Taoism is an ancient Chinese Philosophy that emphasises living in harmony with the ‘Tao’. The ‘Tao Te Ching, one of the foundational books of Taoism, was attributed to an author known as Lao Tzu in around 400 BC. It has been translated more than any other book ever written, with the exception of the Bible. It’s believed that the Tao Te Ching is written as poetry, and therefore there are many possible interpretations of its meaning.
In this article, I will attempt to outline the key principles presented in the Tao Te Ching so that you might take away some wisdom from the beautiful philosophy of Taoism.
The Tao
The Tao can be described as the natural order of the universe. It is a guiding energy within us that connects us to everything around us. It is eternal and intimate, has no biases and is the source of all life. The Tao is all powerful, but also humble and at ease. The workings of the Tao can’t be described or understood, only experienced. The more you try to understand it, the less you will be able to engage with it. It is paradoxically everything and nothing. Both empty and infinite.
I believe that Lao Tzu is pointing to the same thing as modern spiritual writer Eckhart Tolle, author of ‘The Power Of Now’. It’s possible that, what Lao Tzu means by ‘the Tao’, Eckhart describes as ‘being’ or ‘presence’.
Objectivity and balance
Lao Tzu suggests that we try to stay objective in life. This means avoiding attaching qualities and labels to things and just seeing things for what they really are. Our mind’s labels and interpretations of the world can cause unnecessary unhappiness and anxiety, and don’t usually serve a beneficial role in our lives.
For example, believing that money is evil will make you unlikely to pursue high-paying work, and will create feelings of guilt and shame if you ever did become wealthy. On the other hand, believing that being poor is bad will likely cause you a lot of anxiety if you ever lost a lot of your money for any reason. Seeing money for what it is, neither evil, nor necessary for happiness, will give you a better relationship with wealth and allow you to treat it as a useful tool and pursue it for the right reasons
Objectivity can also help us when we experience conflict, failure, and negative emotions or experiences. Remaining unbiased towards any opinions of outcomes will remove the negative feelings that come with things not going our way, or having disagreements with others. Of course, this is a lot more easily said than done. As human beings, we’re innately wired to want the best for ourselves and our loved ones. When things happen to us that we perceive as negative, it’s not natural for us to shift our perspectives towards objectivity. However, when we understand that the way we perceive things in life is just one out of an infinite number of perspectives, we can open our minds to the bigger picture and often remove some of the negative emotions attached to an event.
Non-action
The Taoist principle of ‘Wu Wei’, commonly translated to mean ‘Non-Action’ is the principle of letting things happen, and not forcing. This principle suggests that forcing things often backfires and that things will often work themselves out. Doing nothing is often the best course of action. The Tao Te Ching encourages us to embrace ‘non-action’ by letting go of ambition, removing our need for external validation, and practising patience. The book advises us to give up the seeking of success and excess material possessions. It explains that although these things may lead to excitement and pleasure, only the Tao can lead to true fulfilment. If you are distracted by the noise of achievement and attainment, you will miss the small things right in front of you that life is really about. However, I would argue that as long as you understand this reality, it is possible to enjoy external pleasures whilst being truly fulfilled by the Tao
It’s possible that what Lao Tzu was most concerned with wasn’t what we do, but rather our relationship to what is happening. Resisting the present moment is a futile practice, however, it’s very common and leads to a lot of unnecessary unhappiness and distress. Finding acceptance and ‘going with the flow can be a much more pleasant and even more effective way to live
The late philosopher Alan Watts explains this concept in a more accessible way. He proposes that, no matter what we do, we can never be fully in control of the universe. However, in giving away the control, you’ve got it. By choosing to accept whatever happens in the present moment, we hold the highest kind of power and the only kind of control there actually is. Since the only thing we can fully control is our own reactions to what happens to us, choosing to react with acceptance to trust the present moment no matter what frees us from the burden of control, and therefore control is given back to us.
I feel the need to stress that this doesn’t mean we should give up responsibility for ourselves and our lives and become victims to our circumstances. It requires a mature approach and a level of balance to both take action in our lives towards what we want and simultaneously understand that the present moment is inevitable and does not need to change.
Harmonious Living
The Tao Te Ching recommends that we live in harmony with the Tao in order to avoid corruption, violence, and aggression. It suggests that, contrary to popular belief, you can’t improve the world as everything is as it should be. Therefore, we should stop trying to change the world and start living harmoniously with it. By trying to change the world, we lose touch with it and its beauty
The ‘Shortform’ summary of the Tao Te Ching gives this example: “If humanity was willing to live within the guidance of the Tao, only taking what we needed to survive, we could co-exist with the animals of the world. However, because of mankind’s need to industrialize, many species have either gone extinct due to pollution or have become part of the ever-growing meat industry, thus corrupting the natural order of the Tao.” Lao Tzu suggests that humans find their place within the world, rather than trying to rule over it.
Finally, Lao Tzu states that leaders must embrace the teachings of the Tao in order to promote harmonious living on a larger scale. He suggests that trying to control the people you lead will disconnect you and your followers from the Tao, and therefore not promote harmony. You must trust your people in order to generate honesty and respect, and avoid conflict.
Leading through the Tao will inspire others to live in accordance with it, and therefore promote harmony and peace. The book stresses the importance of action over words in leadership. Showing, rather than just saying what needs to be done is a powerful way of inspiring others and gaining trust and respect. Finally, the book suggests leading through moderation. Stemming from objectivity, leading with moderation requires seeing through personal biases and avoiding extreme ideals. This can lead to making temperate, wise decisions
In a similar way to the bible, the message of the Tao Te Ching is likely to have been distorted over time through multiple translations and interpretations. This is why, taking these principles for what they are, ideas, and finding your own judgement and interpretation of them is essential. It is best to find a way that they can positively impact your life, rather than following them blindly and to an extreme degree.
If you’re interested to learn more, the Tao Te Ching is a good place to start, however, it’s helpful to read into several different interpretations of Taoism to gain a fuller understanding of the message behind the philosophy. A good example of this is Alan Watt’s book ‘Tao: The Watercourse Way’. You can find these, and other recommended books, on my booklist. Another favourite resource of mine when it comes to philosophy is the Youtube channel ‘Einzelganger’. Here you can find several videos explaining the principles of Taoism in an enjoyable and easy-to-follow format.