Group Work and Presentations
The primary symbol is the Yin (earth, female) and the Yang (heaven, male) and is symbolic for the harmony between opposing forces. Many of the rituals invovled healing of the sick through magical practices. Taoists also strived for immortality and practiced alchemy. Some groups that practiced this were secret societies such as the Magical, Secretarian Taoism and some priests. The priests learned rituals to heal, cure, or perform exorcisms.Their ability to contact ancient spirits determined their status. Philosophical daoists believed that people who died were ghosts and they believed in healing through rituals and abandoned communal rituals. Paintings were also a symbol that focused on nature.
Community and Ethics
"Live and let Live" is a phrase that describes the Taoist tradition along with the wuwei which is inaction and determines if a person is a faithful taoist. They strive to live a life in small villages with practically no interaction because they believed that forced action makes things worse. This also relates to their belief in a goverment that governs least.
Humans
they believe that the natural human is the best way to live. The natural human is seen through one's childlike nature or their infancy. They believe in living a long life and condemn being forced into society's structures such as education.
PROBLEM: Humans live in disharmony and they try to conquer nature, have artificial organizations and try to ulter the universe.
SOLUTION: If humans return to simple life and live in harmony with nature and through contemplation or meditation. Some meditations include breathing. The breathing technique known as taixi involves holding one's breat for a long time and having an inward vision experiencing light an divinities of human organs. A meditation practice known as shouyi means "preserve meditating on the One" or to unite with the Dao. Contemplation involves a lot of breathing as well.
The ABSOLUTE
The Dao, the Way or the invisible Way is the way in which the universe flows. The Dao cannot be prayed to or worshipped since it is indifferent to human desires. There are three purities however that are known as the Jade Emperor, Laozi and Ling Bao (leader of supernatural beings). The worship the Eight Immortals including the god of the stove or Zahoshen. They had ancestral worship but it was considered more personal than communal.
History
Some say that it all began with a man known as Confucius who influenced Laozi. Laozi wrote Dao De Jing (The Way and its Power) which was believed to have been left behind intentionally. This book focuses on harmony of opposites within the peaceful flow of the Dao.
Zhuangzi expanded on the teachings of the Dao De Jing in which he praised the individual. There was also magical Daoism with a man known as Gehang who wrote a book called Baopuzi and he strived for immortality and the ability to fly.