Expect no ambitions to be fulfilled;
Only then will the inner force manifest.
In the competitive world, we give expression to our ambitions, shrewdness, and aggressiveness. We must do this to survive. In the meditative world, we cannot use these attitudes. What works well on the outside will not serve us on the inside.When we meditate, we must expect no gain. If we look for results, then those results will elude us. In contrast, if we suspend our ambitions, then the results will manifest very quickly. It may sound like absurd mysticism, but it is an undeniable, empirical truth. If you have no expectations, you will feel the divine. If you strive and have selfish desires, then you will feel only frustration.
When the mind is occupied with meditating for gain, it creates a barrier to precisely the results that you want. Spirituality is a mode that is far beyond the machinations and imaginations of the rational mind. It is created by an aspect of the mind that is not a part of everyday thought. In fact, the part of the mind that brings spirituality is very nearly antithetical to the common ways that we think. Therefore, we can only reach this type of spirituality by suspending our everyday thinking.
Personal Interpretation
The mind that serves us in our everyday lives does not serve us well in meditation. When we reflect on the divine, we must have no ambitions. We must not hope to gain anything by clearing our minds. When we are capable of this spiritual mindset, we will gain. Striving to do so blocks our ability to benefit from meditation. While this may seem antithetical, it is simply the reverse side of the coin. Dualism defines our universe and is a key topic of exploration in Taoism, and for good reason. Learning to accept the dual nature of our universe and of our own selves is one of the keys to enlightenment.
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