The primary quality that Lao Tzu seems to emobdy is humility, which is the image of water – seeking the common level of existence.
Taoism is the way of water. The most frequent element or symbol refered to in Lao Tzu’s wrtings is the symbol of water.
Water is the symbol of pure consciousness.
Water always seeks the easiest path, the common level of life.
Taoism is the gentle way. The path of least resistence.
When it reaches a blockage, water find the easiest path around the blockage, or it continues to assemble, and flows over the blockage.
Water uses itself to go beyond whatever it needs to go beyond.
The Grand Canyon is living evidence of the power of water over a period of time. The power may not manifest immediately. Water can be very powerful, like a tidal wave.
Lao Tsu says the way of life is water, to be fluid.
Lao Tsu uses the anology of the tree. The old hard tree breaks and falls when the wind blows. The young tree bends and does not break. He advises us to bend and not to break.
Wisdom is knowing that if you bend, you don’t have to break. Sometimes it is necessary to go with the flow of life.
Lao Tsu always points a finger directly to us. He says we must begin with ourselves. It’s impossible to bring order into the world unless we bring order into ourselves.
If you are interested in Taoism, I would suggest that you read the Way of Life by Lao Tsu, the founder of Taoism. I personally prefer the Witter Brynner translation.
Lao Tsu doesn’t seem to hold to much stock for words or phrases or teachings.
Lao Tsu says the way of life is ancient, timeless. It is existence which he calls the Tao – a mysterious source, beyond understanding, and all of us are a reflection, if not that source of life ourselves.
Lao Tsu found Taoism easy to reconcile withthe world of human beings, which is interesting because with all the nature imagery, one might think it was in some way antithetical to contempory life.
Many sections are taken up with political discussions and how the way of the ruler, the merchant, the householder, and the army interact with the Tao.
Taoism has no rules. It’s a suggestion for preceiving life in its wholeness, without unnessary categorization, yet enjoying the beauty of categorization.
Taoism is not a religion, although perhaps it has been made into one by some people. Lao Tsu’s way of life occurs in any spiritual philosophy.
There is another kind of wisdom, the wisdom of following – the wisdom of not taking the lead with your ego.