Tao Te Ching 51

Every being in the universe is an expression of the Tao. It springs into existence, unconscious, perfect, free, takes on a physical body, lets circumstances complete it. That is why every being spontaneously honors the Tao.

The Tao gives birth to all beings, nourishes them, maintains them, cares for them, comforts them, protects them, takes them back to itself, creating without possessing, acting without expecting, guiding without interfering. That is why love of the Tao is in the very nature of things.
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The reference to the Tao being “unconscious” is, to me, a reference to being unconscious of itself, which then leads to the enticing words “perfect” and “free”. Perhaps our path to freedom lies in being less conscious of ourselves until one day we’ve let the circumstances around us serve to complete us. Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven in perfect.” I recall that the more correct translation of “perfect” is “complete.” The Tao, like Jesus, invites us to be complete, to be whole.

The important realization is that we came into this life whole and complete. We lacked nothing. We lack nothing; but we think otherwise. We seek to fill gaps that are of our own creation. We are perfect and free by nature; but we feel imperfect and captive by habit.

The path back to our original self might be found in living life as follows:

Be less self-conscious.
Let circumstances complete us.
Create without possessing.
Act without expecting.
Guide without interfering.
Realize that love is the very nature of our being.