Verse 19 is a call to renounce the card-house of belief-systems, the rules applied to living – there are no rules. All the wisdom, morality and ideas of profit shape us into beings created from fear and control and we lose sight of what we are.
To let go of the outer trappings is the way of Tao, to truly consider yourself and live from one’s true nature is difficult. It takes great honesty to look yourself in the mirror and say “I did wrong”, but when we do this we are released and only when we freely admit to ourselves who or what we are, can we be liberated from the rules and start living from the simplicity of the Soul. Then selfishness will be gone and desire tempered – because we don’t need this anymore. Living the Tao, living from the soul, teaches us that we will receive everything we need – effortlessly.
We are not defined by our words, we are defined by our actions.
The idea of Tao might be relatively easy in the head, but to really live it from day to day, always considering your actions and needs, takes work and contemplation. Over and over we fall into the traps of what we perceive to be real. For me this has been something that has been uppermost in my mind for quite some time now, and I can see how my life is slowly changing as I give myself over to the contemplation of Tao. But easy? Nah!
It isn’t that you did wrong, it is more that you act from the ego rather than the heart. Listening to the voice of the heart takes time and the stillness to hear it…
Thanks Donna for the comment. Just love the little interactions that happen here. So glad to see you again!