Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter 36

If you want to shrink something,you must first allow it to expand.

If you want to get rid of something,you must first allow it to flourish.

If you want to take something,you must first allow it to be given.

This is called the subtle perceptionof the way things are.

The soft overcomes the hard.

The slow overcomes the fast

Let your workings remain a mystery.

Just show people the results

He we are now at the "Second Universal Paradox" agian. That's what I'll call it. It's that one I've written about in previous post. This is the paradox of"Doing without trying". It's the way of the master. Remember YOU are the master (of mistress). By relequinshing control (or attempt to control) of things one is able to truly be in control of his own life. This chapter echos to me whispers of the Apostle Paul who lived much later than our man Lu but carried in him a similar mysterious charisma. Let's face it- Paul was an oratory bad-ass. Here's the passaage of Paul's that Lu often reminds me of when speaking about what I call the "First Universal Paradox":

18"Let no man deceive himself . If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. 19For he wisdom of this world is foolishness before God For it is written, "He is The One who catches the wise in their craftiness"; 20and again, "The Lord knows the reasonings of of the wise, that they are useless." 21So then let no one boast in men for all things belong to you." 1 Corinthians 3 (New American Standard Bible)

I'm also reminded of the time Jesus told the parable of the tares and the wheat. He said to let the tares grow along with the wheat, to be patient, and one day they would grow up and everyone could clearly see the difference. Then is would be easy to destory to unwatned intruding plants. I think he was getting at a simliar meaning as Lu's line: "If you want to get rid of something,you must first allow it to flourish." I hear Lu saying that in order to get what you want out of life you must pace your self, be patient, and look at things differently. Know that the entire universe was set into motion long before you ever existed and will continue on long after you're gone. Stop trying to control it and pay closer attention to the things in your life that are your responsibility. Know what true force is and how it is applied to a goal in order to accompolish it. When Lu says: "The soft overcomes the hard." think of water. How a cup of it can't even hurt your expensive silk blouse but tidal waves can destory whole cities. Glaciers can sink ships, and shelter the mighty polar bear. Rapid rivers can erode away huge canyons. That's the type of power he is alluding to here.

When Lu says: "The slow overcomes the fast" think of how the earth's crust move and change the shaps of geological structures over time. Think of how enormous stalagtites and stalagmites grow by just one drop of liquid at a time. After a while they overcome faster moving substances like gases. Air can't evaporate them anymore because they have solidyfied from all those tiny drops into something hard and unmovable. Don't compare your progress to others. You will overcome. You will accompolish. You will reach your goal. Deligience is the discipline praised here. Be consistent and focused in all you do and nothing can stop you.

I hope I have made the Second Universal Paradox clear. I will continue to draw off of it and off of Paul's paradox which I will refer to as the "First Universal Paradox" because I beleive you must first become foolish, you must first acknowledge to desparing limited of your present state of understanding before you can be opened up to learn and truly become wise. Then the second universal paradox can be employed, helping you master your own devices, talents, and challanges.