Taoist Beliefs and Practices:

  • Tao is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life.
  • Yin (dark side) is the breath that formed the earth. Yang (light side) is the breath that formed the heavens. They symbolize pairs of opposites which are seen throughout the universe, such as good and evil, light and dark, male and female. Intervention by human civilization upsets the balances of Yin and Yang. The symbol of Taoism, seen at the top of this page, represents Yin and Yang in balance.
  • "The Tao surrounds everyone and therefore everyone must listen to find enlightenment."
  • Five main organs and orifices of the body correspond to the five parts of the sky: water, fire, wood, metal and earth.
  • Each person must nurture the Ch'i (air, breath) that has been given to them.
  • The goal of everyone is to become one with the Tao.
  • Development of virtue is one's chief task. The Three Jewels to be sought are compassion, moderation and humility.
  • Taoists follow the art of "wu wei", which is to achieve action through minimal action. "It is the practice of going against the stream not by struggling against it and thrashing about, but by standing still and letting the stream do all the work. Thus the sage knows that relative to the river, he still moves against the current. To the outside world the sage appears to take no action - but in fact he takes action long before others ever foresee the need for action." (1)
  • One should plan in advance and consider carefully each action before making it.
  • A Taoists is kind to other individuals, largely because such an action tends to be reciprocated.
  • Taoists believe that "people are compassionate by nature...left to their own devices [they] will show this compassion without expecting a reward." (1)

Tai Chi

There is a long history involvement by Taoists in various exercise and movement techniques. (5,6) Tai chi in particular works on all parts of the body. It "stimulates the central nervous system, lowers blood pressure, relieves stress and gently tones muscles without strain. It also enhances digestion, elimination of wastes and the circulation of blood. Moreover, tai chi's rhythmic movements massage the internal organs and improve their functionality." Traditional Chinese medicine teaches that illness is caused by blockages or lack of balance in the body's "chi" (intrinsic energy). Tai Chi is believed to balance this energy flow.

Taoist Texts

These include:

  • Tao-te-Ching ("The Way of Power," or "The Book of the Way") is believed to have been written by Lao-Tse. It describes the nature of life, the way to peace and how a ruler should lead his life.
  • Chuang-tzu (named after its author) contains additional teachings.

Some Internet References

  1. Taoism - A Beginner's Perspective is at: http://students.missouri.edu/~sacredw/tao.html
  2. The Taoism Information Page is at: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/taoism
  3. The Taoism Depot contains many translations of TAO, and a Taoism Discussion Forum. See: http://www.edepot.com/taoism.html
  4. "Is Tai Chi the Ultimate Exercise?," an essay on Tai Chi at:
    http://www.utah.edu/stc/tai-chi/articles.html  
  5. The International Taoist Tai Chi Society ® is the largest non-profit Tai Chi group in the world. See:
    http://www.taoist.org
  6. "Some Recent English-Language Publications on Taoism," at: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/taoism/newbooks.htm