Some people abhor organized religion because they find its rituals empty and its promises questionable. They don’t want to join any church because they dislike being told what to do and how to pursue happiness. Nonetheless, they feel a certain need for spirituality, or at the very least, a need for philosophy.
Taoists perform rituals, individually or in groups, with only one purpose in mind, namely, to align themselves with the Tao in terms of purpose, endurance, patience, persistence, serenity, balance and harmony.
The rituals are neither unique nor strictly regulated because Taoism isn’t a monolithic movement. Some Taoists place more emphasis on improving their personal energy connections with the universe, and others give preference to rituals than enhance serenity and alertness.
What’s the purpose of Taoist spirituality? Discovery, that is, identifying what the Tao wants, in which direction things are going, what’s to be done next, which alternative to choose, and so forth.
The purpose of Taoist spirituality
In contrast to other philosophies, Taoists assume that it’s far from self-evident to make the right choices. Christians can find detailed moral prescriptions in the works of St Augustine (354-430 AD) and St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), but that’s rarely the case for Taoists.
Neither Lao-Tzu, nor Yang-Tzu nor Chuang-Tzu ever gave detailed prescriptions about how to live. Lao-Tzu wrote a brief compilation of the basic principles, and Yang-Tzu and Chuang-Tzu wrote short stories that illustrate them. That’s all the moral guidance that Taoists can expect from their philosophy.
Thus, it is not surprising that the whole Taoist spirituality is focused on discovering the Tao. Chapter 4 of the Tao Te Ching compares the Tao to a hidden, eternal, ancient well that is filled with an immense number of possibilities.
I want to underline the use of the word “hidden” in relation to “an immense number of possibilities.” The message is clear: Even experienced Taoist practitioners still need to identify the Tao or natural law. They still need to ascertain the right choices and the right direction to take in life.
For the purposes of Taoist spirituality, we can engage in any ritual or ceremony that facilitates such a discovery. If we light candles, it is to remind us that we are in the dark and that we need to concentrate on finding the true path. If we do Tai Chi exercises, it is to let our body connect with the Tao’s energy and prevent lethargy or low alertness.
Taoism and Schopenhauer
Despite his learnedness and interest in Eastern philosophy, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) never endorsed the Taoist approach to spirituality. His books, like “The world as will and representation” are closer to Hinduism and Buddhism than to Taoism.
I regard this distinction as essential for understanding Taoist spirituality. Like Buddhists, Schopenhauer viewed suffering, in particular emotional suffering, as a frequent phenomenon. His philosophy considers “the will” or “primal energy” responsible for most suffering, and calls for adopting countermeasures that could reduce or eliminate such suffering.
Schopenhauer has no difficulty in discerning the purpose or direction of the will. He expects the will to prompt individuals to seek short-term pleasure without thinking long term. Thus, he expects that, when people allow themselves to be driven by untamed primal energy, they will commit all sorts of errors.
According to Schopenhauer, countermeasures are possible, but they require deep focus and persistence. If we fail to adopt countermeasures, chances are that we will succumb to the dire effects of untamed primal energy. Artistic contemplation, he argues, may help us relax, perceive facts clearly, and protect ourselves better.
Taoism does not share the starting point of Schopenhauer’s philosophy, nor of Buddhism and Hinduism. It does not regard suffering as the main problem to be solved because, if we take the correct decisions, we can avoid suffering and lead a happy life.
Schopenhauer assumed that, in the absence of deep thought, people fall prey to the primal energy of the will, make mistakes and cause their own demise. In contrast, Taoists consider that it is up to each of us to align our actions with the Tao, and that if we do so, we can do very well.
A ritual to increase our wisdom
Chuang-Tzu wrote recommendations and short stories that provide clues for identifying the Tao, especially when facing a large obstacle or strong social pressure.
One of the crucial insights in Chuang-Tzu’s writings is that, in order to identify the Tao, we should let things flow. This principle is referring to our body, our professional activities, and every other aspect of our lives.
Tai Chi exercises are meant to enhance our body’s flexibility and connect our personal energy to the energy of the Tao. I am not convinced that Tai Chi exercises alone will make us wiser, but they can certainly make us more agile and alert.
There is some difference in doing Tai Chi exercises alone or in groups, with bare hands or with some props such as sticks or fake swords. The latter may bring some advantages in terms of enhancing our agility and alertness, but not our philosophical depth.
Is there any Taoist ritual that surely increases one’s wisdom? If I had to choose one sort of Taoist ritual, I would favour those in which people attempt to answer questions or solve problems by opening the Tao Te Ching randomly.
There are variances in which people employ props or games that point to specific chapters of the Tao Te Ching; we might as well throw a dice, pull a card from the deck, throw Japanese or Chinese sticks on the table, or use an app on our smart phone.
Of course, there is no magic in the process. We should not expect luck to provide solutions to our problems and it’s absurd to expect to open a book and find the answer to our prayers.
Miracles will not happen in this way, but that’s not the goal of the ritual. I regard those spiritual rituals as valuable because they help people familiarize themselves with the Tao Te Ching, and apply its insights in all sorts of situations.
Enlightenment, as a spiritual experience, requires very long preparation. A detailed understanding of the Taoist principles, in particular of Wu Wei, requires plenty of practice. I have no problem if people gain practice by opening the Tao Te Ching at random and figuring out how to apply it to their situation.
Taoist spirituality isn’t a monolithic catechism of acceptance and repetition. It’s a dynamic process of understanding the Tao and steering away from unnecessary trouble. It is a lifestyle in which rituals and ceremonies have lost all rigidity because they have been incorporated in everyday actions.
If you are interested in putting effective insights into practice, I recommend my book “The 10 Principles of Rational Living.”