First, google this short video, [ABC’s George Stephanopoulos interviewing NBA star Dennis Rodman] about Rodman’s visit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
As you can see, George and Dennis exemplify two profoundly different ways of seeing the world. Each is representing an extreme, which helps highlight polar archetypes… yin vs. yang, as it were. One is more idealistic, informed, and pushing what should be. The other is more intuitive, naïve, and spontaneous — animal like, if you will. Consider this in the context of chapter 16…
Devote effort to emptiness, sincerely watch stillness.
Everything ‘out there’ rises up together, and I watch again.
Everything ‘out there’, one and all, return again to their root cause.
Returning to the root cause is called stillness,
this means answering to one’s destiny;
Answering to one’s destiny is called the constant,
knowing the constant is called honest.
Not knowing the constant, rash actions lead to ominous results.
Knowing the constant allows, allowing therefore impartial,
Impartial therefore whole, whole therefore natural,
Natural therefore the way.
The way therefore long enduring, nearly rising beyond oneself.
The impartial therefore whole, whole therefore natural hides out somewhere between the extremes George and Dennis exemplify. As chapter 69 reminds, This is called going without going. Grabbing without an arm. Casting aside without opposing. Listen carefully and between the lines. There is subtle meat here to ponder.