Ritual(s)

Rituals in religious Taoism often feature music, dancing, chanting and meditation. Rituals can be held to harmonize qi (energy), honor Taoist deities or aligning oneself with the Tao. Rituals were inherited from ancient Chinese cosmology and religion vary by sect. One ritual that is generally done by all sects is the Offering Ceremony or Gongyang.

Purpose

Gongyang is, in Taoist contexts, a way to stay aligned with the Dao. By making offerings, you honor the harmony of the universe. It's a way to show your respec for The Three Pure Ones. Giving offerings generates gongde (merit), which improves the spiritual path of you aswell as purifies you.

I am not a professional, so don't take my word for it!

Preperation

Participants or Priests wash their hands and rinse their mouth, part of a symbolic cleansing. They they light incense to open the gates between the Earth and Heaven. Make sure you have a deity statue and Joss paper.

Altar

In temples, the altar itself should (typically) be facing north, representing the Polar Star, home of the Jade Emperor. At home, it can face south or towards the direction of a deity.

Incense is placed in the middle of the altar, representing the bridge betweeen Heaven and Earth. Then, place three incense sticks, one upright standing in the middle (Heaven), one to the right (Earth) and one to the left (Humanity).

Bowing

Take three steps back with your feet pressed together. Take three bows, your head should be lowered to (more or less) 45 degrees with your hands in a yin-yang gesture. (right fist in left palm for men, left fist in right palm for women).

Make sure you're facing the incense burner (Your connection to Heaven). The second bow should be slightly deeper, representing your respect for Earth. The third is a 90 degree bow, honoring Humanity or your ancestors.

Offerings

After bowing, place your offerings in order of sacredness (the offering closest to the deity is the most pure/sacred). The five main offerings should be:
  • Water, for purification
  • Rice or Wine, for nourishment
  • Salt, for preservation
  • Tea, for clarity
  • Fruit, for abundance.

Water and tea should be the closest to the deity statue, placed into a small cup infront of the statue.

Rice or wine in a bowl behind the water, slightly off-set to the right, representing yang

Fruit should be slightly to the left, representing yin

Joss Paper

Chant a short mantra, like "Inviting the Heavenly Lord to Descend". Next, write a request or a thanks spoken mentally or written on a paper. Then, take your Joss Paper and burn it outside in a metal basin. The burning should face south if you're honoring your ancestors and north if you're addressing/honring Heaven. Don't burn the paper directly infront of the deity.