心神 ~

When I look up the meaning of each character, this is what I find: 5. 故常無欲以觀其妙 故 therefore; so; thus; for this reason; because of; cause; reason; former; old; old friend; old matter; incident; event; deliberately; intentionally; to pass away; hometown; native place 常 constant; always; often; regularly; habitual; customary; common; ordinary; normal; fixed 無 not; no; without; lack; absence; none; nothing; nothingness; empty; to not have 欲 desire; want; wish; would like to; intend; plan; appetite; craving; lust; greed; urge; need; request; to be about to; will; shall 以 use; by means of; with; take; because of; according to; so as to; in order to; thereby; and; from; to regard as 觀 look; see; watch; observe; view; inspect; contemplate; reflect; consider; viewpoint; scene; Daoist temple; monastery 其 his; her; its; their; that; those; such; the aforementioned; emphasis marker; should; would; perhaps 妙 subtle; fine; delicate; ingenious; clever; wonderful; marvelous; exquisite; profound; mysterious; key point; hidden secret 6. 常有欲以觀其徼 常 constant; always; often; regularly; habitual; customary; common; ordinary; normal; fixed 有 have; possess; there is; there are; exist; presence; own; happen; occur; certain; some 欲 desire; want; wish; would like to; intend; plan; appetite; craving; lust; greed; urge; need; request; to be about to; will; shall 以 use; by means of; with; take; because of; according to; so as to; in order to; thereby; and; from; to regard as 觀 look; see; watch; observe; view; inspect; contemplate; reflect; consider; viewpoint; scene; Daoist temple; monastery 其 his; her; its; their; that; those; such; the aforementioned; emphasis marker; should; would; perhaps 徼 border; boundary; frontier; outskirts; limit; edge; patrol; guard; intercept; demand; exact; seek

Yes, that's how I read it as well, as guidance on how to observe the Tao more objectively. Still only referencing the Wayne Dyer translation, the method is reducing desire so attention isn’t pulled toward outcomes and surfaces. That aligns with wuwei as non-grasping. My point is only that your assertion ‘therefore with or without desire one can see the mystery’ doesn’t apply in the context of the translation we're discussing. But it sounds like we agree on the practical takeaway, even if we’re using different words for it.

If your example is someone with no desire who intuitively senses the mystery, that doesn’t challenge the premise, it supports it: desire blocks the mystery, and not having desire is what allows the mystery to be perceived.

My understanding of this translation is that desire interferes with seeing and experiencing the mystery of the Tao. Desire blocks the mystery; it doesn’t enable it. ‘Whose desire’ and ‘desire for what’ aren’t central here, because the contrast is between desiring and not desiring. From this perspective, desire (ultimately attachment) is a grasping mind-state that pulls attention toward outer edges and surfaces, which makes the subtle harder to perceive.

In maintaining your perspective, I might rephrase it as: “When the Tao is unseen, one observes its inner mystery. When the Tao is seen, one observes its outer edge.” This sharply contrasts the inner mystery with the outer edge. Outer boundary still works well though, I think. Another option is: “When the Tao is sensed, one observes its inner mystery. When the Tao is known, one observes its outer edge.” This carries the idea that conceptual knowledge interferes with intuitive sensing. Sensed takes the place of unseen, knowing takes the place of seen. This version is visually more abstract, but possibly clearer in an experiential sense. I've always been partial to Wayne Dyer’s translation: “Ever desireless, one can see the mystery. Ever desiring, one sees only the manifestations.” I appreciate this one, because it seems to hold the idea that healthy detachment leads to harmony with the Way, and unhealthy attachment leads to disharmony with the Way.

Most of this topic is beyond me. But as a lifelong, native English speaker, I feel confident in asserting that almost no native English speaker would choose this phrasing, least of all if the intent is to be clear as possible. “Grok” and “quale” are abstract, philosophical jargon. A clearer phrasing might be: “to intimately understand the inner experience.”

Wow, even the modern 性 character looks like a needle and a spool of thread. I suppose plant fiber becomes thread eventually, but that's probably a major stretch, lol.

Lady Xing looks like a shamaness holding a distaff and thread, and Master Ming looks like a water buffalo. What do these actually depict?

I think I'll keep them– these rhythms, this reverence. All else I release.

Ahh, I get that. Empowering, but also people and situations can pull you into overdoing it. I don’t know as much about Generators, but I wonder if ‘gut reaction’ doesn’t mean being impulsive. It might mean noticing the body’s yes or no, then pausing long enough to avoid misreading yourself and rushing forward. If your instinct hasn’t always felt reliable, having guardrails makes sense. When you say ‘unreliable intuition,’ what does that feel like for you? When you move too quickly toward something that isn’t right for you, does it feel like you’re responding to what feels true, or responding to urgency? What other parts feel contradictory to you?

singing a sad song, bare maple branches shiver; the moon's gaze, obscured.

Yes, it's pretty accurate. In some ways, learning about my type was validating, but not necessarily reassuring. For the 3/5, 3 is learns by trial and error, and 5 is problem solver that others project onto, both of which resonate with me. As a reflector, I'm easily influenced by mood and environment, and require a significant amount of time alone. I've spent a long time feeling guilty about my inconsistencies, trying to fit into standard societal structures. But learning to work with the ebb and flow of the energies of the moon and with my own cycles has been really helpful and healing for me. Ahh, okay. Does doing everything yourself usually feel empowering, or more tiring over time?

Well, followers of the Way. Apparently in Greek, Acts 9:2 uses the noun ὁδός (hodos), “way / road / path,” with the article: τινας ὄντας τῆς ὁδοῦ. Literally: “any being of the Way.” Unrelated to the OP, this story pretty strongly indicates that Saul is a false prophet. Saul claims he met Jesus in the wilderness, declares himself the 13 apostle, and begins to preach "the Gospel." His conversion story is clearly built on the same skeleton as Balaam and the donkey, in Numbers 22: a religious man on the road, sure he’s doing God’s work, actually moving against what God wants, blocked by a divine encounter, confronted with “why are you doing this to me?” and then forced into a new path. Initially, Balaam speaks real oracles from God, but later becomes greedy and dangerous, leading others astray.

A 4/6 Manifesting Generator, how interesting. I'm a 3/5 Reflector. As far as I know, Human Design shows personal themes, patterns, and how you meet cycles and transits. It’s like a user manual for how your body and mind operate and a guide for shedding expectation and stepping into authentic being, as opposed to an oracle for what exact event will happen. A lot of emphasis is placed on the importance of following one's personal strategy and authority, and working through a 7 year deconditioning process. Here's additional information overviewing your chart and highlighting what your strategy/authority and deconditioning process may look like, taking your gates into account. It looks like it's important for you to listen to your body and gut for a clear yes or no, announce what you will do (without requesting permission), and then act. Your life is defined by trial and error activity, which helps you develop into a wise guide that helps other people and systems get unstuck. Because your strategy relies on reading the body and the gut, simple healthy routines are essential for you. Paying attention to how to respond to transits as they cross your gates can help you develop an understanding of your personal cycles and patterns. Chart Overview Strategy and Authority Seven Year Deconditioning Process

What is your Human Design type?