Verse 2: Tao Te Ching
Everyone recognizes beauty only because of ugliness
Everyone recognizes virtue only because of sin
Life and death are born together
Difficult and easy
Long and short
High and low — all these exist together and arrive together
Sound and silence blend together
Before and after
The Sage acts without action and teaches without talking
All things flourish around him and he does not refuse any one of them
He gives but not to receive
He works but not for reward
He completes but not for results
He does nothing for himself in this passing world so nothing he does ever passes
In this passage I was made to consider the duality of existence. The dichotomy that sprang to mind for me was right vs wrong.
Setup (while tapping the karate chop point): I don’t always have to be right. I don’t really believe that. Of course I always have to be right. There may be more to this. I am open to looking at how my need to always be right might be hurting myself in other ways. There are two sides to everything. I suspect this verse may be telling me that there are some things that may be more important than being right. I choose to consider each situation independently and consider prayerfully how important being right is. I deeply and completely accept myself, even in my stubborn need to always be right.
Eyebrow…I always need to be right
Side of Eye…That has been a major force in my life
Under the Eye…Being right feels good
Under the Nose…I’m becoming aware that the cost may sometimes be too high
Chin…I choose to consider that I WANT to be right but I may not always NEED to be right
Collarbone…I am open to experiencing the difference
Under the Arm…Meditations on the Tao suggest that my need to be right drives my judgments that others are wrong
Top of Head…The Tao also suggests that accepting right and wrong as coexisting together rather than being separate is another option
Eyebrow…I sometimes get glimpses of that but certainly don’t live it
Side of Eye…I MUST be right all of the time
Under the Eye…No I don’t
Under the Nose…Sometimes relationships may be more important than proving I’m right
Chin…Taking action based on reasonable information may be preferable to researching to prove that I’m right before acting
Collarbone…I need to learn when enough is enough
Under the Arm…Being right can sometimes hurt other people
Top of Head…Obviously being right can sometimes hurt me too
Eyebrow…I choose to be open to learning a new way
Side of Eye…I choose to be open to practicing a new way
Under the Eye…I choose to be open to experiencing a new way
Under the Nose…Being right feels good
Chin…I hope to learn how to also accept not being right
Collarbone…It may not be as much tied to who I am as I previously thought
Under the Arm…Not proving that I’m right may not really be a life-ending disaster
Top of Head…I guess that is up to me
Eyebrow…I always have to be right
Side of Eye…That doesn’t feel as true for me as it did before
Under the Eye…One day at a time
Under the Nose…I am open to experiencing life as it comes
Chin…It is not about right or wrong
Collarbone…I think I’ll start by not needing to prove that others are wrong so that I can be right
Under the Arm…I choose to continue growing so that I don’t need others to be wrong
Top of Head…I choose to love and accept myself along this journey