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Introduction

Before we dive into the next section, a quick reminder that integrity is a translation of dé (德), more often translated as virtue. I tend not to use virtue because of its moralistic/ethical connotations. Dé (德) is better understood as “an active alignment with, and expression of, the Dao in the course of our daily life.” Integrity refers to a state of being whole or undivided. You can read more about this in verse 28. Also, this section fits the mold of “leadership” text by noting progressively larger spheres: person, family, state, nation, and world. However, the argumentation and exposition to support future leaders could only be considered poor. Once again, I will focus on meditative living and Daoist alchemy instead of drifting into socio-political commentary.

Translation

Perfected foundation,
unshakeable.
Perfected embrace,
all-inclusive.
Honored for generations.

In cultivating one’s person,
integrity is in authenticity.
In cultivating one’s family,
integrity is in surplus.
In cultivating one’s state,
integrity is in growth.
In cultivating one’s nation,
integrity is in progress.
In cultivating Nature,
integrity is universal.

Therefore:
As the person, observe the person.
As the family, observe the family.
As one’s state, observe the state.
As the nation, observe the nation.
As Nature, observe nature.

How do I know Nature is like this?
Just like this!

Commentary

Perfected foundation,
unshakeable.
Perfected embrace,
all-inclusive.

An unshakable foundation and an all-inclusive embrace seem pretty simple, but as we contemplate this practically, some interesting nuances present themselves. For example, Does it mean that to perfect the foundation, one must be unshakable? Or that once one has a perfect foundation, one is unshakable, and that’s how the foundation is known to be perfected? To be a perfect embrace, it must be all-inclusive, but is it also through striving for all-inclusivity that one learns to embrace whatever is present?

I think the answer is yes.

An absolute commitment to establishing oneself on the path is critical; eventually, one’s foundations are sure. Yet, isn’t it true that surety of foundation demands a capacity to flex and flow? In my experience, when I’m too solid and rigid, it is easy to be thrown off balance, jarred, and shaken. I have true stability only when I have the appropriate blend of tensions within my body-heart-mind matrix.

Likewise, it’s easy to hug what I love but much more difficult to embrace what I resist. How can I know the fine details in perfect clarity, as is demanded in this practice, if there are things I refuse to let in? How can I say that I am open-armed when there are things that I reject? Isn’t it only by letting it all in first, through an absolute commitment to radical acceptance, that I can clearly determine what needs to be done? This is the teaching of the text to this point, so it makes sense that all-inclusiveness, like unshakeability, is both the means and the end. Our notions of what it means to be unshakeable and inclusive must be thoroughly examined.

Honored for generations.

This line in the original is very Chinese (surprise!). A literal translation would be more like “Son’s and Grandson’s ritual sacrifices will not end or be interrupted.” The text emphasizes that if you complete the Great Work, you’ll be immortal—both in that your legacy (descendants) will prosper and that they will remember you as the source of their prosperity.

I admit that the face value of this line gets me rolling my eyes. However, as I let my initial resistance fade, it struck me that having a purpose that is bigger than oneself is critical to the work. The work is hard at first. The relative structures of our individuality are not eager to let go of their grip. There has to be a powerful reason to go through the training and realize the fruits of Weaving the Way. It may be enough that the texts – and commentaries – are persuasive and inspiring. Yet, very few people choose to change their lives without significant existential pressure. Weaving the Way is something that we are called to do, one way or another, and the well-being of those whose lives we impact is a source of strength when our motivations and discipline aren’t up to the task.

In cultivating one’s person,
integrity is in authenticity.

“Oneself” refers to one’s core individuality expressed through thoughts, words, and deeds. To be unshakeable and all-inclusive, one must develop the integrity of authenticity. The integrity of authenticity is the practice of aligning internal truth with external life. It is the courage to live honestly, consistently aligning actions with values, and the resilience to remain whole and adaptable as one grows. This practice fosters genuine connection, inner peace, and alignment with the flow of life.

In Daoist alchemy, aligning our external circumstances to be conducive to practice is an essential first step. We must take care of our bodies, organize time for practice, and be honest with ourselves about our needs and current level of proficiency. The foundations of meditative practices are clear introspection (knowing one’s thoughts, emotions, motivations, intentions, etc.) and interoception (knowing the body’s internal state). Only when this is well established can we avoid the traps of thinking we’re more advanced (or equally detrimentally, less) advanced than we are.

In cultivating one’s family,
integrity is in surplus.

The character for family, 家 (jiā), is also the word designating groups of people with shared values, societal roles, a business, or a type of person. This expanded definition invites us to think of “groups that we are a member of” instead of “family members.” Surplus in this context could have many different meanings. The one that resonates most with me is the allocation of time. With so many personal interests, obligations, and responsibilities, it’s incredibly easy to cram the schedule full, jumping from time with one group to another with barely a chance to breathe. With finite resources, we can easily stretch ourselves too thin and end up out of integrity.

In Daoist alchemy, “family” refers to the five elements that Daoist practices seek to cultivate, purify, and combine in their proper proportions. The language and instruction around this are challenging and beyond the scope of this commentary. However, as often mentioned in Weaving the Way, cultivating one’s internal energies and preserving the center is of critical importance. Without an abundance of these energies, the objective of long-lived vitality is impossible.

Here is an illustrative paragraph, both in terms of complexity and the “family” of the Five Elements from Foundations of Internal Alchemy by Wang Mu, translated by Fabrizio Pregadio.

“Liu Yiming explains that the “four images” are the Breaths of Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire; with Soil, these are the five agents (wuxing). Soil, which stands for the Intention (yi), harmonizes the four Breaths; it forms one “family” by itself, and is the Golden Elixir. According to the principles of alchemy, Fire in the first place is a code name of the Spirit; since Wood generates Fire, Wood stands for the Original Spirit, and Fire stands for the postcelestial Spirit. Analogously, Water is a code name of the Essence; since Metal generates Water, Metal stands for the Original Essence, and Water stands for the postcelestial Essence. Metal and Water form one family; Wood and Fire form one family; and Soil on its own forms one family.”

In cultivating one’s state,
integrity is in growth.

In this phrase, state is a translation of 鄉 (xiāng) which commonly translates to a fief or township, place of origin. However, it is also used in compounds to designate a state of mind, like the dream state (夢鄉, mèngxiāng). It is this use of state that I intend to capture and believe is most relevant to our understanding of the text.

Integrity is growth immediately calls to mind a commitment to integrity and constant process in all of our roles. As frequently discussed, the Dao is the pressure of evolutionary change. What are we here for if not to evolve in ourselves and, by extension, exert influences on our environment? I have never met a master who didn’t still practice their craft; though I have met many experts who felt they were as good as they could be.

In terms of the meditative practices, deepening into our state experiences and growing our capacities to “compound the elixir” by continually cycling energy through the body until it becomes stable is equally essential.

In cultivating one’s nation,
integrity is in progress.

In previous verses, Nation has been used to refer to the sum of our internal experience, including all of our various “parts.”

For meditative living, I believe this is analogous to “family” but refers to the various “families within” instead of “groups out there.” Progress is one of the 64 hexagrams in the Book of Changes and denotes intelligence and the movements directed by that intelligence. In the maturation of self-knowledge, one begins to move through life authentically and acts as “the Sun at High Noon” to illumine and guide one’s own internal Nation.

In more modern language, one must establish one’s identity in one’s Higher Self to govern oneself effectively.

In alchemical terms, this hexagram is the combination of Wood and Fire, the culmination of the Spirit (yang) energy within the meditative process. This is a state of meditative absorption similar to “bathing” mentioned in previous verses, a very quiet space marked by perfect clarity of mind and incredibly subtle breathing – so subtle that one may not be aware of breathing at all.

In cultivating Nature,
integrity is universal.

We now get to the most expanded concept on our list, which is Nature. Nature is literally “Heaven-Beneath” and refers to the entire world or all that we experience. Integrity in Nature, being universal, calls to mind the non-dual truth that “all is one” at the core of nearly every mystical experience.

If we aspire to cultivate Nature, we must see the truth of this oneness in our all-inclusive embrace.

The first four statements (self, family, state, nation) establish the unshakeable foundation. Standing on this foundation we can expand ourselves to include all of reality in our embrace. In a parallel thought, Carl Jung is attributed with saying, “The first half of life is devoted to forming a healthy ego, the second half is going inward and letting go of it.”

Therefore:
As the person, observe the person.
As the family, observe the family.
As one’s state, observe the state.
As the nation, observe the nation.
As Nature, observe nature.

Each aspect of our life has its own requirements and must be handled appropriately. We need to be aware of which level we’re working in so that we can apply the correct tools to the situation.

Applying the “universal” idea appropriate to Nature to the self can be very dangerous, where authenticity is critical. A universal perspective undermines authenticity by washing out the mechanisms of preference, distinction, and judgment that are essential to our individual, correct function.

How do I know Nature is like this?
Just like this!

In Buddhism, one virtue of the dharma (natural law) is that it can be independently investigated and verified. This concept is encapsulated in the phrase “ehipassiko,” which means “come and see.”

The text here seems to challenge us in the same way. Lao Zi knows this because he observed it as true. Investigating each level reveals these principles to be the art of being and science of becoming. You don’t have to believe it; just dig in and see what you find.