The 3 things you need to know to embark on Daoism
Oneness is an important principle in the Taoist philosophy. Everything in nature is part of the same whole. In the Taoist philosophy, we as humans are also considered nature and we are considered to be created by nature through an existential cosmic force which links us to each other and to the universe. Yin-Yang is quite well known in the western world because of its black and white circular symbol but many people don’t see the connection with the Taoist philosophy. Yin Yang suggests that opposites are needed for harmony to be maintained.
In today’s society especially we feel out of balance but we all instinctively know we need balance in our lives to be happy. In this symbol the black and white portions are equal. One doesn’t get any more space than the other.
They are opposite but of equal importance.
Often to explain the Yin-Yang concept we use the idea of day and night. Both are of equal importance for our survival. We need the sun to grow and we need the night so we can sleep and rest and repair our bodies as we sleep. We need the sun so the plants will grow because otherwise we would starve but the plants need the too so they can rest and not wilt away with too much sunlight.
The Yin Yang principle of no extremes
avoid doing too much of one thing but also don’t deprive yourself and live in avoidance. As my mother always said everything in moderation is ok.
The Principle of Wu Wei and Non-Action
Wu Wei is believd by some philosophers to be the most important principle in the Taoist belief system. This is also the one that is the hardest to understand.
We should never over react or over plan anything. It is believed that actions should come naturally and we need to remain spontaneous and take life as it comes. It speaks of doing what is necessary only in that moment and not planning ahead.
To conclude,
Taoism which is also spelled Daoism, is an ancient Chinese philosophy that is based on the writings of Lao-Tzu that speaks of living simply in harmony with nature.
Oneness is the idea that we as humans are all part of the same whole and everything in nature is part of that whole. We are all intricately linked through an existential cosmic force which is know as the Tao or the Dao.
The Yin Yang principles says that we need opposites to have balance in our lives. As we live we should neither over indulge or live in avoidance. It’s all about moderation to keep balance.
Lastly, Wu Wei Non-action teaches that one should never over react or over plan anything but only act in the moment as a natural reaction to the situations as they come up.
Just take life as it comes and do only what is necessary and not more. I know that one can be hard for some people but it could also be a release from too much over thinking about things that haven’t happened yet and may never even happen.
As they say don’t worry about something that may never even come to be.