TAO

A Natural, Gentle Way of Living

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
LAO TZU, Tao Te Ching1
YES, TAO IS BEYOND DEFINITION. However, it helps to have some idea of what it me
ans. The
Chinese word Tao literally means way or path. Tao can be called the way of nature, t
he natural order
of the universe. It may also be known as the Source of all that is, the ineffabl
e, or God. It is infinite,
eternal, and continually changing. The presence of Tao is within us and outside
us. It is the unity of all
beings and all things. It is the path of direct, divine experience. Unconditiona
l love, harmony, and balance
are its essence. Intuitive knowledge and spontaneous actions are its forms of ex
pression. As the one force
that governs the whole universe, Tao is not a religion, but it embraces all reli
gions.
The Philosophy of Tao: Taoism
Tao will always be a mystery, greater than we can ever fathom. However, we can n
ame, study, and
practice the five-thousand-year-old Chinese philosophy Taoism, which has had a p
rofound influence on
Chinese culture. Taoism seeks to align us with the sacred in our daily lives. It
s basic focus is on how to
live long, happy, healthy, productive lives that are in harmony with nature, of
benefit to humankind, and
conducive to spiritual growth. Its principles are presented in the twenty-five-h
undred-year-old classic
spiritual book Tao Te Ching, written by Lao Tzu, who lived in about the sixth ce
ntury BCE.2 This ancient
treasure offers profound, succinct poems illustrating and inspiring wisdom in dail
y life. Written at a
time of wars, materialism, and corrupt rulers, its lessons are especially releva
nt for our complex,
turbulent society today.
Tao Te Ching is the most frequently translated book of all time. There are more
than one hundred
translations worldwide, and more than forty of these are in English. Lao Tzu s cla
ssic form of the Chinese
language is enigmatic and evocative. One word can have many meanings and can be
used as a noun, verb,
or adjective, depending on the context. As a result, no single translation is th
e definitive one. We
compared eight different translations of the book and chose selections from the
three that we felt were
clearest, were most relevant to our times, and which conveyed the poetic nature
of the original.
A later Taoist philosopher, Chuang Tzu, who lived in about the fourth century BC
E, supports and
elaborates the ideas of Tao Te Ching in stories and parables. We ve used reference
s from The Essential
Chuang Tzu, translated by Sam Hamill and J.P. Seaton.
The two practical branches of Taoism are chi kung that is, meditations and physi
cal exercises
and its offspring, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which includes acupunctur
e and herbology. Both
chi kung and Chinese medicine work with refining, balancing, and raising a perso
n s life-force energy for

maximum health, happiness, creativity, longevity, and spirituality.

There is one small branch of Taoism that is an organized religion with rituals a
nd hierarchy. However,
at its core, Taoism is opposed to hierarchy and rigid structure. Our book does n
ot deal with religious
Taoism. Instead, it presents practical tools for self-healing painful emotions.
Many practitioners of chi
kung find it compatible with Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, as w
ell as with agnosticism.
Conversely, its celebration of individual experience, intuition, and freedom of
expression make it
incompatible with dogmatic religions or cults. In Taoism, no master or guru is s
et above others. Teachers
are certainly respected, but everyone is equal before Tao. Universal Love is dir
ectly available to all.
The ancient Taoist masters were intuitive scientists of nature and of mystical s
tates. They lived
simply, patiently and carefully observing themselves, the animals, plants, and m
inerals, the moon, stars,
and planets
and all without even a telescope. What they concluded was that there
are definite patterns,
rhythms, and cycles recurring in all forms of life: we humans are a microcosm of
the macrocosm that is
the universe. They discovered how to live in harmony with the patterns, rhythms,
and cycles they
observed, this natural order. They also created exercises and meditations to max
imize their life-force
energy by mimicking the movements or qualities of animals, trees, mountains, wat
er, wind, and sun. And
they chose to share their wisdom and knowledge with those who were receptive.
The intuitive, scientific investigations of Taoists created TCM, as well as the
martial arts. Taoists
also invented metal alloys, porcelain, dyes, the compass, and gunpowder.3 They h
ad a major influence on
Chinese cuisine, classical painting, and poetry.
Some Taoist masters lived as hermits; some lived in the thick of Chinese society
. In a few enlightened
regimes, Taoists were given responsible positions in the government, where they
taught and advised the
rulers. Lao Tzu himself was head of the national library of the Zhou dynasty. In
despotic regimes, Taoists
were feared as rebels and were persecuted. Regardless, at all times, Taoists wer
e noted for living very
long, extraordinary lives, remaining healthy and productive through their advanc
ed years. Even in today s
complex, turbulent, and polluted world, chi kung practitioners reap the same ben
efits.
Basic Principles of Taoism
Let s consider some of the basic principles of Taoism. Being aware of them can dee
pen the effects of the
Emotional Wisdom techniques.
Our Divine Origin
For it [Tao] can act as the mother of all things.
For the Way gives them life;
its power nourishes them,
mothers and feeds them,
completes and matures them,
looks after them, protects them.
Tao Te Ching4
The ancient Taoists believed that all life originated from the Primordial Void,

or Wu Chi in Chinese, also

known as Tao. Something stirred within the Wu Chi, creating the positive and neg
ative poles of yin and
yang. The interactions of yin and yang created all universal processes and all m
atter. Western