What breed of bum?

[zenbrook]

It strikes me, peering at some our discussions here, how very diverse and often contradictory our individual approaches to topics appear.

 

And sometimes how very similar.

 

I thought it might be interesting to survey the reason for the richness apparent in our posts by asking the following:

 

'If you had to sum up, honestly and without artifice, in a single brief sentence, what Taoism means to you - what would you say?'

 

So... who's to start?

ZenB

[Cameron]

To not have an approach

[beancurdturtle]

Ignore the abstractions, hold fast to substance.

 

Reference Tao te Ching chapters 12 and 38.

[Cameron]

To not have an approach

 

 

ps. Sorry..have to add to this..it's too deep a question for one sentence.

 

I think the richness of Taoism and all it's practices(approaches)can be embraced while at the same time following the no approach-approach to practice(and life or posting on the internet).

 

For example, my Taoist teacher Ken Cohen classifies two types of meditation-sitting and forgetting and active meditation which to me have more of an approach or involvment of mind doing something.

 

But Ken makes the distinction that sitting and forgetting is the most important aspect of practice. And from what I have experienced being with what I would term 'awake' people this is where the real juice is.

 

What happens when you don't go to the mind for an approach or explanation of who you or anyone else is?

 

These are the question that most interest me.

[rain]

[mbanu]

It strikes me, peering at some our discussions here, how very diverse and often contradictory our individual approaches to topics appear.

 

And sometimes how very similar.

 

I thought it might be interesting to survey the reason for the richness apparent in our posts by asking the following:

 

'If you had to sum up, honestly and without artifice, in a single brief sentence, what Taoism means to you - what would you say?'

 

So... who's to start?

ZenB

 

Give me a beer.

[Lozen]

Go with the flow.

[agharta]

Taoism--the religion--"be's worshipping this god/spirit/Immortal."

 

the philosophy--"don't worry too hard 'bouts nothin'."

 

the study of longevity--"a sound mind in a sound body, for a long, long time."

 

 

 

Well, maybe.

[Taomeow]

Cultivating the Triple Treasure of Perfection, Nondecay, Immortality.

 

Perfection -- because tao is perfect and in order to "attain tao," one must likewise attain perfection in everything she does and in everything she is.

 

Nondecay -- because tao is "heng," enduring; being that is "a virtue of tao," and in order to be as virtuous as tao, one must attain nondecay, eternal renewal.

 

Immortality -- because I've got stuff to do that might take forever to accomplish.

[Spectrum]

An empty cup.

 

Spectrum

[mat black]

Balance and harmony

[fatherpaul]

It strikes me, peering at some our discussions here, how very diverse and often contradictory our individual approaches to topics appear.

 

And sometimes how very similar.

 

I thought it might be interesting to survey the reason for the richness apparent in our posts by asking the following:

 

'If you had to sum up, honestly and without artifice, in a single brief sentence, what Taoism means to you - what would you say?'

 

So... who's to start?

ZenB

 

nothing

[三江源]

People here do different practises, have different aims, and are at very varying levels of experience,as you have noticed.

 

You'd probably find out more by just reading the many threads, than in this survey. Embodiment rather than sloganising or self advertising is one of the keys here, I venture.

[Ian]

 

'If you had to sum up, honestly and without artifice, in a single brief sentence, what Taoism means to you - what would you say?'

 

 

I've no idea what it is.

[Cameron]

nothing

 

 

I would like to change my answer to this too

[Eric23]

For me, Taoism has been a journey of self discovery with no particular destination.

[thelerner]

The Tao is an enthusiastic Yes.

 

Michael

[Bob H]

Go with the flow.

 

 

Going with the Flow doesn't mean you can't steer the boat.

[宁]

Human Awareness Training

&

Alice taking a summersault in the Rabbit Hole

&

Getting a glimple at your own "how does it work" manual

&

Just merging...

&

Something so familliar, I cannot associate it with the foreign name of "TAO"

&

Hard work, easy trippin...

 

Little1

[Dirtgrain]

Neutral, friendly, cool, never tangling, I melt into the flux of things (or so I thought).

[Wayfarer64]

Over the past 40 years it (& everythingelse) - has changed, encluding my thoughts and sense of being as a Taoist. Right now it seems I am trying to find a "blameless" path where I act to the best of my abilities as far as I can be able...

 

But that does not preclude a beer nor exact anything other than a continued plan to be aware of the world around me... thinking about how I am being a human being a spirit being a spec of dust being conscious being becoming as I head towards non-being. So, in a way it just gives me a great frame-work to live within... maybe a bulwork of quiet contemplation offering something that is really just a sense of being one with all in some small (human) way...

[zenbrook]

You'd probably find out more by just reading the many threads, than in this survey.

I'm not sure that's true, cat. Granted, I think my naivety expected answers more along the lines of 'good physical health' or 'answers to the meaning of life' or 'better sex', but the response has been instructive nonetheless. Even fatherpaul had to say something

 

Really what I was trying to get at was perhaps a stripped down version of the lobby, so that when following a thread I could contextualize people's responses and thus better respond myself (i.e. respond to what they are actually saying as opposed to what I think they're saying). I agree there's something to be said for working it out as we go along, but I also don't see the problem with asking directly.

 

Anyway, thank you to everyone who's responded so far (you too cat )

 

Peace,

ZenB