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The Tao Te Ching is a short text of around 5,000 Chinese characters in 81 brief chapters. There are so many translations I made myself dizzy trying to figure out which one to read.
Alan Watts’s works were first introduced to me in high school. I still have some of his tapes and a much worn out copy of the Watercourse Way.
I kept in my purse a small book of Stephen Mitchell's translation. At my bedside I had Arthur Waley's "The Way and It's Power".
At www.home.pages.at/onkellotus there are complete translations in several languages by many translators.
Ken Cohen's Book "Taoism - The Way and its Power" reveals Lao Tzu's vast spiritual legacy, including Taoism's mystical roots in China's ancient shamanistic tradition. It provides suggestions for ethical living, inner silence, and simplicity and offers meditation for awareness. There are teachings on diet, poetry, feng-shui, dream, yoga and prayers and rituals.
For daoist Mysticism see http://www.daoistmagic.com. Dr. Jerry Alan Johnson, Ph.D, D.T.C.M. has some incredible in depth publications on Daoist Mysticism and Medical Qigong. I would prefer to think of hummingbirds, rainbows and flowers and don’t usually want to look at darkness. My awareness changed with the presentation of his book Daoist Exorcism: Encounters With Sorcerers, Ghosts, Spirits and Demons. Dr. Johnsons books are for serious readers only.
Other books on the Tao I have enjoyed are Diane Dreher's "The Tao of Peace" and Osho's "The Pathless Path."
Wayne Dyer's newest book "Change your life-change your thoughts" is on my bookshelf in the 'to read one day' section. (Update: I gave it away to my neighbor.)
I love to learn and do like to be informed. However, to read all of the millions of books on and translations of the Tao is unrealistic.
I demystified it all and made life very simple. I gave away most books and tapes. I try not to carry a purse anymore.
At my bedside is now a single live rose.
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| from under the plum tree |
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| interactive guide to the work of Alan Watts |
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