Taoism can be difficult to understand. When I first decided I wanted to learn more, I read some books about it. I read the Tao Te Ching. I loved it. I thought the poetry of it was so beautiful. But when I tried to put into words what I had learned, I felt like it had been a beautiful soup that I had left on the stove too long. Everything I’d wanted to say about it boiled away, and all I had left was a hodgepodge of words like “the ten thousand things” or “the way,” but I had nothing left to connect them. I had no substance left in the pot to share with others, so they could see the beauty too. I had all evaporated.
That’s why I was happy to find Taoism for Beginners. It has all that substance that I struggled to get my hands on, and so much more. It breaks down the history, the traditions, the beliefs, the rituals in a way that I’ve not seen before.
Taoism for Beginners starts with the big question: What is Taoism? and answers it by going back to the very beginning and showing how it got started and how it grew. Author Elizabeth Reninger explains the language of Taoism and shares alternate spellings and pronunciations of key words. She compares it with Buddhism and Confucianism to help give it context. And she shares Taoism’s uniqueness in its respect for the natural world and insightful understanding of concepts we think of as opposites.
From there, Taoism for Beginners touches on the core concepts like Tao, Ten-Thousand Things, Wu-Wei, Pu, and Chi. These concepts are explained and put into the context of the whole of Taoism, so beginners can start to understand how everything fits together. Then there are the core teachings. Taoism believes in emptiness as a way to be functional (think of a pot); in the 3 treasures of compassion, simplicity and patience; in wisdom; in playfulness, in nature; in cultivating skills like martial arts, healing arts, leadership, or artistic skill.
Moving forward, you learn different approaches to Taoism, such as The Way of Ceremony, The Way of Magic and Power, The Way of Meditation, or the The Way of Free and Easy Wandering. There is a chapter on the myths and misconceptions of Taoism, which helps explain many common misunderstandings about the origin and purpose of Taoism.
There is information on the Taoist schools, from the early days on to present day, and guidance to help you find ways to start practicing Taoism today, in the West, if that’s your goal. And if you make it a full-time practice or not, there are lots of tips for adding some of the simplicity and compassion, the essence of Taoism, to your life through lifestyle and attitude changes. And of course there is a suggested reading list, to you can know immediately where to turn for more information.
Taoism for Beginners is a great resource to get all the information you need on Taoism, whether you’re looking for information or looking for a way into the religion.
A copy of Taoism for Beginners was provided by Rockridge Press through the Callisto Media Publisher’s Club, with many thanks.
