An Introduction to the Religion of Taoism
Taoism is an ancient tradition of religious belief and philosophy, deeply rooted in Chinese customs. Also referred to Daosim, Taoism focuses on the Tao, which is generally translated as ‘the Way’. Taoism can be difficult to define, but what is known is that the Tao is the ultimate creative principle of the universe, and all things are unified and connected in the Tao.
Taoism originated in China 2000 years ago and is a religion of unity and opposites – Yin and Yang. The principle of Ying Yang sees the world as filled with complementary, albeit opposite, forces: action and non-action, light and dark, hot and cold, etc. While Taoism focuses on the Tao, the Tao is not considered a God and it is not worshipped.
What is Taoism?
To many, a confounding aspect of Taoism is its very definition. While many religions teach philosophy and dogma which in reflection defines a person, Taoism flips this concept around and starts by teaching a simple truth: the Tao is indefinable. Following this, Taoism teaches that each person can discover the Tao on their own terms. This can be very hard to grasp when most people desire very concrete definitions on their own life.
In order to start learning the definition of Taoism, it is best to start within yourself. Here are three easy starting points to learning Taoism:
- Don’t fixate on the meaning of Tao as this will come naturally later. Rather fixate on online betting NZ or whatever else you enjoy, and the rest will flow with ease!
- Understand what Taoism is as more than just a philosophy or religion – Taoism should be understood as being.
- The path to understanding Taoism is simply accepting oneself.
Practising Taoism
Taoism has become many things to many people over the years and hundreds of variations of Taoist practice exist – some philosophical and some religious. Taoism aims to teach a person how to flow with life, to live in their heart, and makes no distinction in applying labels to its nature. This is important since each person is a blend of many truths and the truth taught in Taoism is to embrace life in actions that support you as a person.
Some simple tips to help a person live as a Taoist:
- A set of basic guidelines can be helpful, but guidelines don’t necessarily determine how to live, and instead Taoism teaches that you will express your nature by living.
- Discover a set of practices which aid in keeping the mind, body, and spirit engaged and strong.
- Take time to relax and explore – Taoism has no plans and is based on following your gut feelings and trusting your instincts.
Summarising Taoism
- The acceptance of your life
- Following your breath to fine peace
- Opening up a smile to enable possibility
If you embrace these three ideals, everything flows easily in Taoism. Some may start with these 3 points, while others choose to take a more colourful path. It’s important to remember that no wrong path exists as the essence is about experiencing life.
Note: While most of our readers are likely to practise Christianity, we find learning about other religions helpful in understanding the martial arts we are all so passionate about.