Day 42 · Q1: Self-Knowledge · February 11, 2026
Pause. Breathe. Begin.
I . L E C T I O
Lao Tzu
Tao Te Ching, Ch. 76
“The stiff and unbending is the disciple of death. The soft and yielding is the disciple of life.”
C O N T E X T
Lao Tzu observes that rigidity leads to breaking, while flexibility leads to survival. This applies equally to trees in wind, armies in battle, and minds confronting new truths about themselves.
I I . M E D I T A T I O
“Where in your life are you being stiff and unbending — and what would it look like to yield?”
I I I . S C R I P T I O
Write one sentence about a position you hold rigidly that might benefit from flexibility.
I V . C O N N E X I O
Lao Tzu returns with a profound complement to his earlier teaching. Self-mastery is not rigid control but flexible awareness. How does this redefine what Epictetus meant by 'mastering yourself'?
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