Taoism Applied Essay, Research Paper
Taoism applied to mundane life “ Practice not-doing and everything will
autumn into topographic point ” ( Chapter 3 ) . In Taoism this is the construct known as “ Wu
Wei ” . Wei wu Wei is the pattern of making and not-doing. This construct comes
from the theory of the Yin and Yang. The Yang, along with Wei, is the pattern
of making. The Yin, along with Wu Wei, is the pattern of not-doing. One
regards the other, and each can non be entirely. The Tao tells people to
pattern not-doing because it will convey felicity in their life. By not-doing,
the Tao means non performing actions, which are unneeded and uncalled for.
Peoples should merely take things as they come in life and they will populate a life
full of felicity and pleasance. If you don & # 8217 ; t interfere with the Tao and allow
things take their natural class, everything will work out in your life ( Chapter
10 ) . “ If powerful work forces and adult females could stay centered in the Tao? all
people would be at peace? ” ( Chapter 32 ) . If you work against your Tao,
you will ne’er happen felicity. The Sage patterns wu Wei. He teaches without
words and performs without actions ( Chapter 43 ) . He knows and hence does non
speak ( Chapter 56 ) . Many people mistake conceptual cognition for the map to the
district. The Sage is our map to the Tao. He points his finger to demo us the
manner, but does non truly state us what to make and how to pattern Taoism. Lao
Tzu & # 8217 ; s constructs of the Tao can be a usher to rational life. If one follows
these beliefs he is guaranteed felicity in his life. However, it is really
hard to follow the Tao, even though the instructions are said to be easy
understood and easy put into pattern ( Chapter 70 ) . The ground the Tao is so
hard to hold on is because you can non cognize that you are practising it. The
Tao is beyond all words. If you give it words, it does non be. It is
unnamable. If you concentrate on the Tao, you will ne’er understand it. You
can non believe about it, you must merely make it. This is really hard because
people ever think about what they do, but this does non work with the Tao
( Chapter 1 ) . You can non look for the Tao ; you can non listen for the Tao. You
must merely accept the thought that it is ever at that place, omnipresent, and you can & # 8217 ; T
see it. This is all really of import because if one can non understand these first
simple stairss in Taoism, they will be lost the remainder of the manner. In personal life,
you should ne’er specify yourself. When you define yourself, you are really
seting bounds on yourself. If a adult male defines himself as a physician, he is restricting
himself to science. If a adult male defines himself as a vocalist, he is restricting himself
to music. By restricting yourself, you are non leting yourself to see life
to the full ( Chapter 24 ) . Besides, you should ne’er specify any object because they will
ever have an antonym. If you define something as “ good ” so its
antonym is defined as “ bad ” , when in world it might non be ( Chapter
2 ) . When a adult male is about to purchase a auto, he will desire to purchase a company with a
“ good name ” . He has defined one auto as “ good ” and the remainder
are “ bad ” . When he realizes he can non afford the “ good ” auto
he is unhappy. He has to purchase a “ bad ” auto. While driving his
“ bad ” auto, he thinks about what people will state. He worries that they
will non O.K. of his new purchase. If the adult male had non originally set such
high outlooks of purchasing a “ good ” auto, he would non be upset with
his state of affairs. By caring about other people & # 8217 ; s blessing he becomes their
“ captive ” ( Chapter 9 ) . If you see things as they are, so you will
be happy with whatever you have. If you see things through other & # 8217 ; s eyes so you
will ne’er accomplish the high ends you are puting. “ In household life, be
wholly present ” ( Chapter 8 ) . All household members should ever be at that place
for each other. You should be wholly present for the remainder of your household,
this manner other members can speak to you whenever necessary. This gives a sense of
security to the remainder of the household. Parents should ever be at that place for their
kids, kids should ever be at that place for their parents, and siblings should
ever be at that place for each other. “ Because ( the Sage ) has nil to turn out,
people can swear his words ” ( Chapter 22 ) . The Sage and the parental figures
of a household should hold this in common. Parents have nil to turn out to their
kids and hence kids ever believe what their parents state them.
Parents do non hold to affect their kids and can therefore put an illustration.
If parents can non hold this connexion with their kids, there is a warrant
of failure in the household. “ In work, make what you enjoy ” ( Chapter 8 ) .
Most people hate their occupation. If you like what you do, you can wake up every
forenoon with a smiling, looking frontward to the twenty-four hours of work that lies in front of you.
At your occupation you should non seek to keep all the power. By non seeking to be
powerful, you are genuinely powerful ( Chapter 38 ) . Besides, in you work you can non
pursuit after money. You must make your work because you like it, non because you
desire the money. If you chase after money “ your bosom will ne’er
unclench ” ( Chapter 9 ) . When you have no desire for the money, you are at
peace ( Chapter 37 ) . You must “ be content with what you have, rejoice in the
manner things are ” ( Chapter 44 ) . You mustn & # 8217 ; t anticipate excessively much because you will
ne’er acquire what you want. “ When you realize there is nil lacking, the
whole universe belongs to you ” ( Chapter 44 ) . “ In government, wear & # 8217 ; t seek to
control ” ( Chapter 8 ) . As a leader, it is best if the people barely know
that you exist. As a leader, you must non be autocratic and seek to hold all the power
because the people will detest you and will non obey you. You must take, non
control ( Chapter 17 ) . By indicating people in the right way you are assisting
them. By stating them where to travel, you aren & # 8217 ; t allowing them think for themselves.
The best leader listens to her people ( Chapter 68 ) . As a leader you must regulate
with tolerance and you must non hold high outlooks of your people because
you will ne’er acquire what you expect ( Chapter 58 ) . You must regulate a state with
moderateness for the best consequences ( Chapter 59 ) . If you have arms, your people
will be insecure. If you have Torahs, your people will interrupt them. If you do non
desire common good it will go as “ common as grass ” ( Chapter 57 ) .
If a state does non acquire involved with the personal businesss of others, it will be good
respected by all other states ( Chapter 61 ) . “ If you overesteem great work forces,
people become powerless. If you overvalue ownerships, people begin to
bargain ” ( Chapter 3 ) . Society should non specify things because bad things
will go on. If you overvalue ownerships it is obvious that people will steal
them because they are deserving something to society. If everything had none or
equal value, no 1 would steal anything because nil would be more of import
than everything else. This is an utmost suggestion nevertheless, it is the lone manner
for society to come together as a whole and have no 1 bargain from others.
“ Let the Tao go present in your life and you will go echt. Let
it be present in your household and your household will boom. Let it be present in
your state and your state will be an illustration to all states in the universe.
Let it be present in the existence and the existence will sing. ” ( Chapter
54 ) .