Verses 17-19 can be read together, so this week's verse 18 continues some of the themes from last week's episode on Verse 17.

What happens when you start to abandon your original nature and "descend" or move to another beat or drum? According to this teaching, what happens is that we find myriad ways to lose our true self in the cultures around us, that may - and often do - regard us with contempt, or as a potential ATM. We are better than that, this verse reminds us. We are made for much better.

Can we listen?

Stephanie McLeskey gave voice to our quotes and question this week. Audrey Davis is our esteemed artist. Molly Hartwell sings her haunting song, “Put Your Roots Down.” Fortress Press holds the copyright for quotations from my Tao Te Ching translation. Thanks to you for your attendance in this class on Taoism.

May your days begin in peace, and

become wombs for radical hope.

Marc Mullinax - [email protected]