1) Dao is beyond word or form
This is emphasized in the first chapter of the entire text: The Dao that can be spoken is not the enduring and unchanging Dao. (Chapter 1) Why is this important in the cultivation of Dao? It is because people often confuse things with their descriptions, which are limited and subjected to change. In the cultivation of this steady and formless Dao, the goal is to realize It, not to fixate on the description(s) of It. Therefore before speaking more about the Dao, Laozi reminds us up front that the following are merely descriptions, do not attach to the words and descriptions, become It instead. This is similar to the Zen master pointing his finger to the moon, do not fixate your attention at his finger, it is (as are the teachings of DaoDeJing) a pointer to the Truth (Dao).
2) Nature of Dao
Here is how Laozi describes the Dao: It cannot be seen, heard, felt, named, and is beyond all forms (Ch.1, 14, 35, 67). It exists before heaven and earth, is the mother and foundation law of the sky, earth and human, is independent, everlasting, and without end (Ch.25). It is impartial and treat everything equal (Ch.5). It is both small (no desire and takes no credit) and big (manifest all things) (Ch.34, 51). It is like a limitless valley/vessel which is the source of everything (Ch.4, 6, 11, 32, 34, 35). It is like water that nurtures everything, and can be found from the lowest/deepest place of the world (Ch.8). It is everywhere (Ch.34)
3) Characteristics of human life identified with the Dao
Apart from being described as an objective reality, the Dao is to be realized subjectively by human being. Those who identified with the Dao have the following characteristics: One puts its “self” last, as if its “self” is foreign (Ch.7). One knows and conquers its “self” (Ch.33). One knows one knows nothing and therefore transcend the sickness of the “self” (Ch.71). One abides and centers in the end of emptiness and stillness, transcended & nonattached (Ch.16, 26, 33, 52). One welcomes any situation (Ch.23). One saves all people and all things, embrace and treat them as valuable assets (Ch.27). One has and need no excess (Ch.29). One acts on the Dao diligently instead of just knowing or talking about it (Ch.41). One is ordinary yet precious, like a jade under coarse clothes (Ch.70).
4) Benefits of Dao cultivation
Why did Laozi recommend cultivating Dao? It is because through cultivating and realizing the Dao, one transcends its “self” and will achieve real longevity: life beyond physicality (Ch.33, 52), will abide in everlasting peace without any trouble (Ch.52), will be freed of hazards to the “self” (Ch.55), and its body will becomes healthy, soft, and full of energy (Ch.55).
5) Pathway to the Dao
With the end point described, Laozi had prescribed detailed methods to cultivate the Dao. First, one seeks to understand and transcend his “self” (Ch.33). One learns about the duality of yin and yang, and abides in the yin (Ch.28). One abides in the center/root, accept things as destiny and as normal (Ch.16, 26). Then one surrenders its “self” until non-self and non-doing (Ch.48). One practices “selfless” living, where one puts its “self” last, and treats himself foreign (Ch.7). One fills the holes where “the self” could arise, and shuts the doors where the mind would scatter (Ch.52). One welcomes every phenomenon without attachment or resistance (Ch.23). One diligently says and acts on the Dao (Ch.41, 70). One fights with kindness, economy, selflessness (Ch.67). When encountering hatred, one dissolves it instead of returning hatred (Ch.79).
6) Barriers along the pathway
What are some of the barriers along the pathway? The main one is the “self”. There is attachment to a “self” doing (not doing) and one could be drawn to forcing and manipulation (Ch.29, 32). As one proceeds, the “self” would claim that it knows through thinking (Ch.71). Deeper inside the self could identify and attach himself as existence (Ch.7), and could attach himself to forms, and names (Ch.1).
7) Theme of DaoDeJing
While some of the description or method may seem abstract or difficult to understand, one could understand all if one get the core of the teachings, which is non-self and non-doing. When one transcends the habit of a “self” claiming ownership and doership, one realizes the state of non-self and acts in the world in non-doing. Body and mental activities goes on, even the individual mind and awareness goes on, but one is identified with the Dao which is beyond yet inclusive of all of the above. In such state, therefore, there is no “self” and no one “doing”. This condition is described in detail in QingJingJing.
1) 道长无名，无形
老子在第一章就强调：可以说的道，不是持久，不变的道（第1章）。修道中，为何这是那么重要？这是因为人们经常混淆东西与他们的描述，描述是有限的，和会变更的。 在修这永恒和无形的道的时候，我们的目标应是去领悟这个道，而不是这个道的描述。 因此，在详细讲道之前，老子就在最前提醒我们，以下的都仅仅是描述，不要执著于这些描述，成为它（道）。佛家的禅宗也有类似教导：手指指向月亮，不要把注意力都放在手指上，它只是指向月亮的一个工具。
2) 道的本质
老子是这样描述道的：它不能被看到，听到，感受到，命名，它超越一切的形（第1，14，35，67章）。它在天地出现之前已经存在，是天地人的源头和规律，是独立，永恒的，永无止境的（第25章）。它是公正的，公平的对待所有事物（第5章）。它既是小:没有任何欲望和需要，又是大:生养万物（第34，51章）。它就像一个无限的山谷/水瓶，是一切的来源（第四，6，11，32，34，35章）。它有点像水，无条件的孕育一切，就算在最低/最深的地方也能找到它（第8章）。它无处不在（第34章）。
3) 道里的人是怎么样的？
除了将道描述为一个客观的现实外，道是可以由人去主观实现的。道里的人有以下特点：可以把“自我”放到最后，犹如这个“自我”是客观的（第7章）。了解并能主导这个“自我”（第33章）。知道这个“自我”什么都不知道，因此超越了这个有病的“自我”（第71章）。能守无形和静止的中心，超越与不执著（第16，26，33，52章）。能欢迎任何的情况（第23章）。能包容所有的人和事，并把它们视为珍贵的资产（第27章）。已经完满，不需要拥有多余的（第29章）。努力行道，不只停留于空谈（第41章）。普通但珍贵，像粗布衣下怀有宝玉（第70章）。
4) 修道的好处
为什么老子建议修道？这是因为通过修炼和实现道，能超越我们的“自我”，实现真正的长寿：体会超越短暂身体和意识的生命（第33，52章），体会永恒的平安（第52章），自危险的“自我”中解脱出来（第55章），身体变得健康，柔软，充满能量（第55章）。
5) 修道的路
描述了道的终点外，老子说出了具体的修道方法。 首先，寻求理解和超越“自我”（第33章）。了解阴阳的双对性，守在阴（第28章）。将心放在的中心/根，正常的接受事物与命运（第16，26章）。放开“自我”，直到无我-超越自我（第48章）。过“无私”的生活，把“自我”放到最后，如客观的东西（第7章）。填充“自我”可能会出现的洞穴，关上“自我”可能会出现的门（第52章）。无执著和无抗拒的欢迎每一个现象（第23章）。勤奋的行道（第41，70章）。慈爱，节俭，和无私（第67章）。当遇到仇恨，溶解它，而不是报仇（第79章）。
6) 修道的障碍
沿路有什么障碍？ 主要是这个“自我”。 它会执著于有个“自我”去做事（或者是不做事），尝试用“自我”去强迫和操控（第29，32章）。“自我”认为它在思考（第71章）。更内部的“自我”会说自己存在（第7章），或者是攀附不同的形和名称（第1章）。
7) 道德经的主旨
虽然道德经有些很多抽象或难理解的概念，但如果我们拿着贯通整部道德经核心的教导-无我无为-，就能明白。当我们超越了“自我”，声称拥有霸占的习惯，就能实现在无我无为的状态中面对世界。身体和心理活动会继续，甚至个人的心和意识都可以继续，但个人已经悟道而超越了以上的全部。因此，在这种状态下，“自我”存在又不是我，事情继续在做但没有人在做。这个情况的详细描述可见道家经典：清静经。