Religious Taoism vs Philosophical Taoism

[The Emperor of Mankind]

I know there are a few Taoists here. But I was wondering - those who are of the philosophical variety, do you incorporate any of the religious Taoist traditions into your practises? Do they help improve your lives?

Do you believe there's any credence to religious Taoism with things like alchemy, divination or a means of attaining immortality?

 

[Quetzal]

...do you incorporate any of the religious Taoist traditions into your practises?

Can you give an example?

 

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

I know there are a few Taoists here. But I was wondering - those who are of the philosophical variety, do you incorporate any of the religious Taoist traditions into your practises? Do they help improve your lives?

Do you believe there's any credence to religious Taoism with things like alchemy, divination or a means of attaining immortality?

Although I find certain aspects of Taoist philosophy very intriguing separating it from Chinese superstition can be rather difficult. You try talking to some folks about the Tao te ching and all you get is conversation about magical healing and the jade emperor.

I think it can be rather difficult to separate religion and philosophy with some of these eastern spiritual paths. You have to try and figure out what the founder actually believed or the teacher. If they teacher believed in a bunch of things you didn't and insisted they were central to his path why would you follow him?

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Can you give an example?

Aside from divination (using the Book of Changes) & alchemy? Monasticism, worship of the Three Pure Ones or other Taoist deities, astrology, religious ritual etc. Does that help?

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Although I find certain aspects of Taoist philosophy very intriguing separating it from Chinese superstition can be rather difficult. You try talking to some folks about the Tao te ching and all you get is conversation about magical healing and the jade emperor.

I think it can be rather difficult to separate religion and philosophy with some of these eastern spiritual paths. You have to try and figure out what the founder actually believed or the teacher. If they teacher believed in a bunch of things you didn't and insisted they were central to his path why would you follow him?

That's because Taoism has roots in Chinese folk beliefs (generally called Wuism). From your first paragraph it sounds like you're encountering religious Taoists and expecting them to be philosophical Taoists. Also, why is that superstition?

 

[Quetzal]

Aside from divination (using the Book of Changes) & alchemy? Monasticism, worship of the Three Pure Ones or other Taoist deities, astrology, religious ritual etc. Does that help?

It does a bit. I only ever thought of it at a philosophical tradition, that accounts for my limited knowledge of the other perspectives.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I would characterize myself as mostly familiar with philosophical Taoism, although I have read some on the alchemy, divination, etc., of Taoism. I have not found it particularly relevant, perhaps in large part that my cultural background is not traditional Chinese. I recognize the similarity (and differences) of "Wuism" to many other cultural traditions (some of which are much more closely related to me), but frankly, I've never tried to do much magic, divination, etc from ANY tradition. That's just not the way I practice.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Has anyone here ever been to a Taoist site in China? It's on my bucket list to climb Mount Tai.

 

[crowfeather]

I know there are a few Taoists here. But I was wondering - those who are of the philosophical variety, do you incorporate any of the religious Taoist traditions into your practises? Do they help improve your lives?

Do you believe there's any credence to religious Taoism with things like alchemy, divination or a means of attaining immortality?

No. Taoism, in its pure form, is not a religion. Neither is it a philosophy.
It is, instead, a replacement-mode for living one's life.

Often referred-to as a 'way', or even as 'The Way', it is the dispensing-with of all things thought-of as 'human', including all things pertaining to personal identity.
Taoism is an abandoning of one's separation from tao. This separation results from discrete identity, along with taking one's thoughts more seriously than Reality.

If it involves religion, or philosophy, it is not taoism. It is merely yet another tacked-on addition to a bucketload of other additions, all of which serve only to further complicate what is, by design, a supremely simple existence.

Taoism is a return towards simplicity, in other words, to Oneness. A cosying down inside tao: the container of all things.

"The tao is older than God" says Lao Tzu. Christians have a hard time with this. Taoists don't. Can you see why?