Wen Tzu - Verse 7, Part II

from Verse Seven

Therefore sages do not use knowledge to exploit things and do not let desires disrupt harmony. When they are happy they are not overjoyed, and when they grieve they are not hopelessly distressed. Thus they are not in danger even in high places; they are secure and stable.

~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~

From the Taoist perspective, balance is the key to life. This doesn't mean that a person will never experience extremes; it's more that the extremes should be balanced out. Becoming too high or too low causes problems simply because the organism is out of balance and, when we lose our center, we're more apt to stumble and fall.

In our own culture, it's the same as seeking to be even keel. This term is derived from boating nomenclature and suggests that a boat that lists --leans heavily to one side -- is in trouble. A listing vessel cannot move forward with any certainty or speed and it stands a good chance of capsizing, if remedial action is not taken.

The same logic can be applied to people and situations. When we list heavily to one side or the other, it becomes more difficult to meet life head on. Our minds become clouded and it becomes very hard to analyze or comprehend a given situation. We need to stay in balance if we hope to flow with the circumstances.

This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.