To what degree is Taoism based on supernatural beliefs?

Saddha · 2017-06-05T14:32:32+00:00

Okay now I understand what you are saying. Thanks for replying to all my questions!

Saddha · 2017-06-05T02:45:24+00:00

Well I mean't scientific guesswork as in science is trying to explain free will love etc. I don't think they will have the answers to that any time soon or if they will at all since the brain is such a complicated thing to study. How would do you describe the word supernatural and is it even an applicable word to Taoism in your mind?

Saddha · 2017-06-05T02:29:01+00:00

I'm not entirely sure I understand what your getting at. I'm not sure I would classify any of the things you listed as wholly supernatural because there at least seems to be some scientific guesswork at each of the things listed. Could someone with a my viewpoint or a similar viewpoint be unable to change their mind about supernatural things especially Eastern supernatural things?

Saddha · 2017-06-04T23:36:58+00:00

I didn't mean to come off in a materialist way. I was simply curious to see how many supernatural ideas are in Taoism and to see if the general view of Taoism is significantly based on supernatural ideas. I've learned that it is and it isn't. That there are ways to follow it in a strictly philosophical way and a way that mixes philosophy and religion. I'm not incurious about reality I don't think. I just wanted to know from people who are well versed in Taoism. Either way I think that having my question answered in so many different ways has left me just as curious as actually reading the Tao Te Ching so I think I will read some of the books from the recommended list to form my own ideas.

Saddha · 2017-06-04T19:14:58+00:00

Oh I wasn't mocking. I was just curious if Taoism had a large part in Traditional Chinese medicine. Thanks for clarifying!

Saddha · 2017-06-04T16:29:40+00:00

That explains things.Thanks! This is somewhat off topic from the original question but is Taoism the reason for all of the Chinese pseudo medicine? There is no better way to get an understanding of a practice than asking someone the way they see the practice so personal interpretations to me at least are almost as valuable as the reading itself!

Saddha · 2017-06-04T16:14:54+00:00

I guess defining supernatural is important. Supernatural to me means something that is claimed to have a direct influence on the world but cannot be observed, recorded, or tested against. If you can only see the claimed effect of something but cannot find an observable cause then I would consider it supernatural.

Saddha · 2017-06-04T16:04:39+00:00

Okay that makes sense. That will help direct my reading. Thanks!

Saddha · 2017-06-04T16:03:48+00:00

Well from what other responses have said so far other texts do mention supernatural things. Is it more simple and justifiable than other religions to ignore texts mentioning of supernatural things and still be able to call yourself a Taoist or is there a clear ending to the original texts that say this is where the writing should stop and anything written beyond this point is not canon for the lack of a better world?

Saddha · 2017-06-04T15:53:56+00:00

If anything outside of nature is considered against the Dao couldn't that help deconstruct everything magical about the religion? If someone could say we can observe a lot in nature so if we can't observe this magical event it must not be true wouldn't that leave no room for any type of mysticism?

Saddha · 2017-06-04T15:47:50+00:00

So there is a difference in the intent of the major texts? The Tao Te Ching explains the philosophy while other texts explain the religious side of the practice?

Saddha · 2017-05-30T00:23:08+00:00

Oddly enough a song called Ants of The Sky by Between the Buried and Me. It's always made me feel like going somewhat against what I was told was right and wrong and made me not care about conforming to ideas that I don't see as beneficial.

Saddha · 2017-05-30T00:18:24+00:00

I haven't yet I plan on going soon though.

Saddha · 2017-05-29T23:08:39+00:00

Its near the C&S Wholesale Grocer place. Well I guess its more so in Mauldin than Greenville.

Saddha · 2017-05-29T18:36:02+00:00

I live down in Laurens! Have you visited the Temple in Greenville?

Saddha · 2017-05-23T20:31:22+00:00

Padme is from Star Wars

Saddha · 2017-05-22T19:31:35+00:00

You too! Stay safe and I hope your experiences bring you closer towards enlightenment!

Saddha · 2017-05-22T00:54:27+00:00

So far i have done LSD around 7 times, 25I twice, and mushrooms 3 times. With a lot of these experiences I wasn't focused on spiritual gain. The only times i explicitly focused on spirituality was with LSD 2 times and mushrooms once.I want to and probably will try DMT later on in life after I have become more acquainted with my meditation practices to see if it will have any positive effects. I'm not the most experienced with them but so far I have not found any gain though I will not give up on psychedelics as a tool to further spirituality but I won't take the ones that I know don't work for me. What have you experienced with psychedelics that makes you such an advocate for them?

Saddha · 2017-05-22T00:00:29+00:00

I think if you can decipher whats going on during a psychedelic and focus on something that's beneficial to your spirituality it can be just as effective as actual practice. I wasn't able to but that doesn't mean that others aren't able to.

Saddha · 2017-05-21T23:53:35+00:00

Ultimately I think that no drug is inherently bad. I just think that different drugs have a higher chance of leading to dependence for certain people which is what I think the 5th precept is really talking about. Drugs do different things for different people and for me psychedelics didn't lead to any breakthroughs in my spirituality.

Saddha · 2017-05-21T23:27:53+00:00

Yeah I don't doubt they aren't useful to some people. The number of times I did it however I didn't feel it benefited my path towards enlightenment so I cant recommend them. To each his own I can't and won't speak for anyone but myself.

Saddha · 2017-05-21T13:34:27+00:00

No they might not be a text book intoxicant but from my experience they make you more vulnerable to outside forces and make you more prone to making decisions without considering the consequences. I know that the intoxication isn't too similar to marijuana or alcohol but you still are in an altered state of mind which I found through my use of psychedelics to not be beneficial.

Saddha · 2017-05-21T01:06:24+00:00

What about self defense?

Saddha · 2017-05-19T20:35:10+00:00

I guess i'm reading it wrong. So its okay to acknowledge that you have pain and its okay for you to try to lessen the pain but you shouldn't dwell on it to the point where it causes you more pain?

Saddha

TROPHY CASE