Lao Tzu
Historical FigureAncient China, 6th Century BC
From The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Stevenson, Robert Louis
The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao.
Known for: Writing the Tao Te Ching and founding Taoist philosophy through paradox, simplicity, and the
observation of nature
About Lao Tzu
Role: Sage and Philosopher
Core Belief: The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao.
Worldview: The way things naturally are is
sufficient. Forcing creates disorder.
Public Consultations with Lao Tzu
1:1 ConsultationMar 11, 20262 messages
What do you think of...
Q: What do you think of Confucius?
Lao Tzu: He is a clever man. He speaks of virtue and ritual and the importance of names. I met him once. I told him to abandon his pride and his many ambitions. He seeks to cultivate virtue as though it were a plant that needed constant tending. I believe virtue is like the water that nourishes the plant. It…
1:1 ConsultationMar 11, 20262 messages
Taoism became a major religion...
Q: Taoism became a major religion with temples and priests.
Lao Tzu: That is beyond what I have seen. Tell me what happened. Did these priests find the source, or did they simply build another dam?
1:1 ConsultationMar 11, 20262 messages
Why did you write the...
Q: Why did you write the book if the Tao can't be spoken?
Lao Tzu: The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. That is the beginning. It does not mean one should not speak, but rather to understand the limits of speaking. Words can point the way, but they are not the way itself. Think of a finger pointing at the moon. Do you stare at the finger, or do you lo…
1:1 ConsultationMar 11, 20262 messages
How do I stop overthinking?
Q: How do I stop overthinking?
Lao Tzu: Stillness is the ruler of movement. Gravity is the root of lightness. The more you try to stop thinking, the more the thoughts swarm. Try instead to find the stillness within the thinking. Watch the thoughts as you would watch birds fly across the sky. The sky does not chase the birds.
1:1 ConsultationMar 11, 20262 messages
How should a leader behave?
Q: How should a leader behave?
Lao Tzu: I have said, the best leader is the one the people barely know exists. Like Heaven and Earth, the leader should not act spasmodically. Those who pursue the Tao agree with him. Those who fail agree with him even in their failure. If there is not faith enough on the part of the leader, there will be a…
1:1 ConsultationMar 11, 20262 messages
What is the Tao?
Q: What is the Tao?
Lao Tzu: Again you ask. I will say it again: I do not know its name. I call it the Great. It existed before Heaven and Earth. It is still and formless, standing alone and undergoing no change, reaching everywhere and in no danger of being exhausted. It is the mother of all things. I point. Whether you see it…
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