Discover the Taoist philosophy and LAO TSÉ and the TAO TE CHING.

When we think about the symbols of humanity, we realize that they are a representation of human beings' way of thinking. They give us an idea of ​​how people from different societies relate to life and what values ​​and beliefs they follow to guide and structure themselves. From this, we can understand the deep meanings attributed to them.

Little is known for sure about Lao Tzu. There is a very old Chinese work called Shi Chi (Historical Notes) which says that Lao Tzu, whose real name was Erh Dan Li, was born in southern China, in a region called Ch'u, around 604 BC But there is also those who claim that the Tao Te Ching is just a compilation of verses by various thinkers from the 3rd century BC schools of thought, which generically used the title of Lao Tzu.

According to traditions, Lao Tzu was a contemporary of Kung Fu Tzu (Confucius), whose disciple he was. He became the custodian of the archives of the Imperial Court, and attracted many followers with his wisdom, though he always refused to put his ideas in writing for fear that the words might be converted into formal dogma. Lao Tzu wanted his philosophy to remain just a natural way of life established on a foundation of kindness, serenity and respect. Thus, he did not establish any rigid code of behavior, preferring to teach that a person's conduct should be governed by instinct and conscience. He taught that no task should be rushed, that everything must happen in its due time. He believed that simplicity was the key to truth and freedom, and so encouraged his followers to observe nature rather than the teachings of the masters. At 80 years old, disillusioned with the people of his land – who were unwilling to follow the path of natural goodness – he headed for Tibet, on China's western border, when he was recognized by a guard, who reminded him that possibly all his teachings would soon be forgotten if something was not recorded, and he only allowed him to leave China after writing down his basic teachings, so that at least some of his knowledge could be preserved for posterity. In response to the guard's request, at once Lao Tzu wrote (the legend says that he wrote on a large stone) the collection of 81 verses that would become the synthesis of his wisdom (and Chinese Monist thought), which went down in history under the name of Tao Te Ching.

There are many senses of the meaning of the name Tao Te Ching (Also spelt Tao Te King, and pronounced: Dao Dé Jing). One of them defines it as “The Laws of Virtue and its ways”. Its isolated words mean Tao (Infinite, the Essence, the Invisible Consciousness, the Unfathomable, the how, of how things happen); Te (which means strength, virtue, but in a way not linked to our Western values); Ching (book, writing, manuscript). Literally, therefore, it means “The book of how things work”, and in reality that is its purpose, to show how things in the universe work according to Tao. It also means “The Book that Reveals God” and “The Book that Leads to the Godhead“. Consistent with his manner, Lao Tzu did not write it for doctrinal principles, but for aphorisms (verses), in such a way that they could be adapted by anyone to different situations. Something applicable to everything and everyone; a text of an open nature that does not allow for a textual form capable of being intentionally distorted, or simply being deformed by translations; a way of the practical application of living in harmony, within the balance of the polarities of the manifestation of Tao and symbolized by Tei Gi

What is Taoism?

In addition to being an ancient Chinese religion, Taoism is also a philosophy based on the communion and harmony of human beings with the nature of which they are part, together with all other beings, composing a unity, in a flow of perfect order. Achieving balance with this flow is one of its most important aspects.

Taoism is based on one of the Hermetic Principles - the Principle of Polarity - which it says is bipolar in nature, as everything in it has an opposite. In essence the known universe is composed of opposite components; sometimes physical (light / dark), moral (good / bad), biological (male / female) etc. Everything in the universe can be classified into two polarities: Yang (pronounced “yong”) or Yin.

A commonly asked question concerns the difference that exists between Taoism and Confucianism. Taoism is metaphysically based and has practical application. Confucius was yet another lawgiver, whose teachings were more directed towards the political aspect of life.

The basis of Taoism arose during the Han dynasty of China with Huang-Ti (mythical Yellow Emperor) in the 2nd century BC, which surrounded it with mysticism and caused the distance of its understanding. Lao Tzu, who lived there in the 6th century BC between 605 and 517, organized and founded the Taoist doctrine. At the age of 81, Lao Tzu abandoned work in the imperial archives to migrate to the mountains of Tibet. He wrote the Tao Te Ching, “The Way and the Virtue” or “The Meaning and the Life”, the sacred book of Taoism and one of the most translated in the world, after the Bible.

For a long time, in addition to a way of life, Taoism was the official religion in the country. It is not absolutely original, being a continuation of the ancient Chinese tradition, long before this philosophy. The concept of the Tao already existed before Lao Tzu, which even many historians claim did not exist. In the formation of the People's Republic of China, in the 20th century, however, it was repressed, because philosophically it dealt with an ideology different from that which was being established at the time. It integrates philosophy, religion and spirituality.

According to the philosophy of Taoism, life manifests itself in perfect order, in harmony and follows a natural flow, linked to a driving force, to cosmic reality. The human being needs to perceive and follow this flow. Thus, she emphasizes the link with the Tao (Tau), translated as "way", "beginning", "source", "essence" and "primary force". He believes that, through a spontaneous and natural existence, it is possible to establish a life in connection with the essence. "Although everything has an identity, everything comes from a single source."

The philosophy and beliefs of Taoism.

Taoist philosophy seeks to support human beings to overcome their insufficiencies, undo their illusions, transcend the ego, connect to the source of life and reach perfection. It leads people to the perception of the unity of the Universe and the interrelationship of all beings in this time-space, admitting the idea that there are other planes and dimensions, with cause and effect in synchronicity.

According to the philosophy of Taoism (Tao Chia), when human beings move away from the essence or source of life, they cause disharmony and conflicts, they need to act with effort. However, the more he understands that everything is interconnected, connected and with the potential for mutual help, he starts to realize the fluidity of life. He stops acting artificially and rationally and becomes involved in the flow, living with less effort, more simplicity, more delicacy and more kindness.

It also establishes some teachings or behaviors that emphasize detachment from material goods, as they bring desires and expectations that are illusory to the very essence of life. They reinforce the contemplation of nature as a reference to attitudes and thoughts, as it is the manifestation of the supreme essence. It emphasizes softness, relaxation and flexibility over rigidity. It highlights the importance of means to approach perfection and primordial purity. generosity, non-violence and simplicity as a.

What is Tao?

Tao is the basis from which all things emanate, which cannot be apprehended by intellectuals, only experienced. It is the essence, the non-being, the zero, the great emptiness from which everything started and to which all things return, the total manifestation of the Universe, from which the One (one) emerged, which gave rise to spirit and matter, that is, the two, present in different forms and manifestations, generating a rich multiplicity.

In this sense, he is unspeakable and transcendent, being above and behind everything. It is not exhausted, it is inexhaustible, spirit instead of matter, a source that flows from the Universe. But it also refers to the path that human life must cherish to follow in order to harmonize with the flow of the Universe.

Wu-Wei and the Flow State.

The Tao Te Ching, which communicates the world of the supreme essence with the world of the manifestation of that essence, contains 81 short excerpts that deal with how man must act in the face of life's occurrences, in order to attain happiness and full fulfillment. It deals with Taoist philosophy, in the sense of aligning the conduct of the individual's daily life with the Tao. While the word Tao means path, the term Te refers to the manifestation of the essence.

It contains the virtue called Wu-Wei. It is effortless, unintentional and pure action, without ego control, which leads to the state of flux. In it, resistance, whether in interpersonal relationships, in relation to nature or in psychic conflicts, is reduced to a minimum. It is important to emphasize that non-action does not mean not doing something, but following intuition or applying one's skills in balance with the demands of life.

In fact, the state of flow is one in which the body acts intuitively, thoughts are silent and the action merged with the flow of life generates a Zen feeling, similar to that of meditation or concentration. He is “pure efficacy”, perfect action. An example is a concert artist who uses his skill and gets carried away by the work in such a way that playing the instrument becomes free and intuitive to the point that the musician is fused to the work at that moment. At this point, the skills need to match the challenges that present themselves. This fit between challenge and skill is called balance, which allows the state of flow to occur. Thus, boredom (when the challenge is less than the skills) or anxiety and insecurity (when the skills fall short of the challenge) is avoided. The importance of the state of flux lies in the fact that energies are channelled into non-action or effortless action, when there is no room for the ego, for the regrets of the past and for the anxieties of the future, not allowing self-sabotage and making the experience of the present moment. How energies are free to create and flow. The mind becomes flexible to shift the focus of attention as soon as necessary and develop adaptive capacity.

Accepting the flow of life, even if it's not exactly what you want, with humility and simplicity means tuning into the harmony of the Universe, it being necessary, for this, to identify it through observation of nature and keep attention on when to act and when to withdraw.

How do Taoists view life?

The most important thing in life for Taoists is to find the tao, an unchanging and eternal reality, the origin and end of everything. For them all things are one, they form a unity. Life and death are part of a single context, they merge and that is why they are not afraid of the so-called “end”, as they understand it as an element of the same eternal cycle.

Furthermore, the tao is the way to think and act in harmony with the natural flow of things. Taoists are careful not to disturb this essential order. They believe that acquiring power and wealth should not be the purpose of an existence and represents a waste of energy. They understand that when people are dedicated to these things, they lose spontaneity and generate conflicts, distancing themselves from peace, therefore they do not follow the path of tao.

Taoism is related to individual and metaphysical issues, without direct intervention or intention to organize or structure socio-political life. In it, there is a view that Te (vital force) animates the Tao (essence) and, therefore, seeks to maximize this force. In the same way that it is interested in using this energy (ch bemi) well in life, in order to achieve the best result, it also seeks to identify how it can be increased. It is still questioned how this energy can be concentrated to be better applied to the well-being of beings or when help is needed.

The most important thing in life for Taoists is to find the tao, an unchanging and eternal reality, the origin and the end of everything. For them all things are one, they form a unity. Life and death are part of a single context, they merge and that is why they are not afraid of the so-called “end”, as they understand it as an element of the same eternal cycle.

Furthermore, the Tao is the way to think and act in harmony with the natural flow of things. Taoists are careful not to disturb this essential order. They believe that acquiring power and wealth should not be the purpose of an existence and represents a waste of energy. They understand that when people are dedicated to these things, they lose spontaneity and generate conflicts, distancing themselves from peace, therefore they do not follow the path of Tao.

Taoism relates to individual and metaphysical issues, without direct intervention or intention to organize or structure sociopolitical life. In it, there is a view that Te (vital force) animates the Tao (essence) and, therefore, seeks to maximize this force. In the same way that it is interested in using this energy (chi beamy) well in life, in order to achieve the best result, it also seeks to identify how it can be increased. It is still questioned how this energy can be concentrated to be better applied to the well-being of beings or when help is needed. So, to act together with this force, the Taoists use matter, body movement and the mind itself. Thus, in daily life they take care to increase vital energy, eating some foods, retaining semen during sexual intercourse as a means of preserving liquid and performing breathing exercises. In addition, they practice Tai Chi Chuan and meditation.

Taoists exclude themselves from all forms of self-assertion and competition and respect for ecology is present in daily life. For them, the key is to integrate and harmonize with nature, instead of dominating, controlling or conquering it. With the idea of ​​unity, harming something that corresponds to it means harming itself, an integrative and non-separatist vision of life.

Furthermore, most Taoists realize that life is to be enjoyed as it really is. For them, expectations and desires are illusions. When one desire is satisfied, another soon replaces it, creating a waste of energy in relation to what is actually necessary and essential.

Likewise, a fundamental element to Taoists is the idea of ​​the relativity of values ​​and the identity and complementarity of opposites, thus one of the symbols of Taoism is the Yin Yang circle.

The Yin Yang symbol in Taoist philosophy.

In Taoist philosophy, the Yin Yang symbol represents the energies of duality and polarities, not in the sense of antagonism, but of interdependence, and they resolve themselves into the circle that surrounds them. So spirit and matter, day and night, male and female, cold and heat, light and dark, light and shadow, etc. they are part of the same unit, they complete each other, they need each other to exist and one contains the other (black circle on the white figure and white circle on the black figure).

In other words, the symbol reflects the thought that the entire Universe contains different manifestations of infinite unity, everything is constantly changing, opposites complement each other, no two things are absolutely alike, everything has two faces (front and back) proportionally of the same size. It represents the balance of energies.

The practices of Taoist philosophy.

According to Taoist philosophy, life can be simple, humble, serene and integrated with nature. In it, it is necessary to develop spirituality, being one of the means for this the practice of meditation, which can lead the individual to enlightenment and connection with the essence. Likewise, taking care of the body is a matter of respect and preservation of vital energy. Therefore, the practice of Tai Chi Chuan, Yoga, martial arts, such as Jiu-Jitsu and others, helps in the development of energy concentration, body awareness, mental silencing and muscle tone.

In relation to the practice of meditation, it is important in Taoism because it makes it possible to overcome thoughts, desires and mental states that are unfavorable to the channelling of spiritual energy into the body. It works on breathing and the ability to direct it to any part of the body to even produce healing effects. Tai Chi Chuan, on the other hand, helps a person to channel chi (or qi), the vital energy, so that there is deep breathing, in which this energy travels freely throughout the body, promoting vitality and a favourable state of mind to unify with the So. Furthermore, in order to harmonize the energies of Heaven and Earth in the environments, so as to obtain the energy balance of the people who use them, the practice of feng shui can be adopted and represents many ideas of the Taoist philosophy.

It is important to point out that there is no institutional structure in Taoism, that is, there are no regular cults, declarations about the faith or a specific creed that one has to adopt or follow. There is no conception of a supreme creator being or of the immortality of the soul. On the other hand, there is an emphasis on the importance of self-development, moral behaviour and guidelines on how human beings should act knowing their place in the Universe. People from different religions even adopt Taoist practices in everyday life, without any link with the philosophical basis defined by it, because they seek, among other things, balance, communion with nature and inner peace.

Finally, Taoism, as part of Eastern philosophy, is one of the different ways humanity has to understand life and existence itself. It's one more attempt to explain where we came from and where we're going. And even though Lao Tzu has written the teachings of this doctrine in a lyrical and subjective way, even allowing for countless interpretations, the understanding of it expands our vision of the world and of ourselves, that we are matter and essence. The Yin Yang symbol also shows us that balance always puts us on the right path! Reflect on this!

One who knows the other is wise.

He who knows himself is enlightened.

The one who beats the other is strong.

He who conquers himself is powerful.

He who knows joy is rich.

He who keeps his way is willing.

Be humble, and you will become righteous.

Bow down, and you will remain erect.

Empty yourself, and you will remain full.

Spend yourself, and you will remain new.

The wise man does not show, and it shines.

He doesn't get noticed, and that's why he gets noticed.

He doesn't praise himself, and for that he has merit.

And, because he's not competing,

no one in the world can compete with him.

Lao Tzu - Tao Te Ching - Verse 22 I'm Erika Mourão Cireia, and my mission is to help everyone who comes to me.