Comments on: Taoism, human language, and the value of words http://nilesgibbs.com/2008/06/29/taoism-human-language-and-the-value-of-words/ Quaffing vinegar with a Smile Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:48:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: Lee in Minneapolis http://nilesgibbs.com/2008/06/29/taoism-human-language-and-the-value-of-words/#comment-51 Lee in Minneapolis Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:40:17 +0000 http://nilesgibbs.wordpress.com/?p=60#comment-51 Niles. I have always found it interesting that most people who know Taoism, only know it from books and words. And isn't it ironic, that what we have limited it to here is words? (Of course, we can illustrate with images and sounds if we wish to.) http://ia300229.us.archive.org/0/items/Sheilded_Slippers_Sound_of_Bell./DSC00016.MPG In Soto Zen, language is neither attached to nor shunned. Words are the wake in the water of a passing mind. I have studied with a woodblock teacher for the last 6 years, after finishing a 3 year apprenticeship in pottery with the national living treasure, the late Tatsuzo Shimaoka. Itoei Sensei is a Taoist hermit. The only way to learn the wordless way of the Tao is working silently next to a Taoist master. Niles. I have always found it interesting that most people who know Taoism, only know it from books and words. And isn’t it ironic, that what we have limited it to here is words? (Of course, we can illustrate with images and sounds if we wish to.)

http://ia300229.us.archive.org/0/items/Sheilded_Slippers_Sound_of_Bell./DSC00016.MPG

In Soto Zen, language is neither attached to nor shunned. Words are the wake in the water of a passing mind.

I have studied with a woodblock teacher for the last 6 years, after finishing a 3 year apprenticeship in pottery with the national living treasure, the late Tatsuzo Shimaoka. Itoei Sensei is a Taoist hermit.

The only way to learn the wordless way of the Tao is working silently next to a Taoist master.

]]> By: A Taoist parable calling words the “chaff of the ancients” « Niles Gibbs http://nilesgibbs.com/2008/06/29/taoism-human-language-and-the-value-of-words/#comment-46 A Taoist parable calling words the “chaff of the ancients” « Niles Gibbs Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:04:09 +0000 http://nilesgibbs.wordpress.com/?p=60#comment-46 [...] Taoist parable calling words the “chaff of the ancients” In my last post, I started exploring the relationship between Taoist thought and the nature of human [...] [...] Taoist parable calling words the “chaff of the ancients” In my last post, I started exploring the relationship between Taoist thought and the nature of human [...]

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