PRINCIPAL BELIEFS
· Taoists generally avoid things that are abstract to reality and they attempt to perceive things only as they are at that moment in time.
· Humans should be following the ways of the Earth and nature.
· The belief in Tao. The Tao is:
o The natural order of all things and is based on the principles of Yin and Yang.
o The universal life force (‘the underlying nature of all things that exist in the world’.)
o A pattern of return – coming into being, maturing, decaying and returning to the Tao.
o The ultimate creative energy of the universe, as well as the way of nature and the world.
o ‘In life our fundamental choice is to either acknowledge this reality and let ourselves become one with the Tao, or to resist what we are and attempt to establish our own separate identities outside of the Tao.’
· Taoists believe that the body corresponds with the plan of the universe;
o The five organs of the body correspond to the five directions, the five holy mountains, the sections of the sky, the seasons, and the elements.
o With the understanding of man, comes the understanding of the ultimate structure of the universe.
· Three Jewels that Taoists should live by; these are stated in the Tao Te Ching (these are needed to return to the Tao.) The three jewels are:
o Compassion – ultimately leads to courage
o Moderation – ultimately leads to generosity
o Humility – ultimately leads to leadership
· Ultimate goal of Taoism is to become one with the Tao.
o This means leading a natural and simple life - clutter from outside is thought to negatively influence and obstruct a person's understanding of the Tao.
o Should be in harmony with the Tao – this allows the person to eventually return to the original state of all things and become the Tao.
· Taoists are polytheistic; each of their life principles is believed to be a manifestation of an aspect of the Tao.
o Taoists do not pray to deities - there is no god who can solve all of life’s problems.
· To Taoists, nothing is absolutely essential: ‘Do nothing and everything gets done.”
· Wei-Wei: everything has an innate (natural) power.
· The iconic and guiding book of Taoism is the Tao Te Ching (this means The Way and Its Power), which was composed around the 3rd century B.C.E. It includes how to life properly and focuses on the nature of the universe.
· Humans should be following the ways of the Earth and nature.
· The belief in Tao. The Tao is:
o The natural order of all things and is based on the principles of Yin and Yang.
o The universal life force (‘the underlying nature of all things that exist in the world’.)
o A pattern of return – coming into being, maturing, decaying and returning to the Tao.
o The ultimate creative energy of the universe, as well as the way of nature and the world.
o ‘In life our fundamental choice is to either acknowledge this reality and let ourselves become one with the Tao, or to resist what we are and attempt to establish our own separate identities outside of the Tao.’
· Taoists believe that the body corresponds with the plan of the universe;
o The five organs of the body correspond to the five directions, the five holy mountains, the sections of the sky, the seasons, and the elements.
o With the understanding of man, comes the understanding of the ultimate structure of the universe.
· Three Jewels that Taoists should live by; these are stated in the Tao Te Ching (these are needed to return to the Tao.) The three jewels are:
o Compassion – ultimately leads to courage
o Moderation – ultimately leads to generosity
o Humility – ultimately leads to leadership
· Ultimate goal of Taoism is to become one with the Tao.
o This means leading a natural and simple life - clutter from outside is thought to negatively influence and obstruct a person's understanding of the Tao.
o Should be in harmony with the Tao – this allows the person to eventually return to the original state of all things and become the Tao.
· Taoists are polytheistic; each of their life principles is believed to be a manifestation of an aspect of the Tao.
o Taoists do not pray to deities - there is no god who can solve all of life’s problems.
· To Taoists, nothing is absolutely essential: ‘Do nothing and everything gets done.”
· Wei-Wei: everything has an innate (natural) power.
· The iconic and guiding book of Taoism is the Tao Te Ching (this means The Way and Its Power), which was composed around the 3rd century B.C.E. It includes how to life properly and focuses on the nature of the universe.