Tao Te Ching?

The Tao Te Ching is a sacred text in the Chinese culture 

uniting the human world with nature. 

TAO:

Tao represents the everything and nothing, and cannot be named. This includes being “a being than which no greater can be conceived,” entailing that the meaning is more than just opposites of being and nonbeing (52). Tao is also “The Way or The Path” giving rise to all things and can come to understanding through the words heaven and earth. Tao also represents namelessness, non-action, no desires or thoughts, no partiality, and without limits. 

TE:

Te stands for personal integrity and inner strength of an individual to learn how to better control their judgements and desires. Consciousness is brought into action with Te because it causes us to strive for the things we believe in and do what’s right for our personal self. Opposites, also expressed in the Te, are natural and important in realizing the need for the other to have any meaning or appreciation. “When all know the good (shan) good,/ There is then the not good (pu shan)” (55). All opposites depend on one another, which makes them both individuals and dependent. 

CHING:

Ching is the great book, or classic text, introducing powers and authority to certain people within the government. The power expresses the “struggle for superiority or worthiness is not conductive to peace and unity among humans” (59). This encourages all humans to follow their hearts and do what they truly believe is right. This also connects to the Yoga Sutras because this reminds us to control our minds and understand situations and concepts in order to act upon true physical acts. 

Alissa Doiron