ShenLung Posted November 25, 2012 Hello, everyone. I stumbled upon this forum while looking for a definition of buddhist breathing vs taoist breathing in order to properly instruct my daughter, who is just beginning her 'formal' introduction to energy systems. Like myself, she is a natrual cultivator, and, if we are to be capable of interacting with others who practice, having the correct terminology can be useful ... so many things cannot be expressed with words! Â My own practice? I could make an analogy to spiritual enlightenment as being like a mountain, where the summit is the attainment of enlightenment, salvation, immortality, ect, ect. I observe that many are attempting to climb this mountain. Some attack the sheer face of the rock, clinging by their fingertips to barely perceptible crevices, and so by great effort work their way up, inch by inch. Some make use of pitons and ropes, secureing one milestone of achievement after another as they navigate the face of the mountain. Others still follow the goat path, with it's relatively easy transitions around the mountain, with occasional leaps to higher elevations. A great number I see taking the steps that have been carved into the side of the mountain by previous travelers. Â My approach is to circle about the mountain, sometimes clawing away at the sheer face, sometimes sinking in a piton, sometimes following the goat path, sometimes taking the stairs. I explore all paths, and no path - Oh, what a fool I am, for I have created for myself my own mountain! Somewhere around my fortieth year, an associate of mine, upon listening to my feeble attempts to explain my spiritual journey pronounced "Dude! you are a Taoist!" After examining the literature available on the subject, particularly tao te ching, I must concur. I am a taoist. Â After poking around here for the past few days, I have decided to join this forum community. Perhaps I will stay for a while, but most likely I will be here, then move on, maybe return, or maybe not. My approach is not one that will ever achieve the summits, it is more attued to a continued expansion of understanding of what the mountain is. When the cosmic breath of creation has once again returned to it's source, I fully intend to be here still, waiting for the next exhalation - waiting to experience anew what it is to be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted November 25, 2012 Nice read. Thanks for sharing. Â Oh, what a fool I am, for I have created for myself my own mountain! Â We all do that at different points in our life, don't we. Â You know, sometimes it is better to go around the mountain rather than trying to climb it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
