Taoism 101: Introduction to the Tao
I have been asked many times how to find a Temple, Master or how best to learn Taoism. Here is a brief Taoism 101 course outline on how to discover Taoism.
This is a different type of guide to learning Taoism. Taoism teaches a person to follow their breath, to embrace wonder and the joy in living gracefully with style. So here is the modern practical guide to living as a Taoist!
What is Taoism?
To many people, a confusing aspect of Taoism is its very definition. Many religions will happily teach a Philosophy/Dogma which in reflection defines a person. Taoism flips this around. It starts by teaching a truth; “The Tao” is indefinable. It then follows up by teaching that each person can discover the Tao in their own terms. A teaching like this can be very hard to grasp when most people desire very concrete definitions in their own life.
A simply way to start learning the definition of Taoism is to start within yourself. Here are three easy starting steps to learning Taoism:
- Don’t concentrate on the definition of the Tao (this will come later naturally)
- Understand what Taoism really is. Taoism is more than just a “philosophy” or a “religion”. Taoism should be understood as being: A system of belief, attitudes and practices set towards the service and living to a person’s own nature.
- The path of understanding Taoism is simply accepting yourself. Live life and discover who you are. Your nature is ever changing and is always the same. Don’t try to resolve the various contradictions in life, instead learn acceptance of your nature.
Practicing Taoism
Taoism teaches a person to flow with life. Over the years Taoism has become many things to many people. Hundreds of variations in Taoist practice exist. Some of these practices are philosophical in nature, others are religious. Taoism makes no distinction in applying labels to its own nature. This is important since as a person, we are each a blend of many truths. The truth taught in Taoism is to embrace life in actions that support you as a person.
Taoism teaches a person to live to their heart.
Here are some simple starting tips to help a person live as a Taoist.
- Having a set of basic guidelines can be helpful. However realistically, guidelines don’t determine how to live; Instead Taoism teaches by living you will express your nature.
My personal guidelines are the following:
- With care, I aid those who are extended expressions of my nature.
- Be true to myself
- Connect to the world as I want to be treated.
- Connect to those outside my nature with decisive action.
- To those unwilling to accept me for my true nature, no action is required:
Just silently let them be themselves as I remain myself. - I own nothing; I am merely a passing custodian of items outside of my nature.
- Discover a set of practices to aid keeping the mind, body and spirit engaged and strong. Remember practices should support your essence with the activities fitting the needs of the moment. Which means this is a shifting balance of activities relative to your needs. For example I practice martial arts to keep my body strong, yoga to make my body subtle, meditation to clear my mind, bike around simply to fly and lift my spirit. Poetry as a lens of examination. All these and more are my shifting practices to support my essence and in doing each, each helps me learn more about myself and the world.
- Take time, relax and just explore and poke around. Taoism has no plans. Taoism is based upon following your gut feelings and trusting your instincts.
- It’s within the pause of a breath… that each step of living becomes visible for your larger life to improve and follow upon.
Smile, when needing to pick a possible next step. To smile is to open possibilities.
Breathe when needing a break. Since to breathe is to be at one with yourself.
Alternate the two and your path will become free and clear for an entire lifetime of wonder to explore.
This may sound simple, but you would be surprise how many people cannot embrace this most basic aspect of Taoist practice! People think it cannot be that simple! Taoism truly is this simple. If you follow and practice step four, not only is that all one needs to fully embrace Taoism, but also anything becomes possible within this simple practice. However, most people need time letting go of expectations. So it’s also ok to dig deeper into Taoism. Taoism has many many levels of teachings on purpose to help people from all perspectives move smoothly in life.
I can summarize Taoism as simply as
Taoism is acceptance of your life.
Taoism is following your breath to find peace.
Taoism is opening up a smile to enable possibility.
If you embrace these three ideas, everything else follows in Taoism. Some people do start here. Others take a longer more colorful path. That’s fine also, since you get to experience more color in your life. No wrong path exists at the end, since it’s about experiencing life.
Practical Taoist Advice
- At times the process of learning Taoism is also a process of healing. Take time to heal (don’t rush and hurt yourself more in the rushing). Taoism teaches to embrace your body with patience.
- There are 6.5 billon people in the world , and so 6.5 billion paths to Taoism, every person can teach us something.
- Sometimes you need quietness; it’s ok to take time off to only hear yourself and not the noise of civilization at times.
- People expect and think that the goal of life is perfection… it’s not… you should desire for being good at something and to embrace the various little imperfections… that end up actually being defining characteristics of each of us.
The little bits of imperfection we each have
are elements of chaos
that give each person individuality and distinction!Without our little flaws we wouldn’t be individuals at all! Taoism teaches us how to accept both the best and worse parts of our life.
- Taoism teaches a person to drop expectations. The more expectations you have for your life, the less you will become.
A Taoist lives life without expectations, living in the here and now fully.
Since most people need a few expectations especially when dealing with important future experiences. Here is a trick.
Create only a single expectation at a time for that future experience. For example: An expectation you will smile or have some fun. Thats it! Don’t place any learning or changing into your expectation. If you do , this actually plants the seed for the opposite to occur, By creating a single simple expectation such as smiling, this then becomes something you can always fulfill since you can empower that action to happen. Any expectation more complicated or relying on something outside of yourself, just sets up the future to not meeting your needs.
Dropping expectation is very very important within Taoism.
- Lather, Rinse and Repeat , and then toss the instructions away to do what is right for yourself… This is Taoism at the very elemental level, so be open, experiment and embrace what works for you.
Taoism as a tradition has teachers who work with students on an individual basis. In the end no guide or Master can be right for everyone. For this reason , we are always our own best teacher. Give yourself credit and patience to be such a teacher to your own life.
Taoist Resources
- If you need a guide to Taoism, then first start with these three books:
I recommend starting with A Personal Tao, as it’s specifically written with a modern perspective to help people discover their nature. Due to the nature of Taoist writings you can easily read all three at the same time and intermix the ideas.
- If you desire a person as a guide, you can find a Taoist temple, Zen Dojo or local sage to simply chat with occasionally. Taoism’s deepest truths must come from the inside, but at times it’s helpful to get an outside perspective to see your own nature.
If you are in the Oakland area of California I highly recommend The Taoist Center. Dr Alex Feng is an incredibly open and sincere Taoist Master.
I also offer personal Taoist Retreats and Taoism Classes.
- If you cannot find a local resource, then start keeping a journal and over time review it. A journal becomes a nice mirror to reflect upon our nature as we move through life.
History of Taoism
Most sites will teach you the terms and history of Taoism. That might be nice for academics: but it really does nothing for teaching you how to live as a Taoist. Taoism is about embracing life in the now and not in being stuck in history or terms.
Originally Taoism can be considered to be a shamanic practice. However, Taoism is so old; the complete history of Taoism cannot be traced through written records. Taoism is very much a tradition that is transmitted verbally from master to student over the generations. Because of this, some of the shamanic roots of Taoism still survive today. Taoism historically is also a very flexible practice. Taoism is a practice of change and it always changes to meet the needs of the times. This is still happening today and even as we speak Taoism is evolving to keep pace with modern culture. This is one reason Taoism has survived for so long, it always adapts with the time while holding onto a few key concepts to keep the practice true to the Tao.
An early surviving text to describe the Tao is the Tao-Te Ching, written by Lao-Tzu (The old master). The Tao-Te Ching is a series of poems that can be considered to be a work of philosophy, a treatise on how to run a government, a how-to book for achieving a balanced life, or a sage’s reflection of humanity and the universe. It is known to have been written over 2400 years ago but not much else is retained about the origins. Many fun stories abound about these origins; however, these are just that, stories. What is important is that the Tao-Te Ching and its poetry survive, having had an impact on the course of human events over the past 2400 years. It’s an interesting book, worth skimming. I say “skim” because it is written in a light-hearted manner. If a reader stares too hard or takes the Tao-Te Ching too literally, the multiple intentions within the poetry will be lost.
Many many stories, and tales exist about the History of Taoism. Some of these stories could be true, and some could be fables. As a Taoist, the point is to learn from the mixing of our reactions to the tales. Veracity is best left to history; time will always change “truth” for each generation.
Tao and Chinese Culture
Tao is a word. It translates roughly as: the way. When as a Taoist we talk about the Tao, we are talking about the central aspect of our practice. However, it’s important to keep in mind, as a word, the word Tao is used for a lot more than just Taoism. Every religion has its way. Every person has their way. Every practice has their way. There is a Tao for everything. This doesn’t directly mean it’s the same Tao as what we speak about in Taoism. While from a Taoist view point it’s all the same, from a human literary perspective it’s not. So it’s important to always take the word Tao within the context of the statement being made.
For instance: a Confucian will use of the term Tao to cover how they believe and act. On paper, the Tao of Confucianism is quite a bit different than the Tao of Taoism. A Confucian embraces order while a Taoist will dance to chaos. The Tao that a Confucian teaches is a rigid logical complex system of behavior. The Tao of Taoism is freedom to embrace all the whimsy of life. The same Tao both times: in the using the Tao to refer to a way of life, but the actual results, the path taken is quite a bit different. A path is a path but .not all paths lead to the same place while in the process of the journey itself.
Of course to a Taoist all paths do lead to the same place 
. It’s just the journey might seem longer to some than others.
So please keep this in mind if you see the word Tao being used in a slightly different context than what you were expecting.
Advanced Taoism: Tao and God
This last section is for the brave of heart, for those wanting a few more advance answers.
First and foremost: Taoism respects the concept of God. Initially one might think a discussion of God would be an impersonal topic. It isn’t. Each person has a very deep and connected relationship in what they view God may or may not be. A person’s view on god is a statement and reflection upon the way a person also views their own life. As a result when discussing differences in God, it’s best to respect it as also being a highly personal and sensitive topic.
When exploring Taoism, eventually a person compares the terms God and Tao. I would suggest first reading this chapter of A Personal Tao on Religion.
From this chapter:
Taoism offers the option to skip the comparison. This question is irrelevant. God could or could not exist, and either state doesn’t change the way we lead our lives. Our lives are expressions of action between ourselves and the universe. To respect our surrounding environment is a furthering of respect to ourselves. This manner of living doesn’t change regardless of the nature of God or the Tao.
However, most people insist upon definition and seeking deeper answers. So lets expand upon God and Tao. God as a term is often “defined” as being an ultimate creator or universal power. The various aspects of God has been fought over as long as humans have written and used words. All definitions are based upon perception. From a Taoist perspective: human based definitions are both right and wrong: as all definitions are relative upon humanity’s state of mind. A Taoist stays out of arguments of definition. It’s not productive arguing over something relative to each person. Instead Taoism accepts each person’s view of God as being personal.
A Taoist doesn’t think the Tao is before, after or is even equal to God. The Tao is a concept to describe something that goes beyond our capability to define. Taoism leaves the Tao undefined and a Taoist happily explores the wonder that opens up as a result.
All Taoist’s will agree: The Tao is indefinable…
Something which is indefinable: is outside of human definition by default. However, we can still accept it as indefinable. The Tao by being indefinable… removes all issues of perception in its definition… since perception cannot directly reveal the Tao which is undefined. It’s just simply and utterly is: undefined…
If your personal definition of God is: God is indefinable… then the Tao and God at that point merge towards the same concept… Once a person accepts the definition of the Tao as being indefinable, that person by definition has to leave it as undefined… Once you place any definition over such a term… it takes a person further away from the whole concept of the Tao.
In some of the Taoist religions, Taoism does have gods, but Taoist gods typically are very tangible beings. They walk besides us, share tea with us, laugh, play and can alter reality. A Taoist god represents an enlightened immortal that helps other conscious beings work towards grace. In Taoism gods are shown as guides and inspriration towards how to find enlightenment. (Please keep in mind: this paragraph is an extreme simplification of how Taoism views Gods.)
We do say in Taoism: We are of the Tao, or God is of the Tao… but Taoist’s say this… since from our perception of living: we are each undefined. We only define ourselves as we live. While living, we are still moving through life, a large part of our nature is indefinable until the end of Living. As a result: we are of the Tao. A Taoist can see the Tao within everything… This can be a very delicate logical truth and often confuses non-Taoist’s. This is why I wrote A Personal Tao: being human we see the Tao in terms of our own life. This brings us full circle in the Tao’s definition. The Tao is indefinable and yet we are completely of the Tao.
A Taoist knows to leave the Tao as is, to grasp the Tao within the chase of living fully. It’s a wonderful contradiction to embrace and it actually does completely full-fill one’s life within that acceptance. For a Taoist this is all about living and exploring our possibilities, for we each are undefined and of the Tao. Trying to define ourselves just limits one’s nature and what can be done. So a Taoist instead embraces the Tao, to discover and open up all possibilities instead.
From here each person is free to draw their own conclusions… which will always shift to the winds of perception.
If this confuses you, then please go back and repeat these three steps:
- Don’t concentrate on the definition of the Tao (this will come later naturally)
- Understand what Taoism really is. Taoism is more than just a “philosophy” or a “religion”. Taoism should be understood as being: A system of belief, attitudes and practices set towards the service and living to a person’s own nature.
- The path of understanding the Tao is simply accepting yourself.
Live life and discover who you are. Your nature is ever changing and is always the same. Don’t try to resolve the various contradictions in life, instead learn acceptance of your nature.
Remember: Taoism teaches a person to live to their heart.
Sincerely
Casey
For Further Questions About Learning Taoism
Contact Casey at:
PersonalTao@gmail.com
(360) 870-2897
51 Responses to Taoism 101: Introduction to the Tao
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A Personal Tao
Discover the Tao and Taoism. This is a guide to the heart and a handbook for discovering the Tao.
Volume 2:
Living Grace. Now in work!
Thank you for putting together this great site. This information will help me along my path of understanding what the Tao means to me. The discovery of Taoism has been a revelation. I have always considered myself a spiritual person, but, I always had a problem with organized religion. Taoism has finally led me to spiritual understanding.
@Rob: I am honored to have helped you in this. Discover spirit represents the movement of your life, it doesn’t take memorizing scripture to be spiritual rather it’s how we live gracefully that creates a spiritual life to enjoy and find worth embracing.
Thank you for helping me in what the tao means to me. I as well have always been a spiritual person and I believe that through the tao I can find answers to my own life and better understanding and compassion. Thanks!
@Tyler: You are very welcomed! I am honored to have helped you explore Taoism.
Wow, what a beautiful place. How’d I get here? Serenity, I search for you everywhere, outside of mass delusion, inside with pure solutions of which, you are one, in all.
Thank you john: I have worked to create a special on line place to teach Taoism and help people explore the nature of their spirit. A personal tao is really all about helping people discover a kinder life.
Hi I’m a college student and I’m trying to cite this page in my Taoism research paper, and I can’t find a date for when this Taoism 101 page was written… so um, when was this Taoism 101 page written? I’m guessing early January 2011… Thank you!
Hi Hannah, I am the author: Casey Kochmer, and it was written 2006
I have always found Transcendentalism to be the philosophy I have enjoyed and found very personal to my own beliefs, but I have not always been able to fully define myself within the philosophy, someone suggested Taoism as the beliefs in Transcendentalism mirror many found in Tao. Finding Taoism is like finding myself. It matches me completely. I am learning more about it and the more I learn, the more I am realizing it is the religion that suits who I am.
Thank you very much for this wonderful information resource.
Bekki
@Bekki: you are very welcomed!
If over time you want to learn more based on this style of Taoism, I run a simple Taoist school called awakening Dragon Taoism
http://personaltao.com/services/school/
Hi Casey,
I have enjoyed your site, I came across it while on the space and motion.com. I also am a student, and my topic is comparison of Confucian superior man and Tao superior man. Through my reading I am thinking that the Tao superior man is a being accepting of self in relation to self, and in relation to the rest of our environment ( or universe), and that the goal is to be free of indoctrinated encumbrances in order to be as close to our natural state as possible. So, the superior man would be closest to or heading to that state of awareness? Am I even heading in the right direction, or have I missed it completely? The more I read, the less educated I feel. While this is an assignment in school, it also has an impact on my nursing practice as I believe in energy balance and a whole lot more than just “hard” science. Thanks for any wisdom you would like to share concerning this, or an additional marker on the path. I do understand that there is probably no one right answer, but do I even get it a little bit?
@Meg: I cannot tell you want a Confucian superior man is… For such a person is lost in judgement and it’s not for me to measure such a person. To do so, limits me…
I liked your definition of a true human in Taoist terms. You are dancing about it well, but cannot fully embrace it, since hidden in your own words and question are deeper doubts, hints of inner self judgements that you are still working to release. Possibly, you are not fully accepting yourself, or confident yet. So reading about the Taoist ideal perhaps causes inner conflict as a result in reflection. A common trait in this culture which teaches everyone to limit a life to judgement.
A Taoist is taught to release the need to measure and accepts life as it unfolds. But acceptance is not passive, it is a process moving with graceful actions, living to potential. So a true human in Taoism would not judge another and in that you find the key difference.
With peace and enjoyment of your own answer. Make it your own: Don’t let your teacher grade you, measure you, nor try to force the answer upon you. Tear up the paper upon receiving any grade and then say to the teacher and this is the Taoist superior woman, for I am not graded at all. Even by the term Taoist Ideal Man…
Make it your own. deeply make it your own so you can remove your personal inner conflicts based upon judgement In this find your potential truly.
Of course such a response is as likely to get you a “F” but so goes the life of a Taoist, no grade will limit us.
This is what it means to be truly human. I never said the Taoist answer is the easiest one to live out either…
Wonderfully put! I will definitely pass this along to all of my friends so they can better understand what I’m not quite able to put in words.
Thanks John!
Half the fun is actually playing with the words to express the experience of exploring the Tao.
hey i read it and i was amazed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
i love pie!!!!!!!!
do u
Heck of a job there, it asboletuly helps me out.
Thanks Casey.
I just want to say thank you for explaining Taoism this way.
I attempted Tao-Te-Ching in Chinese but my understanding was totally hampered by the archaic writing style.
Even the English versions are difficult to understand for me. (It’s very true that I should not stare at the text for too long, probably should just read it and let it be… perhaps the act of reading the Tao-Te-Ching itself requires the very practice of Tao, and only then can one grasp the text’s meanings for him/herself.)
Anyhow, thank you.
@Bill: you are welcome and thanks for the compliment. Read the Taoist books gently, don’t look for larger meanings, rather look for personal truths that are reveal as you read it lightly.
If you do this and reflect on what it stirs up, then you will always learn something as you read the materials.
I have been looking for a religion for so long that does not teach some form of hate or segregation of people because of what they are naturally. Christianity teaches dislike of Gays, Muslims teach hate of non-muslims and so on.I was looking for peaceful religions and came upon this site, which I loved at first reading! I am a 16 year old girl who wants a religion that doesn’t make her burst out in tears, but it seems that everyone around me wants me to be christian or some other religion. I want to know how to go about telling people that I am tired and want to be myself and let go.
@Gavi: A simple way is to say, you are exploring grace. You can then ask them about their own exploration. Most people will stop trying to push a religion on you , once they begin to talk about themselves. The sadder truth is , if a person is trying to convert you to their religion however, almost anything you say will cause them to push their religion harder. So often the best thing to say is nothing at all, let people be the people they are without judgement and as quietly as possible move along. Only rarely try to share the Tao, most seekers get stranger when you try to explain something that is undefinable by nature. The reason is because they wanted something definable to fill in the hole in their own heart.
More times than not if you return kindness and acceptance that is enough to fill in those holes in the heart and people will respect you for that ability.
You are young, you will have to explore all variations of responses and find the ones that work best with your own nature and attitudes.
Thanks for the advice, I think I will ride it out until Im ready.
In Taoism, is there a belief in a life path or destiny or is that something someone makes for themselves? I mean, can people say: This is what I was always meant to do. Or this is what I was meant to be?
@Mel: the answer is yes to both sides of the question. it just depends on how you look at it and perspective. Also depends on where one is in the path.
If you are not aware, then it isn’t possible to make your own destiny. If you are truly aware and understand how to shape one’s life, then it becomes one possibility to shape personal destiny also.
This is the debate of free will or pre-destiny really and the answer: both are correct. It’s a question of how one lives their life in the end.
Thank you so much for this site. I had read about Taosim as part of an academic course, but I want to learn more about “the way”. I try to apply some principles of Taoism in my life, and my life has acquired a new meaning, I want to explore this more. Thank you so much for the information. Now I will get a book which I can read in leisure.
- K.N
I cannot thank you enough for putting this site together. I am a high school student who has tried very hard to understand my own self and personality and taoism seemed very interesting to me after reading a book series. I was reading the Tao Te Ching but it was very confusing. Reading from this site has helped me understand to live the Tao.
i have a little know-how of what Tao is? but i haven’t got really what it means as what it really is do Taoists believe in a God or gods which they have to worship. Are they like buddhists who are agnosts about God. Is taosim like Abrahamic religions who believe in relationship between a man and God? please if you can try to answer this question
@Juwan: You are welcomed and welcome to our little Taoist community here.
@Haris: I can’t answer simply for you. Taoism is both an old and varied practice. What it agrees upon in definition is “Tao” what it doesn’t agree upon is a single ideal for “God”.
You see while all religions might have centralized tenets yes, but those centralized tenets don’t always have to be about “god”. For example the centralized tenets of Buddhism are actually about a path of releasing one’s nature. The centralize concepts in Taoism could be considered in English terms to be Tao, Kindness, Grace, Flow, Nature…in fact you can consider the centralized tenets of Taoism to be really about how to release into your nature.
IN effect this means that Taoism has decided that the concept of God is not based in Taoism but rather based on the people who worship “God” in Taoism. There are Taoist Branches which have a very colorful set of stories about gods and how they inter-relate with humanity and there are many Taoists who approach Taoism as a philosophy with no need to interface with God in their view of Taoism at all. So Ironically even in Taoist religion when Taoism talks about gods, it really is a deep reflection of the society those people are in to better come to terms with their society. And then together help keep society flowing with those shared stories of larger concepts using gods to illustrate these concepts.
So a Taoist hermit in the mountains could have a very different belief in gods than a Taoist dwelling under an oppressive emperor in 300 AD. A Taoist could hold a belief in god the same as a Christian would or have a more colorful approach to god. To limit everyone to the same concept of god would actually be to break the other more centralized tenets in Taoism.
There are many Taoists who are very agnostic in their beliefs relative to God, and there are many Taoists who have a very firm definition and story of their gods.
I don’t claim to know all the variations of Taoism, nor to be able to state an idealized Taoist view of God as a result of this diversity within Taoism.
There are also shamanic roots of Taoism where Taoists believe god and the natural world are one and the same thing, that god is not an expression of humanity, nor defined in terms of our humanity.. but rather in terms of the wholeness of the universe itself. Anything sensed that we could label as God, would merely be a personification in terms of how we sense that essence of God. As a result we give homage to all equally, in terms of this essence and try not to deify which would make it separate as much as accept it as part of our wholeness.
Awakening Dragon Taoism which I teach comes closest to this last shamanic view point. But even here, we don’t as a group determine a single form to embrace god, but rather we each accept each practitioner’s view of god as part of their own wholeness.
I hope this helps, make of it what you will, be don’t be tempted to put a label on it, since to do so , would mean not getting it quite right. I have been a Taoist my entire life and the only answer I truly have goes beyond words and is one as such I don’t really share, since it has meaning for me, and i have no need to even try and give it meaning for others.
What I wrote for you here is to start you off on a path to explore for your own answers and chances are you probably will throw it into the agnostic category and walk on… but that wouldn’t be fully correct either.
Be open minded when dealing with Taoists, and be ready to shift viewpoints every time you speak to even the same person..
@K.N. I am honored to have helped you find enjoyment in learning more about Taoism
Can Taoism be taught alongside Zen Buddhism? I am searching for Tao, only to find myself in more self-doubt, what am I doing wrong?
@Andrew:Self doubt comes from not fully living your own life and not accepting yourself first.
This must come from exploring, playing, trying out new things, and being willing to make mistakes.
These are the first lessons in Taoism and no teacher can teach these lessons for you. You must at first learn from your life itself, by interacting with many people, by learning little truths that in years and decades slowly grow into the bigger truths. Without patience no teacher can teach you. Without patience at first to live your own life, you will not learn anything.
Also:
If you judge yourself with your own self-doubt, then you haven’t embrace one of the first truths of Taoism, do not judge. No one can teach a person nor free a person who imprisons themselves in their own judgements.
Peace in your life: by living your life.
I am just learning, but I need help understanding & someone or somewhere I can go to have any new questions about Taoism answered.
@Sam: Taoism is a patient process, you can search on this site for many materials to read and stir up ideas, You can post questions in the FAQ section or log into the forum to begin asking questions.
You can also visit the Tao Bum site for a more active dialogue.
I also have Taoist students if you are interested in joining my small school and I teach students all over the world over skype and the phone and in retreats.
For younger people like yourself in high school, I recommend reading and living life since many of the lessons you need are from experiencing life itself. Take Qi GOng, learn a martial art, begin experimenting with meditation, practice art and music. Practice non judgement, practice what it means to be aware. All this will help you learn Taoism also.
I am interested in joining the your small school.
I may still be young, but freshman year until now I have experienced a lot with the events that have taken place along the way. I have also learned a lot threw mistakes that I have made. I have my story… but it’s long to type on here. I believe that whatever the next step is for me, I am ready for it…
is it possible for a christian to practice taoism?
@Zyl: The simple answer is yes. A christian can practice Taoism.
But this answer varies relative to how you practice Taoism and how you practice Christianity.
The more judgmental a person is the less likely the answer remains yes. Once a person become intolerant in their judgements and only can hold a single answer to their faith in their hearts, then the answer is no.
@casey, pardon my confusion..but i’m a bit out of line with your explanation..must be the ‘intolerant in their judgement’ and the ‘ ‘the more judgmental’ ..
can u please rephrase?..i’d really appreciate it..i don’t want to misinterpret your words..thank you..=)
@Zyl: Taoism is a practice of acceptance, compassion and modesty. Once a person becomes judgmental it prevents a person from truly practicing Taoism to the heart of teachings.
Many Christians cannot accept the teachings of Taoism due to their judgments and many Taoists wont accept Christianity for similar reasons.
But it isn’t Christianity nor Taoism that are incompatible to each other, rather it are the people who practice it that arbitrarily decide the two are incompatible solely based on their own judgments.
Judgement in the end, is a person’s limitation in heart…and many people are very judgmental…
I am so happy that I found this awesome website. Thank you. <3
I have been a Christian for 30 years and have been studying the Tao for about 2. I can tell you that when you are not close-minded and study and prove all things to yourself, then you can definitely get a lot out of the Tao. I have learned a lot about my own God, from reading the Tao. Dr.Wayne Dyer, who is someone who helps me a lot in life, wrote a book in which he incorporates the 4 or 5 top versions of the Tao and then discusses them. I have started with his book ~ and also The Tao of Pooh, which incredibly explains many Tao principles. I am having a lot of fun, learning about The Tao and am enjoying it immensely. Thanks so much. Btw, I also do yoga and meditate. I really believe that it all goes together. Only man puts up walls and makes everything confusing. Take it all very easy and enjoy learning. Namaste.
@peggy: Thanks Peggy and you perfectly show my point to Zyl: Taoism and Christianity are perfectly compatible when a person approaches it with an open heart.
It’s not really a dogma issue, it’s a issue of heart and judgment. Quite a bit of dogma is judgmentally based by the person who wrote it (or translated it) and then that is the fundamental problem of clashes between religions.
@casey, @peggy:
thank you so much for your insights..
i’m a bit of a lost soul these years..
i’m a christian..but i have considered myself a deist since college..
but somehow, i also still like to think of myself as a christian..
i have nothing against religion..
i try not to question any religion and a person for their beliefs..
and i’m also not looking for any..
but i want to understand more about these things..
i feel like, by it, i will somehow get myself in the right path..
my curiosity with the chinese culture and history led me to taoism and to this page..thus, the question above..
when i read about taoism, i found myself agreeing to a lot of what it says and what’s said about it..
i’m a lost wanderer..
i guess, this time, i’d like to wander around taoism..
@Zyl: In Taoism you are a wanderer and are never lost because, in heart you are always present in your living of life.
Enjoy and in that you also discover grace in your life.
Hello Casey,
I am so grateful that I came upon your site. I literally heard about Taoism or living the life as a Taoist yesterday on a youtube video. In this video, Oprah was interviewing Dr. Wayne Dyer on his new book(unfortunately, I can’t remember) relating to the Tao. Several years ago, I always felt the need to not share my views on religion and GOD because my beliefs were always different from what majority believed. I am however very spirtual. I told a friend yesterday who is a Christian that I believe that their is one infinite source but I don’t like that is is described as “GOD”. People percieve GOD in my eyes as a human being and therefore placing a gender upon it. For example, people say “He told me”. Furthermore, I dislike that many individuals emphasize that if you are not a “believer” then your not susceptible to achieving greatness and living a fullfilling life. If you could please give me some feedback, I would greatly appreciate it
@Michelle: first read some of the chapters I wrote here:
http://personaltao.com/read/
Specifically: http://personaltao.com/read/
and also from here:
http://www.personaltao.blogspot.com/
specifically
http://personaltao.blogspot.com/search/label/Grace
and
http://personaltao.blogspot.com/search/label/Judgment
and finally this
http://personaltao.com/looking-closer-at-belief/
it will help you sort out this topic a bit
sincerely
Casey
Casey,
I cannot thank you enough for helping teach me the inner-workings of Taoism…
I am learning, though slowly, the Way for myself and my life. Taoism… Learning the Way… This is helping me feel better about life.
Thank you very much for this site. I read a passage of Tao Te Ching every morning, and I read your website each day to further understand what I can do as a “Taoist in training” to better myself and learn the Way.
Thanks Paul
I appreciate the feedback!
Be patient and allow yourself a chance to wander. As a Taoist in training half the battle is taking the time to slow down to notice your own life and your own ways to accept what is around us. Guides are great, but in the end you are walking your own steps.
Sincerely
Casey
Casey,
I’m currently reading a book called “Creative Visualization,” which is where I stumbled upon a wonderful quote about Taoism and ‘going with the flow of life.’ I was truly inspired, so immediately googled Tao teachings. Your website popped up, and the rest is history. Thank you so much for being such an incredible inspiration, and creating such an amazing website full of enlightening writings. My fiance and I are Christians (I come from a strict family of Catholics), but have never really felt at home in a Christian/Catholic church. It always seemed too ritual-based and rigid… instead of healing, nourishing, and spiritual. (In our marriage-prep class, we had a terrible time discussing religion with the other Catholic couples!! It was just awful!) Anyway, Taoism feels like the perfect fit for us. We go to church when we feel the need, and incorporate God into our meditations/prayers. Taoism is such an incredibly nourishing practice. I can’t thank you enough for introducing it to us.
I do have a quick question for you, though.
Do you have any recommendations on how we can teach our children (someday) our practices? How can we teach them about Taoism and Christianity without confusing them? Any ideas??
-j
It’s nice to have something about Taoism to read. I’m learning about it in school. I sort of realized that Taoism was something I had followed without knowing it. I’m still learning about it, but I don’t mind not knowing everything. It’s nice to see that it can mix with my Kemetic, or old Egyptian, ways.
Like dogs in a wheel, birds in a cage, or squirrels inside a chain, ambitious men still climb and climb, with great labor, and incessant anxiety, but never reach the top.
Meaning of a Statistician: A guy who believes figures don’t lie, but admits than under analysis a lot of them won’t remain true either.
@Jandi: Teach your children to be strong in who they are, while also accepting / being aware of other people’s differences. To not judge others. To be open and allow change be a full part of their life, rather than forcing them to think there are only simple one sided solutions to everything.
@Connor:
be open and learn from many systems of belief, in order to more strongly have faith in yourself.