secularfuture

It's probably best to learn how to meditate without having to rely on too much extra like drugs, music, and so on so that it'll be easier for you to meditate anytime, anywhere, using just what you have - your mind.

Which 5 items would you recommend to a person who wanted to learn more about Taoism, and then put what they learned into practice? Here are the top 5 items that have been recommended to me: Scholar Warrior: An Introduction to the Tao in Everyday Life by Ming-dao Deng The Tao Te Ching trans. by Addiss & Lombardo The Parent's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents by William Martin 365 Tao: Daily Meditations by Ming-dao Deng The Essential Qigong Training Course by Ken Cohen

Here's an easier translation that you may enjoy: http://www.terebess.hu/english/tao/beck.html

I'm not a fan of Stephen Mitchell. He's a good guy, and his work is usually very accessible, but I don't like the way he westernizes Eastern philosophy. I haven't read The Second Book Of The Tao, but if it's anything like his translation of the Tao Te Ching, I'll probably hate it. But to each his/her own. I can be a little nitpicky sometimes.

Do you find the Addiss & Lombardo translation easy to read? What if you can't find a teacher?

Greetings! My name is Tony. My online alias is SecularFuture. When I was a Buddhist I went by MettaFuture. When I was 13, I ruled out the god idea. It didn't make much sense, scientifically or emotionally, so I became an atheist. To add a little color to my atheism, I dabbled in various philosophies. I called myself a Secular Humanist for a few years, and a Theravada Buddhist for about 3 years. Today, I've finally found a philosophy that's compatible with my pantheistic and liberal leanings. Unlike some of the other religions that I experimented with, Taoism doesn't have any hangups about the material world or sexuality, it's not bogged down by a bunch of lists, rules, and terminology, and the purpose of Taoism is very direct and simple - to live in harmony with the Tao (or nature). Thanks for making a forum for us Tao Bums. I look forward to contributing. Tony

Thank yous.

I wrote a little about this in my introductory post: Unlike some of the other religions that I experimented with, Taoism doesn't have any hangups about the material world or sexuality, it's not bogged down by a bunch of lists, rules, and terminology, and one of the primary purposes for Taoist practice is very direct and simple - to live in harmony with the Tao. It presents a very natural way to live.

You're absolutely right. When I was a Theravada Buddhist, there were times when I was so busy with studying the terminology and Pali that I barely had time for practice.

Cool beans. Thank you, Blasto. Thank you everyone.

I didn't know that. In your opinion, do you think Qigong (or Tao Yin) is a good starting point? I've been enjoying it. I especially like the visualizations. Very relaxing.

Thank you for the suggestions. I have a lot of respect for Ming-dao Deng's work. I'll definitely check out this book. Thank you for the suggestion. I've book marked your page and I'll give it a peek. Of the practices listed, I think Nei Tan, Chun Shih, Shing Jeau, Fuh Chi, and Shr Jeah appeal to me most. But, so that I don't get too bogged down in practice, I'm probably going to stick with Qigong for the time being.