The Nature of Taoism: Reflections on Master Steve Gray’s Teachings
Master Steve Gray’s understanding of the Tao—the Way—was rooted not just in philosophy, but in a profound connection to both, the natural world and the human experience.
Tao: What Nature Should Be
One of Master Gray’s core insights was that Tao is not simply nature as we know it. Tao is what nature should be. This distinction was key to his teachings. He explained that while nature can be distorted, the Tao remains an ideal. An undistorted vision of what nature could achieve. When nature falls short of its potential, grief follows—a form of mourning for what could have been but was not realized.
Master Gray used the Taoist term “ecologies-embracing-ecologies ad infinitum” or “worlds-embracing-worlds ad infinitum,” to paint a picture of the interconnectedness of everything. For him, nature and the Tao were far more than the physical world.—They extended into spiritual, emotional, and ethical realms, creating a tapestry of infinite relationships and responsibilities.
The Human Way like Taoism
Master Gray believed that the question of the human way—our path, or Tao—was not pre-programmed or instinctual as it is in animals. Unlike other creatures, humans have the unique task of wrestling with their nature and seeking to understand their purpose. This wrestling, he taught, was the essence of Taoism. It required an infinite adventure in sensitivity, responsibility, and responsiveness to the world and each other.
In Master Gray’s view, there were no final answers or destinations in Taoism. Unlike religions that promise salvation or heaven to arrive at, Taoism was an eternal journey without an end. He emphasized that there is no permanent state of enlightenment or infallibility. Instead, there is a continuous obligation to seek, learn, and grow.
For him, this eternal learning was central to Taoist practice. He often said, “Can one become, eternally, the permanent student?” That was the secret behind Taoist alchemy. He explained—not in achieving some final transformation but in continually transforming, learning, and evolving.
Mutual Ethical Reciprocity and the Human Vocation
Another crucial aspect of Master Gray’s teachings on Taoism was the idea of mutual ethical reciprocity. He taught that the human way toward immortality—an immortality not of the body, but of the spirit—was based on ethics. To live in harmony with the Tao required a sense of mutual responsibility. Not only toward other people but also toward the universe itself.
Master Gray stressed that humans were part of a larger cosmic order. The Tao for humans was not separate from the Tao of nature; they were intertwined. Our vocation, he believed, was to find our place within that order. And to live according to the laws and ethics of the universe. This meant developing Te.—Cultivated skill, capability, and virtue.—Which would allow us to fulfill our role within the cosmic bounds assigned to us.
He often warned against the dangers of straying from this path. For him, those who ignored their ethical obligations or sought power for selfish reasons were not walking the Way of the Tao. Instead, the true Taoist sought harmony with the world, not domination over it. This was how one could work toward the goal of becoming an “earthly immortal”.—Someone who, through ethical living and spiritual cultivation, could attain a state of enduring health, vitality, and wisdom.
Learning from Mistakes as a Nature of Taoism
One of the most comforting aspects of Master Gray’s teachings was his belief that the universe is friendly to those who seek to learn from their mistakes. In Taoism, he said, there is no expectation of perfection. Instead, the Taoist path is one of humility, where the student acknowledges their errors and learns from them. This is the essence of being a “permanent student,” and it is through this process that true growth occurs.
Master Gray often used his own experiences to illustrate this point. He would speak of his journey with Taoism as one filled with missteps and challenges, but he never saw these as failures. Instead, they were opportunities for deeper learning and connection with the Tao. For him, the ability to learn from mistakes was not just a key part of Taoist practice but the very essence of spiritual growth.
Taoism as Eternal Learning
Master Gray’s view of Taoism was one of eternal learning and discovery. He believed that the Tao could never be fully understood or mastered. It was not something one could arrive at, but rather a journey that continued forever. This perspective freed his students from the pressures of reaching a final destination. Allowing them to focus on the process of learning and growing in the present.
This approach also reflected his understanding of immortality. For him, immortality was not about living forever in the physical sense. But about living in a way that transcends the limits of time and space. By cultivating Te and living ethically within the cosmic order, one could achieve a form of spiritual immortality.—A state of being that exists beyond the physical world and endures through the ages.
Tao as something that nature should be, rather than what it simply is…
Master Steve Gray’s teachings on Taoism provided a deep and nuanced understanding of the Tao and its relationship to nature, ethics, and the human journey. His view of the Tao as something that nature should be, rather than what it simply is, challenged his students to strive for greater harmony with the world around them. By embracing the role of the eternal student, learning from mistakes, and practicing mutual ethical reciprocity, one could begin to walk the true path of Taoism.