Do we need help? (ritual, salvation, beliefs, Revelation, experience)

[PureX]

To "surrender" is to stop doing. And to stop thinking. To surrender is to just let go of the automatic human desire to control our environment (both internal and external) through intellect. When we let go, our thoughts begin to scramble, and then to ramble, and then finally to cease trying to make sense of things. If we remain in this quiet state, the thoughts will begin to sort of die out all together, like a light slowly growing dimmer as it's power source is cut off. And eventually we're no longer thinking at all, but just being. We're just present, in the moment. Breathing in, breathing out, feeling the pull of gravity on our bodies. Letting the light and sound waves of our immediate environment roll over us, identified, but unmolested. Unanalyzed. Uncontrolled. We are one with our own place and time in existence. We are finally "real". We are finally true, as the truth is "what is". And there is nothing to know, or say, or to be done about it. Because we are at one with the tao.

[Francine]

Originally Posted by PureX

We are finally "real". We are finally true, as the truth is "what is". And there is nothing to know, or say, or to be done about it. Because we are at one with the tao.

The woman of wisdom is so heavily into harmony with Tao that nothing else matters. Her every breath is wuwei. She does nothing for the people but channels harmony to them simply by being in harmony with Tao. She gives up caring what the people think of her or what happens to them because only harmony with Tao is important. She is a hermit, no matter whether she lives in a cave or in the most crowded apartment.

[PureX]

Originally Posted by Francine

The woman of wisdom is so heavily into harmony with Tao that nothing else matters.

Everything is a part of the tao, so there is nothing to be left out, or undone. This is why she need not concern herself.

Originally Posted by Francine

Her every breath is wuwei. She does nothing for the people but channels harmony to them simply by being in harmony with Tao. She gives up caring what the people think of her or what happens to them because only harmony with Tao is important. She is a hermit, no matter whether she lives in a cave or in the most crowded apartment.

"Every being in the universe
is an expression of the Tao.
It springs into existence,
unconscious, perfect, free,
takes on a physical body,
lets circumstances complete it.
That is why every being
spontaneously honors the Tao.

The Tao gives birth to all beings,
nourishes them, maintains them,
cares for them, comforts them, protects them,
takes them back to itself,
creating without possessing,
acting without expecting,
guiding without interfering.
That is why love of the Tao
is in the very nature of things."

From the Tao te Ching

[Somkid]

The Tao Te Ching is philosophy that has been twisted into religion which was extremely annoying to Lao Tzu and the reason for his departure from China. Although the Tao has a lot in common with Chan Buddhism it is simply a different way of looking at something without having to put a god into the equation.

[Francine]

Originally Posted by PureX

The Tao gives birth to all beings,
nourishes them, maintains them,
cares for them, comforts them, protects them,
takes them back to itself,
creating without possessing,
acting without expecting,
guiding without interfering.
That is why love of the Tao
is in the very nature of things."

Tao is the source of all living things, and they are nourished by Tao's power. They are influenced by the other living things around them, and they are shaped by their circumstances. Everything respects Tao and honors its power.

[PureX]

Originally Posted by Somkid

The Tao Te Ching is philosophy that has been twisted into religion which was extremely annoying to Lao Tzu and the reason for his departure from China. Although the Tao has a lot in common with Chan Buddhism it is simply a different way of looking at something without having to put a god into the equation.

Yes, i agree that the philosophy of tao is often confused with the various religious superstitions and their gods that have come to be called "taoism" these days. But Lao Tzu himself would acknowledge that such religious superstitions, and their respective god-concepts, are just part of the "tao of man".

[Francine]

Originally Posted by Somkid

The Tao Te Ching is philosophy that has been twisted into religion which was extremely annoying to Lao Tzu and the reason for his departure from China. Although the Tao has a lot in common with Chan Buddhism it is simply a different way of looking at something without having to put a god into the equation.

I believe the only time "God" comes up is in TTC 4. All of reality comes after the Lord of Creation, except the Eternal Feminine, which seems to come before. The nature of the Eternal Feminine is to yield, hence the woman of wisdom doesn't insist it came before. Thus she says, 'it seems.'"

[Francine]

Originally Posted by PureX

Lao Tzu himself would acknowledge that such religious superstitions, and their respective god-concepts, are just part of the "tao of man".

That's part of it, when people say there is a "tao of man" or a "tao of war" or a "tao of Pooh" or a "tao of driving". Men and War and Pooh and Driving are all governed by the nameless Way. How could it be otherwise? It literally goes without saying.

[zenzero]

Friends,
This nameless WAY is to be witnessed.
Discussions without witnessing will be endless
Witnessing will carry forward solving the mystry.
Love & rgds
n.b. Not stating that we should not discuss, we should BUT our primary goal should be witnessing is what I like to state.

[Somkid]

To achieve oneness with the Tao is to achieve oneness with nature this does not apply to understanding of the concept of "salvation" in most religions. Buddhism and the Tao mix rather well because to achieve "salvation" in Buddhism you must be at one with the nature of everything and understand the true nature of the Tao or everything.