In the beginning there was no structure to Taoism, and certainly no religion. The "old boys" (laojun) didn't have a dogma in any sense, but instead a spiritual philosophy characterized by a unique daily practice. This "Tao path" as practiced on the holy mountains, and later in Taoist monasteries, was a marriage of the animal movements and the ecstatic experience of shamanism combined with a highly refined meditation and yogic tradition. These great teachers of old produced exceptional people in every walk of life for over a thousand years. They believed that all living things existed and moved as a result of energy. All Taoist contributions to the larger society have as their core concept and practice the movement of chi through the body by five agents - the five shen. The five shen come from the void and take form here in this body.

"Infinite and boundless, it cannot be named.
It belongs to where there are no beings."                     Daodejing Kohn translation

Mencius, the "second sage" of ancient Chinese history, said that universal compassion was the essence of human nature. This is a fundamental kernel of Chinese thought that echoes through its history. The shen chi is related to what the Chinese call the chi liang, or spirit of benevolence. The shen chi radiates in the energy field around our body, our aura, and this expansive chi is fed by helping others and being useful to the human race, instead of being useless. This "active compassion" is the hallmark of the Chinese doctor.

The way (Tao) is through connecting to the higher self that is inside of us all and which watches as the neutral observer. As you collect the fragmented parts of yourself and fuse them together in the center you are helping to resolve the universe's karma. You maximize your potential by getting out of your own way mentally; this is meditation. Dissolve ego conflicts and gain some degree of control over your autonomic nervous system by stopping internal dialogue (no mind) in order to find your true human potential. When you dissolve the ego and clear out all the illusions all you are left with is compassion for others.

The Tai Chi Classics say, "Forget your self and yield to others." This implies meditational absorption. The practice, be it tai chi, meditation, or chi kung, is to loose the ego, get out of the way and let your true potential pour forth effortlessly. Humans usually operate on 10% of their potential. They are hampered by their own internal dialogue, the negative ego saying "I can't," or the positive ego saying "I'm great, look at me." Both of these get in the way of your true potential. Meditation cuts through this language knot. This third way is the neutral observer who sits in silence and does not expend the body's resources through stress and internal conflict.

The Song [960- 1179 C.E.] dynasty is revered as one of several golden eras in Chinese history. During this dynasty, the Imperial court fostered the arts and technology. For example, moveable type was first mentioned in the record in 1086. The astronomical clock at Kaifeng was installed between 1088 and 1092. The use of the compass for navigation was mentioned in a book dated 1119. Each of these technological breakthroughs was of Taoist origin and later was adapted to public use as the religion spread.

The technological advances developed by the Taoists came from a unique form of scholarship. Taoist monasteries (kuan lit. observatory), especially those on the sacred peaks, became centers for inquiry. The Taoists believed the "correct method" was essentially what we in the West would come to call the Socratic method; a process of thorough inquiry. Inquiry was to form the basis of the educational process used in China.

During the Song dynasty famed scientist/philosopher Zhu Xi taught at the Bai Lu Academy on Llu Shan. He taught mostly Confucianism and explained philosophic theories. He asked his students to put these theories into practice. Zhu Xi not only developed the curriculum at the academy, but was innovative with education theory as well. He proposed scholarship that advanced step by step with intensive reading and deep thinking. He said teachers and students should both question each other so that the most capable is the teacher at any given moment. Information needed to flow in both directions. (This is in accord with modern information theory.)

The Chinese characters for knowledge are xue wen, and individually they mean learn (xue) and ask (wen). The teacher asked questions, the student answered based on his observations; it was a process of making choices based on observation. A student found or was assigned a teacher to lead them through the system of choice. The students had to learn to observe, question, and think for themselves. This method lead to Chinese culture being a thousand years ahead of the rest of the world at this time in history (until the early 1420's CE) in medicine, art, philosophy, and technology.

Taoism had a strong influence on the everyday life of Chinese people with its admonition to simplify their life and take things as they came. There are many stories in Chinese history of poor but loving couples. Shen Sanbai wrote the Six Essays on Life about the art of life. It is almost autobiographical with a description of a true figure, Yun Niang, his wife. They believed in a plain lifestyle. They valued a peaceful time until the end of life as the most beautiful one in the world. The couple didn't achieve much, but they were able to get away from the stress of ordinary life. This gave them time for each other and for their personal spiritual development. There is a deep lesson for all modern couples to be learned from this example of the "simple life" and the "happy family."

We do not practice religious Taoism, however these breakthroughs in education, spirituality, technology, and philosophy from over a thousand years ago still form the backbone of Chinese culture today, and this method of learning is vitally important for personal growth and cultivation. Understanding the process will greatly improve your journey in life.

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