[Note: I italicize phrases I borrow from the chapter, and link to phrases I borrow from other chapters to help tie chapters together. While making it more tedious to read, the Tao Te Ching is best pondered in the context of the whole.

I prefer reading this chapter from a subjective point of view. Thus, that which is transformed of [its] own accord is actually my perceptions of the empire. The empire is perfect; it is through my meddling (thoughts and actions) that the empire seems otherwise. And why do I meddle? I desire to have it my way. So, if I want to know who is responsible for the mess I see 'out there', all I need to do is look in the mirror. ...

Years ago I used to memorize a chapter of the Tao Te Ching, or other scripture, and review it during the day in an attempt to attain the highest virtue. I found that the words soon lost all meaning. It didn't work. What works better is returning to [the] root which the words attempt to embody. Doing this feels a lot like pressing it down with the weight of the nameless uncarved block. For this, all I need do is feel the desire not to desire to 'wander away' from the stillness right here and now. It is just that easy!

So why does desire so easily tempt me to 'wander off' to the future? I see this as simply the hunter gather instinct playing itself out in my mind. The only time I'm really able to be free from this desire is when I know (realize, remember, sense) that I am trading a priceless piece of jade for trinkets, i.e., true peace for the promise of peace that 'tomorrow' offers.

We must first truly realize what we are losing before we are able to desire not to desire long enough to find 'it'. This is difficult. Having lost 'it' early on as names took hold of our consciousness, we are too clever. We all find ourselves in this ironic situation: Not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty.

Allandnone:

...Maybe I will improve before I take my last breath...

Just imagine if you had just one day left to live. Would you cease to meddle? It is a sober thought, eh? And, as you are around my age, it probably doesn't feel that far fetched anymore . I think one reason we take so long to buckle down to ourselves is that we feel there is always tomorrow. Boy, what a powerful illusion that one is!

Howdy Allandnone,

And I hear ya! Here are a few thoughts on your dilemma, which is really 'our' dilemma - it is universal in one context or another as far as I can see.

Allandnone:

(1) I do not consciously think there is always tomorrow, perhaps it is a subconscious thought. It is difficult for me to be in the NOW. I have to make a concerted effort to focus!

(2) ... My mind is always jumping to something else,
(3) ... but I appear to still waste it.

(1) Thought arises from our sense of 'tomorrow' and 'yesterday'. You could say thinking IS neurological tomorrow-ness. Conversely, careful watching IS 'now'. I emphasis careful watching, not focused watching. Focus is blindly narrow, so naturally you will need to "make a concerted effort to focus"! Your brain's mind knows better than to get squished into a blindly narrow corner - so it rebels. You are contending with your natural self. Guess who is going to win?

Why do you contend so? Usually (maybe always), such self-contention arises from the illusion of free will, either expressed explicitly (as in the Judeo-Islam-Christian paradigm), or implied (as it seems to be everywhere else... even in the Tao Te Ching). The belief (either conscious or as a faith emotion) that our actions 'should' be able to conform to our ideal always divides us from our original nature. The virtue of non-contention is only possible if we do not keep to virtue. You can't do this as long as you believe you are in control. In other words, the illusion of free will & choice create and augment the illusion of that 'self' you feel you need to control. Jesus said it so well, "Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it."

So, I can only guess that you are comparing your reality with an idealized version - what you imagine possible. The more we wish, hope, desire, and expect to reach 'paradise' the deeper our frustration. Of course, this is true in all aspects of life.

If you carefully watch 'now' as you pass through your daily activities you will taste mysterious sameness. If you expect to taste mysterious sameness, the expectation will drown out this image that is without substance.

It is my sense that we all know and feel this mystery... God. But, we sabotage our possible contentment with Nothing to gain Something. It is terribly ironic. For me, seeing all my difficulties as simply symptoms of my expectations helps turn me back toward the complete conformity that I truly desire.

(2) & (3) These are symptoms of comparing the ideal to the real. It is always a no win.

The mind evolved to "jump"; perserve and "waste" produce each other. So much of our difficulty arises from what we think we know to be so... When your discernment penetrates the four quarters, Are you capable of not knowing anything?

Not knowing when to stop ops:, I will add that this whole business about stilling the mind and being in the now is one beautiful hoodwink. Of course, there is a seed of truth in this myth, but do we see this seed through the hoodwink? Actually, that 'seed' is right in front of us. It is easy to see. Easy? Deep down I suspect we all sense the teaching that uses no words. But, 'it' is simpler than we can think!... hence our 'problem' Thus, we prefer our idealized versions of 'it'.

So I don't know. Consider the view the best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects, with "ruler" and "subject" describing your relationship with yourself. I find that considering everything as a symptom lets my "rule" and "subject" off the 'expectations' hook. Try it a little and let me know. Although, maybe this symptom thing is just another idiosyncrasy of mine - I got a lot of 'em I guess...