Verse Six

Endlessly creating. Endlessly pulsating. The Spirit of the Valley never dies. She is called the Hidden Creator.

- The origin, the starting point, the first, existence itself, awareness
- All as one, the Unity, the Tao

Application: This is quite similar to my concept of God, which doesn't seem to different than most other creation deities. Because of this I can claim that I believe in God. We can argue over the characteristics of God later.

Although She becomes the whole universe, Her immaculate purity is never lost. Although She assumes countless forms, Her true identity remains intact. Whatever we see or don't see, whatever exists or doesn't exist is nothing but the creation of this Supreme Power.

- All is one restated, femininity reaffirmed
- Everything real and unreal spanning past, present, and future

Application: This is similar to my belief that if God exists, then nothing is impossible. Everything real or imagined has existed, does exist, or will exist. The "rules" of time and space do not apply to God, the universe. Only our perceptions apply to these "rules."

Tao is limitless, unborn, and eternal--it can only be reached through the Mysterious Female. She is the very face of the Absolute. The gate to the source of all things eternal.

- Acknowledging the power of the yin, the female as the bringer of life
- Yin energy is transitional energy from one being of existence to another
- One is born weak and dies weak
- Weakness is a sign of metamorphosis

Application: This is one of my favorite conclusions that weakness or passivity is an indication that one is about to change. Birth and death are obvious examples, but admitting one's faults is a brave admission of weakness that brings about change. Being strong all the time is not good for one's life. This can also be applied to communities and nations as well as individuals. It is a good reason why so many people are put off by machismo and stubborness. I don't have much machismo, but I can be quite stubborn at times. Verse 6 of the Tao Te Ching helps me rethink my reasons for that trait.

Listen to Her voice, hear it echo through creation. Without fail, She reveals her presence. Without fail, She brings us to our own perfection.

- Passivity is illuminating, strength is empowering
- Peace is accomplished when the power of war is depleated

Application: The best way to listen to Her voice is through meditation. To those unfamiliar with Eastern philosophy, meditation may seem weak, passive, and vulnerable. But one must let go of all that tension created by fear and desire to actually grow strong through meditation. That's how opposites are found together. To become strong, one must become weak. Meditation is not prayer for strength, it is letting go of one's fear of being weak and one's desire to or defeat overcome "the enemy." Now I'm getting too abstract and the holes in this logic can really rip it apart, but that's why Taoism does not believe language is a good device to "explain" the Tao.