Chapter 22

Chapter 22

If you want to become whole,
first let yourself become broken.
If you want to become straight,
first let yourself become twisted.
If you want to become full,
first let yourself become empty.
If you want to become new,
first let yourself become old.
Those whose desires are few get them,
those whose desires are great go astray.

For this reason the Master embraces the Tao,
as an example for the world to follow.
Because she isn’t self centered,
people can see the light in her.
Because she does not boast of herself,
she becomes a shining example.
Because she does not glorify herself,
she becomes a person of merit.
Because she wants nothing from the world,
the world can not overcome her.

When the ancient Masters said,
“If you want to become whole,
then first let yourself be broken,”
they weren’t using empty words.
All who do this will be made complete.

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Laozi might be saying here that one must welcome humiliation. None of us would in fact want to be humiliated. I remember one psychologist saying that it can be more disgraceful to reveal open the naked truths concerning one’s psychological self than to show his naked body in public.

I can see Laozi’s point in this chapter, but it is not easy to follow that.

The first historical figure that comes to mind upon reading this chapter is Jesus. The secular world then indeed failed to overcome him. They may have crucified this pure soul on the cross/stake, but they could not break his spirit. Because he had been previously humiliated many a time. Later Christians depicted him as a weakling in portraits, but he likely possessed the most indomitable spirit of the times. He was a humble yet uncompromising rebel.

Regarding the first verse, “if you want to become whole, first let yourself become broken,” I think of a serene, calm person in the face of adversity. If you ever notice a man like this, it is not because he has been this way since he was born. Rather, this guy was born through repeated personal sufferings that you are unaware of.

Rainer Rilke (whom I don’t know very well) said:

“Do not believe that he who seeks to comfort you lives untroubled among the simple and quite words that sometimes do you good. His life has much difficulty and sadness and remains far behind yours. Were it otherwise he would never have been able to find those words.”

The presence of mind is not obtained easily.