Taoism

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A group to explore the aspects and practical application of Taoism.

Members: 153
Latest Activity: Feb 2

Introduction

Taoism (frequently pronounced /ˈtaʊ.ɪ.zəm/, though Daoism /ˈdaʊ.ɪ.zəm/ is preferred), from Chinese Daojiao 道教 (pronounced zh-dào.ogg dào (help·info) Zh-jiào.ogg jiào (help·info)), refers to a variety of related philosophical and religious traditions and concepts. These traditions have influenced East Asia for over two thousand years and some have spread to the West. The word 道, Tao (or Dao, depending on the romanization scheme), means "path" or "way", although in Chinese folk religion and philosophy it has taken on more abstract meanings. Taoist propriety and ethics emphasize the Three Jewels of the Tao: compassion, moderation, and humility. Taoist thought generally focuses on nature, men-cosmos correspondence (天人相应), health, longevity, wu wei (effortless action), liberty, immortality and spontaneity.

Reverence for ancestor spirits and immortals are also common in popular Taoism. Organized Taoism distinguishes its ritual activity from that of the folk religion, which some professional Taoists (Daoshi) view as debased. Chinese alchemy (including Neidan), astrology, cuisine, several Chinese martial arts, Chinese traditional medicine, fengshui, and many styles of qigong breath training disciplines have been intertwined with Taoism throughout history.

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Comment by John Savlove on February 2, 2021 at 3:19pm: These just in from Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming, the great Qigong instructor of many volumes and DVDs on the styles and brocades. He's 73 now and the 5 YMAA videos (this is the first) altogether cover around 45 minutes of a lecture dedicated to the ancient history of the forms and his latest research on how Ohm's law corresponds with principles of tai chi.

Comment by John Savlove on January 27, 2021 at 2:50pm: Thanks, D. I deleted the comment. I'm not a fan of deleted links or videos in the way of a good scroll. I'll be sure to add other images or videos to take its place!

Comment by D. on January 27, 2021 at 1:21pm: Thank you, John, for these last two links. Unfortunately, it looks as though the first one was deleted.

Comment by John Savlove on January 22, 2021 at 5:22am: Yin/Yang Cosmology with Professor Anderson Brown (2020 zoom for students). The forms the yin/yang symbol are looked at historically. The distinctions between duality and dualisms - the latter being something Taoism does not encourage - are clarified in this video.

Comment by John Savlove on May 11, 2017 at 11:13am: Link to Immortal Sisters Conference in NY State for women practitioners and enthusiasts of Taoism August 25-30.

TaoChiNY

Comment by John Savlove on December 25, 2016 at 3:48am

Comment by John Savlove on December 20, 2016 at 9:51am

Comment by Anna Zubkova on March 23, 2015 at 3:29am: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpk05PR8Gs4

Taoist Yoga. Part 1

Comment by Within Silence on January 6, 2013 at 9:29am: Within these two short explanations are keys to unlock the prison door of suffering you believe your stuck behind. Yet, without deep inquiry and the releasing of all beliefs, thoughts and fears, can ONE come to KNOW the TRUTH of the validity of "their" beliefs? Remove the veil of darkness/ignorance which has cloaked this world for far too long by going forward and LIVING in/as Light, Love and TRUTH, how?...........KNOW THYSELF through the GNOSIS found WITHIN meditation!

Comment by Within Silence on January 6, 2013 at 9:12am: Medi-tation (meditation) is the perscription to return one to spiritual health. If one fills not the prescription one cannot retun to spiritual health.

Yet, if one becomes addicted to it, they are no better off then when they satrted. The prescrption of medi-tation is to help bring oneself back to balance, once balanced, if this one chooses to disrupt it, it now knows the secret to retun to it through the application of the prescription.

TO BE PRESENT/PRESENCE is to remain balanced and centered and flow WITH/as life in/as PEACE, PATIENCE and EQUANIMITY. One goes not looking for happiness, peace and love, but brings it with them wherever IT IS Present because IT IS the Presence/embodiment of them.

If one chooses to remain at the bottom of the pendulum of Gnosis which is to "ignore" knowlede which is "ignor"-ance, then one will be swung from one emotional extreme (fear) to the opposite (love) without any understanding that itself is both the cause and the cure which is to climb ever higher up the pendulums arm and reisde at the fulcrum, hence to remain at the center of the cirle and allow life to unfold as it will thus liberating oneself from its own caused unnecessary suffering.

To ignor knowledge is sickness, the sage is not sick becuase she is sick of sickness. For one to be free of sickness one must first realize it is sick. It is upon immense suffering when one realizes it is sick, hence out of suffering the opportunity opens to leave it and enter Tao, or non-suffering.