Tao Te Ching Sparknotes

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished” (goodreads) This is one of many quotes from the Tao Te Ching by a wise man named Lao Tzu. He believed that the world should have only peace and harmony with one another. This was his philosophy, which later turned into what we now know as Taoism. Taoism also known as Daoism, is an ancient Chinese religion that derives from the philosopher Lao Tzu and his book Tao Te Ching. It is a religion that believes that everything is in harmony with nature. They practice using meditation, martial arts, incense and oils, and much more.

Origins: Taoism is an ancient Chinese religion that was made by the Philosopher Lao Tzu. It is believed that Lao Tzu originally wrote a book about Taoism called “Tao

Which isn’t as complex as it seems. As stated above dao or tao means “the way”. That's why the book of life Taoism is the “Tao Te Ching”. This book briefly explains what Taoists should and shouldn’t do. For example, chapter 8 of the Tao Te Ching, states “The supreme good is like water, which benefits all of creation without trying to compete with it. It gathers in unpopular places. Thus it is like the Tao. The location makes the dwelling good. Depth of understanding makes the mind good. A kind heart makes the giving good. Integrity makes the government good. Accomplishments make your labor good. Proper timing makes a good decision. Only when there is no competition will we all live in peace.” (Tao Te Ching) This chapter shows a brief theme believed by Taoists. In the last sentence, it says that when there is no competition there is peace. This shows that Lao Tzu wanted peace with everyone and everything. “One of the main ideas of Taoism is the belief in balancing forces, or yin and yang.” (National Geographic Society) This is a belief of Taoism that everything has an equal balance with it. Without this equal balance, nothing would make sense. Taoist don’t directly believe in a God, rather they believe in a principle or a feeling. This is called the Tao. The Tao is the way that one must follow to unlock its true wisdom and spiritual power. Following The Tao and blending itself with the Yin and

This means that their practices revolve around peace and concluding everything in harmony. “Taoist Cultivation practices include stillness meditation, internal alchemical meditation, ritual, martial arts…” (Taoist Studies Institute) Martial arts is a type of self-defense that Taoists use only if needed. Meditation is a practice that makes you focus and increases mindfulness and can calm one’s mind as well. During meditation, an incredibly important factor is incense burners. “The smoke from the incense purifies the ritual space, alerts the gods that a ritual is about to be performed, and draws the gods to the altar.” (The Art Institute of Chicago) “Taoism has temples, monasteries, and priests who make offerings, meditate, and perform other rituals for their communities.” (National Geographic Society) Meditation happens in temples and uses fumes from incense burners to draw the gods towards