I went to the Daoist (or Taoist) temple in Quito yesterday (was unaware that there was one until last week) and it was quite an experience. I am forbidden to really talk about it because of the nature of this particular branch of Daoism but also because the experience itself was so intimate and personal that I doubt I would be able to truly describe it if I could. Taoism exists in several forms: the religious one, the life philosophy, and the pure philosophical canon. Yiguan Dao (the branch of Daoism the temple I went to belongs to) is dedicated to spreading the life philosophy of Daoism which I think is pretty cool. Daoism is seen, as the original source word Dao suggests, as the path to enlightenment or heaven or whatever you want to call it. And thus it sees religion or spirituality as one of those paths to be followed. Every path is different just as every life and every being is different. One can find the path to happiness through Christianity and others through Animism or the Flying Spaghetti Monster or whatever you believe in. It depends on the person.
I´ve felt that I´ve been traveling down my own path for some time. I´ve been aware that it is a path for some time as well. What I experienced last night is akin to receiving a lantern to light the way, and realizing, for the first time, that I had been walking without one. I´ve been walking in the dark.
Now to really explore where this path leads me to....
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