Am I a 'Taoist'?

Seems everything comes together. I just had a conversation about religions with one of our group members over lunch today. When she asked me whether I had any religion, my answer was NO. Then I was wondering what religion was for? Why do people need religions? I think I have never identified any religions as my faiths, but I don't think I have no faith. I think I become more and more strongly believe something or suspect other things. Since I was fascinated with all these changes, processes, activites, events, experiences, for some reason, I ran into this traditional Chinese philosophy - Yin-Yang theory, and then the Taoism, which is all about changes and how the opposing forces Ying and Yang, work to cause the changes. I was obsessed with the Taoist beliefs, and suddenly I identified that Taosim was the faith I'd like to follow. As "Taoism started as a combination of psychology and philosophy but evolved into a religious faith", I guess that was the "religion" I have then!

It is all amazing that the typical symbol of Taoism has been around me since forever(You know, I was born and grew up in China), but I didn't recognize its significance until now, and in a country other than China. All the doctrines in Taoism are full of wisdoms. I am so proud of being a Chinese.

"Taoism takes the doctrine of yin and yang, and includes it in its own theory of change. Yin originally meant "shady, secret, dark, mysterious, cold." It thus could mean the shaded, north side of a mountain or the shaded, south bank of a river. Yang in turn meant "clear, bright, the sun, heat," the opposite of yin and so the lit, south side of a mountain or the lit, north bank of a river. From these basic opposites, a complete system of opposites was elaborated. Yin represents everything about the world that is dark, hidden, passive, receptive, yielding, cool, soft, and feminine. Yang represents everything about the world that is illuminated, evident, active, aggressive, controlling, hot, hard, and masculine. Everything in the world can be identified with either yin or yang. Earth is the ultimate yin object. Heaven is the ultimate yang object. Of the two basic Chinese "Ways," Confucianism is identified with the yang aspect, Taoism with the yin aspect.

Although it is correct to see yin as feminine and yang as masculine, everything in the world is really a mixture of the two, which means that female beings may actually be mostly yang and male beings may actually be mostly yin. Because of that, things that we might expect to be female or male because they clearly represent yin or yang, may turn out to be the opposite instead. Each force contains the seed of the other"

These two forces coexist in everything, and can't be independently identified. There is no "good" without "bad". There is no "energy" without "rest". There is no "calm" without "excited". I am fascinate about how this view of world can explain so many things. That is why "contrast" plays such an important role for us to make sense of things, because one thing is meaningless without its opposite, and all things develop and progress from the interactions of these two opposing forces. This thought is all relevant to the "negative space", or "backchannel". I feel this the essence of life.

Taoism, itself as one force as opposing to Confucian, coexist with confucian in Chinese history, and could coexist in individual."In China, and some other areas in Asia, the social ethics and moral teachings of Confucius are blended with the Taoist communion with nature and Buddhist concepts of the afterlife, to form a set of complementary, peacefully co-existent and ecumenical religions. "

The coexistence of these two forces and the operation between them is where the complexity, or the richness of life is from. However, whether these two forces can form a harmony of life is something we should query into.

Then I found these words - "Taoism is not a religion, nor a philosophy. It is a "Way" of life. It is a River. The Tao is the natural order of things. It is a force that flows through every living and sentient object, as well as through the entire universe. When the Tao is in balance it is possible to find perfect happiness. " Ok, I agree, I don't think it is a religion. I still have not religion, but I have the faith of life which could be identified with Taoism. It reminds me of an article i read today, which is about a director called Shell. He said "When you have the cast, the sets, the lights," he says, "an opera takes on its own life". It seems he also has Taoism spirit. "I am not oe of those directors who marches in with a set of plans. Go wherever you want, and when you'redone, I'll look at it and make suggestions, adjustment." It seems, everything has its own life. Leave it alone, and it will grow, but of course, it needs adjustment and suggestions.

"The most common graphic representation of Taoist theology is the circular Yin Yang figure. It represents the balance of opposites in the universe. When they are equally present, all is calm. When one is outweighed by the other, there is confusion and disarray. The Yin and Yang are a model that the faithful follow, an aid that allows each person to contemplate the state of his or her lives. " It is kind of relevant to "sense making".

"Taoism is a religio-philosophical tradition that has, along with Confucianism, has shaped Chinese life for more than 2,000 years. The Taoist heritage, with its emphasis on individual freedom and spontaneity, laissez-faire government and social primitivism, mystical experience, and techniques of self-transformation, represents in many ways the antithesis to Confucian concern with individual moral duties, community standards, and governmental responsibilities. " Sadly enough, I didn't feel its influence in contemporary China as important as past.

Here I just want to quote more:
"But the original source of Taoism is said to be the ancient I Ching, The Book Of Changes. "
"The order and harmony of nature, they said, was far more stable and enduring than either the power of the state or the civilized institutions constructed by human learning. Healthy human life could flourish only in accord with Dao -- nature, simplicity, a free-and-easy approach to life. The early Taoists taught the art of living and surviving by conforming with the natural way of things; they called their approach to action wuwei (wu-wei -- lit. no-action), action modeled on nature.
Their sages were wise, but not in the way the Confucian teacher was wise, learned and a moral paragon. Zhuangzi's sages were often artisans, butchers or woodcarvers. The lowly artisans understood the secret of art and the art of living. To be skillful and creative, they had to have inner spiritual concentration and put aside concern with externals, such as monetary rewards, fame, and praise. Art, like life, followed the creative path of nature, not the values of human society. "