People are often confused about Tao because there are references to it on so many different levels. After all, it permeates all existence. Indeed it might be said that Tao is existence itself. It might seem odd that we can talk about Tao on a level so mundane as physical exercise and on a level as exalted as holiness itself. Those who follow Tao do not think of divinity as something "up there." They think of it as everywhere.In most fundamentalist Christian households, there are a lot of taboo topics. Have a question about masturbation? Ooh, we are sooo NOT going to go there!! Want to talk to someone about your struggles with understanding your sexual orientation? If it's not heterosexual, we certainly are NOT going to talk about THAT!
~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 348 ~
I can't imagine ANY topic being off limits in a Taoist household. If life, as we know it, is a manifestation of the One -- the Grand Mystery -- then everything is of Tao. Rather than tell young children they need to hit their knees in prayer if some feeling, action or thought doesn't fit within a narrow worldview, a Taoist would want to talk to the child about whether their feelings, actions or words brought harmony or disharmony to themselves and others.
On this blog, we address a wide variety of subject matter. Some can seem a bit esoteric, while others are trivial. Some are serious and deeply philosophical, while others are humorous and whimsical. No specific topic is out of bounds because everything we are is Tao.
As I said in my post on this verse:
ReplyDelete"Sure, Tao is “up there”. And down there, and outside, and inside, and everywhere. It’s interesting that if you ask someone in an Eastern religion to point to heaven, they will point within themselves. Try asking a Westerner to point to heaven, and it’s “up there”.
No wonder we’re confused all the time."