In this episode, we explore the timeless wisdom of Lao-tzu’s Tao Te Ching, one of the foundational texts in Taoism. What does it mean to live in harmony with the Tao, or the Way? What is the role of knowledge compared to direct experience? And why is water, often perceived as soft and yielding, the ultimate teacher? We journey into the practice of wuwei (non-action) and consider how letting go and embracing non-resistance can lead to a more effortless life rooted in the present.

Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:

Taoist Fundamentals:

• Read the Tao Te Ching(+3 if you buy used).
• Discover the basics of taiji.
• Compare, contrast, and see the similarities in yin/yang.
• Explore wu-wei and put your learning into practice.
• Dive into the principle of the uncarved block.

The Tao cont. (let’s go beyond wading!):

• Listen to episodes one and fifty of the podcast What’s This Tao all About?
• Descend into a brief rabbit hole on Jane and Bataan Faigao.
• Learn how Winnie the Pooh is the uncarved block in Benjamin Hoff’s The Tao of Pooh.
• Read about Zhuangzi, another core Taoist text.

Bookish Things to Explore:

• Check out Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
• Spiral into a new and dark world by reading Burroughs’ Naked Lunch.
• Practice reading Ginsburg’s Howl aloud (+5 if you can recite in one breath).
• Browse The Buddhist Review’s new issues online.
• Revisit David Hawkins’ The Map of Consciousness Explained (+2 if you’ve read this in more than two episode descriptions).
• Reread Octavia Butler’s The Parable of the Sower.

Other Concepts to Explore:

• The Big Bang Theory. Remember that?
• Tabula Rasa, or blank slate (+2 for philosophy majors and/or acolytes).
• Compare The Fool, in the tarot deck, to the uncarved block.

 Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTok

Music Credit

Music: “Zen Garden,” from silvermansound.com (2016).