Daoism Huston Smith Questions

1. Lao Tzu and the Tao are interesting aspects of Daoism. Lao Tzu is known to have founded Daoism, but was also known to have been born a wise old man after conceived by a shooting star and in his mother's womb for 82 years. Lao Tzu, created the religion with it's sacred text, the Tao Te Ching. The sacred text is focused on the someones path and the way of ultimate reality. The concept that the Tao is too difficult for a human being to understand. If the main ideals of a religion are to hard to comprehend for a follower why follow that religion.

2. My understanding of the Tao is that it is the back bone of Daoism. It is the way of ultimate reality and it cannot be perceived as it is too complex for a human to comprehend. The Tao makes Daoism what it is, due to the fact that it is something that all followers of the religion believe in and follow. 

3. Ch'i is a major concept within Daoism and it is someones inner vital energy and is used for the energy of life. I do not believe that there is a direct equivalent in the western culture to ch'i. Diet, exercise, and health practice affect our everyday life greatly. However I do not think they affect our inner Ch'i however they do provide 

4. I do not believe in magic when it comes to any extent of magic. I believe that things happen due to science and natural causes and that nothing happens just due to magic. Even though I do believe in God I do not believe that things he makes happen are magic.

5. My understanding of Wu Wei is that it is the practice of doing nothing. Wu Wei allows one to have a inactive self and brings them closer to meditation and closer to themselves. The mind must relax so that it can let go of negative energy and increase a persons ch'i. Personally, Wu Wei is nice because sometimes during tennis my mind gets cluttered with thoughts and i try and make my mind do nothing just to relax and then I can focus back in after. 

6. Yin is a dark, negative force and yang is a light, positive force. Yin is feminine and yang is masculine. I believe that it is not a hinderance when referring to these in the two opposite sex due to the fact that it is spiritually because how can we determine what "sex" is spiritually superior or if they're equal.

7. I believe that there are certain evil things and then certain good things. I relate this to sinning in Christianity. You have actions that are not sins that are considered good, and then you have sins which are considered evil and devil driven.

8. I think life is a combination of both going out to reach a goal, and then once that goal is reached a person returns to its origins. So i guess i believe more that life is a circle because the goal that is strived for could just be a point within the circle. 

9. I believe religion in general takes having a kind heart because the majority of religions that i have studied talk about love for other around you and those within the same religion but what if you don't like these people you have to be lighthearted to still love them as a religion intends you to.