Thread: Talking to People Close to You

Although it is also a Confucian Classic, the I Ching can be considered the central Daoist text, and the Lao Tzu is seen as being canonical in the religious traditions. That being said, the different traditions cannot and do not exist independently of one another. Likewise, although there are many different schools, none debate or doubt the validity of the others (contrast this with some other systems of belief containing multiple branches, and you begin to get an idea of the Daoist mind.) So, in reality, there really are not separate "traditions", but rather one tradition that utilizes different methods for achieving its goal. It's good you take a non-dogmatic approach, as Dao is not dogmatic. And thank you for saying so, but you should hold on to your hat. You may need it if you become a Buddhist and find yourself without a begging bowl.

Hello and Welcome to Occult Forums. Sorry for the late welcome.

Originally Posted by Ghost of Shaolin

Although it is also a Confucian Classic, the I Ching can be considered the central Daoist text, and the Lao Tzu is seen as being canonical in the religious traditions. That being said, the different traditions cannot and do not exist independently of one another. Likewise, although there are many different schools, none debate or doubt the validity of the others (contrast this with some other systems of belief containing multiple branches, and you begin to get an idea of the Daoist mind.) So, in reality, there really are not separate "traditions", but rather one tradition that utilizes different methods for achieving its goal. It's good you take a non-dogmatic approach, as Dao is not dogmatic. And thank you for saying so, but you should hold on to your hat. You may need it if you become a Buddhist and find yourself without a begging bowl.

Ah. That makes a great deal of sense. Since I was raised Christian (even though it didn't take ) I tend to fall into the trap of thinking of separate schools of thought as denominations. And I suppose I ought to keep my hat. Buddhism or no, I'm closer to needing a begging bowl than I'd like to admit.

Also, thanks for the welcome Aradia.

Well, it's not really incorrect to think of them as different denominations per se (Quanzhen and Zheng Yi, for example, have some different practices), as the common goal is usually shared. There are just different areas of focus within different branches. In Dao Jiao, Quanzhen is mostly non-talismanic, whereas the Zheng Yi school uses talismans. But the Quanzhen school doesn't believe that talismans are ineffective or that their use is wrong. It's just not seen as being as necessary or important in that school. At first glance, it appears that there is a lot of disagreement between branches, as there are so many with different practices, but this is because no one methodology is seen as being "correct" over all others. The idea of Protestant vs. Catholic, for example, has no real equivalent in Daoism. Different areas resonate better with different people than others. "Yi zong qian shu" (One school/family, one thousand methods/techniques.)

Originally Posted by Ghost of Shaolin

Well, it's not really incorrect to think of them as different denominations per se (Quanzhen and Zheng Yi, for example, have some different practices), as the common goal is usually shared. There are just different areas of focus within different branches. In Dao Jiao, Quanzhen is mostly non-talismanic, whereas the Zheng Yi school uses talismans. But the Quanzhen school doesn't believe that talismans are ineffective or that their use is wrong. It's just not seen as being as necessary or important in that school. At first glance, it appears that there is a lot of disagreement between branches, as there are so many with different practices, but this is because no one methodology is seen as being "correct" over all others. The idea of Protestant vs. Catholic, for example, has no real equivalent in Daoism. Different areas resonate better with different people than others. "Yi zong qian shu" (One school/family, one thousand methods/techniques.)

Yes, I understand what you're getting at. I meant that I tend to fall in to that mindset where every practice is mutually exclusive, but that isn't the case here. Are there any particular resources you would recommend for learning about Zheng Yi/talismanic magic? I find it quite interesting.

Well, the Zheng Yi or Orthodox Way school is a religious sect, and as such, the "magick" end of things is comparatively small in relation to scriptures, prayers, meditations, daily devotional things, etc. You might try researching online, and learning what you can about Zhang Daoling, the Celestial Master and the Tian Shi or Celestial Master school of Dao Jiao. Much of the talismanic and exorcistic (as well as healing) practices that are thought of as being Daoist are historically attributed to him. Again, Eva Wong and Livia Kohn have some great writings that can be helpful here.

Originally Posted by Ghost of Shaolin

Well, the Zheng Yi or Orthodox Way school is a religious sect, and as such, the "magick" end of things is comparatively small in relation to scriptures, prayers, meditations, daily devotional things, etc. You might try researching online, and learning what you can about Zhang Daoling, the Celestial Master and the Tian Shi or Celestial Master school of Dao Jiao. Much of the talismanic and exorcistic (as well as healing) practices that are thought of as being Daoist are historically attributed to him. Again, Eva Wong and Livia Kohn have some great writings that can be helpful here.

Ah. Thank you. This should give me a good start.