Taoism

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Taoism
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Living in Harmony

• All aspects of the universe are in harmony, each
  part nurturing and balancing the whole
• Human beings are considered part of this grand
  harmony
• Taoism
• Teaches living in harmony with the Tao (dow), the
  Way of nature

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Taoism

• From Chinese word Tao (Dow)
• meaning path or way
• Translated as Way in the sense of a path in which
  one travels
• the path or way that nature follows
• The Way of nature
• The Way Life Is
• Tao is the ultimate source and the principle of
  order in the universe
• Is the undefined something from which all things
  arise
• It is not a personal creator god but an unseen
  force that is the origin and the order of the
  universe
• Tao is thought to exist both before and beyond
  all else

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Universe in balance

• Tao can be compared to magnetism
• Magnetic force is invisible
• Is accompanied by two polar opposites negative
  and positive
• Taos polar opposites are Yin and Yang
• Yin negative, passive, feminine, earthly
  component characterized by darkness and weakness
• Yang positive, active, masculine, heavenly
  component, characterized by light and strength
• Yin and yang are not really opponents, they
  complete each other, without one, the other would
  make no sense- just as without west, east would
  be indescribable
• nothing in life can exist without its
  corresponding opposite
• Neither yin nor yang is superior to the other
• It is depicted as a circle, which the dark yin
  and the light yang curve into each other in
  perfect symmetry, and each contains an element of
  the other

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Human beings

• All people are made up of both components- yin
  and yang
• Many manage to work themselves into a state of
  imbalance,
• Usually tending toward too much yang
• Taoism counters this problem by advocating
  virtues oriented toward yin, such as humility,
  noncompetition and pacifism.
• Yin/Yang
• symbolize the way life should be lived
• No one can hope for all pleasure and no pain, or
  all agreement and no disagreement

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Origins and founder of Taoism

• Origins
• Origins of Taoism are ancient, dating back to
  about the time of Confucius (551-479 B.C.)
• They are shrouded in mystery we cannot even be
  certain whether the traditional founder ever
  existed.
• We do have the texts attributed to each of them
• Lao Tzu
• His name means old master
• Was conceived by a shooting star
• He was 82 when he was born
• Old age represents wisdom in the Chinese culture
• Wrote the Tao The Ching
• Means the way and its power
• Taoisms sacred scripture
• Chung Tzu