The Tao of Shit

I have a poster tacked up in our loo entitled "Shit Happens". You may have the same one, or seen one like it. Underneath are listed the names of several religions, political parties and even some animals, and next to each one is a little definition referring to the title.

Most of them are funny and partly true. Some of them I don't understand. So I've decided that in order to broaden my mind (and give me something un-housework-related to do while I'm waiting for my cookies to bake) I'd find the definition of each one, so everyone who reads this blog can fully understand the joke. Here goes today's definition:

"Taoism - If you understand shit, it isn't shit"

My interpretation: Taoism is so complicated that understanding it even in a vague sense is impressive.

Wikipedia definition: "Taoism [...] refers to a variety of related philosophical and religious traditions and concepts. These traditions have influenced East Asia for over two thousand years and some have spread to the West.^[1] The word 道, Tao (or Dao, depending on the romanization scheme), means "path" or "way", although in Chinese folk religion and philosophy it has taken on more abstract meanings. Taoist propriety and ethics emphasize the Three Jewels of the Tao: compassion, moderation, and humility. Taoist thought generally focuses on nature, men-cosmos correspondence (天人相应), health, longevity, wu wei (effortless action), liberty, immortality and spontaneity.
Reverence for ancestor spirits and immortals are also common in popular Taoism. Organized Taoism distinguishes its ritual activity from that of the folk religion, which some professional Taoists (Daoshi) view as debased. Chinese alchemy (including Neidan), astrology, cuisine, several Chinese martial arts, Chinese traditional medicine, fengshui, and many styles of qigong breath training disciplines have been intertwined with Taoism throughout history."

New interpretation: the old interpretation was right. Taoism isn't so much a unified religion as a group of beliefs, some of which are common to the whole of Taoism, and some of which probably depend on where in east Asia you live/come from. It affects it's followers lifestyle and way of thinking more than other religions, I think.