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Take [preventive] action before things happen. Establish order before disorder has begun.

Laozi

. . . the mind is desperate to fix the river {of events} in place: Possessed by ideas of the past, preoccupied with images of the future, it overlooks the plain truth of the moment.
LAOZI

Idea Past Possessed Truth
Not praising the deserving prevents envy.
LAOZI

Envy Praise Prevent Taoism
Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment.
LAOZI

Self Esteem Spiritual Wisdom
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.
LAOZI

Fulfill Inspirational Leadership Wisdom
The great Way is all-pervading. It reaches to the left and to the right. All things depend on it with their existence. Still it demands no obedience.
LAOZI

Demand Depend Reach Taoism Thing Way
Softness triumphs over hardness, feebleness over strength. What is more malleable is always superior over that which is immoveable. This is the principle of controlling things by going along with them, of mastery through adaptation.
LAOZI

Mastery Principles Superior Triumph
To rejoice in conquest is to rejoice in murder.
LAOZI

Conquest Murder Rejoice
Become totally empty Quiet the restlessness of the mind Only then will you witness everything unfolding from emptiness
LAOZI

Emptiness Inspirational Mind
The sage is not ill, because he sees illness as illness.
LAOZI

Health Illness Knowledge Sage Taoism
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
The transformation toward eternal life is gradual. The heavy gross energy of body, mind, and spirit must first be purified and uplifted. When the energy ascends… then self mastery can be sought.
LAOZI

Energy Mind Purify Self
The world is ruled by letting things take their course. It cannot be ruled by interfering.
LAOZI

Courses Go Letting World
See others as yourself. See families as your family. See towns as your town. See countries as your country. See worlds as your world.
LAOZI

Compassion Country Taoism Town
When the intelligent and animal souls are held together in one embrace, they can be kept from separating.
LAOZI

Animal Intelligent Separate Soul
Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose
LAOZI

Gain Inspirational Lose People Some
A multitude of words is tiresome, unlike remaining centered.
LAOZI

Multitudes Taoism Tiresome

Take [preventive] action before things happen. Establish order before disorder has begun.

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Take [preventive] action before things happen. Establish order before disorder has begun.

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