60th Verse
Governing a large county
is like frying a small fish.
You spoil it with too much poking.
Approach the universe with the Tao
and evil will have no power.
Not that evil is not powerful,
but its power will not be used to harm others.
Not only will it not do harm to others,
but the sage himself will also be protected.
If only the ruler and his people would
refrain from harming each other,
all the benefits of life would accumulate
in the kingdom.
Living with
Immunity to Evil
Your assignment in this verse of the Tao Te Ching is to change the way you view the presence of evil in your personal world, as well as the entire planet. You can do so by acquiring an inner awareness that evil simply can’t impact you if you’re centered within the protective net of the Tao. If you live in accordance with the Great Way, refusing to have injurious thoughts directed either toward yourself or others, then the powers of wickedness and wrongdoing will be rendered impotent.
The Tao isn’t about destruction or visiting harm on anyone; rather, it gives sustaining energy to everyone, without exception. When people violate this principle, they’re only successful when others respond in kind. This is when war erupts and dissension becomes present in the family and the community. Negativity then begets more negativity, and the leader or ruler will ultimately be destroyed as the larger grouping falls into chaos.
Update your viewpoint on the presence of malevolence in the world to one that emphatically affirms: My loved ones and I cannot and will not be impacted by the presence of evil anywhere in the world. Your inner landscape will immediately begin to change as well. So when you see or hear reports of violent thinking and action, your immediate reaction must be, This is not about me. I choose not to have any thoughts of harm directed to anyone by me. I am a being of lightand love, and therefore the only thoughts that can emerge from me are in harmony with the great loving Tao. In other words, whatever comes your way because of other people won’t evoke a plan of revenge and hatred. That’s because you’ve made yourself immune to negativity by being Tao centered.
Now you may think that this sounds too simplistic, but imagine if large numbers of people began thinking this way—and then imagine if rulers began to emerge from this kind of consciousness. As Lao-tzu says in this verse, “If only the ruler and his people would refrain from harming each other, all the benefits of life would accumulate in the kingdom.” Ultimately, our world must live by this principle or humanity will cease to exist . . . and it begins with you.
As Tao awareness grows one person, one family, one community, and one country at a time, priorities will shift. Our energies will go into building more environmentally sensitive vehicles and homes rather than instruments that reflect a belief that we can do whatever we want to the planet without repercussions. We’ll find ways to destroy the stockpiles of unimaginably horrendous weapons of mass destruction. Cooperation will replace hatred and thoughts of harm. It will come about, as Lao-tzu states, when rulers and people change the way they think about harming each other.
As you reexamine this passage of the Tao Te Ching, see how it can impact your daily life. When negativity feels like it’s directed right at you, retreat to that place of kindness and love within and deflect that energy. Remember, it’s impossible to pick a fight with someone who refuses to fight! So your refusal to enter into battle is your most potent weapon against evil. You can change an angry person’s attempt to inflict harm by refusing to lower yourself to the level of their abusive thinking. From an enraged motorist’s curse to the harsh words of a disgruntled clerk or upset family member, these outbursts are easily shifted when you stay centered inwardly. Become immune to such harmful thinking and action by knowing that none of this is about you.
As he dictated this 60th verse some 2,500 years ago, Lao-tzu was thinking about all of humanity. He knew that hurtful behavior could be rendered impotent if enough people were willing to live in ways that encourage cooperation and a spirit of love in place of competition and revenge. Now he asks you to implement the wisdom of this verse by making the following changes in the way you think about evil and its potential impact on you and the world: 60th Verse
Bolster your immunity to negativity by controlling yourself in the midst of noxious thinking.
Catch yourself when you have judgmental thoughts that could be considered harmful for yourself or others. For example, if you see yourself as unworthy of respect, that’s a damaging thought directed at you. Change it to the following affirmation: I deserve and anticipate receiving only Divine love. This is what I attract. When you’re confronted with any reports of hatred and evil on our planet, suspend your fantasies of revenge toward the perpetrators. Change your mental energy to something like: I send loving, kind thoughts to all and trust that this love
