Taoist Glossary

The way: the source and rhythm of all things.

Effortless action that follows natural conditions.

The uncarved block: original, unforced nature.

Complementary forces that shape change and balance.

Spirit or subtle awareness cultivated through stillness.

Essence, the body's most refined inner resource.

Life energy that flows through body, space, and timing.

The lower energy center below the navel used as an anchor.

Sitting in forgetting: a classical Taoist meditation state.

Internal practice moving breath and qi through the body.

Internal alchemy: refining essence, breath, and spirit.

A written talisman drawn and consecrated within ritual.

A classical system of timing, direction, and decision.

The Book of Changes: hexagrams read for guidance.

The Grand Duke Jupiter cycle used in yearly guidance.

Choosing auspicious dates for events and beginnings.

Five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, water.

Reading space, elements, and environment as energy.

Dragon Tiger Mountain: a center of the talisman lineage.

The foundational classic of Taoist thought.

Classic of playful parables on freedom and change.

A ritual offering of gratitude and renewal.

Causes and conditions that ripen across time.

Virtue or power gained by living in accord with Tao.