Daoism >

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Taoism is philosophy. It is spirituality. It is religion. It is logic. It is intuition. It is science. It is myth. It is archetype. It is all of these things and none of these things – and can be so because it transcends, yet includes each of them.

Taoism arose in some of the most early cultures of humankind, in ancient China, and is an understanding of the cosmos and reality which is one of the most fundamental; yet also one the most fearlessly true. From many people Taoism is the most essential understanding of reality which human perception can realize. It is neither fully intellectual nor fully intuitive. It is about the source of what guides the cosmos. It is beyond God or gods, beyond organized religion, beyond cultures, beyond philosophy, and even beyond spirituality.

At its deepest level, Taoism speaks about the non-anthropological, non-deistic guiding source behind all understanding. It is not about beginnings or endings, pre-worlds or after-worlds, and finds such human inventions and fantasies mute points. True Taoism sees such preoccupations as being beyond discernment and not connected to true reality, and so doesn’t bother trying to invent expalinations. Taoism says we have enough to do being authentic and vital, compassionate and ethical in real life, right here, right now, so why invent other worlds or ruling forces we aren’t even certain exist. Such actions just complicate matters and confuse our minds.

Taoism says be natural, follow nature’s principles, and attain an enlightened and empowered penetration into reality, then one can achieve a life of happiness and tranquility which far surpasses anything that all of humankind’s wile and cleverness can devise.

The Mysterious Gate ∞

The mysterious gate has many names. Some call it the ‘alter of wisdom’, and say it embodies limitless compassion. They say it arises when one is totally without grasping desires and mimics the way of heaven. Others say the mysterious gate is the ‘spirit mountain’, the empty consciousness of ‘original mind’, or ‘nirvana,’ the ultimate consciousness. Others say it is the ‘golden palace’ and the ‘golden pill’, the domain of the ‘Three Pure Realms’ and the root of all things.

And though the mysterious gate is called different things by different people, the state of mind which it is alluding to is the same. People speak through different cultural expressions and frames of references arising from their varying cultures. What they know about, they use to describe the mysterious gate.

Some say that when the mysterious gate opens, the sage emerges. Some say when the mysterious gate is opened a Buddha emerges. Some say when the mysterious gate opens the immortal emerges.

The mysterious gate is guarded by some as a hidden secret, never to be revealed to others who are uninitiated into their particular order. Yet, this kind of mind-set and attitude is just ‘ignorance’ and ‘egoism’ trying to make the “initiated” people higher than others. In reality the mysterious gate is open to all people at all times. It is a great and wonderful “secret”, but it cannot be guarded and possessed. It is the consciousness opening to deeper levels.

Some say the mysterious gate is some particular spot in the body. They say it is between the eyebrows, or at the center of the head, or in the chest, or in the lower belly. But this level of vision is just lack of understanding. Such erroneous conceptions happen because people experience their consciousness in different ways, at different times and in different degrees of depth.

The real mysterious gate is not about a specific location in the body, it is about an attitude and perspective which arises when the mind and body are joined together and transcending to deeper wisdom. To believe it is just the body is a false and misleading conclusion. Yet, to believe that the mysterious gate is just in the mind is also a false conception.

The only way to perceive the mysterious gate is to use both the whole mind and whole body as one. The mysterious gate can only be approached when one is undivided. The mysterious gate is the gate of no gate, the passage which has no opening, the doorway that goes nowhere, yet opens forever the eyes to true reality.

Guidelines For A Contemporary Taoist ∞

• Respect life. Don’t be judgmental of what you don’t understand.
• Take conscious responsibility for your own life. Do not blame others.
• Strive to learn and grow. Cultivate yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually.
• Let go of the need to be superior to others and always do right.
• Strive to act from a positive spirit and let negative energy go.
• Understand that you are how you think and act – not the fantasy you have of yourself. Strive to manifest your inner being in the outer world.
• Don’t try to manipulate others. Let the true state of being create the changes.
• Don’t try to change others to match your own wants. Accept people for what they are.
• Strive to care about and know yourself, so that you many care and know others. Use empathy and compassion.
• Strive to choose your own way. Don’t blindly follow others or existing dogma without careful consideration.
• Let go of the need to possess and control things whether the recipient of that control is objects, people, or nature.
• Strive to help maintain the environment in a healthy state.
• Strive to act without anger.
• Strive to understand guilt and let it’s “shoulds” and “don’ts” transform to interest and caring.
• Strive to maintain an open mind.
• Seek sharing and cooperation. Let divisiveness and separation go.
• Seek naturalness. Act without forcing.
• Choose positive assertiveness when it is called for. Let aggressiveness and obnoxious egotism go.
• Choose mindfulness, not speediness and lack of awareness.
• Act ethically. Treat others as you would like to be treated.
• Strive to see with a sense of perspective. Act with an overview.
• Seek the highest good. Strive to know unity and tranquility.
• Cherish peace.

• Cherish cherishing.

The teachings of the great sages of Taoism say:

See through the illusions and cultural partialities of life and understand what true unbiasedness is.

If one understands the principles of yin and yang, then you can master the foundations of heaven and earth.

Empty your mind and fill your soul. Raise your spirit and seek the golden inner source and essence.