For a fascinating presentation of Taoism's relationship to ecology, have a look at James Miller's article, posted at Harvard University's Forum for Religion and Ecology. Mr. Miller points out that while the principles of Taoism are of course rooted in the rhythms of the natural world, they don't always fit neatly into contemporary ecological frameworks. Taoist practice is based upon the assumption of a "mutual interpenetration of all dimensions of being, with the body as the most important field for the interaction of cosmic forces."

In this view, powerful transformation and healing of the elements begins by re-visioning them as they appear within our own bodyminds: "In such an understanding nature is not something outside of us to be dealt with after the fashion of a mechanic repairing a car, but is both a mental attitude to be carefully cultivated and the true condition of one’s body that contains the infinite dimensions of cosmic reality within itself."

Subway Shaman

Among the "dimensions of being" taken seriously by Taoist practitioners are those inhabited by the spirits of particular landforms. If we desire to alter these landforms - say by constructing a building - spiritual courtesy requires us to ask permission of these spirits, before proceeding. If we fail to do this, there can be negative consequences, for both human and nonhuman inhabitants of the particular place.

In this video report, we see a Hmong shaman performing a ritual to appease the spirits of the land upon which a new subway was built. Similar rituals - echoes of the shamanic origins of Taoist practice - are performed also by Taoist priests, and can be understood as one aspect of "Taoist ecology."