Beginnings

[Cayjunn]

I'm new to this path. I've always tried to live a centered life but came about it from a different direction. My mantra for several years, in the face of adversity, has been "it is what it is" and that is apparently very Dao.

 

My first question I have is this:

 

Where do I start as far as focusing myself to become more acutely aware of the Way?

 

My second question is this:

 

What are some good resources to educate myself on the nature of Dao? I have a couple different versions of the DDJ, Getting Right with Tao by Ron Hogan, The Tao Speaks by Tsai Chih Chung, and Change your Thoughts Change your Life by Wayne Dyer, the Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet.

 

Any thoughts on any of these resources and perhaps ideas on where to go from here?

 

 

Thanks,

 

J

[joeblast]

Begin your anapanasati breathwork and attain stillness

[hydrogen]

I'm new to this path. I've always tried to live a centered life but came about it from a different direction. My mantra for several years, in the face of adversity, has been "it is what it is" and that is apparently very Dao.

 

I think you've got one of the first step of Tao already.

 

Good luck on your path.

[LCH]

Just from my own observations...

 

Most any genuine pursuit of "spirituality" is a pursuit of forgotten simplicity and source. With this in mind, the "complex" becomes simple. If you are starting out as a conscious pursuer of "The Tao", keeping it simple is a very good first step, and one to never forget. I try to remind myself of this often as I have a tendency to be pretty cerebral about things.

 

There are plenty around here that can offer guidance and insight, but it will all come back to you and how you embody your realizations.

 

If you have confusion about something, seeking the council of others who have been "Walking the path" so-to-speak is a valuable activity.

 

Ultimately, I have realized that most of the progression "forward" in the experience comes from the act of remembering and forgetting. This is very non-brute force, the usual default approach to getting things done in our material world, so often one has to learn how to do things without doing them.

 

Enough of all that.

 

All the best to you, J

[voidisyinyang]

http://www.springforestqigong.com/index.php/testimonials

 

http://t.co/B8H3Ci5Eql

 

here's some vids that cut through the Taoist b.s. - watch and enjoy.

 

If you want good threads then head for the Pit!

 

Whenever something gets good the mods censor it. haha.

 

PM me for more details.

[Dr_D]

I'm new to this path. I've always tried to live a centered life but came about it from a different direction. My mantra for several years, in the face of adversity, has been "it is what it is" and that is apparently very Dao.

 

My first question I have is this:

 

Where do I start as far as focusing myself to become more acutely aware of the Way?

 

My second question is this:

 

What are some good resources to educate myself on the nature of Dao? I have a couple different versions of the DDJ, Getting Right with Tao by Ron Hogan, The Tao Speaks by Tsai Chih Chung, and Change your Thoughts Change your Life by Wayne Dyer, the Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet.

 

Any thoughts on any of these resources and perhaps ideas on where to go from here?

 

 

Thanks,

 

J

 

Book are good, but not enough.

The best way is to find a teacher that is knowledgeable and aware to be able to modified the training accordingly to your needs.

Find a good teacher can be challenge road, and enlightening at the same time.

[PLB]

Starting is as simple as paying attention to your body.

There is much more to consider and there are different approaches that emphasize different experiences.

But all those very interesting practices start from the same place:

Your body and what you do for it and with it.

 

Finding good teachers is important. Everybody has to negotiate that part for themselves and it is not easy unless chance has thrown you a bone. But your body is here right now. It will be there until you die. A slightly desparate feeling motivating one to engage with it is not a bad thing.

[Cayjunn]

I'd love to find a good teacher, but in the area I live in, it would be truly an act of Fate for a teacher to come across my path. A true TEACHER, not just someone who is empty quotes and trendy fads. I truly feel that is what I need to progress more so than breathing exercises and some self guided meditation.

 

The closest thing I have here are a couple of friends who are Buddhist but I feel that the two paths, while sharing similarities due to developing in close proximity, still ultimately are on different ends of the spectrum.

[joeblast]

haha and what do you think a "true teacher" will tell you, will start you out with? "different ends of the spectrum" are dualistic fallacies.

 

get started on the breathwork and attenuate all of the coarse signals until the background becomes the foreground, then repeat. and repeat. attain some significant stillness, you can and should spend plenty of time immersing yourself in that.

 

then come back and tell us what you think of your last post

[Cayjunn]

After re-reading my post I realize that it came across poorly due to I'll chosen words. The thought I was trying to convey was that I would think I would need a true teacher to progress BEYOND breathing exercises and self guided meditation, not in place of.

 

As far as "opposite ends of the spectrum" what I meant was it feels as if Daoism is focused on being one with nature, enjoying life and finding balance within it, while it seems that Buddhism has more of a focus on enduring life as suffering while on the journey to enlightenment. Seems to be different focuses for me. That's all.

[PLB]

The way I look at it is that it is great when when a teacher shows us something we can't find by ourselves or didn't see before it was shown. But it is important to remember that we aren't helpless before that moment occurs.

My own existence is a place waiting for attention. It is confusing but ever inviting. Waiting for me to come home.

[Wu Ming Jen]

Being one with nature, enjoying life with balance and harmony with all things sounds like a good place to be,there is nothing else to do. This is so easy to say yet so hard to do.

 

Be still as a mountain and move like a great river, be steady as a rock, fierce as a tiger, brite as the stars and deep as the universe. Be round or square at will.

[joeblast]

After re-reading my post I realize that it came across poorly due to I'll chosen words. The thought I was trying to convey was that I would think I would need a true teacher to progress BEYOND breathing exercises and self guided meditation, not in place of.

 

As far as "opposite ends of the spectrum" what I meant was it feels as if Daoism is focused on being one with nature, enjoying life and finding balance within it, while it seems that Buddhism has more of a focus on enduring life as suffering while on the journey to enlightenment. Seems to be different focuses for me. That's all.

you have plenty of things to work on...the right teacher will show up/resonate with you when the conditions are right. until then, cultivate stillness, patience and discernment, keep your heart and mind open. there's more to the techniques than is realized on the surface.

[Marblehead]

There have already been some very good comments for you to consider. But I would like to add this:

 

Where do I start as far as focusing myself to become more acutely aware of the Way?

Look to nature, all of nature including humans. You will see patterns I call these the processes of Tao. When you begin looking do it with a totally clear and unbiased mind; no good/evil, no beautiful/ugly. Just observe and do your best to understand.

 

My mantra for several years, in the face of adversity, has been "it is what it is" and that is apparently very Dao.

This is good. However, it should be viewed within its own context. After you have observed nature for a while you will find that nature doesn't always let "it is what it is" abide for very long. It (nature) will seek harmony and balance. Sometimes all hell breaks loose in the process.