What?! Me... A Taoist?

[ninjasm]

I've accused myself and been accused by others as being a Taoist... I have a trouble with this since I usually have trouble identifying with a religion or even a philosophy. In searching for information on Taoism... in myself, or from my unsuccessful quest to consult others - all I end up with are more questions.

 

I've read a few translations of the Tao Te Ching a few other writings... and enjoy and identify with what I have read.

 

I suppose a large appeal is that in questioning most of what I have read and a propensity to take what I feel fits and discard the rest is a pretty Taoist way of looking at Taoism.

 

I've spent plenty of years hangin' with the Christians, esp. Catholics, have also spent some time researching Buddhism and have researched a few Western philosophers.

 

But... I am riddled with doubt about myself. I get it, the label doesn't really matter... but lately I've felt pretty lost - shaken in confidence after a series of unfortunate events. While the conditions under which these events have occurred have improved, diminished or been eliminated - and their effects are gone. Except I seem to lack the ability to get back to my normal, optimistic self. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. So, I guess I am looking for a label to focus on and to start moving forward from the abyss.

 

Here are some broadnesses about me that may shed some light:

 

I am obsessed with contradictions and compliments... I take great pleasure in trying to understand something by focusing on its opposite. This works for me - I am a mathematician.

 

While I am open-minded in most things - there are many topics that I am completely closed-minded in. This also works for me - I am an active duty member of the US military.

 

I like following silly maxims... at least silly to everyone else - but they really motivate me:

Examples:

I don't believe in fate, fortune, luck or divine providence: I am the master of my own destiny (totally fun to say I don't believe in fate but then talk about destiny).

When doing, assure its better than if you were not doing.

 

I also get a thrill out of making up new words to describe ideas or using inappropriate words... it gets the grammar Nazis wound up... but heck, I can't out English them but I did trick them into thinking on my terms for a little bit.

 

So... I suppose I am here to look into a few topics:

Can my half-assed take on Taoism be Tao?

What are some other's views on Taoism as it relates to confidence, resilience, happiness and motivation?

 

Anyway - I appreciate any thoughts!

[LCH]

Welcome to the forum, Ninjasm :-)

 

Taoism, like anything, it what you make of it. If you poke around here enough, you will see that no one really "practices" the same way, if one even admits to having a practice.

 

I will speak from experience (since this is all I have), and say that I do not consider myself a "Taoist", though, I wouldn't take offense if someone else called me as such. You are right, they are just labels, but often that voice in our heads doesn't see it as such in the heat of the moment as often the reaction takes place before one even realizes what is going on.

 

I am a former left-brain heavy person in that I have a degree in math. "Life" never made much sense to me until I started having regular "mystical experiences". Oddly, that was what my controlling mind needed to let up on trying to figure everything out. I began quite an external journey at that point immersing myself in everything from eastern philosophy to conspiracy theory. During this process, I exposed myself to Taoist teachings and found that it most closely described the paradox that is our tangible/non-tangible existence. Though, there are threads of "Truth" in all forms of mysticism as far as I see it.

 

Taoism has served as a grounding mechanism for me, and I utilize some of the literature now to discipline my active mind and imagination.

 

My journey became more "personal", pun intended, when I recognized the human mechanism, how it works, and how if one falls more into alignment with the "Tao", things are much more manageable and do actually make more sense.

 

I have always recognized the power of words, but also the fact that they are just a collective "model" for what we perceive in this reality. Much like mathematics. The Tao Te Ching speaks of this in the first chapter.

 

I have found that "Taoists" tend to be extremely respectful, welcoming and open-minded. Which bodes well for anyone who has opted to step out of their comfort zone of conditioned reality. If one's ego becomes open for re-programming, which may ultimately prove that it DOESN'T control everything, it is important to have a source of external confirmation such to limit the mind games that one might play on themselves; though, those are definitely a part of the experience.

 

There are many knowledgeable people on this forum, who are happy to discuss most anything.

 

The fact that you externally expressed that you are looking to move out of the "abyss" as you called it, says a lot about you from my perspective as a semi-anonymous, neutral observer. Taoism does encourage one to understand both the "dark" and the "light" of things to ultimately transcend "duality" in the re-integration of "self".

 

In our heavily conditioned current-day reality, it takes a lot of courage to "stand naked in front of the world" as the Gnostics have said...

 

I wish you the best on your journey.

 

Lad

[Marblehead]

Hi Ninjasm,

 

I am retired US Military (Army).

 

I have many different labels I paste to my forehead whenever I need to set the scene as to why I am speaking or responding as I am.

 

None of the labels really mean anything in and of themselves. But they help with others understanding me a little better.

 

Questioning is important, IMO.

 

Yeah, we all go through good times and bad times. The important thing, IMO, is that we are never afraid of getting back up after we have been knocked down.

 

I am an Atheist so I don't believe in those things you don't believe in either. And no, I don't believe in destiny either. Hehehe. But we all do have limitations - all manifestations of Tao have limitations. Only Tao has no limitations.

[ninjasm]

Thank you gentlemen for your thoughtful replies.

 

After reading through a few threads on this forum I must say the diversity of backgrounds and in thought is staggering.

Its fun that the first two people to reply to me share, between them, my math and my military background!

 

As far as my abyss... military stuff, wife fighting cancer, daughter born allergic to my best friend (dog) and losing a childhood mentor (grandfather) - all at the same time. But it largely ends well - Army stuff is something I have a support network for, wife beat her 'unbeatable' form of cancer, dog has a great new home, and the last loss is something I can look back and be happy I had... I literally am standing outside of where I was. Yet I struggle greatly with mentally being outside of it. The docs available to me have many patients still in crisis and I'm not comfortable taking their limited availability - or they want to medicate.

 

Anyway - glad I found this forum!

 

Marbles - did the chaplains got as far on your nerves as they do mine!?

[Marblehead]

Marbles - did the chaplains got as far on your nerves as they do mine!?

Hehehe. I really didn't become aware of Taoism until after I retired. The chaplains are, in the most part, good people trying to save everyone they can save. All through my service I declared myself a Protestant but never practiced the religion and was in a chapel only about four times.

 

While typing this I was reminded of a song:

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69zvFnVa03g

 

[Stosh]

^{Philosophical Tao seems like a good match for you , its logic can be highly ironic , and eschews the mystical , and theres plenty of room.}

^{But thats just a guess on my part.}

[ninjasm]

Nice Meadowlark.

 

What you recommend I look into?

 

Thanks for the E. Burton, marbles. I consider him a punk rocker a generation ahead of his time. I totally dig their version of 'Paint It Black.'

[Stosh]

TTC, Chuang Tzu , Marblehead , Tsun tsu , Heidegger and the stanford dept of philosophy- All good reads

But it tends to be a syncretic 'group' so .. Aaron, Chidragon ,Sartre , and Neitzsche etc are also interesting with the understanding that you will glean from sources what they best offer you rather than take everything verbatim as gospel

 

Thanks for the compliment on my bird photo, If you are into birds you may have recognized that this one has coloration reflective of both the eastern and the western meadowlark in the malars and flanks.

Edited March 20, 2013 by Stosh

[ninjasm]

Sounds like a Midwesternlark... maybe a Nebraskan?

Did you take the photo?

[Stosh]

It technically falls into Eastern

 

Yes I did , I take all my own avatar shots , (if you are willing to speculate, they say things about folks )

I want it to convey myself accurately for whatever it means.

The detail on it is awesome , great light and close proximity.

I have thousands (many crappy) ,a few hundred I am printing for my album.

I like to "collect" the local species shots. Good exercise , keeps me interested ,

variety when it presents itself and its a 'pure' hobby without attatchments.

Edited March 20, 2013 by Stosh

[Flolfolil]

i feel close to taoism. but i feel like to call myself one would be un-taoist. i'm probably just overthinking it

[ninjasm]

Flo - you could have written that about me!

 

Stosh - its a nice pic. I'm trying to transition from amateur to pro photography. I'm at the limit equipment wise before starting to step into the really expensive stuff. Lately I've been so busy with work that I've barely taken any pictures at all.

[Stosh]

I expect its probably a difficult transition unless you know the right people and opportunity falls in your lap

As far as birds go , which are my THING, there isnt any such opportunity reallistically speaking that I see.

Everyone into the birds pretty much does their own if they want the pix, and any pix I could ever take

are already on the web.

I am fine with that , and have no desire even to turn what is a source of pleasure into a job. All jobs are work.

Now if you can have your work be fun with photog,, have at it, but then you need to find a new hobby

I am not carrying a six thousand dollar set up into the bushes. I dont have that kind of resources. I approach it from the angle that anglers have regarding small fishes, you downsize the rig so the quarry still has a chance of getting off or breaking the line.

So with my max lens being a 300 mm I still have to get REALLY close within 20 feet most of the time for warblers and such.

You have to make the time sometimes,

to have a good time,

to make work worthwhile

and be in balance

IMO

[ninjasm]

Very cool Stosh. I sell a few pics online... every few months I get a check for $300 from a portfolio of just over 200 pictures. I'm trying to slowly grow the number of files online. I get a huge kick out of seeing sales of my pics. I guess when I say I want to be a professional - I'm more speaking of the quality of work. The big goal is to make enough selling pics to pay for an Alaskan vacation to Katmai and a few other places for my wife and myself... to take pictures of course!

[Stosh]

Very cool Stosh. I sell a few pics online... every few months I get a check for $300 from a portfolio of just over 200 pictures. I'm trying to slowly grow the number of files online. I get a huge kick out of seeing sales of my pics. I guess when I say I want to be a professional - I'm more speaking of the quality of work. The big goal is to make enough selling pics to pay for an Alaskan vacation to Katmai and a few other places for my wife and myself... to take pictures of course!

Very excellent ! You put me to shame. I stand in your eternal shadow. Well done so far.

[Trunk]

Can my half-assed take on Taoism be Tao?

 

Unsure...

... but you're a perfect fit for a Tao-bum!

Welcome!