Introduction

While many passages invite multi-layered contemplation, this verse plunges directly into the specifics of Daoist meditation. At its core, this system is about producing health, well-being, and ultimately immortality. What “immortality” means differs from practitioner to practitioner, but the concept remains central to Daoism.

In true alchemical fashion, the key term 德 (dé) is used with yet another distinct idea. Yes, that is the same 德 (dé) that we have gotten used to seeing translated as Integrity. In this case, as in the others, it refers to functioning in alignment with Dao. The difference in this context is that it refers specifically to restoring any depletions of the Three Treasures:

Essence (精, jīng)
Vital Breath, (气/炁, qì)
Spirit (神, shén)

These are critically important because they are the “ingredients” compounded in internal alchemy to produce the Golden Elixer of Immortality. Even if that’s not your goal, there is some excellent advice for holistic wellbeing.

Let’s dig in.

Translation

In Regulating the Person,
or Attending to Heaven,
Conservation is best.

Conservation means first preparing.
First preparing means Accumulating Dé.

Accumulate Dé and
everything is possible.
Everything being possible, then
limitations are unknown.

Not knowing any limits
enables possession of the nation.
Possessing the Nation’s Mother
enables perpetuity.

This is the meaning of “deep and stable roots” as
The Way of Immortality.

Commentary

In Regulating the Person,
or Attending to Heaven,
Conservation is best.

Regulating the Person and Attending to Heaven are not indicating just two activities, but represent all activities. On one end of the spectrum is “Regulating the Person,” which includes things like what we eat, how we exercise, what we pay attention to, our social engagements, and anything else we would consider “normal activity.” On the other end is “Attending to Heaven,” which involves meditation and other transcendental or spiritual practices.

Conservation is an obsolete translation of 啬 (sè), a fascinating character. Its original meaning had to do with harvesting and storing crops and then extended to caring for those crops while they were in storage. This gave it meanings like “to cherish, to save, to not waste, to conserve.” In modern Chinese, it has taken on a somewhat negative connotation and is translated as “miserly, stingy, restrained,” which has a significant impact on modern interpretations of these instructions.

Being disciplined in keeping our body, mind, and heart safe and whole through the management and preservation of resources (i.e., conservation) goes a long way toward holistic well-being!

Conservation means first preparing.
First preparing means Accumulating Dé.

Conservation as a general principle is all well, good, and straightforward. But the next lines take us deep by equating several terms. As a student, I love seeing lines like this because it helps “decode” obscure things in other places while adding specificity. Conservation is a metaphor for preparation in the sense of storing and preserving enough “grain” to survive the winter. In other words, the key to keeping our being safe and whole begins with obtaining and maintaining the necessary resources.

In the alchemical process, we must collect sufficient quantities of Essence, Vital Breath, and Spirit to “birth” the medicine. Accumulating Dé, therefore, refers to the activities we engage in to collect these Three Treasures.

For example, outside of meditation, we can enhance:

Essence through good sleep hygiene and eating a diet primarily consisting of high-quality fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Vital Breath by attending to the air quality in your home and practicing triphasic breathing.
Spirit by curating our thoughts, the types of shows, news, and music we consume, and maintaining harmonious relationships.

In meditation, posture, breathing patterns and practices, and practicing single-pointed attention on the appropriate object are the essential components.

Accumulate Dé and
everything is possible.
Everything being possible, then
limitations are unknown.

These statements are both a general exhortation and an experientially based truth. I imagine most of us can recall a moment when we felt anything was possible. If we reflect on that moment, we will likely realize that it was a moment in time when we felt fully resourced. We had the energy, money, time, hope, conviction, relationships, and whatever else we needed. In that moment, we were invincible and without limit.

This is the feeling of being fully infused with the Essence, Vital Breath, and Spirit. Also, as a bonus for those of us who are into meditation, our meditation practice becomes stable, clear, deep, and consistent. If one practices the energetic/alchemical processes in this state, the felt experience is dramatically more powerful.

“Limitations” refers to duality – the habit of separating phenomena into distinct opposites, such as self/other, effort/ease, purity/impurity, etc. In meditation, these distinctions collapse as we sequentially merge the three treasures into two and then into one as we “return to the Dao.”

Not knowing any limits
enables possession of the nation.
Possessing the Nation’s Mother
enables perpetuity.

“Possession of the nation” likely refers to the union of the in-and-out breath (气) and Spirit to create Vital Breath (炁). Vital Breath is experienced as an energetic nourishment permeating the body. During this state, the in-and-out breath becomes very subtle or even ceases entirely for significant periods.

Allowing this Vital Breath to circulate, or compound, with the Essence (“Mother of the Elixer”) found in a well-maintained body leads to remarkable health and well-being. In ancient times, practitioners observed that these methods had health benefits, metaphysical implications aside.

The rich and instructive metaphorical language of the Dao De Jing may not satisfy our modern minds. If you want to dive into a more science-based view, modern neuroscientist Joe Dispenza has explored many of these principles. He advocates the health benefits of circulating cerebrospinal fluid to nourish and maintain the health of the pineal gland, which may help reduce systemic inflammation, oxidative stress (aging), and preserve neuronal function.

This is the meaning of “deep and stable roots” as
The Way of Immortality.

Whether you’re going for longevity and good health or not, disciplining yourself to take good care of your needs is a great way to establish strong roots for a life of purpose.