A master does not try to be good,
so he truly is good;
An ordinary man tries to be good,
so he fails to be good.
A master does not overdo (Wu wei),
nothing is left undone;
An ordinary man tries to overdo,
so much more needs to be done.
Translated by Chiyan Wang
Edited by N&R W.
The natural way is the best way!
Trying to be good comes from the human-mind;
simply being good flows from true nature—our very essence.
Dear Taoist Light Qigong Community,
We are excited to announce that we will now be offering Chan (Zen)/Tao Retreats every season—four times a year!
Our upcoming seasonal retreats are:
Summer Retreat: Sunday, July 27, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Fall Retreat: Saturday, October 18, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
These retreats have been deeply healing and nurturing, providing a sacred space to reconnect with the Tao, return to a state of pure ease, and be gently held in the embrace of heaven and earth.
If you have studied Taoist Light Qigong, you are warmly invited to continue your healing journey and deepen your practice with us.
For more information or to register, please visit:
https://www.taoistlightqigong.com/registration
With peace and light,
Chiyan Wang
Founder of Taoist Light Wellness
Lineage Holder of Taoist Light Qigong
(805) 699-6688
The Tao always accomplishes without overdoing.
If a ruler can hold to the Tao,
All things will transform by themselves.
When desire grows,
Use sincerity and simplicity to overcome it.
With no desire, there will be stillness,
Then the world will be naturally at peace.
Translated by Chiyan wang
Edited by Noah Wang
This chapter emphasizes the power of non-doing, showing that the Tao acts effortlessly yet achieves everything. When one aligns with it and avoids desiring for certain outcomes, peace arises naturally. Desire disrupts this natural flow, but returning to simplicity and stillness overcomes desire and restores peace.
Lao Tzu's timeless wisdom on force and weapons: A ruler is supported by the people, just as a fish is supported by deep water. Without water, a fish cannot survive. In the same way, it is not in alignment with the Tao to display or threaten people with sharp weapons—it only leads to greater imbalance and disturbance.
36 – Tao Te Ching*
If you want to close something,
You would first open it;
If you want to weaken something,
you would first strengthen it;
If you want to discard something,
you would first lift it;
If you want to take something,
you would first give it;
This is called the subtle perception:
The gentle and soft overcomes the tough and strong,
Fish can not live without deep water,
Nation's sharp weapons cannot be shown to its people.
Translated by Chiyan Wang and Noah Wang
This chapter teaches the principle of indirect action and hidden strength. To bring something down, you may first need to raise it up; to take, you must first give. True influence often works in subtle, paradoxical ways.
It emphasizes that softness and flexibility can overcome force and hardness, and warns that powerful tools and strategies should be kept hidden, just as fish belong in deep waters, not on display.
The wise leader acts with subtlety and restraint, understanding that real power often lies in concealment and patience.
We are reminded of a timeless truth: while it may seem simple to understand others, truly knowing oneself is far more challenging. Likewise, controlling others can appear straightforward, but mastering oneself demands deeper effort. Yet, this is the path to cultivating true wisdom and inner strength.
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33, guides us on this journey to begin with the art of mastering our own minds – the foundation of genuine self-awareness and lasting inner power.
Tao Te Ching – 33*
To know others is intelligence,
To know oneself is true wisdom.
To master others is strength,
To master oneself is true power.
To be content is true wealth,
To be determined is true will.
To remain steadfast is endurance,
To die yet not be forgotten is true immortality.
Translated by Chiyan Wang; Edited by N&R Wang
Chapter 33 of the Tao Te Ching emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, inner strength, and contentment. It contrasts the power gained from controlling others with the deeper, more enduring power of mastering oneself. The passage suggests that true wealth comes from contentment, true endurance from steadfastness, and true immortality from leaving a lasting, meaningful legacy.
Have you ever felt this way—or maybe you feel it now?
Moving through life with ease, compassion, and trust.
Doing what’s needed—no more, no less.
Not forcing, not resisting, not over-helping.
Just flowing, accepting, and knowing when to pause—when your heart tells you.That’s what it means to be aligned with the Tao.
32-Tao Te Ching
The eternal Tao is unnamable:Simple and modest,
as small as invisible;
No one can force its way.
If a leader aligns with the Tao,
The people naturally follow.
In the harmony of heaven and earth,
Sweet dew falls,
Without human effort,
It settles on its own.
But once names arise,
Rules follow,
And ranks are assigned to officials.
One needs to know when to stop,
Knowing when to stop avoids danger;
All things return to the Tao,
As the rivers flow into the sea.
Translate by Chiyan Wang, edited by Robert Smitheram
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 29—one of life’s most challenging yet liberating lessons: letting go of attachments—whether to people, past hurts, expectations, or control—and find freedom in the flow of the Tao.
Are you experiencing suffering? Much of it comes from trying to control what we cannot. Trust that what is meant for you will stay, and what is not will pass. Letting go is not giving up—it is setting yourself free, and you deserve peace.
29 – Tao Te Ching*
Desire to control the world and act upon it?
I think it cannot be done.
The world is a sacred place,
It cannot be forced;
It cannot be grasped.
Doing by force will fail;
Trying to cling will lose.
Thus cultivators act by non-doing,
Then you cannot fail or lose.
People can be leading or following,
Can be fast or slow;
Can be strong or vulnerable;
Can be secure or in peril.
Thus cultivators eliminate excessiveness, extravagance, and extremes.
Translated by Chiyan Wang
Edited by Robert H. Smitheram, Ph. D.
Chapter 29 of the Tao Te Ching warns against the illusion of control. It teaches that the world follows its own course and that forcing or clinging leads to suffering. Instead of imposing our will, we find peace by flowing with life and responding with wisdom, not force.
Dear Taoist Light Cultivators,
We’re stepping into the second week of practice in 2025!
Time waits for no one, but we must rise to meet it. Let’s keep moving forward!
The Tao Te Ching 22 highlights Taoist principles of resilience, humility, and balance. It teaches that flexibility brings renewal, emptiness leads to fullness, and excessive desire causes delusion. A Taoist cultivator avoids contention, arrogance, and self-promotion, achieving lasting strength and shining quietly. The saying "to be resilient is to remain whole" reflects a timeless truth grounded in life experience.
Warm regards,
Chiyan
22 – Tao Te Ching
To be resilient is to remain whole.
To bend is to become straight.
To empty oneself is to be full.
To shatter is to be renewed.
Taking less leads to gaining more,
While excessive desire brings delusion.
Thus, the Taoist cultivator embraces the one principle that governs all.
By not seeking attention, she shines.
By not boasting of her deeds, she gains.
By not exalting herself, she endures.
Because she does not contend,
None in the world can contend with her.
This ancient wisdom—
"To be resilient is to remain whole"—
Are not empty words.
It is a truth that can be realized.
Translated by Chiyan wang and Robert Smitheram Ph.D
