Search the Community

I have been hoping to find a brick-and-mortar type place where I can discuss and learn more about The Way, but this is the next best thing I began taking TaiChi a month ago, but unfortunately there isn't a lot of philosophical discussion tied with the classes. It's focused on learning and practicing the forms. Which is good too, but I also was hoping to find an alternative to church, as I'm going through a deconversion type experience. For the time being, I suppose I will physically remain in church and supplement and infuse my spirituality with Daoism. I first learned about Daoism (then Taoism) almost 30 years ago. It really resonated with me, but I could not look past the lack of a personal/personified God figure, so I never pursued it. I've always had an interest in martial arts and far East culture, but again, didn't have much confidence to pursue anything outside of research/reading. Right now I'm comfortable with the idea of personifying the Dao as "God", although not to the point of seeing said "God" in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic sense of a personality/being with human emotional limitations (such as anger and jealousy). I'm more of a panentheist a la Richard Rohr, and I'm making my way through his book "The Universal Christ" right now. I once watched a long talk by an Orthodox priest equating the Dao with Christ (not the historical Jesus, but rather Christ, the "eternal Logos", that to which all humans are to aspire to based on the example of Jesus). So I guess I'm hodgepodging my way along a bit. Looking forward to discussions here Btw, I am in Maryland, in case anyone knows of a Daoist discussion group in my vicinity.