It is true that the Tao is the sum of all that is and is not. But we forget that the Tao is not JUST the sum. It is each individual part as well. In that sense, the illusory understanding that "I" am important IS Tao. Just as much as the amoral laws of physics that treat all things as straw...
You might be interested to find that moral taoism existed as a native Chinese theology before the Tao Te Ching existed. i.e. I Ching.
Lao Tzu differed from Kung Fu Tzu in that he believed that Tao was the source of everything, while Kung Fu Tzu believed that human society was the source of...
I am wondering... we as a part of the macrocosm cannot understand the macrocosm, and therefore cannot know if the tiniest cause/effect is important (it probably isn't). However, as you say within us is a microcosm, of which the tiniest gluons and quarks cannot have any understanding of me...
Religious Taoism would be all for it, in some ways... as long as it leads to immortality. However, the drugs you are probably referencing here... would not. There is an intense desire to sharpen one's senses, or be more aware so to speak in Eastern Thought. While the drugs you are referencing...
It's good to see you back. :D I am not nearly as active on here as I used to be, but I try to be in the Taoist and Buddhist forums. I am honored that you feel I influenced you, and I hope it was in a good way. hehe. Peace!
:facepalm:
And dust1n, don't let this deter you. The Tao is a wonderful concept, with a very rich tradition in the orient. And there are quite a few very knowledgeable people here that are more than happy to help you.
There you go again. :D I'm very excited to learn about religious taoism. However, I am not excited about having someone tell me what I do or do not know... or what I am or am not, read and have not read, learned and have not learned, etc...
Why don't you consider Lao Tzu (or whoever actually wrote it) a Taoist? What makes someone a Taoist in your opinion?
And why don't you think the Tao Te Ching teaches Te?
not sure why you think I feel threatened. :D Perhaps you think too highly of yourself.
I agree that certain practices centering on Tao are Chinese, but to focus on them would be to focus on something that is used to represent Tao, not Tao itself.
Ummm... are you serious? This quite saddens...
Than it is important to note that Taoism is a western word, not a chinese word. So according to our agreement, the two taoisms you posted are not the only two taoisms. Because Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Gong, and Chan Buddhism would all be considered Tao"isms".
This also brings up the point that Tao...
It seems to me that the mentioned paragraph begins to describe the concept of Taoism by getting people aquainted with Tao. Not very confusing to me.
As for those being the only two Taoisms... I disagree, although... the majority of practices centered around Tao Jia (not Tao Jiao), are not...
Hello there, I'm Dan. :D
I have been practicing martial arts, (Korean and Japanese) for 15 years, and started my Chinese martial arts practice about 5 years into that. My Taoist training came from my Chigong instructor, as well as from my zen influenced arts of Kenjutsu and Tangsoodo. I...
Welcome! Since the majority of us are philosophical taoists, I hope there will be tons of new questions that you will know the answers to. And I look forward to those answers. :D
No!!! But my understanding of it has evolved. I did quite a few experiments. The first thing I wanted to see, was if it affected everyone the same. Whether they went up and took the eucharist, or not. And it did affect everyone the same. Next I wanted to see how far of a radius the "blast"...