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When they lose their sense of awe,
people turn to religion.
When they no longer trust themselves,
they begin to depend upon authority.
Therefore the Master steps back
so that people won't be confused.
He teaches without a teaching,
so that people will have nothing to learn.
72
Tao Te Ching, a New English Version, copyright ©️ 1988 by Stephen Mitchell, published by HarperCollins. All rights reserved.
Telling yourself you have “good intentions” is usually a very bad sign. It means you are about to, or have already, intruded in someone’s life and have assumed they simply don’t have what it takes to live it. Trying to take someone by the hand through life should be reserved for defenseless children.
Teaching turns selfish when it becomes too much about teaching.
Leading turns useless when it becomes too much about leading.
A true leader takes a step back and shows that building self-confidence is possible. He knows authority is just the stick we use when true leadership fails. Instead of the usual “take this, you will love it and it will help you” he says “This is mine, you’re welcome to use and enjoy it if you’d like”.
Quote of the Week
The great Masters left no precepts, no doctrines, no rules, no traditions, and their words self-destruct upon impact…They were transparent to their own benevolence, and too kind to offer help. Like the Cheshire Cat, they vanished down to their smile.
Stephen Mitchell
Song Picks of the Week (Official TTT Playlist here)
Classical
Thank you for reading!
Until next Tuesday,
Daniel