Derek Lin - The Tao of Daily Life: The Mysteries of the Orient Revealed the Joys of Inner Harmony Found the Path to Enlightenment Illuminated

PART ONE
In the Morning

PART TWO
At Work

PART THREE
With Friends

PART FOUR
With Family

PART FIVE
At Night

The Tao is Chinese for the path or the way, and this book is your invitation to a journey on the Tao. It is a journey of discovery, where you gain not only timeless wisdom, but also insights about yourself and your life.

The Tao is incredibly ancient. Many people who know something about it will tell you that the philosophy began about 2,500 years ago, but the Tao is actually much older than that. It dates back at least to the time of Huangdi, the mythical emperor who ruled China more than 4,600 years ago.

There is one simple reason for the Tao to have survived through the ages intact: it works. The principles of the Tao are extremely effective when applied to life. The philosophy as a whole is nothing less than a practical, useful guide to living life in a way that is smooth, peaceful, and full of energy.

The purpose of this book is to present the secrets of the Tao in the most accessible way imaginablevia stories. Throughout the history of China, sages and masters have learned and taught the Tao by hearing and telling stories, generation after generation. By taking a journey on the Tao, you have become part of this great oral tradition.

As you absorb these stories and make use of their wisdom, you will begin to notice changes in your life. You will become more composed and more at ease in various situations; you will be able to handle challenges and difficulties with less effort and better results. The more you practice the Tao, the more you will see how marvelously powerful it really is.

You will come to realize that your journey on the Tao is, in many ways, the most worthwhile exploration you can undertake. You will be able to see your life in a new light, and observe everything around you with a clarity as never before. You may even feel compelled to continue the tradition by sharing the stories with others so they can also explore their own Tao of daily life.

All of the above and more await you. Come, let us embark together.

The beginning of a new day is a wondrous gift. It is a blank page, containing nothing and yet filled with possibilities. It is the perfect time to prime yourself for the unknown challenges ahead by contemplating the Tao and reminding yourself to practice the following throughout the day:

• Live fully in the here and now.
• Appreciate the simple things in life.
• Take responsibility for the unfolding of your destiny.

To put yourself in the right frame of mind, it can be very helpful to consider the following questions:

• How will I move forward in my life journey today?
• How will I remain in tune with the Tao today?

What Is This Thing Called Tao?

Once upon a time, a young fish asked an old fish: Everyone talks about this thing called ocean. What exactly is it?

The older and wiser fish answered: The ocean is that which surrounds you on all sides.

The younger fish didnt understand: What do you mean? There is nothing around me! If the ocean surrounds me on all sides, why can I not see it?

Of course you cannot, the old fish said patiently. The ocean is both inside and outside of you. When you move, it moves with you; when you stop, it stops as well. You were born in the ocean and you will die in it. It wraps itself around you, just as your own skin does.

But how can I tell it exists, if I cannot see it?

You must use more than your eyes. We may not be able see the ocean, but we can definitely feel it. Trust your feelingsthey are the key.

The Tao

Confucius once said: Fish forget they live in water; people forget they live in the Tao. The Tao is the invisible ocean that surrounds us on all sides. It permeates everything at every level of existence, so it is both inside and outside of us. It enfolds us like our own skin, and yet we cannot perceive it with our physical senses.

The Tao is Chinese for the path or the way, but it is also much more than the literal meaning. Sages have attempted to explain the Tao in the following ways:

• Whatever the ultimate principle is that underlies reality, we call it the Tao.
• Whatever the one truth is at the center of all spiritual truths, that is the Tao.
• Whatever the universal source of consciousness is, we will give it the name Tao.
• Whatever the force is that is ultimately responsible for moving everything in the universefrom galaxies to human beings to subatomic particlesthat force is what we call the Tao.