dou’ĭz’əm, tou’

A principal philosophy and system of religion of China based on the teachings of Lao-tzu in the sixth century B.C. and on subsequent revelations. It advocates preserving and restoring the Tao in the body and the cosmos.

A prominent practitioner and evangalist of Taoism is Dr. Wayne Dyer. Please visit his Power of Intentions Here

The cliche ‘you are what you eat’ sums up this approach perfectly. The body is constantly repairing and renewing itself - in fact, in 10 years time you will retain not a single cell of your current body, they will all have been replaced. This applies to your skin, organs, brain, bones and every part of the body. It doesn’t take much intelligence to realize that the fuel for this process, and the very building blocks of the physical body come from our food, so we really are what we eat.

Taoist Dietary Advice

The Chang Ming Taoist diet is based on simple rules, one of the most important being ‘eat only food’ - this means avoiding unnatural foods that the body cannot process (artificial additives, drugs etc.) and heavily processed foods that contain little or no nutritional value (white flour, sugar etc.) These are not things that the body is designed to consume, so are not really ‘foods’ fit for human consumption.

Additionally it recommends avoiding food which is hard to digest (e.g. dairy products and red meat) and anything acidic which upsets the delicate balance of the stomach (e.g. citrus fruits). The final recommendation is to eat the food nature intended us to eat by opting for locally grown season produce whenever possible. It also follows that organic is best, as organically grown food contains no artificial chemicals and causes less harm to the environment.

These simple guidelines dispense with the need to count calories or fat levels, or to worry about deficiencies. By eating a varied diet with lots of whole grains, seeds, nuts and seasonal fruit and vegetables you get everything you need for a healthy body and mind. After all, we are a part of the natural world, and have evolved to eat the foods that grow around us. Everything we need is readily available to us without the need to rely on man-made additives and chemicals.

Note that these recommendations should not be followed in conjunction with other types of diet, and anyone with a serious health problem should always consult their a doctor before undergoing a change of diet.

More information of Diet:

Success using The Master Cleanse
Acid Alkaline Diet Simplified
Are raw fruits and vegetables essential for your health?

Basic guidelines:

Increase intake of the following:
* Whole grains and products made with them.
* Vegetables, ideally organic and seasonal.
* Fruit, but not tropical. Dried fruit is very good.
* Seeds and nuts.
* Tofu and soya.
* Herbs
* Herbal and china tea

Decrease intake of the following:

* Red meat (hard to digest)
* Refined products such as white sugar, flour and bread.
* Tropical fruits (very acidic)
* Artificial additives of all kinds - ‘eat only food’.
* Dairy products and cheese.
* Drugs - including caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.
* Cold drinks and foods.
* Strong spices and chilli
* Deep fried food
* Sugar

Those who follow the Tao early
will have an abundance of virtue.
When there is an abundance of virtue,
there is nothing that can not be done.
Where there is limitless ability,
then the kingdom is withing your grasp.
When you know the Mother of the kingdom,
then you will be long enduring.

This is spoken of as the deep root and the firm trunk,
the Way to a long life and great spiritual vision.
The ancient Masters
who understood the way of the Tao,
did not educate people, but made them forget.

Smart people are difficult to guide,
because they think they are too clever.
To use cleverness to rule a country,
is to lead the country to ruin.
To avoid cleverness in ruling a country,
is to lead the country to prosperity.

Knowing the two alternatives is a pattern.
Remaining aware of the pattern is a virtue.
This dark and mysterious virtue is profound.
It is opposite our natural inclination,
but leads to harmony with the heavens.

Principles

Taoist theology focuses on doctrines of wu wei (”non-action”), spontaneity, humanism, relativism and emptiness. This philosophical aspect of Taoism emphasizes various themes found in the Tao Te Ching such as naturalness, vitality, peace, “non-action” (wu wei), emptiness (refinement), detachment, the strength of softness (or flexibility), and in the Zhuangzi such as receptiveness, spontaneity, the relativism of human ways of life, ways of speaking and guiding behavior. Taoism is a peaceful religion.

Tao

Tao can be roughly stated to be the flow of the universe, or the force behind the natural order. Tao is believed to be the influence that keeps the universe balanced and ordered. Tao is associated with nature, due to a belief that nature demonstrates the Tao. The flow of qi, as the essential energy of action and existence, is compared to the universal order of Tao. Tao is compared to what it is not, like the negative theology of Western scholars. It is often considered to be the source of both existence and non-existence

De

Tao is also associated with a “proper” attitude, morality and lifestyle. This is intimately tied to the complex concept of Te, or literally “virtue”. Te is the active expression of Tao. Taoism generally expresses this as “integrity” or “wholeness”. Tao is considered a “way”, while Te is the active living, or cultivation, of that “way”.

Wu wei

Wu wei (Traditional Chinese characters: 無為 Simplified Chinese characters: 无为) is a central concept in Taoism. The literal meaning of wu wei is “without action”. It is often expressed by the paradox wei wu wei, meaning “action without action” or “effortless doing”. The practice and efficacy of wu wei are fundamental in Chinese thought, most prominently emphasized in Taoism. The goal of wu wei is alignment with Tao, revealing the soft and invisible power within all things. It is believed by Taoists that masters of wu wei can control this invisible potential, the innate yin-action of the Way.

In ancient Taoist texts, wu wei is associated with water through its yielding nature. Water is soft and weak, it is noted, but it can move earth and carve stone. Taoist philosophy proposes that the universe works harmoniously according to its own ways. When someone exerts his will against the world, he disrupts that harmony. Taoism does not identify man’s will as the root problem. Rather, it asserts that man must place his will in harmony with the natural universe.

P’u

P’u is translated as “uncarved block” or “simplicity”. It is a metaphor for the state of wu wei and the principle of jian. It represents a passive state of receptiveness. P’u is a symbol for a state of pure potential and perception without prejudice. In this state, Taoists believe everything is seen as it is, without preconceptions or illusion.

P’u is seen as keeping oneself in the primordial state of tao. It is believed to be the true nature of the mind, unburdened by knowledge or experiences. In the state of p’u, there is no right or wrong, beautiful or ugly. There is only pure experience, or awareness, free from learned labels and definitions. It is this state of being that is the goal of following wu wei.

Spirituality

Taoists believe that man is a microcosm for the universe. The body ties directly into the Chinese five elements. The five organs correlate with the five elements, the five directions and the seasons. Akin to the “neoplatonic maxim” of “as above, so below”, Taoism posits that by understanding himself, man may gain knowledge of the universe, and vice versa.

In Taoism, even beyond Chinese folk religion, various rituals, exercises, and substances are said to positively affect one’s physical and mental health. They are also intended to align oneself spiritually with cosmic forces, or enable ecstatic spiritual journeys. These concepts seem basic to Taoism in its elite forms. Internal alchemy and various spiritual practices are used by some Taoists to extend life, even to the point of immortality. Immortals, their actions and their relationships with the gods and natural forces form a significant portion of Taoist mythology.

Some scholars have divided it into the following three categories:

1. “Philosophical Taoism”. (Daojia).
A philosophical school based on the texts Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi;

2. “Religious Taoism”. (Daojiao).
A family of organized Chinese religious movements originating from the Celestial Masters movement during the late Han Dynasty and later including the “Orthodox” (Zhengyi) and “Complete Reality” (Quanzhen) sects, which trace back to Lao Zi or Zhang Daoling in the late Han Dynasty;

3. “Folk Taoism”.
The Chinese folk religion

This distinction is complicated by hermeneutic difficulty. The categorization of Taoist sects and movements is very controversial. Many scholars believe that there is no distinction between Daojia and Daojiao, and that the distinction is propagated by people who are not familiar with Taoism.

Much uncertainty exists over the meaning of Taoism. In some countries and contexts, such as the Taoism organizations of China and Taiwan, the label is applied to Chinese folk religion, which would otherwise not have a readily recognizable English name. However, many of its practitioners would not recognize Taoism (in any language) as the name of their religion.

Lao Tzu’s book Tao-te-Ching was regarded as a sacred work in North and Central China, but was burned with other writings in 220 B.C.E. It reappeared under the Han dynasty and was reinforced by the teachings of Chuang Tzu, another Taoist classic. It is believed to have been the work of a philosopher of the same name. Lao Tzu was the first to formalize Taoism while Chuang-Tzu developed a more philosophical system, metaphysics, and epistemology. Chuang Tzu’s teachings of the Tao is considered to be transcendental, while Lao-Tzu’s is considered to be a natural form.

Taoism was originally an esoteric philosophy, concerned with the unity underlying the opposites and diversity of the phenomenal world. Taoism taught union with the law of the universe through wisdom and detached action. The union of cosmic and individual energies is reminiscent of the Vedanta teachings of India.

As central to the Taoist tradition as the concepts of yin and yang are the ideas of Tao and Te (”the power”). Like yin, Tao is often identified with the passive (or wu wei); because the way is often given preeminence over the power. It is said a real seeker of wisdom knows the power (Te) but seeks the way (Tao). One should not strive for wealth or prestige and that aggression is to be avoided.

As part of the Taoists’ practice, followers have incorporated lifestyle rituals, such as vegetarianism, herbal and tactile medicinal approaches, good moral conduct, and the use of appropriate incantations, amulets, and charms. T’ai Chi Ch’uan, with its fusion of energetic and relaxed exercise, has provided a means of increasing and enhancing ch’i (or Qi), the vital force of life. The overall goal of Taoists’ life is to attain harmony with the Tao. This means one must desire nothing, live simply, and act by not acting. It is a practice where solitude and individualism is cherished and where the “upper classes” of social standing are rejected.

Taoism has also developed its own yoga techniques, which parallel the ancient Hindu system of kundalini yoga. These involved control of ch’i, the force believed to stand behind sexual activity, but which could also be diverted into different channels in the body for blissful expansion of consciousness. The circulation of this generative force in the body, aided by breathing techniques, corresponds with Indian yoga techniques involving pranayama breathing, and the ascent of kundalini energy through the chakras or vital centers of the body. This individual alchemy was variously known as k’ai men (open door), ho ping (unity), or ho hsieh (harmony).

The extraordinary parallels between ancient Indian and Chinese Taoism in its various forms and Hinduism (Vedanta and yoga) do not appear to have been documented by historians. The yoga teachings of China descended from teacher to pupil; it is only in recent times that basic texts have been translated into English. There are now teachers of Chinese yoga in Western countries and centers for instruction. There are also many translations with commentaries of the earlier Tao teachings in the Tao-te-Ching.

Philosophical Taoism

The philosophical system stems largely from the Tao-te-ching, a text traditionally ascribed to Lao Tzu but probably written in the mid-3d cent. B.C. The Tao, in the broadest sense, is the way the universe functions, the path [Chin. tao=path] taken by natural events. It is characterized by spontaneous creativity and by regular alternations of phenomena (such as day following night) that proceed without effort. Effortless action may be illustrated by the conduct of water, which irresistibly accepts the lowest level and yet wears away the hardest substance. Human beings, following the Tao, must abjure all striving. The ideal state of being, fully attainable only by mystical contemplation, is simplicity and freedom from desire, comparable to that of an infant or an “uncarved block.”

Taoist political doctrines reflect this quieting philosophy: the ruler’s duty is to impose a minimum of government, while protecting his people from experiencing material wants or strong passions. The social virtues expounded by Confucius were condemned as symptoms of excessive government and disregard of effortless action. Second only to Lao Tzu as an exponent of philosophical Taoism was Chuang-tzu, who wrote brilliant satirical essays. Taoist ideals greatly influenced Chinese literature, painting, and calligraphy. Later Taoism emphasized the techniques [Chin. te=power] for realizing the effects flowing from the Tao, especially long life and physical immortality.

Religious Taoism

Religious Taoism appropriated earlier interest and belief in alchemy and the search for the elixir of life and the philosopher’s stone. By the 5th cent. A.D., Taoism was a fully developed religious system with many features adopted from Mahayana Buddhism, offering emotional religious satisfaction to those who found the largely ethical system of Confucianism inadequate. Taoism developed a large pantheon (probably incorporating many local gods), monastic orders, and lay masters. Heading the commonly worshiped deities is the Jade Emperor. Directly under him, ruling from Mt. Tai, is the Emperor of the Eastern Mountain, who weighs merits and faults and assigns reward and punishment in this and future existences. An ecclesiastical hierarchy was founded in the 8th cent., headed by the T’ien Shih [master of heaven]; he claimed succession from Chang Tao-lin, an alchemist of the 2d cent. who was reputed to have discovered the elixir of immortality after receiving magical power from Lao Tzu.

Throughout its history Taoism has provided the basis for many Chinese secret societies; in the 1950s, after the establishment of the Communist regime, Taoism was officially proscribed. Taoism is still practiced to some degree in modern China, as well as in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao and in communities of Chinese who have emigrated.

The Tao or ‘Way’, is the all-embracing matrix of the patterns by which things happen in the world, and it is from this concept that the school derives its name. Taoists generally hold to the ideal of coming to a knowledge or vision of this matrix for a variety of purposes: to see the intricate interconnectedness of all things, to attain long life, to achieve spontaneity in thoughts and actions, to gain supernatural powers, and so on. Such achievements involve finding a balance between the two opposing energies of yin and yang, from whose interaction all phenomena and change arise. These are seen as two complementary facets of the infinite Tao, represented in the yin-yang symbol of a circle with two dots in each half, indicating that yin and yang both contain the seed of their opposite. All opposition and duality can be expressed in terms of yin and yang; for example, yin stands for what is feminine, soft, and receptive and yang for what is masculine, hard, and dynamic.

Taoists seek to harmonize these cosmic energies within themselves by observing and emulating the rhythms of nature, and it is an existential as opposed to an intellectual understanding that they seek. One text in particular, the Chuang-tzu (c.4th to 2nd centuries bce), presents a thorough critique of language as a means of communicating truth and discursive thought as a mode of knowledge, and counsels direct observation of nature, both in the world and within oneself. This will lead to a calm acceptance of the circumstances of one’s life and the inevitability of one’s death, and a joyous spontaneity from day to day. Many scholars believe that this text was a formative influence in the genesis of Ch’an Buddhism.

Much of the cross-fertilization of Taoism and Buddhism took place after the fall of the Han dynasty and the flight of many Chinese gentry and literati to the south, beginning in the 3rd century ce. The destabilization of the empire and the difficulties of life during this turbulent period led many to question the hegemony of a now-discredited Confucianism, and to look for other ways to think about the problems of life. Many took to a newly revitalized Taoism and its close relative, the so-called ‘Dark Learning’ (Chinese, hsüan hsüeh), sometimes also called ‘Neo-Taoism’. Buddhism made its first inroads into the upper echelons of Chinese society at this time, and many scholars met to discuss and compare the ideas of these two religions.

Tao Shiatsu

Ryukyu Endo sensei introduced this form of Derivative Shiatsu. He followed Zen Shiatsu theory, but left Ioh-kai after Masunaga sensei died. This theory contains religious and spiritual practicum, for example reciting a Buddhist prayer before lectures. There are several one- and two-day workshops available in Tokyo and Kyoto. Endo sensei studied Shiatsu directly from Namikoshi Sensei and graduated from the Japan Shiatsu College.

Shiatsu is a Japanese therapy of preventative medicine. It uses pressure of the hands and is a compliment to conventional medicine. The founder of this therapy was Tokujiro Namikoshi who died at age 95 in 2000. The first clinic was in Tokyo in 1925. Students wishing to become a Shiatsu Practitioner or a Registered Massage Therapist must learn the Chinese Meridians first. The meaning of Shiatsu in English, SHI is finger and OYAYUBI is thumb. ATSU is pressure, so Shiatsu literally translated means finger pressure or thumb pressure. Shiatsu began with TEATE, which literally translated means ‘hands-on’ in Japanese. In today�s vocabulary it also means treatment.

Taoist philosophy:

- The Way begat One (the lifeforce), which in turn begat Two (Yin and Yang), finally producing the entirety of the world as we know it (the 10,000 things) through the harmony of the Wuxing. The Way is therefore circular, acting upon itself to renew the cycle of life and death in harmony with nature.

- Act in accordance with nature, and with finesse rather than force.

- One’s mental activities should be stilled or allowed to dissipate until one finds a deeper source for guiding one’s interaction with the universe (see ‘wu wei’ below). Desire hinders one’s ability to understand The Way, and tempering desire breeds contentment. Taoists believe that when one desire is satisfied, another, more ambitious desire will simply spring up to replace it. In essence, most Taoists feel that life should be appreciated as it is, rather than forced to be something it is not. Ideally, one should not desire anything, not even non-desire.

- Oneness: By realising that all things (including ourselves) are interdependent and constantly redefined as circumstances change, we come to see all things as they are, and ourselves as a simple part of the current moment. This understanding of oneness leads us to an appreciation of life’s events and our place within them as simple miraculous moments which “simply are”.

- Dualism, the opposition and combination of the Universe’s two basic principles of Yin and Yang is a large part of the basic philosophy. Some of the common associations with Yang and Yin, respectively, are: male and female, light and dark, forcing and yielding, action and stillness. Taoists believe that neither side is more important or better than the other; indeed, neither can exist without the other, as they are equal aspects of the whole. They flow into each other in constant motion. They complete each other in perfect balance.

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao )