Be the valley of the universe!
Being the valley of the universe,
Ever true and resourceful,
Return to the state of the uncarved block.
We have heard mention of the valley spirit from Lao Tsu before. The valley spirit represents the feminine, the creative impulse, the vessel to be filled with creation. To be the valley of the universe is to be resourceful in the literal sense. When we take on this quality, we are like the uncarved block. I especially like Wright’s translation here:
The block of wood is carved into utensils
by carving void into the wood.
The master artisan applies just the right amount of “void” to bring the envisioned reality into existence. I am reminded of Aristotle’s term “entelechy” here. For Aristotle, things with purpose are entelechies, especially self-guided purpose. For the human soul, our path through the world is drawn by purpose. In a real sense, we begin as pure potential. As Lao Tsu says, “Become as a little child once more.” Even in modern physics, objects can have potential energy. The valley spirit is pure potential, ready to be set free by action. But not just any action – action guided by The Way. For when the sage converts this potential to actual, she does so with just the right application of void to make things useful in order to fulfill the ends for which they are made.
