Hello from the border!

[Undecided]

I have been lurking around this forum for a good while now and have decided to throw my hat in.

 

I am intrigued by much of the philosophy of Taoism, but am unsettled by the ease in which Taoism can and has been used to keep people in servitude. And while I welcome the benefits of meditation and practice... I am not ready to except a key component of the religion in which the "chi" is the foundation. If forced to, I identify with Buddhism more... but very much the Western interpretation.

 

So there are my cards. Likely there are a few members here that could state the same.

 

Now I just need to sit down and begin my masterwork called The Tao of Border Law Enforcement. No doubt there is a publisher out there ready to cash in.

 

I hope to contribute to future thread discussions.

Edited June 8, 2008 by Undecided

[Trunk]

Welcome aboard!

[Yoda]

welcome to taobums!

[shontonga]

I have been lurking around this forum for a good while now and have decided to throw my hat in.

 

I am intrigued by much of the philosophy of Taoism, but am unsettled by the ease in which Taoism can and has been used to keep people in servitude. And while I welcome the benefits of meditation and practice... I am not ready to except a key component of the religion in which the "chi" is the foundation. If forced to, I identify with Buddhism more... but very much the Western interpretation.

 

So there are my cards. Likely there are a few members here that could state the same.

 

Now I just need to sit down and begin my masterwork called The Tao of Border Law Enforcement. No doubt there is a publisher out there ready to cash in.

 

I hope to contribute to future thread discussions.

 

 

Hi

Welcome, Hope you enjoy it here!

Seems like you see some of the traps involved with belonging to any group!

Taoism it's self not necessarily,

but anything with a group mentality can easily Hold One.

Weather in servitude or otherwise can be debated : )

Remember you can be held in servitude or be held in a gentle embrace!

Some might like it

Matter of perspective!

 

Folks Like to be part of a "group", makes them feel safe and secure.

The whole saftey in numbers thing.

Where you find trouble is when folks stop thinking for themselves,

They fall into the habit of being lead.

Or when they identify so strongly they get to ridged in thought and action

and start believing that only their own experiences are right.

 

Then ideas are forced on one another.

Like folks to children, religious leaders, governments,

schools, the music industry, advertising (what ever group you want here!) .

Most would argue Taoism is not a religion, it's a philosophy.

A way to understand health, life and reality.

There is Religious aspect also but that is a very small part of it.

A branch on a tree with many branches!

Taoism seems to speak against rigidity/Holding things to tight,

be it beliefs or people.

But people on the other hand ... we LOve to Hold On Tight!

To Anything!

So of course you can find that trait in any group?

 

As for Qi?

That's no different than water, wood, metal,

earth, fire, air, either, sun ,moon, stars,etc. for most of the world!

Just very much a part of everyday reality, Such a normal part of life,

experienced no less than those other things mentioned

call it what you will.

Not the foundation of Taoism any more than anything else in the natural world!

The seasons, the Elements, Anything that represents or is in a state of balance

might be closer to the foundations of taoism.

 

Your masterwork sounds like quite an undertaking!

Would be interested in your experiences

and how you found to approach such a vast subject of it all.

Be nice to hear your prospective.

Look forward to reading your posts!

 

Thank you,

 

Shon

[Taiji Bum]

Welcome to da Bums.

[Dan Tian]

I have been lurking around this forum for a good while now and have decided to throw my hat in.

Me too.

 

I am intrigued by much of the philosophy of Taoism, but am unsettled by the ease in which Taoism can and has been used to keep people in servitude.

How and when did that happen?

 

And while I welcome the benefits of meditation and practice... I am not ready to except a key component of the religion in which the "chi" is the foundation.

How many Taoists, at least in the west, view Taoism as a religion? It would be interesting to see how many people on this forum do. As I understand it, any Taoist deities and faith-based beliefs came after the advent of Taoism and were essentially based on traditional Chinese religious practices. Also, I don't think the concept of qi is too difficult to grasp, if we try to view it from a different perspective than Western science normally would; probably if we don't try to measure it and see it as a concept in its own right, but more as an integrated flow of energy. I don't know, this could all get a bit New Age, but maybe it's something one can't really understand until one feels and becomes aware of it.

 

If forced to, I identify with Buddhism more... but very much the Western interpretation.

I think the Western agnostic interpretation of Buddhism is very pragmatic, up-to-date and relevant to today's Western society; maybe the Western interpretation of Taoism could be too? I think when you have to start worrying is when people start preaching; for me, that goes against the whole concept of the Tao.

[Undecided]

Thanks all for the welcome!

 

Dan Tian,

You have given me much to think about. I appreciate that. Like many people, I have a fairly hefty amount of cultural/ideological baggage that I will have to work through before I can truly accept some ideas such as Qi. And I definitely am Western in the sense of looking at things scientifically. I think skepticism is something that childhood teaches most Westerners. But I try to have an open mind.

 

I look forward to reading and occassionally participating in future threads here.

[Dan Tian]

I am intrigued by much of the philosophy of Taoism, but am unsettled by the ease in which Taoism can and has been used to keep people in servitude.

Hello Undecided

 

I'd really like to know what you're referring to here!?

[Dan Tian]

Thanks all for the welcome!

 

Dan Tian,

You have given me much to think about. I appreciate that. Like many people, I have a fairly hefty amount of cultural/ideological baggage that I will have to work through before I can truly accept some ideas such as Qi. And I definitely am Western in the sense of looking at things scientifically. I think skepticism is something that childhood teaches most Westerners. But I try to have an open mind.

 

I look forward to reading and occassionally participating in future threads here.

 

Have you tried any meditation/qigong? I've barely scratched the surface of all this, but what little meditation I've managed to achieve effectively has occasionally given me a real tactile feeling of qi circulating in various parts of my body. Okay, this might be in the mind, but so what? That doesn't make it any less real, because the mind is such a powerful thing, it can effect huge changes and transformations. If your reason for being attracted towards Taoism, or any other spiritual path for that matter, is self-improvement, your mind is the only tool you can use to make any real and lasting progress on that path.

 

Maybe it would be helpful to think of the meditation and qigong aspect of Taoism as being a form of self-help psychotherapy. That's the way I look at it and I'm sure even the most sceptical scientist would accept the validity of psychotherapy.