Question
Hello Sifu,
I have heard of Taoism but know nothing about it. Could you give me a brief explanation of it and how it has benefited you.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Regards Will Campbell
Answer
Hi Will!
Well, giving a brief explanation of Taoism is like giving a 2-minute talk on the history of Catholicism :>), but I'll do my best!
The "Big Three" native belief systems of China are Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. I say "native", but Buddhism actually is supposed to have originated in India.
Be that as it may, Buddhism has had the largest number of followers since its introduction. Most people have at least a rough idea of the tenets of Buddhism, so I won't go into that here.
Confucianism, named after Confucious, is more a series of rules, ethics, morals, and codes to live by. It is based upon respecting and honoring your elders, your ancestors, and your "superiors" in life. It is chock-full of class divisions, and concerns itself mostly with how you interact with others in society.
Taoism began as a pagan system, with ancient man observing nature and ascribing powers to it. Over its evolution, it has gone from basically being a philosophical way of life to being a fully-realized religion, with a number of gods and goddesses. To this day, the two main divisions of Taoism are philosophical and religious.
The main beliefs of philosophical Taoism that I follow are to attempt to "blend in" with life - don't fight an unstoppable force, don't go against Nature, and mainly, take it easy! This of course is a highly simplified overview of MY personal style of Taoism - others may present slightly more involved viewpoints, and indeed, the study of Taoism will take at least one lifetime to complete...
It has helped me because it has shown me a way ("Tao" means "way" or "path") to live without a lot of excess baggage, to find the easiest route between where I am and where I want to be, and to enjoy the trip! In addition, my practice of Taiji, Qigong, and Chinese Medicine are all predicated upon the principles of Taoism. Without a study and understanding of its basic principles, I would hardly be able to explain simple philosophical and practical terms to my students and clients.
Hope this helped, and thanks for your question!
