Lao Tzu

The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step.

The Tao gives birth to One. One gives birth to Two. Two gives birth to Three. Three gives birth to all things.

All things have their back to the female and stand facing the male. When the male and female combine, all things achieve harmony.

Ordinary men hate solitude. But the master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe.

- Tao Te Ching, Verse 42

If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place.

Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

What is a bad man but a good man's job? What is a good man but a bad man's teacher?

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.

He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.

If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.

To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.

Silence is a source of great strength.

To a mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.

Be still. Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity.

At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.

It existed before heaven and earth. How quiet it is! How spiritual it is! It stands alone and does not change...All life comes from it.

I do not know it's name, and so I will call it Tao, the Way [or the Way of nature], and I rejoice in its power.

It must be something eternally existing! Of all great things, surely Tao is the greatest.

The nameless was the beginning of heaven and earth.

The Way is forever nameless...Only when it is cut there are names.

Tao Te Ching

On his way leaving Chengzhou, Lao Tzu was stopped at the border by a guard. The guard would only let him pass if he wrote down all his teachings. He did, in the Tao Te Ching.

16

Empty the self completely;

Embrace perfect peace.

The world will rise and move;

Watch it return to rest.

All the flourishing things

Will return to their source.

This return is peaceful;

It is the flow of nature,

An eternal decay and renewal.

Accepting this brings enlightenment

Ignoring this brings misery.

Who accepts nature's flow becomes all-cherishing;

Being all-cherishing he becomes impartial;

Being impartial he becomes magnanimous;

Being magnanimous he becomes natural;

Being natural he becomes one with the Way;

Being one with the Way he becomes immortal

Though his body will decay, the Way will not.

56

Who understands does not preach;

Who preaches does not understand.

Reserve your judgements and words;

Smooth differences and forgive disagreements.

Dull your wit and simplify your purpose;

Accept the world.

Then,

Friendship and enmity,

Profit and loss,

Honour and disgrace,

Will not affect you;

The world will accept you.