68
the cocker spaniel
gets the two dogs fighting
then sits back to watch
Lesson # 68
A good warrior
does not relish violence.
A good fighter
does not indulge in anger.
A good competitor is generous
towards their competition,
without regard to the final result.
A good manager
empowers those they lead.
This is strength without
domination.
That is what being in harmony
with the Tao looks like.
From: 81 Lessons from the Tao Te Ching
Number 68 Strength
A skillful military leader
does not oppress their troops
A skillful fighter
doesn’t lose their temper
A skillful competitor
is gracious and generous towards their competitors
A skillful manager
empowers their work force
This is known as strength without domination
This is right action for you
if you wish to act in accordance with universal principles
NUMBER SIXTY EIGHT
He who loves, in being a soldier is not warlike.
He who loves, in fighting is not angry.
He who loves, in conquering does not grasp to self.
He who loves, in employing men is lowly before them.
This is called Manifestation of non-greed.
It is called the power of using men.
It is called Unity with Heaven.
Of Old it was man’s highest aim.
Isabella Mears, The Tao Teh King, A Tentative Translation from the Chinese, William McLellan, Glascow, 1916.
Number 68 (commentary) How do you let go of the ego?
Our ego; our identity; who we take ourselves to be, is not stripped away forever in a moment of spiritual revelation.
Even if, in that flash of inspiration, it feels like we are now beyond that limiting self-view, that insight eventually fades. Who we thought we were will sneak back in and take back the reins. Only now we have the added bonus that we can also parade ourself as a wise spiritual enlightened soul.
Our ego is like a ragged rock, with lots of sharp edges. The spiritual path is like a rock tumbler. The teachings are some of the grit in the tumbler, slowly breaking off and wearing down our rough edges. Bad luck, tragedy, loss, failure, illness and intimate partner, are also grit in the tumbler and can also wear down those rough edges. This is a painful and lengthy process, but it does expose the unique beauty of each soul.
Every loss, every failure, every unskillful act, every betrayal, has the potential to chip away at your sense of specialness and privilege. These struggles chip off another little piece of entitlement and anger. Eventually, you become a warrior who does not need to fight, a leader who does not need to win, an employer who does not need to control.
You are naturally kind, because you do not hold yourself separate from anything.
Tangent and Tool #68, Lao Tsu in these times A question and a reflection: “How can I be a leader without being run by my ego?” Lao Tsu watched clever leaders fail. He hoped for a new kind of leader, a servant-leader who could lead through deep intuition and a connection to nature and the natural order, rather than through superior intellect and political craftiness. Most of our world leaders haven’t a clue what that might look like. We need to discover how to lead from our heart and intuition. We need to model that kind of leadership in our families, at work and in our communities. If we can teach our children (and the other children in our lives) what a kind, conscious, intuitive servant-leader looks like, then perhaps someday, when they will be calling the shots, they will remember what it feels like to lead and to be led in this manner.