Those who follow Tao do so
From their own predilection.
There are no promises,
Yet the rewards are immeasurable.
Of all the spiritual traditions, following Tao is among the least popular. Its adherents are poor and veiled with humility. In comparison, many traditions offer heaven, forgiveness, comfort, ecstasy, belonging, power, and wealth. Tao offers only three things : sound health, a way through the bewilderment of life, and liberation from the fear of death.
That is why there are so few followers of Tao. There is no glamor, there is no congregation, there is no ranking. You are either in the state of Tao, or you are temporarily out of it. When you die, you die.
You have to be tough to follow Tao. If you can avoid being discouraged by poverty, isolation, and obscurity, you will find an unshakable devotion that will last your entire life, and rewards will come in slow and subtle ways. You may not be suddenly rich and influential, but you will discover, to your great delight, that there is a secret source of sustenance. Once you taste that, all your doubts will fade, and both poverty and loneliness will be easier to bear.
my mostly unfabulous life 
I think this is true in many respects, but this vision of Tao equating asceticism is not what we have been taught since receiving over 4 years ago. The white period is all about cultivating in and among people. There is no separating and isolating yourself. How can you share and propagate Tao if you stay hidden? In our cultivation, we are taught by our predecessors that the comforts in which you live in do not prevent you from cultivating, it is the heart with which you are attached to these comforts that are the issue. Now I admit that a certain simplicity naturally comes from cultivating. My husband and I have not bought new clothes for ourselves in years per example because fashion is not the object and what we have is still perfectly good. And we have suffered a bit of isolation from our old circles through our choices (being vegetarian, renouncing all fetid foods, abstaining from alcohol, etc.), but we still live very full lives, surrounded by people we love, in jobs that allow us a salary that lets us live a simple but comfortable life. And I do not think that it means that we are less of followers of Tao.
Thank you for this opportunity to reflect. I very much appreciate the effort you put into your daily posts.
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