The Genuine Article Posted February 7, 2009 i was wondering what are some aspects from taoism that you can apply to your everyday life? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gerard Posted February 8, 2009 Bagua, Yin, Yang, chi, Feng Shui, macro & microcosmic relationship, stillness, softness, simplicity, withdrawal from emotional impulses and society's needs and wants, desire little, etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mal Posted February 8, 2009 i was wondering what are some aspects from taoism that you can apply to your everyday life? Â Really feeling and being with what is happening now. And responding naturally with that, rather than a mental or "thought out" response. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
innerspace_cadet Posted February 8, 2009 Not seeking other people's approval is very important. Because if you do, you become their servant, like the Dao De Jing says. Â What is important for me is being flexible and yielding in my approach to everyday situations by not trying to impose my will on everything. Also, trying to see life's ups and downs as part of the natural course of things is what I do. There is a Taoist parable that I love, and always keep in the back of my mind: Â A man owned a number of black stallions. One day they jumped over the fence bordering his property and ran away. When his neighbor found out about his misfortune, he expressed his sympathy. The man responded by saying "who is to say what is good or bad?" Â The next day, the stallions came back with some wild mustangs. The neighbor expressed his joy for the man's good fortune. Again, the man responded with "who is to say what is good or bad?" Â The day after that, the man's son, when trying to break in one of the mustangs, was thrown off and broke his legs in the fall. The neighbor expressed his sympathy for what happened to the man's son. Again, the man replied with "who is to say what is good or bad?" Â Several weeks later, the country went to war, and all the young men were being conscripted to join the army. Except of course, for the man's son, because his legs were broken. When the neighbor expressed delight that the son did not have to fight, the father of the son gave the same reply: "who is to say what is good or bad?" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rex Posted February 8, 2009 Apply the four timeless hexagrams - heaven, earth, mastering ptifalls and fire. To quote from Thomas Cleary's introduction to his translation of the Taoist I Ching: Â "These are held to obtain in some way to all stages of practice. Heaven and earth represent firmness and flexibilty; fostering the mind of Tao and emptying the human mind; ... Mastering pitfalls, overcoming internal and external obstacles, dealing with difficulties and dangers in the mind and the environment, is considered the way in which human development is achieved. Fire stands for illumination, awareness, understanding, which are required all along the way to guide action." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rookie Posted February 8, 2009 Although I am not very good at it at this point there is a system that I stumbled upon that describes the interplay of the energies of the five elements. Keeping them balanced=all good. Unbalanced=problems that are usually sensed in the mental-emotinal realm first but can progress to physical symptoms or illness of some kind. There is an exceptional book by Giles Marin "Five Elements, Six Conditions" that goes into this in detail. Â There is a creation cycle where one element feeds another, and a controlling cycle that can throttle back the energy of an element that is out of balance. There is a formula for too much anger for example, or depression, etc. I will not go into details here because there are probably other members that know a whole lot more about it thatn I do. I recomend the book though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lightbringer Posted February 8, 2009 I never thought in a million years, that I, the pseudo-Hindu guy, would be the first to say this. Maybe it's all just a bit too obvious for the Taoists, but obviously the parts of Taoism that you should be applying to everyday life are...wait for it... Â All of them! Â Whatever your beliefs, if they aren't integrated into your everyday life, then clearly you aren't living a life with a lot of integrity. If you act like everyone else, then you're not living by your conscious ideals but the ones you've chosen subconsciously (as most people do). To live with your beliefs consciously known to you is to live in the present moment. If you choose Taoism, great. If you choose Hinduism, that's great too. Whatever you choose doesn't matter as long as it's right for you and you live by it fully. Maybe you'll find some bizarre bastardization of everything works for you, but at least you've chosen and a life of choice will eventually mean a life filled with truth. Then beliefs are pointless Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted February 8, 2009 Taoism (alchemical sorta) has given me a way of looking at the world through the 5 element system. To look at the sun and feel it in my heart and go Aaahhh, see a river, lake and ocean and feel it in my kidneys, a breeze and reverberate w/ it in my lungs etc.. Â To see the worlds interactions from an elemental view point. Â Michael Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ya Mu Posted February 8, 2009 Really feeling and being with what is happening now. And responding naturally with that, rather than a mental or "thought out" response. Â +1000 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rookie Posted February 9, 2009 I never thought in a million years, that I, the pseudo-Hindu guy, would be the first to say this. Maybe it's all just a bit too obvious for the Taoists, but obviously the parts of Taoism that you should be applying to everyday life are...wait for it...  All of them!   There is far to much to "taoism" to apply "all of them" to anyones life  But I get your point anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve Posted February 9, 2009 i was wondering what are some aspects from taoism that you can apply to your everyday life? Wu Wei Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
p1g3on Posted February 9, 2009 Not seeking other people's approval is very important. Because if you do, you become their servant, like the Dao De Jing says. Â What is important for me is being flexible and yielding in my approach to everyday situations by not trying to impose my will on everything. Also, trying to see life's ups and downs as part of the natural course of things is what I do. There is a Taoist parable that I love, and always keep in the back of my mind: Ah this is very wise and well explained. props on the simplicity. I really think that's the practical essence of most Taoism. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wayfarer64 Posted February 10, 2009 Back in the days of my youth we would say "go with the flow" to conotate an acceptance of natural happenstances... As in- do not fight the force of what is going on around you. This was quite Taoist in its way... Â There are cyclical movements to life; & we are happiest when we allow ourselves to adapt & be a natural part of these changes. In politics and interpersonal activities the issues are trickier- but if you stay centered and humbly assert the goodness that you feel is the right way to procede things just work out better... Â Accepting that all of life is part of a Oneness and that we are each but a small inter-connected part of that whole is a great boon to serenity and hopefullness... Â love to all-Pat Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Genuine Article Posted February 14, 2009 What about the ten percepts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Genuine Article Posted February 14, 2009 what aspects should i apply? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
