Segue to Taoism

[tyler zambori]

hi all,

 

My background is in Hinduism/vedanta/raja yoga, or was for quite a long time, but it just didn't do it for me.

Now I understand why.

 

My teacher is a European, living in Europe, who went whole hog for Hinduism/Vedanta, including all of its faults.

I'm an American, living in the U.S. It was an e-mail relationship...not exactly ideal.

 

After he told me to shove off, on the level of words, I decided to start reading other people's Yoga Sutra

commentaries (other than his). I started reading other serious scriptures. And I started to see some

serious problems - that the problems I found with him were endemic to the whole Hindu approach.

 

I started hanging out on a buddhist forum because of a book I had read called "Relating to a Spiritual Teacher:

Building a Healthy Relationship" by Alexander Berzin, which didn't help. I then discovered that at least

the Buddhists have good clear instructions for the beginners.

 

But it didn't work for me. So you're supposed to learn to detach by watching your thoughts without clinging

to them. I couldn't do it. Also, I think the Buddhists are just very confused, and I don't like their ideas much -

I think they are basically avoidance-based. Any time I really questioned them, they would have no answer, or

they would get riled up and basically call me a troll. So much for the Buddha's proclamation:

 

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe ...in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."The Buddha (563-483 B.C.)"

 

They don't do this. Sorry to any buddhists here.

 

Anyway, I recently got interested in Taoism because of acupuncture/acupressure. There is one guy whose yoga sutra commentary

I actually like, and he is also an acupuncturist, and thinks yoga and acupuncture should be combined. But forget the

acupuncture, I got me some books on acupressure for emotional healing. So we'll see how that goes.

 

Right now I'm reading Bruce Frantzis' book "Relaxing into your being," an am quite impressed so far. It's looking like I will

end up being really glad that Taoism exists.

 

Tyler

(I'm a girl)

[Tao99]

Edited July 10, 2010 by Tao99

[Marblehead]

Hi Tyler,

 

Welcome!

 

May you enjoy your time here.

 

From what you said I think you may have found the place you should have been all along.

 

Most of the Buddhists here are very well mannered so you shouldn't have any more negative experiences with Buddhism.

 

Peace & Love!

[tyler zambori]

Tao99, it's ok, and I appreciated the help people were trying to give me.

I unfortunately ended up feeling even more angry at my teacher after

seeing how much better the Buddhists can write. Even telling myself that being

angry was not going to work, that it's not even very practical, does no good,

because I suffered. It's better now, but not completely.

 

So maybe the energetic approach would be far smarter for me. Acupressure

and even maybe qigong...or even acu-yoga.

 

Lordy, somebody remembers me??

 

Marblehead, you know, I'm thinking you are really right on the money.

I'm glad to know most of the Buddhists here are well-mannered, cool.

 

You know it's weird - I was interested in things Chinese starting from

my teens ( in the late '70's), but I don't think there was as much information

available then about Taoism, right? A therapist gave me a copy of the

Tao te ching as a teenager, but I just couldn't get into it. It was this

one I think:

 

http://tinyurl.com/yex82j5

 

Anyway, I wish I had gotten into it back then.

[Marblehead]

You know it's weird - I was interested in things Chinese starting from

my teens ( in the late '70's), but I don't think there was as much information

available then about Taoism, right? A therapist gave me a copy of the

Tao te ching as a teenager, but I just couldn't get into it. It was this

one I think:

 

http://tinyurl.com/yex82j5

 

Anyway, I wish I had gotten into it back then.

 

Taoism was a bit popular during the late 60's, early 70's with a lot of hippies but their understanding of it was rather off-the-mark.

 

The copy you have is Feng/English and it is well respected.

 

We do discuss Taoist Philosophy here so join in whenever you are ready. There are lots of people who are willing to discuss the other stuff you are interested in.

 

Peace & Love!

[tyler zambori]

Marblehead, thank you , I look forward to trying out the acupressure

and chi-gong stuff.

 

Now I know to start out with reading some history and something simple

and clear for beginners . So I'm also reading "The Shambala Guide to

Taoism" by Eva Wong, to start.

[Marblehead]

Marblehead, thank you , I look forward to trying out the acupressure

and chi-gong stuff.

 

Now I know to start out with reading some history and something simple

and clear for beginners . So I'm also reading "The Shambala Guide to

Taoism" by Eva Wong, to start.

 

I've not read any of Eva's work but I constantly hear good things about them.

 

One thing that helped me a lot was that I had taken a college course titled "A Brief History of China and Japan" before I even got involved in Taoism. I think that having a basic over-view of the culture is very helpful in understanding the philosophy.

 

Best wishes to you.

 

Peace & Love!