How many Taoists are out there in the TTB....?

[Stosh]

Very good. I grant you that...

 

Don't you think that "someone was sage like"

was cultivated oneself by

"not fearing for their own well being",

In order, to get to that stage...???

Hence, "they would not be subject to the stress in the first second place."

Sure, I think that makes good sense.

That is ,if it is the discipline which teaches the lesson.

If enlightenment teaches the lesson then it wouldnt.

I picture that remembering the ideas when they are needed ,

obviates the need for discipline to the degree that they are felt

, maybe the 'discipline part'- the faith that it is 'right" ..supplements it.

Stosh

Edited June 25, 2012 by Stosh

[Protector]

hmmmmm

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxDLTJaThiQ&feature=related

[Ish]

What I meant by "temperament" is self discipline in mental control under the worse adversity to keep one's cool. I think that is the primary requirement for a cultivated Taoist. What do you think...???

 

Absolutely, i think one should do what is appopriate for the situation, and you can only do this if you are calm internally.

[Birch]

Oh no. There are no Taoists 'out there' they're 'in there' as far as I know. This one (I will answer the questions after so Chi-Dragon can judge whether I am one or not) is 'in here' as well.

 

1 .What are the qualities of a Taoist....??? - anything that increases consciousness of specific types

2. What is the first quality to be expected in a Taoist...??? - that you wouldn't notice they are one right away, unless I guess if you went to a temple

3. If you want to be a Taoist, what do you need to do to become one...??? - I understand there are quite a few different types. Each way will have its teachers and stuff to learn.

4. If you think that you are a Taoist now, what makes you think that you are one...??? - Hmm, I like the stuff that is covered by 'Taoism'. Am I a Taoist? Not by external standards, nor internal standards I fear.

5. Since you have thought that you are a Taoist, did you follow all the principles or have you ever violated any of these principles....??? - I wasn't paying proper attention to 5E and San Niang and that almost got me nixed on a couple of occasions. But like I said another day, I'm a rotten Taoist.

[ChiDragon]

-K-

You are not sure that you are one or not and neither do I.....

[ChiDragon]

Absolutely, i think one should do what is appopriate for the situation, and you can only do this if you are calm internally.

You are a Taoist................

[Stosh]

But like I said another day, I'm a rotten Taoist.[/i]

 

K, put it this way,

1

I have read that philosophically ,

Lao was more inclined to feel that asserting what a thing was not,

was logically more accurate than to assert that which it was.

2

Taoism plays into a variety of religious traditions which are not uniform

in respect to Lao tsu or each other.

 

So if there is no grouping that you feel your beliefs fit better

then it would be most logical to say that Tao (in a broader interpretation)

includes you.

 

I know Catholics , that confidently call themselves Catholics

who do not have the core belliefs of the church.

I know protestants who arent aware of the simplest facts

about the bible they say they believe in absolutely..

 

The reasons why most folks are convinced of 'who they group best with'

think so because someone who seems to be 'on the inside' included them,

such as parents priests etc..

not!.because they were adherent to the conceptry of the belief system itself.

 

Jesus was clearly pacifist ,

clearly advocated the better spiritual position of poverty

clearly wanted to bring his following into the Jewish faith etc.

Yet the majority of followers of his church do not agree !!

 

I dont remember if it was Chuang Tzu or Lao tzu

Who made a logical argument relating to

Who is qualified to judge "between two arguing parties".

The person in question judging would just represent another persons bias

rather than the original biases of the parties.

 

 

What I am getting at is, that although folks like you and I

may not be the poster children of Laoist Daoism ,

Who cares?

Stosh

PS. " Consider yourself ... ... Consider yourself part of the

family. I've taken to you so strong. It's clear, we're, going to get along.

( from Oliver Twist , and aint that a better platform for grouping folks?)

Edited June 26, 2012 by Stosh

[Enishi]

I dislike the the idea of questioning whether someone "is" a Taoist, it makes it sound like an adoption of beliefs and mental labeling in the same vein as saying that one "is" a Christian/Atheist/ect. Taoism isn't a label, Taoism is something you DO.

[ChiDragon]

Taoism isn't a label, Taoism is something you DO.

 

Isn't something that one does is revealing(label) what one was trying to become automatically...???

[Brian]

You are a Taoist................

 

 

<waves_hand>

 

Judge me next!

[ChiDragon]

You are a scientist....

 

Please say something else, so I'll have something to go by...!!!

Edited June 26, 2012 by ChiDragon

[Brian]

You are a scientist....

 

Please say something else, so I'll have something to go by...!!!

 

LOL

 

OK, lemme go find your questions.

 

<rummage_rummage>

 

1 .What are the qualities of a Taoist?

2. What is the first quality to be expected in a Taoist?

3. If you want to be a Taoist, what do you need to do to become one?

4. If you think that you are a Taoist now, what makes you think that you are one?

5. Since you have thought that you are a Taoist, did you follow all the principles or have you ever violated any of these principles?

 

And, "How about temperament....???"

A Taoist is one who walks along the path (or attempts to). The first quality to be expected of a Taoist is the intent to walk along the path. To be a Taoist, one walks along the path. I intend to walk along the path though I often wander in the weeds. In fact, I am usually in the weeds. As to temperament, I think walking along the path tends to gently modify one in many ways -- one of those ways may be temperament. Personally, I find walking along the path actually brings me towards balance by drawing out emotional responses. (I've been told I am incapable of feeling emotion, which I found fascinating...)

[ChiDragon]

A Taoist is one who walks along the path (or attempts to). The first quality to be expected of a Taoist is the intent to walk along the path. To be a Taoist, one walks along the path. I intend to walk along the path though I often wander in the weeds. In fact, I am usually in the weeds. As to temperament, I think walking along the path tends to gently modify one in many ways -- one of those ways may be temperament. Personally, I find walking along the path actually brings me towards balance by drawing out emotional responses. (I've been told I am incapable of feeling emotion, which I found fascinating...)

 

You are an enlightened Taoist with great wisdom.....

[Brian]

You are an enlightened Taoist with great wisdom.....

 

ROFL

 

On that note, I think I'll walk outside and practice my qigong. Day 60 today of daily S-M & GoT.

 

[mYTHmAKER]

LOL

 

OK, lemme go find your questions.

 

<rummage_rummage>

 

 

A Taoist is one who walks along the path (or attempts to). The first quality to be expected of a Taoist is the intent to walk along the path. To be a Taoist, one walks along the path. I intend to walk along the path though I often wander in the weeds. In fact, I am usually in the weeds. As to temperament, I think walking along the path tends to gently modify one in many ways -- one of those ways may be temperament. Personally, I find walking along the path actually brings me towards balance by drawing out emotional responses. (I've been told I am incapable of feeling emotion, which I found fascinating...)

 

Path? what path ? Is there a path?

[Brian]

Path? what path ? Is there a path?

 

It's right over there.

 

<gestures_ambiguously>

 

On Saturday, I hiked from Mt. Mitchell down to the town of Montreat, bushwacking much of the way.

 

Never seemed to mind not having a path then, for some reason.

 

 

OK, now I am going outside!

Edited June 26, 2012 by A Seeker

[ChiDragon]

You are an enlightened Taoist with great wisdom.....

Correction:

You are one most humble enlightened Taoist with great wisdom.....

[Protector]

It's time to have a wisdom-off to see who has more wisdom and is the most wisdomest up in here, yoooooooo

[fizix]

How many Taoists are out there.....?

 

Truly only One.

[Birch]

Correction:

You are one most humble enlightened Taoist with great wisdom.....

 

Now I'm really upset. What did I answer wrong?

[mYTHmAKER]

is it okay to out a Taoist?

[Birch]

is it okay to out a Taoist?

If you know one, you are one. maybe.

[ChiDragon]

Now I'm really upset. What did I answer wrong?

It is because you get upset.....

[Birch]

It is because you get upset.....

Damn you Chi-Dragon. I'm foiled again!

[Marblehead]

MH

"after I have proven myself to be what I truely am."

if a goal of taoism is to return one to their true self,

is this done by experiencing and tasting taoism for oneself,

or,

by reading books about taoism or going by what others have said about taoism.

??????

I don't know how I missed this post this morning. Sorry.

 

Yes, we should read - this offers us a basic starting point. Yes, we should listen to others - this offers us knowledge of others' experiences. Both these should be done with prejudice though. (Test and try before you buy.)

 

Now, with a point to begin from we can go forward. Yeah, we are going to trip and fall sometimes but if you can get up you can continue the journey. Yes, living the experience is what it is all about.

 

How many times have I said, "I wish I had not done that."? Don't know for sure but it is a big number, I can tell you that. When we get to the point where we rarely say that we can say we have made great progress.

 

Now, I'm not saying that you will be living to everyone else's standards. We can never do that anyhow. But we can live up to our own standards. And I think that the standards of the Way of Tao are pretty high standards so if you aren't messing up now and then then you are probably lying to yourself.