ChiDragon

I am a Yang style Taiji practitioner for more than forty years. I do recognize that the latter is the Yang style and is legit. It will have the healing effect as the former, but I would strongly recommend to go with the latter.

Thank you! I appreciate your continuous compliments on my posts. To tell you the truth, at first, I knew nothing about the Tao Te Jing. I tried to read the English translations to begin with. It did not help me much. Then, I tried the native translations. I was still not pleased. So, I dropped by a local Chinese book store and found one book that is very good. I have mentioned it many times here. The author is Chen GuYing( 陳鼓應 ). His book helped me to have a clear understanding of the TTJ. Another lucky thing is that I did not lose my heritage and the meaning of the characters. Finally, with the vast information on the internet, I was able to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

I don't quite get the meaning of the "concept of spirit". If you don't mind, would you just give me a little hint. Thanks.

Yes, it is a bad translation. The English word "Spirit" is a very broad term. In Chinese, there are different names given to a specific kind of spirits.

1. 昔之得一者。 2. 天得一以清。 3. 地得一以寧。 4. 神得一以靈。 5. 谷得一以盈。 6. 萬物得一以生。 7. 侯王得一以為天下正。 1. Since those who gained unity: 2. Heaven gained unity became clear; 3. Earth gained unity became peaceful; 4. Deity gained unity became miraculous; 5. Valley gained unity became full; 6. All things gained unity became alive; 7. Rulers gained unity made world peace. Here is the interpretation of lines 2 to 7 in Chapter 39. The key words are "gained unity(得一)." Laotze used Unity to represent Tao. What 得一 means is one who has Tao will be so and so..... It was indicated in lines 2 to 7. Those who are having Tao in their lives will have the benefits as indicated for each entity. 8. On the contrary, 9. Heaven is not clear, afraid it will split; 10. Earth is not peaceful, afraid it will quake; 11. Deity without miracle, afraid it will disappear; 12. Valley is not full, afraid it will dry out; 13. All things cannot grow, afraid they will extinct; 14. Rulers without standards, afraid they will be overthrown. Lines 8 to 14 explained that what happened to those who does not have Tao in their lives. The lesson taught here is to accept and live by the principles of Tao; or else otherwise!

I don't believe in God. However, I can talk about your God with you. Do you believe in Tao?

It will throw me off completely. Unless you go into a specific case for me to interpret.

Laotze is an atheist and naturalist. He uses ghost(spirit) as example in people's language to explain so people who would understand.

神得一以靈 Deity has Tao(得一) will have the effectiveness of the magical power. If deity do not have the effectiveness of the magical power, then it will rest soon. Rest soon means deity is no longer a deity. 以靈 doesn't mean spirit here. It means the effectiveness of the magical power.

No, I was referring to 靈(灵)魂。

Yes, Tao is eternal.

Yes, Tao is existed before anything.

Everything is Tao. Everything is there for a reason. They follow the principles of Tao. Tao is the principle.

The terms do not change. Different religion may use the same terms with their own esoteric meaning. The native scholars do know and understand what are the terms mean in different religion. When they interpret the classics, they do consider how the terms were used in different Era. The classics cannot be interpreted by the modern concepts alone.

Good observation. It was not a set up but it is the way how the classic was written.