The Essential Belief

As a Taoist I've often wondered how our perception of Taoism in the West differs from the perception in the East. I've had lengthy and heated conversations regarding this topic, in particular whether or not Westerners can ever really understand Taoism as it was intended to be transmitted. The terms themselves should bring to light some of the difficulty in coming to terms with a fair and just determination, in particular phrases such as transmitted, or transmission, which is very much an Eastern idea, not a Western.

Transmission is essentially the way a path is spread, but our own understanding as American Taoists may not hit the mark when it comes to how it was originally and traditionally understood. This notion in itself can cause problems, especially if one is devoted to such terms as authentic, correct, and real. In fact in most debates regarding the capacity of a Western person's ability to understand Taoism this is the crux of the argument, that our inability to understand the social and cultural nuances of Eastern (in this case Chinese) philosophy leaves us lacking in regards to understanding Taoism. This is also one of the reasons why many Americans who identify themselves as being authentic Taoists argue that the only way for one to truly understand Taoism is by understanding the nuances of the culture.

In essence the argument is that one must be taught to think in the Eastern cultural context, to be able to see one's self identity in a way that allows them to understand their relationship to their community and the tradition in an Eastern sense. In reality much of this is impossible, simply because there is a cultural divide that can never be navigated, so with this argument one could assume that a Western individual could never really attain an understanding of Taoism as it is taught (or transmitted) in Eastern philosophy. Perhaps the traditionalists are right in assuming this, but at the same time one might ask the question, is it necessary to change one's perception of self in order to gain the benefits of practice from Taoism? Can one actually achieve the same fundamentals of Taoism without changing the fundamental sense of self that is indicative in the Western mindset?

I wont mislead you, I believe it is, and in believing this I guess I am not a traditionalist. But in believing this, I also believe that the greatest fundamental present in Taoism is freedom of self, which is why many American's seem to be drawn to Taoism in the first place. After all, we are taught as Americans that freedom is not only a right, but what each of us should endeavor to protect. Of course our definitions of freedom may differ from the Chinese, especially in the context of politics, family, and society, but at its core the essential is the same, that freedom is something that strengthens the community, rather than hinders it.

This essential belief arises over and over throughout the Tao Te Ching, but is most eloquently posed within the question, “How great is the difference between 'eh' and 'oh', must I believe what others believe? What abysmal nonsense is this!” You see Taoism, especially as it was taught by Lao Tzu, was not just a philosophy of personal freedom, but also one of personal inquiry. We are taught as Taoists to question what we are taught, but not so that we can rebel against the society in which we live, but rather to understand more closely how that society works, it's virtues and flaws, and in so understanding this, come to a greater understanding of how we can become a benefit to that society, and I believe, ultimately the world at large.

With that said I should return to the original question, can we as Westerners ever really understand Taoism as it was transmitted to the East? Perhaps not, but in our exposure to the philosophy we certainly can adapt it so that we can use its most basic lessons to strengthen our own sense of self and society. We can take what we get from it and use it in a way to become American Taoists and in so doing, use it as a means to better our own community.

I think the first step to understanding our own place in society is ultimately personal inquiry. It requires contemplation, meditation, and self-discipline and at its most basic essence it is a process of examination in which we honestly look at who we are, how we became who we are, and ultimately the reality of what that is. Of course that in itself is a topic for another discussion, but for right now it leaves us at a wonderful place to stop, if for no other reason than to contemplate these questions on our own.

Thanks for reading.