FacebookTwitter
Hatrack River Forum   
my profile login | search | faq | forum home

  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» Hatrack River Forum » Archives » Landmark Threads » The Enigmatic Tao (a participatory landmark) (Page 2)

  This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2   
Author Topic: The Enigmatic Tao (a participatory landmark)
Enigmatic
Member
Member # 7785

 - posted      Profile for Enigmatic   Email Enigmatic         Edit/Delete Post 
Kwea, I think those are beautiful examples of wei wu wei. One of the common misunderstandings when people are first exposed to this concept is that by "not-doing" you just sit around like the guru on the mountain in cartoons and never get anything done, or that you shouldn't train or prepare. But truly doing not doing is performing a task perfectly, combining your training, instinct, skills, and the natural flow of the universe to do whatever it is that needs doing... and then just step back. Those moments are incredibly fullfilling experiences.

--Enigmatic

Edit: The Tao of New Page!

Posts: 2715 | Registered: Apr 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
MrSquicky
Member
Member # 1802

 - posted      Profile for MrSquicky   Email MrSquicky         Edit/Delete Post 
I've been looking a little more into general classical Chinese...philosophy, I guess, although that's a poor word to use. Right now I'm reading A Daoist Theory of Chinese Thought by Chad Hansen. It's been very interesting. If people are interested, I may post a summary of the main points and some of my thoughts after I finish it. I'd recommend it, but with reservations.

There have been a lot of eye opening observations, but Hansen makes no bones about strongly disagreeing with the orthodox interpretations (or at least those from 1992, when the book was written). Unfortunately, I don't have the background to assess his claims. I know some about Confucius and that's lined up with what he's said, but all adrfit when it comes to other non-Daoists.

All I really knew about Mozi was that he was strongly interested in classification and utilitarianism. And I knew that Mencius (and Hansen tears into Mencius) was two generations removed from Confucius and that he was actually the one who popularized Confucianism.

I expect I'll be looking for other sources, but I was wondering if any one here knew more about, well, any of this? Also, tis a good thread. It could use some bumping.

edit: Forgot an all important negative, as I am wont to do.

[ November 06, 2005, 11:39 PM: Message edited by: MrSquicky ]

Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Enigmatic
Member
Member # 7785

 - posted      Profile for Enigmatic   Email Enigmatic         Edit/Delete Post 
That sounds like an interesting book, and I would like to read your thoughts on it when you have a chance to share them. I also do not know as much about non-daoist chinese philosphers as I'd like, so unfortunately can't help much in that regard.

The bump of this thread reminds me of a few other tao related things that I'd wanted to write about, but since I'm behind on NaNoWriMo at the moment they will wait for another time.

--Enigmatic

Posts: 2715 | Registered: Apr 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Kwea
Member
Member # 2199

 - posted      Profile for Kwea   Email Kwea         Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks, Enig, I had not seen your response to my post before right now. [Big Grin]

I have not had any of those moments recently, other than playing pool, and even then it hasn't been often. [Big Grin]

I remember feeling a little bit like that on my wedding day, but it was a very emotional day for me and that is unlike these "CMT"'s...those are usually fairly absent of emotion, or at least the emotion hits afterwards, but while it is occuring I am somehow more myself...but at a distance from myself as well.


It is weird, there really aren't a lot of words to discribe it, hinestly. [Big Grin]

Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
  This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2   

   Close Topic   Feature Topic   Move Topic   Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:


Contact Us | Hatrack River Home Page

Copyright © 2008 Hatrack River Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2