Vitality, Energy, Spirit: A Taoist Sourcebook

Description

This is the richest sourcebook of Taoist teachings ever to appear in the English language. It focuses on vitality, energy, and spirit - the 'three treasures' of human life as envisioned in Taoist thought. The three treasures are understood to be the source of the creativity, capability, and intelligence of which humankind is capable, and Taoist adepts developed techniques for working with the treasures for health, strength, and wisdom. This volume traces the teachings on these three treasures through the long history of Taoism up to the present century, highlighting quintessential texts on the practical application of these principles to mental and physical well-being.

Thomas Cleary holds a PhD in East Asian Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University and a JD from the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law. He is the translator of over fifty volumes of Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and Islamic texts from Sanskrit, Chinese, Japanese, Pali, and Arabic.

"Cleary has brought Buddhist, Taoist, and I Ching texts from Chinese into English with the energy of a person carrying antique furniture out of a burning house. He has translated or retranslated more sacred texts from Chinese than any other scholar this century. His books, full of ancients' advice, speak to a large, spiritually hungry audience."-David Schneider, San Francisco Chronicle "Chock-full of timely advice for mental, physical, and spiritual health. . . . Here are the keys to understand and practice reality in our everyday lives, whatever our religious or philosophical inclination."-Lightworks