Taoism is known as a Chinese tradition or custom.. I have rarely met purely Taoists and it is usually a fundamental in which adherents incorporate into a greater belief system such as more mainstream religions. Sometimes it is incorporated into someone that is spiritual rather than religious.
The Tao or Dao--- as some phrase it-- involves living a life of simplicity and spontaneity. You are following the natural flow of things and it is based on inaction rather than action. I visualize it as being becoming a leaf in a stream that is running water. The water is actively flowing around the nooks and crannies of the rocks and the leaf is carried away. The leaf has no options but to be apart of the ecosystem and to submit to it.
My experiences on the river seem to have an ironic parallel to the Tao. Once you are floating on the river you seem to have perceived options..... perceived control... However, this is only a delusion at best. Your boat might have rudders, radar, and rigging to help you steer, navigate, and stop your boat. However, natural and the flow of the river is the ultimate pacifier. The modern day conveniences in which you believe you have control is a myth in several ways..
The weather treats your ship as an oppressive dictator does to his people. Storms interrupt the control of the ship and ultimately one is at mercy in which the cards may fall on that particular day. For instance, I watched a tornado form on a sandbar and being on a ship that had a weight of several loaded trains... a false sense of security existed. The beauty in which I observed the tornado from a distance was only clouded when mother nature decided my cinematic experience needed to be interrupted by a mixture of fear, rain, and high winds.
So I propose this question....During traveling, or navigating obstacles when you are trying to experience different locales.... Do you feel as if you have a perceived sense of control when you are visiting places with modern conveniences that provide a safety blanket?
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