3. Finally, implement the third step of this process by extending generosity through living the Tao impartially and connectingwith the inner space of being the Tao. In this space you’ll be able to be unbiased about your possessions, recognizing thatthey’re not exclusively yours but are rather a part of the entirety. By unconditionally sharing and giving, you’ll thrillat the experience of living the Tao and being unprejudiced. The Tao is your truth; it resides within you. Quietly be in thepeace and joy of connecting with the inexhaustible Tao.
Do the Tao Now
As many times as possible today, decide to approach interactions or situations involving other people with a completely fair mind-set, which you allow and trust to guide your responses. Do this as often as you can for an entire day with individuals, groups, friends, family members, or strangers. Create a short sentence that you silently repeat to continually remind yourself that you’re approaching this situation with an unbiased attitude, such as Guide me right now, Tao; Holy Spirit, guide me now; or Holy Spirit, help us now. Keeping this brief sentence on a loop in your mind will prevent judgment from habitually surfacing—but even more appealing is the feeling of relaxation and openness to whatever wants to happen in those moments of impartiality.
6th Verse
The spirit that never dies
is called the mysterious feminine.
Although she becomes the whole universe,
her immaculate purity is never lost.
Although she assumes countless forms,
her true identity remains intact.
The gateway to the mysterious female
is called the root of creation.
Listen to her voice,
hear it echo through creation.
Without fail, she reveals her presence.
Without fail, she brings us to our own perfection.
Although it is invisible, it endures;
it will never end.
Living Creatively
In this 6th verse, Lao-tzu refers to an eternal and indescribable force of creation that continuously gives birth to new life. He tells us that this “mysterious female” energy continually reveals itself in perfection, and he invites us to an awareness of that voice of creation echoing throughout life in myriad ways. “Living creatively” is how I describe existing with a conscious awareness of the presence of this feminine principle.
This mysterious female is always birthing, and the Tao Te Ching speaks of the gateway to her as the “root of creation.” It’s telling us that we have the ability to tap into this unlimited field and co-create, or as I’ve said, live creatively through the Tao. The never– dying formative energy is both our heritage and our destiny, functioning whether we’re conscious of it or not. What awareness accomplishes, through practicing the Tao, is to let us participate in the process—which in turn leads us toward the wholeness that is our ultimate earthbound task.
Although his writings are almost 3,000 years old, Lao-tzu is offering 21st-century advice here, with a message that’s as timeless and never-ending as the Tao itself. Words may change, but be assured that the feminine energy can and will bring you to your own perfection. If you choose to be aware of the inherent creativity that resonates deep within you, where the invisible Tao sings the loudest, you’ll assist the birthing of new ideas, new accomplishments, new projects, and new ways of understanding your life.
In Deng Ming-Dao’s 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, the Divine feminine energy is equated with the sound of birds soaring and gliding over a vast landscape:
You can feel this in your life: Events will take on a perfect momentum, a glorious cadence. You can feel it in your body: The energy will rise up in you in a thrilling crescendo, setting your very nerves aglow. You can feel it in your spirit: You will enter a state of such perfect grace that you will resound over the landscape of reality like ephemeral bird song.
When Tao comes to you in this way, ride it for all that you are worth. Don’t interfere. Don’t stop. . . . Don’t try to direct it. Let it flow and follow it. . . . As long as the song lasts, follow. Just follow.
Here are some thoughts for living creatively:
Know that you are a Divine creation birthed, not by your parents, but by the great spritual Divine Mother, the Tao.
When you’re in touch with the energy of your origin, you offer the world your authentic intelligence, talents, and behaviors. You’re co-creating with the you that originated in the Tao, with the very measure of your essence.
The Tao is not confused about what to create and how to go about it, as this is your legacy from the mysterious feminine. Listen to your inner callings, ignore how others might want to direct your life energies, and allow yourself to radiate outward what you feel so profoundly and deeply within you. There is a reservoir of talent, ability, and intelligence inside of you that’s as endless and inexhaustible as the Tao itself. It must be that way, because you are what you came from, and where you came from is this all-encompassing, endlessly creative Divine Mother, the mysterious feminine of the Tao.
Whatever you feel within you as your calling—whatever makes you feel alive—know in your heart that this excitement is all the evidence you need to have your inner passion become reality. This is precisely how creation works . . . and it’s that energy that harmonizes with the Tao.
Be creative—in your thoughts, in your feelings, and in all of your actions. Apply your own uniqueness to everything you undertake.
Whatever you feel compelled to do—be it write music, design software, do floral arrangements, clean teeth, or drive a taxi—do it with your unique flair. Being creative means trusting your inner calling, ignoring criticism or judgment, and releasing
