, Category: Water (Complex).

Element, Energy: Poison (Acid).

Archetype: Feminine (Negative).

Traits, Mental: Patience, Control, Competency.

Traits, Physical: Cold, Rigid, Corrosive.

Season: Beginning of Winter, End of Fall.

Moon Phase: Third Quarter.

Planet: _____.

Spell Philosophy: Necromancy.

Contemplate this as water washing away stone.

The form built turned against you; a self-proclaimed fall.

A weathering that cannot be ignored, only transcended.

Weakness is where strength dwells.

The sun is setting.

Have you time to see it through?

1. Death - Skull

Element, Category: Water (Primal).

Element, Energy: Water (Cold).

Archetype: Feminine (Negative/Shadow).

Traits, Mental: Planning, Readiness, Consideration, Respect.

Traits, Physical: Wet, Cold, Closely Knit, Dense, Weathered.

Season: End of Winter, Beginning of Spring.

Moon Phase: Waning Crescent.

Planet: Karpri.

Spell Philosophy: Abjuration

Contemplate this as stillness.

Force, as motion, inevitably falls to stillness anew.

Finality; an ending and a beginning.

From this lowest point, all things emerge.

The sun is set.

Are you prepared for the coming day?

Totality:

Be at ease, be perfectly calm.

Eight Distinctions, winding into each other, a cycle that drives life eternal.

Realize it as One, and be One with it.

~

The verses above are presented as from their original form, and were finally formed after months of contemplation, in addition to study and discussion with other members of the Soulhaven Monastic community.  In addition, it was tested by the Grandmaster of the Erudite Arcanum, Lorenzo Ortega Marquez, and in turn, tested him.