The Short of It:
Foreplay is the secret to long life, not orgasm.
55. (Untitled).
[Those] who [have their] foundation in Teh [are] like a little child. Poisonous insects do not sting [them], Wild beasts do not seize [them], Birds of prey do not strike at [them]. [Their] bones are weak, [their] muscles soft, Yet [they] can take hold firmly.
[They are] ignorant of sex, but [are] full of vitality. [They] will grow to maturity. All day long [they shout] and [sing]. [They] will arrive at a knowledge of harmony. The knowledge of harmony is called eternal. The knowledge of eternal things is called clear vision.
Increase of life does not always bring happiness. The life-force that gives birth to human emotion is strong. Human emotion comes to full power and then grows old. It is not Tao. If it is not Tao, it will quickly perish.
55. Sublime Agreement.
The [person] of large-hearted virtue is like an infant whom poisonous reptiles will not sting, wild beasts will not seize, and birds of prey will not strike. [Their] bones are tender, and [their] sinews weak, and yet [they grasp] firmly. [They are] unconscious of sexual communion, and yet [they have] the development of sex. This is the perfection of [formative] essence. [They] may cry all day without injuring [their] vocal organs. This is the perfection of harmony (in [their] constitution).
The knowledge of harmony is called everlasting. The knowledge of the everlasting is called brightness.
Fast living daily grows upon a [person], and as [their] mind keeps in exercise the animal spirits, they daily become stronger. But whenever anything has reached its highest point of vigour, it straightway becomes old. This I call not Tau. What is not Tau soon perishes.
55. The Signet of the Mysterious.
55.1 [Those] who possesses virtue in all its solidity [are] like unto a little child.
55.2 Venomous reptiles do not sting [them], fierce beasts do not seize [them]. Birds of prey do not strike [them. Their] bones are weak, [their] sinews tender, but [their] grasp is firm. [They do] not yet know the relation between male and female, but [their] virility is strong. Thus [their] metal grows to perfection. A whole day [they] might cry and sob without growing hoarse. This shows the perfection of [their] harmony.
55.3 To know the harmonious is called the eternal. To know the eternal is called enlightenment.
55.4 To increase life is called a blessing, and heart-directed vitality is called strength, but things vigorous are about to grow old and I call this un-Reason.
55.5 Un-Reason soon ceases!
The Long of It:
Yang energy is not the source of power, it’s the product.
Males babies have no knowledge of their own sexuality, but we can still see their expert management of yang energy (their erection).
The operation of virtue bottles yang energy to the benefit of the person bottling it. Those who spend their yang energies haphazardly (in a vain effort to achieve more life) will only wind up spending the very thing they’re searching for.
Chapter 55 is a sexual metaphor for a reason. Resist the climax. That’s not the goal. Life is the goal, and foreplay preserves it better. Bottle your rich, potent yang energies as often as you can.
Cultivate your light, keep to the unknown, practice non-action, and fully experience the joy when it finally, inevitably bursts forth.
-TB
