The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.

Next comes the ruler they love and praise;

Next comes one they fear;

Next comes one with whom they take liberties.

When there is not enough faith, there is lack of good faith.

Hesitant, he does not utter words lightly.

When his task is accomplished and his work done

The people all say, 'It happened to us naturally.'

— #Tao Te Ching: Ch 17 (D.C. Lau translation)

#IKITAO #TaoistWisdom

Of old he who was well versed in the way

Was minutely subtle, mysteriously comprehending,

And too profound to be known.

It is because he could not be known

That he can only be given a makeshift description:

Tentative, as if fording a river in winter,

Hesitant, as if in fear of his neighbors;

Formal like a guest;

Falling apart like the thawing ice;

Thick like the uncarved block;

Vacant like a valley;

Murky like muddy water.

Who can be muddy and yet, settling, slowly become limpid?

Who can be at rest and yet, stirring, slowly come to life?

He who holds fast to this way

Desires not to be full.

It is because he is not full

That he can be worn and yet newly made.

— #Tao Te Ching: Ch 15 (D.C. Lau translation)

#IKITAO #TaoistWisdom

What cannot be seen is called evanescent;

What cannot be heard is called rarefied;

What cannot be touched is called minute.

These three cannot be fathomed

And so they are confused and looked upon as one.

Its upper part is not dazzling;

Its lower part is not obscure.

Dimly visible, it cannot be named

And returns to that which is without substance.

This is called the shape that has no shape,

The image that is without substance.

This is called indistinct and shadowy.

Go up to it and you will not see its head;

Follow behind it and you will not see its rear.

Hold fast to the way of antiquity

In order to keep in control the realm of today.

The ability to know the beginning of antiquity

Is called the thread running through the way.

— #Tao Te Ching: Ch 14 (D.C. Lau translation)

#IKITAO #TaoistWisdom

> This space that has been granted to us rushes by so speedily and so swiftly that all save a very few find life at an end just when they are getting ready to live.

>

> — Lucius Annaeus Seneca

#IKITAO #Quotes #StoicWisdom

In defense of developer depression:

Reflecting on my journey in Bitcoin over the last decade, I've come to realize that I've achieved success where a lot of other developers have failed.

Ironically, one of the biggest issues I'm still dealing with is that I may have succeeded too much. As a developer, you must understand that unfortunately, most people you’ll end up working with will not want you to succeed. The majority will simply want you to code what is needed for their success… and then go away. Disappear.

The core problem for you is that creating anything great requires deep coding focus for extended periods. You also need to constantly iterate on the product while ensuring it gains traction. Many developers mistakenly believe they can do both.

The hard truth is that you shouldn’t be doing this. You shouldn’t have to choose which part to handicap – your developer skills or the reach of the product you’re building.

Don’t fall for the false dilemma. Instead, find trusted collaborators who allow you to stay in a state of deep focus. Look for people who, once you create something that generates enormous amounts of value, won’t take your contributions for granted or betray you by claiming all the rewards for themselves.

My own immense success… it’s depressing to know that it had more to do with other people than myself. Yes, of course, I worked hard for it. I honed my craft for over 25 years. Studied computer science and led engineering at numerous startups. Stayed humble, while churning out commits for decades. But every time it came down to the wire, none of that mattered. What truly mattered was whether certain people recognized my contributions and stood up for my proof of work… or not.

So, if you are a developer – knowing that even in best-case scenarios you’ll depend on the goodwill of others is soul-crushing. You absolutely should be depressed.

But then recognize that the way out of that depression is through long-term commitments with others who resonate with the coding journey you’re on. Only surround yourself with trustworthy people. There is a reason that 4-year vesting schedules are standard in startups. For you and your code to truly succeed - you have to be part of long-term efforts with significant upside.

Anything less – and you’re setting yourself up for failure. You don’t want to create a routine where you daily force yourself into states of deep focus, only to see that after a couple of years of building, you’re defeated by an inferior product that has better marketers at the helm. You also don’t want to lose your technical competency in building political and promotion skills… this world needs more developers, not more politicians.

Observe your depression, but don’t succumb to it. In most cases, it correlates with how deeply you care about your craft. It’s a hint – that the way forward is with others. So, don’t fight your feelings, but follow them to find trusted collaborators who will help you realize the best version of the product you’re coding.

When carrying on your head your perplexed bodily soul

Can you embrace in your arms the One and not let go?

In concentrating your breath can you become as supple

As a babe?

Can you polish your mysterious mirror

And leave no blemish?

Can you love the people and govern the state

Without resorting to action?

When the gates of heaven open and shut

Are you capable of keeping to the role of the female?

When your discernment penetrates the four quarters

Are you capable of not knowing anything?

It gives them life and rears them.

It gives them life yet claims no possession;

It benefits them yet exacts no gratitude;

It is the steward yet exercises no authority.

Such is called the mysterious virtue.

— #Tao Te Ching: Ch 10 (D.C. Lau translation)

#IKITAO #TaoistWisdom

Rather than fill it to the brim by keeping it upright

Better to have stopped in time;

Hammer it to a point

And the sharpness cannot be preserved for ever;

There may be gold and jade to fill a hall

But there is none who can keep them.

To be overbearing when one has wealth and position

Is to bring calamity upon oneself.

To retire when the task is accomplished

Is the way of heaven.

— #Tao Te Ching: Ch 09 (D.C. Lau translation)

#IKITAO #TaoistWisdom

The spirit of the valley never dies.

This is called the mysterious female.

The gateway of the mysterious female

Is called the root of heaven and earth.

Dimly visible, it seems as if it were there,

Yet use will never drain it.

— #Tao Te Ching: Ch 06 (D.C. Lau translation)

#IKITAO #TaoistWisdom

Did we DDoS Fountain's Rewind? I can't see it or even my feed.

Peaceful power transfer - whether it is a sat on a ledger to settle a trade or an incoming government to administer/enforce, that is the ultimate function we are looking for.

Peaceful. Power. Transfer.

The way that can be spoken of

Is not the constant way;

The name that can be named

Is not the constant name.

The nameless was the beginning of heaven and earth;

The named was the mother of the myriad creatures.

Hence always rid yourself of desires in order to observe its secrets;

But always allow yourself to have desires in order to observe its manifestations.

These two are the same

But diverge in name as they issue forth.

Being the same they are called mysteries,

Mystery upon mystery –

The gateway of the manifold secrets.

— #Tao Te Ching: Ch 01 (D.C. Lau translation)

#IKITAO #TaoistWisdom

Feliz Navidad #Nostr

Merry Christmas #Nostr

After six days of silence, I've come to the realization that the kind of extended silent meditation retreats I used to think were essential for my annual reset are simply not what I need anymore.

While Goenka's masochistic, dogmatic approach works for some—even when modified to allow for walking and moving meditation—I have come to find it unnecessarily rigid.

The truth is, meditative awareness isn't confined to a strict schedule or silent halls. It's available in every moment—whether sitting, speaking, eating, working, walking, or playing.

As Buddha taught in the raft parable:

"My teaching is like a raft used to cross the river. Only a fool would carry the raft around after he had already reached the other shore of liberation."

Even the teachings themselves—the methods, the practices, the techniques—eventually become a burden if we continue to carry them after they've served their purpose.

I'm continuing with my moving and sitting meditation practices for the remaining 34 days of this annual reset, but I've expanded my awareness to fully embrace the inclusion of mindfulness in writing, reading, and speaking. Each moment offers an opportunity for presence and awareness.

It feels good to be back—refreshed, recharged, and aligned with purpose.

How is everyone this evening?

#IKITAO

its always going that one little extra step that makes all the difference

This is the easiest hack for more #Bitcoin that I know

Been stacking like crazy on all of my Christmas shopping, & with the wife on a 2nd card now we’ve doubled down on @fold_app

Boosts are awesome for the holidays!

(And yes that’s .3 BTC just for using their debit card and gift cards… literally)

BitcoinAudible.com/fold if you aren’t doing this yet.

What do you do in a full 16 hour flight?

I will go into silence on the 11th until the 20th of January. This meditative silence will last for 40 days. I will wake at 5:30 AM and meditate for 14-16 hours daily, moving between sitting and walking meditation. No reading, no writing, no social media - pure silence and presence.

Namaste.

#IKITAO

For those of you who are new to the Internet:

Just because a lot of people online say something, does not make it a majority-held view. If anything, it is the opposite.