New Voices Along the Path V

Yes boys and girls, it's time for another edition of New Voices Along the Path. Here are some new blogs that have been added to the Taoist Wanderers section in the right sidebar.

Awakening Awareness

Life's journey leads us on different paths and thru different experiences; yet there is a common thread woven within all that lives.

On my wanderings and wonderings, thru deep valleys & steep, winding roads, into dark & shadowed forests and in the center of many a storm, I gathered much that provided gracious sustenance, strength and fortitude...some of what I shall share here....for those who see let them hear.

Chasing the Rabbit Down the Mindhol

Once upon a time in a world that seems far far away I lived in Tennessee. During my time there I took up Aikido and Tajiquan (also known as Tai Chi) from someone I’d met along the way. Like a true master, we learned at his house, where he had equipment and an area for training.

The first thing he did when we started working together was have me get an old copy of the Tao Te Ching, I think I found it at a thrift store or maybe he gave it to me… I was to read it.

And read it. And read it.

The Tao is something that is very difficult to talk about or describe. It is also only one of many principles core to the belief system of Taoism.

In its simplicity, the Tao is the force behind all of the intricacies of nature, large and small… it is also the natural way, or the natural order, that occurs in nature, and around us, and to us.

Journey of a Thousand Miles

This is the blog of Derek Lin of True Tao and author of a few books on Taoism. He doesn't post very often, but when he does, it's very illuminating.

My Solitary Jedi Journey

Every once in a while, I take the time to really meditate on how I am doing with the Jedi pathway. Many people do this in their lives, thinking about how they are following the tenets of their religion or chosen path. When I do this, though, I like to find examples of how I fulfill those tenets.

To me, the key tenet of following the Jedi path is to believe in the Force and allow it to direct my actions. This has a lot to do with meditating on a daily basis in order to keep up one’s psychic awareness and, therefore, one’s connection with the Force. Connection with the Force requires an open mind, tolerance, and forgiveness. One needs to be free of negative energy in order to connect with the Force. It is when I am angry, being intolerant, etc. that I have the hardest time connecting with the energy around me. For this reason, it is necessary to keep one’s emotions in check and keep an open mind.

Rational Taoist

This is a new blog with only two entries. We'll see if it develops.

Tao by Matsumoto

A mental antidepressant with no side effects by a Japanese surfer/writer/actor. This gentleman is going through the Tao Te Ching line by line and he includes a video with each post.

Tao Te Chan

Meditation on the Way and Virtue. A reformed quest for physical and spiritual power. Another new blog started this month.

The Doubtful Tao

From time to time I send mammoth emails to friends, disgorging my thoughts and ideas with reckless abandon. I never bother to ask permission, but the responses are usually kind. Perhaps in a blog format, I can take some of the load off my poor friends, and distribute it among you hungry souls out there.

The Goat Rope

The theme at Goat Rope lately has been books, specifically the 10 books that had the biggest impact on me growing up.

Here's the lineup so far 1. The Bible 2. Book of Common Prayer 3. Poe's stories and poems 4. Lord of the Rings 5. Tao Te Ching 6. Karate-Do Kyohan 7. Freud/Jung tie 8. Nietzsche's Thus Spake Zarathustra 9. Camus' The Plague.

Now that I'm down to #10, I'm having a hard time picking the last one. I think I'll go with Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls.