Page Title
Songs: Take it Easy, The Eagles
Like A Rolling Stone (Dylan)
Blowin in the Wind (Dylan)
Come As You Are (Nirvana)
Bare Necessities (The Jungle Book)
Float On by Modest Mouse No Rain by Blind Melon How Far We’ve Come by Matchbox 20
Don't Worry Be Happy
Chris Smither Hey Hey Hey
Follow The Sun
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Other Quotes
Turn on the light and the darkness disappears of itself.
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What is Taoism?
Taoism, or Daoism, is a way of viewing life based on the writings of Lao Tzu, who was born in China around 570 B.C.. He wrote down what he believed were the keys to living a tranquil life in a collection of 81 verses known as the Tao (the way or path) Te (virtue) Ching (sacred book). The word “Taoism” comes from this title and is basically interchangeable with the word daoism. Though his words are sometimes hard to understand, the ideas he shares have stood the test of time. You can also find many of them woven into other philosophies and religions from many different places and time periods because I believe the truth found in the Tao Te Ching are eternal truths available to all who honestly, humbly and perceptively seek truth. These truths have guided human lives for millennia and throughout many cultures both modern and ancient. Explore this site to learn more about Lao Tzu’s words and how they can change your life and your level of peace and contentment, no matter what your current life circumstance.
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Taoism is also a formal religion, but this website focuses on the principles of Taoism as a belief system, not the tenets of the formal religion. Taoism can also be studied from a metaphysical standpoint. But again, this website attempts only to understand the tao in terms of how we experience it in our simple day-to-day lives.
Why do some people seem secretive about Taoism?
Many may argue that a website like this shouldn't even exist. When you ask a Taoist to explain Taoism to you, the conversation may go something like this: "What is Taoism all about?" "Nothing, really." "Nothing? Aren't there any principles I could follow?" "No, Taoism has no principles." "Well, how do you know what to do or what to believe?" "A good way to start is to read the Tao Te Ching and meditate on each verse." "Okay, but the Tao Te Ching doesn't make a lot of sense to me." "Well, when you're ready to understand it, it will make sense." One of the key ideas in the Tao Te Ching is that we can't fully understand truth or the Tao, and we can't really put the ideas of the Tao into words. So it's quite a paradox, just like much of the Tao Te Ching. You want to learn and embrace Taoism ideas, but to attempt to learn and embrace them is against the Tao. Yes, you read that right. In this website, I have broken the rules and do attempt to put the ideas into words so that a person can at least have a starting point with following the Tao. As the Tao says, there is the tangible world and there is the intangible world. Though the intangible world is what matters most, it is through the tangible world that we experience the intangible. So, in this website I attempt, as Lao Tzu did, to put intangible ideas into tangible words so we may at least begin to understand the beautiful ideas of the Tao Te Ching.