Taoism ("the Way"), said to have been founded in China in the fourth century B.C., emphasizes oneness with nature. Doin ("Taking the Way") came into being in order to translate Taoist thinking into practical terms for the promotion of physical and mental health. Doin forms the basis for the modem disciplines of T'ai Chi and Qigong, incorporating simple exercises, breathing practice, and the enhancement of ki, or the spirit that pervades not only the individual but the outer world as well.
The Taoist Road to Health first provides an overview of Taoism and Doin, placing each in historical and philosophical perspective. Next comes the heart of the book: thirty exercises for attaining physical and mental well-being. The exercises are basic and easy to put into practice -- each has been carefully selected by the author as eminently suitable for beginners. Masao Hayashima is the foremost practitioner of Doin in Japan, and the founder of a 20,000-member dojo.
For those who prefer not to concentrate exclusively on one aspect of health -- physical or mental -- but would like to find a truly harmonious combination of the two, The Taoist Road to Health may well be the first step toward a new way of life.
