Tom Beckett Posted October 19, 2022 What is the way a Taoist should live. I know we are supposed to follow and go with the flow of the universe and read texts but I don’t know much else. How should I pray and meditate etc. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gerard Posted October 26, 2022 read texts Definitively not.I strongly advice not doing it if you want to go deep and clear blockages and open up to the greater picture which lies within you. Practice a system of energy work and meditation that involves a lot of work; eg. Xingyi, Ba Gua Quan, Vipassana (meditation aspect)...but for this you'd need a real life teacher. All the best. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mango Posted October 30, 2022 On 10/19/2022 at 4:54 PM, Tom Beckett said: What is the way a Taoist should live. I know we are supposed to follow and go with the flow of the universe and read texts but I don’t know much else. How should I pray and meditate etc. Hi Tom, The question is not how to be a good Taoist but how to become a Taoist. To become a Taoist is to be a good person. One needs to follow some guidelines but not necessarily any special rules. It is self-cultivation and self-discipline by treating oneself and others with respect. One doesn't require to pray unless one is deep into the religious level. It is a good idea to obtain as much knowledge as one can to deal with the universe. That said, one needs to start at the human level to deal with what is in the environment. It is to have peace of mind to avoid conflicts of any nature. One wants to keep a calm mental state and look into things with an open mind within reasons. Physically, it is to have a healthy body to deal with the daily chores. There are many practices to enhance the physical being of the body. One can practice the Qigong exercise such as meditation or Taiji. Both will give one good mental health but Taiji or other exercises involving movement and breathing will give both mental and physical benefits. To be a Taoist is to be a good person, to begin with. However, one should not restrict oneself by following some rules that might be detrimental to one's mental and physical health. Good luck to you in pursuing this wonderful journey. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
liminal_luke Posted October 30, 2022 (edited) How to be a good Daoist? Hidden within this question are some assumptions worthy of examination, namely, that there's such a thing as a good Daoist and therefore a bad one, and that Daoism is proscriptive and those who would call themselves Daoists ought to follow certain tenents. If the members of this forum are a representative sample, I'd say Daoists are unruly, cantankerous, wild and occasionally unlawful. I'm not sure trying to be a good Daoist is recommended. Edited October 30, 2022 by liminal_luke 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
