Tao of Thinking, Learning, and Teaching in Everyday Life
by
Chiraprapha Tan Akaraborworn
The Graduate Program in Human Resource Development, National Institute of Development Administration
Tao is realized in everyday life. Tao philosophy provides the nature of thinking and learning for
millions of people around the worlds. The readings in this paper are selected from the English translations and interpretations of the Tao Te Ching, the only book in Taosim. They are presented
as framework of thinking, learning and teaching. At the end of this paper, three recommendations
for teaching are presented: start lesson with curiosity and questions, balance challenge and support
as yin and yang, and be dynamic for change.
Keywords: Eastern Philosophy, Thinking, Learning, and Teaching, Tao
Tao is pronounced dow as in Dow Jones average and is translated to mean the way the universe works
(Cresencio, 1994, p. 1). Taoism is the first with comprehensive philosophical system in the history of Chinese
philosophy. The spread of its thought has a profound influence in the Chinese national thought and psychology.
Tao is created by Lao Tzu over twenty-five centuries ago (about 500 B.C.) as a handbook for leaders.
The book of Lao Tzu or Tao Te Ching is the original book of Tao that has been translated more than any book Bible (Dreher, 1991). To date, there are about seventy-five translations of the Tao Te Ching in English alone. Thus, Tao becomes a profound influence not only Chinese people but also anyone who read Tao. The book has become a framework of how millions of people around the world live their lives. From Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzus volume of 5,000 word has been interpreted into variety of issues. Hundreds of Taoists have attempted to make sense of Tao and interpreted Tao Te Ching into several topics. Tao can be interpreted into anything because Tao is the root of everything, but everything is not Tao (Ni, 1997, p. 1).
Tao is realized in everyday life as a framework of thought. Frequently, Tao means a way of doing something, the right way (Huisheng, 1993). Tao philosophy provides a framework of living their lives for many Taoists. In deed, philosophy is needed for a person to think and act within a framework. In everything life, it is very important to know that one is thinking the same or different framework of ideas. Paul (1993) mentioned the power of philosophy and philosophy thinking for intellectual autonomy. Philosophy requires all participants to think their own ways to whatever system of beliefs ultimately constitutes their thought within the field (Paul, 1993, p. 406). Moreover, Paul (1993) states that How we think determines how we behave and how we behave determines who we are and who we become (p. 425). Therefore, philosophy embraces the way people think and act.
In this paper, Tao philosophy is selected and presented as a framework of thinking, learning and teaching in everyday life. Though an adaptation of several English translations and interpretations of Lao Tzus Tao Te Ching, this paper offers a nontraditional view of the many ways of thinking, learning and teaching. The book of Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, which was translated by Huisheng (1993), is used as main translation in comparing with other interpretations. The readings in this paper are chosen to make sense for the reader how to use Tao for effective thinking, learning and teaching.
Thinking
To think like Tao is to think holistically. Dreher (1991) stated that Tao people learn to think holistically, see their parts in the unity of life, and respect the natural cycles within and around them. They, also, are flexible, spontaneous, and optimistic. Moreover, they are detached and nonjudgmental (Dreher, 1991, p. 16). The way of Tao people thinking is similar to critical thinker in Pauls book, Critical Thinking:
Critical person: One who has mastered a range of intellectual skills and abilities. If that person generally uses those skills to advance his of her own selfish interests, that person is a critical thinker only in a weak or qualified sense. If that person generally uses those skills fairmindedly, entering empathetically into the points of view of others, he or she is a critical thinker in the strong or fullest sense. (Paul, 1993, p. 461). Critical persons care for others. They are not selfish. They have empathy with people around them. Metz (1993) mentioned in Tao of Learning that Tao people also care for others as they care for themselves. They realize that they are only part of the whole system. Getting to know themselves is the first step of knowing part of the whole. Knowing yourself is very important for Tao person.
Chapter 33
To understand others is to have knowledge; To understand oneself is to be illumined.(Huisheng, 1993, p. 75)
Chapter 33
If you know other, you are intelligent; if you know
yourself, you are wise. Having power with others is
strength; having power over yourself is wisdom.
(Metz, 1993, p. 67)
Knowing yourself, therefore, is wiser than knowing others. However, Tao person has relationship not only with himself or herself, but with everything (Grigg, 1988).
The relationship with everything, that is dynamically balancing with itself, makes Taoists always be in a condition of dynamic balancing with themselves and the world. Grigg (1988) stated that To be balanced is to be balancing (p. xvii). Perfection for a Taoist is achieved by balancing two forces that make up the Tao: the yin and the yang.
The yin and the yang symbol are of ancient Chinese origin. It encapsulates the inherent unity of the Tao. It is half black and half white, but in each half is single point of the opposite color. It symbolizes the unification of opposites (see Figure 1).
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