It is very safe to say that over the last 12 months I have been immensly influenced by Daoism. It has been my way of dealing with the loss of my grandfather, and it will probably be how I deal with the loss of my dad. It also made me want to take up Tai Chi and play Go.
Both are lovely activities, but neither are at this point my true path (pun intended). I order my time with Daoism by the following hierarchy:
1) Time in nature, with the right silence, openness, and stillness of mind. This is where perfect days should be spent.
2) Time with the Daodejing. Last year I copied passages by hand. This year I will memorize my favorite passages. In the future, I might take up calligraphy and really make some beautiful copies. Also, there is the possibility of copying it in Spanish, French, or other languages.
3) Tai Chi. I plan to pick it up in the winters, when the land has lost most of its scents and bird song. True story: I was doing quite a bit of Tai Chi in the winter and then one day I went out in February and I could just smell the spring. After that, I have not learned any new moves. I mostly just used it for stretches when we got out of the car during our vacation. I think when nature speaks to me less, I will take up Tai Chi again. It's a seasonal thing.
4) The game of Go. So in the end, I am not going with Go. A dozen games or so of Go forms the basis of some images that serve as metaphors for the Dao, but after that it just a game. Granted, an absorbing game full of tactics. Oh my, just in writing, I am getting an itch to play. But that is nothing that losing a few games to a computer wont fix.
Go as a metaphor can help in my spiritual enlightenment, but the actual practice of Go does not get past being a game. And as I get older, I find more satisfaction from getting things done in real life and progressing in useful skills.
I also find more purpose in spirituality. And I want the time I spend in my life to reflect that.
