What's This Tao All About?: Recent Episodes
Tod Perry
Tod recently read “The Original Tao” (aka the Nei-Yeh), a Taoist work likely written before the Tao Te Ching, and he shares its central theme. Also, George shares the concept of response-ability, and the two review Chuang Tzu’s thoughts on the need to win.
Episode Transcript[01:02] Tod Perry: Hello, everybody. Welcome back to What’s This Tao All About? My name is Tod Perry, and I’ve studied Taoism for nearly 30 years. I’m on a journey to take the mysterious words of Taoist sages such as Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu and share them with the world in a fun and practical way. With me is the wonderful George Thompson.
[01:22] George Thompson: Hi, my name’s George, and I’ve had the privilege of studying in the Wudang Mountains in China. I’ve dedicated my life to exploring Taoism and sharing what I’ve learned. [Final words of introduction partially unclear.]
[01:37] Tod Perry: Now, before we do every recording session, we do, like, a little Google News search to see if there’s anything new in the world of Taoism, which is weird because, as we know, Taoism has been around since the fourth century before the Common Era, so there’s not a lot of news happening in the world of Taoism. But I did find this funny story. It was in Taiwan. Taiwan BTS fans are turning to Taoist love magic in hopes of scoring concert tickets. And for those who don’t know, BTS is a huge K-pop group.
[02:13] Tod Perry / George Thompson: [Brief joking aside about BTS and K-pop; several words are obscured by crosstalk.]
[02:30] George Thompson: One thing I noticed when I was in the Wudang Mountains was that, in the old-school religious Taoist culture, local farmers would come and bring offerings – a thing of rice, for example – and basically say, ‘I’m giving you this rice. Can you make sure my rice crop is okay for the next year?’ It can become quite a transactional relationship with the divine.
[03:10] Tod Perry: Yeah. You know, I’m not really that big on the idea of a transactional relationship with the divine. I think it’s more about harmony, and, you know, ‘What can I do for the divine?’ The funny thing is, the divine can usually do things for itself. It’s divine. It doesn’t need my help.
[03:28] George Thompson: Yeah. It’s like when I was a kid and my dad had a bad back, and I would pray to Jesus, like, ‘Can you fix my dad’s back?’ Then my relationship with Jesus becomes, ‘I pray for something; you give it to me.’ It’s a transactional relationship. For me, prayer now is more like asking for support, or connecting to something larger than myself – consciousness asking another, greater consciousness – rather than sending a specific request and expecting a specific thing back.
[04:10] Tod Perry: There was actually a study they did with people who prayed often when they were sick, especially with a serious or terminal disease. They found worse health outcomes in some of the people who prayed because some of them didn’t take their self-care as seriously. They thought, ‘Well, I’ve got God working on it, so I don’t have to follow my medical protocols as much.’ Their faith was so strong that, in some cases, they didn’t take care of themselves. I thought that was a very interesting way of seeing things.
[04:50] Tod Perry: So, I am excited about the Nei-yeh – and I don’t know how to properly pronounce this, and George is very good with the Chinese pronunciation.
[05:00] George Thompson: [Brief pronunciation/terminology clarification; partially unclear.]
[05:10] Tod Perry: So there’s a book by a gentleman by the name of Harold Roth called Original Tao, and it’s based on the Nei-yeh, which is seen as a precursor to Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching by possibly 50 to 100 years. So this was among the original, kind of primordial Taoist ideas, which is kind of fun – the primordial soup of the whole thing. The book is about inward training, and the Nei-yeh has 26 chapters. What I find interesting is that it’s not as nuanced as the Tao Te Ching, and it’s not as nuanced as Chuang Tzu, with all the jokes and stories. It’s more direct.
[06:10] Tod Perry: One of the basic tenets running through it is the idea that when the mind is calm and at peace, your external world will mirror your internal world. It’s the basic idea that your focus determines your reality. It does give you a bit of a locus of control: if you have some control over your brain, over your mind, that can give you some control over your experience – in no way control over all external circumstances, obviously. It’s something Taoism touches on quite a bit. George, what do you think?
[07:00] George Thompson: What strikes me is that this is such a distillation of a foundation that later comes through Taoism itself. The Tao Te Ching has these 81 short chapters, and you can feel this collective wisdom that has resonated through generations. Different thinkers and teachers are synthesizing and distilling ideas that keep resurfacing through the centuries.
[07:45] George Thompson: It makes me think of Viktor Frankl and the idea of responsibility as our ability to choose our response. There’s the classic Frankl line: between stimulus and response there is a space. That space is where we have freedom and power. And that idea of space is crucial to practice.
[08:20] Tod Perry: I love that quote by Frankl. That’s amazing. And I’ve found meditation is the quickest way to increase that response area. Maybe when I was ten years old – or just less developed – that space was very small. I think there are a lot of people in this world who are operating with almost no latency between what happens and how their body reacts.
[08:50] George Thompson: Responsibility normally sounds like taking the world on your shoulders, but I love thinking about it as response-ability: the ability to choose your response. Because, to use Frankl’s quote, between stimulus and response there is this space, and in that space is your freedom and your power. The word ‘space’ is crucial. I still get reactive, but practice makes it possible to notice when I’m lost and come back. There’s more spaciousness. You can ask: ‘Where am I right now? Do I need to be in this reaction?’ That capacity is an incredible development because then you can respond to the world instead of simply reacting.
[09:50] Tod Perry: That’s where all the problems happen. So, back to Original Tao here. I pulled out a few passages. Some of them are embedded within chapters, so we won’t read the whole chapter. My belief is that the main point is: when you perfect the mind, the world outside of you will become more ordered as well – or as close as it can get. Nothing will ever be perfect. There will be ups and downs. But maybe there will be less unnecessary movement.
[10:30] Tod Perry: Here it says in Chapter 3: ‘The true condition of the mind is that it finds calmness beneficial and, by it, attains repose. Do not disturb it, do not disrupt it, and harmony will naturally develop.’ So again, repose – that space we’re talking about. Don’t disrupt it, and harmony will naturally develop.
[10:50] Tod Perry: And in Chapter 5 it says, ‘Cultivate your mind, make your thoughts tranquil, and the Way can thereby be attained.’ Again, it starts in the brain.
[11:10] Tod Perry: Chapter 10: ‘With a well-ordered mind within you, well-ordered words issue forth from your mouth, and well-ordered tasks are imposed upon others. Then all under heaven will be well-ordered.’ Again, right into this point where the ordering in the mind is what you see out in the world.
[11:27] Tod Perry: And it almost makes me think that, in your immediate life – not necessarily the world at large, but your circle and your immediate experience – if things are constantly chaotic and unpredictable and just popping off for no reason, maybe some of that can be a reflection of the mind.
[12:00] George Thompson: I like this one because it gets into the power of the mind to create our reality, and secondly the limits of thinking that it literally creates every external circumstance. Taoism talks about how we project onto reality. Think about a projector: if you put a red lens over it, the whole image looks red. Put a blue lens over it, the whole image looks blue.
[12:40] George Thompson: So, for example, if I believe human nature is inherently selfish and therefore it’s a dog-eat-dog world, I will interpret every piece of information through that lens: humans are selfish. Everything looks red. But if I believe humans are generally good – not perfect, but generally good – that’s the lens I project through, so I interact with the very same facts differently. Our projections condition how the world outside of us feels, through our own history and experience.
[13:30] Tod Perry: And that goes exactly with this line: ‘When you have no delusions within you, externally there will be no disasters.’ But you have to get down to that truth, and that’s the hardest part. How do we know what’s true? It’s not easy. We can look at empirical evidence. We can understand more about psychology. We can try to see things with clarity and without desire, because desire can get in our way.
[14:00] Tod Perry: Some people have a desire to see the world as dog-eat-dog and full of hate, and that can excuse their own behavior in the world. Or you can choose to see that, yes, people have harmful elements in them, but most of the time people are good. That affects the way you walk through the world, and it gives you more responsibility toward the world when you see people as having goodness.
[14:34] Tod Perry: I always look at the debate around homelessness, especially living in California, where you see a lot of it. One person sees someone who’s homeless and says, ‘That person is lazy. They don’t work hard, so they don’t deserve my help.’ Another person says, ‘That person suffered some misfortune,’ or tries to understand them, and therefore feels that person deserves help. The answer can vary from person to person, of course. But often there are terrible experiences, trauma, mental illness, or other circumstances involved. Having the automatic idea that ‘that person is lazy’ frees you from feeling any responsibility toward that person.
[15:30] George Thompson: That’s a nice example. Projection is what human consciousness does. We have experience, and in order to simplify the world we project onto this infinite mystery using the experiences that we’ve had. A story like ‘people are lazy’ can become a strategy that protects me in some way. It’s a story that organizes reality for my consciousness. The practice is to notice: this story is not reality itself.
[16:16] George Thompson: And that leads to the beautiful question: how can we know what the truth is?
[16:28] Tod Perry: We were talking recently about the Crusades. The Christians thought they were being told by the Pope that they were doing the right thing, and then you’ve got the other side…
[16:40] George Thompson: Exactly. One side can feel, ‘I’m doing good,’ while the people on the other side can feel, ‘We’re protecting our land against foreign invaders.’ Both can feel like they’re in possession of the truth. So often people say, ‘I’m right. This is the truth.’ The question for me is: how can we see clearly? How can we not be fooled by an illusion or a delusion we’ve created for ourselves? For me, part of that is really coming into the body.
[17:20] George Thompson: But even that isn’t foolproof. You can imagine a crusader feeling conviction in his body and saying, ‘This feels true.’ Projection is going to happen. Delusion is going to happen. So the body is information, but it isn’t an infallible truth detector.
[17:50] Tod Perry: If the body is telling you something is true, do you get a sense of ease? And if something isn’t true, do you feel constricted? But, as you’re saying, the body can be wrong too.
[18:10] George Thompson: Exactly. The body can give false signals, just as the mind can, because the signal itself can be conditioned by projection. It’s about integrating these things – noticing what’s happening in my experience, with a level of presence. I can say, ‘This feels true,’ but that’s not the same as claiming absolute certainty.
[18:40] Tod Perry: And I think there’s sensitivity to identity too. Am I coming to this understanding based on an identity I have about myself? A political identity? A religious identity? A socioeconomic identity? These are different ideas and labels that the external world puts on us, or that we put on ourselves, and they greatly affect our projections.
[19:08] Tod Perry: They interfere all the time. Am I trying to think of this through the lens of some identity I’ve placed on myself, or is this the objective truth? Taoism is always about shedding those identities and coming into the idea that you’re an evolving, changing person. A rigid identity can possibly be a recipe for disaster. And truth isn’t simply what makes us feel good or what affirms us.
[19:50] George Thompson: Exactly. Truth can also feel bad. I’m an evolving organism; everything’s changing. Even the sense of a fixed self is a story. We can make that story closer and closer to the underlying reality, but it’s still a story.
[20:10] Tod Perry: There’s a good one toward the end of the Nei-yeh – Chapter 25 in this edition – that says: ‘When the mind can hold on to tranquility, the Way will become naturally stabilized. For people who have attained the Way, it permeates their pores and saturates their hair.’ For me, my pores, because I don’t really have much hair.
[20:40] Tod Perry: I think that’s a beautiful thing. It’s a reminder to all of us to affect our brains in a healthy way. I do it through meditation. That’s one way. Obviously if we eat healthy and exercise, all these things help too. George, are there any other types of behaviors one can do to get their mind right in order to respond to the world with more response-ability?
[21:20] George Thompson: One of my routes of healing is observation and investigation. Observation is presence. It’s being with my own experience. We’re talking about delusion and the constructs of the mind; observation helps us get closer to reality because you can notice what’s here without immediately doing anything with it.
[21:50] George Thompson: That alone can be life-changing. Observation is the first part. Then there’s investigation: explore what’s beneath these recurring delusions or stories. Why does this keep coming through again and again? What need is underneath it? Maybe the story is, ‘I need love,’ or, ‘I need to take action,’ or, ‘I need money in order to do this.’ You can investigate the attachment beneath the thought.
[22:38] George Thompson: And then you can come back to surrender and trust – allowing the Tao, loosening the attachment, returning to flow. Observation and investigation are two really useful tools.
[23:10] Tod Perry: All right, let’s move over to a little of the Chuang Tzu. We’ve really been focusing in this version of the show on Lao Tzu, so this is another good passage I found. It’s on page 107 of the Merton version. I understand the Merton version may not be the most literal translation ever, but it’s bite-size for what we do here, so we like it. And that’s all that matters, right? I haven’t gotten any emails about it, so that’s good.
[23:50] Tod Perry: This is called ‘The Need to Win.’ ‘When an archer is shooting for nothing, he has all his skill. If he shoots for a brass buckle, he is already nervous. If he shoots for a prize of gold, he goes blind or sees two targets – he is out of his mind! His skill has not changed. But the prize divides him. He cares. He thinks more of winning than of shooting – and the need to win drains him of power.’
[24:30] Tod Perry: That’s the whole bit. When you think the game is on the line and you’re playing basketball and you’ve got one minute left and you’re taking your shot, that’s way more nerve-racking than the one you take in the first quarter. Or you’re standing over a putt and maybe my buddy and I have got a beer on the line – I’ve got to buy the beer or he’s going to buy me a beer. There’s a big box on the line there.
[24:58] Tod Perry: You get more nervous when you’re thinking about winning. Or if money is on the line for work, you might be more self-conscious instead of being your full self in that moment because you’re thinking about the outcome. Or even worse, you’re thinking about losing. There are studies showing that the pain of losing tends to feel worse than the good feeling that comes with winning. It says a lot about human nature.
[25:36] Tod Perry: So, when we’re under stress, is there a way to think about it like nothing is on the line? Is that the way we do it, George?
[25:50] George Thompson: I love how funny Chuang Tzu is here: he goes blind, he sees two targets, he’s out of his mind. It’s funny body language for what pressure does. When you’re present, you can just shoot. The moment you’re thinking about everything outside the act itself, pressure builds.
[26:18] George Thompson: Another example is love. There’s this energy of, ‘Is she the one?’ Suddenly there’s all this pressure. Instead of, ‘This is a fun conversation,’ the story around the bigness of the thing can become the block.
[26:48] George Thompson: I love to share an exercise at retreats and in teaching where we freestyle rap together. There are basically no rules: you don’t have to rhyme, and if you mess up, just keep going. Take the pressure off. Don’t limit yourself with all your own beliefs and constructions. Just come back to presence and see what can emerge from presence.
[27:30] Tod Perry: I like that. And going back to the archer thing and putting it into romantic relationships: there’s nothing worse than a person who has desperation on them, who is really trying to impress somebody. It’s always the person who’s most laid-back who is the most attractive.
[27:58] Tod Perry: I mean, Natalie Portman could come running at me in a desperate way and I’d go, ‘Whoa, hold back.’ [Laughs.] That’s probably not true. But there’s a lesson in there. The person who’s shooting for money, shooting for victory, shooting for all these things – that competitiveness can hold you back.
[28:25] Tod Perry: That’s something to think about, especially if you’re in a situation where you want to cooperate. If it’s a basketball game, you want to play hard. If the environment rewards competition, great. But if it’s an environment where competitiveness actually hinders you, that’s different.
[29:00] George Thompson: The archer is a great image for the whole cultivation of a skill. There’s the object, the goal, the prize – and then there’s the actual skill. The external construction can get in the way. That can happen with any skill, like playing a musical instrument. Suddenly I’m thinking, ‘Am I good enough?’ instead of simply playing.
[29:28] George Thompson: And it comes back to what we were talking about: what’s within reflects without. Where the intention goes, the energy follows. It always comes back to presence – observing what’s in my mind. Why do I need to do that? Why am I so tight? Can I soften? Take a breath. Come back to the present.
[30:00] Tod Perry: Fantastic. George, give me your final thoughts for the people on their way this week – or month, depending on when we decide to put this one out.
[30:10] George Thompson: I guess with what we’ve been talking about – observation and presence – just ask: where am I? Where am I in my body? Where am I in my mind? What stories am I in? That’s one way to see more clearly.
[30:28] George Thompson: There’s one form of clarity which is knowledge, and there’s another form of clarity which is seeing clearly that I don’t know. Seeing clearly the mystery. Being comfortable in not knowing can be a clarifying release. We surrender into the unknown.
[30:48] George Thompson: One of the big Taoist themes, and part of this collective wisdom, is a sense of trust in the mystery. Notice when you’re contracted and stuck in your mind, and use these skills to return to balance – to find that clarifying release by embracing the mystery.
[31:20] Tod Perry: Beautiful. I’ve been trying to do this. There’s the Taoist idea of waiting for the muddy waters to clear before you make a decision. And there’s also this idea that I don’t know everything.
[31:31] Tod Perry: I was in a Mexican restaurant, sitting at the bar a couple of weeks ago, and there was a gentleman next to me who was quite intoxicated. We had those wildfires in California about a year ago, really terrible, and the guy asks me, ‘Who do you think was responsible? Was it the mayor? Was it the governor? Was it this person?’ And I said, ‘I have no idea. I’m not a fire expert in any way. I have zero answer for you.’
[32:00] Tod Perry: And I felt so good. There was no argument. It was just: I don’t know. I don’t know anything about fire. So come at me with questions about fire and water – maybe. Maybe not.
[32:18] Tod Perry: Everybody, go to Patreon.com/whatsthistaoallabout and subscribe. You get the episodes before everybody else, sometimes by up to six weeks. And we also have episodes of Tao of Tod, which is me talking for about 12 minutes about different Taoist ideas, and we have episodes of The Ten Thousand Things, where Dr. Totton and I discuss topics outside of Taoism. It’s a beautiful thing. So go to Patreon.com/whatsthistaoallabout, jump on, support us. It does take a couple bucks to keep the show on the road.
[33:00] George Thompson: Thank you very much. [Closing words partially obscured by theme music.]
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Dr. Totton provides some practices to help people dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. We also discuss the Taoist idea of free will and break down chapter 80 of the “Tao Te Ching.” Right click to download a .doc of Dr. Totton’s”10-Day Gong.” >>
The dynamic duo of Dr. Totton and Tod dig deep into Alan Watts’ ‘Backwards Law.’ They also take a look into chapter 65 of the “Tao Te Ching” and touch on a controversial practice known as “sunning.”
Dr. Totton and Tod discuss how gratitude can dramatically improve our lives. Also, they dive deep into Chapter 64 of the “Tao Te Ching” and discuss how it relates to achieving goals.
Tod and Dr. Totton review Livia Kohn’s translation of Chuang Tzu to understand how to reach the ultimate state of oblivion. Also, there’s some drama at the weed shop outside the Taoist temple.
A listener writes in asking about how to “confront darkness.” Later, Dr. Totton and Tod discuss Chapter 41 of the “Tao Te Ching” and the art of “not joining the 27 Club.”
Dr. Totton explains how we can live a more simple, fulfilling life by reducing our karmic footprints. Also, Chapter 48 of the “Tao Te Ching.”
Dr. Totton and Tod discuss how Taoist philosophy can help us manage our desires and gain self-control. Later, chapter 29 of the “Tao Te Ching.”
Dr. Totton uses his vast knowledge of psychology and the Tao to discuss anxiety. Also, a few chapters from the good book.
“The Empty Boat” is a powerful parable by Chuang-Tzu, Dr. Totton and Tod take a deep dive to figure out what it means. Later, a listener asks a question about prayer.
On this show we discuss what Lao Tzu has to say about happiness and delve semi-deep into chapters 46 and 47 of the “Tao Te Ching.”
Dr. Totton digs deep into psychologist Carl Jung and his deep connection to the Tao. Later, we crack open the “Tao Te Ching” and investigate Chapter 44.
Dr. Totton and Tod consult the wisdom of “The Big Lebowski”-inspired “Dude De Ching” to discuss societal organization and chapter 35 of the “Tao Te Ching.” Also, a listener writes in asking how to feel the Tao.
Dr. Totton and Tod discuss Tzu-Jan which is known as the “heart of the Tao” and give some Taoist perspective on the environment.
What is the basis for Taoist morality? Dr. Totton and Tod take a look into the moral principals of Taoist thought. Later, an examination of Chapter 28 of the “Tao Te Ching.”
Dr. Totton shares some techniquesto help us cleanse our minds and free ourselves from attachment. Later, Chapter 45 of the “Tao Te Ching.” Right click to download The Mind, Cleaning, Karma, and Life.
From a Taoist perspective, what is the meaning of life? Dr. Totton and Tod attempt to address this massive question in under 20 minutes. Later, chapter 38 of the “Tao Te Ching” a verse that Dr. Totton refers to as a “power chapter.”
How do you really find your “true self”? Does such a thing really exist? Dr. Totton and Tod examine the idea from a Taoist perspective.
Dr. Totton has created a ten-day gong to help people become more in touch with themselves and the Tao. Later, Dr. Totton and Tod answer a listener’s question about being in tune with reality. Right click to download a .doc of Dr. Totton’s”10-Day Gong.” >>
Tod and Dr. Totton finish up their discussion on Alan Watts’Tao: The Watercourse Way, reply to a listener who’s having trouble living in these chaotic times, and break open Chapter 10 of the Tao Te Ching.
Alan Watts was one of the first major Taoist philosophers in the Western world. Here, Tod and Dr. Totton dig deep into his book, Tao: The Watercourse Way. Later, they crack open the Tao Te Ching to examine chapter 9.
On this show, we talk address a subject that isn’t often referenced in “The Tao Te Ching”: Love. Later, Tod and Dr. Totton discuss Chapter 39 of the “Tao Te Ching.”
Dr. Totton and Tod crack open the pages of “The Te of Piglet,” Benjamin Hoff’s sequel to the “Tao of Pooh.” Later they dissect chapter 25 of the “Tao Te Ching.”
Was Lao Tzu an anarchist? Dr. Totton and Tod take a look into the politics of the “Tao Te Ching” on episode 43. “Anarchism and Taoism” by Josh
Dr. Totton and Tod open the show with the story of a dying man who found strength in the final months of life through the Tao. Later, a listener has questions about forgiveness and Chapter 24 of the Tao Te Ching. “Accepting Cancer’s Challenges with a Little Help from the ‘Tao Te Ching'” by Jeffrey […]
On this episode, Dr. Totton and Tod dig deep into chapter 13 of the Tao Te Ching to learn how to embrace disgrace. Also, some thoughts on the not-so-subtle Taoist messages in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
What does Lao-Tzu mean when he talks about balance? Dr. Carl explains in our first episode of the new year. Tod and Dr. Totton also dig deep into Chapter 23 of “The Tao Te Ching.”
Tod’s book review of “Zen and the Art of Archery” sparks a conversation about Zen. Later, Tod and Dr. Totton discuss what Lao Tzu means by “abandoning knowledge.”
Dr. Totten explore how the study of Taoism can help with creativity and dig deep into Chapter 19 of “The Tao Te Ching.”
Tod is going through a major life change so he asks Dr. Totton for some Taoist perspective on the issue. Later, they dig deep into Chapters 11 and 18 of the “Tao Te Ching.”
On episode 36, Dr. Totton and Tod discuss how one becomes a Taoist priest. Later, they answer an email from a professional athlete and review Chapter 6 of the “Tao Te Ching.”
On episode 35, Dr. Totton and Tod discuss how Taoism acts as antidote for the Western mind. They also touch upon the history of Taoism and dig deep into chapter four of the “Tao Te Ching.”
Dr. Totton and Tod try and help a listener who’s addicted to social media. Plus, Tod has some great news about a potential guest. Brian Diedrick’s Digital Detachment blog
What is the Tao, really? Is it metaphorical, physical, metaphysical? Tod and Dr. Totton discuss. Later, some hard-hitting questions from the show’s listeners.
Dr. Carl Totton and Tod open the show with a discussion about ABC News‘ Anchor Dan Harris’ new book “10% Happier.” Later, they take another deep dive into the mysterious Taoist concept of Te.
Dr. Totton and Tod discuss The Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff’s book that introduced the Western world to the Tao. Later, Chapter 25 of the Tao Te Ching.
Dr. Totton and Tod clear out their listener mailbox by answering some questions on martial arts and how Taoism, relates to Christianity.
Our show opens with a discussion about indoctrinating children into Taoism. Later, Dr. Totton and Tod crack open Chuang Tzu’s Inner Chapters to talk about his thoughts on what it means to be the “True Man.”
The election of Donald Trump as president of the U.S. has sent shock waves though the world. So Dr. Totton and Tod share the Taoist perspective on political upheaval while working to better understand the Trump voter.
Show 27 opens with a powerful email from a female listener with some questions about women and the Tao. Later, we dive deep into chapters 22 and 26 of the Tao Te Ching.
We open our show with the final five of Tod’s top 15 favorite couplets from the Tao Te Ching. Later, Dr. Totton discusses the two different approaches to Taoist meditation: active and passive.
After scouring through the Tao Te Ching with a highlighter, Tod shares his top 15 favorite couplets from the book. Later, Dr. Totton answers an email from a listener who wants to be more like Lu Dongbin.
Our show begins with an email from a listener in Spain who has questions about a major change in life. Later, Dr. Totton and Tod dig deep into Chapter 21 of the Tao Te Ching.
Who is the mysterious Lu Dongbin? Dr. Totton and Tod look into the life and teachings of a Taoist immortal. Later, we discuss one of the most challenging chapters of The Tao Te Ching.
After the birth of his son, Tod asks Dr. Totton how he can get back into good Taoist habits. Later, a listener has some intriguing questions about how to handle disagreements and veganism.
We’re back in the Taoist temple recording some more episodes of the show. Can’t wait to share what comes next! Have a question you’d like answered? Email us at Tod.Perry@yahoo.com.
Our show begins with an apology for a mishap that screwed up the audio on show 21. In this episode, Dr. Totton and Tod take on two very important chapters from the Tao Te Ching, 14 and 16. They also discuss how to develop empathy, dealing with difficult people, and an odd experience Tod had […]
Dr. Totton discusses the Taoist perspective on health and how one can find balance through multiple practices. Later, Tod shares his translation of the Tao Te Ching that he’s written for the common man. The show ends with a discussion of Chapter 12 of the Tao Te Ching. The Immortals Weekend is coming May 21 […]
The show opens with a question from a listener in Hawaii about how to raise a disciplined child. Later, Tod and Dr. Carl discuss one of the most important aspects of Eastern spirituality: living in the moment.
Tod and Dr. Totton discuss how the Tao is an antidote for binary thinking and can help people free themselves from entrenched worldviews. Later, they discuss the concept of the “mirror mind” and Chapter 19 from the Tao Te Ching.
Tod cracks open Chaung Tzu’s Inner Chapters for another book report on the sacred Taoist text. We also discuss chapter 18 of the Tao Te Ching and personal energy.
Dr. Totton and Tod open up the listener mailbag to discuss an important question about injustice from a listener in Australia. Later, we discuss Chapter 36 from the Tao Te Ching.
For the first time on the show Dr. Carl and Tod discuss the meaning and importance of “being” and “non-being” as they relate to Taoism. Also, we discuss the the Taoist embrace of “flow” and the I Ching’s place in the Taoist cannon.
Our show opens with an article about how one can practically use the art of wu-wei in the business world. Later, Dr. Carl Totton reveals his three ways to cultivate the Tao on a daily basis.
On show 13, the ever-studious Tod Perry presents a book report on the first half of the seminal Taoist text Inner Chapters by Chuang Tsu. Here, we uncover the mystery of Tzu’s famous butterfly dream and discuss his timeless humor, insightful parables, and importance in the Taoist cannon. Subscribe to What’s This Tao All About? […]
Dr. Carl Totton and two of his friends have just released new book to help you combat stress. The Book on Internal STRESS Release teaches you to condition your body’s neural pathways to establish a new stress-free life! Also learn how to create: Stress relief at the neurological level The ability to access your inner […]
Dr. Carl Totton and Tod Perry will be back with more “What’s This Tao All About?” in early January. ‘Til then, if you have a questions, email us and we’ll answer them on the show when we return. Email your questions to tod.perry@yahoo.com. Thanks!
In show 12, Dr. Carl and Tod discuss chapter 81 of the Tao Te Ching. They also go in depth on the practice of qigong and discuss other texts in the Taoist cannon besides the Tao Te Ching. Subscribe to What’s This Tao All About? on iTunes >>
The show opens with some musings about the similarities between The Force in Star Wars and the Tao. Later, Dr. Carl Totton disucusses his journey to become a Taoist priest. The show ends with a talk about the concept of immortality in Taoism and a discussion on Chapter 16. Subscribe to What’s This Tao All […]
After a brief hiatus, Dr. Carl Totton discusses his time at the Taoist Gathering in Oakland, California. Then Dr. Totton and Tod discuss the Three Treasures and Chapter 17 of the Tao Te Ching. Subscribe to What’s This Tao All About? on iTunes >>
We’re taking a quick break, show 10 will show up in two weeks. Until then, May the Tao be with you! “When there is no desire, all things are at peace.” – Lao Tzu Tod and Dr.Carl Totton
Are there hard-set rules to being a practicing Taoist? What is Pu? What style of governing is most beneficial to the people? These questions and much more are answered on episode nine of What’s This Tao All About? Subscribe to What’s This Tao All About? on iTunes >>
Tod’s smart phone is driving him nuts so he asks Dr. Carl how to find balance in a world ruled by technology. After missing a chapter last week, Dr. Carl and Tod cover chapter 13 of the Tao Te Ching, a verse dealing with ego. They finish the show with a discussion on chapter 33 […]
Our show opens with Tod reporting back after five weeks of practicing meditation. Is he doing it right? Would he know if he was? Later, Dr. Carl discusses how the teachings of the Tao can help right a world that’s gone out of balance. Subscribe to What’s This Tao All About? on iTunes >>
The show opens with some thoughts on the nature of the universe: is it friendly or hostile? Later we delve into a discussion of how the concept of god fits into the Taoist philosophy. The show closes with Dr. Carl’s thoughts on Chapter 5 of the Tao Te Ching. Subscribe to What’s This Tao All […]
We open the show with a discussion on how to become a practicing Taoist. Later, Dr. Carl and Tod tackle the oh-so important Tao concept of Te. The Te helps put the Tao in action, Dr. Carl discusses how you can make it work for you. We end with a brief talk on chapter four […]
We open the show speculating whether some of the greatest minds of the last century were secretly Taoists. Later, Dr. Carl discusses mediation and we end with a break down of Chapter Three of the Tao Te Ching. Subscribe to What’s This Tao All About? on iTunes >>
Recently, Tod got stuck riding the bus to work, prompting a discussion on social status and how it relates to the Tao. Later, we get into a conversation on the Taoist principal of Yin and Yang. This week’s Tao Te Ching reading is from chapter 8. Subscribe to What’s This Tao All About? on iTunes […]
Our show opens with a discussion about the perils of the persistent business pervasive in modern society. Later, Dr. Carl Totton discusses the Taoist principal of wu-wei or the “art of non-doing.” The show ends with a break down of Chapter Two of the Tao Te Ching, a rumination on appreciating polarity and mutual arising. […]
Our journey begins with an overview of the Tao, which proves a little challenging because, of course, “The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.” Then we get to know Dr. Carl and Tod and find out how they became interested in Taoism. Later, we take a look at Chapter one of […]