Chapter Twenty-Five

the ancient child asks

what is it that is beyond opposites and extremes

to stand upright amid the tao source of life

the ancient child asks

how does one do this

stand upright and alone

amidst the chaotic commerce

reveal the mysterious channel of unlimited capacity

with neutral will and intention

distant mind, ever surprised

distant thought, ever alert

distant traveler, ever aware

feel the opened space that

exists before and between

heaven and earth

be spontaneously silent, quiet, still, and dynamic

to gain admittance

be naturally isolated, random, genuine, and perennial

to fuse with the changing changelessness and space

that is your ever-present womb, home, and companion

from this place

you stand

for this space is the door and source

from which existence flows

and makes itself known to you

though invisible to me and unnamed

I sense its presence

by its shadow and tracks as it moves through me

and I through it

it is a private experience

intimate in the extreme and latent in antithesis

so I call it the tao way of life even as my words evaporate

domesticated people can not perceive its real name

for its name is a word enfolding

miraculous power

stalwart power

constant power

great power

the great is sufficient in itself

for addressing

that which is so close

yet

so far away

that which is separated

yet

intensely unified

that which comes closer to you

as it moves further away

in this greatness the tao source of life turns on

the whim of intention

yet

is affected by nothing

sufficient unto itself and its reflections

the tao source of life is great from above

heaven as creation is great

earth as receptive is great

man in his humanity is great

tao source of life

heaven as creation

earth as receptive

man in his humanity

all are great

and that's all we can normally see

and we are part of it

as it is part of us

man in his humanity is guided by the receptive earth

receptive earth is guided by heaven as creation

heaven as creation is guided by the tao source of life

the tao source of life is wrapped in the self-formed gossamer of

spontaneous force

that exists of its own accord