What it is
Chapter 48 of the Tao Te Ching describes two operations. In the pursuit of learning, every day something is added. In the pursuit of the Tao, every day something is dropped, and dropped again, until you arrive at not-forcing. Chapter 47 adds that you can know the world without going out the door, because what you’re looking for isn’t out there.
Both are useful. They’re just not the same work.
How it shows up for me
I’m very good at the first operation and clumsy at the second. My notes, my tools, my systems: always adding. The Field Guide is partly an exercise in subtraction, keeping only what helps.
I also caught myself, writing about the Tao, calling some people’s behavior “natural” with a sneer. Which means the contempt was mine.