Introduction

I find this verse’s exhortation to operate from the root of our experience very compelling. It promises that returning to the root brings endless security, a sense of purity, connection to the eternal, and profound clarity. It also makes it clear that not returning to the root results in confusion and foolish actions, making us responsible for our own suffering. To sum it up:

The good news is we get to plant our own fields and can do it however we want. 

The bad news is we have to plant our own fields, and we can do it however we want. 

Spider-man’s Uncle Ben was on point when he said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Translation

Approach absolute voidness,
 preserve the profound center. 

All that exists acts
from its origin and returns to it. 

Those who Weave the Way
  each return to the root. 

Returning to the root is called purity. 
Purity is called recovering destiny.
Recovering destiny is called unchanging. 
Knowing what doesn’t change is called clarity. 

Not knowing the eternal… 
Confused! Acting foolishly!

Knowing an unchanging presence. 
Presence is the leader.
The leader is the ruler.
The ruler is Spirit. 
Spirit is Dao. 
Dao is eternal. 

Endless security.

Commentary

Approach absolute voidness,
  preserve the profound center. 

Here, we revisit a motif that first emerged in verse 5: “Using Nothing-ness,” preserving the center. These lines further define the concept of “center” to include the quality of “voidness.” Without diving too far into meditative practices, voidness points to an experience of such immediate presence, immediate “now-ness,” that no conscious experience persists long enough to be registered. It feels like expanding into infinite space.