Taoism By: Alex Higham

"The Tao that can be named is not the eternal What is Taoism? Taoism is the consolidation of a number of concepts and practices that make up the “Path” or "Way" of living. "The Tao that can be named is not the eternal Tao. The Name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth. the named is the mother of all things." -Lao-Tze

What they believe The consolidation of ideas include basic "theories" regarding the body, diet, breathing and physical exercises, uses of herbs, philosophical inquiry and, meditation. The Taoist feels practicing these ideas brings them into closer alignment with the "natural order" of life and living.

Example A Boy throws a baseball into the air. The baseball comes down and smacks said boy in the forehead. That's Tao right there. Tao is everything that's natural, all the laws of physics, the laws of science, the nature of the world. It affects every squirrel, every raccoon, every person. In other words, Tao is the world and the way it works.

The Tao itself is not God nor is worshipped by Taoists. There is no being beyond the cosmos that controls the universe. The universe springs from Tao and the Tao impersonally guides things on their way. The Tao itself is not God nor is worshipped by Taoists.

Dietary Restrictions They don’t have any specific dietary restrictions. They like to eat healthy foods to keep their body functioning at its highest level. Vegetables, Fruits ,Seeds, nuts, and moderation of meat. Festivals The regular diet is enhanced by the frequency of festivals which take place at least every 10 to 15 days. Each festival is associated with a certain kind of food. Ex) During the Mid-Autumn Festival the special food is moon cakes.

Life After Death In a sense, the afterlife doesn't exist in terms of a Taoist belief system--it's in life that we are eternal in Taoism. The afterlife is within life itself. We are of the Tao when living and upon death are the Tao again. The goal in Taoism is to achieve Tao, to find the way. Tao is the ultimate reality, a presence that existed before the universe was formed and which continues to guide the world and everything in it.

In Nursing Care There is a few easy steps to take while in nursing care. . . be accepting of their rituals. Acknowledge different food preferences at certain times of the year. Understand their view of life after death.

“Peace is easily maintained; Trouble is easily overcome before it starts. The brittle is easily shattered; The small is easily scattered. Deal with it before it happens. Set things in order before there is confusion.”