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The Western Tao

For years, I have sought to understand life and find a way that I personally could embrace. Like many of my generation, I was raised in and rejected organized religion. I actively explored alternate philosophies and religions. The Chinese philosophy of Taoism comes the closest to striking a chord in my heart and soul. However, much of it was beyond my intellectual and cultural grasp. Being of the West, I found it hard to assimilate Eastern thought and practice. But I did not wish to discard the basic tenants of Tao as I felt they held a core of Truth. Thus I sought a way to interpret, infuse and amalgamate Eastern Taoism into a Western Way or Tao. What follows is a result of this endeavor.

Table of Contents

• Part One: An Introduction
  • A. Taoism
  • B. Western Taoism
  • C. The Taoist Canon
• Part Two - Basic Beliefs
  • A. Tao as the Ultimate Reality
  • B. Not-Being
  • C. Harmony and Balance – Yin and Yang
  • D. The Relative Unimportance of All Things
  • E. People and the Way of Nature
  • F. The Three Treasures
  • G. The Golden Flower (T'ai Chin Hua Tsung Chih)
• Part Three - Western Tao Ways
  • A. The Jiao-Ritual And Celebrations
  • B. Diet
  • C. Martial Arts -Tai Chi Chuan, Pa Qua, Hung Jong Kuen
  • D. Chi Kung -Meditation
  • E. The Arts
  • F. Feng Shui
  • G. Some Last Words
• Part Four - The Way Of The Western Seeker
  • A. Introduction
  • B. Tao
  • C. Yin/Yang
  • D. Action/Non-Action
  • E. Silence and Meditation
  • F. Centering
  • G. Martial Arts
  • H. The Seeker's Way
  • I. Sagehood
  • J. Some Suggested Reading

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