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- I’ve had a similar experience with Taoism. It is a kind of tough nut to crack coming from Western cultures what with our extensive theologies, holy books, and prescriptivist religions. I highly recommend “The Way of Chuang Tzu” by Thomas Merton.
Perhaps this betrays some fundamental ignorance on my part, but I think understanding and internalizing the Taoist mindset makes meditation a little less relevant or necessary. Taoism IMO is the sublime wisdom of not attempting to be wise (usually manifesting as inane and unnuanced rules, or clever-sounding quotes) and not neuorotically attempting to conform to practices or ways of thinking forced on us by culture, tradition, ideology, etc. Meditation and mindfulness help incrementally in that pursuit but they are like climbing rungs of a ladder next to an elevator that Zhuangzi built for us.
- For those interested in exploring stoicism in the Eastern tradition, consider delving into the unswayable ethos of Chinese philosopher Master Zhuang. Pre-dating Senaca by 4 centuries, Zhaungzi was perhaps not as inclined to view the passions so negatively. Arising as Univ. of Toronto Prof. David Machek argues, from differing world views: "rational versus non-rational in the Greco-Roman tradition, and artificial versus natural in the Chinese"
“Emotions that Do Not Move”: Zhuangzi and Stoics on Self-Emerging Feelings
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11712-015-9463-9
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy's excellent article on Zhuangzi:
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/zhuangzi/
And Thomas Merton's poetic interpretations: "The Way of Chaung Tzu"
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Way_of_Chuang_Tzu.h...
- Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang-TzuThe non-action of the wise man is not inaction. It is not studied. It is not shaken by anything. The sage is quiet because he is not moved, Not because he wills to be quiet.- Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Thomas Merton! He was a truly wise man and I have several of his books (highly recommend Zen and the Birds of Appetite and The Wisdom of the Desert!) and enjoy his "The Way of Chuang Tzu ". But Merton wasn't a translator and was instead arranging others translations, as well as interpreting passages in his own way. So while I'd certainly recommend his books I wanted to stay within the bounds of direct translations.
From "The Way of Chuang Tzu", as translated by Thomas Merton, © 1965.THE NEED TO WIN When an archer is shooting for nothing He has all his skill. If he shoots for a brass buckle He is already nervous. If he shoots for a prize of gold He goes blind Or sees two targets— He is out of his mind! His skill has not changed. But the prize Divides him. He cares. He thinks more of winning Than of shooting— And the need to win Drains him of power.
