Mr. Achievement - Stanley F. Bronstein - Personal Development BlogPersonal Development Blog of the Founder of the Achievement IQ Movement and Creator of the Laws of Positioning

Lao Tzu and the Tao Te Ching

Who Was Lao Tzu?

Lao Tzu was the founder of a major world religion known as Taoism. You can read more about Lao Tzu and Taoism by clicking the links above to wikipedia.

What Is The Tao Te Ching?

Tao Te Ching literally translates into the “Way To Heaven.”

Previous Postings On The Tao Te Ching?

While each one of these posts is designed to be read separately and independently of each other, it would be useful if you read the previous posts on The Tao Te Ching, all of which can be found by clicking here, if you have not already done so.

A Quote From The Tao Te Ching

Those who know don’t speak.  Those who speak don’t know.

Close your mouth, dull your senses, smooth what’s sharp, untie all tangles, shut out all glare, wipe away all dust.

This is your real Self.

Be on Heaven’s Way without desires or dislikes, benefit or harm, honor or disgrace.

This is being Heaven’s highest, for one under Heaven.

Some Helpful Definitions First

I’d like to provide a few definitions before analyzing the quote.

Know - To perceive or understand clearly and with certainty.  To be cognizant or aware of.

Speak - To communicate vocally.  To make a statement in written or printed words.  To communicate.

Close - To stop or obstruct.  To block or hinder passage across or access to.

Dull - Lacking keenness of perception in the senses or feelings.

Senses - Any of the faculties, as sight, hearing, smell, taste or touch, by which humans and animals perceive stimuli.

Smooth / Sharp - Opposites of each other.  Smoothing something that is sharp is intended here to signify the importance of reaching an undisturbed, tranquil, or equable state.

Untie / Tangles - Again, opposites of each other.  Untying something that is tangle is basically setting it loose, setting it free.

Shut Out / Glare - Again opposites.  Glare signifies harshness and brightness.  Shutting out such things implies that we have them under control.

Real - True.  Not merely ostensible or apparent.  Being an actual thing; having objective existence; not imaginary.  Genuine.

Desire - To wish or long for; crave; want.

Dislike - To regard with displeasure.

Benefit - Something that is advantageous or good.

Harm - Injury or damage.  To do or cause injury or damage to.

Honor -Integrity in one’s beliefs and actions.  A source of credit or distinction.

Disgrace - The loss of respect, honor or esteem.  Shame.

Highest - That point beyond which further advancement is impossible.

What Does This Quote Mean?

To me, the quote reflects the predominant characteristic I’ve seen so far in my readings / reviews of the Chinese Classics.

It once again talks about BALANCE.  The interesting thing is that it does NOT talk about balance itself.  It simply talks about the highs and the lows and then suggests that neither is the best way to proceed.

In other words, it talks about BALANCE.

Balance - A state of equilibrium.  Mental steadiness or emotional stability.  Habit of calm behavior, judgment.

Now the question is:  what do I believe ?

Personally, based upon my life experiences, I think one of the characteristics of living a balanced life is NOT necessarily to live in the middle.

This is where I potentially disagree with all of the Chinese Classics.

I believe that SOMETIMES, it is important that we live on the EDGES.

• Sometimes we have to be hard; sometimes we have to be soft.

• Sometimes we have to be loud; sometimes we have to be quiet.

• Sometimes we need to be angry; sometimes we need to understanding.

So, What Am I Suggesting

I’m suggesting that we can’t always live our lives IN THE MIDDLE.  Sometimes we need to be high and sometimes we need to be low.

BUT, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT WE ARE DOING - OUR CHOICES NEED TO BE ONES THAT WERE CONSCIOUSLY MADE.

In other words, IF YOU WANT TO BE HARD, do so because you decided (CONSCIOUSLY) that was the best thing for you to do.  IF YOU WANT TO BE SOFT, do so because you decided (AGAIN CONSCIOUSLY) that was the best thing for you to do.

What Do You Think?

Do you agree with Lao Tzu here?  Do you agree with me here?

Personally I agree with him “most of the time”, but I still think there are circumstances when one must (and should) violate the helpful precepts outlined above.

To me, that is part of acting appropriately; at the right time. In other words, it is part of being the right person, in the right place, at the right time.

Recommended Reading

Laws of Positioning #4 - Position Yourself To Be Balanced

Laws of Positioning #93 - Position Yourself To Be Truthful

Laws of Positioning #98 - Position Yourself To Be Who You Are

Future Posts on the Tao Te Ching

In our next post of the Tao Te Ching, we will begin discussing “Knowing.”