Taoism

"The highest truth cannot be spoken, therefore the greatest teacher has nothing to say. He simply gives himself in service and never worries." —Lao Tzu

That is the one quote from the TTC that will forever guide me. It is my mantra.

Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can have a word with him? -Zhuangzi

Touché.

It isn't that wise people don't talk, it's that they have learned a simple truth. The Tao finds use in that which has empty space, and there is nothing you can do to achieve this understanding other than to realize you already have.

The bamboo shadows are sweeping the stairs,

but no dust is stirred.

The moonlight penetrates deep into the bottom of the pool,

but no trace is left in the water.


Anonymous

Alexandre Orion wrote: As long as you are advocating effortlessness, non-resistance, non-interference, non-expectation and thus the purest, truest vision of love from within, your stuff may very well be every bit as good as the stuff dug out of old China.



Of course, if it is all about control issues and defending the right to kill people, we'll take the piss out of you ...

:laugh:

Oh god, that's the most helpful and funny thing I've read about violence and Taoism so far, haha. Not sure if resurrecting this thread is a better idea than starting a new one, but I've gotten very interested in Taoism as a result of the members here. It very much speaks to where I am in life right now, and is simultaneously a neglected area of my world religions studies. Plus the fictional character I'd like most to emulate is a pretty good follower of the Tao -- Jimmy Stewart's character in Harvey.

Anyway, for the Taoists out there, what does your "devotional" practice look like, if such a concept is even applicable? What do you find helpful to living the Tao more fully? Do you use any regimen or practice such as meditation? What do you do when you find yourself getting caught up in "the cares of this life," as it were, and starting to return to old "genrefications" of good and bad? How do you stay focused on "doing your job, and moving on to the next" (to paraphrase Ron Hogan's version of the TTC, cause I'm sure I'm screwing the quote up)?

Hi, sleepscience.

I'll answer briefly, if that's alright. I consider myself a philosophical Taoist. My devotional practice is done primarily through.. well.. living, I suppose. Throughout the day, I reflect on what I believe to be the sacred and interconnected nature of the universe and do my best to continually observe my thoughts and perceptions through various lenses. I also enjoy daily tai chi and often put aside time to browse classic Taoist (and Zen) texts. For me, devotion when it comes to Taoism equates to a feeling of being connected with (and/or part of) the Tao, and these practices help bring me closer to that.

I do meditate as well. However, I don't always associate meditation with Taoist devotion in my mind. Meditation to me, in a Taoist sense, can be as simple as stopping to appreciate a beautiful tree or sitting quietly by a gently flowing stream. And you might catch me doing either of those occasionally.

Personally, Taoism has made it easier for me to deal with "the cares of this life." It has helped me become a much more hopeful person because I understand that everything in life moves in cycles, and perhaps more significantly, that fixed ideas of good and bad are just fiction. Like everyone, I have bad days and sometimes fall into the good/bad trap, but I'm usually good at pulling myself out of that state of mind fairly quickly these days (that wasn't the case when I first discovered Taoism).

I'm not sure I fully understand your final question, but will comment that it's been important for me to learn/realize that even in moments when I'm buried in mundane work that I am moving forward. As much as time often feels like it's slowed to a halt in situations like these, you are still progressing and (hopefully) making positive changes. Many times those changes are occurring beneath the surface and are not obvious when things are looked at without consideration for what's happening on the inside.

I hope some of that made sense. I typically have trouble explaining my thoughts on Taoism and what it means to me. The Tao that can be explained is not the true Tao... or something. That's what I read anyway.

Hey, sleepscience,

Like Arcade, I too am a philosophical Taoist and not religious, in that respect. So, my "devotional" practice is simply living and realizing what I'm doing when I'm doing it. A sort of "active" meditation in that I observe my experiences -- e.g. emotions, actions, interactions, events, etc. -- acknowledge them disinterestedly (I'm not interested in holding onto them), and continually self-reflect. I try to, at least. I'm not always successful in accomplishing it, but, when I reflect, I let it be as it is and move on.

One misconception I think a lot of people have when I refer to being a Taoist is that I'm uncaring, or that I'm so "Zen", which isn't the case because I do care, I just don't dwell.

Elwood P. Dowd: "Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, 'In this world, Elwood, you must be' - she always called me Elwood - 'In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

This is for Alexandre. We spoke in chat the other day and I didn't have the likn available to show him;

http://www.taowoods.org/quote/index.htm

Enjoy

BUMP This is for Jestor. Try it you"ll like it.

or anyone elso for that matter