The Human Need for a Guide

Ta-Wan

There is an absolute tendency in humans to need a guide, be that the vicar of the local church or the YouTube presentation of the scientist. Throughout that scale we all seem to be drawn to one or another person who provides nourishment to that craving. Blogs and news stories, scientific explanations and unprovable reassurances of 'God's who love', fill us in some way. Whether this has roots down into our genetic and evolved past or whether this exists because 'God made us that way,' we don't know, but we wish for someone of some persuasion to backup our flimsy stance here where we are a brief fleshy fleck in a gaping infinite unknown - why else are we drawn to read such things as this blog?

As people make their way to church today (it's already Sunday in Australia), so too other people will read books on science and others will watch YouTube presentations of people who have found some kind of spiritual release and now offer it as a product. Each person will be able to argue how their chosen guide is the best and, for them, it is the best.

Why this need though?

Those drawn to science have a valid stance that they are educating themselves and from this they may (like good scientists) have real and demonstrable evidence. Those drawn to religion and the Vicars and so on who provide the reassurances of 'God's Love' may have some inner, wholly unprovable, contentment. All of these people and all of those who sit elsewhere along the wide spectrum are all, it seems, drawn by the same craving and simply filling it in their own way.

Taoism is quite different. Now it can also be exactly the same too! A person may well be reading about Taoism because they wish to fill this same void I have been talking about, but the person who has grasped what Taoism is saying is unique in that they are not looking to fill this void, there is no void. A Taoist is instead complete where they are, not going, not coming, not empty, not full, not trying to be a guide and not seeking one.

You can check out Ta-Wan's other musings here.