Introduction to the Dao

The book begins with the author’s account of her trip to China, where she met with a Daoist spiritual master. The subjects they discussed are elaborated upon in subsequent chapters, and illustrated with quotations from Chinese Daoist classics, such as the Daodéjing (Tao te Ching), Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu), Huainanzi, and other literature. Themes include: the Dao as the spiritual realm of non-being and all-pervading divine presence; the dé as the Dao manifested in the creation; how to live humbly in accord with Dao; the concept of wu-wei, or “doing without doing”; cultivating the Dao through inner meditation; the vegetarian diet and the balance of nature; the balance of yin and yang; reclaiming one’s “original nature” by removing the dust from one’s heart; and the need for the “perfect man” or living teacher to serve as the human example.