learn about Taoism

i’d been curious about taoism for a long while (the eastern philosophy course i took in undergrad kind of glossed over it) so when i encountered dr. wayne dyer’s change your thoughts, change your life, i picked it up. i like the translations of the tao te-ching? but i both like and dislike the author’s subjective interpretations . . . i think it is an interesting starting point for someone whose curiosity is awakening but i’d kind of like to read other different kinds of things now.

Got me into alot of trouble, but personally I think taoism is a fascinating philosophy.

People have told me that they feel that taoism sells common sense…and I agree. That’s precisely why we have recognized a decadence in society.

Lao Tzu politely laughed at Buddha when he said that enlightenment was about removing yourself from the “world of dust”. Taoism holds that to become enlightened, you must join the “dust of the world”.

shambala(??)’s guide to taoism (lots of history and information)
and the tao te ching
:)

Two books I found helpful:

Taoism: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Holy Texts, Sacred Places – by Jennifer Oldstone-Moore (Oxford University Press, 2003) – a good overall introduction to concepts and history

Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition (translation and commentary by Jonathan Star) – I found this to be an accessible translation, but if you want to study deeper the book also includes a character-by-character translation, concordance, etc.

learned about this in a Philosophy and Religion class along with Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Confuscianism, Christianity and Hindu.

This was a colorful, creative, eye-opening philosophy and/or religion. To be able to be open to the way and to follow it. Buying the Tao Te Ching was one of the things that helped me in this goal and I might want to learn more in the future.

Compares Taoism and the Matrix:

http://www.thematrix101.com/books/likeasplinter.php

But urg! I can’t seem to find any straight info on the feng shui.

I’ve read the Tao-te Ching, and learned the basic philosphy of Taoism, but I think I’d like to learn about a few more aspects of it, before considering this goal accomplished.

Like what about the other text that many Taoist rely on? Fung-Shui… that’s like the art of furniture, right? That martial arts the name of which I can’t remember? Also the differing types of Taoism and how they relate to Buddhism.

I find the Tao to be similar to Kant’s “goodwill” principle. Also to Christianity’s God.

The Tao is the thing that allows things to be. Natural law, if you will, God, creator and maker.

If you try to find Tao, you will only see it’s manifestations. Because you are trying to find it with your cognitive, outward, naming knowledge. This is similar to Paul’s writings in that he says that knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. He doesn’t condone outward knowledge, but only the experiential knowing of Christ.

The Tao is so common that those who seek for it in secret places cannot find it. The Tao is everything. God is the “I Am.”