What Is The Tao?

I have discovered that the meaning of Tao has been lost to some degree and that misunderstanding of Tao has likely occurred through time and it may also have been altered though cultural changes. First of all Tao or Taoism is not a religion but a way of life. It does not require any special rituals, practices, or dress even though some may have formed a sectarian ideology from this name. A person from any religion or way of life can thus follow the Tao. My understanding is that Taoism does not even require a specific philosophy except following the Tao represents walking on a path of internal and external balance. This can have a very broad meaning, so a person who is specifically focused on balancing the heaven with earth, the Yin and the Yang within and without is following the Tao.

After a reasonable amount of internet research, surprisingly, a full explanation of the translation of the characters for “Tao” seems at the very least difficult to uncover. There however seems to be a consensus describing the Tao character to just mean the “Path or the “Way”. The book; “From Wu Chi to Tai Chi” has provided a comprehensive translation of the meaning of Tao. It is the best understanding of the meaning of the Tao that I have ever come across!

1. The first character is the ideogram for a “path” or “road” and it also implies a person walking on a path or a journey. The concept of a path or way for the meaning of Tao appears to be widely accepted; however “a person walking along a path or way” may likely have been lost in translation or history for that matter. From appearance alone, the first symbol for Tao actual appears as a person walking upon a path. Furthermore, this first character represents only one of the characters for the meaning of Tao. Thus, the full meaning of Tao apparently has not been appropriately revealed.

2. The second character displays two angular top strokes, which represent Yin & Yang. A commonality in the themes of Taoists is Yin and Yang. Therefore inclusiveness of a Yin Yang representation seems highly appropriate in the meaning of Tao. In looking closely at this Yin and Yang character representation, we can see that the there is a smaller part of this character appearing first, probably representing Yin, and then a longer character, probably representing Yang. This small differentiation in the brush stroke is likely a representation of the varied characteristics of Yin and Yang. The smaller stroke symbolizing the contracted Yin and the larger stroke symbolizing the expanded Yang. Additionally, the two parts of this character angle out in opposite directions. This is also likely to be very purposefully done, as these opposite directions appear to represent the opposite forces of Yin and Yang.

3. The third character is simply a horizontal line meaning “One”. One or Oneness is a common theme in Taoism. The symbol for “One”, appears to be similarly represented in the Tai Chi character as well, likely displaying a reoccurring character theme in Taoist tradition. Bringing the two forces of Yin and Yang, that split from the One force, “Wuji” into Oneness is a prevalent Taoist concept. We also can observe that this character for One appears directly under the Yin and Yang character in the Tao ideogram. From this we might infer that this in fact references bringing the Yin and the Yang into oneness or balance. With this understanding, the meaning of Tao would be incomplete without the concept of Oneness within its ideogram.

4. The fourth character is an ideogram for the “self”. This ideogram is made up of two ideograms of the Chinese character for the sun and the Chinese character for the moon. Interestingly, the sun and moon again are symbolic of Yin and Yang. This may be considered as being redundant since above this character, we already have representation of Yin and Yang. Taking into consideration that these Chinese characters can contain multiple meanings, we again might realize there is deliberateness in every character expressed in the Tao ideogram. The sun and the moon or Yin and Yang within the Chinese character for the “self” may mean just that; balance of Yin and Yang within the self. While this character shows the balance of Yin and Yang within the self or within the microcosm, the reference to oneness and the balance of Yin and Yang in the second and third character may represent this same balance with the self in relation to the macrocosm. In other words; “The self becoming One through the balance of Yin and Yang within ourselves and with Heaven and Earth”. A bit of a mouthful, so Tao more simply put is: “The journey of the self becoming One through the balance of Yin and Yang”

Living In Alignment With The Tao

The Tao is finding the balance of who we are and our original true purpose and increasing awareness of our natural essence and expression. This is the greatest challenge and greatest achievement. As per the Chinese character, an aspect of Tao is the path of becoming “One”. Our true purpose and natural essence are also of the Oneness or Wuji. Therefore finding our true purpose and acting from our natural expression is the way of the Tao. Not only are we typically drawn away from our natural expression and our true purpose through circumstance, but we are likely to project a perceived true purpose and natural expression of ourselves that is not of our true nature. This is why training of balance of the Yin and Yang forces brings us toward our natural state of Oneness because a perfect balance of Yin and Yang is symbolic of Oneness. With balance of Yin and Yang, we act in alignment with our true purpose and our natural expression though being in alignment with our natural state of being.

In Qigong we balance Yin Yang energies constantly as a method of becoming in line with the Tao. Balancing the energy within oneself and circulating Qi is needed to evolve a human and regain our Original Self, free from dualism - becoming ‘One’. The merger of the left and right eye into the One eye may be a way to describe the merging of the Yin and Yang into balance where the third eye opens. “When the light of the two eyes become One, you will know God”-Quaker saying. The balancing concept is thus a central theme in Tao as per the ideogram interpretation.

Kan & Li

Part of bringing the mind, body, and spirit in alignment with the Tao is done also through the balance of water (Kan) and fire (Li). Qigong and Chinese medicine practice includes the balancing of water (Kan) and fire (Li) elements. Of the five Chinese elements, there seems to be a focus on balancing these two elements particularly in Qigong practice. My first thought was that we are already balancing Yin and Yang, so why do we need to complicate this concept with also balancing fire and water since that occurs anyways when balancing Yin and Yang. My understanding of this is that Kan & Li are not synonymous with Yin and Yang however they are related. Clearly, (Kan) water is related to the Yin force and (Li) fire is related to Yang force. The difference is that these elements are aspects of Yin and Yang and not Yin and Yang themselves. Kan and Li are rather utilized to regulate Yin and Yang. Obviously water cools the body to make it more Yin and fire heats the body to make it more Yang. Imbalances in the body arrive from excessive heat or excessive cooling. The balance in the body of fire and water create the perfect alchemical balance for growth, health, and healing. Excessive heat leads the mind to be scattered and overly Yang, making it difficult to focus inward. However sufficient heat provides the will and strength to act and motivate. Excessive water could make one sluggish, depressed, and overly internal. Balancing the heating with cooling, allows one to be balanced in their personality where they are not acting in excess or overly reserved and non-initiating if you will. In terms of the spiritual body, when there is too much heat, it is difficult to concentrate internally, although the spirit may be high. Water brings a calm and steady spirit to the wisdom mind. Techniques for regulating Kan and Li appear to be in the breath. Short fast breaths will bring about too much fire. Long slow breathing will cool the body and bring more Kan. The same is true with the Small Heaven practice where a sufficient balance of concentration on the Ren Mai Channel is required to cool the body and bring about more Kan. Typically in this practice the Li is primarily ignited due to over concentration in the Du Mai channel. So we see that the balancing of the physicality of water and fire relates to the state of a balanced being which is a part of the Tao.

In keeping with the Tao, we are governing balance in ourselves through internal and external practices, mind and body, heating and cooling, strength and gentleness, earth and heaven, etc. Such balancing brings us toward our Original mind. Tao: “to find our original mind that is one with the Universe. The path is through balance”.

Thinking for ourselves from our natural core, acting free from the conditioned mind and having a harmonious relationship with our Self and to the world around, we also follow the Tao. “Things that are forced grow for awhile, but then wither away. That is not keeping with the Tao”. To truly open our eyes to what is dysfunctional in our thinking and not of our natural nature is following the Tao and becoming closer to our Original Self.