Inkjet, Laser Jet, Fax & Copier Equipment, Service & Supplies

sales@nwofficetechnologies.com     1(800) 825-7146

An Introduction to Taoism

The Tao, or the 'Way', has been one of the principle influences on Chinese civilization and culture for the last 5,000 years.  No aspect of Chinese life, from the concern for good food, health or satisfying relationships, to search for moral and spiritual insight, has been untouched by Taoist thought and practice.

Like with traditional Taoist thought, in order to promote a better world in which we live in, it is our philosophy that change starts with the individual and works its way outward toward a new global way of thinking.  It is our desire to educate the youth of today so they can pass on the message to the youth of tomorrow.  As individuals, we are making a difference, but together, we are changing the world!

To follow the Tao - is to follow one of the world's oldest spiritual/philosophical traditions, pre-dating the foundation of Christianity by some four or five hundred years.  The Tao encompasses a message of balance and proportion- you must seek to avoid discord and to achieve harmony by finding the middle way between any two extremes.  Taoists set out to follow the natural way of Heaven by reconciling and reunifying the opposing forces of yin and yang, or the positive and negative forces of nature in the Chinese mind, in order to achieve the unified consciousness of the Tao.

Taoists believe in the profundity of nature that, out of its continuous cycle of change, tends always towards the most harmonious outcome.  All life is therefore subject to this cycle of change, pulled between the interaction of opposite polar influences that are never wholly good nor wholly bad but, instead, are complementary aspects of the same primordial One:  the Tao that manifests all existence.  To oppose change or to attempt to impose an artificial, man-made order on the natural way is thus to oppose the very principle of existence.

 Taoists have refined this principle into the practice of wu wei - 'non action', or the path of least interference with the unfolding nature.  The Taoist sets out to attune his or her mind and body to the natural order:  to eat according to season, to take regular exercise, to meditate, and to avoid stress by working with the course of events rather than opposing them.  Taoism is also call the 'Water Course Way' as, like a stream following the contours of the land to meander around obstructions to the sea, Taoists aim to react to situations in the most appropriate but least strenuous manner, accommodating themselves to their surroundings to move harmoniously with the flow of events.

This belief in the ultimate 'rightness' of nature encouraged a passion that came to be expressed in the work of Taoist-inspired painters and poets, and is rooted in their attachment to the richness of the Chinese landscape.  As poets and painters celebrated the Tao in their reflections of the interaction of man and the natural world, so too did Taoist doctors, acupuncturists and ch'i kung masters celebrate the Tao in the human body.  The emphasis on health and longevity is another major characteristic of Taoism.  Man, as a manifestation of Tao, holds within himself the spark of the eternal universal energy, or ch'i.  Through specific exercises and meditation to promote health and a long life, Taoists hope that they might, at last, understand how to become immortal.  It is from this religious context that Taoist alchemists, herbalists and doctors develop the rich traditions of classical Chinese medicine and exercise that have become so familiar in the West.

One of the reasons why Taoism is today reaching a wider and more informed audience in the West is that it offers a comprehensive way of life, which integrates practical concerns for health and harmonious living with the spiritual quest.  The concern for physical and mental health goes far beyond the dietary laws of other faiths such as Judaism and Islam, and although Christians may refer to the body as the 'temple of the Holy Spirit', so far they have not thought to integrate callisthenics and breathing excersises into their daily worship.  While it might be viewed as a Christian duty to take care of the body, the 'soul' remains 'other' - a separate entity that is undying and will live independently of the body whatever we do.  The Taoist gives no such independence to the soul.  The maintenance of a balanced, healthy mind and body is not just an asset to spiritual peace.  It is the primary means to acquire such peace.  Health and general well-being is therefore a spiritual imperative and must be pursued with the same seriousness as contemplative practice or religious observance.

Until recently, the West tended to see Taoism as a purely Chinese thing, more associated with 'Kitchen Gods' and the Chinese New Year than a profound spiritual tradition.  After all, unlike other faiths followers seemed to have little interest in bringing the message of the Tao to the world, but rather served local Chinese communities.  In part this perception was true.  Until the arrival of Western Christian missionaries, the Chinese had no word for 'religion'.  Taoism and its counterparts - Confucianism and Buddhism - were part of the fabric of Chinese life.  Spiritual practices were as functional as buying food at the market or fetching water from a well.  They were 'ways' to follow that added to the quality of the experience of daily life and contributed to finding harmony and spiritual peace.  Less awe-struck, less reverent perhaps, the Chinese viewed 'religion' from a more utilitarian perspective than their Western Christian counterparts.  In this way, it was and still is possible for the Chinese to be Taoists, Buddhists and followers of Confucius all at the same time, turning to whichever tradition seems to offer the best match to a specific need.

This more open, non-sectarian approach to faith and worship may have been Taoism's gift to the Chinese religious character for, in the main, the Chinese have maintained an open, pragmatic attitude in these matters that has resisted the idea of one people, on faith.  Rather than futilely opposing its Buddhist and Confucian rivals, Taoism absorbed their messages and gave back much of its own to both traditions.  Without Taoism there would be no Zen Buddhism, and Confucianism would have lost much of its heart and compassion.

Unlike many other philosophies or faith traditions, Taoism can be approached through participation in the Taoist 'arts' of moving meditation and harmonious living, such as tai ch'i, ch'i kung, and feng shui, without the need to ever go near a Taoist temple.  Lessons learnt by by the body inform the mind and enlighten the soul.  No other faith tradition seems to offer such a practical approach to achieving the balance of body, mind and spirit that is essential for living a long and contented life.

As more and more people in the West come to practice Taoism unconsciously through their pursuit of the Taoist arts, it is likely that many will be tempted to extract only what seems palatable from its philosophy.  Just as the Tao teaches, change is inevitable; this cannot be avoided and must be viewed positively as part of that great melting pot of ideas and cultures that is our present world.  However, before we absorb, or extract, or borrow, or make a declaration of belief, we must see Taoism in its context within the development of Chinese religious culture as a whole.  Obviously with a history as long as China's this modest website cannot hope to describe in detail all the figures, debates and circumstances that have featured in Taoism's story.  What this portion of the website hopes to offer is an examination of the principles of Taoism both as a philosophy and as a religion, and an account of the major landmarks in the development of both.  Its intention is to offer a clear explanation of the main tenets of the Taoist tradition and whet your appetite to know more.  From then on 'the way' leads wherever the Tao may take you.

Today's Vistor #

Northwest Office Technologies

208 E. 37th St.  Suite #4

Boise, Idaho  83713

Phone: (208) 703-4380/1(800) 825-7146

Fax: 1(800) 825-7146/ 1(615) 825-7146 

Email: info@nwofficetechnologies.com

Website: www.nwofficetechnologies.com