Tao Te Ching

[mammal_mama]

http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~p.../taote-v3.html

Wow! Just wow!

My husband recently got hold of all the episodes of the "Kung Fu" TV show that he enjoyed so much back in the 1970's. Watching them again inspired him to find this place online where you can read Tao Te Ching (in English) for free.

So far I've read through 41 (there are 81 very short chapters/sections). Reading these words feels like coming home, and like stretching my brain to turn it inside out, all at the same time. I want to get my own copy of the book so I can keep it with me, post words on the refrigerator, and keep referring to it wherever I am. I want to read it to my children.

I'd love to hear from others who are on this or a similar journey -- as I recall, there's even a poster here whose user-name is Tao, who shares a lot of wisdom. I'd love to hear from her! -- as well as from everyone who is involved in or has an interest in Tao!

[beatgenxer]

Hi mammal_mama!

i'm a big reader/follower of taoism...and i felt like you when i started reading some of the texts. for me, it just made sense throughout my whole being it's always been very soothing and peace-giving, in good times and bad.

here's another website that has a free online translation. there's dozens and dozens of books with translations....and past the actual Tao Te Ching, then there's even more texts that aren't so philosophical, like the Wen-Tsu and Awakening to the Tao (two of my favorites). hopefully we can have a little Taoist discussion group on here, as it can be difficult to find people into Tao and not Budddhism

[mammal_mama]

Hi, Rebecca! Thanks for that link!

I'd love to learn more about the differences between Taoism and Buddhism. From what I've read so far, just at-a-glance, Taoism seems to be an undercurrent of Buddhism and some other faith-systems as well. I'm all ears to learn more about it from you and anyone else who wants to jump in here!

[hrsmom]

Thank you for posting that! I am really interested right now in reading about spirituality from different perspectives.

[mammal_mama]

Oh, it's good to see a new person interested! I hope to hear from more of you, and hope we an get a good discussion going.

[MaWhit]

The Stephen Mitchell translation of the Tao Te Ching is my favorite so far, both in print and as an audiobook. Check it out if you haven't yet.

My journey has also included The Tao of Inner Peace (Dreher), Everyday Tao, The Tao of Daily Life (LOVE this one!), The Tao of Abundance, and the Cleary translation of the Chuang Tzu. I've perused some of the I Ching, but it isn't calling to me right now, so I may go back to it at a later date.

I've also been blogging from a perspective of one following the Tao, but I don't think we're allowed to post links. PM me for it if it's not against the rules to do so.

For kids, I love Wabi Sabi (look for the one with the cat on the front), and some older kids may like The Legend of Lao Tzu and the Tao Te Ching, although I didn't like the verse translations.

[mammal_mama]

Originally Posted by MaWhit

I've also been blogging from a perspective of one following the Tao, but I don't think we're allowed to post links. PM me for it if it's not against the rules to do so.

I've seen lots of people here posting their blog-links in their signatures. Or has there been a recent rule-change about this? I'd love to go to your blog!

I'll pm you if you find you're not allowed to link to your blog in your signature!

[MaWhit]

I think there was a recent rule change.

[MommyofHero]

i've been a Taoist for a very long time. i naturally follow the philosophy of Taoism without trying. ("Do or do not, there is no try" -- Yoda, one of the most popular Taoist beings in our culture!!) i even had a Taoist wedding ceremony recently!

i was raised as a fundamentalist Christian and boy, am i happy to be free from that patriarchal, totalitarian, monotheistic slavery of the mind!!
i am not religious, but i am a deeply spiritual person.
i do not submit to any "god", nor do i follow anything but my own intuition, which is of the Tao, and IS the Tao.
i finally know the meaning of true peace, after years and years of seeing myself as a "sinner" and inferior being.
i would recommend this ancient way of thinking to anyone-- it is incredibly freeing!! :

[lolar2]

What is involved in a Taoist wedding?

[MommyofHero]

me and my husband had our ceremony out in the county so we could be in the middle of nature, with just close friends and family present. a martial arts master we know conducted the ceremony and another friend played the gong. we both stood on a giant yin yang w/ the IChing symbols around it (we painted the giant cloth ourselves, and it turned out beautiful!) and there were 8 torches around us symbolizing 8 forces of nature that we lit at the beginning of the ceremony. we did a ritual similar to the Western "unity candle"--- i was holding an urn of water and my husband held a candle (fire) and during the ceremony i placed the urn on top of the candle and it produced steam as we said our vows to each other (which we wrote ourselves.)
i wore a very colorful silk dress and my husband wore a Chinese robe. afterwards we had a very balanced wedding feast which consisted of yin foods and yang foods that balance the 8 major organs in the body, according to Taoist culinary.
i think more than the rituals, the very zen energy at the ceremony is what made it "Taoist"-- we allowed things to fall into place naturally and not stress about details or try to overly-control what happened. being like water is the most beautiful way to be on your wedding day

[MaWhit]

That sounds lovely.

[hrsmom]

MaWhit- I'd love the link to your blog. I'm pretty sure you can post a link in your text, just not in your signature.

[MaWhit]

Ok. ataogirl.blogspot.com

[hrsmom]

thank you!

[AngelBee]

:

[hrsmom]

I thought I'd share this- I was at the library yesterday, with the intention of getting a specific book. It wasn't there on the shelf (although according to the computer it should have been) so I placed a hold on it, and hurriedly grabbed a book called Change Your Thoughts-Change Your Life (amazon.com link here) by Wayne Dyer, and didn't realize until I got home that the subtitle is "Living the Wisdom of the Tao." He goes over the chapters and gives his thoughts and ideas about each one. I'm enjoying it! It was published in 2007.

It's really speaking to me, too!

[LandonsMama]

Originally Posted by hrsmom

I thought I'd share this- I was at the library yesterday, with the intention of getting a specific book. It wasn't there on the shelf (although according to the computer it should have been) so I placed a hold on it, and hurriedly grabbed a book called Change Your Thoughts-Change Your Life (amazon.com link here) by Wayne Dyer, and didn't realize until I got home that the subtitle is "Living the Wisdom of the Tao." He goes over the chapters and gives his thoughts and ideas about each one. I'm enjoying it! It was published in 2007.

It's really speaking to me, too!

My husband is reading that right now too! He has every book that Wayne has written to date (some both in print and audio book LOL). Wayne has a free weekly program on www.hayhouse.com and you can download some of it to MP3 player

[hrsmom]

How do you pronounce Tao Te Ching??

Thanks for the link, LandonsMama!

[MaWhit]

Dow-de-Jhing