Your heart is indeed a thing of wonder as it delivers life itself; it is essentially you. That organ in your chest is a model for understanding and applying the lesson of living by being. Your heart attains completion (your life) by not venturing forth, looking beyond its chest cavity, or striving. As you sit here reading these words right now, it’s keeping you alive just by being, and you don’t even feel it.
I’d like you to think of your entire self as a heart that already knows exactly what to do by virtue of its very nature. That is, you don’t have to go anywhere to know the world because you already are the world. The moment you attempt to control the beating of your own heart, you realize the futility of such an effort. No amount of trying or striving will make any difference, for your heart operates by its natural connection to the Tao, which does nothing but leaves nothing undone.
Michael LaTorra points this out in his commentary on this verse in A Warrior Blends with Life:
As the wisest of sages have always realized, the root of essential being is in the heart, especially in the heart-beat mechanism. From here, the radiance of essential being spirals upward to illuminate the head. This mechanism lies beyond any technology. You already inhabit it. . . . And through deep feelings (rather than superficial emotions) you can connect with it immediately. . . . The ultimate act that enlightens involves no action at all.
So now you know that the paradoxical state Lao-tzu describes in this verse is not only possible, but it’s actually taking place everywhere right now, in billions of human hearts. The further reality is that this is true for the hearts of all creatures, as well as the life system of every tree, flower, bush, and even mineral on Earth. And this is only one planet in a universe that contains so many heavenly bodies that counting them is so far beyond our ability that we can’t even devise calculators to undertake such a task.
The 21st century is often called “the information age”: We live in a time when there’s more data available on tiny computer chips than ever before in human history. We can also easily see that our efforts do indeed bring us more facts and the like. In fact, you may be one of the computer wizards whose greater efforts have made all of this possible. What’s at issue here is the relationship of information to knowledge and wisdom.
Let’s take apart the very name of this era—information—to explain what I mean. When you stay “in-form” (in your body and the material world), you’re rewarded with information. But move beyond form (transform to spirit) and you’ll receive inspiration. Thus, information is not always knowledge, and knowledge is not always wisdom. Wisdom connects you to your heart in your waking moments; it is the Tao at work. Lao-tzu is asking you to recognize the difference 47th Verse between striving for more facts and being in the world that is complete as it is. As you live from this perspective of wisdom or connection to the Tao, the world looks so very different.
You are a single beat in the one heart that is humanity. You don’t have to look outside your window or venture forth—all you have to do is just be in the same way that you allow your heart to be. This concept was difficult 2,500 years ago, and I realize that it may still be challenging to grasp, but you must! In a world mad for information without the grace of being the Tao, you are one of the heartbeats that keeps the Tao wisdom flowing freely . . . just by being.
Through me, Lao-tzu urges you to work at this new awareness and try out these suggestions:
Begin the process of trusting your heart.
Listening to your heartbeat, you can clearly recognize the Tao practicing the paradox of doing nothing and at the same time leaving nothing undone. Your deepest feelings are reflections of your “heart space” talking to you. You don’t have to do anything to activate this internal profundity; simply let your heart speak to you. Begin noticing and appreciating its continual silent thumping—and whatever provides the energy for the beat to go on, let its presence in your chest be a constant reminder of the Tao at work.
Trust in your “sense of knowing,” which is always with you.
An internal knowing is there independent of your venturing forth—it’s there even when your eyes are closed and you’re sitting still. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should become a couch potato. Rather, you must allow yourself to be guided by the same Source that twirls the planets around the sun, and trust that it will direct you perfectly without your having to interfere. Experience your innate creativity while being an observer, watching in amazement as everything falls perfectly into place. Just as moving water never stagnates, you will be moved by a natural force that seeks being complete within you and without your needing to step in. You can get in touch with this knowing through
