4 Signs of Egotism from Taoist Master Lao Tzu | Authenticity vs Fakeness

In this podcast, we will explain Taoism's four signs of egotism to avoid on our journey to become one with the Tao. This is the twenty-fourth episode of the 81 Meditations of the Tao Te Ching, a series where we explore each chapter of the Tao Te Ching. We will dissect chapter twenty-four of the Tao Te Ching to give you ultimate clarity on the meaning of this chapter.
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[@JasonGregoryAuthor]

Please hit the thumbs up, subscribe, and comment. I'd appreciate that deeply. To get exclusive content and livestream replays become a member on Patreon www.patreon.com/jasongregory You can also support me on Paypal www.paypal.me/JasonGregoryAuthor I also have new merchandise available at teespring.com/stores/jason-gregory Your support helps the channel grow. Only love for all.

[@johnsinclair2672]

Love your work Jason, it resonates to my core! 🙏🏻

[@johnc.6645]

For as far back as I can remember, there's been pressure from work, school, church and family to be accepted by a group. I was never a social warrior, but my career demanded being accepted by a crowd. After retirement I started studying the Tao and realized the futility of what I did. once you retire your quickly forgotten. The Tao brought me peace and got me refocused on nature like I was when I was a kid. Everytime I read it or listen to interpretations like yours I learn something new. it's very difficult by the way, having a conversation with a social warrior. I generally keep my mouth shut and don't revisit the experience. Thanks Brother for your wonderful program, it's much needed in the world.

[@bbblackwell]

Social warriors are part of a cult. Cultists are always difficult to deal with, and ultimately very dangerous.

[@JamesAlexander14]

Great message to all the self righteous, virtue signalling egos out there. Simplicity and following the ways of nature are the biggest lessons for humanity as I have found out to my own personal cost. After trying to adopt the ways of modern society into my life, I ended up with two bouts of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and a brain haemorrhage. Now that I have retired and shunned that way of life, I feel much healthier and less absorbed by the trappings of modern society. Great positive and uplifting video. Thank you.❤️🙏

[@ketherwhale6126]

I think the Taoists were speaking about narcissistic tendencies as well as full blown narcissism. It is alright to take care of yourself, eat well, speak well, care about your appearance ( to a degree) and shine as “ yourself “. The trouble is Self- centeredness and self absorbed ness . Going with the flow and relaxing within the self can be hard if you’ve perhaps had been insecurely attached in childhood. Insecure, ambivalent, disorganized attachment disorders ruin your perception of yourself and that pattern from early childhood repeats inadvertently without consciousness knowledge. Very hard to heal and is responsible for many masks 🎭 in life.

[@timtrek]

if it werent for trauma and masks we wouldn't have any decent comedy, wits like Oscar Wilde, half of Hollywood, or performers like Prince or Bowie.. our complexity is actually pretty amazing, for all the pain it contains

[@bbblackwell]

@@timtrek As a working model, I would describe all the artistic entertainment you mentioned as spirit filtered through a dysfunctional psychology, and I think we enjoy it for the spirit part, not the dysfunction part. Sure, there's an ego resonance, in the sense of "misery loves company" but I think all art and entertainment would only get better without the dysfunction. I don't believe there are any real benefits to falsehood or misalignment.

[@Simon-vt1zp]

Hello Jason. I can’t remember which video you said it in, but you described that we take charge with the true self, then the reduced capacity and chaotic control of the Ego becomes a necessary and useful INTERFACE that enables us to interact with the world. After much contemplation, and delving deeper into this , it has really helped me in my path. Thank you Brother, for this and the hard work you put into your teachings and study.🙏🙏🙏

[@trumuse9646]

The tao leads me back to my authentic self. It’s strange almost like being reunited w an old friend. But, the friend is you before you changed to blend in or stick out in the world.

[@JamesAlexander14]

Nowadays, it is very hard to dispense with ego, but it really is worth the effort. It may take some time, but continue with the journey. I’m trying and I know that I will get there in the end.

[@howiseetheworld3581]

This is great when you talk about modern society, enjoy it a lot. Seems hard to navigate sometimes with all the new stuff that we’re supposed to keep up with. But this simple approach makes so much sense. Thank you

[@andrewjewell3142]

Simplicity and humility is contentment peace and love to you both ❤️

[@tobinharris8107]

Love this series~so helpful. It is true that the self righteous are really just being judgemental and feeding off of drama and contentiousness. Yin and Yang will balance all of that out (if you allow it) and the old Boomerang Effect is a good reminder that "As Above, So Below". Thank you ☯

[@MichaelLittle47]

Hearing true intelligence expressed is not at all common these days. It is as refreshing as a mountain stream, as simple as the breeze through pines, and as healing as the earth is beautiful.

[@69bananataco]

I'm so grateful for this channel, keep up the good work you two!

[@omarose7504]

Great to hear this kind of discussion that rings so TRUE in our society. Appreciate the series very much. I subscribed and want to return to do Patreon after my new credit card arrives. Thank you!

[@jasonmartin1541]

Good Job!...I needed this today...

[@ericf.7669]

Always a blessing to hear you two speak about the Dao. I love that I always hear beautiful knowledge on your videos. Shanti Shanti Shanti My Friends. 💙

[@george221999]

Self righteousness wants to make people do things rather than follow our heart. It is therefore coercive and against Wu wei

[@george221999]

For me, the positive side is to live within the uncertainty that comes with being empty

[@jodiparry111]

Lessons in everything. Love it all. Thankyou.

[@peterpiper4380]

Wow that boomerang effect is something else sometimes immediate. love your chats great stuff thank you 👍

[@pavel_shui]

Perfect. Thank you both again 😊

[@jasonmartin7486]

At 13:65 Jason seemingly becomes fully balanced with his awareness and flowing expressionism....The moment when the Hammer strikes the nail, so to speak..

[@garysnider3000]

Greatly appreciate this series. It allows me to better fit the pieces together. Life is simple and happy in the universal oneness; not so much in the worldly duality.

[@das3841]

Love this chat, than you very much

[@antton8575]

Yes. Yes! There has appeared a learning of more humility in this scene and the Universe sent that through you two beautiful beings. Blessings!

[@Amila108]

Much love, peace and appreciation kind Sangha. Thank you for the humor as well! ♥️🕉️☮️☮️☮️❤️

[@nonexistenty4152]

thank you so much : ) This helped me so much!

[@TRafael82]

I do follow these principles automatically intuition based. It's following what you need nothing more then you need and just enough to live a happy life. My life is more about giving then it is about receiving.

[@TRafael82]

@glowing star I never received but I still give.. its a fable you need to experience the other side first.. its just an excuse to yourself. You can do it but it takes that you need to get over your pride.. even when it's not fair to you. Eventually it will be worth it if you can rise above it.

[@sweetheart_cats]

Love it!

[@garry8305]

Thanks guys. Hope you're well! 🙂

[@colemarsh13]

Awesome...Thank you 🧠💫💖

[@Inspiriments888]

I wonder how Taoism approaches cynicism, the changing of ages(As in Aquarian age where tech\the individual/ etc shines as part of the whole); & where does the teachings of old traditions find relevance in a era that is so far removed from the era from which it's wisdoms were established based on what was relative then? Such as Tech, Multi-dimensional self-realization, hidden history of psychedelics and religion, awareness of old structures that were corrupted in order rule over lower classes, the internet, world wide spiritual awakenings, alien and ufo declassification, etc. Would love to hear others perspective, thank you for your service🙏 Om many padme hum🕉

[@catalinalladovidal2533]

Thanks🙏🏻

[@wbtim3]

I was impressed with the flavor of non-action in this verse. It seems Lao tsu is urging us to let things unfold. Don't struggle to advance anything.

[@DionisiaTabureguci]

That's a Beautiful Life! Simple, Natural, Free!

[@godsgracenaka247]

Thank you very much 🙏🏾

[@sweetheart_cats]

Brings me peace

[@Chickarina1]

Self-righteous people are very fond of saying “I am such a good (insert religion of your choice)”. Let your actions speak for themselves.

[@josephhamilton2983]

Nice podcast 🙏

[@jasonc8910]

Thank you.

[@fernandoorozco5968]

Thank you

[@thelifeofalii333]

Bro you are so good at speaking

[@willieluncheonette5843]

" And these three great Masters remained individuals. Once in a while somebody was impressed by their writings, but it remained intellectual, so there is no hope in the near future of Lieh Tzu, Chuang Tzu or Lao Tzu being born again in China, or their influence in any way changing the course of China’s history, because in fact they have never been of any great importance in China’s mind. Confucius and Lao Tzu were contemporaries. Confucius had even gone to meet Lao Tzu, because Lao Tzu was certainly a man of tremendous qualities. Confucius was a great thinker, but only a thinker. He had nothing as far as his own inner consciousness is concerned, no experience, no idea who he is, but he had planned for the society perfectly well, a very mannered, cultured society. Hearing that Lao Tzu was nearby, living in a cave beyond the lake, he went to see him. A few of his disciples also went, but he told them, “You wait outside the cave.” They said, “Why? It will be good, we can listen.” He said, “You don’t understand. I will tell you the reason later on. Let me go first. If I feel it right I will call you in.” They stayed outside, Confucius went in. Lao Tzu was sitting silently. He did not say to Confucius even to sit down, and Confucius was man of manners, etiquette. He had not expected that a great sage, Lao Tzu, would not even ask. He did not say hello or even hi - even that short form, “hi.” He simply sat down, looking at Confucius, and Confucius said, “Sir, don’t you believe in manners?” Lao Tzu laughed. He said, ‘I thought you knew all the manners - what is the need for me to tell you? If you feel like sitting, you will sit down! You are not a man who does not know manners. If you like to stand up, it is my etiquette not to disturb you. You can stand up!” Confucius said, “But you… you did not even say hello.” Lao Tzu said, “I said it. You could not hear it. It was a test: I said it silently. I wanted to know whether the famous philosopher Confucius understands silence or not. So you understand only words - that much is decided! And you have expectations. You cannot sit down on your own, you have to be told. This cave does not belong to me. When I came here, nobody said ‘sit down,’ because nobody was here. Why should I say it? It is not my cave, nothing belongs to me. Just the way I am sitting, you can sit down. You are not a child to be told.” Confucius had never met such a man. And on each point he was rebuffed badly. Then Lao Tzu said, “If you really want to learn anything, first go and renounce all the idiots you have collected as your disciples. You don’t know anything and you have thousands of disciples. It is hilarious! You just go and tell them the truth, that you don’t know anything, and then come, because I teach only if somebody does not know. If he knows it already, why should he bother me? An old man… Leave me alone!” Confucius came out, and he had not the courage to say to his disciples that he did not know. He had thousands of disciples, he was the most famous man at that time. Very few people knew about Lao Tzu. Confucius has remained a shadow over the whole of Chinese history. It is only somewhere in the footnotes you can find the name of Lao Tzu. Confucius was not courageous enough to say “I do not know.” The disciples said “You didn’t ask us to come in. He said, “It was good that I didn’t ask you to come in. And please don’t ask the reason. That man is not a man; he is a dragon. He is dangerous, avoid him as far as possible. This is my first and last meeting with that old guy!” And he was perspiring. It was a cold morning and the cave was very cool, but he was perspiring. The disciples said, “But why are you perspiring?” He said, “I am alive - that’s enough! Just take me away from here.” Lao Tzu has never been a great influence. He was a silent man. Once in a while somebody would come who was courageous enough to be with him He was not ready to come down to meet you, to be with you and to be amongst you. It simply was not his characteristic. He would remain on top of the hill. You would have to go to the hilltop, he was not going to come into the valley. He was not like a man, which I am. I can come to any depth where you are hiding and catch hold of your head and pull you out. He was not that kind of man; he would simply sit on top of the hill. Anybody who wants… but who wants to go that far? He never wrote a single word, he never gave a single speech - just a few conversations here and there, and only if somebody asked something. And then too, he was not nice, as is expected of Masters. Confucius was right that he was a dragon. He would kill you!"

[@sbowenful]

Thanks again! Amazing teaching from you both. I’m learning so much from your videos!

[@l4mb01]

The karmic boomerang effect ☄️🙂

[@billzepp69]

I agree going out into nature changes me and coming back into society changes. It frustrates me when people want to blame some one and say it’s up to them to change when obviously we are products of our environment to some extent. So even tho this passage has a lot of truth I wonder how societies structure could be changed to help facilitate these virtues…

[@miniminamanmina3715]

You will not sell much product if people are content in life. Thats why the hyperbole of media, politics , academe advertising , and modern life . The bright lights and loud voice of the huckster attract most.

[@george221999]

Gayoung talked about emptiness and patience. This made me think of two important chs, 11_and 15. Until I made progress in Taj chi, I couldn't grasp emptiness. Similarly for patience. The old masters were enigmas even to themselves, but they had the patience to wait. Another ch important to Taj chi is later when we imagine a our bodies tens g like a bow. Finally, the ch you like, 16. This is, to me, is about sinking. Or finding out root. I have thought about daoism for decodes, more recently, Taj chi has given it some very specific meanings.

[@marilynwarbis7224]

When we need to "be someone", to stand out in the crowd, it's because we are not receiving nourishment from within, from our own natures, from the Tao. Once we reconnect with our own inner natures, we receive everything we need psychologically, from our own inner wellspring, from our connection with cosmos, with nature which created us and which continues to nourish us if we allow this.

[@lightsparks5206]

I will never forget the time I was vividly dreaming when I heard a male voice say the word “Power” I was then automatically awoken with subtle energy vibrating all over my body as if I was paralyzed, eyes wide open as if I was on a DMT, looking at my ceiling with visuals similar to being on psilocybe cubensis for a few seconds..

[@GrandmaBirdy]

Thank you for this information! Listening to your talks several times helps me realize how many doors I had shut off in my existence. Slowly “understanding” coming into my awareness! My “ego” is very discombobulated now

[@ShraddaNiche]

Good Morning 🙏

[@SumanSingh-go9ek]

Guruji 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 thank you so much guruji true 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@n8works]

4:20 I think there needs to be a distinction made between those that express unique beauty (in terms of hair, tattoos, style, etc.) because they have that within them and hence appreciate beauty in others, and those that are attempting those things as tactics to gain some attention, power, or clout from others. I see a a relationship to others in this passage, so maybe there is specificity in the negativity of each of these to that motivation?

[@dougpalmer721]

Vanity metrics you got it Thats what is going in parts of west People are listening to the news You have to in side yourself You - vs - you As the great David goggins says

[@ezreality]

If the Enlightened did not preach, there would be no deliverance for anyone. Huxley, Aldous. The Perennial Philosophy.

[@sharavanansenthilkumaran998]

The effortless way,Loved it jason ,BTW Jason u have mentioned india is a country which takes spirituality seriously,I'm from bharat India,a lot has changed,it is not the way it is used to be,serious pathetic situation,very few organisation's and ppl maintaining it ,but essence of India is slowly dying

[@Burikami]

How do you live with people opposed to this idea? By move on you mean actually move physically is it mental?

[@BirhanuTadesse-lc1ti]

Thank you guys for your insightful analysis of modern society and the behavior of ordinary people. They said you can't know more than Socrates because he admitted he knew nothing. You can't compute more than Euler due to his famous identity e^(iπ) + 1 = 0. Both converge on zero. You see the power of humility (zero)?

[@themystic6481]

🙏🏼💜

[@linnh940]

I have a question, i love fashion and unique pieces, i find it fascinating and also love to wear it and have a different style than others. Is this wrong to do and to wear and should i try to not stand out that much or can i continue like this. Asking from a taoist perspective. ❤️

[@TheAlexa6]

Does it bring you joy? I love beautiful things. From art to fashion to makeup to beautiful sunsets and forests. It’s part of who I have been since toddlerhood. It’s not about being someone I’m not or trying to be the center of attention (that makes me highly uncomfortable) it’s just an appreciation of the beauty I see in the world and my own creative expression. Forget Taoism or any other ism, just be true to your own soul.

[@linnh940]

@@TheAlexa6 i do enjoy it, its also an expression of me and my creativeness. My intension is indeed not to impress people but if i dress the way i do now i do stand out and in taoism its like you be your authentic self but lao tzu also says to not stand out that much, that why I questioned it. But thankyou sm for your comment i think you’re right tho! 🫶🏼

[@linnh940]

And i am following taoism so if taoism says to not stand out i will not and that’s not a problem for me either :)

[@stopwithitnowthx]

How do you feel a way; it's so esteemed in the human nature?-

[@paldenngodup8238]

🙏🕉

[@vajraloka1]

Yes , but I actually, AM great !

[@fingerprint5511]

Theravada Buddhism cures Ego issues.

[@ranurene2018]

❤❤🙏

[@RC0921]

The self is a burden that we hold on to ourselves 😂

[@davidgodshall2535]

If you are sincere about finding Home avoid Me First City

[@yaasikasa17]

Don't try to grow peaches if you're mango tree

[@1YzeWhoaman6821]

Floyd Mayweather must be the exception to this rule. He brags and keeps winning. Go figure.

[@Noct343]

There's something in me that is always judging people and looking at all the negatives maybe this is my ego I want to get rid of this habit.

[@darrenblack6240]

Lovit guys keep sharing

[@elcrego]

Thank you