Chinese Daoism and/or American Taoism

[Mig]

As I navigate in the ocean of digital information, I started to notice that there is now Chinese Daoism 道教 and apparently American Taoism. Is there such terms and how different are they from each other?

 

Thanks,

 

Mig

 

[awaken]

There are many kinds of Chinese daoist.

[Mig]

There are many kinds of Chinese daoist.

Could you elaborate more on that? I understand there are sects or groups and how do they claim to be Daoists?

[YiYinYiYang]

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Edited August 12, 2017 by YiYinYiYang

[Mig]

The answer i've made to myself for this question is no, there is no such things as differents Daoism.

 

I came to this conclusion by looking from the point of view that the body of traditional knowledge is an universal entity which transcends all distinctions about races, gender, time, space... it is basically outside all categories, so it has in it the potential to emerge anywhere, anytime and to be transmitted through any cultural background, hence the Chinese name 道教 in which there are different transmittors of traditional knowledge, i.e Daoist schools.  

Sorry, I need some clarification as I don't understand. Is universal entity the Dao? So why there are different schools of Daoism?

[YiYinYiYang]

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Edited August 12, 2017 by YiYinYiYang

[Taoist Texts]

As I navigate in the ocean of digital information, I started to notice that there is now Chinese Daoism 道教 and apparently American Taoism. Is there such terms and how different are they from each other?

Yes there are. Please see below:

 

Popular misconceptions concerning Daoism are numerous and increasingly influential in the modern world. All of these perspectives fail to understand the religious tradition which is Daoism, a religious tradition that is complex, multifaceted, and rooted in traditional Chinese culture. These misconceptions have their origins in traditional Confucian prejudices, European colonialism, and Christian missionary sensibilities, especially as expressed by late nineteenth-century Protestants.

 

Most of these views are located in American designer hybrid (“New Age”) spirituality, Orientalism, Perennial Philosophy, and spiritual capitalism. They domesticate, sterilize, and misrepresent Daoism, and disempower actual Daoists and Daoist communities. In their most developed expressions, they may best be understood as part of a new religious movement (NRM) called “Popular Western Taoism” (PWT), with Taoism pronounced with a hard “t” sound. The current state of Daoism in America may thus be compared to that of Zen Buddhism in the 1950s and 1960s

 

http://media.bloomsbury.com/rep/files/9781441168733_commonmisconceptions_daoisttradition.pdf

/LOUIS KOMJATHY 康思奇 , PH.D./

[awaken]

Some Daoism do not do any meditation.

Just use many Charms and spells to pray祝由

 

Some Daoism only peactice Qi. 修命不修性，this schools like to claim they have "truuuue" teacher.

 

Some Daoism practice the nature heart and chi.性命雙修, these schools do not like to contact too many people.

Edited December 14, 2016 by awaken

[Mig]

Some Daoism do not do any meditation.

Just use many Charms and spells to pray祝由

 

Some Daoism only peactice Qi. 修命不修性，this schools like to claim they have "truuuue" teacher.

 

Some Daoism practice the nature heart and chi.性命雙修, these schools do not like to contact too many people.

Who are those daoists that don't do meditation? Who are the daoists who practice only Qi or the nature heart?

[awaken]

Who are those daoists that don't do meditation? Who are the daoists who practice only Qi or the nature heart?

祝由派 符籙派

 

http://baike.baidu.com/view/543584.htm

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulu

 

They often pray for dead people.

 

We can see this pai in Taiwan.

Edited December 15, 2016 by awaken

[YiYinYiYang]

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Edited August 12, 2017 by YiYinYiYang

[YiYinYiYang]

 

 

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Edited August 12, 2017 by YiYinYiYang

[Mig]

That is true.

Is that the nature of the dao?

[dawei]

I'm of two minds here... but they resolve... 

 

1. The separation of Dao[ism] is a bit silly and pushed along by the debate on philosophical daoism vs religious daoism... and if one wants to claim two, why not three or 10,000 ?

 

2. Dao is inseparable, yet it can produce the 10,000... this paradox should never leave our hearts and minds.

 

The issue seems to be the cherry-picking in tradition/teaching/practices.   In this light, you will definitely find 10,000 ways of man reflectign Dao[ism].

 

if you look at folks who natural reside without  knowing, then Dao is there along with other parts naturally residing too.   Our being as a composite. 

 

So I'm not sure the problem... or maybe the basic question here is:  Is there really something "Americanized" about Dao[ism] that may not be historical Dao[ism] ?

 

I think I've answered that above... if you pick and choose... that is Doing...  when you allow everything to naturally arise, that is Not Doing and yet nothing is not Done. 

 

I would only say that if one is of the former, they get a part of the tradition/teaching/history... the latter may be open to more of it but it may not completely come in this lifetime... but both should be patient and accepting of their way. 

[Marblehead]

I'm glad someone finally got around to suggesting that Taoism (Tao) is not a national or even a cultural thing.  It is a universal concept. 

 

Sure, different cultures have their own way of viewing the universe but it is the same universe that everyone else views.

[YiYinYiYang]

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Edited August 12, 2017 by YiYinYiYang

[Spotless]

Schools with full transmission of Xing and Ming methods are rare and difficult to get in contact without a special attitude. 

 

As for the nature of the Dao, unless we can meet with somebody able to "communicate" with it and who can explain in simple words its nature it would be difficult to know something about it.

Of course reading scriptures can also help, but here too a special attitude is needed to get some insight. 

 

My 2 euro cent

You already know all there is to know of the Dao - as the noise stops and the illusion subsides you will find you have always had all the "answers". It is surprising how many of those answers will be found in nothing.