What is Taoism?
Over time, Taoists developed practices aimed at understanding human beings’ range of abilities for health and healing. The Taoists embraced good health and a simple life. They improved the physical aspects of their being, as well as the energetic and spiritual dimensions of the body.
Aware of the energy animating all life, the ancient Taoists explored the life force withintheir bodies. The physical body is dense and tangible, but there are many other frequencies of the life force on the energy spectrum.
One method of Taoist meditation is to turn the senses inward, from the physical body, to its energetic layers. With experience, the practitioner can increase their awareness of the life force in the body. The sensation of energy grows. Through practice and intention, ancient Taoists discovered energy pathways in their subtle bodies. These pathways were identified and documented as the energy meridians used in acupuncture and related modalities.
By working with these pathways and the energy that flowed through them, the Taoists discovered they could encourage the body’s natural healing abilities. When energy flowed through the channels, sickness was rare. However, illness arose when energy was blocked from reaching organs and glands.
Over time, Taoists developed exercises to guide the continuous, healthy flow of energy for health and longevity. Examples of these practices today are chi kung, tai chi, Tao yin, and many others.
More than just a philosophy, Taoist practices are rooted in disciplines for physical health and longevity. These practices, continually developed over thousands of years, can restore the energy of youth, grow emotional virtues, and begin to awaken deep spiritual potential. In modern parlance, Taoist practices can be seen as a spiritual technology that can help the practitioner learn the pattern of the universe.
Taoist teachings assist people in their lives while maintaining spiritual growth as the process and the outcome. Taoism helps explain nature’s truths directly and encourages one to rely on one’s direct experiences. Because of this, students of the Tao don’t need to be skeptical or search endlessly for some external truth as defined by others.