Taoism is a means to knowing life and
Nature, a belief in the glorious procession
of each unfolding moment of our life. It is a
deeply spiritual but decidedly non-religious
( in the usual Western sense of 'religious' )
way of life. It involves introspection, balance,
emotional and spiritual independence and
responsibility, and a deep awareness and
connection to the Earth and all other life
forms.
Meditation is the portal to the Taoist way.
Meditation techniques help the practitioner
enter deeper or more expansive levels of
wakefulness, insight and inner strength.
The ultimate goal is union with the Tao.
This does not mean identifying with it as
an idea. It means that one's being and the
Tao are unified and indistinguishable at all
levels. This may be a momentary experience,
or a permanent state, depending upon how
diligently one is dedicated to the Way.
The icon which symbolizes this condition is
an empty circle, Wu Chi, the Void, our end,
our beginning, and all else.
Most modern religions emphasize the primary
separation between creator and creation.
God is seen as a parental figure somewhere
'out there', distant and apart. For a Taoist,
that makes no sense. There is no division
between God and the Universe. There is just
Tao. Taoists know that everything is sacred.
There is no escaping Tao or sacredness. It is
contained within everything, just as everything
is contained within it.
Taoism is a simple, natural, and practical
way of being in our bodies and our psyches
and sharing that being with all other life
forms that we come into contact with.
Taoists tend to avoid complicated things.
Because they are focused on spiritualities,
they have little need for the material goods,
vanity and gratifications that complicate
most people's lives. Once a person has
seen through the tyranny of material goods
imposed by forced consumerism and
commercial propaganda, they are liberated
into a deeper joy found in the simple things
and events of daily life. The ephemeral,
shallow, trivial preoccupations, the endless
quest for stimulation, appear worthless and
dull, by comparisom with a richer, deeper
understanding and insight.
TOP. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NEXT.
| 
