the only core concepts i’ve really spent any time understanding from Taoism are the uncarved block & effortless action (wu wei).
i admit, those concepts have had a large impact on how i approach situations/activities, including rewilding.
Yeah, Urban Scout mentioned that book a while back, I still haven’t gotten around to looking at it but it looks interesting.
I’m curious whether there are any textual sources of inspiration that would be particularly appropriate for primitivism. I haven’t done any extensive reading of Daoist sources.
I do know that I’m not really interested in the modern exoteric religious forms of Daoism. The esoteric mystical/magical ones seem more relevant but also less accessible and more difficult to develop even when made accessible.
So the most appropriate common entry point looks like it would be a textual and/or philosophical basis.
The uncarved block and effortless action from the Daodejing and other Daoist texts are a great entry point for anyone into Daoism. They seem to be particularly relevant for anarcho-primitivists and rewilding folks in that effortless action seems to be the underlying principle of a successful hunter-gatherer culture and that are modern civilization is so against effortless action. We seem to be stuck in effortful action all the time.
As for other sources, over the last few years there have been more and more books on tales of the Daoist Immortals. These are stories of irreverent sages and wanderers who disdained agriculture and civilization and lived in the mountains eating wild medicinal herbs and practicing being one with the Dao. The stories are funny, interesting, and definitely point to a different way of being than the one our society tries to cram down our throats. These stories might be another way for people to explore Daoism if they aren’t in for the paradoxical poetry of the Daodejing.
I was working on some hides the other day and listening to CBC radio and there was a story about these Daoist monks who taught through laughter.
One of them died and he left instructions that he wanted to be cremated as is. No new clothes or washing of his body.
Being respectful of his wishes the villagers placed his body on the pyre and lit it. As the flames started to burn his clothes they realized his pockets were full of firecrackers.
Pathfinder, whats your take on The Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet books?
I know they are simple, but personally I have found them to be a great introduction to Tao. Again a good intro to the concepts of uncarved block and effortless action.
If I had to come down to it, I would say in my philosophy I am a Daoist and if their is a “religion” for me it is the animistic view of the world. They are very complementary.
Taoism is a potent philosophy to carry into the world through the rewilding process. I have not found much use personally for religious Daoism, though. What benefit do you find religious Daoism can bring to us rewilders?
I think that the Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet are great introductions for folks to Daoism. A lot of core philosophical concepts such as the uncarved block and effortless action are explored in the books in a manner which most folks can relate to. They also serve as a jumping off point into other books like the Daodejing and Chuangtzu.
As for religious Taoism, my current view is that in America there is a lot of misunderstanding around what this is. One way of looking at religious Daoism is that it is the combination of the philosophy of the Daodejing and Chuangtzu and other texts combined with the animistic worldview of ancient Chinese shamans to create powerful vibrant system of ritual and ceremony that is done to help all beings be one with the Dao. It is very, very similar to Shinto in this way and more and more there are starting to be scholarly works that compare the two as parallel traditons.
As for what this means for rewilding in America in 2008, I’m not entirely sure. Part of the reason I started this thread.
I have read a bit on religious Daoism, and can definitely see the similarity to Shinto. Although it tends be a pragmatic religion, I have not found much in it that I can use in rewilding. Yet, I can see why and how it might make sense in Chinese culture.
Though, I do tend to have a streak of shunning religious dogma.
Perhaps we can discuss the uncarved block and effortless action here a little bit so that folks who are unfamiliar with the concepts can make sense of what we are saying.
The concepts of yin/yang tend to be familiar to most people. They are useful to really understand, even though they might sound so basic. They are representations of all the complementary forces and manifestations in the world, such as: dark and light, male and female, hard and flexible, ugly and beautiful, and so on. I often hear people say that they are opposites, but I think to say this is to miss something of their inherent unity. In western thought, we tend to think of things such as beauty or ugliness as separate.
But can one exist without the other?
If everyone was beautiful, how would you know it if there was nothing to contrast it too? If everyone was tall, how would you know without someone short to contrast that too?
In the yin/yang concept is also the knowledge of what happens when we run to extremes. Extremes do not last long. An intense storm is short lived. Those people who run on full-throttle all the time are likely to die young. In THE TAO OF POOH, Hoff calls people who act this way “busy backsons.” Another wards, they are always busy and will be back soon. They are never still or present, but always pursuing the greener grass on the other side of the fence. Extreme sports junkies are a classic example of a busy backson.
By the way, heyvictor I loved your story of the fire-crackers in the pocket! Made me laugh out loud. That’s the way I want to be sent off!
The concepts of yin/yang tend to be familiar to most people. They are useful to really understand, even though they might sound so basic. They are representations of all the complementary forces and manifestations in the world, such as: dark and light, male and female, hard and flexible, ugly and beautiful, and so on. I often hear people say that they are opposites, but I think to say this is to miss something of their inherent unity. In western thought, we tend to think of things such as beauty or ugliness as separate.
To use an analogy from slightly further east, consider Japanese swordsmiths. These craftsmen have elaborate rituals involved in the construction of blades, in part to honor the spirit of the tool they’re making, and it part to make sure they get just the right balance of hardness on the outside and soft pliability(toughness) on the inside. Without both of these properties, the blade sucks. A totally tough blade would be dull, a totally hard blade would break easily. Both properties combined, they made perfect blades.
Another foundational concept from Daoism that I think has a lot of relevance to us at this point in time (and to rewilders in general) is the concept of “Nourishing Life” (chinese, Yangsheng). Many of the texts in Daoism are all about Breathing Practices, Qigong exercises, Meditation Practices and Food and Herbs all of which are designed to increase longevity, vitality, and peace of mind. There are even manuals on how to eat for your typology, how to harvest herbs with the most vitality (and in what season), and how to live in harmony with the seasons.
How this relates is that a lot of this info. focuses on the fact that we can all thrive with actually having a lot less and doing a lot less and eating more wild plants and foods. In fact, stepping away from civilization might be the best way to nourish life both individually and collectively.
Pathfinder, can you share some breathing practices with us here?
How this relates is that a lot of this info. focuses on the fact that we can all thrive with actually having a lot less and doing a lot less and eating more wild plants and foods. In fact, stepping away from civilization might be the best way to nourish life both individually and collectively.
Sounds perfectly inline with rewilding. 
Cool story.
Shows how much we need elasticity. Anything flexible will bend, but something elastic will spring back to the same shape. Like your ear, if you crunch it all up and let go.
Wow! I’ve never seen my ears that way before. Ears are awesome! It works on my cat’s ears too. 
I have nothing to contribute about Daoism, though. I haven’t studied it in detail or enough to have an intellectual discussion about it.
But for what it’s worth, I own a translation of the Dao te Ching and for years it has been the only “spiritual text” I have trusted. Having grown up Christian I can remember a few parables from the Bible that are still meaningful (the passage with the “lilies of the field” for instance) but I personally feel that in general, as a spiritual guide the Bible contains deep, irredeemable flaws.
Having grown up Christian I can remember a few parables from the Bible that are still meaningful (the passage with the "lilies of the field" for instance) but I personally feel that in general, as a spiritual guide the Bible contains deep, irredeemable flaws.
I don’t want to be perceived as getting on a Bible-bashing high horse here, but I agree with you. There are spoken as well as unspoken and implicit things in the Bible that I believe to be flawed which I have great difficult in getting around or accepting when I read it. Like you though, I do find inspiration in some of the passages.
Though, when it comes to inspiration ever single passage in the TAO TE CHING is inspiring to me! So as a spiritual text, I find it much more effective. Also, the nice thing about the TAO TE CHING is there are so many various translations that it is easy to find one that matches your tastes.
Here is a good passage:
When the world is governed according to Tao, Horses are use to work on the farm. When the world is not governed according to Tao, Horses and weapons are produced for the frontier. No crime is greater than that of ambition. No misfortune is greater than that of discontentment. No fault is greater than that of conquering. Therefore, to know contentment through contentment Is to always have enough.
Great quote there Little Spider, what you chose to quote really gets to the meaning of why I started this thread. In a lot of the Dao De jing there seems to be an implied green anarchy or anarcho-primitvism. It is really amazing how many people find that the Dao De Jing is their only spiritual text or who find a great deal of spiritual meaning in it regardless of their background. It is also pretty unbelievable how many different translation there are and that all make sense.
I agree that the Tao Te Ching rox! It continues to inspire me. I’ve written before about the beautiful animist wisdom in taoist lore :
http://www.mythic-cartography.org/2007/01/18/village-rhizome-and-the-return-to-the-tao/
http://www.mythic-cartography.org/2007/03/13/breaking-the-spell-vii-the-wise-compass/
And I loooove Ellen Chen’s translation. Just so’s ya know.
http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Translation-Commentary/dp/1557782385/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a
oh, and in that passage I quote in “village, rhizome, and the return to the tao”, Lao Tse basically describes the Shire and hobbit lifestyle as described by JRR Tolkien. I swear to god. Down to the “although there are weapons and armor, let there be no occasion to display them”, just like the mithril shirt that bilbo donated to the museum at michel delving, where it gathered dust in a corner.
as a side note, any accusations of nerdery in this matter will receive a prompt affirmation.
as a side note, any accusations of nerdery in this matter will receive a prompt affirmation.
Something tells me that few here would find fault in nerdery… 
Thanks, Willem. I will have to check out Chen’s translation.
One of my favorite translations is:
Amazon: The Tao Speaks: Lao-Tzu’s Whispers of Wisdom
Also, if you like Chuang Tzu (another great Daoist thinker), I recommend this:
http://www.amazon.com/Zhuangzi-Speaks-Chih-chung-Tsai/dp/0691008825/ref=pd_sim_b_title_1
I have this one, and find it a great read. Not everyone is a fan of the comic strip style of translation, though. I find it very complementary to the more strict scholarly translations of the TAO TE CHING which at times can be so dry they nearly crack when you pick them up to read them, and so full of jargon they make even an experienced scholar’s head spin.
as a side note, any accusations of nerdery in this matter will receive a prompt affirmation.
Hahaha! I think we are all nerds here of one kind or another.
[edited by mod to shorten link]
Cool. I’ll try to find Zhuangzi Speaks.
I’ve read some Chuang Tse stories before. The Tao of Pooh introduced me to a lot of this stuff, and it has a lot of Chuang Tse tales in it. But the illustrated version looks really neat-o.
Just ordered my very own copy of THE TAO SPEAKS by the same author. From my research, buying any of the books in this line including Zhuangzi Speak is cheapest on amazon even with shipping included.