Taoism
Tao means the way or path and originated centuries ago in Chinese Philosophy when Lao Tzu wrote the Tao as a hand book for leaders. Taoism is said to be undefineable yet is most often expressed through Yin and Yang (interconnected opposing forces). Historical writtings of Taoism include the I Ching, Book of Change, Tao Te Ching, and Chuang-tzu.
The book that we recommend for self-help is the Tao of Inner Peace by Diane Dreher. Her book is beautifully written and organized in such a way that brings the Tao forward into our time, making it easier to understand and to apply its teachings to everyday life.
Excerpts from the Tao Te Ching
A way can be a guide, but not a fixed path;
names can be given, but not permanent labels.
Nonbeing is called the beginning of heaven and earth;
being is called the mother of all things. (Tao 1)
Being and nonbeing produce each other:
difficulty and ease complement each other,
long and short shape each other
high and low contrast with each other,
voice and echoes conform to each other,
before and after go along with each other. (Tao 2)
Not exalting cleverness
causes the people not to contend.
Not putting high prices on hard to get goods
causes the people not to steal.
Not seeing anything to want
causes the mind to not to be confused. (Tao 3)
To keep on filling
is not as good as stopping.
Though gold and jewels fill their houses,
no one can keep them.
When one's work is accomplished honorably,
to retire is the Way of heaven. (Tao 9)
What you don't see when you look
is called the unobtrusive.
What you don't hear when you listen
is called the rarefied.
What you don't get when you grasp
is called the subtle. (Tao 14)
When the Great Way is deserted,
then there is humanitarian duty.
When intelligence comes forth,
there is great fabrication.
When relations are discordant,
then there is family love.
When the national polity
is benighted and confused,
then there are loyal ministers. (Tao 18)
Eliminate sagacity, abandon knowledge,
and the people benefit a hundredfold.
Eliminate humanitarianism, abandon duty,
and the people return to famial love.
Eliminate craft, abandon profit,
and theft will no longer exist. ( Tao 19)
Be tactful and you remain whole;
bend and you remain straight.
The hollow is filled ,
the old is renewed.
Economy is gain,
excess is confusion. (Tao 22)
Those on tiptoe don't stand up,
those who take long strides don't walk;
those who see themselves are not perceptive,
those who assert themselves are not illustrious;
those who glorify themselves have no merit,
those who are proud of themselves do not last. (Tao 24)
Those who know others are wise;
those who know themselves are enlightened.
Those who overcome others are powerful;
those who overcome themselves are strong.
Those who are contented are rich;
those who act strongly have will.
Those who do not lose their place endure;
those who die without perishing live long. (Tao 33)
Should you want to contain something,
you must deliberately let it expand.
Should you want to weaken something,
you must deliberately let it grow strong.
Should you want to eliminate something,
you must deliberately allow it to flourish.
Should you want to take something away,
you must deliberately grant it. (Tao 36)
When superior people hear of the Way,
they carry it out with diligence.
When middling people hear of the Way,
it sometimes seems to be there, sometimes not.
When lessor people hear of the Way,
they ridicule it greatly.
If they didn't laugh at it,
it wouldn't be the Way. (Tao 41)
Do nondoing,
strive for nonstriving,
savor the flavorless,
regard the small as important,
make much of little,
repay enmity with virtue;
plan for difficulty when it is still easy,
do the great while it is still small. (Tao 63)
What is at rest
is easy to hold.
What has not shown up
is east to take into account.
What is frail
is easy to break.
What is vague
is easy to dispel.
Do it before it exists;
govern it before there's disorder.
The most massive tree grows from a sprout;
the highest building rises from a pile of earth;
a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step.
Those who contrive it spoil it;
those who cling to it lose it. (Tao 64)
Good warriors do not arm,
good fighters don't get mad,
good winners don't contend,
good employers serve their workers. (Tao 68)
When people are born they are supple,
and when they die they are stiff.
When trees are born they are tender,
and when they die they are brittle.
Stiffness is thus a companion of death,
flexibility a companion of life. (Tao 76)
True words are not beautiful,
beautiful words are not true.
The good are not arguementative,
the arguementative are not good.
Knowers do not generalize,
generalists do not know. (Tao 81)
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