Daoist Rabbit (Long)
Much is happening at this point of the cold season. We have moved into the Chinese New Year of the Metal Rat, and I have been proceeding through the second stage of discernment. I am halfway through this portion of the Daoist Priest training, which will last another three months. After that ends, I am hoping to be deemed eligible to begin the final stage of the training, which will last about three years.
Today was the last query in a spiritual direction and formation portion of stage two. Every week for the last five weeks, I have had a question/questions given to me to reflect on. It ended with a critical one: why do I want to be a Daoist Priest? I had to summarize an answer in 25 words or less!
My answer:
I want to grow closer to the Dao with [this lineage], and want to share the Path and its virtues with others.
The longer explanation:
“I want to grow closer to the Dao” – I have fallen very deeply in love and peace with the Natural Way / Path to the Goddess (Source). It was almost a year ago that a powerful, disturbing event rocked me off of the somewhat undefined spiritual path that I had been spiritually. It broke my heart, and with it, my spirit. But it was also a tremendous teacher. With no defined direction, I took refuge in the Daoist writings that I had explored over the years. I revisited some favorite books… but knew I was only scratching the surface. I went deeper, with new writings – and consumed everything I could find. This forced me into a great deal of introspection and evaluation, to find out what was driving me, and what I was truly seeking. The simple yet endless Dao called to me so powerfully.
“…with [this lineage]…” – I needed guidance. While there were endless texts about the philosophy of Daoism, there wasn’t much about living the path-walk and deepening the connection. After reading a series of contemporary writings from current-day Daoist Priests, I reached out to see if any were taking even basic Daoist students. After exchanging information with a few, I found my Shifu, a Western (American) Daoist Priest. I entered into the study program with the main intention of gaining that guidance into cultivating a life closer to the Dao. After the first stage of the study had passed, I only wanted more, and found this specific lineage to focus on key elements of Daoist practice that I honored. I would be incredibly proud to be a Priest Companion in the Dao.
“…and want to share the Path and its virtues with others.” – My calling is unchanged. I continue to want to help people find sacred, quiet space in which to meditate / worship / reflect, as I have desired to do for over twenty years. I believe in the last decade in particular that this is no longer a recommended experience, but a crucial one. I believe that we live in a time/age that makes it more difficult than ever to hear over the roar of cultural conditioning enough to cultivate self-awareness and deeper contemplation. I am incredibly concerned about the mental and spiritual health of all of those with little access to privacy, stillness and experiences of the Sacred.
But I also truly believe that Daoism is a path uniquely equipped to help others with this precise issue! It is my goal to one day have a meditation center / space to offer to the public in search of stillness and clarity, and I would be honored to perform this service to others with the knowledge and community of the lineage as resources. Someday, this Wood Hare may be able to invite others to a contemplative hutch!
