![]() As I research more and more about Taoism, I have compiled a list of its uses. This is a pretty granola and “bohemian” list so to speak… But, nonetheless: As a Path to Peace: The core of Taoism is to reject hatred and intolerance and to live with balance, harmony, and a perspective of compassion. By increasing self awareness and reducing ego, it promotes inner and outer peace. For Reduced Worry: Worry and anxieties keep your body in a constant heightened state, which can cause some pretty serious health problems in short-term and long-term aspects. Peace and tranquility overcome worry in Taoism, and it contends that worry has absolutely nothing to do with the outside world. It’s a product of imagination, but practicing Tao gives you the “tool-kit” to live in each moment as it is, in the present. On Morality (For Lack of a Better Term): The Three Treasures of Taoism are as follows: be charitable, be thrifty, and do not push ahead of others. Taoism focuses on being humble and being seen as average (so to speak) by the outside world. In a sense, they refuse to pursue wealth and power. On Going With the Flow: In Taoism, one strives to go with the flow and accept life as it happens. I don’t have a source for this quote unfortunately, but I wrote it down awhile ago: “Taoism can best be described as like a willow tree. Rather that standing erect and resolute against the winds like an old oak tree, the willow bends and goes with the flow, just as Taoists go with the gentle flow of the universe.”
0 Comments
![]() "Let the state [remain] small with a few people. Tools and other [artifacts] are numbered in tens and hundreds yet people won’t use them. Life is valued high, and nobody ventures far to risk it. There are boats and chariots yet people have no desire to ride on them; there are arms and weapons yet people have no reason to marshal them. Let us revert to the knot-string method for recording. Enjoy the tastiness of your food, admire the beauty of your clothing, delight yourself with your home and its environment, and be happy with your culture. The neighbour states are so near that people can see each other and hear each other’s chickens and dogs yet people reach old age and death without interaction." (Tao Te Ching, Chapter 80) I think this quote is really interesting, considering when it was written. It's like throughout history we've had the same sorts of people and the same sorts of issues. Really, though, I think it speaks to a sort of mindset in which one takes things for granted. What it's saying is the most distinct aspect of Taoist thought: be pleased with every day life. I think the most difficult aspect of Taoism is emphasizing the fact that it’s more of a way of life. It’s not a religion, you know? Or, maybe it is in an eastern sense, but certainly not in a western sense. And that’s difficult to get across to people. We’ve all been conditioned that inner being and outward world are two separate entities, and Taoism completely defies that. I get it, and I understand it, and I feel it, and it’s so important to me to remind myself of Taoist philosophies especially when life gets confusing. I will, of course, be talking about Taoism in the end, but I want to get the idea across to people that you don’t get affiliated with Taoism, and you certainly don’t have to call yourself one to live a peaceful life and be happy. It’s so much more than that. Just as you don’t need to be a vegetarian to be healthy, or just as you don’t have to buy name-brand clothing to look nice. Taoism is really a means of generating happiness through the most every-day and simplistic experiences. And that is important to me. Perhaps those ideas are too abstract, perhaps not. As I get the message across to myself, I want to likewise get it across to other people: there are things to be happy about, and life is beautiful!
![]() I found this cool website called “Taoism for the 21st Century.” I think it’s really interesting to see what modern Taoists think of the 21st century, as well as how they compare it to Ancient China. Pretty cool. The first “chapter” so to speak was simply called “General View,” but there was so much information it’s sort of hard to explain in one paragraph. I took some notes for personal reference instead. All I can say is, their thoughts on society can seem a bit extreme from a western standpoint...but at the same time, they opened up my eyes to real issues… and real solutions! (ie. How will we sustain our Earth with the influx of waste production and disregard for nature? The Taoist says, “Naturalness and simplicity!”... How can we be happy in a money oriented society? “Naturalness and simplicity!”) *** http://taoism21cen.com/newtaoism.html “General View”-Ancient primitive society/primary society 150 members or soHeadman as the leader… no forcible power but leads the society by persuasion and mutual understanding...The principle of social interaction = mutual benefit or reciprocity, which lead to an egalitarian society. -Secondary society = any society which is either built on the top to many primary societies or is much larger than primary society of a few hundreds. Secondary society has nothing to do with genetics, and therefore, has limitless possibilities and usually has its own purpose on which the society is organized and oriented. Inequality is always necessary to keep members oriented toward the purpose. A complex ranking, and rewarding/punishing systems is always set up-Culture = how people spent spare time or the time left when basic biological desire is fulfilled -Money-oriented society = focused on building wealthGood at economy, science and tech, but also is good at warUsually not good at making its people happyPuts tremendous pressure to make people work hard for money in the expense of happinessHappiness is oriented toward wealth-building-Wealth building culture….. consumption of resources and production of WASTE -BUT, Taoists offer an answer to these issues…. They believe that the ideal way of life for the 21st century can be found in Chinese Taoist philosophy: naturalness and simplicity, and it is based on primary society. “The modern world with a powerless United Nations as a platform for countries to work out their difference at various levels is pretty much like the political situation of China from 2100 BC to 475 BC when human nature was highly respected in politics and in life, which eventually gave birth to Chinese Taoist philosophy.” “Humans, like any other high animals, forget themselves and are ready to exploit their peripheral potentials when their physical survival is threatened. Wars, uncertain political situations, unfamiliar atmospheres in secondary society can all make people feel their survival is at stake. Only when our basic biological desires are fulfilled and we are facing no immediate danger, we can be ourselves allowing human nature to fully express. That is why early Taoist philosophers stressed the peaceful nature of humans and the tranquil nature of human life.” “We believe that the relatively peaceful world allows us to care ourselves more than before, and allows more people to realize that modern secondary society has engaged us into an unnecessary battle with ourselves. If they do, they will eventually find out that their lives are closer to the ideal of Taoist Philosophy.” ![]() “Vulnerability is the only authentic state. Being vulnerable means being open, for wounding, but also for pleasure. Being open to the wounds of life means also being open to the bounty and beauty. Don’t mask or deny your vulnerability: it is your greatest asset. Be vulnerable: quake and shake in your boots with it. The new goodness that is coming to you, in the form of people, situations, and things can only come to you when you are vulnerable, i.e. open.” ― Stephen Russell, Barefoot Doctor's Guide to the Tao: A Spiritual Handbook for the Urban Warrior When most people think of vulnerability, they think weakness. In Taoism, though, vulnerability is openness and genuineness. Practicing dynamic balance and harmonious action means allowing yourself to embrace both Yin and Yang as opposed to denying all of one or the other. When you allow yourself to embrace all of life's opportunities and moments, you are so much more susceptible to true peace of mind. ![]() The fourth and final principle of Taoism is Harmonious Action. The source I used (previously linked) explains it better than I can initially, so I am going to copy and paste it in here: “To see this principle more clearly, think of a bamboo stick which bends with the wind – it overcomes the wind by yielding to it. Instead of yielding being a weakness, it is a strength because by yielding the stick does not break. Thus weakness produces strength and strength produces weakness.” On a personal level, I think this is an important aspect of life. If we want to be whole, we are in need of letting ourselves be partial at times. Before being full, we must be empty. To have things is to have given up things. In my life I have felt many Yin’s of life, and while I once felt as if I was simply an unlucky and ill-fated individual, I now feel immensely grateful because I am able to enjoy the aspects of my own life more intensely. Suppose the question “how can one feel joy without pain?” One can’t. If you’ve only ever felt “joy” and no pain, you have felt nothing at all when looking at life relatively, and vice versa. Likewise, there are times when you may not be capable of feeling that joy, and it is important to realize that to reach harmony once again, you must let yourself feel that pain. And vice versa. That is, simply, Harmonious Action in action. Although all four principles work together, I find Harmonious Action very beautiful and applicable, and I think it takes genuine effort to make this principle a reality. It is important to remember that these principles are only suggestions on how to live life and expressions of how the “real world” is, not how life and circumstances are for any given person at any given time. Life appears to be one way or another because we have been taught to perceive the world through a dualistic sort of conditioning. Applying these principles to life is not easy, and I am not claiming to be an expert at it. Of course, I try as hard as a seventeen year old possibly is capable of, but no one can really become an expert at Taoism. This is simply because Taoism is a means of how to continually improve yourself, your inward and outward wellbeing, and the world around you.
The two basic polarities of life not only balance each other, but they complement each other in cycles. Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff described the principle of Cyclical Growth like this: “The sun is replaced by the moon, the moon is replaced by the sun. Summer is replaced by winter, then winter replaced by summer. Everywhere in nature we find these basic cycles. Some more examples of the balancing cycles of nature are yielding/overcoming, fighting/withdrawing, giving/taking.” These aspects of life which seem to be opposite actually balance each other and work through cycles. One produces the other.
![]() Okay, so the four main principles of Taoism. They’re all separate, but they’re all linked as one. Thus, “the Way” is formed. I will first talk about principle number 1: the Principle of Oneness. AKA body + mind + nature = one. Taoism is a nature based philosophy, which means that it begins and ends with the observation of nature. This is subjective, of course, and both the observer and the observed make up the entire system. There is no us versus nature; instead there is simply everything at once. Every being is an expression of nature as well as an expression of Tao, which is sort of nature but sort of not. It is important to distinguish the idea of Tao from the notion of a godhead that western religion possesses. Tao is not God, it’s just this sort of soul-like thing that is nature and self and everything- it’s a philosophy. In Taoism, an overseer doesn't really make sense. Tao is within all of us. And it especially important to remind ourselves of this, because as the Principle of Oneness expresses, everything is in relation to everything else. Everything comes to existence perfect and free, and we take on a physical body and allow circumstances to complete us. Oneness is essential to Taoism, and if it doesn’t make much sense, here is a simple explanation: be friends with nature! Cause you are nature, and nature loves you! https://mytao.wordpress.com/2007/05/30/the-principles-of-taoism/ |