I often wonder, when new folks stop by this blog, if they may get the wrong impression of my chief aim. While the vast majority in the western world are highly suspicious of a philosophy like Taoism, there's another group of individuals that I believe think of this ancient system of thought in warm and cuddly terms. Hey, it's about nature 'n bees 'n birds 'n trees 'n mountains 'n rivers. What could be challenging about that?
To be quite frank, my hope is that my chicken scratchings make people a tad bit uncomfortable. I want folks to think about things in ways that may seem very weird and strange. For me, that's one of the hallmarks of the words of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu. Both are basically suggesting to us that we roll up conventional wisdom into a big ball and then chuck it in a waste bin and burn it.
In my own way, I'm trying to accomplish the same thing. Whether I'm succeeding or not in this vein is open to debate. But that's what drives me and why I pretty much lay it all out there.
While I hope that some of you find a smattering of resonance in what is written here, my greater desire is that some of these posts will cause you to scratch your head and mutter WTF?
To be quite frank, my hope is that my chicken scratchings make people a tad bit uncomfortable. I want folks to think about things in ways that may seem very weird and strange. For me, that's one of the hallmarks of the words of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu. Both are basically suggesting to us that we roll up conventional wisdom into a big ball and then chuck it in a waste bin and burn it.
In my own way, I'm trying to accomplish the same thing. Whether I'm succeeding or not in this vein is open to debate. But that's what drives me and why I pretty much lay it all out there.
While I hope that some of you find a smattering of resonance in what is written here, my greater desire is that some of these posts will cause you to scratch your head and mutter WTF?
Oh, yeah, just love the warm and cuddly Tao... heh... maybe Tao of Pooh is for them. ;^)
ReplyDeletenope sorry all, or most of, your posts make complete sense to me. :)
ReplyDeletebut then i am weird like that.
HI R T -
ReplyDeletethen according to me and my reactions you are very successful in your endeavor. I scratch my head alot saying "WTF"? and I am often angry and scared because these teaching break through my Jesus armor. :-)
Love you
Gail
peace......
You have a chief aim Trey?
ReplyDelete*wink*
you bring up a good point of how to teach Taoism...One I think living in the western side of the planet we all wrestle with, since in being Taoist people ask for details and we are forced to consider what approach to take when talking to others...
ReplyDeleteIn the end you just have to teach it as you feel best from the heart
for some that will be to expose contradictions, and for others kindness, and others edges and for others...
in the end , we just have to stay the course of what feel right to the heart realizing that balance shifts for each of us...
Daoism, like Western Science, is an attempt to make sense of how the world around us works with the aim to be in alignment with that working.
ReplyDelete"I want folks to think about things in ways that may seem very weird and strange."
ReplyDeleteI'm all for that. But I'm thinking Taoism might not be enough to do the trick. We should think outside the box of Taoism, even though Taoism is already outside of an even larger box.
Again, a nice bevy of comments from a variety of perspectives. More for me to ponder! : )
ReplyDelete