Tao Te Ching Verse 29: Practicing Powerlessness

The Tao Te Ching for Everyday Living

Tao Te Ching Verse 29:
translated by Charles Johnston
Who seeks to remake the kingdom, will certainly fail.
The kingdom is divinely planned; humans cannot remake it.
If they seek to remake, they destroy; If they seek to seize, they lose.

Among beings, some go before, some follow;
Some are hot, some are cold;
Some are strong, some are weak;
Some move, others halt.

Therefore the Sage refrains from excess, luxury, indulgence.
Photo by guille pozzi on Unsplash
Practicing Powerlessness

If you were to picture yourself on the beach looking at the waves coming in, would it occur to you to try and stop them from coming in?

It seems silly to even think about, now that I’m pausing and entertaining this notion. I suppose we could build something that would flatten the waves or even control the forces out at sea that create them, at least so we would alter the wave appearance when It came in, but again, why?

Sometimes there are big waves, and sometimes there are little ones. Sometimes they come from different directions. Sometimes they’re good for riding, other times not so much. It all depends on what’s going on that day.

I’d like you to think about yesterday. Imagine any situation in which you found yourself when you were committed to the moment. Were you looking in another human’s eye? Were you experiencing a powerful feeling? Did you help someone?

Imagine those experiences as you being on the wave, riding it while it lasted. Did that situation eventually pass and move on to a different situation? Was there a time in between situations where you just observed what was going on around you? Or did you find yourself thinking about that last experience? Or were you thinking about future experiences that you desired or wanted to have?

Each wave is different - and so is each situation in which we find ourselves. Could we take a moment to observe how each situation is like a wave that we’re riding? Some of them are great rides. Others, it doesn’t turn out so well. But that’s ok, there are always more waves to ride. And they don’t come in constantly, either. Sometimes, it’s a time for rest. Other times, it’s time to paddle as hard as you can so the wave doesn’t break right on top of you.

So let’s wrap things up today in considering the principle of Practicing Powerlessness.

I’d like you to try and observe the life events you experience today as waves. When you’re at rest, remember that the waves come automatically without your intervention. Your part is to choose a wave to ride, align yourself with it, and allow it to do most of the work. All you need to do is keep your balance, if you can. If you can’t, know that there will be more times to ride. In either case, being present with the situation is your ride.