I will convert to Taoism for a day. Help me.

[lukeprog]

I'm going to convert to Taoism for one day. I will train my thoughts to interpret the world through Taoist worldview. I will read Taoist texts. I will perform Taoist rituals. I will respond to people and circumstances from Taoist philosophy. After that one day, I will have seriously considered Islam, and might choose to convert totally at some later point.

But I need your help. I don't know much about Taoism. Here's what I need from you for my day as a Taoist:

1. What short texts should I read before that one day to become familiar with the basic history, philosophy, and rituals of Taoism? Preferably, this would be internet articles or very short books.
2. During that one day, which acts or rituals should I perform? How shall I perform them?
3. During that one day, what should I keep reminding myself of about myself, the universe, objects, actions, and other people, from the Taoist worldview?

I welcome any comments or suggestions you can offer. And of course, I will report back here when I have gone through my one day.

Thank you very much for your help!

[soaringeagle]

hahaha well 1st off im not so sure that taoism is anything that you'd convert to
converting implies giving up one ideal for another & i believe that taoism could be compatable alongside other viewpoints
for simple books to intro u to taoism the tao of pooh is lighthearted & easy to read fun & yes enlightening
& will give u a tiny taste to get u going
i wouldnt pretend to be very knowledgeble on taoist thought so i wont try to suggest other books or anything but taoism has always fascinated me
one day though, hmm what can you accomplish in a day?
what are you really hoping to learn from this day of taoist thought? or are you hoping just to find an alternative to the choices you feel yopur being pushed into?

[BlackBillBlake]

The idea of 'conversion' to taoism is probably something which comes from having a western model of spiritual paths in your head.

If you intend consciously to accord with tao, you immediately move further away from it.

It takes a long time to even begin to have any comprehension - certainly you'd be better off spending your day having fun or something.

[prismatism]

to try to convert to taoism for one day by intensely studying it is one of the most un-taoist things you can do :D. sorry but i find it ironic and funny.

read the tao of pooh (it is not simplified/for "beginners", i think people who say that are trying to sound superior and are missing the point. no offense). read the te of piglet. read the tao te ching. i've read lots of more "scholarly" taoist books and they've been to muddled down and not playful enough and they lose the essence of taoism. those three are my favorites. a taoist outlook will just happen naturally if you set the intention, but i don't think you can just do it for one day.

[Gaston]

I'm going to convert to Taoism for one day. Hahahahaha!

That there's funny, I don't care who you are.

[lukeprog]

Yes, I know it's quite funny. It should make for a good blog post, no?

[ghost of rat]

[QUOTE=prismatism]to try to convert to taoism for one day by intensely studying it is one of the most un-taoist things you can do :D. sorry but i find it ironic and funny.QUOTE]

Quite true.
The way of the tao is so simple, but at the same time difficult.
Taoism isnt realy a religion, its more a philosophy, more of a way of life.

Please do read up to gain an understanding of the concept of taoism, it is a truley brilliant and intelegent concept.
But following taoist concept for just one day is pointless, it will lead you know where, it takes months and years to undertand the effects of following taoist life style.

The most taoist thing you can do at the moment is just live your normal life, and casually read up about taoism when you have the time.

[BlackBillBlake]

Quite true.
The way of the tao is so simple, but at the same time difficult.
Taoism isnt realy a religion, its more a philosophy, more of a way of life.

Please do read up to gain an understanding of the concept of taoism, it is a truley brilliant and intelegent concept..
If you seek to define tao, as you are doing here, you imediately move further away from it.

[prismatism]

i remember when i was first trying to learn about taoism, it always irritated me to read that you're not supposed to try, to talk about it, to read about it. i was like "what the fuck then?" owning a good translation of the tao te ching, and reading it sporadically, is probably the most taoist/minimal way to *study* taoism. it doesn't say "when you are a taoist this is what you do, this is what the tao is" but more invokes the FEELING of tao, so in ordinary life you'll remember something from the tao te ching because it relates to the situation, which will invoke the feeling, which will be like a booster shot and you can flow with it easier. and after a while, you will be able to find that essence of tao in everything, even in a newspaper or a sidewalk.

if you are taoist, it doesn't mean you are not any other religion, or that you are or do anything in particular. when you stop trying to define what the tao is, you are closer to understanding it. you can't really devote yourself to BEING a taoist, it just creeps up on you without you noticing, and you become it.


i don't think this is my favorite translation but it's a start...
http://www.sacred-texts.com/tao/taote.htm

[shaman sun]

Don't all things abide in the Tao anyway?

[compassion]

Hi
I am so very interested in Tao and it's teachings.
Warmest wishes
Compassion always

[Gaston]

If you seek to define tao, as you are doing here, you imediately move further away from it.I've long thought it hilarious that Lao Tan decided that words were useless to describe the Tao ... so, he wrote a book about it. http://www.hipforums.com/forums/images/newsmilies/smilielol5.gif

[prismatism]

neti neti :)

[BlackBillBlake]

not that even really

[prismatism]

exactly



mwahaha

[Gaston]

Don't all things abide in the Tao anyway? All things except those weird pretzel-thingies they put in the cheap Chex mix.

[prismatism]

All things except those weird pretzel-thingies they put in the cheap Chex mix.
you are truly enlightened.

be my guru??

:D

[HippieTim]

tao is and is not.
to live in tao you must be and not be.

[BlackBillBlake]

I think many people totally miss the simple humanistic side of taoism.

[groovecookie]

Thanks for the chuckles! Let me teach you how to play the flute instead. You blow in one end, and move your fingers up and down the outside. That was easy wasn't it?http://www.hipforums.com/forums/images/newsmilies/biggrinjester.gif

[BlackBillBlake]

I'd be more interested in learning more about MIDI myself.....

[usfcat]

wait..why would you convert to something (even if for a day) if you didn't know what it was all about? Also, I doubt you can gather the feelings and perspectives of a belief system in just a day.
I think its beautiful that you want to explore your options. But you don't need to "convert" to learn. Good luck with your adventure though.

[BlackBillBlake]

Hmmm....I wonder what you'd do the next day - I mean after your day of 'conversion'?

[Gaston]

you are truly enlightened.

be my guru??

:DHaha, not hardly. It's just that I read Zhuangzi more often than I do Lao Tzu, and his sense of humor rubs off.

You might enjoy these links, lots of free translations and a comparison tool:

http://www.exploretaoism.com/Ancientbooks.htm

http://www.wayist.org/ttc%20compared/index.htm

Have fun!

[dirtydog]

Ritual was the beginning of study.
Study was the beginning of learning.
Learning was the beginning of status and honours.
Status and honours were the beginning of chaos and unprincipled confusion.

This expresses what I mean.

[ghost of rat]

Haha, not hardly. It's just that I read Zhuangzi more often than I do Lao Tzu, and his sense of humor rubs off.

You might enjoy these links, lots of free translations and a comparison tool:

http://www.exploretaoism.com/Ancientbooks.htm

http://www.wayist.org/ttc%20compared/index.htm

Have fun!

Yay, thanks, I was looking for a translation of the Chung tzu. I dodnt think there was any around.

[Desiree L]

The Toa is a symbol of balance between two sides. Light/dark, sun/moon, god/satan, etc.. The point is,the two sides are at war within, until one is freed from the opposites.
Now both sides are brothers so to speak. They are one. They work in conjunction. Not
against each other.

[floydianslip6]

I'm going to convert to Taoism for one day. I will train my thoughts to interpret the world through Taoist worldview. I will read Taoist texts. I will perform Taoist rituals. I will respond to people and circumstances from Taoist philosophy. After that one day, I will have seriously considered Islam, and might choose to convert totally at some later point.

But I need your help. I don't know much about Taoism. Here's what I need from you for my day as a Taoist:

1. What short texts should I read before that one day to become familiar with the basic history, philosophy, and rituals of Taoism? Preferably, this would be internet articles or very short books.
2. During that one day, which acts or rituals should I perform? How shall I perform them?
3. During that one day, what should I keep reminding myself of about myself, the universe, objects, actions, and other people, from the Taoist worldview?

I welcome any comments or suggestions you can offer. And of course, I will report back here when I have gone through my one day.

Thank you very much for your help!Sounds like you're mindset is more of confucionism.

Want to be a taoist for a single day? There's only two steps.

1)Shut up.
2)Stay put.

Good luck speechless non-doer.

(I anticipate you'll mistake this post for sarcasm, which shows just how prepared you are to be a taoist)

[thecoffeecake]

I've been looking into Taoism for about a week now, and maybe im not experienced or enlightened enough to say anything at this point, but for a day thats a very bad idea. but if you want, this is what ive picked up. do not disrupt the flow of nature, do not allow materials to dominate your happiness, do not put yourself above others and live in harmony with all people, nature and the universe. my personal belief is that the tao links all things, and the tao is the path you try to reach in life that will lead you to everlasting happiness and the only way to reach the tao is to do the things listed above. there will always be yin and yang and it is useless to try and do anything about it. if there is one there will always be the other. there is no good without evil. i hope i made sense and please let me know if i sounded stupid.

[Xac]

Despite what the previous poster said, 'converting to Taoism for a day' isnt a bad idea, its just that it's not a very good idea, as much energy would be expended for little gain, you would be far better off lightly studying Taoism every day for a month.

One of the best things i gained from Taoism is that what you do every day is far more important then putting in one major effort for a once off thing.

To answer your question; a good simple book for an introduction to Taoism is Gateway To Wisdom by John Blofeld. It is simple, covers many different aspects of Taoism and is written for westerners, with an understanding of traditional western ideas of spirituality, which is important as Taoism is vastly different.

After reading the afore mentioned book i quit smoking, within three days of contemplating the ideas. It is worth mentioning that only half the book is dedicated to Taoism, the other half to Budhism.

I don't consider myself a 'Taoist' but the Tao has vastly expanded my understanding of the universe, and given me a much more satisfying sense of God. Even if you still decide to become a Muslim I would recomend studying some Taoist concepts.

[dirtydog]

I've been looking into Taoism for about a week now, and maybe im not experienced or enlightened enough to say anything at this point, but for a day thats a very bad idea. but if you want, this is what ive picked up. do not disrupt the flow of nature, do not allow materials to dominate your happiness, do not put yourself above others and live in harmony with all people, nature and the universe. my personal belief is that the tao links all things, and the tao is the path you try to reach in life that will lead you to everlasting happiness and the only way to reach the tao is to do the things listed above. there will always be yin and yang and it is useless to try and do anything about it. if there is one there will always be the other. there is no good without evil. i hope i made sense and please let me know if i sounded stupid.Far from sounding stupid, you present the basic ideas concisely, in so far as that is possible in a poor medium such as print.

Of course, Master Lao goes out of his way to say that The Way is unspeakable, so to speak.