9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Guiding with examples, November 14, 2002
This review is from: Entering the Tao: Master Ni's Guidance for Self-Cultivation (Paperback)
The selections in this book are independent from each other: some are stories, some are explanations, some are instruction. Most are less than a page long. This is not a guidebook in a conventional sense. The selections do not function as chapters, aphorisms or platitudes. Instead, they are meant to 'convey', in the same sense that each stanza of the Tao Te Ching conveys.
I find this style enjoyable and useful for two reasons.
First, it allows the reader to pick up the book on any page, read a topic, and reflect on it - just as one would with the Tao Te Ching.
Second, the shortness of each section tends to prevent a reader from focusing too intently on words and concepts, rather than embodying in themselves what has been conveyed by a particular selection.
It is appropriate that a guide like this is not "in-depth" in a cognitive sense. As the author says, "The Tao is really simple; it is people who make it complicated. They must awaken from the complications they have created for themselves and dare to live a plain and truthful natural life."
Kudos go to the editor, too, for her choice of excerpts and the layout.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Practical book written by a wise old men, April 18, 2000
This review is from: Entering the Tao: Master Ni's Guidance for Self-Cultivation (Paperback)
These book is based on real experiences of a taoist master. It is simple and easy to read. The author uses stories to demonstrate the tao and tells his own experiences that he was gone trough. At the end of the book, there are also some taoist meditation excercises. I believe all readers can benefit from them since they improve health and ensure longevity.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better living through Taoism, January 30, 2000
This review is from: Entering the Tao: Master Ni's Guidance for Self-Cultivation (Paperback)
Hua-Ching Ni is a practicing Taoist and a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine of long standing. This title is a sampler of the many books he has written on the Taoist tradition in English. The contents are well-chosen and offer a delightful and inspiring selection of readings on how this ancient wisdom applies to everyday life. This is not a book of flowery language or abstract metaphysics, but is, rather, a primer on how to improve one's life. It reads easily in nice, bite-size morsels. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!
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