One can say Taoists believe in spiritual immortality, where the spirit of the body joins the universe after death.

Taoism maintains that on Earth humans and animals should live in balance with the Tao, or the way of the universe.

Let’s learn more about Taoism.

What Is Taoism All About?

What is the The Tao Te Ching?

The Tao Te Ching is a Chinese classic text written around 400 BC and traditionally credited to the sage Lao-Tzu, although the text’s actual authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated. (Source: en.wikipedia.org)

The Tao Te Ching contains Lao-Tzu’s core lessons, and it’s been translated into every language and distributed around the world.

Taoist philosophy is based on three main pillars: simplicity, patience, and compassion.

Lao Tzu said that these three principles are our greatest treasures.

He explained that by being simple in actions and in thoughts, we can return to the source of being.

Through patience with both friends and enemies alike, you achieve balance and acceptance with the way things are. And by exhibiting compassion toward ourselves, we reconcile all beings in the world.

What is Yin and Yang in Taoism?

The commonly seen yin-yang symbol holds its roots in Taoism.

The yin is the dark swirl, and is associated with shadows and femininity.

The yang is the light swirl, which often represents brightness, passion and growth.

What God Do Taoists Believe In?

In Taoism the universe springs from the Tao, and the Tao impersonally guides things on their way.

Taoism doesn’t have a God in the way that some other religions do. There’s no omnipotent being living beyond the cosmos, who created and controls the universe.

What Is The Main Goal Of Taoism?

The Taoists enabled people to realize that since human life is really only a small part of a larger process of nature, the only human actions which ultimately make sense are those which are in accord with the flow of nature, or the Way.

What Do Taoists Believe About The Universe?

The Tao is hard to define but is usually understood as the way of the universe.

Taoism teaches that all living creatures should live in a state of harmony with the universe, and the energy found in it.

Ch’i, or qi, is the energy present in and guiding everything in the universe.

Does Taoism Believe In Astrology?

One of the religions that influenced the zodiac was Taoism. In Taoism they use constellations and space to determine a person’s future.

And this applies directly to the zodiac because in Chinese astrology, they believe that the positions of the objects in space can affect a person’s destiny.

How Does Taoism Affect Daily Life?

If followers of Taoism implement Taoist teachings and practices, they will normally see a number of effects from this belief system in their everyday lives. 

Taoists will also practice the ritual of meditation often, and will try to implement the principles of compassion, moderation, and humility into their daily lives.

How Do I Start Learning About Taoism?

• Do not concentrate on the meaning of Tao.
• Taoism is more than a philosophy or religion. It is to be understood as a way of being.
• The path of understanding Taoism is in accepting yourself. Live your life, and discover who you are for yourself.

Is Taoism Good For Mental Health?

For the Chinese, traditional Taoism might still have a strong impact on the mental health of Chinese people.

Taoist concepts of mental health stress the transcendence from self, integration with nature and the pursuit of the infinite.

What is The Meaning of The Vinegar Tasters?

The Vinegar Tasters was an ancient Chinese painting, and later spread to other East Asian countries in various versions.

The composition depicts the three founders of China’s major religious and philosophical traditions: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The three men are Confucious, Buddha, and Lao-Tzu, respectively

The three men are dipping their fingers in a vat of vinegar and tasting it.

One man reacts with a sour expression, one reacts with a bitter expression, and one reacts with a sweet expression.

Each of their expressions represents the predominant attitude of his philosophy.

Confucianism saw life as sour, in need of rules to correct the degeneration of people, while Buddhism saw life as bitter, dominated by pain and suffering due to attachment with possessions and material desires.

However Taoism saw life as sweet due to it being fundamentally perfect in its natural state. From the Taoist point of view, sourness and bitterness come from the interfering and unappreciative mind.

Life itself, when understood and used for what it is, is sweet. That is the message of The Vinegar Tasters. (Source: www.en.wikipedia.org)  

There is another interpretation of the painting stating that since the three men are gathered around one vat of vinegar, the three teachings are all one.

How Do You Live Like A Taoist?

Taoist cultivation practices include stillness meditation, ritual, martial arts, life nourishing through diet, qigong and living in harmony with the seasons and calendar.

Is Taoism Similar To Nihilism?

Nihilism is the idea that the universe and life are basically meaningless and that we can’t give it meaning.

Taoism holds that there are certain meanings to life. So no, Taoism isn’t nihilistic.

What Does Taoism Say About Gender?

The Tao itself was said to be feminine or Yin, the mother of all beings.

Taoism is perhaps unique in that the feminine is integral to it, represented in its mythology, history and core principles like the Mysterious Feminine. It represents ultimate emptiness, from which time and space and all creation came.

Final Thoughts:

No matter our beliefs, we can find plenty of life lessons when learning about Taoism.

Taoist beliefs emphasize respecting and protecting nature, all in the pursuit of harmony between people and the environment.

Many of us can appreciate the Taoist philosophy to go with the flow. Rather than fighting the current, Tao followers aim to go with the flow and accept things as they happen.

We often try to fix things or argue points when sometimes the best action is to do nothing and sit still or just listen to the other person.

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