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

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!

 

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?

 

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.

 

to try to convert to taoism for one day by intensely studying it is one of the most un-taoist things you can do . 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.

 

Hahahahaha!

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

 

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

 

If you seek to define tao, as you are doing here, you imediately move further away from it.

 

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

 

Don't all things abide in the Tao anyway?

 

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

 

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.

 

neti neti

 

not that even really

 

exactly



mwahaha

 

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

 

you are truly enlightened.

be my guru??

 

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

 

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

 

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?