Was wondering your thoughts on practice and grounding of faith - I have been feeling a want/need for a spiritual practice in community- I have a connection and draw to Daoism and Christianity - don’t want to buffet pick, but want a committed practice (beyond my qigong and tai chi practice) with others and feel somewhat homeless in this regard
Thanks for your heartfelt comment, Jules. It can be difficult, this homelessness. I was fortunate to fall into a very good T'ai Chi class with an excellent teacher, three times, in Bournemouth, Findhorn and London. So I took the hint... I moved back to London to deepen my practice and for about 15 years really put that first.
Not all T'ai Chi is 'a spiritual path' and indeed some of my classmates just enjoyed the physical training, which is also good, of course. For me it was a crucible in which to test every aspect of life: ethics, behaviour, reactions, conditioning, principles, faith. If things survived push hands, I looked at them more closely in family life and wider life, finally settling into the word-borne 'philosophy' of ideas only if they passed the real world tests. If this appeals to you and you can find a good local class, I can expand on my approach, as I have shared it at least a hundred people, to good effect. You can do it inwardly, there is no need for any classmates to know! It is not for the faint-hearted, however, as if something in the psyche wants to come up and be dealt with, it will. This is rarely convenient...
Many of my friends and family were already Christians, and others returned to it. For me, it's part of my heritage. I love Jesus' words and deeds, and I really like the way the very early church organised itself against wealth, against empire and for equality, including with women leading ecclesia. What happened after St Paul... not so much. The animating force in the universe, that I refer to as The Great Mystery is probably the same 'God' that all my Sikh, Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Zoroastrian friends and neighbours worship, and the great spirit in all things that my Pagan and Animist friends revere. But I just can't ever get on board with any organised religion that would actually condemn people to a hell just because of an accident of birth or culture. For me it's all about deeds, not pure faith. There is so much beauty and truth secreted in the old religions, as well as rites and behaviours that are better for humans than anything we could make up.
However, I can't by rights name myself a Christian even if I think the founder's Anarchist Communitarian ideas were sound, and even though I love the Great Mystery and its Tao, which I do, with all my heart. I don't want any part in promoting a possible heaven that excludes people of other traditions (or none) who live excellent lives, especially people of Indigenous paths, many thousands of years old. That would be unethical. Not all paths are good and they do not all lead to the top of the same mountain, I am not a relativist. And some seemingly pious people perpetrate despicable deeds. I always ask: what is this faith / practice / way of life / choice cultivating in me? How does it affect my relationship to all things?
So I must remain homeless to stick to my principles. I feel it is one of my particular tasks to stay as a go-between, so I am a mostly happy exile, despite also wishing I had an obvious spiritual home. I feel lucky, I have physical and interpersonal practices, prayer, meditation, nature and the rolling year, a huge amount of great books, including the Taoist Classics and the New Testament to guide me. More important are the examples of certain saints, wise people and teachers in both Tao and Christianity who massively inspire me. I do not personally feel 'pick and mix', as the Tao is 'The Way' and its effects are in alignment with the highest good, so it seems a fitting way to attempt to apprehend the Great Mystery. As a path, 'Somewhat Taoist post-Protestant Panentheist' isn't very catchy, so I'll not bother naming it.
I wish you the good fortune to find the practices and fellowship that inspire you. It may be that your local church is just the place. Or it may be that you wander a little longer. But as a wise man once said 'All who wander are not lost'. Warmest wishes to you this Solstice!
Thanks so much for this reply - so considered and comprehensive, I really appreciate it and you. I feel very similar to your ‘somewhat Taoist. . .’ As you say not very catchy! I guess I’m wary of the lure of spiritual bypassing that is a danger with a broad view, but that is mine to notice and keep in check. I will wander some more and see where I get - thanks again and happy solstice you too
Cheers! I saw a bunch of what people now call 'spiritual bypassing' in my early teens in (quite fundamentalist) charismatic churches, so don't feel it's only the province of New Age types alone. But always worth keeping an eye out for, like ticks...
Was wondering your thoughts on practice and grounding of faith - I have been feeling a want/need for a spiritual practice in community- I have a connection and draw to Daoism and Christianity - don’t want to buffet pick, but want a committed practice (beyond my qigong and tai chi practice) with others and feel somewhat homeless in this regard
Thanks for your heartfelt comment, Jules. It can be difficult, this homelessness. I was fortunate to fall into a very good T'ai Chi class with an excellent teacher, three times, in Bournemouth, Findhorn and London. So I took the hint... I moved back to London to deepen my practice and for about 15 years really put that first.
Not all T'ai Chi is 'a spiritual path' and indeed some of my classmates just enjoyed the physical training, which is also good, of course. For me it was a crucible in which to test every aspect of life: ethics, behaviour, reactions, conditioning, principles, faith. If things survived push hands, I looked at them more closely in family life and wider life, finally settling into the word-borne 'philosophy' of ideas only if they passed the real world tests. If this appeals to you and you can find a good local class, I can expand on my approach, as I have shared it at least a hundred people, to good effect. You can do it inwardly, there is no need for any classmates to know! It is not for the faint-hearted, however, as if something in the psyche wants to come up and be dealt with, it will. This is rarely convenient...
Many of my friends and family were already Christians, and others returned to it. For me, it's part of my heritage. I love Jesus' words and deeds, and I really like the way the very early church organised itself against wealth, against empire and for equality, including with women leading ecclesia. What happened after St Paul... not so much. The animating force in the universe, that I refer to as The Great Mystery is probably the same 'God' that all my Sikh, Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Zoroastrian friends and neighbours worship, and the great spirit in all things that my Pagan and Animist friends revere. But I just can't ever get on board with any organised religion that would actually condemn people to a hell just because of an accident of birth or culture. For me it's all about deeds, not pure faith. There is so much beauty and truth secreted in the old religions, as well as rites and behaviours that are better for humans than anything we could make up.
However, I can't by rights name myself a Christian even if I think the founder's Anarchist Communitarian ideas were sound, and even though I love the Great Mystery and its Tao, which I do, with all my heart. I don't want any part in promoting a possible heaven that excludes people of other traditions (or none) who live excellent lives, especially people of Indigenous paths, many thousands of years old. That would be unethical. Not all paths are good and they do not all lead to the top of the same mountain, I am not a relativist. And some seemingly pious people perpetrate despicable deeds. I always ask: what is this faith / practice / way of life / choice cultivating in me? How does it affect my relationship to all things?
So I must remain homeless to stick to my principles. I feel it is one of my particular tasks to stay as a go-between, so I am a mostly happy exile, despite also wishing I had an obvious spiritual home. I feel lucky, I have physical and interpersonal practices, prayer, meditation, nature and the rolling year, a huge amount of great books, including the Taoist Classics and the New Testament to guide me. More important are the examples of certain saints, wise people and teachers in both Tao and Christianity who massively inspire me. I do not personally feel 'pick and mix', as the Tao is 'The Way' and its effects are in alignment with the highest good, so it seems a fitting way to attempt to apprehend the Great Mystery. As a path, 'Somewhat Taoist post-Protestant Panentheist' isn't very catchy, so I'll not bother naming it.
I wish you the good fortune to find the practices and fellowship that inspire you. It may be that your local church is just the place. Or it may be that you wander a little longer. But as a wise man once said 'All who wander are not lost'. Warmest wishes to you this Solstice!
Thanks so much for this reply - so considered and comprehensive, I really appreciate it and you. I feel very similar to your ‘somewhat Taoist. . .’ As you say not very catchy! I guess I’m wary of the lure of spiritual bypassing that is a danger with a broad view, but that is mine to notice and keep in check. I will wander some more and see where I get - thanks again and happy solstice you too
Cheers! I saw a bunch of what people now call 'spiritual bypassing' in my early teens in (quite fundamentalist) charismatic churches, so don't feel it's only the province of New Age types alone. But always worth keeping an eye out for, like ticks...
I'm so glad you've written this, Caro. Like a promissory note for the composting of the ledgers.
May they make good soil.