55

He who is in harmony with the Tao
is like a newborn child.
Its bones are soft, its muscles are weak,
but its grip is powerful.
It doesn’t know about the union
of male and female,
yet its penis can stand erect,
so intense is its vital power.
It can scream its head off all day,
yet it never becomes hoarse,
so complete is its harmony.

The Master’s power is like this.
He lets all things come and go
effortlessly, without desire.
He never expects results;
thus he is never disappointed.
He is never disappointed;
thus his spirit never grows old.

Tao Te Ching by Lao-tsu, trans. by Stephen Mitchell

It is Saturday morning. The parking lot is illuminated by a gray light, thunder rolls, and some rain diffidently makes the asphalt wet. A lot more rain is needed, since it has been dry for some weeks now.

To understand, to grasp what is meant by way-making seems possible by indirection, by the oblique, sideways approach. The Tao Te Ching is a collection of sayings, example after example showing life under the auspices of “harmony.” Is this a primer on harmonious living? No recipe but a guideline?

What is it like to have (without having) “power like this?”

A newborn is identified as an example of such potency. A newborn is a rapidly developing being, attuned to what the body requires, responding, directly knowing with no confusion – hunger, fear, curiosity, acceptance, rejection etc..

How long and how intense can a newborn cry?

As long as necessary to restore felt disharmony to a condition of equilibrium. Usually the delay is quite brief since mom or dad understands that something must be done!

~*~ 

How long ought we to focus potency to advocate for justice, for excellence, for the common good? For as long as it takes! Because that is the power of the Tao.