Taoism

A Chinese religion and philosophy that sees the universe as engaged in ceaseless motion and activity. All is considered to be in continual flux. The universe is in trinsically dynamic. This continual cosmic process is called the "Tao" by the Chinese. The process is described in terms of Yin and Yang. (See: Yin/Yang.)

(See also: Taoism, New Age, Body mind and Soul)

Philosophical Taoism (tao-chia): Early non-religious direction of Taoism as found in the Tao Te Ching, the Chuang-Tzu, the Lieh-Tzu, Neo-Taoism.

 (See also: Philosophical Taoism, Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

Taoism: Chinese movement originating in the warring states period which advocates following the Tao and living in harmony with nature; "Philosophical Taoism" and "Religious Taoism" are its two principal approaches.

 (See also: Taoism, Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

Taoism

Philosophy or religion associated with the teachings of Lao Tzu

(See also: Taoism, Body Mind and Soul)

Neo-Taoism: Movement within Philosophical Taoism during the 3rd and 4th centuries CE which drew from Confucianism; leading proponents are Wang Pi, Ho Yen, Hsiang Hsiu and Kuo Hsiang.

 (See also: Neo-Taoism, Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

Religious Taoism (Tao-chiao): Later development within the Taoist tradition which emphasized techniques of attaining physical immortality in this life.

 (See also: Religious Taoism, Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

Taoism: A philosophy whose origins can be traced back to the seventh century B.C.E.

 (See also: Taoism, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Taoism

A Chinese religion and philosophy that sees the universe as engaged in ceaseless motion and activity. All is considered to be in continual flux. The universe is in trinsically dynamic. This continual cosmic process is called the "Tao" by the Chinese. The process is described in terms of Yin and Yang. (See: Yin/Yang. )

Tao is that which is formless, yet the mother of all forms, and that which is timeless, yet prior to all manifestations, and that which does nothing, yet leaves nothing undone. At the base of Taoism is Lao Tzu's adage "Forget right and wrong, and it will be better for everyone. "

(See also: Taoism, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Taoism: A Chinese religion and philosophy that sees the universe as engaged in ceaseless motion and activity. All is considered to be in continual flux. The universe is intrinsically dynamic. The process is described in terms of Yin and Yang that should be balanced or harmonized through yoga, meditation, etc., to promote spiritual wholeness. According to legend, Taoism founder Lao-tzu wrote Tao Te Ching ("The Way and Its Power") about 550 BC. His teaching was developed and spread in the third century BC by Chuang-Tzu, whose writings inspired the Tao Tsang, 1200 volumes of Taoist scripture.

(See also: Taoism, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Shen Tao: Combination of acupressure and Taoism.

(See also: Shen Tao, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

CRANE - bird that symbolized longevity and wisdom in Taoism. (NAD)

(See also: CRANE, Wiccan Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Chuang Tzu (Chinese) Chinese philosopher (late 4th century B.C.) who, with Lao Tzu and Kuan Tzu, is regarded as one of the patriarchs of Taoism. He wrote a work under his name which treats of the tao and its relation to the universe and man, and gives directions for the conduct of human life.

(See also: Chuang Tzu, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

ONTOLOGICAL ANARCHISM

Hakim Bey's term for overcoming Taoism's excessive passivity and withdrawal. He feels that to be really different invites repression by the Establishment. One should not think of oneself as a Liberal, but as a criminal.

(See also: ONTOLOGICAL ANARCHISM, Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul, )

integral counseling psychology: A form of psychotherapy taught at the California Institute of Integral Studies, in San Francisco. It encompasses bioenergetics, Gestalt therapy, holotropic therapy (see Holotropic Breathwork), Integral Yoga, psychosynthesis, spiritual mind healing, Taoism, and Theosophical Therapy. One of its principles is that one can help humans to contact and activate their inner organizing center for holistic living.

(See also: Integral counseling psychology, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

Hakomi (Hakomi body-centered psychotherapy, Hakomi Body-Mind Process, Hakomi Body-Oriented Psychotherapy, Hakomi Method, Hakomi Method of Body/Mind Therapy, Hakomi Therapy, Hakomi work): Refinement of Reichian Therapy developed by Ron Kurtz in the mid-1970s.

The Hakomi Method uses the mind/body connection to elicit nonverbal core beliefs. It is based partly on bioenergetics, Buddhism, and Taoism. Hakomi is a Hopi word that means: How do you stand in relation to these many realms? (loosely, Who are you?).

(See also: Hakomi, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

Kwei (Chinese) Also Kuei. Generally, evil spirits or demons; used in Taoism in connection with yin, referring to beings supposed to be connected with the dark side of nature. Yin is regarded as a universal kwei divisible into myriads of particles. Union of the kwei and shen causes life, activity; their separation causes death. Man is likewise composed of a kwei and shen, the kwei representing the dark side of his nature.

(See also: Kwei, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Feng Shui, Fung Shui (Chinese) Wind, rain, or water; the science and art which tends to realize the ideal aim that every human dwelling place -- village or city, fields and surrounding regions, roads, gates, temples; in fact everything connected with human activities upon earth -- must be situated and constructed so that the universe can exercise as completely as possible its favorable influences upon them. The regulators of the fung shui are said to be the three buddhas (triratna). Hence in this aspect Taoism mingles with Buddhism.

Also called khan yu (heaven and earth) in Han literature.

(See also: Feng Shui, Fung Shui, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Yang (Chinese) The bright aspect -- as the sunny side of a hill -- in contrast to yin, the dark side. In mystic Chinese literature and in Taoism, yang is associated with the masculine aspect, while yin refers to the feminine aspect. Thus tao is regarded as the interaction of the revolving changes produced by the yang and yin: yang referring to immaterial, celestial force and substance; yin, to material equivalents.

Popularly everything of a beneficial aspect is associated with yang, while everything of maleficent tendency is related to yin. However, this limits the original conception of yang and yin as forming the two contrasted sides of the universe, for one cannot exist without the other, and each in its own way is as important as the other.

(See also: Yang, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Paleopaganism or Paleo-Paganism:

A general term for the original polytheistic, nature-centered faiths of tribal Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, Oceania and Australia, when they were (or in some rare cases, still are) practiced as intact belief systems.

Of the so-called “Great Religions of the World,” Hinduism (prior to the influx of Islam into India), Taoism and Shinto, for example, fall under this category, though many members of these faiths might be reluctant to use the term.

Some Paleopagan belief systems may be racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. There are billions of Paleopagans living and worshiping their deities today.

See Mesopaganism and Neopaganism.

(See also: Paleopaganism, Paleo-Paganism, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Traditional Chinese Medicine theory posits both Organs (the Triple Burner, for example) and Substances (such as Shen, or Spirit) for which scientific evidence is absent. Variations and hybrids of Chinese medicine include Korean medicine, Tibetan medicine, and Vietnamese traditional medicine.

Chinese medicine probably originated about 2,000 years ago, but it became dogmatic and stagnated for centuries; overall its development has been slow. It probably stems from shamanism. The basis of Chinese medicine is Taoism, a religion according to which spirits (shen) inhabit the human body and take care of its functions. The foundational text of Chinese medicine - known as the Classic of Internal Medicine, the Huangdi Neijing, the Inner Classic, the Inner Classic of the Yellow Emperor, the Neiching, the Nei Jing, The Yellow Emperor's Classic, The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, and the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon - was completed by the first century C.E.

(See also: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)