Taoism: Is it what I think?

I do not have any answers for you, but we can discuss it. Remember though that any discussion about Tao is no closer to Tao than a good recipe for cottage pie is ...

This is how you know Alex is a taoist.

Tao Te Ching ( From S Mitchell)
6
The Tao is called the Great Mother:
empty yet inexhaustible,
it gives birth to infinite worlds.

It is always present within you.
You can use it any way you want.

Tao Te Ching (Feng and English)
6

The valley spirit never dies;
It is the woman, primal mother.
Her gateway is the root of heaven and
Earth.
It is like a veil barely seen.
Use it; it will never fail.

I love this extract.
The great wheel keeps on turning.

The Tao teh Ching is the cornerstone of Taoism and its founding document. Still, it can be a bit intimidating for the first time reader. I'd recommend Zhuangzi for a more relaxed feel with humor in it. If you want to go to secondary and more modern sources I'd definitely say go with the Tao of Pooh. The author is fun and uses Winnie the Pooh to illustrate the important concepts of Taoism. How can you go wrong with Winnie? Lol.

I often tell people to read Tao of Pooh first. Just read and absorb. Don't take notes or anything. Same with the Te of Piglet.

Then, once they've seen the beauty, delve into the more introspective works like Lao-Tzu's tome.

Ah, the Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet. How I remember those books, well. I first started reading the Tao Te Ching in high school, which was fairly daunting at the time. When I read the Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet, I understood it a lot better, especially the part about the uncarved block. Definitely a recommended read!

Luthien wrote: Ah, the Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet. How I remember those books, well. I first started reading the Tao Te Ching in high school, which was fairly daunting at the time. When I read the Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet, I understood it a lot better, especially the part about the uncarved block. Definitely a recommended read!

Oh, yea! I the uncarved block is one of my favorite parts! Probably a close second to the Pooh Way (Wu Wei Wu)

Luthien wrote: Ah, the Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet. How I remember those books, well. I first started reading the Tao Te Ching in high school, which was fairly daunting at the time. When I read the Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet, I understood it a lot better, especially the part about the uncarved block. Definitely a recommended read!

Aren't you forgetting the Ching of Tigger?

lol, I didn't know there was a Ching of Tigger. Is it a limited edition?

Luthien wrote: lol, I didn't know there was a Ching of Tigger. Is it a limited edition?

Not sure if playing into joke, or if serious