All of these are outward forms alone; they are not sufficient in themselves.

Upon first reading this 19th verse of the Tao Te Ching, it appears that Lao-tzu is encouraging us to abandon the highest principles of the Tao. Renounce sainthood, wisdom, morality, justice, industry, and profit, says the great sage, and all will be well. Lao-tzu tells us that "all of these are outward forms alone" and are insufficient for living according to the highest Way.

The first of these categories represents education and the way you look at your sources of learning. This verse advises you to alter your concept of being saintly just because you follow the teachings of an organized religion, and to change your view of self-importance because of degrees you've received from an educational institution. Lao-tzu gently informs you that it's far more valuable to cultivate your true nature.

As with virtually all of the teachings of the Tao, the greatest trust is placed in your accessing the sacred Tao center of yourself. Within you lies a piece of God that instinctively knows what to do and how to be. Trust yourself, Lao-tzu advises, and reevaluate the ultimate importance of educational and religious institutions. When you modify how you see them, you'll notice that the true essence of you is "a hundred times better for everyone." Lao-tzu might say that a truth is a truth until you organize it, and then it becomes a lie. Why? Because the purposes of the organization begin to take precedence over that which it first attempted to keep in order.

"Throw away morality and justice," this verse urges, "and people will do the right thing." Here, in the second of the outward forms, Lao-tzu reveals a legal system that takes precedence over your natural internal integrity. When you know that you emerged from an impeccable Source of honor and equality, you don't have to rely on a system of justice. Lao-tzu reminds you that it's very important not to view yourself as relegated to an inferior position because laws of morality tell you who you "really" are. See yourself centered with the perfection of the Tao, which is your nature, rather than needing to consult a law book, a courtroom, or a judge to determine your ethical standing. These labyrinthine systems designed to determine all issues of right and wrong are evidence of our drift away from the simplicity of our inborn nature.

The last of the outward forms is the whole world of business. "Renounce profit seeking, give up ingenuity, and discard record keeping, and thieves will disappear altogether," could be one interpretation. Lao-tzu advises you to stay centered within the all-encompassing integrity of the Tao and to release your view of profits and monetary gain as indicators of your level of success. When you see your life through the perspective of the Tao teaching, you'll have no need to hoard large sums of money. Instead, you'll discover the pleasure of serving others in a spirit of endless generosity. Or, as this translation of the Tao Te Ching puts it, you'll "cast off selfishness and temper desire."

These then are the three outward forms: education, justice, and business. You're being encouraged to update how you see the reasons for, the methods used by, and the way you've been taught to value those arenas of life by well-meaning people. When you change how you see them, you'll note the simplicity and sacredness of a higher principle, which will enrich those institutions with the free-flowing Tao. You'll realize your own true nature, cast off selfishness, and temper your desire. Be in the world of education, justice, and business—but not of it—and you'll see the inner world where you're centered in the Tao.

This is what Lao-tzu is saying to you, through me, from his 2,500-year-old perch:

Notice attempts to compartmentalize you: Are you dependent on a system of reward and punishment for approval? Do the rules and codes of conduct you follow come from a heart-centered space, or are they designed to create a designation of "specialness"? Don't fight these institutional pressures or even the fact that they exist—simply let go of all attachments to them. You are not saintly (a good person) because an organization says so, but rather because you stay connected to the divinity of your origination. You are not intelligent because of a transcript; you are intelligence itself, which needs no external confirmation. You are not moral because you obey the laws; you are morality itself because you are the same as what you came from.

Choose to see the outward forms as poor substitutions for your true nature, and you'll begin to live without attachment to those forms. You'll see your own inner laws, which never require codifying; you'll live with freedom and simplicity. Trust first and foremost in yourself.

Let go of evaluating yourself on the basis of how much you've accumulated and what is in your financial portfolio. Stop putting a dollar value on all that you have and do. Let go of your need to get a "good deal" and choose instead to be a being of sharing. You'll be happily surprised by how nice it feels to simply change your belief that you're only successful if you're making money. The less you focus on making a profit—instead shifting your energy to living your purpose in harmony with everyone else—the more money will flow to you and the more opportunities for generosity will be available to you.

The world of institutional pressures is built on an endless list of human-made dos and don'ts. Lao-tzu advocates that you discover your heart's true desire, all the while remembering that no one else can tell you what it is.

Post the following affirmation for your constant attention: I am moral, profitable, and a genius extraordinaire, regardless of what any institutional transcript or bank statement says. Repeat this mantra until it becomes your way of being. You will feel a sense of inner peace as you release the hold outer forms have on you.