The Way and Its Power | ||
Tao Te Ching/Daodejing | ||
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Tao Te Ching
The Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) is the
name of the Taoist book which features the underlying precepts of tai chi. It
is sometimes translated as The Way and It's Power. This is quite a dramatic
title.
What is "the Way"? What is "its power"? These are the questions facing every
earnest student.
The Way
Tao Te Ching is not a religious or philosophical book. It is an
attempt to explain something that eludes explanation. This may sound absurd.
However, imagine trying to explain 'love' to somebody...
It is not that easy. Love is not a thought. It is not a word. It is a feeling.
The Tao Te Ching is a very
beautiful learning and meditation book. It is like a Zen koan: either you
dismiss it as nonsense, or you have to dig in to understand it. It immediately
takes you out of that intellectual confinement of getting stuck with ideas, with
what you think you know.
(Chungliang Al Huang)
Words are symbols
Try to explain 'wind'... Wind exists but can we feel it? Do we feel
wind itself or the air and dust particles moved by wind? 'The way' must be
felt without intellectualisation.
It must be seen through its effects.
The Science of the Essence
Tao Te Ching is not a fanciful book. Read it
scientifically. You will notice many insights that can be directly incorporated
into your tai chi practice. The insights are tangible, concrete. And they
work.
Understanding Tao Te Ching
If you struggle to understand Tao Te Ching, consider reading
around the central text and/or try other translations. Zen books, Chuang Tzu,
Krishnamurti and other sources may yield better understanding.
Also, you may want to be patient. Just read a verse a day. Over time you will
become familiar with the themes of the book, and 'the Way' may seem to be
somewhat less obscure.
Esoteric
Solving the mysteries of Tao Te Ching is an important part of
learning the art. There is more to the art than physical exercise. This is a
journey of discovery.
Unless you undertake the journey with genuine curiosity and wonder, you will not
get very far. Enthusiasm, tenacity and endurance are necessary. You must
penetrate the mysteries of the art.
The power
If 'the Way' is difficult to comprehend, 'the power' may prove even more
challenging for you. Te refers to a power that can be used but not kept.
By according yourself with the Way, you find that things flow. You gain use of
power.
Application
Putting this into practice involves a combination of biomechanics, sensitivity,
structure, perception and balance, rhythm and timing. The effect is often quite
astounding.
It may even look 'magical', but it is not magic at all. It is the direct
application of Tao Te Ching. If you are successful in according
yourself with the Tao, then your application of tai chi will be graceful.
There will be no exerting or forcing. Ease, gentleness, appropriateness... these
are the hallmarks of skill.
Taoism
Taoism is the study into the nature of things. It is an attempt to feel the how,
the way of existence and accord yourself with its character.
In any aspect of life there is an opportunity to flow easily with what is
happening.
Tai chi without the Tao
If your tai chi does not contain the insights and lessons of Tao Te
Ching, you possess an empty shell. Your instructor may be skilled enough
to provide you with a working system.
However, without the Tao, the deeper understanding is absent. The principles and
insights of Taoism are essential to tai chi.
The art was built with these in mind; it was intended to accord your body with
'the Way' in order to borrow 'its Power'.
The Tao Te Ching is a
lucid masterpiece on the art of living.
(Doug Marsh)
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Page created
18 April 1995
Last updated
16 June 2023
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