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Immortal Sisters: Secret Teachings of Taoist Women Paperback – November 11, 1996

by
Thomas Cleary (Editor, Translator)
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Thomas Cleary (Editor, Translator)
4.4 out of 5 stars 17 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 120 pages
  • Publisher: North Atlantic Books; Revised edition (November 11, 1996)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1556432224
  • ISBN-13: 978-1556432224
  • Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,310 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsAn ancient guide for woman taoist alchemy
By Dantao on March 24, 1999
Format: Paperback
Cleary again has done an incredible job of translating from the writing of a modern taoist master Cheng Yinling who was the head of the China Taoist Association. Master Cheng's wrote the comentary based on the ancinet text of several woman taoist masters who gave very detail instruction in the image rich langauge of taoist oral tradition. Cleary is able to tease out some of the more unique terminology like the spirit water as salivia. Having read the original Chinese text, I have to say that Cleary did a great translation job once again.
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5.0 out of 5 starsA Treasure for Female Taoist Alchemists
By Laura De Giorgio on October 29, 2004
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Immortal Sisters presents life stories and teachings of distinguished female Taoist adepts who lived from the third up to the twelfth century.

Through poems, stories, teachings and commentaries, Immortal Sisters sheds light on the spiritual methods taught and practiced by these women.

The book is about Taoist Alchemy and it uses the symbolism from the Taoist Alchemy. As such, it would appeal the most to female practitioners of Taoist Alchemy.

The poems themselves contain instructions for practice, but even with the commentaries included, but again, they will make most sense only to the practitioner of Taoist Alchemy.
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5.0 out of 5 starsRarer than one bird singing, more beautiful than its song
By Lisbeth West on December 10, 2002
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
The poetry of Sappho has been read as THE example of women from ancient times, but this text shows us that the rarest of the jewels come from the Eastern civilization. These works are like a Chinese brush painter's stroke; from the heart of the spirit to the characters on the page. Each stroke reads as if it is found in a great brushpainter's' tradition of "having the bamboo completed in your chest" -- or seeing with one's inner eye and then simply writing what one sees.

What an exceptional find for students of daoism who are interested in learning the true beauty and wonderful myth of the Taoist Immortals and their jouneys! The Immortals include women but seldom do we get the chance to learn of them -- or in this case -- read their actual "bamboos of the chest."

Yes, Cleary follows his tradition of translating rare and visionary material, but since I have yet to master the language, I cannot say how true his translations are to the original words. This poetry is as simple as a final brushstroke in the holy spot on a sheet of rice paper. But these interpretations are filtered by what men perceive in these women's writing, and how their lives shape this text.

I wait to hear the translations from wonderful contemporary daoist women like we find in the mastery of Eva Wong. Clearly, the author notes that few works were written for both women and men. These ancient women were clear that much of the poetry was written for women only.

Do not hesitate to purchase a copy of this amazing gift to the world of beauty. Each page is fresh with new readings and is a staple of my bedside library. The works shape meaning into paths I follow and into the nature I seek as I live in solitude on the side of a mountain.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsA truly wonderful and inspiring book!
By Timothy R. O'Hanlon on October 22, 2014
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
This book is not only about remarkable women but also about Taoism and it dovetailed perfectly with the books that I have been reading about Feng-shui (the ancient "science", not the modern "art"), which is an application of the same basic principles practiced by the "Immortal Sisters" in this excellent book .

For one who has "eyes to see" this book contains a great deal of wisdom pertaining to what is still, to a large extent, secret or at least purposely distorted or obscured,Taoist teachings. The ancient Taoist Masters, including the ladies mentioned in this book, are spiritual adepts and powerful alchemists and magicians. The esoteric knowledge they possess could be used by less enlightened and more aggressive individuals to hurt and destroy or as the "Immortal Sisters" are using it, to heal and enliven. I speak of these women as if they are still alive because I believe that they most certainly are!

Here's one of many inspiring passages pertaining to the "Immortal Sisters" from the book:

"Those who have now attained spiritual immortality but cannot as yet live in heaven number in the thousands. They are all in various places on earth accumulating virtue, carrying out practical undertakings so that they may eventually make the ascent.

Some of them take care of rivers and lakes, some of them manage the hidden government, some are in charge of mountains. The work to benefit ten thousand generations, to rid the earth of what is harmful, to heal the sick and eliminate problems, acting mercifully toward the troubled and uplifting the fallen, rescuing the weak and helpless...." (Introduction XIII)

If that doesn't move you to buy and read this wonderful book, I don't know what would!
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3.0 out of 5 starsInteresting practices, readable translation
By wiredweird HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWER on January 7, 2014
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
As always, Cleary has produced a very readable English form of these Chinese classics. These selections show the importance of women in Taoist practice - a notable contrast to their position in the Confucian hierarchy. Although these parts of Taoism treat men and women as equals, the text also emphasizes their differing roles and practices, a seeming contradiction that I would like to understand better.

Although I came to this book predisposed to like it, I came away less informed than I hoped. That does not seem to be a problem in Cleary's translation, but central to the esoteric subjects of the originals. Given the arcane practices themselves, plus some tradition of deliberately obscuring the inner teachings, I never developed a solid understanding of what the Immortals meant to convey.

-- wiredweird
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsGreat writing, insightful thinking, but not exactly feminist

As a few other reviewers have already noted, you kind of need to have some previous understanding of the concepts of Taoist alchemy to make sense of the material in this book. Read more

Published 3 months ago by An File Dubh
5.0 out of 5 starsStaggering material, exquisitely assembled and annotated. Essential...

Staggering material, exquisitely assembled and annotated. Essential reading for advanced students of the meditative arts, doubly essential for women.

Published 13 months ago by Gavin G. Dillard
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat read

Very enjoyable read!

Published 21 months ago by RWalls
2.0 out of 5 starsinscrutable for the uninitiated

intrigued by the subject, I thought I could make some sense out of this. However, it was truly incomprehensible to me as someone untrained in these arts.

Published 22 months ago by jamaicagirl
5.0 out of 5 starsWonderful book

This will be added to my collection of Taoist literature, to be read over and over. A beautiful compilation of poems and essays by Taoist women adepts that give the reader much to... Read more

Published 23 months ago by Kathryn Kellman
5.0 out of 5 starsbeautiful ancient poetry with commentary

this book is full of much beautiful & profound ancient poetry written centurys ago.
it is complete with commentary & have enjoyed it very much. Read more

Published on April 4, 2014 by S. Mccormack
2.0 out of 5 starsimmortal sisters book

did not like this paperback book - it was just not to my liking- maybe at one time the teachings were considered great but not in this day and age.

Published on January 7, 2014 by Beverly Hogue
5.0 out of 5 starsLike this book.

The first and final chapters of this book are best. the final chapter especially is an interesting perspective from a modern female master. Read more

Published on December 18, 2013 by polymerman
3.0 out of 5 starsPleasant read

I enjoy and respect Thomas Cleary's poetry translations and I appreciated the commentary by Chen Yingming. Read more

Published on July 27, 2013 by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsBook

Excellent account of times past with mindset of timeless vision, well presented analogy for new readers of ancient works of poetry

Published on May 2, 2013 by kendo

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