Can I become a Taoist?

[Cookie Monster]

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Edited May 5, 2021 by Ocean Form

[woodcarver]

Ugh people just want little rules to follow so they think they deserve their title just to flaunt it around. Religion, eeeewwwww.

 

That's not what this is about.

[Aetherous]

The only way I'd feel comfortable calling myself a Daoist, is if I went to China and became an initiate (or whatever you call it) of a Daoist temple. Until then, I will only use the term in a non-serious way, or just say that I'm interested in Daoism. Apart from reading books, I've even had personal instruction in Daoist practices (as many forum members have), but am still not a Daoist...in truth, I barely know anything about it.

I haven't read this book yet, but it seems like it'd be a good start to understanding what a Daoist actually is. And then to become one, you have to go and actually become one. Not just read the Dao De Jing and think that's it.

[ChiDragon]

Ugh people just want little rules to follow so they think they deserve their title just to flaunt it around. Religion, eeeewwwww.

 

That's not what this is about.

 

Yeah....

Name can be named is not an eternal name.

Title can be titled is not an eternal title.

 

That is right; it is more subtle than that. What is all about to you......???

 

To me, it is not the title one is after in the name of cultivation. It is the final result of what one wants to be cultivated to be. We are talking about CULTIVATION here. It takes a lot more than just reading a book and claim oneself to be a Taoist. Btw Taoist cultivation involves with the mind and body which is known as the Dual Cultivation of the Xing(性) and Ming(命)(DCXM). Xing is the mind and Ming is the body. These are the principles had been laid out by the ancient Taoist masters and passed down from generation to generation for their future disciples. I believe these principles are still enforced in practice, as the basic guideline, for the present Taoists. Indeed, they are not just follow the little rules for their title but it is for what they are.

 

Edited December 11, 2014 by ChiDragon

[woodcarver]

 

Yeah....

Name can be named is not an eternal name.

Title can be titled is not an eternal title.

 

That is right; it is more subtle than that. What is all about to you......???

 

To me, it is not the title one is after in the name of cultivation. It is the final result of what one wants to be cultivated to be. We are talking about CULTIVATION here. It takes a lot more than just reading a book and claim oneself to be a Taoist. Btw Taoist cultivation involves with the mind and body which is known as the Dual Cultivation of the Xing(性) and Ming(命)(DCXM). Xing is the mind and Ming is the body. These are the principles had been laid out by the ancient Taoist masters and passed down from generation to generation for their future disciples. I believe these principles are still enforced in practice, as the basic guideline, for the present Taoists. Indeed, they are not just follow the little rules for their title but it is for what they are.

 

OK well only because you asked. I tend to argue too much.

 

Cultivation as the center reminds me more of zen than tao. The TTC doesn't really stress it aside from pointing to it, Chuang tzu has stories ABOUT it, and HHC, though pretty crazy at times, suggests that everything should be a cultivation. I cultivate so I'm not saying its bad or anything. I think taoism is about the tao and everything is simultaneously body and mind.

[ChiDragon]

...........The TTC doesn't really stress it aside from pointing to it, Chuang tzu has stories ABOUT it, and HHC, though pretty crazy at times, suggests that everything should be a cultivation. I cultivate so I'm not saying its bad or anything. I think taoism is about the tao and everything is simultaneously body and mind.

Yes, you are right. The TTC doesn't really stress it aside from pointing to it. It was only the twisted meaning of the interpretations by the religious Taoist to fits their own taste. They had depicted certain chapters which are related to nature, so, the Taoists can use them as cultivation guidelines.

[woodcarver]

 

Yes, you are right. The TTC doesn't really stress it aside from pointing to it. It was only the twisted meaning of the interpretations by the religious Taoist to fits their own taste. They had depicted certain chapters which are related to nature, so, the Taoists can use them as cultivation guidelines.

I don't know anything about religious taoism, just refering to the "people who can sit still" line in there.

[dawei]

OK well only because you asked. I tend to argue too much.

 

Cultivation as the center reminds me more of zen than tao. The TTC doesn't really stress it aside from pointing to it, Chuang tzu has stories ABOUT it, and HHC, though pretty crazy at times, suggests that everything should be a cultivation. I cultivate so I'm not saying its bad or anything. I think taoism is about the tao and everything is simultaneously body and mind.

 

Flowing Hands relates a line in DDJ 38:

Confusion always arises when the Dao is lost, people then must find something to replace it.

 

A sense of separation from Dao is a sense of confusion for the mind-body-spirit in relation to its source... we replace that separate with cultivation. Somehow we think we must 'do something' to restore that separation.

 

Doing something translates to cultivating a practice... and this is why Baopuzi called practice "not natural"; Not Wu Wei

 

Lost of Dao... lost of Wu Wei... a 'desire' to restore ourselves and thus we find something to replace the source.

 

IMO, Tao = simultaneous: Source-Mind-Body-Spirit

[woodcarver]

Cultivation is a total doing. I did a lot of other things today, too!