The Story

When East meets West… when Lao Tzu wrote down the 81 verses of the Tao Te Ching 2,500 years ago in ancient China, he may not have realised the impact its philosophy would have millenniums later in the West and the newly-emerging profession of life-coaching.

When Julia from Taiwan met Nick from England on a coaching course, they didn’t realise at first that they had a common interest in the work of Lao Tzu. This joint interest soon became a course project. As we explored a few verses of the Tao, we began to see how Lao Tzu’s teachings could be related to personal development and coaching principles.

On this blog we intend to continue this work by exploring one verse of the Tao Te Ching each week. We invite you to join us on our journey and add your own thoughts to deepen our learning. How do you interpret Lao Tzu’s message? And how does it speak to you as a coach?

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Verse 39

In harmony with the Tao,
the sky is clear and spacious,
the earth is solid and full,
all creature flourish together,
content with the way they are,
endlessly repeating themselves,
endlessly renewed.

When man interferes with the Tao,
the sky becomes filthy,
the earth becomes depleted,
the equilibrium crumbles,
creatures become extinct.

The Master views the parts with compassion,
because he understands the whole.
His constant practice is humility.
He doesn't glitter like a jewel
but lets himself be shaped by the Tao,
as rugged and common as stone.

[For Personal Development]

  • Environmental degradation is evidence that humans are out of balance, in disharmony with universal forces.
  • It is much better to take a holistic approach in what we do, and see problems as vehicles for growth.
  • Aligning yourself with the flow of the universe and living in joy, harmony, radiant health and love. Life does not have to be a struggle.

[For Coaching]

  • Paint a picture for your client when you coach. Metaphors and stories are engaging and memorable. [Lao Tzu did such a great job in this verse!]
  • As coaches when we are in harmony with the clients, we are grounded in the moment and hold a clear, safe space open for the dance to flourish.
  • The practise of humility enables us to see the client as whole and not needing to be fixed.
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