I suffer Great Calamity From Honor and Rank Because I have a Self – Chapter 13 of the Tao Te Ching

The text has helped me realize that letting go of Self helps vanish feelings of shame, embarrassment, or offense when I encounter conflict. When I get too caught up in my head during a stressful situation, I keep my cool by stepping outside of Self and allowing my True Self to observe the situation from afar.

For example, the media is so polarizing these days and it’s easy to react emotionally. Sometimes I get offended, but I realize it’s only my superficial emotions being manipulated. My True Self doesn’t care at all.

Of course, there are many methods to ground myself mentally, but internalizing these two states gives me unique control. This ability is often overlooked. I know many people who aren’t great at being level-headed. If I practice this skill, I can improve at switching off my outer Self at will.

When I practice No-Self, I also remember that I have complete control over how other people see me. When people judge me, all I need to do is separate from my outward Self, and I am invincible! They can only offend the image of me that I created for them in their head.