Lots of questions!

[Taoist81]

I am feeling guilty that I may have insulted Taoist81 and WhiteTiger. So I wanted to sincerely apologize if I offended anyone. Perhaps it is my lack of use of emoticons and my words choice, I meant no disrespect. And thank you, Ultimatefist, for bringing it up that I may have offended someone.

 

It certainly wasn't taken as insulting on this side of the computer screen. Condolences for the losses you and your wife experienced. Regarding the role of religion, there is an element of personal choice and personal ability factoring in on how totalitarian religion affects a person. It is a complex and perhaps a topic better addressed by a therapist or at least in a real conversation instead of on a messageboard where, as you point out, meaning is even more dependant on the recipient than the speaker.

 

So, Ultimatefist, tell me, as I try to figure out if I am going to try (with all of my being) and continue respecting her and her bullshit, am I taking things to absolutes? Am I just trying to create an argument? Is it okay for me to dig a little deeper and ask a couple of questions here and there?

 

Did you see the earlier response clarifying "respect"? If she is continuing her disrespect toward you and yours, then don't "respect" her, get away from her (if you can). Just try to help your wife understand that she has gained strength, not weakness, from having survived in such an environment. Understand what you have gained from the situation (and even loss begets gain in some ways, though you/she may not be ready to hear that yet) and love yourself (herself) despite having risen from a more difficult situation than perhaps some others that you may know.

Edited May 15, 2009 by Taoist81

[Josh Young]

I wished to share my own answers to this, please forgive me if I mention what others have before or mention an alternative view to what others have mentioned. I only wish to share and learn.

 

Is there any deities or a Deity in the Taoist way of life and ritual?

I dislike the reality that I must address terms before I can share my opinions. The very term deity is complex. However my answer is that if deity exists, then the answer is yes, and if deity exists then the answer is no. I do not claim to know that deity exists, but I believe deity does and thus for me Tao is not only of God, but God is of Tao. However I can neither affirm nor deny that deities exist, I know that I do not know.

 

2) Can enlightenment be achieved through a Taoist type practice?

The answer to this depends on what you think enlightenment is and why you want it. The short answer is that it has been known to happen, but that enlightenment might not be what you think. The very understanding of tao in its ultimate nature is an enlightened concept unto itself.

3) can people convert over to a Taoist way of life or does one have to be born into it?

Neither. Living a way of life has nothing to do with belonging to a group or organization. As a matter of fact no matter what group you are in or what you call yourself your actions are still the result of your choices, thus there is no born into or converting to. If there was then it would not be Tao and it would not be pure.

4) is there life after death?

Maybe, maybe not. I don't know and I don't think anybody does.

Why does it matter anyway? Do we seek eternal life? If so why? To what end?

Is not life and death enough? If you knew there was or was not an afterlife would you act any different than you do now? I doubt that i would, I am not motivated by greed of eternal life or fear of eternal punishment, I doubt any student of Tao would be so easily coerced by fear and desire into making claims that they know things which they were merely told, as opposed to knowing what they experienced.

5) Do Taoist believe in reincarnation?

I do, but not the incarnation of the soul in new bodies time and time again, rather I believe in the reincarnation mentioned in the Diamond Sutra. This reincarnation I know first hand, however the other reincarnation i cannot affirm or deny for i do not know.

6) Are there other realms than the realm we are currently in?

I don't know, I believe so but know that there may be, and there may not be.

7) Does Taoism also focus on Ancestor guides?

The IKT certainly practices filial piety, since we all share ancestors this means respecting the entire family, from ancient ancestors to our distant relatives across the globe, the ultimate realization of filial piety is that we are all extended family and even the stranger is worthy of the respect our parents and children deserve.

8) Does Taoism have any mystical practices like lucid dreaming?

I don't consider lucid dreaming to be mystical, however one who follows the Tao may practice many things including lucid dreaming. I am not aware of there being the endorsement of such practices by Tao, but some folk religion Tao groups may have all sorts of practices, there is modest diversity in them after all.

9) What are we? Are we a soul? A spirit? What is the Taoist definition of what we are?

I am not a taoist, I am a student of Tao. When you know the answer to this question you may become enlightened. Why is a tree a tree? Is that actually what it is? You ask me to name something that needs no name, it existing is enough, to name something doesn't result in understanding. We are that we are, is this not what we are? Things define themselves in and of being, this is how Tao defines. If you name yourself, then that name shall stand between you and yourself, if you define yourself, that definition will prevent you from understanding. What you are can be understood by what you are, but not by words or names.

10) Do Taoist pray? If so to whom?

I do. To my heavenly father and ancient mother who are one. Celestial progenitor, higher power, Lao Mu, God. I pray for thanks and sometimes ask that others be healed. I have never had a sincere prayer go unanswered. I also communicate in a way that many would call prayer with everything around us, including people, plants, minerals, and the planet. It is not a form of worship or veneration.

11) What types of meditation are taught in the taoist tradition?

Multiple traditions result in multiple meditations. Qigong is very common, moving, standing and sitting meditations are common too.

12) Can someone link me to some reading material on Taoism for beginners?

May i suggest the Dao De Jing? ( if I bounce between wade giles and pinyin please forgive me)

13) Were we created? If so by what or whom?

No, we were sourced. Creation is the conflation of reconstruction with manifestation from nothing. Tao is unending, it is source and destination, creation is an artifact of the illusion of the world. Just like the thermodynamic laws state, energy cannot be created nor destroyed. There was no time when all that exists did not exist. This is self evident through Tao which is eternal but not in the sense of the projection of human concepts of eternity through the concept of time being a linear thing. Tao allows things to self create in a manner, or to self manifest. It is perfect so there is no need for it to have an idea like creation, it cannot look at a clock or a calender and say, "OK now it is time to to this" that very idea is absurd, particularly if it is attributed to an omnipotent god, god would have no need to schedule things or wait for the right time, there would be no need for intervention either, for what god other than one that is imperfect must step in to fix what he created when it doesn't go the way it should. The very idea that we can create is dubious, I make wooden swords and carve stones, I create nothing but shape and re-contextualize. I am a parent and I know I created nothing, the life that was in the cells that joined together to become my children was there in me, how arrogant I should be to suppose that i created a child or that i created life. Indeed creation is a word associated with many, many misconceptions.

14) Does Taoism have an explanation for those who have seen the deceased in dreams who give vivid messages that prove true in waking life?

Does an explanation matter? I have had some experiences involving dreams and premonition that have been highly accurate. I had a dream that my taijiquan teacher moved back to town for specific reasons, I don't know however when or where I had the dream, the memory of it seemed to appear out of nowhere, I told my teacher about it and he said it was absolutely true. In dreams however, we do not require an explanation, after all what is an explanation? If gravity is not explained to us are we likely to float away? Could our minds show us something we need to know through the image of a deceased person? Sure. Could a deceased person show us something we need to know in dream? Perhaps. Either way what matters? The explanation or the dream itself?

I can do amazing things in my dreams, including flying around, this does not mean i can fly.

 

15) do we have spirit guides?

Do you want a spirit guide? What would one be? I have had people council me in dreams, who gave me names that I later found out were people who were dead. I am at a loss to understand it and make no claims that it was or wasn't meaningful. I don't know that we do or don't have spirit guides, but I know that if I wanted one I would experience one regardless of if it was real or not. Along those lines, whether god is real or not matters not to me, for my heart goes out to god none the less.

16) Are there any angels?

In the IKT they teach that there is a spirit world and indeed what would correlate as angels. I however cannot claim that I know what I have been merely told, even if it is plausible or probable. I believe there may be angels, and there may not be.

17) are there heavenly realms?

Yes, they are found in this life here on earth. There may be others too, but don't fail to appreciate what you have looking for what you don't.

 

 

Please forgive my answers should they offend, I have no desire to be argumentative.

Edited May 15, 2009 by Josh Young

[Deepbluesea]

Thanks for the kind words and advice. As you would probably guess this problem is not new. This is the latest serial in an ongoing saga and we should not have even been surprised by it. My wife and I have been through Eastern and Western styles of therapies and it is just going to take some time. Again, thanks to all,

Peace always, Dave