Motions of the Tao, a documentary film about one of the oldest faith traditions: Taoism

Summary

The documentary 'Motions of the Tao' explores the ancient Chinese spiritual tradition of Taoism, focusing on its health benefits for mind and body through practices like Tai Chi. It delves into Taoism's philosophy, symbolized by the balance of Yin and Yang, and its historical roots with Laozi's 'Tao Te Ching.' The film introduces the three vehicles of Taoist practice: good deeds, ritual ceremonies, and internal alchemy, emphasizing the pursuit of harmony and the spiritual significance of physical health. It highlights Taoism's ecological perspective, its rituals, and the role of deities like the Jade Emperor, offering insights into a tradition that values natural living and serving humanity.

Takeaways

• 🧘 The documentary introduces Taoism, highlighting its health benefits for both mind and body through practices like Tai Chi.
• 📚 Taoism is rooted in ancient Chinese history, with foundational texts like the 'Tao Te Ching' by Laozi, emphasizing the concept of 'The Way'.
• 🇨🇳 Taoism is a native Chinese spiritual tradition, part of the three great teachings alongside Confucianism and Buddhism.
• 🌱 The Taoist symbol represents harmony and balance, embodying the philosophy of 'The Path' and the natural flow of life.
• 🌟 Zhang Daoling is credited with developing Taoism into a religious practice, combining ancient texts with shamanistic rituals.
• 🙏 Taoist rituals and ceremonies are traditionally kept within the Chinese community, but important texts are globally accessible.
• 📖 'Tao Te Ching' is the second most translated book in the world, offering a gentle and harmonious approach to life.
• 🏛 Taoist temples serve as learning centers, open to the community, and offer teachings grouped into 'the three vehicles'.
• 🔄 The 'three vehicles' of Taoism include doing good deeds, ritual ceremonies, and internal alchemy techniques for self-cultivation.
• 🧘‍♂️ Tai Chi and meditation are key practices within the third vehicle, focusing on cultivating health and internal energy.
• 🌿 Taoism promotes a natural progression, with the goal of finding stillness and harmony in one's life, without strict adherence to dogma.

Q & A

What is the documentary 'Motions of the Tao' about?

The documentary 'Motions of the Tao' is about Taoism, one of the oldest faith traditions, focusing on Tai Chi and its health benefits for the mind and body, as well as the spiritual and philosophical aspects of Taoism.

What are the three great teachings of China mentioned in the script?

The three great teachings of China are Confucianism, which teaches wisdom; Buddhism, which focuses on Nirvana; and Taoism, which discusses the method of training or The Path.

What is the significance of the Taoist symbol in the documentary?

The Taoist symbol signifies harmony and balance, with two halves flowing in equilibrium, representing the Taoist concept of The Path or The Way.

Who is Laozi and what did he contribute to Taoism?

Laozi is a great philosopher from the 6th century B.C. who suggested that people can attain harmony in life by following the Tao. He recorded his thoughts in the 'Tao Te Ching', which is a mystical poem of 5,000 pictograms.

What is the 'Tao Te Ching' and its importance in Taoism?

The 'Tao Te Ching' is a foundational text of Taoism, written by Laozi. It is a mystical poem that outlines the principles of Taoism and is considered the second most translated book in the world.

How did Zhang Daoling develop Taoism into a religious practice?

Zhang Daoling combined the teachings from texts like the 'Tao Te Ching' with ancient shamanistic rituals to establish Taoism as the first religion native to China.

What are the 'three vehicles' of Taoist practice mentioned in the script?

The 'three vehicles' of Taoist practice are: the first vehicle focusing on doing good deeds, the second on ritual ceremonies, and the third embracing techniques and postures known as internal alchemy.

What is the role of Taoist temples in the community?

Taoist temples are traditionally learning centers for Taoist practice, open to the community, not isolated monasteries, and provide a diverse set of teachings grouped together in the three vehicles.

What is the significance of the Jade Emperor in Taoism?

The Jade Emperor is the chief deity in religious Taoism, not as a creator god but as an all-powerful administrator of the Taoist universe, able to influence all that happens in Heaven and on Earth.

How do Taoist rituals and ceremonies help practitioners?

Taoist rituals and ceremonies, often modeled on the ways of the imperial court of China, express Taoist teachings and are a distillation of thousands of years of Chinese culture, helping practitioners to cultivate health and spiritual well-being.

What is the concept of internal alchemy in Taoism?

Internal alchemy in Taoism is about working with the natural energies of the body, often expressed through meditation and Tai Chi, to cultivate good health and spiritual transformation.

Outlines

00:00

🧘 Introduction to Taoism and Tai Chi

The script introduces 'Motions of the Tao,' a documentary on Taoism and Tai Chi, highlighting their historical roots in China and their significance in promoting health and tranquility. It explains Taoism as one of China's three great teachings alongside Confucianism and Buddhism, emphasizing Taoism's focus on 'The Path' and harmony. The Taoist philosophy is traced back to Laozi and the 'Tao Te Ching,' which offers guidance for achieving life harmony. The documentary also touches on the transformation of Taoism into a religious practice by Zhang Daoling, incorporating ancient texts and rituals, and notes the limited visibility of Taoist rituals outside Chinese communities despite the global influence of Taoist texts like the 'Tao Te Ching'.

05:06

🏛 Taoist Temples and the Three Vehicles of Practice

This paragraph delves into the role of Taoist temples as community learning centers, contrasting them with isolated monasteries. It outlines the 'three vehicles' or methods of Taoist practice: doing good deeds, ritual ceremonies, and internal alchemy. The speaker, with a background in theology and Christian spirituality, finds Taoism's offerings unique and enriching. The concept of Taoism as a path or way of life is explored, suggesting that anyone following this path could be considered a Taoist. The paragraph also touches on the internal nature of Taoism and its emphasis on natural progression at one's own pace, as well as the inclusive nature of Taoist temples.

10:12

🤲 The Three Vehicles of Taoism: Rituals and Internal Alchemy

The script continues to explore the three vehicles of Taoism, focusing on the second and third vehicles. The second vehicle involves ritual ceremonies, which are likened to the imperial court practices of China and serve as a means of expressing Taoist teachings. The Jade Emperor, a central deity in Taoism, is introduced, along with the concept of deities as administrators and record-keepers of human deeds. The third vehicle, internal alchemy, is described as the most challenging path, involving physical and spiritual transformation through practices like meditation and Tai Chi. The paragraph also discusses the Taoist pantheon and the deeper meanings behind the deities, which embody virtues and teachings.

15:23

🕊 Healing Rituals and the Pursuit of Harmony

This paragraph discusses Taoist healing rituals, where deities are called upon to assist unbalanced souls, guiding them towards harmony and The Path. It describes the Taoist approach to spiritual and physical health, emphasizing the intertwining of practice, ritual, and good deeds. The focus on cultivating both mind and body is highlighted, with rituals serving as a form of Qigong to improve internal energy circulation. Chanting is introduced as a technique for breathing and physical exercise, contributing to overall health and spiritual development.

20:29

🌱 The Goal of Internal Alchemy and Taoist Philosophy

The final paragraph reflects on the ultimate goal of Taoist internal alchemy: achieving optimal health and helping others. It recounts the speaker's personal journey with Tai Chi, starting as a physical exercise and evolving into a deeper spiritual practice. The paragraph emphasizes the grounded nature of Taoist philosophy, which is both practical and philosophical, with a strong connection to physical experience. The importance of meditation and the cultivation of compassion and virtue through Taoist practice is underscored, aligning with the broader aim of benefiting humanity.

Keywords

💡Taoism

Taoism is one of the world's oldest faith traditions, originating in China and characterized by its emphasis on living in harmony with the Tao, or 'The Way.' It is a rich and diverse spiritual tradition that includes practices like Tai Chi and meditation for promoting health and tranquility. The video discusses Taoism's influence on art, philosophy, and daily living, highlighting its three main teachings: wisdom (Confucianism), Nirvana (Buddhism), and the method of training or The Path (Taoism).

💡Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a form of martial art and exercise that is central to Taoist practice, known for its slow, deliberate movements and meditative qualities. It is described in the script as a technique that promotes circulation of vital energies and is practiced for its health benefits to both mind and body. The video connects Tai Chi to the broader Taoist philosophy of achieving harmony and balance.

💡Laozi

Laozi is a revered philosopher in Taoism, credited with authoring the foundational text 'Tao Te Ching,' which is a mystical poem of 5,000 pictograms. His teachings are integral to Taoist thought, advocating for harmony in life by following the Tao. The script mentions Laozi as a key figure whose work has significantly influenced Taoist practices and beliefs.

💡Tao Te Ching

The 'Tao Te Ching' is a seminal text in Taoism, written by Laozi, which translates to 'The Book of The Way and Its Virtue.' It contains profound insights and teachings on how to live in accordance with the Tao. The video script quotes from the 'Tao Te Ching,' illustrating its significance in Taoist philosophy and practice.

💡Zhang Daoling

Zhang Daoling is recognized in the script as the man who developed Taoism into a religious practice. He combined the principles from texts like the 'Tao Te Ching' with ancient shamanistic rituals, establishing the first religion native to China. His work is pivotal in the formation of Taoist rituals and practices.

💡Internal Alchemy

Internal Alchemy is a Taoist practice that involves techniques and postures aimed at cultivating good health and achieving physical and mental transformation. It is part of the third vehicle of Taoist practice, as mentioned in the script, and includes meditation and Tai Chi. The goal is to work with the natural energies of the body to return to a state of perfect health.

💡Three Vehicles

The concept of 'the three vehicles' in Taoism represents the three broad methods of practice: doing good deeds, ritual ceremonies, and internal alchemy. The script explains that these vehicles offer multiple paths for individuals to cultivate themselves and embody Taoist principles in their daily lives.

💡Jade Emperor

The Jade Emperor is the chief deity in religious Taoism, described in the script as an all-powerful administrator of the Taoist universe with the ability to influence events in Heaven and on Earth. He is associated with the record-keeping of human deeds, reflecting Taoism's emphasis on moral conduct and its karmic implications.

💡Ritual Ceremony

Ritual ceremonies in Taoism, as depicted in the script, are practices that express Taoist teachings and are often modeled on the ways of the imperial court of China. They are part of the middle vehicle of Taoist practice and serve as a means for practitioners to engage with the spiritual tradition in a more meditative and internal manner.

💡Qigong

Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that involves the circulation of internal energy, aiming to achieve a healthier state of being. The script describes Qigong as an aspect of Taoist rituals that work towards transforming the body's systems and is closely related to practices like Tai Chi.

💡Meditation

Meditation is a practice central to Taoism, used for cultivating the mind and body. The script mentions meditation as a key component of the third vehicle of Taoist practice, where practitioners work on breathing techniques and internal energy circulation to achieve better health and spiritual growth.

Highlights

Taoism is one of the oldest faith traditions, with practices like Tai Chi that have been practiced for centuries for their health benefits.

Taoism originates from China and is part of a rich spiritual tradition, with teachings that focus on harmony and balance.

Laozi, a great philosopher from the 6th century B.C., introduced the concept of following the Tao for attaining harmony in life.

Laozi's thoughts were recorded in the Tao Te Ching, a mystical text that is the second most translated book in the world.

Zhang Daoling developed Taoism into a religious practice by combining Taoist philosophy with ancient shamanistic rituals.

Taoism views the Tao as the way of nature and the origin of all things, but does not personify it as a god.

Taoist temples serve as learning centers for Taoist practice and are open to the community, unlike isolated monasteries.

Taoism categorizes its teachings into three broad methods of practice known as 'the three vehicles'.

The first vehicle of Taoism focuses on doing good deeds and helping others in everyday life.

The second vehicle involves ritual ceremonies that express Taoist teachings and are modeled on Chinese imperial court practices.

The third vehicle, or higher vehicle, is the most challenging path of Taoist training, involving physical and mental transformation through internal alchemy.

Tai Chi and meditation are common forms of expression in the third vehicle, aiming to cultivate good health through mind-body exercises.

Taoist rituals and ceremonies are mysterious and deeply revealing, distilling thousands of years of Chinese culture.

The Jade Emperor is a key deity in Taoism, representing an all-powerful administrator of the Taoist universe rather than a creator god.

Taoist deities embody important teachings such as virtue, wisdom, and compassion, with followers dedicating themselves to specific deities to receive their guidance.

Taoist training aims to cultivate health and harmony through various techniques, including chanting which directly works on breathing and internal energy circulation.

The ultimate goal of Taoist practice is to achieve better health and help others, aligning with the philosophy of nurturing life and letting go of self-interest.

The documentary film was filmed during the inauguration of the D'Arcy Street Temple, showcasing the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism's commitment to spreading Taoist teachings.

Transcripts

Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism presents

Motions of the Tao

A documentary film about one of the oldest faith traditions: Taoism.

Tai Chi. Movements that have been practiced for centuries.

They prompt thoughts of dance, meditation, tranquility.

People study this art because of its benefits to health, both for the mind and the body.

It is a gentle technique that promotes circulation of our vital energies.

The birthplace of this practice is China and it is part of a rich and diverse spiritual tradition called Taoism.

In terms of the three great teachings of China:

Confucianism teaches wisdom, Buddhism focuses on Nirvana, and Taoists talk about the method of training or The Path.

The method of training, or The Path, are embodied in this familiar symbol.

In it there's movement as well.

Two halves flowing in balance.

An equilibrium to be strived for.

Simply stated: the symbol evokes harmony.

It is an expression of Taoism; one of the world's oldest faith traditions.

The origins of Taoist thought are found in China's ancient history.

During the 6th century B.C. a great philosopher called Laozi emerged.

He suggested people can attain harmony in life by following the Tao; The Path or The Way.

Laozi recorded his thoughts in a mystical poem of 5,000 pictograms

called Tao Te Ching: The Book of The Way and Its Virtue.

"The Tao is empty."

"It is used but never filled."

"It dulls sharp edges."

"And ties knots."

"Softens glares and settles the dust."

"It's steps are hidden, yet eternal."

"I do not know from where it comes."

"It seems to precede nature."

Six centuries after Laozi, a man called Zhang Daoling developed Taoism into a religious practice.

He combined the thinking behind texts such as the Tao Te Ching

and ancient shamanistic rituals to establish the first religion native to China.

All things come from the Tao.

The Tao which is the way of nature but also the origin of all things.

The true source of all things.

We could call it God,

but Taoists do not usually speak of this principle in a personal way.

Taoist rituals remain seldom seen outside the Chinese community.

But important Taoist texts are available.

Laozi's inspiring work, the Tao Te Ching, is the second most translated Book in the world.

I think for good reason people find those books speak to them in certain ways.

They propose a kind of gentle approach to life,

a harmonious approach to living, that is resonant for many people.

There's an ecological thread to Taoism that's also resonant for us today.

What I think is less common and less available to people are these rituals and ceremonies.

The temple tradition has not been as widely dispersed in Western culture.

Taoist temples are traditionally learning centers for Taoist practice.

They're open to the community, not isolated monasteries.

Temples provide a diverse set of teachings grouped together in three broad methods of practice the Taoists call "the three vehicles".

The first vehicle focuses on doing good deeds.

The second is ritual ceremonies.

And the third vehicle embraces techniques and postures that are called internal alchemy.

Since I was a graduate student in theology and in particular in Christian spirituality,

I was already quite aware that the Taoist tradition offered something very special.

As I continued my Tai Chi practice, I became more aware that

this art represented a very special opportunity to learn more about the Taoist tradition.

Taoist training offered a first-hand opportunity to be involved in a rich spiritual tradition.

I think anybody is a Taoist who follows that path, if you consider yourself to be "walking The Path."

Because of course, one of the meanings of Tao is "The Way" or "The Path" and if you see yourself as walking on that path, then I guess you're a Taoist.

It's not that you have to say, "I believe in the Tao or in Taoism," but it's that that is a practice that informs the way you live your life.

How can I recognize one? Do they have different haircuts or a certain beard shape?

No, I think in a way that Taoism is very internal.

It's very much a part of your perspective on life and your perspective on the world.

In Taoism we always say, "Be natural."

Every person should progress at his or her own pace.

One goal of Taoist practice is to be quiet, to find stillness and not to be dispersed.

In all temples, those who come shall not be refused.

And those who want to leave shall not be held back.

The idea of the three vehicles I think is a really convenient way for understanding that the path of Taoism is a multiple path.

It has lots of branches and lots of ways people can cultivate themselves or put the Taoist ideas into practice.

When you think about what's sometimes called the lower vehicle, it is that very practical approach to everyday living;

doing good deeds, helping other people.

It's a nice guide to everyday living that is very resonant with a lot of other religious and spiritual traditions, too.

The second vehicle, the middle vehicle, is the path of the rituals and the ceremonies.

And, personally, I respond warmly to that when I studied drama and theatre.

I find that it's an aspect of Western life that's kind of lacking very often.

I grew up in the Protestant tradition where there wasn't a very ritualized religious practice.

As I understand it, the third vehicle, sometimes called the higher vehicle,

it's probably the most arduous path of Taoist training because it involves a real physical and mental or spiritual transformation.

The theory of internal alchemy really has to do with working with the natural energies of the body.

The third vehicle's most common forms of expression are meditation and Tai Chi.

The mind and body exercise together to cultivate good health.

The middle vehicle, the second avenue of Taoist practice, is ritual ceremony.

Often modeled on the ways of the imperial court of China, these practices express Taoist teachings.

Mysterious, at times deeply revealing to their practitioners,

the ceremonies are a distillation of thousands of years Chinese culture.

All these lamps make out of the Chinese character for "jade", for the Jade Emperor.

So this is the title for the Jade Emperor there.

And these are the 24 lights in the ceremony.

So it's the light of blessings to shine on everybody. Everybody is healthy. Everybody's at peace.

Peace and harmony in the world.

The Jade emperor, chief deity in religious Taoism, is not at all god the creator as in Christianity, for example.

Rather, he's an all-powerful administrator of the large and elaborate Taoist universe,

able to influence all that happens in Heaven and on Earth.

And that's where he gets the association as the one who keeps the records on the good deeds of humanity that The Guardian reports to the Jade Emperor.

So then if you do good deeds years are added to your life, if you do bad deeds years are taken away.

So the Guardian reports to the Jade Emperor?

That's right.

And then in the home, the counterpart to that would be your Kitchen God.

The Kitchen Gods also report to the Jade Emperor.

I see. I see, so you get reported on in your career life then you get reported on in your domestic life.

That's right.

I'm in trouble here.

So they don't miss a trick.

No they don’t. They’ve got spies on everything.

The Jade Emperor and his subordinates, the Guardian of the Tao and the Kitchen God, are among the most common figures in the Taoist pantheon.

In popular belief, dieties such as these govern heaven and Earth.

In a deeper understanding of Taoism, these various deities embody important teachings such as virtue, wisdom or compassion.

Many Chinese dedicate themselves to a particular deity by paying homage to them while asking to receive the teachings they represent.

In the purely Taoist religious sense,

all the great teachers, the sages and the teachers, are really reincarnations or rebirths of deities or important heavenly lords who come down.

And, of course, if they were to return again in the future then there should be the environment available for them there.

The temple is there so that they can have their teachings and then they can in turn spread the teachings through the temple.

Many ceremonies evoke teaching processes.

This particular one is directed to those who have died but it's compassionate approach can also be interpreted as a metaphor for all Taoist training.

Priests call the deities down to heal ailing spirits.

Those who have died in pain and sickness or from accidents such as flood or fire have souls that are unbalanced.

They cannot find The Path, The Way.

The deities go amongst these lost souls like doctors from heaven.

The spirits are instructed, advised to be compassionate and given the techniques to find harmony.

Once healed, the spirits are sent away so they can return to the Tao.

In the Taoist pursuit of harmony, the three vehicles often intertwine,

overlapping so that practice, ritual, and good deeds become one and the same.

In the Taoist tradition there is a very balanced training that is offered between cultivating both the mind, or the intellect, and the body.

And that really spirituality is rooted in the health of the body.

For those who are involved in the rituals and ceremonies, the focus is more on an internal type of training, a more meditative training.

The rituals themselves often represent a certain kind of Qigong, the art of circulating internal energy,

working towards transforming the systems in the body to a much healthier state.

And so, the signs and symbols around the shrine are designed to remind us of the goals of our training.

The purpose of Taoist training is to cultivate health.

This transformation to good health is achieved through various techniques that are jointly called internal alchemy, the third vehicle of Taoist practice.

Chanting is one of the few times when you actually work directly on breathing.

As you chant, as you kind of sing out the sounds of the different scriptures,

you are really using - trying to breathe from - the diaphragm and you actually open up that part of the body: the chest, the lungs, that whole area.

By making the various precise syllables of the words of the chants,

you're exercising all the points in the face and the jaw, letting the jaw muscles work.

The throat is also getting exercise with the vibrations from the chanting and so on.

That feels much better, right?

When you just go at a faster pace and just let it out, instead of holding it in and dragging it along.

Do you think we should do this some more or should we move on to Daai Bei Jau?

Let's do Daai Bei Jau.

Daai Bei Jau, Okay.

Ambitious, ambitious group, he?

Taoism is renown for its study of a nurturing life and from that comes the internal alchemy.

It really is the knowledge of many many generations of masters.

I guess the earliest text dates back to over two thousand years ago

when someone described stages of transformation and changes within the body.

But returning to the origin doesn't mean just on a spiritual or a mental level

but it can literally mean on a physical level.

One example we can use is the body of a baby just at the moment before he or she leaves the mother's womb.

At that stage the body is almost a completely enclosed entity,

where circulation is running within and it is just feeding on itself.

We consider that as almost a body of perfect health and the stage we want to return to.

Of course there are many many techniques:

moving exercises like the Tai Chi and various external exercises

and the stillness exercises like sitting meditation.

When I started Tai Chi I was just looking for an exercise that I wouldn't get tired of in two weeks.

I had no idea at all about the richness of what was here.

For me it started out, I think as it does for lots of people, as an exercise, a very physical path.

In fact, when we asked Mister Moy about meditation and the spiritual side he basically said,

"You guys should just do Dan-yus for a few years and get into your bodies."

In those days he really implied, well, said very clearly that most Western people live too much in their heads and too much in theory.

What we all needed was to get grounded.

I guess that's one of the things that I have really loved about the way things have developed,

is that as we've learned more about the philosophy and the spiritual tradition of Taoism.

It's always very much rooted.

You've got your feet on the ground even though you're looking toward the clouds sometimes.

There's always a very clear physical correspondence.

It's not as if it's something made up but you can feel it in your own body and in your own experience.

That makes it very real and very vital.

We practice all these alchemy techniques and it sounds a little bit esoteric.

But the goal really is to... I guess at the first step is really to achieve better health for yourself.

And while you are achieving this better health for yourself,

along the way you can help people with poorer health than you.

It goes very much with the aims of Fung Loy Kok which is trying to make the world a better place.

And this is of course basic to the philosophy of Taoism: what we're really here for is to help other people.

And that one of the ways we help and cultivate ourselves

is by letting go of our own self-interest and really turning toward other people and trying to help them.

I don't have much to add.

I'm still teaching meditation.

Hopefully from meditation people can cultivate their body and their heart

to do good deeds sincerely so as to benefit humanity.

Filmed during the inauguration of the D'Arcy Street Temple at the Head Office of the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism.

Sincere gratitude to Master Moy Lin Shin, founder of the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism.

Special thanks to all volunteers involved with the production of this film.