Some 2,500 years ago, Lao-tzu spoke of ‘the four cardinal virtues’ and noted that when we practice them as a way of life, we come to know and access the truth of the universe. These four virtues don’t represent external dogma, but a part of our original nature—by practicing them, we realign with Source and access the powers that Source energy has to offer.

The First Cardinal Virtue: Reverence for All Life

The first cardinal virtue manifests in your daily life as unconditional love and respect for all beings in creation. This includes making a conscious effort to love and respect yourself, as well as to remove all judgments and criticisms. Understand that you are a piece of God, and since you must be like what you came from, you are lovable, worthy, and Godlike. Affirm this as often as you can, for when you see yourself in a loving way, you have nothing but love to extend outward. And the more you love others, the less you need old excuse patterns, particularly those relating to blame.

This virtue coincides with the character of No. 9.
Lessons to Be Learned by Number 9
To accept people and conditions just as they are to forgive, forget, and let go. • To open their hearts to all people, regardless of age, race, religion, or any other label that can be used to separate people. • To learn to love and forgive themselves. • Most of all, to know that their most valuable asset is a heart filled with enough love to melt any resistance they encounter.