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I like the quote, but the cynic in me immediately had to look it up. I think the quote above is incorrect after the second sentence. The quote seems to be:

> A human being is a part of the whole, called by us "Universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. The striving to free oneself from this delusion is the one issue of true religion. Not to nourish it but to try to overcome it is the way to reach the attainable measure of peace of mind.

Source: Wiki and this photograph of the letter.

Almost everyone in this thread could do with checking out Eva Wong's Taoism an Essential Guide. It is a history book on Taoism by a practitioner that gives an overview of all the various things that can be described as Taoist. Much of the western popular knowledge on Taoism comes from purely intellectualized readings of the Tao Te Jing without any of the elements of even the basic refinement practices, because when the west first came into heavy contact with China, Taoism was looked down upon by the ruling Manchu people and the translators were mostly christian missionaries.

https://www.amazon.com/Taoism-Essential-Guide-Eva-Wong-ebook/dp/B00ATMWJZ8

The word 無 (Chinese wu; Japanese mu) simply means "not have", "without"; "there is not", "not exist"; "no". etc. It is the opposite of 有 (Chinese you) "to have"; "there is"; "exist".

People who do not speak Chinese or Japanese sometimes think it has a more subtle meaning (eg. yes and no; neither yes nor no; etc) because of the Zen koan "Joshu's Dog" from the Mumonkan (popularised by Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance).

趙州和尚因僧問狗子還有佛性也無州云無

When a monk asked Joshu "Does a dog also have buddha-nature, or not?", Joshu said: "It does not"

If you look at the original text, it is quite straightforward. The monk uses the verbs 有 "to have" and 無 "to not have". Joshu simply repeats the word 無 "to not have" (Jap. mu), which is the Chinese way of saying "it does not" or even "no" in such a situation.

What's the point of the story? At first glance it contradicts the Zen (or rather Mahayana Buddhist) teaching that all sentient beings have buddha-nature. We are supposed to wonder why Joshu would say this. In the commentary, the author talks a lot about the special significance of this mu. He says it is the gate of enlightenment. He also says one should not understand it here in the common sense of "not exist". Finally, he warns the reader not to think in terms of 有無 (have and not-have; exist and not exist; yes and no) when it comes to the question 'does a dog have buddha-nature?'. [Edit: So the "no" in "neither yes nor no" is actually mu in its usual sense.]

So that is where this "neither yes nor no" comes from. That's not the ordinary meaning of the word, nor is it the literal meaning of word as it is used in the koan. It's a special meaning which the word has in this koan in addition to its literal meaning.

Edit: missed a few essential words in Chinese text, fixed!

I think a lot of people with this question don't realize how much action they take to stop themselves from doing what they want. It's important to face your fears and feel pain rather than hide from it.

It's not wu wei, it's wei wu wei - action without acting. The harmonious flow is spontaneous and energetic, not repressed and lethargic. Human beings are naturally full of energy and movement, but a lot of people start restricting themselves out of fear.

Have you ever read The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle? That book helped me a lot when I was struggling with these concepts.

Anyone have thoughts on the best way to discuss? Do you prefer a private or public discussion? If I posted something like "[Tao Te Ching Book Club]: Chapter 1 Discussion" on r/taoism and tagged all of you that would like to join, would that work for everyone? The discussion would still be up for others to join that way, or we could find something more private for just our group, like a private subreddit, email, Facebook group, etc.

Also, is daily discussion too much, or would once a week be better?

Some form of meditation practice can help you better. Of course, the other Internet favorite, touch grass, also helps a lot.

If you need something simple, a practice with a mantra helps stop discursive thought and free up your mind a bit. Please remember it's 'meditation practice'; the benefits only come with repeated practice. Another popular form is mindfulness meditation, and there are many free apps that teach both kinds.

Once you're comfortable with a medtiation practice, you can upgrade to a more specific Daoist form: https://www.amazon.com/Daoist-Meditation-Purification-Discourse-Forgetting/dp/1848192118/ref=sr\_1\_1?dchild=1&keywords=daoist+meditation&qid=1625596827&sr=8-1

Hands down the best book available in English is Wu Jyh Cherng's Daoist Meditation, which includes introductions to and translations of 心斋法 Xinzhaifa or Methods for Fasting the Heart and 坐忘論 Zuowanglun or Treatise on Sitting in Forgetfulness/Oblivion, along with commentary. It also includes photographs on how to sit in different postures depending on your needs (not all of us are as limber as the other), etc. The price has gone up a bit, but there are also free ebook versions available online.

https://www.amazon.com/Daoist-Meditation-Purification-Discourse-Forgetting-ebook/dp/B00J2EA0NW/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=daoist+meditation&qid=1627277165&s=books&sr=1-3

You should read it. Its a very enlightening read. The Art of War talks about giving and taking equally. You never force the issue in war. You retreat in order to strike elsewhere. This give and take balance allows you to flow with the tide of war. Limiting your loses when the tide is against you, maximizing your progression when the tide is with you. Let the others confidence and force flow in and be redirected to your advantage.

First of all, it's fortunate that Daoism never taught going with the flow, because that would be disastrous for an addict!

There's actually a Daoist podcast on addiction. It's specifically about alcohol addiction, but it applies to other kinds. It's called "The Tao of Our Understanding." I recommend you try that.

https://castbox.fm/va/1458724

Dao De Jing in Clear English:... https://www.amazon.com/dp/173206380X?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I just bought this one. It has pinyin, and the Chinese characters, a transliteration, and a more natural English translation. I really like it!

I wouldn't say that The Art of War is a handbook for sociopaths. Perhaps I have a naturally more pacifistic takeaway from it, but I feel Sun Tzu really emphasized that the only true victory in war is achieving a state where conflict is unnecessary. Everything else struck me as being about minimizing loss of life. The greatest evil is a poor leader losing the lives of soldiers due to incompetence and/or ego.

I also consider the rules and concepts of Go, where the goal is not to occupy the largest territory, but to defend a large, open territory. An army exists to defend its people.

This an area that I am not overly familiar with, but one text I am aware of that was apparently of huge importance to Daoism and Chinese medicine in general is the Huangdi Neijing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huangdi_Neijing

A further study and I believe translation here:

https://www.scribd.com/doc/235167983/Komjathy-Yellow-Thearch-s-Basic-Questions

Daoist Meditation: The Purification of the Heart Method of Meditation and Discourse on Sitting and Forgetting by Wu Jyh Cherng is from authentic Daoist literature and practice:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1848192118/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_HN7C9QFQ9YHEZW7R7XJY

Louis Komjathy's Taming the Wild Horse: An Annotated Translation and Study of the Daoist Horse Taming Pictures is the Daoist answer to the Zen Oxherding pictures and Tibetan Buddhist elephant taming pictures, all analogies for training the mind:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0231181272/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_RC5Y1EERZ4S36GTA6HNK

Sun Tzu was heavily influenced by Daoism in his writing of The Art of War, which remains an influential document to this day. Sun Tzu himself was a famous general, likely serving under King Helu of Wu.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Tzu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Hel%C3%BC_of_Wu

The Legacy section on Sun Tzu's page lists a few further examples.

https://www.docdroid.net/FR0ULry/stairway.pdf.html

I generated one with the lyrics to Stairway to Heaven. It's much harder to follow but looks pretty cool. I'm sure this somehow relates to Taoism lol

"I understand Lao Tzu's principals, but my ego is blocking me I think."

Ok, the I and the me are your ego. (That's literally what 'ego' means: I.) So you cannot be blocked by you. Your awareness isn't the obstacle. Any other 'meaning' of ego you think of (e.g., repressed ideas, shadow self, etc.) is from 20th-century psychology or New Age ideas and are conceptual blocks; just drop those. You just have to follow the practice of listening. (It helps a lot if you have a teacher in the beginning, but those are in short supply in the Anglosphere.)

I'd recommend you consult Daoist Meditation by Wu Jyh Cherng: https://www.amazon.com/Daoist-Meditation-Purification-Discourse-Forgetting/dp/1848192118/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=daoist+meditation&qid=1623731471&sr=8-3

You should read Bill Porter's book Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese Hermits.

https://www.amazon.com/Road-Heaven-Encounters-Chinese-Hermits/dp/1582435235

Most are members of a Buddhist or Daoist lineage that help support them. They also usually have some land they use for growing vegetables. They will go down and buy supplies from a village, too. Most 'hermits' live in networks where they support each other.

I just started a book called "Early Daoist Dietary Practices" by Shawn Arthur. It seems great so far! He covers bigu and other food rules in there. It even has some recipes from a 5th or 6th century Daoist text. https://www.amazon.com/dp/073917892X/ref=cm\_sw\_em\_r\_mt\_dp\_93X6B686BP8ND22RNNVX

The “Look Inside” option at Amazon will show you a number of Chapters / Drawings: https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Graphic-Novel/dp/1611803284/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WZX2JJZ0B6TP&keywords=tao+te+ching+graphic+novel&qid=1561864185&s=gateway&sprefix=Tao+Te+Ching+gra%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-1

Also, I recommend the book The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. It gives a lot of examples of how you can meditate throughout the day. For example, drinking tea, or while washing the dishes, or while walking in the forest. By doing so you can technically spend an entire day in a state of meditation.

If I'm not mistaken, the introduction to Thomas Cleary's translation specifically talks about the Taoist influences on The Art of War. You might want to check that version out. Bonus: the Kindle edition is < $4.

For getting schoolwork done, I would actually recommend Sun Tzu's Art of War. There is also a contemporary version called The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield.

Oh yeah Wu Wei...hmm...be spontaneous and natural. Slingerland says very succinctly that when one actively engages in wu wei, they aren't really in a wu wei state. Think of a really good improv actor. They aren't thinking too hard, just responding naturally to the situation. When they are successful, the crowd cheers because we all know it when we see it.

The most basic argument would be that Taoism is concerned with being and not being, control with out pressure, achieving without doing and so on. Sun Tzu, however, talks of warfare as a direct action to achieve a permanent end, ie winning. You could argue that he says the greatest battle is the one not fought, but he still means to capture the enemy, take his land and so on. In personal reflection, Sun Tzu says 'Thus the leader of armies is the arbiter of people's fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation be in peace or at peril'. The Tao Te Ching, on the other hand, says 'If you overesteem great men, people become powerless. If you overvalue possessions, people begin to steal' (oversimplified translation, but you get the point). The core values are seperate in this regard - the Tao does not encourage aggressive action to secure material gains, The Art of War does.

source

You're better off just getting the wikipedia definition. Left hand vs right hand paths mean different things depending on the context (tantra, magic/occult, etc) and then among that, different things to different people.

The wikipedia article does a good overview, but the quick summary is that Right hand is traditional, group based, often more prayer based. Left hand is often individualistic, norm-breaking, often more magic and spiritual technique based. Some consider all left hand "evil" or "Self seeking" or just noncompassionate, while the right is considered more compassion based.

Related to daoism, I've heard someone suggest Darth Vader as an extreme fictional example of a Left Hand Path Daoist, but as you might imagine, that's got a lot of biases encoded in the comparison.

Here's where this is cited from:

https://www.scribd.com/doc/126649288/Louise-Komjathy-Handbooks-for-Daoist-Practise-Introduction

>"There must have been religious communities! What do you mean 'evidence'? "

His evidence is the fact that the early Daoist texts are anthologies of earlier oral teachings, hence teachings that were passed orally within communities of people who had similar concerns of knowing or "entering" the Dao. Further evidenced of this reality can be seen by reading the "Neiyeh" or "Inward Training" portion of the Guanzi.

First, I have read a bit, but I wouldn't say I'm "knowledgeable," but thanks! ;-) Yes, I have some recommendations. It's not easy work, mostly because there are poor or misleading works. I have written up a long post (that I have re-posted several times) that I'll go dig up and share with you. Off the top of my head, the best stand-alone Daodejing, without commentary or any scholarly apparatus, is here https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Hackett-Classics/dp/0872202321

I'll be back later. ;-)

Thank you so much for your reply. Do you mean Richard Wilhelm or Hellmut Wilhelm, or both?

I found this online: http://www2.unipr.it/~deyoung/I_Ching_Wilhelm_Translation.html

And I found this on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ching-Book-Changes-Bollingen-General/dp/069109750X/ref=mt_hardcover?_encoding=UTF8&amp;me=

I know I am being picky, but I would like a book copy. Don't get me wrong, that online version would be a valuable resource, but having a book allows me to highlight and write notes in the margins.

The difference is not semantic.

Mandarin and Cantonese are very different languages from either English or Classical Chinese. If anything, fluency in modern Chinese could be as much of a hindrance as a help, since cognates and words/characters whose meaning has shifted to entirely different senses can lead a translator astray.

Fluency in modern American English would help a translator of Beowulf into Chinese very little. Fluency in Mandarin, maybe a bit more but not a lot more.

The only important skills in such a translation are knowledge of Classical Chinese and of modern English. Knowledge of classical Chinese philosophy and poetry, and familiarity with meditation techniques, probably are much more useful.

All that said, there are some translations that might meet your criteria. D.C. Lau's was the main translation out there for many years but it was before the new manuscripts were found, and isn't highly regarded in general.

The translation by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English also predates the recent finds but is generally better regarded as a translation.

Last summer, someone named Lei Li published a &quot;Tao Te Ching&quot; that presumably uses the new finds. Not sure why it isn't "Daodejing" and I haven't heard anything about this edition, just found it on Amazon.

I like the romanticism, wit and the dealing with a Christian background of Alan Watts and this is his first all encompassing book which I find pretty accessible (save what words can say about this, which he acknowledges (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307741206/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GZjjFbY3JQX1Z). Love those other suggestions too, you'll find something that speaks to you!

You make really good points. I feel perhaps this ties directly in with /u/3pines' idea that those with and in pursuit of power would "distort" the concepts of the Tao to further their agenda.

My takeaway from The Art of War is still heavily leaning towards honor in conflict and mastery of the fundamentals of managing supplies, morale, and delegation of tasks. Art of War and Book of Five Rings both had a profound impact on me and my personal style of management (a very small team of employees in a very small restaurant in a very small town)- which relies almost entirely on being a source of mitigating stress and providing tools and training to anyone who asks - so I appreciate hearing other perspectives on the same works. It helps open my eyes to more viewpoints than my initial reaction.

I was in your exact position earlier this year. I mainly practice Theravada and I believe it was what they refer to as the dukkha nanas, aka dark night of the soul. This seems to be a totally natural and common occurrence after an opening/awakening/insight.

Do you have a consistent meditation practice at the moment? It feels like the most pointless thing when you're in this state but it's extremely important right now. You need to push through all the unpleasantness in order to develop equanimity.

Try to simplify your life as much as possible. I had to greatly reduce outside influences in order to push through. No news, no TV, I quit my job to go freelance, just reduced all the unnecessary stress so I could focus on the contemplative work.

A book that really helped and inspired me at that time was Daniel Ingram's Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha. It's not Taoism or Zen but it is extremely practical and does a good job of exposing the bullshit of some spiritual thought while not sugarcoating everything.

If you'd like to talk on a more personal level please PM me!

Here's something from The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius:

"....The Wise Man must also consider what it is to die, and that if a man shall consider it by itself alone, dying, and separate from it in his mind all the trappings and fear which usually represent themselves with it; he can concieve of it no other way than as a work of nature, and he that fears any work of nature is like a small child in his infancy."

The language is a bit abrasive and not exactly comforting, but the message is clear, and in my mind, very Taoist; although the Emperor had likely never heard the term. Death is the final step in the life of all existent things. Even inanimate objects eventually dissolve away and experience a "death" of sorts. Everything must fulfill the Process of Return so that the cycle may begin anew, it is a Sacred Thing. I am sorry for your loss, but the Part has returned to the Whole. Death is easier for the deceased, it is those left behind who truly suffer. Keep his memory close to your heart, and in time the pain will fade, but your love for him never will.

The Power Of Now was incredible for me, it was just so easy to understand. It is also extremely Taoist in many parts. Being 'Now', knowing you are the totality of that 'Now', even the letting go of "painbody" responses is similar to Teh(Virtue). The Power of Tao! :P

What is the fastest speed? Already being there.

My impression of The Art of War is that speed of transport and communication are paramount in any confrontation. The art of war is being able to act in such a way as to make the other react. Aiming to neutralize, redirect or deflect force rather than meeting head on. This requires a profound understanding of the other.

In my Taiji Push Hands practice, I'm learning about the concept of "sticking" where one is in constant contact with the other. In this context, someone who has a very strong punch can be preemptively neutralized―before a punch can even be thrown―simply by the other person resting their body weight on the would-be puncher's forearms and elbows. This is softness tempering the hard. You don't need to intercept a punch that never gets thrown.

On the other hand, if both people are not hostile, push hands becomes an exercise in understanding and exploration of the other person's intentions and values.

I found The Tao of Pooh disappointing. A better introduction might be the Tao Te Ching or The Art of War. The Art of War was my first exposure to Taoism and I found this translation especially illuminating.

As far as your question goes: The Tao is what you make of it, even if you make of it the wrong thing. That is to say, the Tao is empty and will hold whatever you fill it with.

I know that answer probably doesn't make much sense to the uninitiated. Perhaps if you ask a different question.

I think that DeepL is much better than Google translator. Nevertheless the DeepL-version sounds very strange as well:

>The upper virtue is virtuous without virtue; the lower virtue is virtuous without loss of virtue. The superior virtue is not acted upon; the inferior virtue is acted upon. If the superior benevolence is benevolent, it is not acted upon; if the superior righteousness is acted upon, it is acted upon. If you do not respond to the rituals of the above-mentioned, then you will be able to throw your arms around them. If one loses virtue, then virtue will be followed by benevolence; if one loses virtue, then benevolence will be followed by righteousness; if one loses righteousness, then ritual will be followed by ritual. The ritual is the thinness of loyalty and trust, and the first of chaos. The former knowledge is the flower of Tao, and the beginning of foolishness. Therefore, a great man is in the thick of it, not in the thin of it; he is in the fact of it, not in the splendor of it. Therefore, one should go to the other side and take this.
>
>Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

One problem is that the Chinese language has changed a lot since Daodejing was written. Although the characters are still the same, their use is not the same anymore.

However, translators are programmed to translate from contemporary Chinese. But they sometimes have difficulties with this as well. The reason is that the structure of Chinese is very different from English. For Example: while in English you have to choose a certain tense for verbs or decide between singular and plural, in Chinese you can leave this unclear. Therefore, translations from Chinese are generally more difficult than from a European language.

Just because that attitude dominates reddit, it doesn't mean that it's the sole perspective available here. And in subreddits like this, what tends to dominate is this kind of cryptic and essentially shallow modern take on ancient Eastern mysticism, but again that's not the only point of view you'll find here.

In general I find reddit to be one of the most informed and reasonable communities around. Not necessarily improving at this point though, and yet I don't really see any likely replacements popping up right now. Of course if you need an alternative for when you get sick of all the superficial and egotistically rationalist bullshit here, you can turn somewhere like MetaFilter for more memes and rationalist narcissism.

A lot of good perspectives here on Being/Non-being. Of the concepts presented in Laozi and Zhuangzi this is one that we have relatively little difficulty accepting at face value but the implications are deep. If you want to take a deeper dive into the implications of Being and Non-Being, I might suggest David Chai's book Zhuangzi and the Becoming of Nothingness.

https://www.amazon.com/Zhuangzi-Becoming-Nothingness-Chinese-Philosophy-ebook/dp/B07L1BLXMJ

Taoism: An Essential Guide by Eva Wong will probably answer all of your questions. She’s an actual Taoist practitioner, and the book delves into Taoist spirituality, the different sects that have existed, and the ones that survive today

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Sitting-Oblivion-Heart-Daoist-Meditation/dp/1931483167&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiFkJrEtKHxAhVH054KHd5BAdwQFjAHegQIBBAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw1IvT8ASt3Dwfq-M6wraQGh

That type of language is all over the Eastern Mediterranean, such as st Symeon the New Theologian.

https://sites.google.com/site/stsymeon/on-faith

If you like the Cloud of Unknowing, the earlier Celtic writtings of John Scotus Eugenia might interest you too.

https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Eagle-Heart-Celtic-Christianity/dp/0970109709?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls_failed

u/Posthocergopropthoc

I started with Lao Tsu, Tao of Pooh and then Alan Watts - Watercourse way.

I’m now reading this https://www.amazon.com.au/Taoism-Dummies-Jonathan-Herman/dp/1118423968

And to be honest I wish I’d started with it.

What to read in relation to what to practice depends on the type of Taoism you want to practice. I found the Taoism Dummies book is a good place to start to ask yourself those questions and get a broad idea of everything that can be Taoism.

I’m a newbie too so I’m only just out of a similar situation.

I was only able to find a free copy in Chinese, but maybe you can read it? If not I'm afraid your options are limited to buying it on Amazon or some other book dealer. Although someone else may have better luck finding it.

Iñaki preciado idoeta's one is a pretty authoritative version because is directly translated from chinese. Other one is stephen mitchell's one, which seems the same as the english one in the app. Thank you! Edit: links to amazon for the versions: Iñaki's one , Stephen's one

BTW, you can replicate the coffee experiment on chocolate, though it's harder to get pure theobromine.

EDIT: Ask Amazon, and you shall receive!

Look at the program in my posts. If you have an imbalance of elements, then people do not understand you. Until the person himself goes through this, he does not understand. And you yourself can not cope with it only by willpower. The reason is stronger than you.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pvl.example.Release2

Burton Watson is a great translation and is generally considered the gold standard. That said, Victor Mair also has a great translation that compares well to Watson.

Something to he aware of. Some translations, like the one you provided a link to, are only the so-called "Basic" writings or Inner Chapters. These translations are only the first seven or so chapters. Would suggest making sure you have a translation that says it is the "Complete" translation with all thirty odd chapters. There is a lot of good material in the later chapters. But, yeah, go ahead with Watson and enjoy the read.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Works-Zhuangzi-Translations-Classics/dp/0231164742&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjA56ei1srrAhUCUK0KHd8wCMAQFjAJegQIAxAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw3i7vwkvTTOLglCxFDhzSpt

Many people start their exploration of Daoism with Laozi and Zhuangzi. As you point out they are rich in metaphor and symbolism and they often lack a context for a good understanding.

At the same time, a purely philosophical or intellectual experience of Daoism leaves one wanting. Many find their way to one of the traditional esoteric branches of Daoism, with all of the complexity and doctrine and ritual also cloaked in its own alchemical symbolism, making any meaningful practice difficult to approach.

As a rule of thumb, I find it most beneficial to find the earliest sources possible to use as a guide. The Nei Ye is such a source. It speaks to a very fundamental level of practice that is not too difficult to understand.

Along these lines, I would highly recommend The Thread of Dao by Dan G Reid. It explores not only the Neiye but other relevant texts from the Guanzi. Reid does a great job or relating it to Laozi, Zhuangzi and other later texts to provide a more coherent context for early Daoist texts. The Guanzi texts, including the Bai Xin, Xin Shu and Nie Ye provide a great foundation for meaningful meditative and qigong based practice. Highly recommended.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Thread-Dao-Unraveling-Traditions-Cultivation-ebook/dp/B078J7XRBX&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwikq9T_zMrrAhWCiK0KHR0YBZAQFjAAegQIBhAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw1K3VHqOB8NrF-ufJiqA940

I would be careful of many of the Tao Te Chings out there available as audio books. Many/most are not actual translations but rather modern interpretations of the classic that are taking advantage of audio book medium to propagate a more new age or mass market interpretation. Mitchell's comes under this heading.

I would recommend the well respected Feng/English translation that is also available in audio book format.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-audiobook/dp/B0000544P8&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjNkIX8-O3qAhUQVa0KHRcHDDoQFjAAegQIBRAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw2HEsGCT8DirTgaySe2LoIK

Viktor Frankl's work is notable and relevant to our times. Man's Search for Meaning was required reading when I first went to college in the 60s. I did not appreciate it fully then but it has resonated at different times over the years. I think that people have a difficult time figuring out a place for themselves in the world. Especially today where our identity is under pressure from the affects of our electronic hyper-interconnectedness.

I find it ironic that The Art of War is actually far more recommended to politicians as a suggested required reading. Not that there aren't effective elements to learn from, but it's a handbook for sociopaths.

I used to have real difficulties in falling asleep. This is not exactly tao-related, but got this method from reading Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning". Instead of thinking "I hope I fall asleep soon", I just think to myself "I sure hope I'm able to stay awake". It's as if your brain automatically does the opposite of what you want it to. Did that for a month or so, repeating it when necessary, and now I fall asleep instantly almost every night.

I've also recently gotten into a routine of meditating for ten minutes as the last thing before I go to sleep. Helps me relax and it feels like the relaxed feeling is pouring over into my sleep as well. I dream every night and remember all my dreams. This started to happen after I started meditating before going to bed.

You're hitting a wall, but its okay you can stop banging your head. Keep your meditation practice and your reading going, think deeply about the passages that pop out at you and tease out the lessons that you can apply to your life and the way you go about your day; then apply them. The only trick to it is not getting frustrated with yourself for a perceived lack of progress, its the damndest thing but its like people forget that they have the rest of their life to figure it out.

Suggested Reading:

Collected Songs of Cold Mountain
The book of Lieh-Tzu
The Way of Chuang-Tzu by Thomas Merton
Baghavad-Gita
The Heart Sutra (Actually you have probably read this one) Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlen
I have other relevant suggestions if you like.

The Tao Te Ching is like going back to the source and is highly recommended. If you want a more literary mature read, give Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance a shot, which will bridge the gap to Zen.

Given that there are Taoist 'deities', you are fine on the Deism thing. Don't get too hung up on the labels and names of things (the concepts don't translate one for one to terms like god and demon). I will add The Art of War and Book of Five Rings to your reading list.

I just finished spending a weekend away in an isolated cottage with a person who regularly typified people she'd had problems with as "pure evil," "a complete bitch" or "totally crazy." When I pressed for details behind these stark labels, the descriptions were tremendously sketchy (ha, I just realised that's a bit of pun given the context of the article). I have to admit, I found this one-dimensional thinking quite exhausting for reasons I can't quite articulate. This article provides quite a lovely antidote to the sense of unease with which I was left. I have made the connection before between "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" and the constricting concepts we saddle our vision with, and it's a wonderful relief to see someone else thinking this way and striving for a richer fuller view of the universe.

All I can say is: Phew and of course, thanks for posting.

I tried a couple, they were both equally as good.

I think they were called Headspace and Calm. Calm was nice in a pinch it really helped. Headspace provides a more structured, gamified system with streaks and reminders and stuff.

Both are Android links, the apps might also be on iOS, but I haven't checked.

Could not agree more. My 1948 printed edition has been on my nightstand for over 20 years. So glad you liked it. Lin was a scholar, poet, writer and translator all rolled into one. If you decide you want to won a copy ... was excited to find it back in print ... and bought a copy.

https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Laotse-Lin-Yutang/dp/754049834X/ref=asc_df_754049834X/?tag=hyprod-20&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=508251227705&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=12081071722021987594&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=m&amp;...

This works the best: combat roach killing bait

Also, do research on spiders that live in your area that eat the type of cockroaches you have. Then get a pet spider. Most spiders are harmless for humans and do a great job eliminating pest insects. I have a buddy spider. You should too ;)

Nice, he does cover nei dan, and also shen gong (more direct mind/emotion work). If you want to go down that route in depth he has a good book on them both https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shen-Gong-Nei-Dan-Xuan/dp/1848192606

Its not a complete system, but has a lot of good stuff in it

There is much more to YinYang than categorization of things. Context and movement have to be considered. Yin cannot be considered without Yang and vice-versa.

Here is a book by Robin Wang that considers YinYang from a variety of contexts and perspectives.

https://www.amazon.com/Yinyang-Chinese-Thought-Culture-Approaches/dp/052116513X

Everyday Tao: Living with Balance and Harmony

or

365 Tao: Daily Meditations

Same Author

For anyone wondering I got mine on Amazon.

Be careful because I saw images of it reposted on scam shopping sites too.

Read this book by Thomas Cleary

"The Book of Leadership and Strategy ... is one of the most prestigious works of ancient Chinese thought. Collected here are insightful teachings on the challenges of leadership on all levels, from organizational management to political statecraft. The translator, Thomas Cleary, has chosen and arranged these teachings to emphasize the most valuable lessons of Taoist wisdom for modern Western readers. Like Cleary's best-selling translation of The Art of War by Sun Tzu, this work will serve as an enlightening guide for people in business, politics, and government."

https://www.amazon.com/Book-Leadership-Strategy-Lessons-Chinese-ebook/dp/B00GMOQSHM

There's actually another book that also made me say, "Oh good, someone already did it" called Improv Wisdom by Patricia Ryan Madson. I go back and forth between Tao Te Ching and Improv Wisdom, listening to them on audio book on almost a daily basis.

I've always felt that when I'm improvising I'm being my best self. Improv teaches us to listen actively, support others, let go of our need to control the moment and instead to follow the natural flow of things. When I'm improvising I'm playful yet productive. I'm decisive yet open to the choices of others. I pick a direction and walk that way and don't think twice when I end up in a totally different destination. The closest I've felt to expressing Wu-Wei is when I'm improvising.

When I started reading about Taoism I was like, "These quotes could be improv mantras!"

SO....I try to take those principles and that mindset into my daily life. I try to apply it to the interactions I have with others. I try to apply my improv skills to every situation. Similar to following the Tao, it's not easy to sustain that all the time and I certainly fall short of what I'm aiming for. But that's ok.

Here is an accompanying book I used to help me understand some of the processes in the original text. not saying this is the absolute correct interpretation of the text but it was certainly useful also with other translations to obtain a deeper understanding (along with intuitive and experiential methods) here

There is a good book on Daoist mind work (called Shen gong in their system.) It mentions that doing this type of mind work is one of the hardest parts of areas to practice, and so one that a lot of people never really get into. Also that these thoughts about your practice are ones that always arise in the earlier stages, and with various versions of thoughts and feelings around not practicing, stopping your practice etc.

One of the main bits of guidance is just to keep practicing, and that all practice is good practice. You will inevitably have sessions like this, but over time they form a part of your deeper awareness of the overall functioning of the mind.

If you want to read more, it also goes into some details on the aspects of the mind, different practices to do etc:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shen-Gong-Nei-Dan-Xuan/dp/1848192606

Well, first of all, you do not need to take deep breaths when meditating. So don't worry about that.

Secondly, in both the Buddhist tradition and in the Daoist tradition there are techniques for meditating when you are in a classic meditation position, when you are sitting in a chair, when you are lying down, when you are walking, and even while you are sleeping. So regardless of your breathing, you can meditate.

One book that I recommend to everyone is Daoist Mediation, available here. It's written by a Daoist practitioner, and it includes black-and-white photos of different positions (including seated and lying down). Another book that I haven't seen yet, but I know the author is good and the translators are real practitioners, is available here.

Good luck!

I have had this book on my nightstand for almost 50 years. Without the paper jacket cover it is nice!y hardbound ... albeit not leather ... but it has some age and the feel you may be looking for. It's small size makes it very convenient.

https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Laotse-Yutang-Lin/dp/0394604768

Also can recommend this recent publication of the same book. It is beautifully bound in two volumes to accommodate the Chinese text as well as the English text. Although I still keep the older text nearby, I purchased this one to have as a backup and for reference to the Chinese for research purposes.

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Lin-Yutang/dp/754049834X

Lin Yutang is a highly respected early translator of the DDJ to western audiences. The Wisdom of Laotse has the advantage of also containing many excerpts from Zhuangzi that help in understanding the concepts involved in Daoist thought.

... but don't just put it on your shelf ... read and absorb.

Kind regards.

Don't be put off by the title, but Taoism for Dummies is a first-rate introduction to everything Daoist by a Sinologist who specializes in Daoism (availabe here and here).

Well, you can't just drop language and expect to get anywhere with that. The Daodejing never says let go of words--the (in)famous first line contests the Confucian idea that everything should have an established, defined term, a 名 ming, but it doesn't rule out general naming of nouns, etc. And Daoism doesn't say "don't act" (obviously Daoists act all the time).

You should probably read a clear book on what 無為 wuwei actually means, like Edward Slingerland's Trying Not to Try (available here or here). It's ok to use words, but don't get locked into one set of terms. That's what the DDJ critiques. In Zhuangzi's famous parable, he compares language to a fishtrap and a rabbit snare. He doesn't say "do not use a fishtrap to catch fish"; what he says is that when you've caught the fish, you can let go of the fishtrap. Likewise, when you have the idea, you can let go of the words (the program, the research, the exercise, etc.). But you're still new to Daoism, so working with the language is just fine. The DDJ and the Zhuangzi and the other Daoist works have very interesting things to say!

You should read David Chai's Zhuangzi and the Becoming of Nothingness, available on Amazon here or here.

>If you do not think my target audience is not Taoists then you must not understand the theory and what it is meant to do.

I'm just talking about the specific article you shared, not whether the idea within the article is applicable to Taoism. I didn't take the time to find out because there wasn't anything about Taoism in the article.

Like, you mentioned yin and yang in your post and I thought I'd click on the article and you would expand on that.

Anyhow...

I've actually been working on a method to prove spiritually tangibly for quite some time (as a solo side project). It basically came from the book Cosmic Trigger I: The Final Secret of the Illuminati. In it he shared an exercise that Aleister Crowley used. You basically create an alter to some good, pray to it seriously, and what until you're visited by that god. Once that happens you destroy the alter and never think of that god again...

Anyhow... When you make the "god" a number, the digital and physical world starts bending reality in funny ways. At first you think it's coincidental, but eventually things start happening that are beyond coincidence.

Anyhow, because of the blending with digital and physical you can actually make a record of your experiences and share them with people.

But! Back to what you shared, I'd be excited to read something like that which was connected to Taoism specifically as opposed to it being an idea that I need to try to synthesize into a Taoist one myself.

This is just how I feel. Hopefully someone chimes in with what you're looking for!

>Have I wasted too much of my essence, making cultivation a fruitless/hopeless/pointless endeavor? I am 24 now.

No.

Taichi and Taoism go hand-in-hand for me. There are many stories about people turning to taichi and Qigong (or yoga!) when their health gets bad. You reminded me of this taichi master that didn't start until his 40s and before that he was a wild dude doing wild things. You're MORE than OK to start. Anytime is a good time to start.

https://www.amazon.com/Steal-My-Art-Times-Master/dp/1556434162

Get the Thomas Cleary version. The background you really need is in meditation. It's a guide to meditation that recommends meditating 1 to 2 hours a day for 100 days straight (among many other things).

I've tried it twice and can't seem to break 40 days.

It's pretty intense though. The first time I stopped because I started feeling totally disconnected from the world. Got to this strange place that scared me so I stopped... 😝

The second time I think life got in the way but I was LOVING it. It actually made me want to meditate for a minimum of an hour a day. I'm certain I'll hit the 100 mark the next time I try.

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Golden-Flower-Thomas-Cleary/dp/0062501933

Seconding this book recommendation; it's a great read. I also highly recommend "Conflict Communication" by the same author. It does a much bigger deep dive into the psychology of conflict along with de escalation tactics.

Ideally you would never need the tactics, but it's always good to know.

>Which made me think of lots of people who claim being pacifist but end up being passive instead.

Violence, whether we like it or not is a part of nature. It is a component of life. While we should not ignite it, we should be prepared to face it.

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You would be correct, that's wisdom. It doesn't sound pretty... in fact it's kind of shitty, but at least it's true and it's not hopeless.

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Only the bullshittest of bullshit artists try to spine utter passivity or aggression as some how virtuous.

The mystical notions of "do no harm", aren't logical to... living. You're a walking ball of death and destruction whether you like it or not.

The other side of the coin, Violence for violence sake, well that always ends, in the same way. You don't even have to be a fortune teller to call it.

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I also recommend a book "Meditations on Violence"

While mostly geared towards LEOs, Martial Artists, and Self-Defense types but there's some really salient stuff in there about the very nature of violence, how we deal with it, what to do about it, and it's inevitability in life.

Worth reading his thoughts on it and his perspective as he was a man of violence (Corrections officer/martial artist) and it's funny because in some of his anecdotes he keeps searching for some "Spiritual meaning" to it all and keeps discovering that really, it was just about making it home alive.

It's wise because he never finds some mystical truth or anything. Just a few loose ideas, a few sound arguments, and the philosophy that "violence exists, there for I should know how to deal with it".

No.

They actually "borrowed" from each other extensively in the early days. Here's a book about it:

https://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-Taoism-Face-Scripture-Iconographic/dp/0824834119

If you mean, just for yourself, also no. The two religions/philosophies/spiritual practices actually work well with each other, especially in the "West" where there's a lack of Taoist teachers and institutions to learn from.

Ken Wilber's "No Boundary" hit me hard back in 2013. I have it on my Kindle but haven't reread again yet. Might do that soon. Link for anyone reading this who is curious about the book.

https://www.amazon.com/No-Boundary-Eastern-Approaches-Personal/dp/1570627436

Then, Taoists act almost like a scientist discovering different methods to live in balance with the Tao and to make a deeper spiritual connection to reality. You can do this through meditations, habits, Qigong, substances, meditations etc.

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A great book is this one also: Opening of the Dragon Gate

Here's a current version. I like the translation on this one.

Thank you again to everyone who read my first book and encouraged me to keep writing! Here's a link to those interested:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZQ9P6JV/ref=dbs\_a\_def\_rwt\_bibl\_vppi\_i0

You're in luck. The first complete translation of the Guo Xiang commentary is out now:

Zhuangzi: A New Translation of the Sayings of Master Zhuang as Interpreted by Guo Xiang (Translations from the Asian Classics) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0231123876/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_AQJ1FK2536Y9D1DEJXV1 

Yes.

You can practice them separately and build the bridge between them yourself or seek out someone who is well versed in Taoism and Wicca and try learning from them.

You can write Tao/Dao + pretty much any category and someone will have written a book on it. Will the book be good? I have no idea, but it's probably worth checking out.

https://www.amazon.com/Wiccan-Tao-reinterpretation-Te-Ching/dp/1501023373

Maybe check out the author on YouTube and reach out to him if he seems like someone who has something you're looking for.

https://youtube.com/user/LycianWicca

I would assume that the "Tao of X" kind of books are way more X than they are Tao, but you never know.

The 太極 Taiji symbol (太極圖 Taijitu) or the 'yin-yang symbol' ☯️ is fairly recent.

One thing that needs to be said is that 陰陽 yinyang cosmology is not Daoist per se. Rather, it's pan-Chinese. Confucians, Daoists, Mohists, Legalists, etc., etc. all subscribed to these ideas, and they were part of Chinese Buddhism and East Asian culture (including Vietnam) in general. So, yes, Daoists talk about yin and yang, but not because they have any kind of monopoly on the idea. The symbol in question is not Daoist in origin.

The symbol itself was a Neo-Confucian creation in the 宋朝 Song Dynasty by Zhou Dunyi. Various forms of Daoist depictions of 太極 taiji and 無極 wuji were also used in the Ming Dynasty Daoist Canon. For more on this, see Joseph Adler's Reconstructing the Confucian Dao: Zhu Xi's Appropriation of Zhou Dunyi (New York: SUNY, 2015), available here and here.

Daoists aren't like the Amish, so the future will have Daoism and technology. A Buddhist monastery in Beijing has a robot that greets visitors, and the robot has his own WeChat page. I used to subscribe to it.

Ironically, you'll find a lot of Islamic influence in Cyberpunk. Not only did Peter Lamborn Wilson's (a.k.a. Hakim Bey, his pen name and Sufi initiate name) postmodern anarchist manifesto TAZ influence rave culture, the punk scene, anarchism, etc., but one of his former students, Michael Muhammad Knight, wrote a novel--The Taqwacores (تقوى taqwā means 'being conscious of God's truth'), so hardcore Taqwa, basically--that also spawned a movie and basically created a subculture the author longed for but that didn't exist.

But you'll find interesting ideas on Daoism and Chinese thought in Wilson's writings, too. He wrote a very influential essay on Chinese secret societis called "The Tong" (here), based on the 堂 tang, which spawned mutual assistance societies, secret societies, and mafia. Bey also had a book on Zhuangzi, here. And Wilson/Bey and William Burroughs indirectly inspired the Taqwacores.

So who knows? Maybe just as Michael Muhammad Knight dreamt of Islamic anarchists and literally summoned them forth with a work of fiction, so maybe this game will create a new subculture of cyberdaoists.

Well, Bukowski drank himself to death just like Alan Watts did, so you might be on to something...

However, no, I don't think Bukowski's "don't try" is remotely close to 無為 wuwei as it was understood by Laozi or Confucius or any Chinese thinker.

The best explanation of 無為 in Pre-Qin thought is Edward Slingerland's Trying Not To Try, available here and here.

If you want a book to read, check out Master of the Three Ways.

The way it works is simple. You study works from all three systems and integrate them into your life. Ideally you'd do this with a teacher or, at minimum, with a group of other people also interested in studying all three.

As a Taoist (if you want to call yourself one) you can study from as many different systems as you want to. Stoicism, Sufism, Hermeticism...

This quote from Bruce Lee might be helpful...

> Absorb what is useful. Discard what is not. Add what is uniquely your own.

If you want to better understand 無為 wuwei, the best book on the subject is Edward Slingerland's Trying Not To Try: Ancient China, Modern Science, and the Power of Spontaneity, avialable here.

Another good book by Red Pine that touches on Daoist practice is Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese Hermits, available here.

Most Daoists in China believe in multiple souls, reincarnation, etc.

Hans-Georg Moeller's Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory (Available here.) 

He also has a really good YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UCnEuIogVV2Mv6Q1a3nHIRsQ

I looked around for a while then finally found this one on Amazon (though I have no idea why it didn’t show up for me sooner…).

Tao Of Pooh https://www.amazon.com/dp/1405293780/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Y9567E11CB7FG82GR8RC?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1

>But can we imagine a life without poetry, play, or music?

I can't. Sounds terrible. I can imagine a life of poetry, play, and music minus bills though. 😁

I have texts of Chuangzi and I've read them before. Maybe I should read them again. I can't get the images from Zhuangzi Speaks: The Music of Nature out of my mind though.

You bringing up the "use of uselessness" conjures up the image of this huge knotty tree that got to be so big because it was "useless" (useful for the tree!) Or this kind of busted dude who was "useless" but he was able to dodge going to war.

I think it's easy for us western Taoist to pendulum swing too far over into "use of uselessness" and "effortless effort" and forget that the "use of usefulness" and "effortful effort" also have their place. It's definitely happened to me before. 😝

>There's no point to this post, other than it possibly being an exercise in self reflection.

Exercises in self reflection are awesome points! I'm reflecting right along with you. :)

You might check out Dao De Jing (The Illustrated Library of Chinese Classics). It's basically a comic (graphic novel if you prefer), but don't dismiss it.

Check this book out. I started out my friend with this book. He was mad at first because I didn't give him "the real shit", but ended up being glad that I started him there.

https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Speaks-Lao-Tzus-Whispers-Wisdom/dp/0385472595

>. I wish people can speak plain English or ELI5 but perhaps this Dao stuff is so deep that it cannot?

Taoism is basically understanding that you are unique and have unique experiences which means that only you can really figure out what's best for you.

For some people that includes mystical or enlightenment kinds of stuff. For other people it's more practical things like learning to code to increase earning potential.

Anyhow, take a look at that book for a simple and direct version of the TTC which is fun to read since it has a comic strip to go with it. It doesn't cover every chapter but it definitely covers "the basics".

A friend just shared an old Facebook post I made with this image in it. It's from one of the books in The Taoist Classics: The Collected Translations of Thomas Cleary (Amazon) but I couldn't tell you which one right now.

The context of the post is that my teacher would always make this diagram of a square in a circle and basically say what's in that paragraph.

I also shared a photo (and I'm realizing right now that I could have also posted it) of him writing 佛孔道 (Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism) on a whiteboard.

The idea being that a Taoist studies all three (and more really) so they can exist in society while having also transcended society.

A good quote, and short story, that goes with this is the first time I met him I was talking about wanting to be a hermit because... you know, society sucking and everything.

He was like "No no... One foot in nature, one foot in the city. Balance."

(Note: I still totally understanding someone being like "Both feet in nature. Balance. The city fucking sucks." 😂)

Being a "Western" Taoist is kind of a choose your own adventure (for better and for worse).

Pick up a copy of the Tao Te Ching. Choosing one is an adventure. I like this one because of the commentary and accompanying Chinese text:

https://www.amazon.com/Lao-tzus-Taoteching-Lao-Tzu/dp/1556595557/

It might be interesting to get the Stephen Mitchell interpretation as well and see how the two differ (his isn't a translation, he read a bunch of translations and synthesized his own):

https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Laozi/dp/0060812451

These are kind of opposite ends of the Tao Te Ching spectrum.

Someone posted a video, check that out. Check out other videos.

Just take your time with the Tao Te Ching and move onto new translations or different texts at your own pace if you feel moved to. Maybe it becomes something that compliments other systems of thought for you, or maybe you get inspired to dig deeper (learn Chinese and seek out a master).

Taoism is really just about using your life experience to enhance your life (easier said than done)... Unless you want to get into ritual stuff and start battling demons or something. lol

Yes, of course there are many monasteries in China. They also allow stay, although most have only Chinese-speaking people there. Do you know any Chinese?

If you want to read about westerners staying at a Daoist monastery (at Mt. Hua), a great books is Dream Trippers: Global Daoism and the Predicament of Modern Spirituality, available here.

Ian Johnson is a journalist who has written for many publications, including the New York Times. His book The Souls of China: The Return of Religion after Mao is a great read, available here. You can also find many of his articles about Daoism in China online. (He is not a Daoist per se, but he is an enthusiastic supporter of Daoism.)

White Cloud Temple in Beijing is not only a major monastic complex and seminary, but it is also the headquartes of the Chinese Daoist Association. You can read about it on Wikipedia.

You can also read about Wudang mountains on Wikipedia, where there are many Daoist temples and monasteries.

In September:

Zhuangzi: A New Translation of the Daoist Classic as Interpreted by Gua Xiang (Translations from the Asian Classics) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0231123868/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_JXQMDERJFZ7QA1BN5YV3 

The Zhuangzi mentions 闕尹 Guanyin (Wade-Giles Kuan Yin), the supposed author of the 闕尹子 Guanyinzi, another Daoist treatise.

The Buddhist bodhissatva 觀音Guanyin (WG Kuan Yin) is shortened from 觀世音 Guanshiyin (WG Kuan Shih Yin) perceive world sound/voice, and this is a calque of the Sanskrit Avalokiteshvara, which means "(The Lord who) hears the cries of the world."

As for evidence that Buddhist thought influenced The Zhuangzi, see Christopher Beckwith's Greek Buddha: Pyrrho's Encounter with Early Buddhism in Central Asia (Princeton UP, 2017) available here.