Books of practical Daoism (sometimes spelled “Taoism” in English) are few and far between, but this is one. The author is the editor and publisher of The Empty Vessel, a journal of Daoist philosophy and practice, and a founding board member of the National Qigong Association.
The familiar themes of Daoism are here, including the practice of wu wei, or “effortless action,” and qigong, slow-moving movements meant to reveal how to live actively while connecting to a deep stillness. Towler’s chapter on “Moving Meditation” (Chapter 8) is full of examples of this in contemporary ways that will be easily put to practice by readers. They include the use of mantras, physical exercises, and point-by-point instructions.
This is book full of guided meditations. Some may feel foreign to those new to Daoism, including “Tiger-Dragon Breathing Meditation” and “Planetary Expansion Meditation,” but others will be more familiar, as they resonate with teachings found in other traditions, too, such as “Empty Vessel Meditation” which begins with a teaching of Laozi:
“Dao is an empty vessel;
It is used but never exhausted.
It is the fathomless source
Of the ten thousand beings!”
The legendary Daoist sages are here — including the aforementioned Laozi, whose name is also often rendered as Lao Tzu; and Master Zhuang, also rendered as Chuang Tzu.
