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Desmond Murray - An Introduction to Taoism and the Mind-Body-Spirit

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Laoba Desmond Murray and Laoma Wai-Yii Yeung introducing staff and students at Leeds University to Tao practice

What is Tao?

Tao is a word that we use to describe the forces that govern the universe(2). It is older than time, greater than the sum of the stars and, at the same time, smaller than the tiniest atom.

When we look out of the window, we see trees, mountains, and people. They are all part of Tao but the Tao itself is beyond our comprehension. If we want to develop a sense of it, we need to undertake Tao practice and work on ourselves. How we go about this is entirely up to us.

What is Tao practice?

Tao practice is learning to soften and strengthen the body and mind, and harmonise the energy of the earth with the energy of the universe and our body’s energy (qi). In Tao practice, we use soft physical movement to develop our ability to cultivate(3).

Softening does not mean making the body weak; it strengthens the body. It means making the body supple, the mind light, and the heart compassionate. In Tao practice we repair and care for the body, calm the mind, and learn to ‘feel’. This is Taoist theory: the softer one can be, the stronger one becomes.

Getting to this state requires time and dedicated practice. Simple, expansive breathing exercises are important for strengthening the lungs and detoxing the body. Physical exercises cultivate the energy. When we do both, we feel invigorated and yet calm.

Why should we undertake Tao practice? 

Taoism enriches our daily lives(4). It makes one stronger and calmer. It improves one’s physical, mental and emotional health and allows us to lead a healthy and contented life.

What does being Taoist really mean?

Taoism is a culture, a way of being. It is the study of the nature of the energies that hold the universe together: the energy of the sky, the earth, and our personal energy.

Being Taoist means learning to live and move in a natural way, aligned to the natural rhythms of the earth. A good metaphor of being natural is learning to be and move like water(5). If we study water, and learn its unspoken lessons, we connect to the natural rhythms of the world and our own bodies. We know what foods to eat as the seasons change, how our bodies evolve over time, and when to start or finish our work.

What are yin and yang? 

Yin and yang are the two polarities of nature. They oppose but harmonise with each other and are dependent on each other. One is not stronger than the other. In our Tao practice, we learn how to balance them to enable happy and healthy living.

What is ‘wu wei’?

Wu wei is a state of stillness, of losing the stresses of life so that we can better feel and follow nature. It means we have to put aside our fears such as having to achieve, passing an exam, having a big car, or getting a good job.

Most people are fixed in their lives. They are born, they live, and they die. They are never able to change how things are. But with Tao practice one learns to build our energies and direct the course of our lives. One can reach full potential and create heaven on earth(6).

How do we learn Tao practice?

I learned the Lee Family Taoist Arts from my Master, Chee Soo. He was my teacher for many years and I became his senior student. That’s why I’m here today.

Chee Soo helped me build my energy: not in a hard manner, but in a way that encouraged softness and humility. At Sea Cloud Hall, we run classes with experienced teachers who can do the same for anyone for whom this article has resonated. Learning to be soft, learning the difference between yin and yang, learning how to employ them, learning to deepen the breath, learning to be still under pressure – all these things take time and guided instruction(7).

Because Tao practice can only be learned and taught through feeling, one cannot learn Tao practice from books or the internet. If you feel a bell ringing inside you as you read these words, and would like to learn more for yourself, please come to one of the classes advertised on the class page.

*This article is originally published on the Sea Cloud Hall website here, and is a summary of the  amazing guest workshop by Desmond Murray and the Leeds University Daoist Tai Chi & Qigong Society.

 

Notes: 

  1. Leeds University Confucius Institute, blog site online https://confucius.leeds.ac.uk/news/exploring-daoism-a-night-of-philosophy-culture-wellbeing/ [viewed October 2025]
  1. Lau-Tzu, translated by Stephen Mitchell, 2000, Tao Te Ching: the book of the way, MacMillan, London
  1. Murray, Desmond P, 2024, Way In: Dao Alchemic Practice – And Ancient Way of Living in the Modern World, The International Taoist Society, Leeds. Also available as a Kindle version, and as an audiobook narrated by the author on Spotify.
  1. Soo, Chee, 1984, The Chinese Art of T’ai Chi Ch’uan: The Taoist way to mental and physical health, Aquarian Press, Wellingborough
  1. Murray, Desmond, 2019, Moving as Water: Ancient Wisdom from Daoist Practice, International Daoist Society, Leeds
  1. Murray, Desmond P and Kai, Shier, (due to be published 2025), Dao De Jing: The Way, and how to walk it, The International Taoist Society, Leeds
  1. Yeung, Wai-Yii and Green, Ben, 2017, Way Out: A Daoist Path to a Fearless Life, International Daoist Society, Leeds and online here.

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