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Be as the still mountain; Move like the great river.

Laozi

Not all spiritual paths lead to the harmonious Oneness. Indeed, most are detours and distractions, nothing more.
LAOZI

Detours Distraction Oneness Spiritual
The seed of mystery lies in muddy water. How can I perceive this mystery? Water becomes clear through stillness. How can I become still? By flowing with the stream.
LAOZI

Lying Mystery Stillness Water
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants. A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is.
LAOZI

Arrive Artist Change Good Intuition
Empty your mind of all thoughts. Let your heart be at peace. Watch the turmoil of beings, but contemplate their return.
LAOZI

Contemplate Heart Mind Peace
The more weapons of violence, the more misery to mankind. The triumph of violence ends in a festival of mourning.
LAOZI

Mourn Triumph Weapon
Meet the difficult while it is easy.
LAOZI

Difficult Easy Meet Taoism
When the intelligent and animal souls are held together in one embrace, they can be kept from separating.
LAOZI

Animal Intelligent Separate Soul
Rule your mind with serenity rather than with force and manipulation.
LAOZI

Manipulation Mind Serenity Taoism
When the uncarved wood is split, its parts are put to use. When the sage is put to use, he becomes the head.
LAOZI

Perceive Sage Taoism Use
That the soft overcomes the hard, and the yielding overcomes the resistant, is a fact known by all, but practiced by few.
LAOZI

Fact Known Overcoming Practice
What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher? What is a bad man but a good man’s job? If you do not remember this, You will get lost, No matter how intelligent you are. It is the great secret.
LAOZI

Good Intelligent Job Man Teacher
When the highest type of people hear Tao (Truth), they diligently practice it. When the average type of people hear Tao, they half believe in it. When the lowest type of people hear Tao, they laugh at it. If they did not laugh, it would not be Tao.
LAOZI

Average Believe Diligently Practice
The past has no power to stop you from being present now. Only your grievance about the past can do that. What is grievance? The baggage of old thought and emotion.
LAOZI

Baggage Emotion Grievance Past
A foolish man is always doing, Yet much remains to be done.
LAOZI

Done Foolish Man Mad Result
Those who act will fail. Those who seize will lose.
LAOZI

Fail Loses Seize Taoism
Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not a wise man’s tools. He uses them only when he has no choice.
LAOZI

Choice Instrument Men Tool Weapon Wise

Be as the still mountain; Move like the great river.

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Be as the still mountain; Move like the great river.

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