Becoming Taoist

[The Sum of Awe]

I understand how a Taoist should act and most of their beliefs (sometimes get confused on the names but I know the concepts) and agree with most of them.

But it's hard for me to rid craving. I think it's impossible to be happy to always turn down what you want.

Even if I'm wrong, it'll be super hard for me to rid craving and desire.

Although I'm cut on craving if it involves harming other people. Sometimes I do desire to prank people in harmful ways, or to fight back when I'm being bullied at at my school, but I don't do it there.

Is that enough to cut down on? If not is it fine to still label myself as a Taoist?

 

[Orias]

Although I'm cut on craving if it involves harming other people. Sometimes I do desire to prank people in harmful ways, or to fight back when I'm being bullied at at my school, but I don't do it there.

Well I don't know if you could consider not fighting back as being a Taoist thing to do, but my freshman year I got punched in the face three times by this kid that had some problems with me. I didn't fight back at all, and got some crap by people after it.

I let them all enswathe themselves in ignorance and failure to recognize what I have been training in my whole life.

I prefer fights that don't involve emotion, anger being One of them. Unless of course your very Life is being threatend.

Though, craving to do so is only a natural thing to do, acting out however is not always approached in the most rational or logical of manners.

It is the thought and imagined scenario of what is desired, the meaning of action is provoked by a desired or undesired response, which can conclude in any varied emotion, gratifying or not.

 

[doppelganger]

Can one strive for a state of not craving?

 

[Parzival]

it fine to still label myself as a Taoist?

I took a comparative religion class in Eastern and Indigenous traditions, and one thing that stuck out to me was that many Taoists will consider everyone and everything part of the Tao, and a Taoist. So following that logic, I suppose so.

 

[Yes Man]

But it's hard for me to rid craving.

Is that a Taoist thing? Sounds more Buddhist. I always had the impression that Taoism promoted working with one's desires and becoming effortless instead of struggling to overcome them.

 

[Orias]

Can one strive for a state of not craving?

That would be a craving within itself wouldn't it?

 

[TurkeyOnRye]

Don't bother trying to rid craving. Just watch craving as it happens, simply observe it, and be open to its fleeting existence.

I wouldn't be too concerned about labeling yourself Taoist. I'd say the best Taoists are unaware of their Taoist behavior.

 

[Orias]

Is that a Taoist thing? Sounds more Buddhist. I always had the impression that Taoism promoted working with one's desires and becoming effortless instead of struggling to overcome them.

You speak of the Wu-Wei

 

[wmjbyatt]

I understand how a Taoist should act and most of their beliefs (sometimes get confused on the names but I know the concepts) and agree with most of them.

But it's hard for me to rid craving. I think it's impossible to be happy to always turn down what you want.

Okay. That's cool.

Even if I'm wrong, it'll be super hard for me to rid craving and desire.

Then don't.

Although I'm cut on craving if it involves harming other people. Sometimes I do desire to prank people in harmful ways, or to fight back when I'm being bullied at at my school, but I don't do it there.

If someone needs to get stuck, stick 'em. But if you don't wanna stick 'em, that's cool.

Is that enough to cut down on? If not is it fine to still label myself as a Taoist?

Go for it, don't know what it means.

Summary:
Don't get caught up in the doctrines, man. No teaching can tell you what to do or what's what (don't you remember: the Tao which can be spoken is not the eternal Tao?). Just chillax. Don't worry about what qualifies as what or what's called what. I mean, it's cool to know, but it ain't a summary of everything that is.

Remember: Some dead Chinese dudes like water because it flows around and with everything, yet in the long run it can erode anything. Water doesn't TRY to get out of everything's way, it just does what, y'know... flows.

 

[tgnostic]

I understand how a Taoist should act and most of their beliefs (sometimes get confused on the names but I know the concepts) and agree with most of them.

But it's hard for me to rid craving. I think it's impossible to be happy to always turn down what you want.

Even if I'm wrong, it'll be super hard for me to rid craving and desire.

Although I'm cut on craving if it involves harming other people. Sometimes I do desire to prank people in harmful ways, or to fight back when I'm being bullied at at my school, but I don't do it there.

Is that enough to cut down on? If not is it fine to still label myself as a Taoist?

I think you can be a Taoist on much occasions without ridding oneself of cravings. One strengthens oneself against the desires of the world by doing regular meditations. Cravings are sensual alright and become henceforth a representation at heart to know the common and fellowman. In fact that is the non-revealed conscience in belonging to the religion for the private vs. public beliefs. Becoming one with God may take form of for instance the pragmatic philosophy; to handle the craving as the purpose of the religion; religion is regarded generally as the cause of life in the world. Life on the World needed instead an antecedent cause for the Revealed Religion.

 

[zenzero]

Friend TSoA.

Your post tells what you do but you are doubtful and so wish to know if you are on the PATH or not?
Well merely such thought arising in the mind itself shows that one is already on the PATH.
What is required is not the focus on what you are doing but only bring about AWARENESS of every move that you make. That AWARENESS itself CONSCIOUSNESS and being conscious is harmonising with existence which slowly will lead you through the evolution that existence is permanently involved with and existence includes the part that each form including humans are.

Love & rgds