Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life: Living The Wisdom Of The Tao

A must read for anyone on a spiritual quest. The principles of the Tao are beautifully presented for us to explore and the author's positive and empowering interpretations will help change your thoughts and experience of life itself. It enhances one's world view of spirituality as it should ultimately be- beyond rituals and specific religious practices towards an empowering and liberating path of thinking, feeling and being. I first read this book about 7-8years ago in my library and have since bought a copy for myself (which I refer to often for guidance and the calming effect its words have on the soul!) and bought several more for friends. It put me on a journey of self quest and understanding that is both fulfilling and unquenchable. Amazon's ordering, billing and payment; delivery and packaging have been consistently excellent over the 3 times I have ordered with them!!

The author describes his understanding of the Tao Te Ching: ideas that will help you be less aggressive, interfere less, be more confident, and happier. Food for thought and for action also!

I've been an atheist for about 6 months now & had got to the point where I realised that yes: it may have truth to it, but it doesn't translate into any kind of way of life. In fact, I'd go so far to say that it is very much a negative philosophy of 'I don't believe in something', rather than asserting something to believe in. So I watched The Tao Of Steve (after reading the peerless book My Friend Leonard ) & was intrigued enough to search up the subject, whereupon I discovered this & the book itself. I tried the Tao Te Ching but the version I had is a little dense & ineloquent, requiring detailed study & reflection. When I tried this, however, it was like pure spiritual truth. Each verse (as the reviewer 'L Power' points out) is a condensed, simple version of the Tao (if not 100% faithful) & the small essays elaborate on the important themes of each verse to aid understanding. Saying this, to my critical faculties it struck me as woolly & soft. But as I got into it, I realised that the Rabbit hole did go very deep indeed. The weirdest thing is that most audio CD's rely on you hearing the majority of the words (& remembering them) in order to understand the contents. Driving in a car, this is not always feasible but this CD seems to work on a subconcious level, meaning the wisdom is not necessarily perceived although it is certainly acted on & absorbed by the mind. My one criticism (if I might be so bold) is that the Tao does not seem at heart to be a Christian Theistic philosophy, but more Pantheist. This CD relies heavily on the Bible & God to explain the Tao even though (as he Dr Dyer confesses on CD 7) the Taoist concept of God has nothing to do with reward & punishment. I also think that (given that Jesus took many of his ideas from Buddha) that Dr Dyer should quote more from Buddha and less from Jesus. That said, I did find the Biblical verses added understanding & the CD is bold in proclaiming Taoist philosophy & that we all worship one 'God'. I'm still an atheist, but I now think that there is a decent competing philosophy - one which is less harsh, more subtle & which gives direction in life. I'd recommend this CD set as an excellent starting point for anyone interested in Taoism & I think it is an excellent way to balance ones life - between the relentless fierce logic of secularism, and the pure embracing (almost naive) love of the Tao. *** P.S. Something completely random that I realised the other day is that Wayne Dyer has a very similar voice to Morpheus from The Matrix . Maybe the undefinable Tao is actually the Matrix, who knows?

I like Dyer's format for studying the Tao. He first reads the verse, then explains it, gives examples, offers suggestions on how to apply the principles, and summarizes/paraphrases each verse. I have to admit I've had to run to my dictionary a few times, as Dyer has a fondness for certain words/phrases such as "duality" and "paradoxical unity" which just don't roll off my tongue as easily as they do his. But he doesn't talk so far above my head that I can't follow him. Each "lesson" is short, just a few minutes.

The Tao Te Ching (also called the Dao De Jing) was written some 2,500 years ago in China. The writer is credited as Lao-Tzu or "the Old Master". The Tao Te Ching itself is simply a book of 81 verses. `Change Your Thoughts: Change Your Life` contains every verse from Tao Te Ching. As there have been many translations into English, Dr Dyer has selected his favourite translation for each verse. After each verse are a few pages of Dr Dyer's own interpretations of the verse. He also suggests an action you can take to 'Do the Tao Now'. This is an excellent book for a beginner (like me) who has never read the Tao Te Ching before. Dr Dyer's comments are helpful as they provide a different viewpoint on each verse and gave greater meaning to some of the more paradoxical concepts. Every verse has a profound and true point to make. The Tao Te Ching is a spiritual self-improvement document. I truly believe that if you implement the Tao Te Ching's advice, you will live a greatly richer and improved life. It is amazing that not one verse seems old or out of place in the 21st century, because the princliples of a fulfilling life are timeless. Taoism is an excellent philosophy as it does not ask you to believe in any mythical beings or practise any specific rituals. All it does is give advice on what constitutes a happy and meaningful life. It is your choice to act on this advice. The virtues and 'problems' of life are shown through the (yin/yang) dual unity concept. The Tao Te Ching gives advice on living happily, co-existing with others and being a good parent/leader. This is a book EVERYONE must read. Dr Dyer's book is a great way to start!