Invocation

Invocation becomes declaration;

Worship becomes recognition.

When blessings mature,

One glimpses the source.

When one is young in Tao, all practices begin as external procedures. Sometimes,  it is difficult to understand their significance we don’t know what to expect.

This  is proper: Not daring to interfere with growth and discovery, those who follow Tao  hesitate to go beyond technical instruction. 

Take worship, for example. At first, an invocation is something external. You repeat it, but really, it means very little. You kneel down at the altar because you need  something on which to focus. Once you realize that the true Tao is to be found  within yourself, you shift your attention.

Then worship becomes recognition. Your  own spirit arises, and you learn to tap into it on your own. If someone had told you  what to look for, you might never be sure of your experiences.

What comes from  outer suggestion is not the true Tao.

Glimpsing the source leaves no doubts.