How would you educate a novice Taoist?

[Veezel]

If given the chance, how would you educate a novice Taoist?

 

 

 

I've asked a lot of questions in this forum. The questions themselves aren't trivial, but the answers that I get can be very vague.

 

Right now, I want a clear direction. And I ask you this question... If you are my teacher, what would you have me do to further expand my wisdom in this field?

 

What books should I read? What kinds of meditation practices should I do? What what what?

 

 

 

I'd appreciate answers to this question. I just feel so lost...

[Marblehead]

I would first have you read (and understand) the Tao Te Ching and the Chuang Tzu.

 

Then I would work on getting you to clean your mind of all the things you "know" after teaching you empty-minded meditation.

 

Accomplishing that you would be ready to learn.  Learn what?  That would depend on where you wanted to go.

[Old River]

Evernote

Daoism isn't monolithic and so it can be confusing -- so that's certainly not unusual!  Different religious approaches, different philosophical approaches, a variety of doctrines and practices and any combination thereof. 

 

This means it's best to get a broad overview of what Daoism can entail.  John Blofield's book Taoism served as a good introduction for myself when I was first exploring Daoist thought back around 1995.  Others here might have some better recommendations.  I've yet to read Eva Wong's Taoism: An Essential Guide, but I have a feeling it would be worth reading as well.  But Blofelds' book covers Daoist principles as well as the plurality of approaches, philosophical and religious.

 

Obviously, the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi would be essential reading, regardless of a religious or more "philosophical" approach.  I have a feeling, since you also are a Christian, that the philosophical angle would suit you more than the religious practice side of things -- but who knows?  And that isn't to say that basic sitting meditation and/or qigong wouldn't be necessary, but you can decide for yourself how far down the rabbit hold you want to go.  Experiment and see what works best for you.

 

The Dao De Jing translation by Red Pine (aka Bill Porter) I feel is a reliable translation -- and it has some interesting brief commentaries by many Chinese scholars on each chapter, showing a variety of interpretations available (his translation is spelled "Taoteching" in case you go seeking it).

 

Burton Watson's The Essential Zhuangzi is just that -- it's essential.  And Watson is always a reliable translator who understands what he's translating.

 

Getting a basic understanding of those basic principles is a good start for you, especially as a practitioner of Christianity.  You may even come to recognize similar principles at work in the Dao De Jing as in the teachings of Jesus -- not identical to be sure, but certainly resonant with one another in their own peculiar expressions. 

 

There's much more to explore beyond this, but personally I would recommend this as a pragmatic starting point.  Get a general understanding of Daoist principles, and only then begin to explore specific practices.  At least this was the path that made best sense for me -- and back in the mid-1990s when I first explored Daoism, I was a Christian also. 

[WisteriaWinds]

Quit deciding what "spirituality" is and just stand totally relaxed.

[liminal_luke]

  Learn what?  That would depend on where you wanted to go.

 

Hi Veezel,

 

Marblehead really got to the nitty-gritty with this quesion. I´m no Taoist expert but I´ve been around enough to see the variety of motivations bring to Taoist endeavors.  You are here -- so something must be speaking to you about Taoism -- but to provide any guidance I think a person would have to know a little more about you.

 

Here are some possible motivations that a person might have.  Do any of these sound like you?

 

I want to develop my chi to become an energetic healer.

 

I want to learn a Taoist martial art and become a fighter.

 

I want to learn a qi gong form that will heal my body.

 

I am interested in internal alchemy and want to devote myself to deep spiritual development.

 

I am interested in Taoist philosophy and want to understand the various forms of Taoism in a historical context.

 

I am interested in Chinese astrology and feng shui.

 

 

This is just a partial list off the top of my head, and might not even include the reasons you´re attracted to this forum.  So...can you narrow it down for us?  What kind of Taoist would you like to be?

[RiverSnake]

If I was a teacher (hahaha! yeah right!) I would ask the student first what he wants to learn. After going through a series of questions with the goal of encouraging introspection I would give the student a practice for making offerings to there spirit allies.

 

Then I would do several divinations on different types of methods (meditation, qigong....etc) they might approach and what results each pathway pathway would bestow. Then i'd discuss each pathway with said student and see what they wanted to do. That's just a brief theoretical situation....every person is different....there is no panacea.

Edited May 14, 2016 by OldChi

[Veezel]

Hi Veezel,

 

Marblehead really got to the nitty-gritty with this quesion. I´m no Taoist expert but I´ve been around enough to see the variety of motivations bring to Taoist endeavors.  You are here -- so something must be speaking to you about Taoism -- but to provide any guidance I think a person would have to know a little more about you.

 

Here are some possible motivations that a person might have.  Do any of these sound like you?

 

I want to develop my chi to become an energetic healer.

 

I want to learn a Taoist martial art and become a fighter.

 

I want to learn a qi gong form that will heal my body.

 

I am interested in internal alchemy and want to devote myself to deep spiritual development.

 

I am interested in Taoist philosophy and want to understand the various forms of Taoism in a historical context.

 

I am interested in Chinese astrology and feng shui.

 

 

This is just a partial list off the top of my head, and might not even include the reasons you´re attracted to this forum.  So...can you narrow it down for us?  What kind of Taoist would you like to be?

 

I am interested in Taoist philosophy and want to understand the various forms of Taoism in a historical context.

 

This...

[liminal_luke]

Thanks Veezel, that narrows it down a lot.  Unforunately, it´s not really my area but I might be able to point you in some directions.   Taomeow is quite an expert in this area, and recently posted a list of recommended books as an introduction to Taoism.  Unforunately, I can´t find that post right now.  But she has a thread in her Personal Practice Forum called "1-800-Dail-a-Meow" where she invites bums to ask her questions.  You might ask her and she if she has any suggestions.  Highly recommended. 

 

There´s also a thread you can search  in the courtyard called "Plx recommend books on the introduction to Daoism"  that has reading recommendations from knowledgable folks. Another thread you might want to search for is called "can you please tell me the names of daoist scriptures and their authors."  

 

Hope this gives you a start.

Edited May 14, 2016 by liminal_luke

[Marblehead]

Hi Veezel,

 

For learning the philosophy I always recommend beginning with the Tao Te Ching and the Chuang Tzu.

 

Some good translations can be found here:  http://terebess.hu/english/lexikon/c.html

 

My recommendation is to read a few translations of the Tao Te Ching and then read the Chuang Tzu.  Then go back and re-read the same translations of the TTC that you first read.  (This process worked very well for me.)

 

We have had a complete study of the TTC here at DaoBums.  It is in this sub-forum:  http://www.thedaobums.com/forum/254-daodejing/

 

There are many individual thread discussions of individual chapters as well all over the forum mostly in "Daoist Discussions".

 

There has been a concept study of how Chuang Tzu verbalized concepts from the TTC and that can be found here:  http://www.thedaobums.com/topic/37249-the-father-and-son-of-taoist-philosophy/

 

You and all members are welcome and encouraged to post to any of these threads with questions or comments.