Philosophical Taoism

[NotVoid]

... I use it to express the fact that I am not a Religious or Alchemic Taoist.

Ok, but I have also never heard of religious taoists or alchemic taoists, although religious practices and internal alchemy practices are practices which are part of taoism as a whole.

 

Who really knows what all the views and actual practices were of the people who wrote or contributed to texts like the dao de jing or zhuang zi? I can write a short text which contains some stories and ideas I might currently be pondering in my spare time, but if others were to read that text many centuries later and infer that the short text indicates all of my views and practices they would be greatly mistaken. Many practices in taoism were by tradition not ever written down or told to outsiders, so a lot of taoist practices and the roots of taoist practices may never have been written down. Taoism, as it has survived and is known today anyway, is primarily about practices, with few if any actual practicing taoists just sitting around philosophizing, although books like the dao de jing and zhuang zi are considered important in taoism. Some taoists at least seem to interpret these texts as containing guidelines for practice which are written in such a way that the deeper meaning is not readily apparent. I don't know for certain one way or the other however in regards to such texts, but just mentioning this point of view for the sake of interest.

 

[GrandmasterP]

We're sitting around and philosophising about Taoism on TTB.

Sometimes.

BTA , to me; would be 'religious' Taoism.

Check it out here...

http://www.taoists.co.uk/main_files/aboutus.htm

Dr J ( for one example) maybe 'Alchemical' Taoism.

TTB ( sometimes) ' Philosophical' Taoism and much else besides.

Tin Foil for example.

Edited April 23, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Marblehead]

Yeah, it is obvious that they encompass all three aspects of Taoism. I wish the association well.

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

I shall declare an interest in all areas of Daoism, philosophical, spiritual, religious, alchemycal and magikal.

 

And this was true enough to bear repeating.

 

But does a Taoist really believe all is wonderful? Does the Buddhist believe all life is so bad? No...because that cannot be real. A Taoist that can't experience sadness must be a robot. A Buddhist that can't experience happiness as a human must be depressed. Lol

 

I like to be sad.

 

I like to be happy.

 

I'm always good.

 

I'm always where I am.

 

Right here.

 

xxx

...

[GrandmasterP]

Where else would you be Cap?

 

:-)

Edited April 24, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Apech]

Where else would you be Cap?

 

:-)

 

 

In chat of course.

[Rara]

Ok, but I have also never heard of religious taoists or alchemic taoists, although religious practices and internal alchemy practices are practices which are part of taoism as a whole.

 

Who really knows what all the views and actual practices were of the people who wrote or contributed to texts like the dao de jing or zhuang zi? I can write a short text which contains some stories and ideas I might currently be pondering in my spare time, but if others were to read that text many centuries later and infer that the short text indicates all of my views and practices they would be greatly mistaken. Many practices in taoism were by tradition not ever written down or told to outsiders, so a lot of taoist practices and the roots of taoist practices may never have been written down. Taoism, as it has survived and is known today anyway, is primarily about practices, with few if any actual practicing taoists just sitting around philosophizing, although books like the dao de jing and zhuang zi are considered important in taoism. Some taoists at least seem to interpret these texts as containing guidelines for practice which are written in such a way that the deeper meaning is not readily apparent. I don't know for certain one way or the other however in regards to such texts, but just mentioning this point of view for the sake of interest.

 

There isn't a "super-like" button. There should be!

[GrandmasterP]

What are we like?

Coming on here philosophising about Taoism!

 

:-)

 

Kinda agree that cultivation's more to do with 'doing' than 'talking about'.

Thing is though it's nice to discuss mutual interests 'between' cultivation sessions.

Edited April 24, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Rocky Lionmouth]

Tin Foil Taoism, does that refer to the exquisite top knot cover i made this morning to keep the confucians out?

[GrandmasterP]

It's what the hole in the hat is for.

Makes it easier to tinfoil up the topknot without recourse to hat removal.

Apropos hats.

Is it just me or aren't Taoist priest hats just about the silliest looking ecclesiastical headgear this side of those massive curved Tibetan jobs?

Edited April 24, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Rocky Lionmouth]

Genious, i've been wondering wich one should go over wich, thanks!

 

Oh, yes. There's an incredible array of headwear in chinese history and they go for the vacuum-bag style.

What happened to the boxy looking little things? The Guan Gong style headwrap?

Nono, vacuum-bags all around!

 

Tibetan lama hats at least go full circle, pimpalicious!

[GrandmasterP]

Said this before on here.

Was at a British Taoist Association gig one time and quite frankly it was a bit like being in a production of The Mikado where only one cast member had a costume.

Maybe that kit looks OK on a Chinese person but on an English guy.....

Nah.

Edited April 24, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Rocky Lionmouth]

I think it must be the hat, a taoist priest full regalia robe outdresses any fancy wizard or egyptian sorcerer any time. Might be the guy, but my money is on the hat.

 

I think i can relate to the Mikado-fiasco a little bit: Saw a chan monk in my hood a few years back, european guy, in his "casual" robage and pilot shades. I almost stumbled on some overground roots looking around for cameras and film crew. I guess no one told him they werent shooting that day...

 

Now clergy-wise, catholic non-monastic padres have this weird thing with high edges and a pompom (EDIT: a "biretta") that is sheer genious. And thats saying something, i mean catholic priesthood has some wicked hat game going on.

Pope has a triple crowned mitre (!) and monsignores rock a crossover between a sheperds straw hat and a fancy bowler.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Rocky Lionmouth

[Rara]

What are we like?

Coming on here philosophising about Taoism!

 

:-)

 

Kinda agree that cultivation's more to do with 'doing' than 'talking about'.

Thing is though it's nice to discuss mutual interests 'between' cultivation sessions.

Yeah, the reason we dicuss it is because we're new to it to some degree!

[GrandmasterP]

I think it must be the hat, a taoist priest full regalia robe outdresses any fancy wizard or egyptian sorcerer any time. Might be the guy, but my money is on the hat.

I think i can relate to the Mikado-fiasco a little bit: Saw a chan monk in my hood a few years back, european guy, in his "casual" robage and pilot shades. I almost stumbled on some overground roots looking around for cameras and film crew. I guess no one told him they werent shooting that day...

Now clergy-wise, catholic non-monastic padres have this weird thing with high edges and a pompom (EDIT: a "biretta") that is sheer genious. And thats saying something, i mean catholic priesthood has some wicked hat game going on.

Pope has a triple crowned mitre (!) and monsignores rock a crossover between a sheperds straw hat and a fancy bowler.

Gotta have a hat.

I lurve those western guys in slopey Taoist hats.

So much the better if said hat has a corporate 'dojo logo' on it.

GMP's dojo law =

The more elaborate the robes teacher wears to class the faster the dojo churns students.

 

If ya gotta dress up like Fu Manchu to get the message across, then it aint worth gettin' across.

 

:-)

Edited April 25, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Marblehead]

After reading all those posts above I'm still not sure there is any viable philosophy to wearing a hat.

 

I don't wear headgear - I was required to do so for twenty years in the Army. Can't be doing the same thing my entire life.

[Rara]

Gotta have a hat.

I lurve those western guys in slopey Taoist hats.

So much the better if said hat has a corporate 'dojo logo' on it.

GMP's dojo law =

The more elaborate the robes teacher wears to class the faster the dojo churns students.

 

If ya gotta dress up like Fu Manchu to get the message across, then it aint worth gettin' across.

 

:-)

Validates Icedude's "I want a diploma" thread. If you ever saw that fiasco in GD. Edited April 25, 2014 by Rara

[Rara]

After reading all those posts above I'm still not sure there is any viable philosophy to wearing a hat.

 

I don't wear headgear - I was required to do so for twenty years in the Army. Can't be doing the same thing my entire life.

I could imagine that being quite annoying. I used to wear a baseball cap every day to look cool. I could never wait to get home, take it off and scratch my head for 30 mins.

[GrandmasterP]

I am ( semi selectively) completely bald so I always wear a flat cap outdoors or my head turns bright red and could fall off.

Indoors I sport a natty Edwardian style - blue silk with Elephants frieze - smoking cap that Mrs GMP ran up for a Xmas prezzie a few years ago.

I have quite a selection of those now but this blue elephant job is my favourite.

Do wear teacher jim jams for QiGong demos but for regular teaching just a polo shirt and chinos to save having to change at venues.

Religious type robes, all of them; to me are just so much 'dressing up box' nonsense.

Fair enough if those are the regular everyday wear of folks where one was born and brought up then by all means wear them but Brit born and bred twonks wearing off the ( bare) shoulder saffron frocks designed for the tropics and wearing said frocks here in a Blighty winter, IMO those guys are kidding nobody but themselves.

Edited April 25, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

I don't wear a hat really.

 

But I do find my soft furry blue bath robe ever so comfy.

 

And convenient.

 

...

[Marblehead]

I am ( semi selectively) completely bald so I always wear a flat cap outdoors or my head turns bright red and could fall off.

 

My good friend here is that way. Never leaves the house without a hat on.

[Rocky Lionmouth]

Im too lazy to go find a new barber to cut my hair after some kind of misunderstanding between me and my old barber so headgear is everyday right now, to keep that flimsy wimsy crap out me eyes.

Usually its neat and classic with a touch of 50-s, no hair haing over my face, but now i look like an 80s action manga character with bedhead.

 

[Marblehead]

I do my own hair. I shave only when my facial hairs start bugging me. When that happens my face and entire head get buzzed. Generally last a month and a half.

[GrandmasterP]

Good call.

Hair is a nuisance.

I run the razor over mine every day and get away with bi monthly barber trips for the tricky hard to reach side bits too close to my ears for me to chance without myopically lopping off a lobe.

Four pounds plus a pound tip for the barber who updates me on all the village gossip.

£5 well spent IMO.

Edited April 26, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

Hair is a nuisance. I run the razor over mine every day.

 

Me too.

 

I love being a baldy.

 

xxx.

...

Edited April 26, 2014 by Captain Mar-Vell