1. Taoism The Great Tao flows everywhere. It may go left or right All things depend on it for life. and it does not turn away from them. It accomplishes its task, but does not claim credit for it. It clothes and feeds all things but does not claim to be master over them. Tao Te Ching, chapter 30

2. Lao Tzu or Laozi

3. Origins of Taoism  The origins are ancient, dating back to the time of Conf ucius: 551-479 BCE.  Taoism’s beginnings are shrouded in mystery.  It is not certain whether the founder of Taoism, Lao Tzu, ever actually existed.  There are accounts, however legendary, about Lao Tzu

4. Lao Tzu  Born in 604 B.C. E., his name means “old master.”  He was conceived by a shooting star.  When his mother gave birth to him, he was already eighty two years old, a wise man with flowing white hair.  He left his town after taking three days to write down his words of wisdom, The Tao Te Ching.

5. The Tao Te Ching  Authored by Lao Tzu, it is Taoism’s foundational text.  It is 81 short chapters, dating back to the 3rd. century, b.c.e.  It contains many paradoxes and profound teachings on living in harmony with nature.  Those who know do not speak; Those who speak do not know.

6. The Philosophy of Tao  Tao is both the ultimate source and principle of order in the universe.  Tao has two components, yin and yang.  Taoism regards moral values as relative and avoids absolute moral judgments.  Taoism literature says nothing about the afterlife and depicts death as one of nature’s transformations from one state to another.  Humans are part of the grand harmony of nature and to live in accord with the Tao is the only way to thrive.

7. Tao (continued) “The cloud, the stream, the breeze do not strive for fame, power, or wisdom, yet they move without effort because they follow the Tao.” Laozi states that out of everything on earth, only man chooses not to follow the Tao Man wastes time arguing right/wrong or good/bad, but those are pointless

8. Yin and Yang

9. Traits of Yin and Yang  Yin  Negative  Passive  Feminine  Earthly  yang  Positive  Active  Masculine  Heavenly

10. Virtues in Taoism  Wu-wei = primary virtue and means “non-action.” To practice wu-wei is to be so perfectly in harmony with nature that its energy infuses and empowers the individual.  Humility and noncompetition  Naturalness and naturalism  Nonaggression and passive rule