The Tao: “… When there is silence one finds peace. When there is silence one finds the anchor of the universe within himself …” ~ Lao Tzu
Ahhh! … The Tao … silence … and more …
The Tao is a treasure trove of many many keys to the Mystery … offered in the form of 81 verses … and the above excerpt from Verse 37 of Tao Te Ching is no exception …
It calls one’s attention to a simple universal truth found in all traditions: one of the keys to the Mystery lies in silence … as Gangaji, from the Nonduality (Advaita) tradition, reminds us: “… Life is silent awareness, and all the events of life appear and disappear in that silence. You are that silence …”
In the Introduction of Jonathan Star’s translation of Tao Te Ching, August Gold says: “… it is a sacred text of depth and genius that has, in my experience, no equal. The Tao Te Ching is a key—a key that will unlock for you a new way of understanding life and a new way of living yours …”
Gold adds that he has “… been a teacher of the Tao for nearly two decades, and since the day this text was put into my hands I have been teaching from it exclusively. It has brought me and thousands of my students over the years the pure and simple heart of the Tao Te Ching; and as a result it has fed our hunger, quenched our thirst, and ignited our desire to live our everyday lives in new ways—simply, deeply, richly, fully, meaningfully …”
It is no wonder that, for Gold “… This is the translation for anyone truly wanting to understand the Tao Te Ching …” … and that claim is truly justified as one explores the various translations … try it and see for yourself 🙂
Recently, we began our exploration of The Tao … through Jonathan’s translation of Tao Te Ching … in A Glimpse … and today we continue with a few more glimpses 🙂 … beginning with Verse 43 …
The Tao Te Ching – Verse 43
The most yielding thing in the world
will overcome the most rigid
The most empty thing in the world
will overcome the most full
From this comes a lesson—
Stillness benefits more than action
Silence benefits more than words
Rare indeed are those who are still
Rare indeed are those who are silent
And so I say,
Rare indeed are those
who obtain the bounty of this world
Aside from revealing – in the simplest of terms – the benefits of stillness and silence, The Tao also shares the “treasures” that can be found/had in one’s daily living … as suggested in this excerpt from Verse 67 …
I have three treasures that I cherish and hold dear
the first is love
the second is moderation
the third is humility
With love one is fearless
With moderation one is abundant
With humility one can fill the highest position
Now if one is fearless but has no love
abundant but has no moderation
rises up but has no humility
Surely he is doomed
Love vanquishes all attackers
It is impregnable in defense
When Heaven wants to protect someone
does it send an army?
No, it protects him with love
~~ Lao Tzu
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India is undergoing a humanitarian crisis brought upon by the ravaging resurgence of COVID-19 … we are providing THREE vetted sources that can be used to help provide relief to India … we have donated personally and also as Stillness Speaks to PATH, CARE, and some of the GoFundMe campaigns below …
Despite the financial challenges that are amongst us all, if your situation allows you to donate then please visit one of the following sources … and contribute whatever is possible …
… Deliver oxygen where it’s needed the most through PATH – a global team of innovators working to accelerate health equity so all people and communities can thrive …
… Provide essential hospital services, more health workers, additional beds, oxygen supply, and much more through CARE (and their CARE India chapter) – for 75 years, CARE has led the way to a better life for the world’s most vulnerable people ….
… Donate to India COVID-19 fundraisers on GoFundMe – all fundraisers have been verified by GoFundMe’s Trust & Safety team and will be updated as new fundraisers are created and verified. All GoFundMe fundraisers are backed by the GoFundMe Guarantee which ensures that all funds on this page will go to those affected by India’s COVID-19 surge …
Helping those in extreme need is the “order of the day” …
THANK YOU!
May you deepen your exploration of The Tao … and incorporate it’s gifts … in every day of your life … and …
May you remain safe and healthy as you navigate these unsettling times.
All italicized text (including in the blockquotes – except Gangaji’s quote) is from: Tao Te Ching: Lao Tzu, Translated by Jonathan Star.
Gangaji’s quote in the 1st blockquote:You Are That, Gangaji.
Images: (edited and logo added): Featured and 1) Dolomites sunrise reflection by rabbit_75, 2) Tao Te Ching cover image from its Amazon page, 3) Sunrise at Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand by DavidChrastek, 4) Baby hummingbird open mouth for food from mother by freebilly. All purchased from depositphotos, for use only on our. All purchased from depositphotos, for use only on our website/social channels (these images are not permitted to be shared separate from this post).
