Abandon holiness. Discard cleverness and the people will benefit a hundredfold. Abandon the rules of "kindness." Discard "righteous" actions and the people will return to their own natural affections. Abandon book learning. Discard the rules of behavior and the people will have no worries. Abandon plots and schemes. Discard profit-seeking and the people will not become theives.
- All these things that we must abandon and discard are human inventions
- They seperate us from the natural world
- They distort ourselves as we become removed from nature
- They turn us into posers, a fake impression for all other posers
- They distract us from what really matters in the world
Application: This verse helps me view what is good according to humanity (individuals) and what is good according to nature (unity). To me, it seems that what is good according to humanity are a bunch of rules to control people and a bunch of titles for people to aspire to--all of them are really unnecessary. As an American, I live more in a world removed from nature so it is hard to avoid following social and legal rules and it is hard to aspire to a certain social status. At this point in my life, it seems like the alternative is to become a hermit or join some clergy.
These lessons learned are mere elaborations. The essence of my teachings is this: see with original purity, embrace with original simplicity, reduce what you have, decrease what you want.
- The things that seperate us from nature make like unnecessarily complex
- Remaining true to nature makes life simpler
- There are no distractions in nature, just a straight focus
- This is what distinguishes Taoism from Christianity, which tells us to be removed from nature
- Christianity calls for a permanant schism between "god" and nature when there is none.
Application: This is one element that pulled me away from Christianity--many natural behaviors are seen as ungodly. We were taught shame with many of our animal instincts, which Freud later pointed out causes certain neuroses. I believe God's laws are simpler, meaning the laws can be found through nature and self-reflection. For forgetful people, perhaps a book can help to remind them. But I don't believe a book should be analyzed to death when its purpose is to remind us that God's laws are found within us and around us. When there is a conflict between what is natural and what is written, then all sorts of unwinnable debates arise. I take the side of what is natural.
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