In the pages of this riveting book, The Barefoot Doctor charts his 25 years of training with some of the most inspiring and innovative teachers and gurus of their generation. You’ll meet a man who could drive with his eyes closed, the yogi who actually emitted light when meditating, the Tai Chi teacher who could throw people across the room with one finger, and luminaries such as R. D. Laing and Ram Dass. In addition, you’ll encounter colorful characters like Geronimo’s grandson and Psycho Dan, who’s on the lam for tearing off a man’s ears with his bare hands! Recounting a journey that takes him from urban London to the back alleys of Hong Kong, to the mystical mountains of New Mexico and back again, The Barefoot Doctor achieves something unique: he tells ripping yarns about real-life spiritual leaders that also succeed in passing on the essence of their teachings. As well as being hugely entertained, you’ll come away inspired to start living by your own intuition so you can create an incredible life for yourself.

Few in the self-development world have a story to tell like this. Barefoot Doctor is known for his colourful life and vibrant way of sharing his knowledge. His metaphysical awakening happened at six and he was already healing people at 11. He lived with Native Americans for four years and has been nurtured by a succession of teachers, including such legendary figures as RD Laing, Al Huang, Ram Dass and Gregory Bateson. Written in the tradition of Gurdjieff_s Meetings With Remarkable Men, Barefoot_s own story takes you back to a time when the world of spirituality and self-development were still more of the realm of magic than marketing, and offers intimate insights into the minds of some of the greatest healers and teachers the world has ever known, leaving the reader feeling inspired to follow their own adventure of discovery.

Containing sixty translations from a large variety of texts, this is an accessible yet thorough introduction to the major concepts, doctrines, and practices of Taoism. It presents the philosophy, rituals, and health techniques of the ancients as well as the practices and ideas of Taoists today. Divided into four sections, it follows the Taoist Path: The Tao, Long Life, Eternal Vision, and Immortality. It shows how the world of the Tao is perceived from within the tradition, what fervent Taoists did, and how practitioners saw their path and goals. The Taoist Experience is unique in that it presents the whole of Taoist tradition in the very words of its active practitioners. It conveys not only a sense of the depth of the Taoist religious experience but also of the underlying unity of the various schools and strands.

Mystical writings and folk stories based on Taoist thought and experience.

Ancient practices for modern lives—the perfect taste of Taoism Begin your journey of spiritual exploration and deepen your connection to the earth. Taoism for Beginners is your easy-to-understand guide to a rich, spiritual tradition that originated in ancient China and offers a new holistic perspective. Discover the core principles and traditions of Taoism with straightforward language and simple exercises you can do anywhere. Adopting aspects of Taoism into your everyday life can bring you into peace and harmony with yourself and the world around you—a practice that's more vital than ever in our busy modern-day lives. Taoism for Beginners helps you: Feel better and feel more—Build your own Taoist practice that can help you relax, de-stress, and feel more at ease in your life. Learn history and tradition—Meet Taoism's founder, Lao Tzu, and learn the basic history of Taoism practice for the past 2500 years. This book and beyond—Deepen your practice (if you wish) with included resources for further reading and study. Explore the depth and breadth of Taoism in a clear format that you can apply to everything you do.

A beautifully clear and accessible explanation of how to live a Taoist life—with an overview of Taoist philosophy—by a renowned Taoist master Taoism isn’t a spiritual extracurricular activity, it’s an integral practice for living all of life to the fullest. Taoist living rests on four pillars—the public, the domestic, the private, and the spirit lives. Not only do Taoists strive to live these four aspects fully and in a balanced way, they also believe there is an outlook and an art to each of them. Here, modern Taoist adept Eva Wong is your guide to living well according to the wisdom of this ancient system. Drawing from ancient Taoist texts, she explains in simple terms the Taoist masters’ approach to the four aspects of life, asking readers to reflect on the balance of their own lives and demonstrating how that balance is the secret infusing your life with health, harmony, and deep satisfaction. ​

"The Tao that can be spoken of is not the real Way," reads a famous line from the Tao-te-ching. But although the Tao cannot be described by words, words can allow us to catch a fleeting glimpse of that mysterious energy of the universe which is the source of life. The readings in this book are a beginner's entrée into the vast treasury of writings from the sacred Chinese tradition, consisting of original translations of excerpts from the Taoist canon. Brief introductions and notes on the translation accompany the selections from the classics; books of devotional and mystical Taoism; texts of internal alchemy; stories of Taoist immortals, magicians, and sorcerers; ethical tracts; chants and rituals; and teachings on meditation and methods of longevity.

"…an amazing tale, told in a fast-paced and entertaining style." --Publishers Weekly This authorized biography of contemporary Taoist master Wang Liping (1949-), an 18th generation transmitter of Dragon Gate Taoism, tells the true story of his apprenticeship in Taoist wizardry, as well as the specialized body of knowledge, mystical wisdom and ritualized practice accumulated and refined over eleven centuries. The book opens with a seemingly chance encounter with three Taoist elders that changed Wang's life forever when he was a young boy. What follows is a philosophical quest in a coming-of-age tale like no other, playing out in mountainside temples and remote reaches of China. Wang's story parallels that of the Dalai Lama, as--like Tibetan Buddhists--Dragon Gate Taoists identify, raise and train specially chosen youngsters to become the holders, guardians and transmitters of their ancient, esoteric spiritual wisdom. While few of us will become spiritual gurus like Wang, his story speaks clearly and concisely to modern readers who are on their own "chosen paths," seeking their own forms of self-cultivation, enlightenment, wisdom and a life of greater harmony and truth.

This compact collection of Taoism's greatest masterpieces introduces its most fundamental teachings and reveals the essential spirit of Tao. From the time of its earliest sages in prehistoric China, Taoists have looked to the underlying Way of all things (the Tao) as the essential guide to life. For them, the patterns of nature revealed the answers to their deepest spiritual questions and provided the inspiration for their unique teachings. Over the centuries, Taoism has blossomed into a profound tradition with a variety of forms—all united by a single, core philosophy of radical simplicity and natural living. Today, Taoism is most widely known through the Tao-te Ching, yet its corpus of literature is vast—ranging from philosophical dialogues and essays to astonishing fables, legends, proverbs, and more. This compact collection of Taoism’s greatest masterpieces introduces its most fundamental teachings and reveals the essential spirit of Tao. This book was previously published under the title The Taoism Reader. This volume includes: Tao-te Ching: The foundational source of Taoist thought by the legendary Lao Tzu Chuang-tzu: Philosophical dialogues from one of Taoism's most famous sages Huai-nan-tzu: Teachings from the time of the Han dynasty on affairs of state, natural science, and Taoist psychology Wen-tzu: Records of further sayings by Lao Tzu on the art of living Tales of Inner Meaning: Fables, stories, and jokes from the Lieh-tzu and others on the subtleties of Taoist philosophy Sayings of Ancestor Lu: Teachings from Lu Yen, a seminal figure in the founding of the Complete Reality school of Taoism and master synthesizer of China's classic spiritual traditions This book is part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series. The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.