I have always had a keen interest and respect for belief systems. I have ventured into the occult and read the lives and works of the mystics. I have given everything I have come across a great deal of contemplation and energy. From Paganism/Witchcraft to Monotheism and ancestry worship. Each realm has put me in touch with life changing wisdom and amazing people.
However, I have found the reasons and lack of evidence to some outstanding claims to be heavily reliant on faith or my own willingness to take people at face value. I try not to belittle or dismiss peoples experiences in this life as I have one or two ghost stories of my own.
Upon putting down the book of Mormon, I had exhausted my Abrahamic religious studies. I recalled my time in the east and reached for the Dao De Jing.
I don't know of any book, especially one of a spiritual or esoteric nature, that flat out looks you in the eyes and treats you like an adult from the first line. I found this to be refreshing and useful. I am always in awe when the voices and lives from thousand of years ago can touch us today. It is not that I do not believe in God, or that I have any issue with it. I just think when someone puts the seering blue flame of truth to themselves, the agnostic position is the most honest. Everyone else either speaks in hushed tones whilst holding holy books or shave their heads and sit with robes and begging bowls. I'm not interested in how a thing looks, I want to see it for what it is. Not what it claims to be or tries to make itself look.
The Dao de Jing basically appears and then sits beside you by your camp fire like it's known you your whole life and say whilst pointing up at the sky, the earth and the surroundings, '' Some seriously beautiful bullshit all this carry on right?...this whole... life thing. '' And I just find that to be wholesome and painfully human and honest.
No salvation needed, nothing to fix, nothing to be guilt tripped over. It just sits there and lets you know that you're not alone. Doesn't even want money from you which is always a bonus.
My soul travelled through many different religions, philosophies and organisations before it found sanctuary of the dao as I continue to follow the stream of life.
I don't preach, I don't even consider myself better than anyone or anything. I just found the dao de jing to be absolutely honest with me and for that, I hold it with much respect and found my life to have gotten more interesting and dare I say easier since heeding it's advice.
Plus Daoists don't mind a glass of red every now and then. That is perfectly fine by me.
To nutshell Daoism to me... Consider the Bible passage that advises people to be in the world but not of the world is probably a good example of what a Daoist mindset is.
So I'd say that even though I have learnt much from my brothers and sisters over the years during my travels, it all blooms on the flower of daoism.
