2005-12-30
How Tao Helps Us
Here are a couple of examples of how following the Tao has helped people live their lives:
From Penny at True-Tao-Forums:
The tao often has shed light on things I did not or do not understand. It provides me with a feeling of being part of a bigger whole. A feeling that I am connected to all that exists. It shelters me and protects me from negative vibrations. It nutures me. It humbles me and it uplifts my soul. With it I am forever releasing my false beliefs. I am constantly changing my beliefs because as new understandings come to the fore I am forced to let go of the previous understanding which is often a lot more shallower then my newest revelation. I have now however more moments of peace, more clarity and more awareness than I did years ago
Despite it all however I still have fears, doubts and worries they just dont hold the power that they use to.
Thank Goodness for The way of the TAO
__________
And from Derek, who runs the True-Tao-Website:
I started cultivating the Tao about a dozen years ago. Initially my progress was very slow. I was only "into" the philosophical aspect of the Tao and felt a disdain for the religious practice and, indeed, all religous practices in general. This was a manifestation of my arrogance at the time.
About ten years ago, my progress picked up speed ever so slightly. I met a few real-life sages and they left a definite impression on me (as they did with everyone else). It opened my eyes a bit and made me curious. How did they become the way they were?
I saw that they had discipline and total power over themselves whereas I had little. Was it their religious practices that made the difference? Still wary of religions in general, I incorporated a few religous elements into my life, just to see where they would take me.
Soon I took on the English Study Group at the temple. This turned out to be a great way to accelerate Tao cultivation. I had no choice but to study and think about spiritual issues for hours, just so I could explain them to others on Sunday.
Then, seven years ago, some inner voice told me to start a web site. This, too, proved to be a powerful way to accelerate. The fledgeling site floundered for a while and, I think, finally found its voice about five years ago.
This time frame was also when things really started to change for me. What I mean is, the Tao cultivation started to dramatically improve every aspect of my life. Looking back, it seems so clear that year 2000 was the crucial turning point -- but at the time it was anything but clear.
The pace of change (actual, measurable change in life, not just in how I felt) was also slow at first, and picked up speed about two years ago.
Now, looking at this decade-long process of learning about the Tao and applying it to my life, what exactly are different, before and after?
My old arrogance is gone. What's left is sort of a faint shadow of its former self.
My health was not that great ten years ago. Now I'm in far better shape than I was in my twenties.
My relationship with my parents is much improved. They have a level of respect for me they never had before.
My marriage was always good, but applying the Tao has taken it to another level and made it great. I'm a lucky, lucky guy.
My finance has improved dramatically. My income is many times what it was before, and so is my net worth.
My friendships have also improved dramatically. I now have so many people in my life that I respect and admire -- a new and wonderful experience.
When I look at others who have also cultivated seriously, the same pattern recurs again and again. Their lives are dramatically, sometimes unbelievably better than before.
I am forced to this conclusion: the Tao is really no different from the laws of physics we study in highschool and college. It works whether you "believe" or not. Over the span of ten years, everyone I observe who has walked the right path ends up enriched. There are absolutely no exceptions.
meyamind at 10:48 p.m.
