Irreligious Taoism?

[October Gray]

I was asked today in another forum I've started posting in if I was an irreligious Taoist... And I was wondering what the general meaning of that is. I took it to be true because whereas as far as I have read Taoists believe in one path that will bring them to enlightenment and awareness, I believe everyone's Tao, or Way, is different, and that different people need their own personal way of achieving said enlightenment and awareness. Am I correct, or is there a different deffinition for what I believe?

[Marblehead]

I am an irreligious Taoist. But then, I see no conflict were a person a Christian and a Taoist, or held to any other religion. It is my firm belief that Basic Taoism is a philosophy of living one's life in the real world. Whatever spirituality (religion) one holds is a separate issue.

 

Be well!

[October Gray]

Thank you for the insight. I kind of figured you would be the one to answer this.

[Li TaoRen]

Usually, the government sanctioned and "public" Taoism is religion. Not necessarily cultivators, but masses involved in the rights and rituals. Irreligious or non-religious Taoists focus on the practice, cultivation and way of life; do really you could be both

[Zhuo Ming-Dao]

In the scholarly circles, Taoism is divided into Philosophical Taoism and Religious Taoism.

 

Philosophical Taoism was practiced by many people throughout China, but primarily by Confucians, scholars, politicians, and artists. In fact, Neo-Confucianism was very heavily influenced by Philosophical Taoism, containing yin/yang, wuji, taiji, qi (as an underlining principle rather than an energy per se), and many other traditional Taoist concepts. A part of the philosophical Taoist tradition also included scholarly qigong, which was a form of just sitting and emptying the mind and being aware of sensations without attaching to them.

 

Religious Taoism is further divided into Folk Taoism and Monastic Taoism. Folk Taoism is followed by the lay masses; it does not include any cultivation practices, and it is involved in charms, prayers to divinities, divination, and going to festivals. Monastic Taoism is practiced by the truly devoted and it was/is involved in the cultivation of the intellect through Taoist, Confucian and Buddhist philosophy, the body through diet and Taiji/Qigong, the energy through Qigong/Neigong, the sexuality through celibacy or single or dual cultivation, the heart-mind through stillness meditation, and the spirit through inner alchemy. Different monastic sects placed more or less emphasis on each of these aspects. The goals of the practice varied, but usually included enlightenment, becoming a true man/man of the way, achieving wuwei (action-less action), attaining spiritual immortality, or attaining physical longevity (or maybe true immortality).

 

 

 

So by irreligious, I can only assume that the person meant Philosophical Taoism.

Edited August 8, 2009 by Zhuo Ming-Dao

[October Gray]

Thank you for your responses. I've always been eager to learn more about Taoism, and I think I've chosen the right place to be.

 

I appriciate the in-depth descriptions Zhuo Ming-Dao. It's helped me understand quite a bit better than before.

[King Kabalabhati]

I am a Rastafarian, but I do Tao exercises. Why? Because they seem to work. And I know Jah RastafarI and Tao are one, in fact everything is, and our illusion of separation cannot change the truth.

[Stigweard]

In the scholarly circles, Taoism is divided into Philosophical Taoism and Religious Taoism.

 

Philosophical Taoism was practiced by many people throughout China, but primarily by Confucians, scholars, politicians, and artists. In fact, Neo-Confucianism was very heavily influenced by Philosophical Taoism, containing yin/yang, wuji, taiji, qi (as an underlining principle rather than an energy per se), and many other traditional Taoist concepts. A part of the philosophical Taoist tradition also included scholarly qigong, which was a form of just sitting and emptying the mind and being aware of sensations without attaching to them.

 

Religious Taoism is further divided into Folk Taoism and Monastic Taoism. Folk Taoism is followed by the lay masses; it does not include any cultivation practices, and it is involved in charms, prayers to divinities, divination, and going to festivals. Monastic Taoism is practiced by the truly devoted and it was/is involved in the cultivation of the intellect through Taoist, Confucian and Buddhist philosophy, the body through diet and Taiji/Qigong, the energy through Qigong/Neigong, the sexuality through celibacy or single or dual cultivation, the heart-mind through stillness meditation, and the spirit through inner alchemy. Different monastic sects placed more or less emphasis on each of these aspects. The goals of the practice varied, but usually included enlightenment, becoming a true man/man of the way, achieving wuwei (action-less action), attaining spiritual immortality, or attaining physical longevity (or maybe true immortality).

So by irreligious, I can only assume that the person meant Philosophical Taoism.

Excellent post ZMD ... I have added it to the TaoWiki referenced to you

 

http://www.taowizard.com/wiki/index.php?ti...#Categorization