Chapter 56: Living by Silent Knowing
“Those who know do not talk.
Those who talk do not know.
Close your mouth.
Block off your senses.
Blunt your sharpness.
Untie your knots.
Soften your glare.
Settle your dust.
This is the primal identity.
Be like the Tao.
It can’t be approached or withdrawn from,
benefited or harmed,
honored or brought into disgrace.
It gives itself up continually.
That is why it endures.”
— Tao Te Ching, Verse 56
This verse speaks to the power of inner silence and knowing. Lao Tzu suggests that true wisdom is quiet—it doesn’t seek to boast, prove, or dominate. It simply is. Those deeply rooted in the Tao don’t need to explain or defend; they embody their wisdom and live it without noise.
Wayne Dyer encourages us to turn inward—to let go of egoic need to speak, defend, or impress—and instead cultivate a deep inner awareness and presence. In silence, we connect to the eternal Tao, which is beyond duality, opinions, or external validation.
Key Themes
- Becoming one with the Tao through surrender.
- The wisdom of silence.
- Detachment from ego and external validation.
- Inner clarity over outward expression.
Actionable Steps: Living by Silent Knowing
- Practice Intentional Silence
- Dedicate time each day to silence—no speaking, no distractions.
- Allow wisdom to surface from stillness, not from noise.
- Resist the Urge to Always Explain or Justify
- When tempted to prove a point or defend yourself, pause.
- Ask: “Is this coming from ego or essence?”
- Soften Your Gaze and Tone
- Approach conversations with humility.
- Let your presence speak more than your words.
- Blunt Your Sharpness
- Let go of the need to be “right” or superior in discussions.
- Embrace not-knowing and listen deeply.
- Release the Need to Impress
- Detach from external approval.
- Trust that silent alignment with the Tao is more powerful than performance.
- Practice Presence Over Preaching
- Rather than trying to convert or convince others, be the example of peace, calm, and clarity.
Reflection Prompts
Can I allow stillness to be enough without rushing to fill the space?
Where in my life am I speaking too much and listening too little?
What truths have I discovered in moments of complete silence?
Final Thought
Silent knowing is not ignorance; it is the highest form of intelligence—a deep, unshakeable trust in the way of things.
It doesn’t clamor.
It doesn’t argue.
It simply exists, in harmony with the Tao.
When you live by silent knowing, you become a vessel for truth—not by speaking it, but by being it.