What is the best book on Taoist Meditation?
Filed Under (Religion & Spirituality) by admin on 21-03-2010
Tim Tim Timothy! asked:
I’ve practiced Meditation for a while, and I’m really interested to learn in detail about Taoist meditation and traditions, since Lao Tse’s words have always rung true to me. I looked around a bit for Taoist meditation books, but none seemed that appealing to me. Does anyone know a good book I could read about the methods and the spiritual insights of Taoism and how they apply in modern life? I am looking for something less theoretical and more practical.
I’ve practiced Meditation for a while, and I’m really interested to learn in detail about Taoist meditation and traditions, since Lao Tse’s words have always rung true to me. I looked around a bit for Taoist meditation books, but none seemed that appealing to me. Does anyone know a good book I could read about the methods and the spiritual insights of Taoism and how they apply in modern life? I am looking for something less theoretical and more practical.
It is our privilege, for you and me to live, from this day, so that our consciences will be void of offence towards God and man; it is in our power to do so, then why don’t we?
What is the matter? I will tell you what the difficulties and troubles are, by relating brother John Young’s dream. He dreamed that he saw the devil with a looking-glass in his hand, and the devil held it to the faces of the people, and it revealed to them everybody’s faults but their own.
The best book I have ever seen on Meditation (both from how advanced it is and how well it ties the philosophical roots together with the real world) happens to also be a Taoist one called Relaxing Into Your Being by a Taoist master named Bruce Frantzis. One of the big points I got from reading the book is that two entirely separate traditions exist within Taoism. The older “water” method which comes directly from the Lineage Lao Tse was part of and the newer “fire” method. The fire method approach of visualizations and forcing the body to conform to your will is more commonly associated with both meditation and Taoism, whereas the rarer water method approach revolves around deeply relaxing into your being to resolve your karma and things beyond that. Nearly all the books you will find on Taoism are on Fire Method approaches, so I’d definitely think you’ll get a lot out of this book, solely on the basis of it connecting to pure Taoism.
Try an author named Mantak Chia.
You might find an interest in Zen – it’s a mix of Taoism and Buddhism, but it will take you in the very same direction. And there’s a very rich history of meditation in Zen.