How many people are on Taoist Road on SF?

[Hologram8]

Originally Posted by Hologram8

.actually it's more like 128 postures than 64.
.

I'm sorry what I meant to say is that it's more like over 64,000 postures

[Heightend-Awareness]

Originally Posted by jolanda

I wonder how many people are on Taoist Road on SF... Jolanda

I wouldn't say I was one (Taoist) but I do follow some aspects and beliefs of some religions and practices. Be it, Tao, Hindu, Buddhism, Confucianism and Bushido. As they all have a resonance with me.

[RedEmbers]

Originally Posted by paragon

Oooh, me me me!!!

The Tao is the only religious text that appeals to me. The very first verse sums up my whole attitude to spirituality - we can't know the nature of the eternal uncreated; we can only view aspects of it through the cloudy lens of the 10,000 things. I think if everyone started with this basic assumption then a whole lot of people's spiritual journeys would be far more centered on the search for truth and wisdom rather than the seeking of novel experiences or the acquisition of powers.

With his initial assumption from verse 1, Lao Tzu then goes on to concisely describe the few immutable truths that we can discern about the world, without adding a single concept of his own devising. No other text is so perfectly concise and rings so perfectly true. I feel like when I really understand the Tao, I will understand all that there is to be understood..

I just started to watch some content as I fall asleep on Dao/ Tao.

It feels like quite a natural movement for me towards learning about it. I like it because it seems to be more based on lived experience rather then intellectual pursuits of understanding.

This quote here amuses and confuses me

"we can't know the nature of the eternal uncreated; we can only view aspects of it through the cloudy lens of the 10,000 things. I think if everyone started with this basic assumption then a whole lot of people's spiritual journeys would be far more centered on the search for truth and wisdom rather than the seeking of novel experiences or the acquisition of powers."

Isn't the search for truth and wisdom also only able to be viewed through a cloudy lense? Besides the obvious patterns which are observable in the now - truth is much like nature, always changing so would it be it not be ignorant to strive for (intellectual) truth and wisdom in Dao?
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I love the parable at the end of this post though!
I recently started developing the habit of being aware of when I tell stories to justify my actions in life or why things happened to me.
It is an interesting spot to be in as it seems to anchor me more into the moment where I simply observe and respond to the environment around me.

[FallingLeaves]

hi redembers

it is back to the knowing that you dont know thing... as long as you think you already know what something is you won't be indulging in trying to clear the trash out of the way of seeing it for what it is... so you'll go on happily ignorant if you choose that you already know... whereas you may end up seeing a bigger picture in the end if you decide up front you don't already know.

but you do have a point too, this veil thingy is not to be trifled with, there are a bazillian ways to forget it is there and it seems we all succumb to just that at some point lol. Which does beg the question, why continue to suppose we are ever going to get past it?

[RedEmbers]

Originally Posted by FallingLeaves

hi redembers

it is back to the knowing that you dont know thing... as long as you think you already know what something is you won't be indulging in trying to clear the trash out of the way of seeing it for what it is... so you'll go on happily ignorant if you choose that you already know... whereas you may end up seeing a bigger picture in the end if you decide up front you don't already know.

but you do have a point too, this veil thingy is not to be trifled with, there are a bazillian ways to forget it is there and it seems we all succumb to just that at some point lol. Which does beg the question, why continue to suppose we are ever going to get past it?

Cool, gotcya i felt what you wrote and it made sense to me.

There is much room to learn and grow from such a perspective.

I appreciate your reply.

[Miss Hepburn]

''Taoist thought focuses on genuineness, longevity, health, immortality, vitality, wu wei (non-action, a natural action,
a perfect equilibrium with tao), detachment, refinement (emptiness), spontaneity, transformation and omni-potentiality.''

[Ewwerrin]

Most of the old stuff is translated over and over and over and over again. And it's not always purely in the pure state that it used to be.

When you find the core of all the different religions and spirituality, it all comes down to the same thing. Allowing our connection more with our greater non-physical consciousness. The Dao and God and Buddha, are all the same, pointed at from different points of view, and with different degrees of distortion. Dao has been pretty well conserved, but this non-physical consciousness can never be conserved, as it is ever expanding.

Most important thing to remember is that ALL is inseperable from Dao or God or Source. You hold the kingdom of heaven within you. Daoism is ment to help one open up to that, to allow the blending of the physical consciousness with their own ever expanding greater non-physical consciousness.

The main and primary distortion in Dao is that of the translation of yearning.
But if desire always within us be,
Its outer fringe is all that we shall see.

But if yearning always within us be,
Its outer fringe is all that we shall see.

Daoism is about following the path of least resistance = the path of lesser resistance.
Which is pure positive energy, source consciousness. That we are all eternally inseperable extension of. Yearning holds resistance. Insistence=resistance.
Pure desire holds no resistance.
Your degree of resistance/allowance is always perfectly indicated by your valuable emotional guidance system. When you focus pure desire, you feel pure joy. This is indicating your alignment with source consciousness. And your greater allowed realisation of infinite ever expanding intelligence, inspiration, source consciousness of which you and all are an inseperable ever expanding extension, being and becoming evermore here and now.

If this is understood, the true dao can be discovered and explored eternally and infinitely and ever expandingly. For the eternal joyful being and becoming evermore here and now, when and where all that exists exists and is being and becoming evermore here and now. As all is one and one is all.
Dao does nothing and leaves nothing undone. Love is not gotten by active doing. It can only be allowed. Like source consciousness always flows to you and all, and to the degree that you allow it and align with it consciousnessly, you feel better emotionally, naturally and effortlessly and joyfully and freely.

Namaste.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

''Taoist thought focuses on genuineness, longevity, health, immortality, vitality, wu wei (non-action, a natural action,
a perfect equilibrium with tao), detachment, refinement (emptiness), spontaneity, transformation and omni-potentiality.''

My most memorable experience with Taoism was in the 1980s when I went to a Taoist monastery in Chengdu, China.

Through my interpreter, I asked a number of questions to the monks and the responses were .... okay. The monks then introduced me to the abbot to whom I addressed more questions and his answers were .... okay.

I was then admitted to the presence of "The Master" but, to my surprise, I was not allowed to bring my interpreter with me. I immediately mentioned that I did not speak Chinese and asked if "The Master" spoke English. The monks assured me, "It doesn't matter".

Three hours later, I emerged from the one-on-one session and indicated that all my questions had been answered .... to my complete satisfaction .... without words. What transpired cannot be adequately described in words but, since then, I have always viewed Taoism with the utmost respect.

[XenaMari7]

I’m new to Taoism. And I connect with a lot of it.

Originally Posted by RedEmbers

I like it because it seems to be more based on lived experience rather then intellectual pursuits of understanding.

Yes true. That's the whole point to me. To live it. To actualize "experience based understanding" ~make a reality of~