Taoist Roots of Zen January 23, 2026 Geoff Dawson

I found this very interesting with the talk of Taoism. I had a time when I was specifically reading and researching taoism, but I think it was before everything was available on the internet. It made me think that this is how I ended up with Zen Buddhism because I liked Taoism and Zen Buddhism practices much of what they teach.

Using a search engine, I looked for the nature aspect which has always been a desire of mine:

Emphasis on Nature: Taoism's reverence for the natural world and the observation of its patterns as a guide for living harmoniously influenced Zen's focus on the interconnectedness of all things and the potential for enlightenment within everyday life and nature, rather than solely in abstract metaphysical realms.

My early desire to live rurally seems to me to be an expression of this. I romanticized it, enjoyed experiencing it, but have just now come to understand it's a mindset and not dependent on actually be in a rural environment.