Eva Wong - Being Taoist: Wisdom for Living a Balanced Life (Audiobook)

Being Taoist is one of the most readable books on Taoist philosophy available. It shines a light on exactly what it takes to live a Taoist life. Taoist living rests on four pillars--the public, the domestic, the private, and the spirit lives. Not only do Taoists strive to live these four aspects fully and in a balanced way, they also believe there is an outlook and an art to each of them. Eva Wong uses the teachings of Taoist masters (one for each pillar) to explain the essential concepts. She then gives voice to these texts--simplifying them, removing barriers to understanding, and making them completely accessible and relevant to the modern reader.

Taoist living rests on four pillars: the public, the domestic, the private, and the spirit lives. Not only do Taoists strive to live these four aspects fully and in a balanced way, they also believe there is an outlook and an art to each of them. Eva Wong uses the teachings of Taoist masters themselves to explain the essential concepts. She then gives voice to these texts - simplifying them, removing barriers to understanding, and making them completely accessible and relevant to the modern reader. Wong is a clear and enthusiastic guide to this intriguing spiritual way, and she challenges us to stop, reflect, and ask ourselves: Do we balance the public, domestic, private, and spirit aspects of our lives, or do we emphasize some at the expense of the others? How can we think about unifying worldly and spiritual

A beautifully clear and accessible explanation of how to live a Taoist life by renowned Taoist master Eva Wong.

Taoism isn’t a spiritual extracurricular activity, it’s an integral practice for living all of life to the fullest. The modern Taoist adept Eva Wong is your guide to living well according to the wisdom of this ancient system. She uses the ancient texts to demonstrate the Taoist masters’ approach to the traditional four aspects of life--the public, the domestic, the private, and the spiritual—and shows how learning to balance them is the secret to infusing your life with health, harmony, and deep satisfaction.

Eva Wong is an independent scholar and a practitioner of the Taoist arts of the Pre-Celestial Way and Complete Reality lineages. She has written and translated many books on Taoism and related topics. She explains that the hub of the Taoist way is "the art of being free and easy wandering," which refers to the "playful journey of a completely liberated consciousness through the limitless expanse of the Tao."

The challenge of Taoism is to live fully in the public, domestic, private, and spirit sectors of life. Wong encourages us to take note of the art of leadership through the voice of the sage. She also wants us to be on the lookout for ways of balancing, integrating, and unifying worldly and spiritual wisdom. When these arts unfold in our days we become the living embodiment of yin and yang.

The Tao gives birth to all things but is not attached to them. Instead the Tao is elusive, slipping out of the human need to control everything. Wong translates:

"The Tao moves in an unpredictable manner and changes in a mysterious way. It leaves no tracks and casts no shadows. It starts off behind but arrives first."

Shifting to a fishing metaphor, she advises:

"Use the Tao as a rod, virtue as the line, propriety and music as the hook, and compassion and integrity as the bait. Cast them into the river or drop them in the ocean, and all things in the world will come to you."

Introduction : 00:00​
Chapter 1 : The Natural Way 33:15​
Chapter 2 : The Nature of Reality 1:09:12​
Chapter 3: The Natural World 1:30:22​
Chapter 4: Sky, Earth. and Humanity 2:01:20​
Chapter 5: Understanding the Energy of Life 2:10:43​
Chapter 6: Healthy Attitude, Healthy Lifestyle 2:21:39
Chapter 7: Healthy Diet and Eating Habits 3:00:55​
Chapter 8: Healthy Sexual Lifestyle 3:07:55​
Chapter 9: Turning Awareness Inward 3:18:06​
Chapter 10: Heightening Awareness 3:37:34
Chapter 11: Turning Awareness Outward 3:45:11​
Chapter 12: The Inner Chapters 4:09:29​
Chapter 13: The Outer Chapters 4:44:43​
Chapter 14: The Miscellaneous Chapters 6:05:12

QUOTES
“Most people are so occupied by the external world that they don’t realize that there is a very rich world within themselves. In this stage, we relax, let go, and learn to appreciate that we have an internal universe.”
“Finally, to embrace simplicity is to delight in household activities such as cooking, eating a good meal, caring for loved ones, enjoying the sexual company of a partner, nourishing the body by doing gentle exercise, and freeing the mind from anxiety and negativity by knowing contentment.”

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