The Tao of Musashi

[musashi]

Yeah, dude -- there's just this whole Chuck Norris "round-house kick" thing to your picture

But yet I can't help but think that you're this really friendly guy who couldn't hurt a fly.

Absolutely, I really enjoy being friendly and caring, but it springs from a Taoist perspective. A balance or flywheel of energy – happiness and positive energy create momentum in one direction. Violence and fear create an opposing force. In the immortal words of Stevie Wonder, “when your direction is the positive, your destination is the brightest star.” 8)

However saying that I like to keep things on the positive, belies one of my gruesome truths. I do enjoy strapping it on. Like base jumping or bungee jumping, martial arts are best appreciated close to the edge. Going toe to toe with someone who is capable, and is trying, to seriously injure you is an exhilarating experience. Achieving metrics of success in these contests (ie. favorable strike ratio’s or better power punches, avoidance of personal injury) is both affirming and addictive. Sadly, I have injured hundreds of people sometimes severely, but all this has happened with a smile on my face and with love in my heart. Oh yea I’ve taken some shots too, or as we like to say it "paid the bills".

I like to consider my first art, Karate, all about creation and exploitation of weakness within the opponent. Karate means “empty hand”, I don’t fight with any protective equipment. Typically my intermediate students fight at half-contact and blocking at full contact. It was really a fairly hard-core deal, and broken bones were routine.

Now I am old, and broke down, and I teach Judo. Judo is about creation and exploitation of imbalance within the opponent. I like it a lot more because the two defining philosophies are “mutual benefit and prosperity” and the “best use of power”. Even though I may occasionally choke my partner to unconsciousness, injuries are extremely rare. And this gives me more energy in that Taoist flywheel to unleash when I do decide to open that can of WhoopAss that I keep on the shelf.

[dough]

Musashi, I have to admit many of your viewpoints are a metric on which others should be judged; but I do have to ask:

How did you come across taoism?

To (slightly shift) the discussion from your belief to one of my own -- that of fate. As a bona fide atheist I cannot help but think that past actions are a vector for future actions and that things happen for a reason. I don't think they're governed by a celestial being or anything, but somehow I'd like to think of myself as someone who, despite being in charge of my own life (but are we really?;)) that actions do happen for a reason and that -- and this is quite optimistic -- it was meant to happen and it's better that way.

[Shazam0]

Musashi, I have to admit many of your viewpoints are a metric on which others should be judged; but I do have to ask:

How did you come across taoism?

To (slightly shift) the discussion from your belief to one of my own -- that of fate. As a bona fide atheist I cannot help but think that past actions are a vector for future actions and that things happen for a reason. I don't think they're governed by a celestial being or anything, but somehow I'd like to think of myself as someone who, despite being in charge of my own life (but are we really?;)) that actions do happen for a reason and that -- and this is quite optimistic -- it was meant to happen and it's better that way.

lol that sounds a lot like Gandolf. I always liked gandolf's optimistic view of the world and the way things are. personally i live by a generic form of the golden rule: what goes around comes around.

[Max Delorian]

While I would not and could not proclaim to be truly religious and devout in any sense of the words for any one strict religion, I will quote this from Dale Carnegie:

"Philosophers have been speculating on the rules of human relationships for thousands of years, and out of all that speculation, there has evolved only one important precept. It is not new. It is as old as history. Zoroaster taught it to his followers in Persia twenty-five hundred years ago. Confucius preached it in China twenty-four centuries ago. Lao-tse, the founder of Taoism, taught it to his disciples in the Valley of the Han. Buddha preached it on the bank of the Holy Ganges five hundred years before Christ. The sacred books of Hinduism taught it among the stony hills of Judea nineteen centuries ago. Jesus summed it up in one thought - probably the most important rule in the world: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

[dough]

While I would not and could not proclaim to be truly religious and devout in any sense of the words for any one strict religion, I will quote this from Dale Carnegie:

"Philosophers have been speculating on the rules of human relationships for thousands of years, and out of all that speculation, there has evolved only one important precept. It is not new. It is as old as history. Zoroaster taught it to his followers in Persia twenty-five hundred years ago. Confucius preached it in China twenty-four centuries ago. Lao-tse, the founder of Taoism, taught it to his disciples in the Valley of the Han. Buddha preached it on the bank of the Holy Ganges five hundred years before Christ. The sacred books of Hinduism taught it among the stony hills of Judea nineteen centuries ago. Jesus summed it up in one thought - probably the most important rule in the world: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

Dale Carnegie = Genius. Is it from How to win friends or Stop Worrying?

[musashi]

How did you come across Taoism?

Loa Tsu’s, Tao Te Ching – it was required reading for me when I was a young pup. Along with Sun Tzu’s Art of War, the I-Ching and a few other anthologies of Chinese philosophy.

While I don’t consider Taoism my religion, I do enjoy emptying my mind.

[Max Delorian]

While I would not and could not proclaim to be truly religious and devout in any sense of the words for any one strict religion, I will quote this from Dale Carnegie:

"Philosophers have been speculating on the rules of human relationships for thousands of years, and out of all that speculation, there has evolved only one important precept. It is not new. It is as old as history. Zoroaster taught it to his followers in Persia twenty-five hundred years ago. Confucius preached it in China twenty-four centuries ago. Lao-tse, the founder of Taoism, taught it to his disciples in the Valley of the Han. Buddha preached it on the bank of the Holy Ganges five hundred years before Christ. The sacred books of Hinduism taught it among the stony hills of Judea nineteen centuries ago. Jesus summed it up in one thought - probably the most important rule in the world: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

Dale Carnegie = Genius. Is it from How to win friends or Stop Worrying?

That one is from How to win friends.

Have you read James Borg's "Persuasion"? Thats very good too. I would highly recommend some Steven Covey books as well if like me, your into that who personal/professional development thing.

[dough]

While I would not and could not proclaim to be truly religious and devout in any sense of the words for any one strict religion, I will quote this from Dale Carnegie:

"Philosophers have been speculating on the rules of human relationships for thousands of years, and out of all that speculation, there has evolved only one important precept. It is not new. It is as old as history. Zoroaster taught it to his followers in Persia twenty-five hundred years ago. Confucius preached it in China twenty-four centuries ago. Lao-tse, the founder of Taoism, taught it to his disciples in the Valley of the Han. Buddha preached it on the bank of the Holy Ganges five hundred years before Christ. The sacred books of Hinduism taught it among the stony hills of Judea nineteen centuries ago. Jesus summed it up in one thought - probably the most important rule in the world: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

Dale Carnegie = Genius. Is it from How to win friends or Stop Worrying?

That one is from How to win friends.

Have you read James Borg's "Persuasion"? Thats very good too. I would highly recommend some Steven Covey books as well if like me, your into that who personal/professional development thing.

Been reading Robert Green's books as of late; the next one on my list is Cialdini's books.

[alaphforce]

I got into Taoism reading Alan Watts philosophy on resolving the differences between christianity and eastern thought. I've been a taoist for almost 10 years now and I have to say that the experiance has been very valuable.

Sounds silly but I beleive one of the best books on toaism is The Tao of Pooh.

I resolved my issuses with western religions by applying the 'god' concept to the Tao, or way. God is all knowing, all powerful, and all present. The way is everything and everything is the way. As such science and every other traditionaly secular entity is not in conflict with religion but rather missinterpreted by humans.

Ofc this is just my view and no more right or wrong than any other interpretation of the unkown.

-alaph

[Koruptdeath]

Musashi, I have to admit many of your viewpoints are a metric on which others should be judged; but I do have to ask:

How did you come across taoism?

To (slightly shift) the discussion from your belief to one of my own -- that of fate. As a bona fide atheist I cannot help but think that past actions are a vector for future actions and that things happen for a reason. I don't think they're governed by a celestial being or anything, but somehow I'd like to think of myself as someone who, despite being in charge of my own life (but are we really?;)) that actions do happen for a reason and that -- and this is quite optimistic -- it was meant to happen and it's better that way.

I have something along those lines of thinking, I think. However I don't believe at all in Fate. I think the very idea of it is repulsive in the fact that you are not able to control yourself. As a morally aligned Christian (not what you may think to be honest, in regards to corruption nowadays) I believe there is a God in this world but that he does not govern my actions directly. Merely, when I am lost or on a destructive path subtle oppurtunities to correct myself will open up. As my signature states, Fate (imo) is the destruction of Freedom. Freedom, the ability to think, breathe and live for and only for yourself; others is a wonderful thing, but ultimately it comes down to you. From an early age I have learned to compose myself in all situations, and to let my rationale guide my actions rather than impulse; or atleast rationalize an impulsive decision . As such, I feel great pride to know that I and I alone am in control of my life. To be frank, I simply want things to happen to me because of MY actions, not some unclassified principle of definition of metaphysics.

I hope I stayed on topic here, I have a tendancy to ramble.