Open Mind, Open Heart discussion

Verse 18:

When the greatness of the Tao is present,
action arises from one's own heart.
When the greatness of the Tao is absent,
action comes from the rules
of "kindness and justice."

If you need rules to be kind and just,
if you ACT virtuous,
this is a sure sign that virtue is absent.
Thus we see the great hypocrisy.

When kinship falls into discord,
piety and rites of devotion arise.
When the country falls into chaos,
official loyalists will appear;
patriotism is born.

You should want to be virtuous because it's the way to be, not because it's expected. Don't do good things or be a good person for the wrong reasons; "Look at me; I donate to charity, I go to church every Sunday, I have a perfect driving record..." Just quietly do the right things because that's what you should do in accordance with the Tao...
Did that make sense?

Definitely makes sense, Peni. This verse rings so true for me. When I'm in the moment, in the flow, in the zone - whatever you want to call it - I don't have to think about how to act, the right action just arises naturally, beyond thinking. The hard part is remembering to keep going back to that place!

It seems like the masters - like the Dalai Lama and Eckhart Tolle, etc. - spend almost all of their time in the flow/the Tao, and they just radiate peace because of it. I think that's one way we can really make the world a more peaceful place: spending more time in the present moment.