知其雄，守其雌，為天下溪。為天下溪，常德不離，復歸於嬰兒。知其白，守其辱，為天下谷。為天下谷，常德乃足，復歸於朴。知其白，守其黑，為天下式。為天下式，常德不忒，復歸於無極。朴散則為器，聖人用之，則為官長，故大智不割。
My translation of Chapter 28 of Tao Te Ching:
Hold the element of masculinity
Wait for for the element of femininity
Life force begins to flow.
Life force begins to flow
Eternal virtue realms
returning to purity of infant.
Hold the element of prosperity
Wait for the element of disgrace
The vast acceptance of sky and earth unfolds.
The vast acceptance of sky and earth unfolds
Eternal virtue realms
returning to the original simple life.
Hold the element of brightness
Wait for the element of darkness
The eternal formula unfolds.
The eternal formula unfolds
Eternal virtue remains
returning to the original Void
The sage understands the goodness of simplicity
In a leading role
he can apply his wisdom.
Paul's comment: Femininity comes with masculinity. Bad comes with good. Darkness is the brother of brightness. And so is prosperity with disgrace. To live with it doesn't mean we don't need to manage it. How to manage it? Keep things simple, taking one issue at a time. Minimize one and you minimize the other at the same time. The theory is simple.
Lao Zi is beyond positive thinking. He didn't guarantee us a rose garden. He didn't say: Everything happens for a good reason. There is no reason, there is only yin and yang. And they exist simultaneously. Philosophical understanding is never enough for Lao Zi. The easiest way to experience what the sage experienced is through the practice of meditation, assuming that you haven't experienced it in the hard way in real life.
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