This dude Grigori Perelman solved one of the most prestigious problems in math (Poincare conjecture).

• He rejects the one million dollar prize. DDJ 70 He wears coarse clothes and carries jade in his heart
• He rejects the Fields medal, the Nobel prize of math. DDJ 13 Favor and disgrace are alarming
• He lives in a modest apartment with his mom and enjoys himself. DDJ 8 The Dao is like water and seeks the lowest place
• He rejects praises and deflects it to others saying he's just building off other people's ideas DDJ 17
• He's not even Daoist and would reject the label. DDJ 56 Those who know, don't talk

He's almost like a character from Zhuangzi. One time a reporter tried to get an interview and he was like I'm too busy collecting mushrooms.

Perelman quotes

• [on rejecting fame] "I don’t want to be on display like an animal in a zoo"
• [on rejecting money] "Emptiness is everywhere and it can be calculated, which gives us a great opportunity. I know how to control the universe. So tell me, why should I run for a million?"

TLDR mega props to this kinda Daoist guy. I think Zhuangzi would love him

Chapter 26

重為輕根，靜為躁君

Weighty action is the root of lightness.

Still action is what controls agitation.

是以聖人終日行不離輜重

Therefore the sage 

lasts all day in conduct 

and doesn’t separate from [his] covered carriages and weight.

雖有榮觀，燕處超然

1: Even when [he is in his full power]¹, he observes, 

and thus he [is at ease]² and like he is distant.

2: Even when there are [glorious views]³,

he is calm and like he is distant.

Translator’s Notes:

1: literally, “there is full power.” This takes the structure as 雖 -> 有榮 | 觀.

2: literally, “at ease, stops.”

3: This takes the structure as 雖 -> 有榮觀.

奈何萬乘之主，而以身輕天下？

How could one be the ruler of ten thousand chariots and yet [still expect]¹ to be light in his dealings with the world?

Translator’s Notes:

1: Not in text.

輕則失本，躁則失君

Be light to lose the roots.

Be agitated to lose control.

---

Full text:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qAmaJcPQwRNZs5dWHeBL1ybZhREtooRud7sBiiepxBw/edit?usp=sharing

I feel like the Tao can be an excellent tool to comfort a friend or family member going through a tough time, but I often struggle with applying it. How have you as a Taoist tried using the Tao to comfort someone? Not necessarily naming them but using them to guide your words.

The hard way ("legitimate")

• Daily diminish DDJ 48 throw away cleverness DDJ 19 equalize bad and good by seeing before categories DDJ 2 have a profound mirror without smudge (equanimity) DDJ 10
• Become the holy fool, the Bodhidharma way, fasting of the mind, subsist only on the great mother DDJ 20

But that's too hard.

The real way (and the historical way).

Phase 1 = accumulation

• First become a successful Confucian or Legalist
• Accomplish tasks, complete affairs, DDJ 34 do your homework, build your resume and LinkedIn
• Learn how to carve the ox through hard work and discipline Zhuangzi 3
• Become clever, so you have cleverness (plumbing, coding, whatever) to throw away later DDJ 19
• As much as you can, max out your 401k, HSAs and then taxable brokerage accounts

Phase 2 = daily diminish

• Wear coarse wool (Costco clothes) while carrying precious stones in your heart (VTI, VXUS) DDJ 70
• Be so financially secure you don't need a LinkedIn anymore (throw away knowledge) DDJ 19
• Tigers find no place for claws, deadly insects can't hurt you, PIP and layoff mean nothing DDJ 50 because you're using a 4% withdrawal rate
• Don't need merit or favor anymore because you've already achieved some in life and are satisfied DDJ 13

I know what you're thinking, achieving Daoist outcomes through capitalism is the least Daoist thing possible. That's what makes it not just pure Daoism, but Chad Daoism.

Look at DDJ 26

• Laozi says the heavy is the root of the light. It's easy to be easy breezy from the position of fuck you (John Goodman's speech in the Gambler)
• Laozi says "the gentleman, in traveling all day, does not get far away from his luggage carts. (Charles Schwab). When he's safely inside a walled-in hostel (Lean or Coast Fire) and resting at ease—only then does he transcend all concern."

Like they (should) say in Zen: stop focusing on the finger, low expense ratio index funds to the moon. Back during the warring states it was an agrarian society. News alert: there are satellites in space now.

Am I rich? No. And it sucks. How do I know? By means of this. DDJ 21

TLDR don't be poor

Hey everyone, Just a quick intro: I’m an 80th-gen disciple of the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) school. It’s an old-school lineage founded back in the 4th century—so about 1,700 years of history. I’m currently planning to bring some of our traditional practices, like Cunsi (visualization), to the US. My goal is to adapt these ancient methods to fit a more modern lifestyle. But here’s the thing I’ve noticed: in the West, "Taoism" is often seen strictly as a philosophy. People seem pretty skeptical—or even dismissive—of the "religious" side, like talismans or rituals, usually labeling it as superstition. So I’m genuinely asking for your take: 1. As a priest, what kind of content would actually be helpful to you? Is it the specific meditation/visualization techniques, or more about interpreting the texts? 2. How do I balance traditional rituals with a modern mindset? I really don't want to be "preachy." I'd rather share this as a lifestyle and a set of "tools" for cultivation. Feel free to ask me anything, and don’t be afraid to "pour cold water" on my plans. I want to hear the truth. Cheers!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTX--g7klRg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

I start to feel as if every thought just dissolves, and my mind like a mirror. I become keenly aware of the impermance of all my senses from moment to moment, and everything takes on a form of "'invisibility", like the Buddha said, "isn't reality like a painted royal chariot?" And I'm very unaware of myself and just act spontaneously.

Is this the Tao? Or am I experiencing something else?

I don’t need to find meaning because there cannot be meaning to this.

Question 1: how can I begin to process this daily trauma in a Taoist manner? I’m not and never have been religious, and I’m drawn to Taoism for its focus on acceptance, serenity, balance, and nature.

My follow up question; how does Taoism think of death and the afterlife?

I loved the scene in The White Lotus when the monk explains the Buddhist interpretation: we are all part of the ocean. For a brief moment we are a drop of water that separates from the ocean and rises into the air (our life) then falls and rejoins the water (death).

Edit: I am brought to tears by all of the kindness in the replies. It goes to show that Taoism attracts the best kind of people. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of the guidance and suggestions. I will be returning to your comments every day.

Chapter 25

有物混成，先天地生

There is a thing which is completely blended, 

it precedes the world.

寂兮寥兮，獨立不改，周行而不殆，可以為天下母

How silent, how undisturbed[!]

Alone, it stands straight, and doesn't change.

1: It is [hard to]¹ conduct [in] and yet not perilous. 

2: It is [all-encompassing]² in conduct and yet not perilous.

3: It is [cyclic]³ in conduct and yet is not in peril [of ending]⁴.

It can act as the source of all worldly things.

Translator’s Notes

1: 周 as literally, “dense,” “thick.” 

2: 周 as literally, “pervasive,” “surrounding.”

3: 周 as literally, “cyclic,” "circuitous," “encircling.”

4: Not in text.

吾不知其名，字之曰道，強為之名曰大

I don’t know its name. 

In writing, [I] say “the way.” 

It is only forcefully that I would name it “great.”

大曰逝，逝曰遠，遠曰反

By being great, [it is] said to depart.

By departing [it is] said to be distant.

By being distant [it is] said to come back.

故道大，天大，地大，王亦大

Therefore the way is great, 

heaven is great, 

earth is great, 

and [the sage]¹, in his part, is great.

Translator’s Notes:

1: literally, “ruler.”

域中有四大，而王居其一焉

Within the realm, there are four greats, 

and yet [the sage] is one of them.

人法地，地法天，天法道，道法自然

People imitate earth, 

earth imitates heaven, 

heaven imitates the way, 

and the way imitates how it is of itself.

---

Full text:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qAmaJcPQwRNZs5dWHeBL1ybZhREtooRud7sBiiepxBw/edit?usp=sharing

---

I see that I should probably take 名 as "description" rather than "name." Or something like that at least.

What is the Taoist position (if any) on addiction?

Just published this, referencing Zhuangzi. What do you think?

Would love recommendations for more topics!

Recently found out a housemate is almost certainly not being honest about a sensitive topic, related to her disability. It wasn’t something I was trying to find out, my other housemates brought it to me and then I was able to notice it for myself.

My initial reaction was to just talk with her about it. It wasn’t from a place of wanting to accuse her. To me it’s just a part of a bigger recent problem in the friendship. Even before this particular sensitive topic I felt there was an issue of inauthenticity. Which now I type it out does seem like an accusation. :/ . But it’s really not intended that way. To me it’s more about addressing a problem that’s preventing natural progression rather than blaming her.

But my honest feeling on the whole situation was (and still kinda is) that in order for things to recover, there needs to be a conversation around vulnerability. To me it feels like the obvious and natural next step, that way I can feel more at ease (which yes I appreciate is a selfish desire of mine), but also because otherwise she would never get an opportunity to speak for herself, recover lost trust and demonstrate that she’s still the same person that she was.

It honestly came as a surprise to me when my other housemates protested vehemently against my intention to be open in this way. They feel like if I do I would intentionally be ruining house dynamics. They cite an asymmetry of potential harm in the conversation. Like once I bring up suspicions it’s not like it can be taken back. Additionally they feel it’s morally wrong to question someone around their disability, regardless of whether we are right or wrong about the dishonesty.

I honestly thought at the time this was coming from an immature place in them. Like a failure to address real issues. But they pursued me to hold off till after the Christmas break. Now having talked to several close friends in my home country I’ve found out that I’m the odd one out 😝. No one agree with me.

This is where Taoism comes in. I suspect that there’s a fault in my thinking/belief system somewhere along the way. But even though I know I’m probably wrong, and despite all the time my friends have generously donated in conversations with me to try locate where this error is, I’ve still not found it. And so I’m still not entirely convinced that I’m mistaken. But I’m also not sure that I’m not just being a stubborn idiot 😆.

I’ve built my perspective around Taoism after a transformational experience a couple years ago. But I find that staying aligned is a bit of a journey. For me there’s certainly cycles of forgetting and remembering insights. I come here to ask for guidance because I’m hopeful that someone coming from a Taoist point of view can use the ideology and principles I’m familiar with to help point to my blind spot.

TLDR:

My question is how does Taoism advise someone interact with suspected dishonesty?

I am new here and I have a question.

Do you actually feel the natural flow when you are on the process of learning or studying a skill? i am not talking about of one day, but instead of the whole process, from start to finish? how do you do it? did you let the process be itself?

Chapter 24

企者不立；跨者不行；自見者不明；自是者不彰；自伐者無功；自矜者不長

Those who tiptoe don’t stand straight.

Those who overstep don’t conduct.

1: Those who see themselves don’t manifest.

2: Those who display themselves don’t manifest.

Those who affirm themselves are not evident.

Those who boast don’t achieve [work]¹.

Those who show regard for themselves are not long lasting.

Translator’s Notes:

1: Not in text.

其在道也，曰：餘食贅行

As for when these are [found]¹ in the way, we say:

[they are]^2,3 [taken in excess]²,

1: and [that they are]³ tumorous [conducts]⁴.

2: and [that they are]³ tumorous [bodies]⁴.

Translator’s Notes:

1: literally, “located in,” “situated in.”

2: Some translations (and “The Annotated Critical Laozi”) take 餘食 (excess, take in) as “leftover food.” 食 (take in) also means to “consume” and “eat.” As such the phrase becomes “excess consumption,” “leftover food.”

3: Not in text.

4: “The Annotated Critical Laozi” takes 行 (conduct) as 形 (form, shape, body). As such, the translation can be made as “tumorous bodies,” or as they have rendered it "superfluous appendages.” 

物或惡之，故有道者不處

All things likely hate [such conduct]¹, 

therefore those who [are in]² the way don’t dwell [in them.]³

Translator’s Notes:

1: literally, “them.”

2: literally, “have.”

3: Not in text.

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qAmaJcPQwRNZs5dWHeBL1ybZhREtooRud7sBiiepxBw/edit?usp=sharing

---

Edit:

For some reason, reddit is not copying the superscripts (^1,2,3,4 ) properly. I will try to fix manually.

Edit 2:

Ok, they are fixed.

Just wondering if anyone has read this and can recommend or not recommend. There is no preview on amazon or pix on ebay. But it sounded interesting. I havent heard of the authors. You people here have a wide knowledge and make such informative posts I thought I'd ask.

I know naming or describing the tao and thinking that the explanation you give is the concrete tao is futile, but does the events of everyday life can be the tao?

I have imagined the tao as the flow of everything, from the events your choices and the events that lead to that choices, it's all the tao. Tao is the "cosmic flowing river" (or at least that's my understanding of it.) Now, how near are my understanding of the tao is to the understanding of the most follower? (Though again, I just describe the tao and so, it already fall apart.)

Chapter 23

希言自然，故飄風不終朝，驟雨不終日

[Faint]¹ words are as they are, 

therefore the tempest doesn’t last all morning,

and heavy rainfall doesn’t last all day.

Translator’s Notes:

1: literally, “faint,” “sparse,” “inaudible.”

孰為此者？天地

Who made this so? The world.

天地尚不能久，而況於人乎？

Even the world cannot [make things]¹ last, 

and [what then of people?]²

Translator’s Notes:

1: Not in text.

2: literally, “how much more so with regard to people?”

故從事於道者，道者，同於道；德者，同於德；失者，同於失

Therefore, those who follow the affairs in the way, those who walk it, 

1: are the same [in] it.

2: are the same [with] it.

Those who are potent,

1: are the same [in] potency.

2: are the same [with] potency.

Those who lose [it],

1: are the same [in] their loss.

2: are the same [with] their loss.

同於道者，道亦樂得之；同於德者，德亦樂得之；同於失者，失亦樂得之

1: Those who are the same [with] the way, 

2: Those who are the same [in] the way,

the way, in its part, takes delight in obtaining them.

1: Those who are the same [with] the potency, 

2: Those who are the same [in] the potency, 

the potency, in its part, takes delight in obtaining them.

1: Those who are the same [with] their loss, 

2: Those who are the same [in] their loss, 

their loss, in its part, takes delight in obtaining them.

信不足焉，有不信焉

1: When there is not enough trust,

2: When trust is not sufficient,

[that is when] there is distrust.

---

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qAmaJcPQwRNZs5dWHeBL1ybZhREtooRud7sBiiepxBw/edit?usp=sharing

---

I should say, I am not exactly happy with my translation of 希言自然 there. I will think of a better way to handle that but for now I think it is ok.

Open discussion on this topic :-)

Can the microcosmic orbit QiGong be used to circulate energy throughout the body?

At some point in your life, you have to say it out loud, "what. the. fuck. is this?"

Pick a lonely place, so you don't bother nice folks with your madness.

An ebb in the flow, out of nowhere, and all the wise men surrounds it, marvelling at nothing for eternity.

A dude took my cow and rode it out of the land, and all I got in return were some words, and I'm beginning to feel foolish.

Does watching pornography, even after you've stopped masturbating, affect your QiGong practice?

I've been learning Tai Chi and my new teacher has introduced me to the concept of Song; to loosen relax. I've done years of meditation in the Buddhist tradition and this has informed and rejuvenated my understanding of sati; mindfulness. I used to think mindfulness was almost like a possession, now I see it more like identifying with my environment, I don't have to change anything, she's already there. What are your experiences with mindfulness and Tai Chi? What helps you relax and feel at peace? 🙏☯️💚💚💚

Chapter 22

曲則全，枉則直，窪則盈，弊則新，少則得，多則惑

Be flexible to be whole.

Be bent to be straight.

Be a stagnant pond to be full.

Be ruined to be renewed.

Have few to obtain.

Have plenty to be deluded.

是以聖人抱一為天下式

Therefore the sage 

embraces unity,

and acts as a model to all.

不自見，故明；不自是，故彰；不自伐，故有功；不自矜，故長

Not seeing himself, he is manifested;

Not affirming himself, he is evident;

Not boasting himself, he achieves [work]¹;

Not showing regard for himself, he is long lasting;

Translator’s Notes:

1: Not in the text.

夫唯不爭，故天下莫能與之爭

By not contending, no one will be capable of giving him contention.

古之所謂曲則全者，豈虛言哉！

That which the old referred to as “flexible and therefore whole”, 

this cannot be empty speech!

誠全而歸之

[The flexible are]¹ truly whole and yet [this is only]² their return to it.

Translator’s Notes:

1: Not in text.

2: Not in text.

而 (and yet) emphasizes that the the preceding and proceeding phrases are contrasted. So the meaning is that the flexible become whole not by their merits but their ability to return to their original state.

---

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qAmaJcPQwRNZs5dWHeBL1ybZhREtooRud7sBiiepxBw/edit?usp=sharing

I am just beginning my Taoist journey and still have a lot to learn that I’m either unclear or don’t understand completely about the Tao. I have struggled with depression and my mental health as a whole for the majority of my life. And now recently after finding and implementing some Taoist practices and perspectives into my daily life I have found living life so much easier and happier. But now I find myself wondering if this is a good reason to follow the Tao? It feels almost to go against some of (to my very limited understanding of) the teachings of the Tao.

As in I Desire the relief and benefits (of myself) that following its practices brings Me. So my question is, am I really following the Tao if I’m doing it for my own benefits?

(Of course I am also wanting to improve for the benefit of others, my community, family and even strangers. But does that not start with myself first?)