Expert: Joe McSorley - 3/2/2004

Question
Hello.  My name is Krista, and I am looking for answers about Taoism.

What does it really mean to be one with the dao?  I understand that it has something to do with being one with nature and inner peace.  Could you please explain this in more detail?


People who are devout Taoists often live deep in the woods, in China.  What advice would you give to someone who lives in the heart of a city, where they cannot spend a lot of time the the natural environment, but wants to follow the daoist ideology?

Answer
Hi,
 Here's my answers for you:
What does it really mean to be one with the dao? I understand that it has something to do with being one with nature and inner peace. Could you please explain this in more detail?

  Being one with the Tao means that the person has awakened to a new consciousness and now realizes that they are an expression of Nature like all other things are.  So you realize that your source is the same as it is for all beings.  When this happens you have no conflict between yourself and others for you see them as being an expression of who you are too.  So no matter what their mind might be expressing the source of who they are is identical to you.


People who are devout Taoists often live deep in the woods, in China. What advice would you give to someone who lives in the heart of a city, where they cannot spend a lot of time the the natural environment, but wants to follow the daoist ideology?

 It is definitely harder to see the workings of nature when surrounded by concrete and steel.  To eat as naturally as possible and to keep the mind still would be practices you'd want to do in an urban environment.  Nature arises everywhere including the cracks of the pavement.  We need to still our thought process and see what is abundant around us.  We need to get beyond what is happening socially and personally and see what nature is presenting to us.
    Take care,
       Joe