How to Practice Taoist Meditation
Ideally, have some understanding of Taoism., Join a Taoist Temple., Compliment your meditation with other practices., Develop your virtue., Choose your time and place wisely., Sit comfortably., Summon energy.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Ideally
Reading texts such as the Tao te Ching, the legends of the 8 immortals, the I Ching and other Taoist texts can give you some familiarity with the focus of Taoism.
Taoism, like Buddhism, is not an affair of the intellect, but is based in the heart, with wisdom and gentleness. -
Step 2: have some understanding of Taoism.
These are very rare outside of places such as China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia (etc), but they are increasingly common in countries such as Australia, the US and Europe, or anywhere there is a large Chinese population.
They tend not to be well advertised and are more frequently Neo-Confucian temples or shrines, (worshipping the 3 jewels of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism), so contacting a Chinese cultural centre in your home state can be a good step forward. , Examples of these are Tai Chi, Qi Gong, chanting, spiritual Qi healing / reiki and Taoist rituals and offerings.
Rituals are a very important part of Taoism, generally as a means to train the body but also to train the heart and mind.
They serve on occasion to invite heavenly protectors, create good tidings and to block harmful spirits.
The supernatural, mythological and legendary play a large part of Taoist religion. , Unless you are enlightened, virtue is an essential component as the mind will never settle in a wild and untrained heart.
In Taoism, there are the 5 beauties of character
- Kindness, Proper Conduct, Propriety, Wisdom and Trustworthiness.
In Buddhism there are the 5, 8 or 10 precepts for lay people and Confucianist training has 8 virtues, but they all serve the same purpose.
Similarly in Buddhism, which meditators are more likely to have encountered, Taoism places great importance on gentleness and proper conduct as a foundation to meditation. , Actually a fair number of Taoist meditations traditionally are done in the open space or wilderness of the forests and mountains.
Small, stuffy rooms devoid of life are not ideal places.
The air should be fresh and if indoors, apply principles of Feng Shui to make a more harmonious space.
The time of day can also be important.
Some practitioners find midnight an ideal time to meditate as well as between 11am and 1pm, but during a very hot, windy or stormy time is not good for meditation. , This may be on a chair or cushion, you may also wish to lie down, but too much lying meditation may drain Qi, and promote drowsiness and cloud the senses. , This optional practice is done as a protection, like a guardian angel, and is done by imagining someone you respect, ideally someone with similar qualities to that you wish to practice, so for wisdom you might humbly invite Lao Tzu or Buddha; for compassion, Guan Yin and so on; for general strength and energy, humbly invite your ancestors.
They can be from any tradition as long as you have confidence in them.
You may also summon inanimate energy from the landscape, the sky or the universe.
Be clear that you are inviting wholesome guardian type figures and that the doors aren't open to any trouble-makers. -
Step 3: Join a Taoist Temple.
-
Step 4: Compliment your meditation with other practices.
-
Step 5: Develop your virtue.
-
Step 6: Choose your time and place wisely.
-
Step 7: Sit comfortably.
-
Step 8: Summon energy.
Detailed Guide
Reading texts such as the Tao te Ching, the legends of the 8 immortals, the I Ching and other Taoist texts can give you some familiarity with the focus of Taoism.
Taoism, like Buddhism, is not an affair of the intellect, but is based in the heart, with wisdom and gentleness.
These are very rare outside of places such as China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia (etc), but they are increasingly common in countries such as Australia, the US and Europe, or anywhere there is a large Chinese population.
They tend not to be well advertised and are more frequently Neo-Confucian temples or shrines, (worshipping the 3 jewels of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism), so contacting a Chinese cultural centre in your home state can be a good step forward. , Examples of these are Tai Chi, Qi Gong, chanting, spiritual Qi healing / reiki and Taoist rituals and offerings.
Rituals are a very important part of Taoism, generally as a means to train the body but also to train the heart and mind.
They serve on occasion to invite heavenly protectors, create good tidings and to block harmful spirits.
The supernatural, mythological and legendary play a large part of Taoist religion. , Unless you are enlightened, virtue is an essential component as the mind will never settle in a wild and untrained heart.
In Taoism, there are the 5 beauties of character
- Kindness, Proper Conduct, Propriety, Wisdom and Trustworthiness.
In Buddhism there are the 5, 8 or 10 precepts for lay people and Confucianist training has 8 virtues, but they all serve the same purpose.
Similarly in Buddhism, which meditators are more likely to have encountered, Taoism places great importance on gentleness and proper conduct as a foundation to meditation. , Actually a fair number of Taoist meditations traditionally are done in the open space or wilderness of the forests and mountains.
Small, stuffy rooms devoid of life are not ideal places.
The air should be fresh and if indoors, apply principles of Feng Shui to make a more harmonious space.
The time of day can also be important.
Some practitioners find midnight an ideal time to meditate as well as between 11am and 1pm, but during a very hot, windy or stormy time is not good for meditation. , This may be on a chair or cushion, you may also wish to lie down, but too much lying meditation may drain Qi, and promote drowsiness and cloud the senses. , This optional practice is done as a protection, like a guardian angel, and is done by imagining someone you respect, ideally someone with similar qualities to that you wish to practice, so for wisdom you might humbly invite Lao Tzu or Buddha; for compassion, Guan Yin and so on; for general strength and energy, humbly invite your ancestors.
They can be from any tradition as long as you have confidence in them.
You may also summon inanimate energy from the landscape, the sky or the universe.
Be clear that you are inviting wholesome guardian type figures and that the doors aren't open to any trouble-makers.
About the Author
Donna Reynolds
Creates helpful guides on creative arts to inspire and educate readers.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: