The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the world, first ordered well their own States.
Wishing to order well their States, they first harmonized their families.
Wishing to harmonize their families, they first cultivated their persons.
Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts.
Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts.
Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their awareness.
Such extension of awareness lay in the investigation of the underlying matrix of mind and matter.
The underlying matrix of mind and matter being investigated, awareness becomes complete.
Awareness being complete, thoughts then become sincere.
Thoughts being sincere, hearts then become rectified.
Hearts being rectified, persons then become cultivated.
Persons being cultivated, families then become harmonized.
Families being harmonized, states then become rightly governed.
States being rightly governed, everything under heaven then comes in balance.
-Master Nan (via Otto Scharmer)