Taoism practices

[dyanaprajna2011]

What are the primary practices within Taoism? What are they meant to achieve?

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Sleep when your tired, eat when your hungry, travel where you need to travel.

 

[Sees]

Harmony, balance, and transformation seem to be the main things whether religious or philosophical Taoism. Practices are anything you can imagine and then some :sarcastic

 

[DreadFish]

I think it really depends on the school of Taoism. As I see it, religious Taoism has a lot of practices that I have no interest in and don't know anything about. Stuff like rituals and that sort of thing.

As far as the Philosophical Taoism, I think there are similarities to Ch'an practices, depending on the school, in addition to chi practices like qi gong and tao yin, which is sort of comparable to a Taoist hatha yoga.

A practice I like is zuowang, which roughly translates to "sitting forgetting" or "sitting in oblivion". I guess it could be considered similar to samatha and jhana states, but not entirely.

Wiki says that zuowang is first mentioned in the Zhuangzi:

"I'm making progress," said Yen Hui.
"What do you mean?" asked Confucius.
"I have forgotten rites and music."
"Not bad, but you still haven't got it."
Yen Hui saw Confucius again on another day and said, "I'm making progress."
"What do you mean?"
"I have forgotten humaneness and righteousness."
"Not bad, but you still haven't got it."
Yen Hui saw Confucius again on another day and said, "I'm making progress."
"What do you mean?"
"I sit and forget."
"What do you mean, 'sit and forget'?" Confucius asked with surprise.
"I slough off my limbs and trunk," said Yen Hui, "dim my intelligence, depart from my form, leave knowledge behind, and become identical with the Transformational Thoroughfare. This is what I mean by 'sit and forget'."
"If you are identical," said Confucius, "then you have no preferences. If you are transformed, then you have no more constants. It's you who is really the worthy one! Please permit me to follow after you."

Source.

 

[zenzero]

friend dyanaprajna,

Thank you for your query as this leads to me learn more about Taoism than just understanding through Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu.
However what could understand so far is that it is not a paths where one blindly follows some rituals but is one of prime importance that of practising by living life in harmony and balance which is enhanced through physical exercises, understanding and living harmoniously with all that is around us.
Its like YOGA connecting with TAO or that which is nameless but still in everything.
However what could gather from: Taoism Ritual, Worship, Devotion, Symbolism, Taoism Worship and Devotion in Daily Life is this:

It is difficult to write about lay activity in Taoism, because generally speaking only Taoshi (Taoist priests) are understood to be "Taoists." Daily involvement with Taoism on the part of the laity is not ritualized in any particular way. In immigrant communities, Taoism has been merged with other religions, and has integrated many popular practices, and this was also the case on the mainland. Studies of Taoist practices have, for the most part, focused on the Taoshi, rather than lay practitioners. Some lay activities are more closely associated with the barefoot masters, and thus have received less recognition and scholarly attention.

Its also said to be a Pathless Path.
actually am personally been following it since birth in this life but still seeking that balance like the pendulum when it is just at the centre neither this side nor that a total balance.

Love & rgds

 

[Straw Dog]

A practice I like is zuowang, which roughly translates to "sitting forgetting" or "sitting in oblivion". I guess it could be considered similar to samatha and jhana states, but not entirely.

Huh... I guess I do practice this sometimes without realizing it. Maybe I should make a point of forgetting more often, that is if I can remember.

 

[Straw Dog]

Its also said to be a Pathless Path.
actually am personally been following it since birth in this life but still seeking that balance like the pendulum when it is just at the centre neither this side nor that a total balance.

That's the thing. There is no perfection without defect. There is no static balance. Seek peace within flux. Rest in motion, motion in rest. Whereever you are, there you flow.

 

[psychoslice]

I like the way you think Straw Dog, much like myself.

 

[DreadFish]

I like the way you think Straw Dog, much like myself.

 

[psychoslice]

Dead fish, I like your signature, pretty dam good.

 

[DreadFish]

Dead fish, I like your signature, pretty dam good.

Yeah, im a fan of Huang Po. I think that line is sort of my credo in life right now.

 

[psychoslice]

Yeah, im a fan of Huang Po. I think that line is sort of my credo in life right now.

Sounds good to me, keep it up.

 

[GoodbyeDave]

What are the primary practices within Taoism? What are they meant to achieve?

Have a look at TAO.ORG |The Center of Traditional Taoist Studies | The Temple of Original Simplicity

 

[Jainarayan]

Some people set up altars and shrines. There are many deities Taoists might be drawn to and worship, the reasons being not unlike those of Hindus or Buddhists. I don't have a Taoist altar, but I have a few Taoist deities on my 'eclectic' altar. Guan yu and Xuan wu are protector and warrior gods I have an affinity for.