Whats the deal with Taoism?

I like what Ive seen and heard and I want to know more.
Wikipedia's good, but id prefer a Taoist to tell me what its like themselves.
Wood uncut.
Ive only read a few bits of the "Tao book" (ha vent memorized the name yet. Lil) but i must say, alto of what Ive read fits in with my natural philosophy. I think i may be on to a winner with Taoism
This made alto of sense to me.

"The Masters are always aware
of the difficulties involved,
which is why
they never have to deal with them."
So Taoism is more agnostic than theistic.

Is that right? not that it matters...

Taoism is more of a nature and individual religion, as opposed to Confucism (Sp) which is more of a corporate and social approach.

It is like a Chinese - creation religion. they believe in spirits. they also like wizards who can perform magics. but not simple magic like the magic spell that can pass over your water bottle, they are like attacking skills. i think their beliefs are that they can connect to the nature.

"In a nutshell, Taoism is the consolidation of a number of concepts and practices that make up the "Path", or "Way", of living. The consolidation of ideas and concepts include basic principles or "theories" regarding the body, diet, breathing and physical exercises, uses of herbs, philosophical inquiry and, of course, meditation. All of which the Taoist feels brings a human being into closer alignment with the "natural order" of life and living - a pathway that humankind appears to have gotten derailed from."

That's a pretty complete definition. But it lacks the poetry inherent in Taoism. Let's quote straight from the source, Lao-Tze's the Tao Te Ching.

"The Tao that can be named is not the eternal Tao.
The Name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth.
the named is the mother of all things."

Tao is a force. It's not a God, it's not some sentient being controlling the universe. It just IS. It's everywhere, all at once. It flows through the entire world, and we're all affected by it, even if we don't realize it. Here's an example of someone experiencing Tao.

A Boy throws a baseball into the air. The baseball comes down and smacks said boy in the forehead.

That's Tao right there. Tao is everything that's natural, all the laws of physics, the laws of science, the nature of the world. It affects every squirrel, every raccoon, every person. In other words, Tao is the world and the way it works.

TaoISM is a way of getting along with Tao and not getting your butt kicked all over the spiritual playing field while you do it.

Hmm. well, they do say "If you can talk about it,
it ain't Tao" But I'll see what I can do.

For me, Taoism is about allowing things to be. Learning to be true to yourself. Learning to accept things as they are (although this is also a Buddhist) principle.

"In these quiet years growing calmer,
Lacking knowledge of the world?s affairs,
I stop worrying how things will turn out.
My quiet mind makes no subtle plans.
Returning to the woods I love
A pine-tree breeze rustles in my robes.
Mountain moonlight fills the lute?s bowl,
Shows up what learning I have left.
If you ask what makes us rich or poor
Hear the Fisherman?s voice float to shore."

Wang Wei (699-759 AD

Don't know if that helps? But peace and lightness of heart to you anyway.
.

I am with Wood Uncut and Siva on this one. The first line of the Tao Te Ching sets in motion all of the many thoughts examined in the remainder of the text and is really the central lesson of the Tao.

To very loosely summarize: The eternal Tao can not be characterized. "Tao" itself is no more and no less than a word - that is - a symbol that is chosen for its inherent meaninglessness and arbitrariness in order for Taoists to talk about the nature of reality.

All of the Taoists I have known have at least a slightly different view of what Taoism is to them. To me it is not a religion, in the sense that it does not pose unseen or supernatural forces nor does it create deities in the image of humanity or any other creature, but rather - as you point out - a natural philosophy. As contradictory as this may seem to some self-proclaimed scholars of Taoism, it is also - to me - a perfect philosophical complement to and of a piece with the philosophy of science - my other epistemological mainstay.

I do not consider Taoism to be agnostic because agnosticism has too many connotations (Taoists tend to be against any form of essential ism and proscriptive belief systems). But the formal denotative definition of agnosticism certainly does fit many Taoist's point of view regarding the spiritual world.

For me, life and spirit are just different ways of talking about the same thing... so I tend not to discuss anything in spiritual terms while simultaneously discussing everything in spiritual terms.

You do not have to label yourself a Taoist to appreciate the Tao Te Ching fully. But you do need to give yourself time to think about it. Each paradox should be given a full digestive process - so take it slow and don't assume that you are supposed to get "it". Because "it" - as the book will remind you very often - is a that which can not be 'got'. For similar reasons, I believe that it is an error to call oneself a 'follower of the Tao'. Perhaps the phrase 'participant in' makes more sense. But really, to a Taoist, we are all - whether we know it or not - participants.

Dao is subtle, UN-Dao explicit.