A little inspiration from wikipedia..
Te (? "power; virtue; integrity"

is the term generally used to refer to proper adherence to Tao; Te is the active living or cultivation of the way. Particular things (things with names) that manifest from Tao have their own inner nature that they follow, in accordance with the Tao, and the following of this inner nature is Te. Wu wei or naturalness are contingent on understanding and conforming to this inner nature, which is interpreted variously from a personal, individual nature to a more generalized notion of human nature within the greater universe.
Tao - road, channel, path, way, proper existence, full coming into being.. an experiential & evolving concept, the personal differences reflect the practice of individual practitioners..
Tao can be roughly thought of as the flow of the universe, or as some essence or pattern behind the natural world that keeps the universe balanced & ordered. It is related to the idea of qi the essential energy of action & existence. Tao is a non-dual concept - it is the greater whole from which all the individual elements of the universe derive. Tao is more commonly expressed in the relationship between wu (void or emptiness) & yinyang (the natural dynamic between opposites) leading to its central principle of wu wei (non-action, or action without force).
Tao is usually described in terms of elements of nature, & in particular as similar to water. Like water it is undifferentiated, endlessly self-replenishing, soft & quiet but immensely powerful & impassively generous. Much of Taoist philosophy centers on the cyclical continuity of the natural world & its contrast to the linear, goal-orientated actions of human beings.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/2010 04:15PM by flamenwerfer.