Tao Te Ching: Chapter #5

 5

The Tao doesn't take sides;
it gives birth to both good and evil.

There is unity under every duality. Good and evil are interconnected and not separated. In Taoism, there is no moral judgment upon both sides, but they are simply two parts of a whole, both needed and necessary for balance.

The Master doesn't take sides;
she welcomes both saints and sinners.

Tho embodies the Tao models this impartiality, welcoming the saints and sinners with equal levels of acceptance.

The Tao is like a bellows:
it is empty yet infinitely capable.

A bellows' usefulness lies entirely in its emptiness (the Tao is often described as empty or void). It's the hollow space inside that allows it to draw in air and produce a powerful force.

The more you use it, the more it produces;

The more we align ourselves to the Tao, and in that sense, "the more you use it", more effortlessly effective and fully sufficient your life becomes.

the more you talk of it, the less you understand.

This reinforces the idea that the Tao is not something that you can intellectualise or define (se on this one the first chapter). The only way to true understanding comes through direct experience.

Hold on to the center.

Practice non-judgment and living in balance.

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