So, what is a Taoist? First, the Tao is pronounced Dao and is sometimes spelled this way.

The Tao te Ching is from ancient Chinese text, specifically associated with Tibet, but I am not the history expert, so I would like to change the direction of this discussion. Simply stated, the Tao is the universal force that runs through the entire universe. Speaking of “Force,” I first read the Tao te Ching because of my interest in Star Wars and was intrigued with the Jedi study of “The Force.” While serving in the Army, my dog tags actually listed “Jedi” as my religion.

However, from my current perspective, the Tao is not a religion. I do attend church regularly and appreciate the lessons that I learn from the Bible. Taoism is more of a philosophy. There is more information that you can read, than I could ever cover here, so I will keep this relatively short. When I was in my early 20’s I read the Tao te Ching, The Tao of Pooh, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and many other books on the Tao, Zen and other topics. Now days you can find plenty of information on-line and you may enjoy, “…You Might Be A Taoist” which is a spin-off of “…you might be a redneck” by Jeff Foxworthy. This site does a humorous explanation, which is usually the best, from my stand point. Take a look and I will share more later. But before you go, here is a quote from another site and I would only change this saying by replacing the words “some wine” with “from a mason jar.”

"Where Zen and Buddhism will say the truth, enlightenment, and so on can be reached through dedicated meditation and practice, a Tao master may sip some wine, fart, and go to sleep." from Daily Cup of Tao