Marsha, Dawi and all MOQers: As I see it, patriarchy is about as old as civilization. If Joseph Campbell is right, the alternative was stamped out entirely by 1750 B.C., long before the Tao Te Ching was written. In the West women have been blamed for everything wrong by everyone from Freud to the author of Genesis, so I certainly agree with Marsha's complaints.
But I wanted to tell everybody about a book I picked up the other day. Its called "The Tao of Emerson". It doesn't have an author so much as an editor (Richard Grossman). Except for a brief introduction, the book simply puts Lao Tse and Emerson side by side to show the parallels between them. The harmony of these two thinkers is all the more striking because they are separated by 25 centuries and half of a planet. In fact, the Tao Te Ching was not translated into the English language until about 9 years after Emerson had died. And yet, there it is. I think its quite alright if a person would rather approach the perennial philosophy from the perspective of their own culture and language and Emerson is about as American as a guy can be. Hope that sounds as delicious to you as it does to me. Along the same lines, I have a chart or map of Western philosophies. It shows which schools grew from which. I think its very interesting that traces a line from the mystery cults and religions of the ancient world directly to the transcendentalists, a line that goes AROUND everything between them. The same chart shows pragmatism as the next step out of transcendentalism. I happen to know that James and Dewey were both HUGE fans of Emerson. That chart is in a frame, nailed to my office wall, and has a tiny statue of Buddha resting on top. That makes me smile almost every time. Thanks, dmb ---------------------------------------- > Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2008 15:39:55 -0500 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [MD] Taoism > > > Greetings, > > I have finished reading 'Nine Nights with the Taoist Master', by > Master Waysun Liao. I have thought about it and tried to find an > approach that would illicit understanding. Reading this book has > been very helpful. I had read two versions of the Tao Te Ching and > did not get a clear understanding of text. I had also read a little > bit on the Internet, but still did not understand. > > It seems there are 100s of translations of the Tao Te Ching, all > different, with different interpretations. Mostly wrong according to > Waysun Laio. It seems this is a tradition based on some highly > ambiguous text and secret transmissions. > > I think it most reflects the MOQ in that Quality and the Tao are the > same. Waysun Liao writes, "... one must work on his mind, life > energy (Chi), and engage in the systematic practice that brings a > qualitative change to one's mind and body." (p.276) I totally agree > with this. And, I've always loved the Yin-Yang symbol, I have it > tattooed on my spine at my 2nd chakra. Intuitively it has always > seemed perfect. > > As far as the text goes, I can agree where it points to the Tao being > indivisible, undefinable and unknowable. Most of the text, though, > is so ambiguous to me that I am not sure what it means. Which, of > course, is exactly why Waysun Liao wrote his book. And I am sure it > has been helpful to many. It did clear away some of the confusion. > > I am a skeptic. I don't much like dogma of any sort (this is a > personal attribute). I have had instructions on meditation, > pranayama, and Hatha yoga. There are many traditions teaching these > techniques, and they all have value. I don't believe there is one > true way. I'm far too skeptical for that. > > I am a feminist. And as a feminist I found the interpretation of the > teachings disturbing. I think that this world needs far more Yin > energy. It is way out of balance. This text was a man talking to > men. You can say it represents something universal, but I don't buy > it just because of some general statement that it is implied. I > found far more value in the words of Isabel Allende. And could > anything survive in this sick culture without the ironic humor of > someone like Ms. McKay? > > So while the practices may have benefit, the teachings are not for > me. For me they do not address the Universal Feminine. Not even > remotely. To me, it's one-sided and laughable. As Jack Nickolson > said in the movie 'Witches of Eastwick', "Good for the man, bad for > the woman". > > Now the thing is, I cannot prove I'm right. But neither can you > prove you're right. So why don't we just leave it at: > > "While sustaining biological and social patterns > Kill all intellectual patterns. > Kill them completely > And then follow Dynamic Quality > And morality will be served." > (LILA, Chapter 32) > > > Marsha > > p.s. I hope this does not personally offend anyone. > > > > > > Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars... > > Moq_Discuss mailing list > Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. > http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org > Archives: > http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ > http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ _________________________________________________________________ Share life as it happens with the new Windows Live. http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_012008 Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
