Download or read book Effortless Living written by Jason Gregory and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-03-13 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A guide for achieving an enlightened mind through the art of non-doing • Details meditation practices, focused on stillness of the mind, along with Patanjali’s yoga methods to maintain a consciousness referred to as “being in the zone” • Builds on Taoist, Confucian, and Hindu principles along with scientific findings to support wu-wei--the art of non-doing, non-forcing--as a way of life • Explains how wu-wei practitioners cultivate intelligent spontaneity and effortless action to allow the natural harmony of the cosmos to prevail The practice of non-doing, non-forcing is an essential aspect of Taoism known as wu-wei. Attributed to the great sage Lao-tzu, the philosophy of wu-wei teaches you how to develop a natural state of consciousness not bound by thought or preconceived limitations. Experienced by the greatest artists, athletes, musicians, and writers, this heightened state of consciousness, referred to as “being in the zone,” is where intelligent spontaneity and effortless action flourish via a practice rooted in permitting the natural harmony of the cosmos to prevail. Merging Taoist philosophy, Hindu principles, and Confucianism along with scientific findings, Jason Gregory outlines the practice of wu-wei as a vehicle to realize our innate freedom, revealing that when we release our ego and allow life to unfold as it will, we align ourselves more closely with our goals and cultivate skill and mastery along the way. Equating “being in the zone” with a stillness of the mind, Gregory shares meditation practices coupled with yoga exercises from Patanjali that allow you to approach life with a mastery of acceptance, releasing deluded beliefs of how to achieve success that make your mind “sticky” and poised for conflict. The author shows how practicing wu-wei paradoxically empowers you to accomplish all that you desire by having no intention to do so, as well as allowing you to become receptive to nature’s blueprint for expressing beauty. Revealing wisdom utilized by renowned sages, artists, and athletes who have adapted “being in the zone” as a way of life, the author shows that wu-wei can yield a renewed sense of trust in many aspects of your daily life, making each day more effortless. As an avid wu-wei practitioner, he provides keen insight on how you, too, can experience the beauty of achieving an enlightened, effortless mind while reveling in the process of life’s unfolding.

Download or read book Effortless Action written by Edward Slingerland and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2007-05-24 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a systematic account of the role of the personal spiritual ideal of wu-wei--literally "no doing," but better rendered as "effortless action"--in early Chinese thought. Edward Slingerland's analysis shows that wu-wei represents the most general of a set of conceptual metaphors having to do with a state of effortless ease and unself-consciousness. This concept of effortlessness, he contends, serves as a common ideal for both Daoist and Confucian thinkers. He also argues that this concept contains within itself a conceptual tension that motivates the development of early Chinese thought: the so-called "paradox of wu-wei," or the question of how one can consciously "try not to try." Methodologically, this book represents a preliminary attempt to apply the contemporary theory of conceptual metaphor to the study of early Chinese thought. Although the focus is upon early China, both the subject matter and methodology have wider implications. The subject of wu-wei is relevant to anyone interested in later East Asian religious thought or in the so-called "virtue-ethics" tradition in the West. Moreover, the technique of conceptual metaphor analysis--along with the principle of "embodied realism" upon which it is based--provides an exciting new theoretical framework and methodological tool for the study of comparative thought, comparative religion, intellectual history, and even the humanities in general. Part of the purpose of this work is thus to help introduce scholars in the humanities and social sciences to this methodology, and provide an example of how it may be applied to a particular sub-field.

Download or read book My Way Through the Wu Wei written by A. W. Anderson and published by . This book was released on 2020-11-27 with total page 109 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here are 2 example pages:#1 Crossing the Chasm- If not you, then who?If not now, when? "You are not ready" you say."JUMP" we say, For, if you wait until you are ready, you will be waiting your entire life.~#7 Choicelessness--How does one move when they aren't trying to move right?NaturallyLike a stick flowing along with the currents, Making no mistakes as it flows downstreamFlowing of its own accordBut, in accordance with everything*Wu-Wei*Non-forcing; pushing fades awayResistance dissolves..Magnetism increases ~ energy risesOrder, Balance, Harmony, Flow~As much as this book is a spiritual successor to the Tao Te Ching, it is primarily a series of insights, bits of wisdom, perspectives from yours truly, and viewpoints on the nature of reality.It is written in the style of the Tao Te Ching; where each page is an entry and can be read in any order, including chronological, it can be used as an oracle, or something fun to carry with you. This can be read within an hour and pondered over many years. My hope is that those who read this enjoy it as much as I did enjoy writing it.-A.W. Anderson

Download or read book Do Nothing and Do Everything written by Qiguang Zhao and published by . This book was released on 2020-09-15 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The power of the Tao has accompanied the author through the journey of his life, from pupil during the Chinese Cultural Revolution to professor at an American liberal arts college. In Do Nothing and Do Everything, Zhao applies the ideas of Wu Wei (do nothing) and Wu Bu Wei (do everything) to modern life. Rich and humorous illustrations convey the subtle ideas that go beyond language and are re-created in the same style as the ones the author draws impromptu on the blackboard in his classes. This illustrated new Taoism will answer the widespread thirst for an alternative approach to life, and a longing for health, tranquility, and spiritual liberation.

Download or read book Trying Not to Try written by Edward Slingerland and published by Crown. This book was released on 2014-03-04 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A deeply original exploration of the power of spontaneity—an ancient Chinese ideal that cognitive scientists are only now beginning to understand—and why it is so essential to our well-being Why is it always hard to fall asleep the night before an important meeting? Or be charming and relaxed on a first date? What is it about a politician who seems wooden or a comedian whose jokes fall flat or an athlete who chokes? In all of these cases, striving seems to backfire. In Trying Not To Try, Edward Slingerland explains why we find spontaneity so elusive, and shows how early Chinese thought points the way to happier, more authentic lives. We’ve long been told that the way to achieve our goals is through careful reasoning and conscious effort. But recent research suggests that many aspects of a satisfying life, like happiness and spontaneity, are best pursued indirectly. The early Chinese philosophers knew this, and they wrote extensively about an effortless way of being in the world, which they called wu-wei (ooo-way). They believed it was the source of all success in life, and they developed various strategies for getting it and hanging on to it. With clarity and wit, Slingerland introduces us to these thinkers and the marvelous characters in their texts, from the butcher whose blade glides effortlessly through an ox to the wood carver who sees his sculpture simply emerge from a solid block. Slingerland uncovers a direct line from wu-wei to the Force in Star Wars, explains why wu-wei is more powerful than flow, and tells us what it all means for getting a date. He also shows how new research reveals what’s happening in the brain when we’re in a state of wu-wei—why it makes us happy and effective and trustworthy, and how it might have even made civilization possible. Through stories of mythical creatures and drunken cart riders, jazz musicians and Japanese motorcycle gangs, Slingerland effortlessly blends Eastern thought and cutting-edge science to show us how we can live more fulfilling lives. Trying Not To Try is mind-expanding and deeply pleasurable, the perfect antidote to our striving modern culture.

Download or read book The Way of Chuang Tz written by Zhuangzi and published by New Directions Publishing. This book was released on 1965 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Free renderings of selections from the works of Chuang-tzŭ, taken from various translations.

Download or read book Laotzu s Tao and Wu Wei written by Dwight Goddard and published by Cosimo, Inc.. This book was released on 2007-04-01 with total page 125 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this clarion translation of Laotzu's Tao Te Ching, first published in 1919, Goddard brings the complexity and depth of the ancient philosopher's poetry into the English language, his great love for the topic overcoming the necessary shortcomings of translation. There are three concepts that are essential to the Tao Te Ching-Tao, Te, and Wu Wei-that all have complex meanings that cannot be directly translated, but spiritual seekers and those with an interest in philosophy and religion will find Goddard's treatment of Laotzu lyrical and deeply meaningful. American writer DWIGHT GODDARD (1861-1939) studied at a monastery in Kyoto, Japan, for a year and was among the first Westerners to bring Zen Buddhism to the United States. His most famous book is The Buddhist Bible (1938).

Download or read book The Tao of Pooh written by Benjamin Hoff and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Fingers Pointing Towards the Moon written by Wu-wei Wei and published by Sentient Publications. This book was released on 2003 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first of a series of extraordinary spiritual manifestos written by the anonymous Wei Wu Wei.

Download or read book Practicing the Tao Te Ching written by Solala Towler and published by Sounds True. This book was released on 2016-05-01 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most people think of the Tao Te Ching as a book on philosophy or a treatise on leadership. Yet there is a little-known treasure hidden within the familiar passages of Lao Tzu’s work: step-by-step practical guidance for the spiritual journey. With Practicing the Tao Te Ching, renowned teacher Solala Towler reveals a new facet to this spiritual classic, offering accessible instructions paired with each of the 81 verses of the Tao Te Ching. "Tao is a way of deep reflection and learning from nature, considered the highest teacher," writes Towler. "It teaches us to follow the energy flows within the heavens, the earth, and our own bodies." With lucid instruction and deep insight, he guides you through meditations, movement and breathing practices, subtle energy exercises, and inner reflections—all to help you to embody Taoist wisdom in every aspect of your life.

Download or read book Ask the Awakened written by Wei Wu Wei and published by Sentient Publications. This book was released on 2002 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author shares his deep understanding of Taosim--specifically the texts attribued the Heart, Diamond and Lankavatara sutras; and attributed to Cahn Buddhism as taught by Hui Neng, Huang Po, Hui Hai, rct.

Download or read book Our Natural Potential written by David "Davidya" Buckland and published by . This book was released on 2017-06 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our Natural Potential will show you the underlying process and the main stages of enlightenment based on an 8,000-year-old Vedic text. Each stage has its own distinct reality, sense of self and the world. We'll explore the two aspects required to support a full unfolding and detail the reality of each stage.

Download or read book Open Secret written by Wei Wu Wei and published by Sentient Publications. This book was released on 2004 with total page 902 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the best-loved of Wei Wu Wei's books, 'Open Secret' enlightens us as to the true nature of the self, as well as time, space, and enlightenment itself. The work includes extensive commentary on the Heart Sutra, regarded by Buddhists as the summation of the Buddha's wisdom. The pseudonymous author studied deeply in Eastern and Western philosophy and metaphysics, along with the esoteric teachings of the great religions. In his writing he distils this knowledge into uniquely elegant prose -- full of humour, metaphors, profundity, and his essential understanding of the open secret of life.

Download or read book A Personal Tao written by Casey Kochmer and published by Amberjack Software LLC. This book was released on 2005-09-01 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Science is factReligion is faithMagic is perceptionKnow these boundaries to discover what lies beyond.What is the Tao? Don't ask. The Tao cannot be described, yet a person will express it simply by being alive. It is possible to list definitions from the dictionary, from various documents. Each definition: a set of words, echoes of reality. A common mistake is to think of the Tao as a state of mind, hence it can be touched through words. Tao is a state of existence and nonexistence, it's mental, spiritual, and physical states all blending together. Living to Tao will never be summarized in the mathematics of word play. Poetry, philosophy, literature all offer only helpful guidance but never the actual Tao. A simple analogy would be swimming under the water. It's possible to read about snorkeling or diving, but until diving under the water, feeling the pressure, experience seeing undersea life, having lungs squeeze outside-in yet feeling inside-out from pushing down as deeply as you can dive, only to resurface to feel a sudden gasp of wet air... all in 60 seconds of a run on sentence: it's an idea approximated by a reader but only grasped by the experiencer. When this last line was read by a friend of mine, she said: but when you snorkel the pressure doesnt feel like that. Surprised, I asked her if she ever dove to about 25 feet while snorkeling, she said no, at which moment we both realized how personal the experience becomes due to differences in the path taken. This example touches why discovering the Tao is a personal living experience.Why learn the Tao? Knowing of the Tao technically should not change anything. But it does, it's the same difference as: knowing yourself really shouldn't change who you are. Yet it does. It's the difference between, being yourself or the reflection in the mirror. When the answer is we are both, more and less..... The Tao is every contradiction, every truth and each of the standard circular Yoda Yoga mystical answer...leaving us with holding flowing water in a single hand. Try to grasp it, and its gone, yet our hands are wet. So accept the fact, we are each a contradiction, this is the truth being described when these mystical answers are bantered about: using one impossible statement to prove another impossible statement. The key for writing and reading this document comes down to a single reason: Words are never about the Tao, words are always about us. Sometimes to understand ourselves, we need to write aloud a personal truth as its human nature and hence the Tao to do so. The point becomes this: the Tao, itself isn't a path -- the path is living. Being human, living includes the experience of expression and introspection through words and speaking out. This is about discovering personal truth and how to flow with oneself. Yet learning is always a process of sharing. Reflections in this document become one possible outline out of many to help myself be... myself, while giving others a chance to comment and add their own personal style to the overall document. This then becomes a circular process between, author, reader and everyone involved to help define and discover a personal Tao.So....Move, tumble, stumble, spin poetry, swirl, dance: all this is about the Tao and us.

Download or read book Wu Wei written by Henri Borel and published by . This book was released on 1907 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book written by Harold David Roth and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 1999 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents a translation and commentary to the oldest known extant Taoist text, Inward Training (Nei-yeh), which is composed of short poetic verses devoted to the practice of breath meditation and its resultant insights about human nature and the cosmos. Roth argues that Inward Training is the basis of early Taoism, and suggests that there may be more continuity between early philosophical Taoism and later Taoist religion than scholars have thought.

Download or read book Tao written by Alan Watts and published by Pantheon. This book was released on 1977-01-12 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on ancient and modern sources, "a lucid discussion of Taoism and the Chinese language [that's] profound, reflective, and enlightening." —Boston Globe According to Deepak Chopra, "Watts was a spiritual polymatch, the first and possibly greatest." Watts treats the Chinese philosophy of Tao in much the same way as he did Zen Buddhism in his classic The Way of Zen. Critics agree that this last work stands as a perfect monument to the life and literature of Alan Watts. "Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, . . . Watts begins with scholarship and intellect and proceeds with art and eloquence to the frontiers of the spirit."—Los Angeles Times