The Power of Softness

grand canyon black and white

The softest things of the world

Override the hardest things of the world

That which has no substance

Enters into that which has no openings

From this I know the benefits of unattached actions

The teaching without words

Are rarely matched in the world

Chapter 43, Tao Te Ching

Softness is both a Tao principle and virtue. In this book, I am putting under the category of a Tao virtue because of its inherent power. The first two verses bring emphasis to the inherent power of using softness to overcome hardness. The most commonly used metaphor and easiest to understand is water. Water is soft to touch and has little substance when you try to pick it up. Stone is the commonly used metaphor for hardness and a material which has no openings. To appreciate the inherent power of softness penetrating something harness, take a look at the Grand Canyon in the American Southwest. Water has slowly worn away the hard and rocky plateau to create one of the great wonders of the world. It is also quite evident when you take a look at a sandy beach or sand bar. Water has reduced solid rock into tiny particles. The process begins with water slowly penetrating the hard surface of the stone. Slowly and patiently water seeps into the rock in a process that to disintegrate its structure. Wind and Sun, also without substance, assist the process until the solid stone is no longer there.

The power of softness is especially useful in dealing with many aspects of life. It is so applicable in everyday life. As a life strategy, it gives you a methodology for resolving hard problems.  Use softness to penetrate the obstacle, get informed on what is going on. Be detached from the intended outcome and allow time chip away at the hardness. Let the Tao guide on your course. And one day, that mountain will be a big pile of sand.

One example is when dealing with some of the personality traits of the ego. Some of those hard characteristics might be stubbornness, anger, and aggression. The soft approach to these might be patience, non-reaction, or empathy.

Here is a story that I will share to reflect how softness can overcome hardness in interpersonal relationships.

In the city where I was living, there was a consignment shop that I affiliated with as a vendor. It was during the great recession. Times were hard, and people experienced a lot of stress trying to make ends meet. The owner and manager of this consignment shop had a challenging time trying to keep her business going. Her stress created a lot of tension among the people who worked there. Because of her anxiety, she was not a good manager, and retention was a problem. One of the more successful vendors, a lady who had a lot of experiencing in the antique market decide to leave and start her own business. She was a friendly and optimistic person who finally had enough of the stressful environment and opened up a similar business across the street. She was an immediate success. Most of the customers left the business of the cranky lady and started giving business to the new business across the street. Then many of the vendors, having had enough of the constant drama, left and came over to the new business too. It didn’t take long before the first business was in serious trouble with a lack of loyal customers and workers. One day which has been particularly bad for her, she got angry and marched across the street to have it out with the woman who had left and started the successful business. She threw open the door, walked up to the new store owner and begin to bless her out. Momentarily, she paused in her onslaught to take a breath. During her verbal attack, the other woman, the friendly optimistic and prosperous new store owner, smiled and said,

Oh honey, I am so sorry you are having such a hard time. I know how difficult it is. Let me hug you”. She embraced the angry woman, who suddenly wilted and began to sob. She returned to her store, and before long it was closed and out of business. Later, she came to work at the new store for the friendly lady. The last time I saw them, they were both at peace and happy again.

In this true story, the friendly optimistic lady used a soft, non-reactive, empathetic and compassionate response to the hard attack. It is a classic case of wisdom vs. ego. Witnessing that event raised my spirit, and to this day, I keep that example in my mind as a strategy for dealing with hard personality types. I have told this story many times, and people have shared their own stories where they found it to be successful.

In this chapter of the Tao Te Ching, Wu Wei activates the inherent power of softness.

“From this, I know the benefits of unattached actions” verse 5 from above is talking about Wu Wei or “unattached actions.” Footnote

To see the inherent power consider this sample sentence:

Because she reacted softly with empathy and compassion, the woman stopped attacking her.

Verse 6, “The teaching without words

Are rarely matched in the world”

That woman taught me and everyone there how to use softness to overcome hardness for a beneficial outcome. We learned from her example. Later I asked her about it, and she said that she was living through her Christian conviction of “love thou neighbor.”

It takes self-discipline of ego control to choose softness. Self-control and ego management is the greater principle of sovereignty. In the moment of action, you have a choice. If you are mindful of ego, you can be detached from reacting. In that detached state, you can choose the wisdom of the Tao. In this case, the wisdom is the virtue of using softness to overcome hardness.


Chapter 24


...Therefore the sage:

Eliminates extremes

Eliminates excess

Eliminates arrogance”

Excerpt from Chapter 29 Tao Te Ching

I define moderation as avoiding excess or extremes. Complements of moderation are balance, harmony, and conservation. There is inherent power in the ability to moderate behavior and choices.

Understanding moderation is not rocket science. Implementing moderation can be quite challenging. Any reasonable person knows and understands that going to the extreme in any situation erodes balance and well-being and that excess leads to depletion. Most people know this. Then why do most people suffer from some form of excess or extreme?

In most cases, it is due to the cause and effect of choices made by ego. These options usually begin with one person and often spreads to include many other people. When the egos of the many collude, it becomes collective ego. It is easy to observe how an individual or a group of people are out of balance. The result of extreme or excessive behavior is evident by the lack of harmony. Here are some examples to consider.

  • Health and fitness harmony (weight, vitality, energy)
  • Mental and emotional peace (self-destructive behaviors and habits)
  • Financial health – income and debt balance
  • Interpersonal relationships – how well do they get along with others. Cooperation, teamwork, friendships, filial relationships)

If you are experiencing any of these, try realizing where a lack of moderation has created disharmony. The deeper insight will be to realize how ego played a role in the choice that led to excess. You can use moderation as a conscious management of decisions and actions so that balance and harmony are maintained in all aspects of life. Moderate choices are only possible when you have learned to manage the ego. Management of the ego is the self-discipline of sovereignty. To gain control the ego, see the chapter 5 on meditation and mindfulness.

The inherent power of moderation as a virtue.

We all have experience challenges in life. Things happen to us, and we find ourselves in stressful situations. When they do, the ego is quick to react. Often the ego will overreact. These are times when we are most likely to go to excess or extreme. The sovereign is mindful of ego reactions and chooses to use a moderated response.

Here is an example where you can see the inherent power of moderation.

“because of her moderate approach to gambling in Las Vegas, she was able to leave the casino with her winnings and invest them in real-estate.”

The lesson: because she managed the ego’s lust and greed for more, she wisely left while she was away. She was then able to invest the net gain winnings into something with stable growth. This example involves other virtues as well as their inherent powers. In this one, you can see, patience, wisdom, moderation, conservation, and constancy.

…Excessive vitality is said to be inauspicious

Mind overusing energy is said to be aggressive

Things become strong and then they grow old

This is called contrary to the Tao

That which is contrary to the Tao will soon perish”

Excerpt: verses 14 – 18, Chapter 55 Tao Te Ching

I included the excerpt from above in Chapter 55, because it is directly relevant to our modern life.

Excessive vitality. Too many people strive to be successful. There is excessive use of stimulants such as caffeine and energy drinks to raise their vitality for high performance. Or they maybe too tired or hung-over from excessive partying the night before. Either way, the pursuit for extreme energy is known to create health problems.

Mind Overusing Energy. This term has many examples. But the one that I want to focus on is worrying. Being concerned about potential problems is a regular part of life. Chronic worrying can quickly become toxic. Too much anxiety is stressful and is a serious imbalance in the mind and body. Many self-induced sicknesses have their beginnings worry-stress. Again the antidote for this is meditation and mindfulness.

Karma. Now is a good time to remind you of the relationship between moderation and karma. Remember the relationship between choices, cause, and effect. Your future, your destiny is being created in the present. When act or react with extreme measures the future results will be even more extreme and problematic. Taoists call karma “the great executioner” because it does not play favorites and you cannot hide from it. No one is exempt. In this regard, it is imperative to use moderation as a management tool to prevent a dreadful destiny. And your circumstance now can be understood by what you did in the past. Take another look at the list above of areas in your life that may be out of balance. These are the results of some choices or reactions from the past. They may be a result of your own decisions or from others. If they are from others, you must still be mindful of how you respond and use moderation as a guide. This insight is also a reminder of how your choices can affect other people. Moderation is the wise approach.

The sovereign takes care in moderating each step along life’s path. Sovereignty is being mindful of how choices affect your destiny and that of others. The sovereign is mindful of the fact that all things are connected and creates a destiny that serves everyone in the best way possible by avoiding ego-indulgent choices. And that is the power of moderation. Conserving and preserving life by preventing extremism.


The third is called not getting ahead in the world”

from verse 11, Chapter 67, Tao Te Ching

The verse above stating “not getting ahead in the world”, is stating the virtue of humility. This virtue, humility, is a complementary of compassion and conservation. In conserving spirit, you have transcended the self-important perspective of ego. Compassion is having loving kindness and caring for the suffering and well-being of others. The joining of compassion and conservation opens the door to a state of not striving to get ahead in the world or non-self importance. This state of being is humility. Humility or selflessness is the antithesis of ego.

As you gain skill at sovereignty, you gain more and more control over the ego. This is the point that the need for self-importance begins to reside. Neediness is a core principle of the ego-self. The need to have attention, to be seen as the best, to always win is how the ego spends its life. Seeking ”to get ahead in the world”, rather than being like water and seeking the low places” 1.

Like the hub of a wagon wheel, being empty of ego, humility gives function to so many other principles and virtues of the Tao.

Chapter 8: “The highest goodness resembles water,

Water benefits myriad things without contention

It stays in places that people dislike”

Therefore it is similar to the Tao

Chapter 22: “….be low and become filled

Be worn out and become renewed

Have little and receive

Have much and be confused

therefore the sages hold to the one as an example to the world

Without flaunting themselves, they are seen clearly

Without presuming themselves, and are distinguished

Without praising themselves, and so have merit

With boasting about themselves and so are lasting”..

Chapter 28 “…The eternal virtue does not deviate

Return to the state of the boundless

Know the honor, hold the humility”…

Chapter 39 “The honored uses the lowly as a basis

The higher uses the lower as a foundation…”

Chapter 66 “ Rivers and oceans can be the kings of a hundred valleys

Because of their goodness in staying low

So they can be kings of a hundred valleys

Thus is sage wish to be over people

They must speak humbly to them…”

The inherent power of humility the first two treasures possible. Because you are not trying to get ahead in the world, your spirit resides in compassion. Because of your humility you are free from the greedy desire of ego never caring for conservation. The ego is too hungry with desire, it is ignorant to conserving resources. Through Sovereignty, you can engage the inherent powers of the three treasures and experience a long joyful life.

Humility is the principle and centerpiece for so many insights within the Tao. Humility opens the mystic door to the insight that those who are blinded by ego/desire/self-importance cannot see or comprehend the power of humility. Humility is the gateway to the Tao.

1See the chapter on Softness


the second is called conservation

verse 10 from Chapter 67, Tao Te Ching

The second of the three virtues is conservation. Conservation is the virtue of preserving, protecting, not being wasteful and using resources in a wise method. It is used in both material and non-material aspects of life.


Material resources: money, home, clothes, car etc.

Non-material resources: friendship, relationships, energy, time etc.

These material and non-material things in life are limited. Since they can be used up, it is important to take care of things that can be hard to replace. Your most important resource is life. Life is limited for everyone, therefore you must learn to conserve your life so that you can endure successfully. Sovereignty is the self-disciplined management of ego so that you don’t waste your life experience. Longevity and endurance depend on skillfully managing your resources so that your biggest resource, life, can be long and full.

Conservation has complementary relationships with other virtues such as moderation, patience, harmony and mystic virtue. When you practice patience, you can use your resources in moderation to keep balance and harmony in your life. Longevity, endurance, prosperity, and harmony are all inherent powers of conservation.

Conservation of Spirit. (constancy)

The foreword section of this book defines life as a sacred journey of experience. You are called to be awake, aware and experiencing life to gain wisdom. Successful realization of sovereignty can only happen when you continually return to self-awareness and unity with the Tao. This constantly returning/awakening is called constancy.1

Conservation of spirit is one of the highest virtue. Conservation of spirit empowers you to manage the ego and desire so that you do not deplete your resources. As always it comes back to conservation of spirit to be mindful of choices. Choosing actions that conserve both intangible and tangible assets is key to longevity and avoiding suffering and death.

Remember, your actions are like ripples in a pond. We are all connected. Your compassion or your indifference can affect so many. When you deplete your spiritual awareness and make selfish choices, the result can affect others. When you stupidly waste your life, others must sacrifice some of their own resources to help you start over. Those with compassion are willing to help. However, it is important to know that compassion from others can have a limit along with patience. If you hit bottom and have a chance to start over, you must use the gifts of compassion from others to help yourself return to harmony. Gratitude for assistance can go a long way.

The penalty for continuing to be the prisoner of ego and self-serving narcissism is dealt out by karma. Karma2 sometimes called “the great executioner” does not play favorites. Any notion of “it can’t happen to me” will be crushed. Karma is the result of your own ignorance choices. You must be honest with yourself and realize your actions. Conservation is a virtue that the Sovereign works at to build wisdom. You must be mindful of your resources and keep harmony in your life.

1See the chapter on Constancy. Section Two Chapter

2See the Chapter on Karma, chapter 10, section one.


I have three treasures

I hold on to them and protect them

The first is called compassion

verses 7,8, and 9, Chapter 67 Tao Te Ching

Compassion is a conviction of love and kindness for another being. It is a virtue that comes from the heart. The Sovereign, as a spiritual being, recognizes the spirit in other living beings. Note that the sovereign does not discriminate in its recognition of other living beings. As human beings, we share the planet with a very large number of other beings, who just happen to dwell in a different body. The Tao is not exclusive to humans and an argument can be made that plenty of beings in the animal world are closer in unity with nature (Tao) than a lot of humanity. But at least for the beginner on the path, compassion (loving kindness) for other humans is a useful place to begin.

As discussed earlier, true virtues have inherent powers. The inherent power of compassion is true courage.

“compassionate, thus able to have true courage”, verse 12

It is important that you study an accurate translation of the Tao Te Ching. The character for compassion sometimes gets translated as “pity”. However, pity is too far off the mark and will not make sense when consideration of the deeper study of compassion especially when used in verse 12. The inherent power is revealed when you realize that true courage comes from compassion. Pity (feeling sorry for someone) and empathy are important, may focus more on victimization. When you insert the word pity instead of compassionate in verse 12, you can see where it falls short.

Example: Pity, thus able to have true courage.

True compassion can be seen easily when you think of a parent/child relationship. Better yet, is to consider the mother/child bond.

Courage is sometimes confused with bravado or showing off by doing something dangerous. 1 Courage by virtue of compassion can be seen when the mother comes to the defense of her child. It is not just a human attribute. This compassionate courage can be seen throughout nature. Just as a human mother will not hesitate to face great odds against her, mother in nature will do the same. The internet is full of videos showing animal mothers protecting their young against dangerous predators. Even in our own homes, you can see dog or cat mothers standing up for their babies against anything they feel is a danger. This is true courage and is sourced in the love and selfless compassion for their children. The inherent power of compassion is not limited to mothers. You too can practice compassion (loving kindness, caring) and realize the power of true courage.

So you can begin to see that compassion is a specific kind of love and caring. Love has several perspectives including self-love, romantic love, or adoration for a material thing. This type of love is for someone or others. It doesn’t have to be for your children or family, it can be for your community or country. It is having compassion, love, and kindness for other than yourself.

One more area of compassion to focus on.

If one fights with compassion, then victory,” verse 20

Fighting here is not in the martial sense, but more as a metaphor for the battles or struggles in life. Courage to successfully get through life’s battles can be found when we are fighting for something important other than just ourselves. It is working hard, persevering and enduring so that others may benefit in a good way. When your efforts are grounded in the compassion of helping someone outside of yourself courage will empower you to stick with the effort and to endure. In a very simplistic perspective, true courage is not found in ego bravado, it is found the selfless caring of something other than yourself.

1See the Chapter True Courage, Chapter 16 for clarity on courage vs bravery

The Three Treasures

The Three Treasures

Everyone in the world calls my Tao great

As if it is beyond compare

It is only because of its greatness

That it seems beyond compare

If it can be compared

It would already be insignificant long ago

I have three treasures

I hold on to them and protect them

The first is called compassion

The second conservation

The third called not daring to be ahead in the world

Compassionate thus able to have true courage

Conserving, thus able to reach widely

Not daring to be ahead in the world

Thus able to assume leadership

Now if one has courage but discards compassion

Reaches widely but discards conservation

Goes ahead but discards being behind

Then death

If one fights with compassion, then victory

With defense, then security

Heaven shall save them

And with compassion guard them

 Chapter 67, Tao Te Ching

It is understandable why Lao Tzu called these three virtues as treasures that he holds on to and protects. These three virtues are applicable in every aspect of life. Picking up from the last chapter of Constancy, returning to spirit is sometimes easier said than done. It takes years of practice in cultivating constancy. So I listed the three treasures as a recommended next step in keeping grounded within the Tao.

When combined the three treasures form a complementary foundation for the Sovereign path. Each one gives true context for the other two.

three treasures

Compassion harmonizes with Conservation and Humility

Conservation harmonizes with Humility and Compassion

Humility harmonizes with Compassion and Conservation

If you are just beginning your conscious effort of cultivating, start with these three. Use these three as your moral compass in everyday life. When you have practiced them long enough, they will become the default perspective as you develop your Tao strategies for moving around life’s problems and obstacles.

On a personal note, I consider these three treasure as one of the key or highest virtues. You could spend the rest of your life attending to your ability to follow just these three. It is worth the effort for yourself as well as the rest of the world.

In the first chapter, you read that the concept of this life experience as being a sacred journey. Now it is time to realize that this is the journey back home. Home is where you live. Spiritually speaking, home is a returning from striving in the world of form to the tranquility of stillness and being. The path back home is very hard if not impossible without following the path of virtue. I consider the three treasures very significant guides on the road back home.


In the previous chapter, I stated that acceptance is a gateway virtue that enables other virtues such as patience. Patience is what I would call a lynch-pin virtue. It is the complement of so many other important virtues. A lynch-pin joins the axle of the wagon wheel to keep the wheel in position. The lynch-pin keeps the axle from sliding out of the hole in the wheel hub. Thus, the emptiness of the hub gives function to form and holds it all together so the vehicle can move forward towards its destination. In its most important role patience unifies possibility and intention to destiny. Destiny is determined by your choices. To choose wisely, you must be patient, and not be pushed by impulsive negative traits of the ego mind.




In holding the soul and embracing oneness

Can one be steadfast without straying?

Verse 1, Chapter 10

Meditation leads to the stillness of the mind and emptiness of ego. Stillness and emptiness is the space for acceptance. Acceptance creates space for patience. Patience enables you to be steadfast without straying like the lynch pin holding the wheel to the axle. It is said that emptiness gives “functionality to form.”1The inherent power of patience is the wisdom to resist ego and avoid impulsiveness and reactionary choices. This is the inherent power of patience.

Example: Because she was so patient, the children came to love and respect her.

Patience creates the space for hope, giving you the courage to overcome fear. By the phrase ‘creating space’, I mean that you become present and self-aware. Free of the impatient ego, you can choose to be patient. In the moment of patience, you return to your true path.

Continuing with the wagon wheel metaphor, let thirty spokes of the wheel, be some of the many virtues one can practice as a sovereignty cultivator. Patience allows you to view many different perspectives and possible choices to the situations that you face. Without patience, these virtuous choices will probably not be realized. Lack of patience and impulsiveness can lead to costly stupid mistakes.


Here is a list of some important virtues, that when mindfully practiced can transform your life in a dramatic and wonderful way. Looking at the group of the virtues below, think about how well you practice them. Get a piece of paper and write each one down. Write down beside it score from 1 to 5. 1 is no patience and 5 is the patience of a Saint. You probably ought to begin with honesty and work your way down. Do you have the patience to stick with this exercise? Or are you already telling yourself you will come back later?




Will Power























Now if you scored low of any of these important virtues, sit quietly and reflect on why these virtues are difficult. The answer will lie in seeing how your ego resists virtue of patience. This is really where spiritual growth if effective. Seeing your faults and then choosing the right action. With sovereignty over ego, you can be mindful and then choose patience over the ego response. Can you see how powerful it is to be able to over-ride the self-destructive reactions of the ego?

Try these powerful steps of cultivation. The following chapters on virtues require you to exercise patience and practice. Here are some actions steps for cultivation.

  1. Mindfulness. Take a course in meditation and mindfulness. Learn how to focus the mind away from the mind-stream of incessant thinking. Pay attention in a judgmental way to how the mind lost in ego intentions/responses. Consciously choose to ignore the impulsiveness and re-activity nature of the ego.

  2. Keep a journal. I have found that it helps to keep a journal of some sort. At the end of each day, make notes in your journal of what you experienced.

  3. Cultivate patience for a couple of weeks before moving onto the list of other virtues to incorporate into your life. Patience empowers self-discipline. Try to spend 3 or4 weeks on cultivating patience and use your journal to chart your progress.

  4. Cultivate A Life Path of Virtue. Start with the virtue that you scored the lowest and work your way up to your best. The following chapters are some that I find very important to work on. Take each virtue and live with it for a week. At the beginning of each day, take a moment to set the intention to follow the virtue. Work your journal. Use moderation in your efforts. Always be mindful of ego. It is the great pretender. So, avoid attachment to outcome. You will experience some set-backs with cultivating patience so do not lose patience with yourself. That is an ego response (impatience).

You do not have to become an expert at virtuous living. Even just a modest improvement will transform your life. Just do the best that you can. Remember, that your choices will initiate cause and effect (karma). The causation of virtue will result in true wisdom which will guide to true success. What you concentrate on, what you send out will return bigger, deeper and strong. The more you invest in virtuous choices, the bigger the return of Mystic Virtue2. This is the foundation for a long and successful life. This is the way of sovereignty. Begin with patience and self-honesty.

1Chapt 11, verse 2, Tao Te Ching

2Mystic Virtue; Chapter 11

The Power Of Acceptance

Not knowing constancy, one recklessly cause trouble

Knowing constancy is acceptance

Acceptance is impartiality

Impartiality is Sovereign

Sovereign is Heaven

Heaven is Tao

Tao is eternal

The Self is no more, without danger”

Excerpt from Chapter 16

Acceptance begins with the present moment. It is an acknowledgment of reality and the allowing of something as it really is. Non-acceptance (denial) is something the ego does frequently when its self-serving desire is in conflict with reality. The illusion occurs when reality does not match up with how the ego wants it to be. Acceptance is impartial to desire.

The ego will have a bias towards the perspective that best serves its insatiable desire. Confirmation bias is an illusion where a person seeks out only that information that supports the biased view. Denial of the underlying reality of life as it avoids facing the root cause of suffering. The ego will delude itself for a number of reasons such as greed or fear. Both lead to suffering.

Non-acceptance to reality creates resistance. When you deny the underlying reality, you are resisting the natural flow of life. This resistance creates emotional friction. The ego response can be mood reactions such as anger, frustration, depression, resentment and other negative feelings. When you feel these dark moods, the usual reaction is to cope with them through superficial means such as sensational responses. We may do unhealthy things hoping to feel better. Distraction is a common means of coping. Instinctively people will try to fill their minds with something else so that they will feel better. Too often these coping measures are self-destructive and only lead to more and deeper suffering.

Acceptance is a virtue whose inherent power can lead to a more effective alternative. When you can accept the reality of a situation you become impartial to the desire of the self-absorbed ego. Non-acceptance can create a feeling of being imprisoned. However, the prison is one whose door is wide open and you just to walk through it. Free of desire, you become detached from the things that keep you confined and unhappy.

This ability to accept and let go is a trait of sovereignty. Remember, sovereignty is the higher-consciousness ruling over the ego mind. When you can take back your power from the ego, you free yourself from its attachments.

Acceptance is a gateway virtue that initiates the implementation of other virtues such as honesty, cooperation, patience, wisdom, contentment, detachment, gratitude, and simplicity. Each virtue has its own inherent powers for effective life management.

Acceptance is the first step in detachment. With detachment, you can cultivate Wu Wei1. With attachment to outcome, you are striving which is opposite of the Tao.

You can use the “because of” litmus test to see the inherent power of acceptance.

Example: “Because of his acceptance, he was able to be patient with the child’s tantrums.”

And… “It was a time of great struggle. However, by virtue of acceptance, she was able to experience contentment and even joy during challenging times.”

Acceptance is a choice. It is available in the moment that you are mindful of feelings and intentions. Through meditation and mindfulness practice you can learn to be aware of the ego and transcend its control over those choices that affect your future.

The future depends on what we do in the present.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Is it easy to practice acceptance? You will immediately know how you feel when you try it. If you (your ego) resists you will feel it in a negative way.

Truth can be subjective. So use discernment rather than ego bias. I define discernment as perceiving without judgment so that you can perceive what the underlying reality is. Be mindful of ego bias and influence in what you believe to be true. Realize multiple perspectives and other viewpoints. Try to avoid being attached to an ego based outcome.

Another important point about acceptance is making the distinction of action vs reaction. An example to see this is when you experience a serious illness. Sometimes we can be in denial because we are afraid of the outcome or even the treatment. The right action is to accept that there is an anomaly in your well-being, yet you do not have to react by giving up and surrendering to despair. You can accept the reality of the illness, but you don’t have to accept the reaction of hopelessness. When you accept what is happening, it can be more effective in finding a solution. Hope can raise the spirit which has a better chance of healing.

In verses 1 – 11 of Chapter 64, Lao Tzu encourages us to deal with life issues early on.

When it is peaceful, it is easy to maintain

When it shows no signs, it is easy to plan

When it is fragile, it is easy to break

When it is small, it is easy to scatter

Act on it when it has not yet begun

Treat it when it is not yet chaotic

A Tree thick enough to embrace

Grows from the tiny sapling

A tower of nine levels

Starts from the dirt heap

A journey of a thousand miles

Begins beneath the feet

Acceptance avoids procrastination so that we can begin the right action while it is effective. Sometimes problems resolve themselves but many times they do not. Either way, acceptance is the more effective approach.

Acceptance is practiced by true-self and cultivates sovereignty. Your sovereignty will keep the ego in check which will lead to a more harmonious life. A life in harmony is one with less effort and striving. You can accomplish more by doing less.

Sovereign is Heaven

Heaven is Tao

Tao is eternal

The Self is no more, without danger”

In this way, you can get through the challenges and still live a long life of well-being. Acceptance opens the way for Sovereignty.

1See the Chapter 12 on Wu Wei. (unattached actions, accomplish more by doing less.


Attain the ultimate emptiness

Hold on to the truest tranquility

The myriad things are all active

I therefore watch their return

Everything flourishes, each returns to its root

Returning to its root is called tranquility

Tranquility is called returning to one’s nature

Returning to one’s nature is called constancy

Knowing constancy is called clarity

Not knowing constancy, one recklessly causes trouble

Knowing constancy is acceptance

Acceptance is impartiality

Impartiality is sovereign

Sovereign is Heaven

Heaven is Tao

Tao is eternal

The self is no more, without danger.

Chapter 16, Tao Te Ching

Constancy is a word that appears in at least three chapters of the Tao Te Ching. Before studying the Tao, it was a word I never used. Constancy is a very powerful virtue. It is a necessary element of cultivating sovereignty. In this context, I define constancy as a returning faithfully to the stillness of the Tao. What does this mean?

There are numerous references throughout the Tao Te Ching about returning to and being in a meditative state. The meditative state can be thought of as pure awareness within the stillness of the mind. A stillness of the mind is realized in the presence of the movement of thought processes. In this stillness, empty of mind movement is tranquility. In tranquility is your true nature. Your true nature is being. Your being is spirit.


The physical experience of life requires that we go forth and work to sustain our presence in the physical realm. As we engage our world, we use our mind to think.

The myriad things are all active”

Along the path of our species evolution, we developed the ego. I consider the ego to be physical consciousness that helped us to survive and evolve. For many, this physical consciousness is the primary identity. When asked “who are you?”, the response is “I am me”. While the ego identity serves the purpose of dealing with self-preservation and strategies for survival it is not the highest state of conscientiousness. The ego mind and sense of self must be managed and ruled over by the higher state of consciousness, the spirit. This is the essence of sovereignty. The spirit and wisdom mind reigning with supreme authority over the animalistic ego mind. The eternal non-corporeal essence of pure being.

When you sit in meditation and focus your consciousness on the stillness beyond thought and mindstream of mind and emotion you return to being. This is returning. Spirituality is pure being and unity with the Tao. It is a return from ignorance to wisdom, from avarice to virtue, and from narcissism to altruism to realize and maintain harmony. Harmony leads to tranquility.

I therefore watch their return

Everything flourishes, each returns to its root”

Tranquility is realized when you have moved beyond the thoughts [transcendence] that drive you crazy and create problems. In the dichotomy of Taoism, it can be thought of as heaven and earth. Or spiritual and physical.

As a physical living being, we must engage the physical aspect of living. Food, shelter, and thriving are daily activities that keep our physical presence in a sustained manner. However, we must return to spirit to maintain harmony. The harmony is a balance between spiritual and physical, being and doing, true nature and ego.

The meditative state is pure being, and mindfulness is the non-judgmental view of what you are thinking. Cultivating harmony is constancy returning to spiritual-awareness and the tranquility of calm-abiding. It is reflected in the principle of yin-yang. Yin is being/spiritual and yang is physical/action. This returning faithfully to spirit and oneness with the Tao (stillness) constancy.


Spiritual clarity is seeing things as they really are without the influence and filtering of the ego. The ego perspective is always tainted by narcissistic traits and a self-serving agenda. The ego is unable to see the underlying reality because of its nature is often caught up in illusion.

Returning to one’s nature is called constancy

Knowing constancy is called clarity

Not knowing constancy, one recklessly causes trouble

When the ego has too much control over decision making and choices, then trouble and suffering ensue. The ego abhors wisdom and will default to what ever desire or emotion that happens to be prevailing. It will ignore the wise choice and try to fulfill its luster or cope with mood. Ignoring wisdom and following ignorance, it will recklessly cause trouble for itself and others.

When you have transcended the ego and returned to spirit, you use discernment to see reality as it really is. Detached from ego, you will be able to accept reality and take the right action accordingly. This is acceptance. Rather than being controlled by reactions and perception of the ego, the choices you make, the steps you take are in unity with the Tao. Wise choices create harmony. Harmony means more successes and less suffering. Harmony is the nature of the Tao. Harmony sustains longevity. With the self-discipline of the sovereign spirit holding the ego under control, your path is less fraught with the dangers of bad choices.

Knowing constancy is acceptance

Acceptance is impartiality

Impartiality is sovereign

Sovereign is Heaven

Heaven is Tao

Tao is eternal

The self is no more, without danger.

The inherent powers of constancy are clarity and acceptance. Because of the power of constancy, you will be able to see things as they really are and to practice acceptance. By the virtue of you can experience a longer life with more harmony. This is the way of Sovereignty. This is the Tao.

True Courage

…I have three treasures

I hold on to them and protect them

The first is called compassion

The second is called conservation

The third is called not daring to get ahead in the world.

Compassionate, thus able to have courage

Conserving, thus able to reach widely

Not daring to get ahead in the world

Thus able to assume leadership

Now if one has courage but discards compassion

Reaches widely but discards conservation

Goes ahead but discards being behind

Then death!”….

Excerpt from Chapter 67 verses 7 – 19 of the Tao Te Ching.


True Courage vs Bravery

True courage is the inherent power of compassion. 1 This chapter highlights the important differences between just true courage and bravery.

Generally, courage is thought to be the ability to engage something difficult, dangerous, pain etcetera. This definition could also be applied to the word bravery, boldness, or guts. However, there is an important distinction between true courage and the other definitions.

The distinction can be found in the examination of the intention or mindset for how and why one faces danger and difficulty. One intention is to serve the self, the other is to serve something other than self. True courage is found through compassion and serving someone or something other than your specific needs or perspective. If you initiate an internet search for symbols of courage, you will see many images of the lion. The lion is a symbol of both power and true courage. The male lion will fearlessly protect the pride, and the lioness will fearlessly defend her cubs. They have a natural inherent intent of serving the pride.

To understand how compassion creates true courage, think of how the mothers or parents of many species will face great danger or difficulty in order to protect their young. Human parents will endure years of hardship and sacrifice to enable their children to have a good life. In nature, it is easy to see how mothers can be ferocious when their cubs are threatened. Every year we hear in the news how a mother bear attacked hikers or campers who came too close to the cubs.

Another perspective of how people will exhibit true courage for something other than their own well being can be seen when they serve their team, their country, or even humanity. Courage and sacrifice for the great good is the element of virtue that gives true courage.

And then there is bravery. I use bravery as a comprehensive word to represent the different actions where one faces difficulty, adversity, danger, and sacrifice because of self-gain. Greed, avarice, vanity, anger, vengeance are just a few ego motivating factors that can cause people to face danger or sacrifice one thing to get another. Some examples might be a bank robber who just wants to be rich. Or it might be swindling older people out of their money. In both situations, the perpetrator faces challenges and the danger of getting caught, yet you can see the motivations for self-gain.

Sometimes a person’s ego can be so self-convincing to the degree that they draw others into their dangerous plight because they are convinced that their idea will save the day. It gives credence to the saying “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”. It is still just a matter of a self-serving mindset for the ego or even collective ego. Seemingly good ideas can become a self-serving ideology masked under the name of religion.

If you are still not convinced, try considering what Lao Tzu says in verse 16 and 19:

verse 16 …“Now if one has courage but discards compassion”

verse 19 …“then death”.

Death” can be both a metaphor for self-destruction and loss or it can be literal. Taking dangerous chances because of ego pursuits can end in death. Taking chances with financial resources because of greed can result in a great financial loss.

Once again, you can see how important it is to be mindfully aware of the mind and the ego’s influence over intentions. In those moments of choice, you must know what you are doing and why otherwise the chance you are taking will not be based on true courage and end badly for all involved.

To step out of your comfort zone to help someone takes courage. In this way, courage becomes a virtue and karma will reflect back your true intention. Today and every day the opportunity for courage will present itself. It might be helping someone stand up to a bully. It may be a chance to push back on bigotry or racism. You may be called on to sacrifice something important to you so that someone else gets what they really need. A moment of truth will present itself that offers you a chance to have the courage to move beyond judgment and be compassionate. When you decide to take action seek to know if you are doing it because you will look good and be famous or are you doing it stop someone from suffering.

You will have the choice to be safely indifferent to someone in need or to have the courage to do the right thing. I hope for karma’s sake that you make the right choice. I guarantee you that someone in your future will need for you to have the courage and act selflessly.

Inherent Power

The inherent power of true courage is “victory”. Victory can also be thought of as true success, longevity and most importantly, harmony. When you use the “because of or by virtue of” test2, you can see the inherent power. Example:

Because of her true courage, she was able to inspire the workforce to achieve its goal in record time and keep morale high.

The analogy. When a leader and its group have a common goal, the leader can use compassion in leading the workforce. Putting her own ego-agenda aside and addressing the concerns of the workers raise the spirit of the workforce/team. They, in turn, will sacrifice and give extra effort for victory because they will be acting with compassion for those who stand to benefit from their efforts.

On the other hand, when the leader can be only focused on the result and uses coercion, manipulation, and trickery and forces the effort without compassion, then there will be a failure or at best-limited success. Any success will be soured by enmity to the leader and people will not want to follow them in the future.

True courage is knowing the “two standards” and choosing the right action.3 Compassionate courage is a virtue of sovereignty. Practice often.

1See the chapter on compassion (chapter 13)

2Use the phrase “because of” and “by virtue” as the reason for success to illuminate the inherent power of virtue vs ego.

3See the Chapter on Mystic Virtue for more about the two standards

Mystic Virtue

Right now the title of the next book is probably going to be Sovereignty – The Mother Principle of Power. Section One of the book will be a study of important Tao principles such as Karma, Emptiness, Wu Wei et al. One of the important virtues will be about the principle of Mystic Virtue which in itself is a study of inherent power. Section Two of the book will be a study of virtue and their inherent powers. In chapter 64, Lao Tzu says of Mystic Virtue, “it is so profound, so far reaching”. To understand why virtue is so powerful, one must realize the insights in Mystic Virtue. This is definitely a game changer on the path to Sovereignty.

<from the rough manuscript>

A Study Of Mystic Virtue


Mystic Virtue is so profound, so far-reaching

It goes opposite to material things

Then it reaches great congruence

Excerpt (v13,14,15) from Chapter 65, Tao Te Ching

Why is cultivating and knowing mystic virtue so important? Its power is realized when it reached great congruence. Masters and Sages who have integrated this aspect of Sovereignty are sought out because of their great wisdom and success at life. Their powers are mysterious and profound. They accomplish great things effortlessly and with joy. Because of this mysterious ability, people seek them out for guidance. They are loved and cherished.

There are two main aspects of Mystic Virtue to study. The “Inherent Power” of virtue, and the right choice of “The Two Standards.”

Inherent Power.

A study of mystic virtue is one of cultivating a mysterious and unusual power. But this power is not what you might think. Tao masters and sages attain a different kind of power. Think of someone in your society that you think of as powerful. Consider what kind of power or powers they wield. Examples might be the Mayor of your city or town. Or perhaps it is your Commanding Officer, your professor or your boss. Maybe you are thinking about a powerful Bull or some type of powerful beast. Perhaps you are even considering a shaman who can conjure the wind and rain. While these are all examples of power the power I am talking about is altogether different. It is something called inherent power.

An observation of inherent power reveals that it is hiding in plain sight. You have used it or have been witness to it at various times but maybe never viewed it as significant. What I speak of is a virtuous power. Virtue has two meanings. The obvious one is the one we know as being a high moral standard or action. The other one is as an inherent power.

Consider this example:

by virtue of her patience and self-discipline, she was able to lose 100 pounds.”


by virtue of his reputation of honesty, he was able to gain the trust of the staff.”

Change the phrase “by virtue of” to “because of” and you will gain the insight of inherent power. This is the inherent power of virtue. Masters and sages merge with this power so skillfully that they make the hardest tasks or goals seem easy. They can share insights that bring clarity to murkiness. There is definitely a level of mystique in how they always seem to know and see clearly and so it gained the the description of “mystic“ (mysterious) . Thus it became known as “mystic virtue”.

The Two Standards.

The essence of mystic virtue is to be mindful of the two standards (virtue vs ego) and to take the right action. The inherent power is demonstrated when you are aware of ego intentions but hold to the way of virtue. In every moment you have a choice between spirit and ego intentions. To know both standards but to hold to virtue is called mystic virtue.

Three chapters in the Tao Te Ching show us how to cultivate and attain this mysterious power. They are chapters 10, 51, and 65. These three chapters hold far more that can be discussed in one chapter. So here is an overview of what is required and how to cultivate. They show the two standards of realizing the two standards and taking the right action (choice). As you go through each of these chapters below, look for the two standards and understanding how Lao Tzu is encouraging you to choose the way of mystic virtue.

Chapter 10 addresses the mindset for cultivating and implementing mystic virtue. The two standards are

  • self-awareness vs distraction
  • true-self vs ego.

You cannot choose the right action (virtue) without self-aware and mindful of ego influences.

Chapter 51 describes how the Tao and naturally follows mystic virtue with right action.

  • “Produces without possession”
  • “Acts without flaunting”
  • “Nurtures without domination”

The Tao naturally produces (creates) with possessing. Living creatures are free to take from nature all of what they need. Nature, having no ego, acts without showing off. It nurtures (sustains us) without any need to control or dominate.

Chapter 65 instructs us on using mystic virtue in interpersonal relationships and governing our lives (Sovereignty).

  • Simplicity vs cleverness

Using complexity and cleverness to manage your life and the people in it goes against nature. Most reasonable people will always listen to or follow those who speak and act simply and honestly. Using trickery, complexity to dominate or control others will always lead to a bad end.

Here is a consolidated list compiled from the 3 chapters:

  • Be steadfast without straying (self-aware/mindful)
  • Be without imperfections (seeing reality as it is)
  • Concentrate the energy and reach relaxation like an infant (relaxed and free of stress)
  • Be without imperfections in your perspective (detached observation)

  • Be without manipulation in your personal interactions (the feminine principle)

  • Create without possession (free of attachment to outcome and personal gain)
  • Achieve without arrogance (humility)
  • Raise without domination (help or assist with expectation or compensation)
  • Produces but possess (give freely)
  • Act but not flaunt (action with ego vanity)
  • Nurture but not dominate (holding to the feminine principles)
  • Simplicity rather than cleverness in dealing with people (honesty, simple)
  • Know the ego way but choosing the Tao (the way). Right action

Look for the inherent power in choosing the right standard. In the list above, put the phrase “by virtue of being …” in front of each line. Consider what the mystic power will produce.

Example: By virtue of being steadfast without straying I was able to ….

If you are a leader, think of your subjects. If you are a parent, think of your children. If you are a boss, think of your subordinates. Be the sovereign in both the inner and outer world. Be mindful of the two standards and choose the action; the way of mystic virtue. If you do this with consistency, you will cultivate a great inherent power. This is the way of the sovereign, at one with the Tao.