When you say Taoist you mean...?

[Rocky Lionmouth]

Lets discuss this one again, might as well update it and give it a twist.

 

When you say Taoist, what do you mean?

[Marblehead]

I would be referring to a person who tries to life in accord with the processes of nature as much as possible.

[Rocky Lionmouth]

I would be referring to a person who tries to life in accord with the processes of nature as much as possible.

 

I'd be similarly inclined, regardless of what the person calls themselves.

But when you say nature, would it matter to the definition wether it was a subjective or objective nature the person was trying to live in accordance with?

I'd say it wouldnt matter as long as the person i call a taoist is honest in regard to themselves, nature (widest definition) and what they can observe about it.

[Marblehead]

But when you say nature, would it matter to the definition wether it was a subjective or objective nature the person was trying to live in accordance with? I'd say it wouldnt matter as long as the person i call a taoist is honest in regard to themselves, nature (widest definition) and what they can observe about it.

Yeah, pure nature is, from my perspective (subjective), cruel sometimes. I don't want to be that.

 

So I guess I would have to say more subjective than objective.

[dawei]

I would be referring to a person who tries to life in accord with the processes of nature as much as possible.

 

If people want to "try" something... then maybe more should just try not to be a pain in the arse

 

As to 'try to live'... In a Word: Live

 

I'd say it wouldnt matter as long as the person i call a taoist is honest in regard to themselves, nature (widest definition) and what they can observe about it.

 

I would probably say "is open in regards to"... In a word: Allow

[ChiDragon]

Lets discuss this one again, might as well update it and give it a twist.

 

When you say Taoist, what do you mean?

 

The keyword is "update".

 

When you say you are a Taoist, you have updated or upgrade yourself and obligated to behave like one. E.g. Once you were a soldier but as soon you have claimed yourself as a Taoist, then, you are no longer a soldier. You will talk and act like a Taoist rather than a soldier.

 

A Taoist will change the normal life into a fascinating one. The Taoist cultivation, such as the Dual Cultivation of the Mind and Body, will make lots of changes in one's thinking. The level of progression depends on the level of intuition and the willingness to change of each individual. Another words, update yourself to a higher level of virtue.

 

Edited December 11, 2014 by ChiDragon

[Rara]

One that has consciously decided to make holistic improvement to themselves by studying and practicing Taoist teachings.

 

I left Christianity because of in-fighting. Someone that goes to church and devotes more time to God is supoosedly better than one that doesn't. I feel that a Taoist doesn't care what others do because they are cultivating themselves. A teacher can always advise, but it doesn't affect them either way if the student succeeds or fails.

 

For example, I'm a kung fu practitioner. Whether I choose to train once a day or once a week doesn't change the label!

Edited December 11, 2014 by Rara

[Marblehead]

If people want to "try" something... then maybe more should just try not to be a pain in the arse

 

As to 'try to live'... In a Word: Live

Yeah, but then I have known people who just couldn't do anything right, no matter how hard they "tried". But at least I can give them credit for trying.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Marblehead

[ChiDragon]

One that has consciously decided to make holistic improvement to themselves by studying and practicing Taoist teachings.

 

I left Christianity because of in-fighting. Someone that goes to church and devotes more time to God is supoosedly better than one that doesn't. I feel that a Taoist doesn't care what others do because they are cultivating themselves. A teacher can always advise, but it doesn't affect them either way if the student succeeds or fails.

 

For example, I'm a kung fu practitioner. Whether I choose to train once a day or once a week doesn't change the label!

 

Rara....

That is what a Taoist called "Wu Wei", let Nature take its course.

Edited December 11, 2014 by ChiDragon

[Michael Sternbach]

One who believes in not forcing things, but pursuing the way of least resistance. Of course, that can mean a lot of different things, depending on the situation.

 

Somebody who hasn't even heard of Taoism may in fact be more accomplished as a Taoist than somebody who is doing a lot of qigong or internal martial arts with their ego prevailing.

[Cheshire Cat]

When you say Taoist, what do you mean?

 

Generally, I mean a person who follows a specific religion which involves deities, rites and festivals.

 

But sometimes it's a word used by westerners who practice some sort of energy techniques derived from the chinese tradition of qigong to identify themselves.

[Rara]

One who believes in not forcing things, but pursuing the way of least resistance. Of course, that can mean a lot of different things, depending on the situation.

 

Somebody who hasn't even heard of Taoism may in fact be more accomplished as a Taoist than somebody who is doing a lot of qigong or internal martial arts with their ego prevailing.

Yes! I once said that here in England, sometimes I meet the perfect Taoist...who's never consciously practiced a Taoist art.

 

If anything, I would say that a religious or ritualistic is necessary for those that have drifted too far away from the Tao. I took up martial arts, meditation and reading of Taoist texts as a therapy. Some others don't need the therapy.

[Daeluin]

I would prefer to say a "natural person," or a "realized person" or a "master," before saying "taoist."

 

Taoist is just a label, sorta like saying what road you took to get where you are now.

 

But if one is deeply Taoist, one sheds all labels and takes the present as the destination, leaving the way up to the tao.

 

In discussion one might use a label to help others understand.

 

The tao is beyond words, but words can be used to guide.

[ChiDragon]

To me, again. A Taoist should be fully understand the principle of Wu Wei, without any doubt, before anything else to begin with.

[Rara]

To me, again. A Taoist should be fully understand the principle of Wu Wei, without any doubt, before anything else to begin with.

But you can still be a Taoist in these early stages...

[Marblehead]

But you can still be a Taoist in these early stages...

Yep, that's called being a Taoist with a few flaws. And yes, I know about this!

[Rara]

Yep, that's called being a Taoist with a few flaws. And yes, I know about this!

Everyone has to start somewhere! That's why the labels are not very useful.

[ChiDragon]

But you can still be a Taoist in these early stages...

 

Yes, It is so easy to claim one as a Taoist. You can still be a Taoist but not a true one. One needs to know what is a true Taoist not just a Taoist.

 

It is not just a label. If one thinks that "Taoist" is just a label, one is long way away from Tao. There is no need to get a certificate to be Taoist. Now, a certificate is a label that you were talking about.

 

A true Taoist is highly cultivated and not even being recognized by anybody that he was ever existed as a Taoist. So to speak.

Edited December 14, 2014 by ChiDragon

[IntuitiveWanderer]

Chinese

[Daeluin]

A true Taoist is highly cultivated and not even being recognized by anybody that he was ever existed as a Taoist. So to speak.

 

In the classics this is usually called a real human, and is reachable by any number of methods, including taoist.

[ChiDragon]

In the classics this is usually called a real human, and is reachable by any number of methods, including taoist.

 

Well, of course, we are real human too. However, for us mortals, we call a Taoist a "Taoist". A highly cultivated Taoist priest would call himself as a "true person(真人)". We shouldn't take the term 真人 too literally. It means a lot more to a Taoist.

[Rara]

 

Well, of course, we are real human too. However, for us mortals, we call a Taoist a "Taoist". A highly cultivated Taoist priest would call himself as a "true person(真人)". We shouldn't take the term 真人 too literally. It means a lot more to a Taoist.

This is a problem for me.

 

All religions' sects claim to be the "true" part of their religion.

[Daeluin]

Everything is immortal

Everything can be traced back to one origin

Everything will transform and change

Life and Death do not sever something from this origin

 

Becoming a true person is simply stepping into embodied awareness of this.

[ChiDragon]

This is a problem for me.

 

All religions' sects claim to be the "true" part of their religion.

 

The word "true" in "true person" to a Taoist is different from the ordinary definition. A "true person" is a person who has cultivated to the highest realm of the DCXM(Dual Cultivation of the Xing(mind) and Ming(body). One need to have a more understanding about the DCXM in order to grasp the meaning of the esoteric term for what a "true person" is. Unfortunately, it is meaningless to exchange idea with a little knowledge of. No offense. One's knowledge can be obtained and retained by learning.

 

 

One need to unlearn what had learned before and let it go for a change. One cannot have the same attitude all the time by saying: "hey, that is not what I have learned on my side of the world." One needs to step over across to see what is really going on at the other side. One must do away with all the preconceived ideas and feelings. Hence, a Taoist might consider that is part of the cultivation of the mind.

Edited December 15, 2014 by ChiDragon

[Michael Sternbach]

 

The word "true" in "true person" to a Taoist is different from the ordinary definition. A "true person" is a person who has cultivated to the highest realm of the DCXM(Dual Cultivation of the Xing(mind) and Ming(body). One need to have a more understanding about the DCXM in order to grasp the meaning of the esoteric term for what a "true person" is. Unfortunately, it is meaningless to exchange idea with a little knowledge of. No offense. One's knowledge can be obtained and retained by learning.

 

I still feel that the implication might be that the higher members of the religious organisation are the initiates elevated over the "profane" (being closer to Dao = being the "true person"). Probably every religion makes their human icons. No offence, but it is not inconceivable that as a member of Chinese you could be biased here.

 

Perhaps you could elaborate a little on the meaning of the "true person"?