Daniel Lichtenberg Lisy
1. “Tao of Mysticism: The Way of Agnostic Universalism “, your book blends teachings from diverse spiritual traditions like Taoism, Buddhism, and Sufi mysticism. What inspired you to approach spirituality through such a universal lens, and how has this perspective shaped your journey?
Experience and perspective came before expressing.
Initially it was just this sentence: “Man must go where no man can go, into the deepest darkness where the light is born.”
Later I started to look for reference, just to discover the universal path behind the veil of major traditions. As well I was not sure if even to go public with the work, and It was because of my friend, mentor, my former college professor, who convinced me to publish.
To me the spiritual journey is not a path with a beginning and end, but rather experience as such, it could be understood as an uncaused cause, for lack of better terms in human language.
You either realize it or you don’t, no tradition owns it exclusively, there is no manual or practice guaranteeing success. It is fundamentally individual, hence for everyone to discover for him self. From this perspective the journey is not necessary shaped by tradition, but rather confirmed.
2. You describe Taoism as more of a philosophy than a religion. In today’s fast-paced and often disconnected world, how do you think Taoist principles can help individuals find harmony and balance in their daily lives?
In a more general sense philosophy strives to be universal, while religion builds on exclusivity by proclaiming to have the monopole of Truth, requiring obedience to doctrine. To explain the difference lets use the words of Lao Tzu:
“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.
The unnameable is the eternally real. Naming is the origin
of all particular things.”
Meaning expressing in words the eternal truth is a fools errant. Consider this done two millennia before Wittgenstein. In other words, the eternal can not be expressed in language hence it is beyond any doctrine.
Therefore it’s important to differentiate the ancient sages: Lao Tzu, Zhuangzi, their metaphysical philosophy from the Taoist religion which although founded on their work, as religion emerged around 142 CE, meaning about half a millennia later. Scholars refer to the two Sages as Proto-Taoist, making this very clear.
The challenge thou for the reader is the purposeful lack of directions, Zhangzi:”A path is made by walking on it.”
Contrary to religion the Sages will not tell you what to do. But they did left some pieces of their way as inspiration, like: Zhuangzi:” I sit quietly and forget!” or ”The Way is found in emptiness. Emptiness is the mind’s fast”. It is not for me to tell how one should use their work to find balance and harmony, as each person is different, but encouragement to read their work, could be made, if just for the chance of inspiration.
3. Agnostic universalism is a central theme in your book. Can you elaborate on how this philosophy can bridge the gap between spiritual exploration and modern skepticism towards organized religion?
The Way being a individual path is free of boundaries of any doctrine and politics, which inevitably follow any organized structure, skepticism is well placed here, as long as its not ideological it self, skepticism can be a tool to keep us honest.
Spiritual exploration should be free from any boundaries, be it religiouse or cultural, as long as its not creating unnecessary suffering.
Sages have no need for recognition, therefore they don’t fear skeptics.
4. How do you think the book, “Tao of Mysticism” can resonate with today’s young generation, especially those seeking meaning in an increasingly complex and fragmented world? What practical insights can they draw from it?
If one reads the ancient Sages say Lao Tzu, later Sages say Ibn Al-Arabi or modern Sages say Alan Watts, behind the veil of language, the universal spark might be reflected, with a timeless echo.
Today we have the huge advantage of access to the original texts almost at a instant.
“Tao of Mysticism” is yet another work compiling what was found to be useful, disregarding what was found useless and adding what is essentially own. Who is a fan of Bruce Lee will get the reference. Similarly to martial arts, its not so much about the art as it is about the artist, and this is for each reader to answer for him self, the same way every martial artist needs to put in his work to verify the art.
5. Meditation plays a key role in your book as a means to align with the natural flow of existence. How would you guide someone new to meditation in incorporating this practice into their life, especially within the framework of the Tao?
In tradition with the ancient Sages it’s not a manual, or guide, as there is no method, no doctrine, no cosmology that truly addresses the unity of being, that’s why we have so many doctrins and why they are still in disputes with each other, on who is right. While the Sages just laugh.
Tao means the Way, once one discovered the Way one realizes it always was part of life, regardless of the form it might have.
The term mediation is so misused it almost lost any meaning, ultimately it is for each seeker to find. Personally I do touch some of dreaming practice but that is really for the reader to discover.
6. Your reflections on mystical figures like holy madmen in Tibetan Buddhism are both thought-provoking and unconventional. What lessons can these figures teach us about challenging societal norms and embracing deeper spiritual wisdom?
Take for example Ikkyu a renown and recognized Buddhist master manifesting important points: bravery, to be one with the way regardless of judgment of society, resilience to endure the path, and transcending boundaries of doctrine to be free, just imagine how holly Ikkyu must have been to eat flesh, drink sake and teach dharma in brothels.
What else is this teaching us, than to transcend boundaries of doctrine and regulations, the Way can not be shaped into any of them, its like water it can take shape of any form its in, but remains formless.
7. In your view, what is the most important takeaway from “Tao of Mysticism”, and how do you hope readers will integrate its teachings into their own spiritual and everyday lives?
I will not tell the reader what he should takeaway, I would be happy if he finds even the littlest spark of inspiration
8. Are you currently working on a new book? If yes, could you share some insights about it with our readers?
I wrote two books a german existential philosophy of metaphysics, summarized in the picture below, and Tao of Mysticism. Thou I could have expanded the text to suit official publishers, I decided not to write more pages just for the sake of it. I made my point.
