Tao Te Ching – Chapter Seven
Written by Lao-tzu – From a translation by S. Mitchell
The Tao is infinite, eternal.
Why is it eternal?
It was never born;
thus it can never die.
Why is it infinite?
It has no desires for itself;
thus it is present for all beings.
The Master stays behind;
that is why she is ahead.
She is detached from all things;
that is why she is one with them.
Because she has let go of herself,
she is perfectly fulfilled.
How I Read This Chapter
The Way is timeless and without beginning,
not limited by stories of before or after.
It asks for nothing, so it serves everything.
The one who walks its path,
does not seek power,
yet becomes strong.
By letting go of self-importance,
they become truly themself.
Because they let go of needing to be first,
They lead with grace.
Because they have released their craving to be seen,
They see clearly.
And because they are willing to be empty,
They become whole.
What This Means To Me
In addiction, I was obsessed with myself. I was the centre of every story—whether in shame or in pride. My pain felt unique. My needs felt urgent. My failures felt final. Everything was personal, and everything was about me. Even when I hated myself, I was still clinging to a kind of twisted importance. My whole world was filtered through ego, fear, and unmet need.
But recovery has shown me another way— a way that begins not with striving, but with surrender. This chapter of the Tao speaks to something profound: that the deepest fulfilment doesn’t come from chasing more, but from letting go.
The Tao is described as infinite and eternal, not because it is powerful in the way I once imagined power, but because it has no need to grasp, no fear of loss. It simply is—available to all, because it clings to none.
When I let go of needing to be understood, I feel understood.
When I stop demanding attention, I begin to truly connect.
When I release my need to be in control, I find peace.
The Master stays behind and is therefore ahead.
I see this in the quiet presence of those in the rooms of AA who don’t speak to impress, but to serve. The ones who aren’t trying to “be somebody,” but who show up, day after day, with humility and honesty. They don’t need recognition. They are already rooted.
In Step Three, I made a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of something greater. Not because I had it all figured out, but because I couldn’t carry it anymore. This chapter reminds me that when I stopped putting myself at the centre, I became more free than I ever was when I tried to be the centre of everything.
Letting go of self doesn’t mean losing who I am. It means letting go of the false self— the one built on fear, pride, and comparison. And in its place, something quiet and strong emerges. A deeper self. A truer self. A self that doesn’t need to shout to be heard.
Today, I try to follow this path. To stay behind when my ego wants to rush ahead. To let go of outcomes and do the next right thing. To live, not for validation, but in service. And in that letting go, I find fulfilment—not the kind I once chased, but the kind that meets me quietly, from within.
