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Tao Cultivation PDF Print E-mail
Contributed by Ann Sadler   
Tao cultivation is about knowing how to live our lives in such a way that we are constantly connected with the Tao within ourselves. If we want to know how well we are cultivating we need to look first and foremost at our attitudes towards ourselves and others. A happy contented life comes from the quality of our relationships with others and a clear sense of purpose in our own.
INTRODUCTION

Once we have received Tao we know who we are. We know where we’ve come from and where our destination lies but more importantly we have re-established our heart connection with Heaven, earth and each other. This connection is vital for it is through the heart and not through the mind that we must change our negative attitudes and behaviour, the things that hold us back from re-emerging our Buddha heart and promoting peace and happiness in the world.

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CRITERIA FOR CULTIVATION
 
Most people want to be happy. To achieve happiness in this life and lives to come we must look at our personal values and attitudes. Unlike the view of many people in the world who rely on other people and material possessions to provide happiness, we understand that we must take full responsibility for both our own happiness and spiritual well-being. Material possessions and other people can all contribute to our worldly comfort and well-being and perhaps inspire us to do great things, but only we ourselves, can develop the right attitudes and values that will provide a deep and abiding joy and contentment regardless of our external circumstances.
HOW TO CULTIVATE

 (a) Self Reflection.

 (a) Self Reflection.
 It is the quality of our thoughts that creates the quality of our lives .Everyone has a myriad of both positive and negative thoughts throughout a single day, depending on our mood, attitude and character. These thoughts create our level of consciousness----the purer our thoughts the higher our consciousness. That is why we must take time out to reflect on where our thoughts are taking us, what actions they are leading us into, and what the effects of those actions are both for ourselves and for others.
 
(b) Letting Go

Tao encourages us to maintain serenity of mind no matter what our circumstances are.
The more we clutter up our minds with thoughts that are not really essential the more unsettled our minds become. Many of us find it difficult to let go of negative events that have taken place in the past but while ever our thoughts centre around all the negative things that people have said or done, or may do in the future, it will be very difficult for the Light of Tao to penetrate our hearts and difficult for us to progress in our cultivation.

 (c) Conscious Efforts.

So we need to remember that our thoughts create our consciousness and our    consciousness determines the way we lead our life. The way we lead our life determines the state of our karma and karmic debts. As Tao cultivators we know it is possible to break the cycle of birth and death but this can only be done through the grace of Lao Mu and our own conscious efforts. Happy and effective cultivation is conscious cultivation.
 
(d) Practising propriety and the Three Treasures

Conscious cultivation also includes learning and practising our Proprieties on a regular basis. This will give us inner discipline and help us connect effectively with the Tao within. However, our success in changing our heart depends very much on our use of the Three Treasures. We must show our faith in Tao and strengthen it within ourselves by using our Three Treasures as often as we can during the day. This must become a priority, not something that we just think about occasionally when we’re not busy. 
 
Summary

Cultivation of Tao is a task for the determined heart.  Unless we have a very firm basis and a very strong will to persevere we will not succeed in completing this journey.     
 
 
May 2005
Ann Sadler
TianDi Temple