This is a public preview of Episode 1-154, available exclusively to subscribers.

In this short segment, Master Steenrod explains why staying in the wrong situation burns extraordinary amounts of energy. Using the image of “fire under water,” he shows how misalignment drains karmic force, stalls growth, and signals the need for real transformation.

If you’ve ever wondered why holding still can feel harder than moving forward, this preview offers a glimpse into a much deeper teaching.

Subscribe to unlock the full episode, where we explore:

the classical Mandate of Heaven and its modern application

the three layers of karma

why misalignment consumes ling

how transformation restores energetic flow

the timing dynamics behind mandated change

Members also gain access to the full Living the Tao archive, AMA episodes, Shorts, and exclusive bonus content.

Subscribe here → https://living-the-tao.supercast.com

Sensory hygiene is one of the least understood but most powerful tools on the Taoist path. In this short conversation (2-9), Master Steenrod explains how half of self-management comes from managing your inputs — what you see, hear, and absorb from the world around you.

You’ll learn how negative events stack to distort perception, why modern life overloads us with emotional variation, and how the Four Ascendant Tradition reframes all of this as conscious crafting of the self.

If you’ve ever felt thrown off by your environment, this short will help you understand why — and what to do about it.

Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/tohqJIrgVNs

🎧 Subscribe for full archives and bonus content: https://living-the-tao.supercast.com

Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Source: incompetech.com

What if the power to change your life didn’t come from force—but from energy, timing, and awareness?

In this episode (1-152) of Living the Tao, Master Steenrod unpacks the true meaning of Qi as the bridge between the human and the universal. He explains the Four Spheres of Taoism—Social, Martial, Qi, and Tao—and how each reveals a new level of perception and power.

You’ll discover how Qi can dissolve conflict without fighting, why the I Ching teaches the art of timing, and how ancient shamanic dances evolved into the Qigong practices of today. The result is a conversation that blends philosophy, energy, and practical wisdom—showing how to live longer, feel better, and act in harmony with the flow of life.

Watch this episode on youtube: https://youtu.be/VQ0S4GxZA7Y

Explore our full Qi Gong archive — videos, articles, and training resources:

🎧 Subscribe for full archives and bonus content: https://living-the-tao.supercast.com

Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source: Incompetech.com

What if the power to change your life didn’t come from force—but from energy, timing, and awareness?

In this episode (1-152) of Living the Tao, Master Steenrod unpacks the true meaning of Qi as the bridge between the human and the universal. He explains the Four Spheres of Taoism—Social, Martial, Qi, and Tao—and how each reveals a new level of perception and power.

You’ll discover how Qi can dissolve conflict without fighting, why the I Ching teaches the art of timing, and how ancient shamanic dances evolved into the Qigong practices of today. The result is a conversation that blends philosophy, energy, and practical wisdom—showing how to live longer, feel better, and act in harmony with the flow of life.

Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source: Incompetech.com

In this short (2-8), Master Steenrod unpacks Taoism’s elusive stance on morality.

What happens when a tradition without heaven or hell meets the moral hierarchies of Confucianism and the rituals of Buddhism?

Discover how early Taoism resisted becoming a system of control, how politics turned ritual into power, and why “the noodle got spicy” when belief met bureaucracy.

It’s a journey through ancient temples, statecraft, and the human need to define right and wrong—told with humor, insight, and unmistakable Taoist calm.

🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/eITdXiWz5n8

Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Source: incompetech.com

Taoism isn’t evangelical — it’s adaptable. In this short, Master Steenrod explains how the tradition has endured for thousands of years by “spicing the noodle”: blending with Buddhism, Confucianism, and even modern science without losing its flavor. Discover why Taoism calls itself a human method, not a divine truth — and how that flexibility keeps it alive in every age.

🎙️ Topics include syncretism, tolerance, resilience, and the enduring Taoist view that real growth begins with personal choice.

Watch now on Youtube: https://youtu.be/_vvIRIPv6bM

Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod, used under CC BY 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source: incompetech.com

Long before Daoism became philosophy, it was survival.

In this episode (1-148), Taoist Master Steenrod traces the ancient, shamanic roots of Daoism — a time when humanity faced energetic predators and learned to fight back.

Through humor and history, he reveals how early “supernatural combat” shaped the Daoist path: a tradition built on observation, proof, and endurance.

What began as the defense of life became a way to understand it — and to walk in balance with forces far beyond the human world.

🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/ECJj9bIXo4Q

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Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source: incompetech.com

Ever wonder if you’re already a Daoist at heart? In this reflective short (Ep 2-6), Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod explores the quiet signs that the path has already found you. From the way pain, fear, and desire shape our search for peace, to the strange resonance some feel when reading the Dao De Jing, this episode looks at why Daoism speaks so deeply—or not at all.

Mikel reminds listeners that the journey doesn’t have to be grand. Whether your practice is light and grounding or a deep quest for truth, what matters is creating a life you actually want to live. No comparisons. No afterlife scoreboard. Just presence, contentment, and honesty with yourself.

Living the Tao Shorts are bite-sized reflections designed to help you return to balance, insight, and calm in under ten minutes.

Finding Movement by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100693

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

In this Shorts episode (2-5), Taoist Master Steenrod lifts the veil on what Taoist practice really demands of a student. Beyond simple exercises, it’s a path that asks for endurance, openness, and the courage to face both inner and outer obstacles. A compact but powerful guide for those walking the Taoist road.

Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source: incompetech.com

What if the most powerful talisman wasn’t on paper, metal, or wood—but within you? In this Shorts episode (2-4), Master Steenrod explores how Daoist talismans work, why external charms are only reflections of the true source, and how recognizing yourself as a living talisman unlocks a deeper strength.

Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source: incompetech.com