Entering the Tao: Master Ni's Teachings on Self-Cultivation

by Hua-Ching Ni

Book Overview

Master Hua-Ching Ni uses straightforward language and personal experiences, as well as traditional stories and teachings of the ancient masters, to impart the wisdom of Taoism, the Integral Way. His... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1570621616
• ISBN13: 9781570621611
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Shambhala
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Guiding with examples

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.

Entering the Tao

Dear Readers, After reading this new publication "Entering the Tao" many times, I realized the treasure of this book is the easy to read "hands-on" approach to entering the Tao in modern times. It is basic guidance to follow written in simple terms. There is no big mystery or special requirements. You just live a simple life and to do so we need to exclude a few things and remember a few basic things we may have forgotten. The beauty and joy of reading this book over and over is that it brings great peace. When I was in the middle of a crisis situation, it helped me to find some momentary joy and to see the learning and growth in it. Following the guidance helped me to remove most of the anxiety, pressure, and feeling of hopelessness. In my opinion the book will bring any reader to the realization that these experiences are in fact external and should be treated that way. At first I thought my experience was unique and that I had no way out (in more than one way -- out of the situation or out of the pain it caused). All that changed after reading this book! When you enter the Tao, there IS great peace. What a great stress reliever! Doing the practices you will find in other books by Hua Ching Ni, which are extremely helpful, but to get the right mindset we need to change our normal negative way of thinking and viewing ourselves and the world. Entering the Tao teaches us how to go about this. I highly recommend this book as one of the treasures shared by Ni and after reading this book you may want to read many more of his publications. It is a great starter book!

Practical book written by a wise old men

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.

Better living through Taoism

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!

Really good.

This book is written differently than most Taoist books I've read. It reads in a somewhat disjointed manner, with the subjects jumping from place to place, from many different sources. However, the wisdom contained in this book is SO worth it. The author, a Taoist master, knows what he's talking about, and speaks of the Tao through his own experiences, among other ways of expressing this advice. This book is a great insight into the practical application of Taoism into everyday life, and I would recommend it to practicing Taoists and others alike. :)