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!