Verv

The Tao Teh Ching says simply: "He will accomplish only the killing that is necessary, and not the least bit more. His greatest sorrow will be that war could not be averted. " I think it is self-explanatory that engaging in self defense is entirely acceptable, and thus martial arts are entirely aacceptable. It is a good experience. I studied some Wushu and enjoyed the activities, it moves you in new ways. But to revel in violence is certainly moronic.

Chuang-tzu has many references to eating meat and referred in great detail to how a butcher achieved the Tao, describing in detail how a cow is butchered... Lieh-tzu had a pig farm, and one does not raise pigs to look at them, one raises pigs to sell for food (pig milk isn't exactly popular), and he is one of the most important Taoist figures... However, of course the slaughtering of animals in inhumane ways is a terrible crime, and I am sure that Lieh-tzu did not brutalize his pigs as he killed them... But really: from a Taoist perspective the concept of not eating meat seems entirely irrelavent. I think: If we have sharp teeth given to us by nature, incisors to tear through flesh, isn't it one of our natural positions in life to consume meat? And what is Taoism but following the wind, happy and carefree, not trying to change the impossible, not trying to separate yourself from nature? Meat tastes good and provides us with good nutrition for our bodies. Animals eat each other, and we are mere glorified animals.

I've read Tao Teh Ching and Chuang Tzu, I am working on Lieh-tzu and Yang-tzu... I have not heard any suggestins that we devote significant amounts of ones day to such activities. I've heard that one should consider hopping in a circle and clapping your hands, pretending you are flying like a bird, but this was a mere illustration of the carefree, joyous nature of one of the old sages, it has nothing to do with the other... I've heard that one should flip over your bath tub and begin beating it outside of your house, singing loudly and frightening people... But again: nothing about meditation or Qi exercises... Personally, I think mental perfection comes from the mind... And even so: isn't perfection an entirely relative (and perhaps even unattainable) term? One should take care of their body, and this is talked about, but it is not gone into any detail. I am guessing that jogging, doing push-ups, etc. is jsut as effective in health as any of these other things... And on the other hand: Chuang-tzu recites some stories about people who were also incredibly unhealthy; people who were hunchbacks, people who were cripples or armless, etc. -- some who were so exaggerated they are portraits of disease and unhealthiness like you've never seen... And they didn't care, considered their body their natural form, and really had no concerns over it... Often times Chuang-tzu talks about various sages and they attained it through simplicity, not exercise. The butcher in one of his teachings achieved perfection in butchering by not thinking while he cut the meat, and just cutting as he pleased. The wheelwright perfected the touch of not hitting too hard or too soft in another. Nothing about any of that.

I have always read those endless lines concerning doing not-doing, concerning non-competition and not being a slave to other people's opinions... I have made good effort to incorporate these into my life more nd more over the last few years, but I have found there is still a lot missing. For instance, I find that I still have a lot of very base, disgusting feelings of jealousy, feel competitive, a lot of anger, a lot of desire in general and I think it is unbecoming... What are ways to defeat these? I want to start changing the way that I think more and become a more well-rounded person. I know the rhetoric a bit, but I have been incapable of putting it into practice.

Thank you for all of the suggestions -- I am going to start going down the list, so to speak, give everything a good try. I especially liked the notion of trying to get the physical sensation of the moment -- much of our pain seems psychological, and has nothing to do with the physical state we are in, perhaps by focusing more on the simple, physical pleasures of the moment (cool air, the warmth of a bed, etc) it would be very helpful.

I am Verv, I live in Korea and I am a soldier. I read the Tao Teh Ching for the first time based on a recommendation when I was 16, I am now 21. I read it on 1 Jan and I remember I read it daily for almost a month, soaking it in. I kept a certain zeal for it, and when I joined the Army at 17 instead of a Bible I carried it around with me. I am now reading Chuang Tzu and I like it a lot. I am more interested in Taoism in practice lately, but really, I only know the things I read in the Tao Teh Ching and by Chuang-tzu. And honestly: I do not know the first thing of meditation or any of these Chinese words on here, hahaha. I am a newb at taoism. personally i like punk and oi music. my life revolves around alcohol and good times. i am here to read what you people write, try to comment, try to understand some things, i guess. i want to know more. my conceptions of taoism are very personal, and i doubt they have much grounding, and that by and large, i am the equivalent of a random guy who reads some literature and has an opinion, nothing more, nothing less.