Introduction

“Skillful Use” is the +1 to the party of East Asian wisdom practices. The primary invitation is to experience the Dao directly. Many earlier traditions just stick with that and say the rest takes care of itself. Attain transcendent understanding, and the rest of life is a breeze.

Daoism, along with many other traditions, doesn’t stop there. It says, “OK, well done. Now what?” The “now what” drives us to examine how the transcendent is immanent. Meaning that which is “beyond all that is” is also “exactly present in what is.” It’s a little trippy and prevalent across the traditions that teach meditative living. The result is that once we know it, we become responsible for the impact of our lives on the world. Enter lessons on karma, reincarnation, and where we go when we die.

Lao Zi lays out plenty of tips and tricks for this type of responsibility throughout this text. This verse is full of them.

Translation

Perfected action leaves no trace.
Perfected speech lacks error and blame.
Perfected planning rolls no dice.

Perfected “closing” uses no locks,
yet can’t be opened.
Perfected “binding” uses no rope,
yet can’t be divided.

Weavers cultivate empowering others,
never abandoning them.

Always aiding that which is,
and leaving nothing behind.

This is called “seizing light.”

The advanced one
serves as the novice’s teacher.
The novice one
serves as the advanced one’s support.

Not valuing one’s teacher,
not loving one’s support,
is a deeply confused wisdom.

This is the most profound of mysteries.

Commentary

Perfected action leaves no trace.

We discuss leaving no trace in verse 17, “Simple, Sincere Conduct.”

Perfected speech lacks error and blame.

Being mindful of our speech is also a recurring theme. Here, beyond speaking sparingly, we are also informed that the ultimate weaver of the way has two additional qualities in their speech: accuracy and non-blaming.

Accuracy can be understood as truthfulness; see verse 19, “Return to Original Honesty.”

Non-blaming is trickier. For me, it connects to an ideal clearly stated in the Zen tradition: not to speak of another’s faults. That phrasing can have some serious pitfalls, so a more elaborate version of it is: “I remember the preciousness of silence. I see the perfection in others and refrain from gossip and frivolous conversation. I remain thoughtful and mindful of the effects of my speech.” (Hollow Bones Zen Sutra Book). It means that, within the Way, there is no fault. There is only cause and effect. Sometimes, we have to call out unskillful actions that have harmful impacts. The effect of silence is to be complicit, which is unacceptable. Such action differs from blaming, gossiping, frivolous conversation, complaining, etc.

The full impact of this practice is beyond the scope of this commentary. In summary, speaking a thing gives it power, so be careful what you say, including the narrative that you allow to run through your internal dialogue. This is a profound practice.

Perfected planning rolls no dice.

The original Chinese is more like “the perfection of planning is not to use divination.” The authentic weaver of the way sees the flow of the Dao effectively enough to not rely on divination to make their decisions.

Interestingly and ironically, Daoism gives us a highly effective form of divination through the hexagrams of the Book of Changes. How can we reconcile this?

The Book of Creation, an essential text of Jewish mysticism, provides a clue to the relationship between meditative living and divination. It includes extensive information about auspicious times for specific meditations according to astrological factors. Immediately, the commentary to that section points out the mitzvah (commandment) from Deuteronomy 18:10: “Let no one be found among you who… calculates times (practices divination)…”

There is a distinction between doing things for the right reason at the appropriate time – use whatever helps! – and surrendering one’s authority to arbitrary correspondences – don’t do that!

Perfected “closing” uses no locks,
yet can’t be opened.
Perfected “binding” uses no rope,
yet can’t be divided.

These lines refer to skillful meditation. A significant prerequisite for unity consciousness is “closing the gates” of our sense consciousness so that we can experience the subtle song of our heart. Non-dual meditation is not a method of trance where sensory experience is entirely blocked off. Instead, we suspend the mental activity that processes and connects sensory experience. The result is a state of direct experience without leaving this world, which eventually becomes readily accessible in daily life.

“Binding” refers to unity consciousness itself, or, in other words, the direct ongoing experience of the Dao. Knotted rope signifies “force of will.” The text invites us to recognize that willful surrender brings us to unity because unity is always present at the base of our experience. We have never been separate and cannot become separate.

Weavers cultivate empowering others,
never abandoning them.

Always aiding that which is,
and leaving nothing behind.

This is called “seizing light.”

Nothing is hopeless, useless, or out of place in the Way. A significant challenge of this way of life is recognizing that everyone and everything, without exception, is a critical part of the web of life. The question is, is that person or thing effectively fulfilling its true purpose? The one word I keep in mind for this teaching is appropriateness, which usually gets expressed as “just so.”

Everyone and everything shines in the proper context, contributing to humankind’s unfolding —frequently in very unexpected ways! Will we take up the challenge of seizing light and supporting everything’s correct function?

I can’t help but think of three famous lines of Aleister Crowley here:

“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.”
“Love is the law, Love under will.”
“Every man and every woman is a star.”
Aleister Crowley

The advanced one
serves as the novice’s teacher.
The novice one
serves as the advanced one’s enhancement.

Not valuing one’s teacher,
not loving one’s support,
is a deeply confused wisdom.

This is the most profound of mysteries.

These stanzas continue the notion that everyone has a role and serves a purpose. In our lives, there are people ahead of us who pull us up and people behind us who push us forward. We are someone’s guide and someone else’s support. To think that we are alone on the path, either because we’re so great or because we’re so hopeless, is a very confused perspective.

There is a so-called paradox at the core of meditative living. On the one hand, every individual is their own sacred, unique authority. On the other hand, we are all interconnected and responsible for the entire universe. Resolving these into a singular truth is central to realizing the freedom and joy of weaving the way.