Today I chose #69 from the Rndom number generator and Chelsea joined my in a discussion about that. Renvy came up and we talkd about her recent expereinces choosing #21 and she was followed up by #8 and Spring Blossom.
#8 "Be Like Water
Water is humble,
Always traveling to the lowest place,
Nourishing, without taxing
Everything along the way.
In so doing, it is like Tao.
The Master aims to resemble water:
In thinking, she is simple.
In conflict, she is yielding.
In governing, she doesn’t need control.
In work, she does the obvious thing.
In family life, she is continually present.
When one can be content with being,
And not require comparison or praise,
It is said they invest in their life
By making of it a donation.
#21 "Tao is not Temporary"
The Master is at peace knowing she is of manifestation
And that manifestations are always temporary.
Knowing this, she always follows Tao.
How can she be at peace knowing she is temporary?
Because she doesn’t cling to her life or ideas
And still she is fulfilled.
Tao cannot be fathomed or known; how can she follow it?
She allows it to lead her from moment to moment.
Tao is, and is always,
Even before the manifestation of time and space.
Tao is beyond both temporary and forever.
How do I know this to be true?
The evidence is within me as it is within you.
#69 "An Invitation to Conflict"
In conflict the Master will never host aggression.
She would much prefer to be the guest
And relinquish space, rather than claim it.
This allows the host space to exhaust themselves
Without the Master having to weaponize anything.
Wanting to control through aggression is foolish
This underestimates conflict and its results.
When you choose to conflict with another
You look down on them and lose the 3 lessons. (Verse 67)
By creating an enemy, you become an enemy.
When two forces oppose each other
The one who relinquishes prevails.