Podcasts about Tao Te Ching

Hello everyone, who knew and loved Bart,This is Renata Gregori, his wife. My beloved husband left this earth plane on July 27, 2026, due to pneumonia and infection - complications from conditions he was dealing with since the end of last year.He was the best man I've ever known. He was my teacher, my confidant, my best friend, the love of my life and my touchstone for all that is good and righteous. I could always count on him to put things in perspective for me and check me, when I was off base. We had a celebration of life at our house in Mexico yesterday and it was so beautiful. Music, laughter, tears and beautiful people. Bart has been laid out at our house for two days. As per his wishes, he will be cremated today.Please continue to contemplate his teachings, read his books and watch his videos. I send my Love to all who knew and loved him and all whose lives he touched. Bart Marshall described his spiritual path as “self-guided eclectic.” It began with a death experience in Vietnam in 1968 and ended in 2004 on an airplane at 30,000 feet over the Atlantic as he returned from a workshop with Douglas Harding. In those intervening years he “turned over every rock” in his quest for a final answer, but counts three teachers as the most influential: Richard Rose, Nisargadatta Maharaj, and Douglas Harding.He founded Self Inquiry Group (SIG) in Raleigh, North Carolina and for many years held weekly meetings before stepping back in 2013. Sometimes called “the reluctant guru” by those who know him, Bart nevertheless traveled widely to speak when asked, and teaches retreats and intensives with Deborah Westmoreland (Conscious TV interview) events that proved to be highly transformative for participants.Bart was the author of The Perennial Way: New English Versions of Yoga Sutras, Dhammapada, Heart Sutra, Ashtavakra Gita, Faith Mind Sutra, and Tao Te Ching, and Christ Sutras (Fall 2014), which contains the complete sayings of Jesus from all sources arranged as topical sermons. Interview recorded 11/8/2014

Rejection does not define your worth. This guided meditation will help you release the need for external validation, heal rejection wounds and return to inner peace - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees.In this guided meditation for rejection and self-worth, discover how to let go of the need for approval, overcome people-pleasing and reconnect with your true value. Drawing on Taoist philosophy and Inner Child healing practices, this calming meditation explores how rejection can become redirection—and why your worth can never be given or taken away by another person. Release external validation, self-doubt and fear of rejection as you build self-acceptance, inner peace, emotional resilience and trust in yourself and the flow of life.⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERYLearn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy: GUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubLOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=-zdah_z6MiSZIl0tIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

Rejection hurts—but it doesn't define your worth. Discover the Taoist way to stop chasing validation, let go with dignity, and find peace when life says no. Discover why rejection can trigger self-doubt, childhood wounds, fear of abandonment and people-pleasing—and how to stop seeking external validation or trying to force people and situations to align.Learn how non-attachment, self-acceptance and wu wei can help you process rejection, protect your self-worth and emotional wellbeing, and trust that sometimes rejection is redirection towards a more authentic path.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:Our INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqLOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhXIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email:  https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup Music by Earth Tree HealingDisclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

In this episode, we explore Verse 23 of the Tao Te Ching (Stephen Mitchell translation) and the radical simplicity of full expression followed by silence. By looking at how nature allows storms to rain completely without holding back or apologizing, we examine how to stop managing our own emotional weather. We discuss what it means to open ourselves fully to the Tao, to insight, and to loss—allowing each experience to pass through completely so we can trust our natural responses and let everything fall into place.Key Themes & TakeawaysExpress Completely, Then Keep Quiet: True expression doesn't require over-explaining, hedging, or seeking validation. Say the true thing once, then step back into silence.The Wisdom of the Storm: Nature doesn't apologize for its weather. Rain rains completely, and when the clouds pass, the sun shines without residue or guilt.Loss as Natural Weather: Loss isn't an obstacle to avoid, but a system to be entered. Suffering often stems from holding the door half-open rather than letting the feeling pass all the way through.Trusting Natural Responses: Peace comes from dropping the performance and trusting your genuine, unmanaged reaction to life.Featured Verse"Express yourself completely, / then keep quiet. / Be like the forces of nature: / when it blows, there is only wind; / when it rains, there is only rain; / when the clouds pass, the sun shines through."— Tao Te Ching, Verse 23 (trans. Stephen Mitchell)Reflection QuestionWhere in your life today are you holding back half of what you feel—or over-explaining after the fact—instead of simply letting the weather pass through

Let go of regret, but learn the life lesson. In this episode of Tao Dialogues, you'll discover how to let go of regret, guilt and self-criticism without losing the wisdom your past experiences can teach you. Drawing on Taoism, spirituality and Inner Child teachings, we explore how to break free from emotional patterns, self-punishment and the past. Learn how authentic reflection, self-acceptance and the ‘power of three' — truth, honesty and integrity — can transform regret into wisdom, confidence and personal growth. You don't honour yesterday by living there — you honour it by learning from it.Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/regret-without-ruin (first blog post on this page) Our Tao Dialogues are powerful yet gentle teachings about authenticity, spirituality and finding emotional balance and flow in everyday life. These spoken-word episodes draw from David James Lees' practice as a Taoist monk and teacher, and expand upon popular posts on ‘David's Journal', his Substack blog.You can subscribe to David's Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comOther related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:TAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhFSHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-jINNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

Prashanthi Amarnath is the author of Embracing Paradox, a book that applies the Tao Te Ching to modern life. In this episode, we discuss Taoism and how it can reshape how we perceive, feel, and act. Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: embracingparadox.comResourcesBooksAutobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa YoganandaArchie ComicsBe Here Now by Ram DassSteve Jobs by Walter IsaacsonTao Te Ching by LaoziThe Adventures of Tintin by HergéThe Hardy Boys by Edward StratemeyerPeopleAlan WattsJohn DriggsLaoziRam DassWalter IsaacsonPodcastsAlan Watts Being in the WayLife Wisdom - By Words of TaoismLove & Understanding

"…actions go astray when they become deliberate, reflexive, and intentional." — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, page 134   GUS – 12StepRecovery.ai 30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

A guided meditation to help you break free from self-sabotage, reconnect with your Inner Child and take the first calm step towards your true potential - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees Feeling stuck, procrastinating, or trapped in self-sabotage? This guided meditation combines Taoist wisdom, Inner Child healing, mindfulness and self-compassion to help you release fear, overcome perfectionism, reconnect with your inner spiritual wisdom, and move forward with calm confidence. Through gentle visualisation, affirmations and breathwork, you'll learn to replace old protective patterns with authentic, aligned action—one peaceful step at a time.⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERYThis meditation can be practised daily or whenever you need it. Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy: GUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubLOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=-zdah_z6MiSZIl0tIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

A few moments with Appalachian hikers Daniel Farris and his wife, Raychel Pepperman, began hiking the Appalachian Trail on Feb. 22 at Springer Mountain in Georgia, the starting point. By the time they reached Philipstown two weeks ago, they had trekked 1,400 miles and resolved a marital dispute: Farris was walking too fast. "I understand that you're frustrated, but I can't go any faster," Pepperman said she told her husband. Farris slowed down. "The trail has been helpful for our communication skills," said Pepperman, a therapist in Chattanooga. "If one of us gets upset with the other, you have time to think about it while you're hiking, instead of just reacting." The couple is among the many hikers who stop this time of year at the Appalachian Market at Route 9 and Route 403, where they often occupy the picnic tables. About 10 miles of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail meanders through Putnam County, much of it inside Fahnestock State Park. About 3,000 people each year attempt to hike the entire 2,197.9-mile route through 14 states to Mount Katahdin in Maine, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and about a third succeed. Millions of others hike segments. When they stopped at the Appalachian Market in late July, Farris and Pepperman hoped to cover the final 800 miles by mid-September to attend a wedding in Nashville. To fellow hikers, Pepperman, 29, is known as "Chapstick" because of the lip balm she needed on the trail in February. Farris, 31, who sells outdoor gear, goes by "Mossman" because he likes to photograph moss. The market was also a refueling stop for Diver, 26, from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He declined to give his legal name but said his trail name was bestowed after he was seen dumpster diving near a shelter in Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia. He said he was retrieving his hiking cap, which had been thrown away, along with dozens of empty pizza boxes. Diver said he is hiking the trail because "I wanted to spend as much time outside as possible." He just completed five years in the U.S. Air Force sitting at a computer doing "logistics and stuff." He loves drinking from the springs he encounters. "It's the best water you'll ever get," he said. "It's so cold coming right out of the mountains." Also resting at the Appalachian Market was "Sidequest McMurphy," who said his "government name" is Seth Harper. He's a 23-year-old Eagle Scout who just graduated from the University of Tennessee. When he left Springer Mountain on March 9, Harper's trail name was McMurphy because, according to his former scoutmaster, he resembles the rebellious R.P. McMurphy in Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Harper added Sidequest because "I tend to get sucked into lots of sidequests," such as several days in the reading room at Elmer's Sunnybank Inn in Hot Springs, North Carolina. "Every room has a copy of Leaves of Grass and the Tao Te Ching," said Harper, who plans to attend graduate school and teach history. Harper said he is hiking for the same reason that Henry David Thoreau went to live by Walden Pond: "because I wanted to live deliberately." Hiking across Route 9 on his way to Fahnestock, he said he was listening to the audio version of Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow, which runs 36 hours. Resting at a picnic table, Amanda Edwards, 21, said the last time she did any real travel was in eighth grade, when her class visited Washington, D.C. "Since we passed Maryland, every step I take is the furthest north I've ever been," she said. After graduating in December from Georgia Southern University, Edwards said, "I wanted to do something hard, something I wasn't sure I could finish." Her trail name, "Jukebox," comes from her singing. Climbing Kuwohi Mountain in the Smokies, she sang songs from Sweeney Todd. Also known as Clingmans Dome, the 6,644-foot peak is the highest point on the trail. A few miles before reaching the Appalachian Market, Edwards crossed the lowest point, the Bear Mountain Br...

When a crack appears in your life, your immediate reflex is likely to reach for the glue—to fix it, hide it, and rush back to wholeness. But what if the path to true wholeness requires you to do the exact opposite?In this episode of The Coffee Buzz Podcast, we unpack Verse 22 of the Tao Te Ching (Stephen Mitchell translation). It's a verse built on paradoxes: "If you want to become whole, let yourself be partial." We explore how the ancient Masters teach us that the tightest grip on control is often what stands between us and the breakthroughs we seek.

Feeling stuck in life? Discover how to break free, stop living beneath your potential, and begin flourishing.Why do so many capable people feel stuck in life, despite working hard and doing everything they're "supposed" to do? In this video, we explore the hidden psychology of self-sabotage, revealing how unresolved Inner Child issues create procrastination, perfectionism, people-pleasing, fear of failure and emotional stagnation.You'll discover how limiting childhood beliefs can keep you trapped in familiar patterns and practical steps to help you overcome these, stop repeating the same emotional cycles, and begin making decisions from integrity rather than fear.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:Our INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqOur GOLDEN THREAD PROCESS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIAsS_wgdRN7QGBKIk54sbyDIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email:  https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup Music by Earth Tree HealingDisclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

"Can you rest where there is rest? Do you know when to stop?" — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 132                                                                                                              GUS – 12StepRecovery.ai 30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

In this episode, we explore one of the most tender and profound verses of the Tao Te Ching. Verse 21 speaks of "radiance"—not as an achievement to be earned, but as a natural glow that arises when we stop clinging. Join us as we sit with the paradoxes of the Tao: how to be ungraspable yet aligned, and how to find light within the "dark and unfathomable."

What if your destiny isn't something to figure out—but something to trust? Discover the Taoist path from overthinking and anxiety to peace, presence, and effortless flow. Are you constantly overthinking your future, worrying about making the wrong decision, or wondering whether fate has already determined your life? In this episode of Tao Dialogues, we explore the timeless Taoist question of fate versus flow and discover why peace comes not from predicting the future, but from trusting yourself to meet it. You'll learn how to let go of anxiety about the future, stop overthinking every decision, and embrace life's unfolding path with greater calm and confidence.Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/universal-integrity [first blog post on this page] Our Tao Dialogues are powerful yet gentle teachings about authenticity, spirituality and finding emotional balance and flow in everyday life. These spoken-word episodes draw from David James Lees' practice as a Taoist monk and teacher, and expand upon popular posts on ‘David's Journal', his Substack blog.You can subscribe to David's Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comOther related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:TAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhFSHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-jINNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

Marcus Aurelius Anderson sits down with Ed Hinman, Marine infantry officer veteran, public figure protection specialist, historian, and author of The Barbarian in You. Ed shares how his time at the Naval Academy, deployments across Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Africa, and a pivotal reckoning with ego and identity led him to build a life around three core principles: vigor, wonder, and fellowship. Drawing on history, philosophy, and hard experience, Ed makes the case that living a full life is not about optimization — it's about reconnecting with the most primal, truest parts of yourself. The conversation weaves through the creative life, the craft of writing, the mentorship of Steven Pressfield, the wisdom of Montaigne, Emerson, and Marcus Aurelius, and the courage it takes to follow what resonates rather than what looks good on paper. Episode Highlights: 1:54 - Ed and Marcus discuss the mentorship of Steven Pressfield and the discipline required to show up for the creative life 29:44 - Ed introduces his three-part philosophy of vigor, wonder, and fellowship as a framework rooted in how pre-civilized humans actually lived 49:23 - Ed recounts his Marine Corps career, the ego-driven disappointment of deployments that went nowhere, and how psychosomatic pain forced him to ask what he actually wanted 58:58 - Ed and Marcus explore the idea of listening to intuition over empirical evidence, following resonance rather than a prescribed path, and why the barbarian in you is the truest version of yourself Ed Hinman served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps, graduating from the Naval Academy and deploying five times across Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Africa before earning a master's degree in history and building a career in public figure protection with Gavin de Becker's firm. He is the author of The Barbarian in You and the founder of the Barbarian in You blog, where he writes about history, strength, friendship, and the philosophy of living with vigor, wonder, and fellowship. Visit barbarianinyou.com to find Ed's book, blog, and writings. Follow him on Instagram at ed_hinman. Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"The man who has some respect for his person keeps his carcass out of sight, hides himself as perfect as he can."— Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 126   GUS – 12StepRecovery.ai 30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

On this brief episode we talk about SDI's upcoming webinar series, The Tao and the Art of Spiritual Companionship.    The Tao and the Art of Spiritual Companionship: Insights for Deep Listening and Spiritual Presence $79.99 Many spiritual companions are meeting people who feel exhausted, anxious, polarized, spiritually dry, or overwhelmed by uncertainty. In moments like these, techniques often matter less than the quality of our presence. The Tao Te Ching points us towards flourishing and fulfilling life, without explanation. This ancient Chinese wisdom tradition invites us into a way of living and listening that flows with life. It points us toward something that spiritual directors sense: that the deepest accompaniment happens not when we do more, but when we release into a vital presence. This three-part series draws from seven essential Taoist themes into conversation with the practice of spiritual direction. Together we'll explore a fresh framework for deep listening that helps you accompany people with less striving and more trust. We'll explore not only how we accompany others, but how we inhabit our own inner life. Each session weaves together reflection, dialogue, and practical application. Rather than simply adding another technique, this series helps cultivate the inner posture from which meaningful spiritual companionship naturally flows. Anyone can participate in an SDI webinar! If you're not a member, just contact us at office@sdiworld.org for your pricing. https://www.sdicompanions.org/product/the-tao-and-the-art-of-spiritual-companionship/ --- Scott McRae has been offering spiritual direction and training for over 25 years and continues to provide ongoing educational resources through the Spiritual Direction Learning Lab. An ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, he holds an M.Div. from Yale University. Scott's professional journey has spanned church and campus ministries, hospital chaplaincy, and leadership roles, all of which have shaped his approach to spiritual guidance. With three decades of experience training chaplains and spiritual directors, he brings deep wisdom and practical insight to his work. Based in Minneapolis, MN, Scott enjoys life with his wife, Melanie, their adult daughter, and their wonderfully quirky rescue dogs. He finds great joy in long walks, meaningful conversations, and fostering spiritual growth in others.

A calming meditation to help you stop people pleasing without guilt, set healthy boundaries, and learn to say no with kindness and confidence - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees. If you struggle to say no, constantly put others first, or feel guilty for setting boundaries, this guided meditation is for you. Drawing on Taoist wisdom, Inner Child healing, mindfulness, and gentle visualisation, this meditation helps you release people-pleasing patterns, overcome boundary guilt, and reconnect with your self-worth. Through calming breathing, affirmations, and compassionate reflection, you'll learn that healthy boundaries are not rejection—they are self-respect in action.⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERYThis meditation can be practised daily or whenever you need it. Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy: How to Set Boundaries Without Guilt - The Shift From People Pleasing to Self-Respect https://youtu.be/lrAjVE5ezbI GUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubLOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=-zdah_z6MiSZIl0tIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

"If now, on top of all this, Non-Being IS, who can comprehend it?" — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 125   GUS – 12StepRecovery.ai 30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

In this episode, we explore Verse 20 of the Tao Te Ching (Stephen Mitchell translation). Unlike previous chapters focused on governance or the physical world, this verse offers a rare, intimate glimpse into the inner life of Lao Tzu. It is a profound meditation on shedding the performative nature of adulthood and returning to a state of untarnished existence.The Problem with "Thinking": Lao Tzu isn't advocating for the total absence of thought, but rather the cessation of the "constant background calculation"—the endless internal scorecard of yes/no, win/lose, and right/wrong that we impose on reality.The "Parade" of Expectations: The verse compares society's collective ambition to a loud, surging parade. While others are caught in the current of communal goals and excitement, the sage stands on the sidelines, "expressionless, like an infant before it can smile." This represents a state of being prior to learning how to use emotions as currency to gain approval.Freedom from Accumulation: Lao Tzu contrasts the "bright" and "sharp" people of the world—those who have curated reputations, purposes, and plans—with his own "dark" and "dull" nature. He suggests that being "dull" is a form of freedom: he is unpolished because he is not trying to be a tool for someone else's agenda.The Cult of Purpose: In a world obsessed with finding and living a specific "purpose," Lao Tzu admits he doesn't know his own. He suggests that drifting like the wind or a wave isn't a lack of direction, but a profound trust in the natural flow of life.The Great Mother: The verse concludes not with emptiness, but with nourishment. By abandoning the "anxious performance" of trying to fit in and succeed, the speaker finds he is still sustained by the source—the "Great Mother."What parts of your current life feel like an "anxious performance" designed to prove your worth to an imaginary panel of judges?How much of your daily mental energy is spent on the "scoring" of yes/no or win/lose? What would happen if you sat with those thoughts and simply let them be, without identifying with them?Are you able to find rest in "not knowing," or does the pressure to have a defined purpose make you feel like you are failing?

Setting boundaries doesn't make you selfish—it helps you stop people-pleasing, release guilt, and protect your peace with calm confidence. Do you feel guilty saying no or worry that setting boundaries will disappoint others? In this video, we explore why people-pleasing creates unhealthy patterns and how Taoist wisdom can help you set healthy boundaries without anger, conflict, or self-doubt. You'll learn how to communicate with calm clarity, build self-respect, and create relationships based on honesty instead of approval.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:Our INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqOur GOLDEN THREAD PROCESS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIAsS_wgdRN7QGBKIk54sbyDIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email:  https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup Music by Earth Tree HealingDisclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

Zach, Ben and Micah tackle Taoism, as the ponder Eastern philosophy after spending the first three episodes steeped in Western thought.Instagram-@TheMovieVaultPodEmail us- themovievaultpod@gmail.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lastresortnetworkThis episode is brought to you by Point A Insurance (formerly Hedman Anglin Agency). Contact them at 614-486-7300 for your home and auto insurance needs. If you do contact them, make sure to tell them that Ben and Zach sent you! Visit their website for more information at www.PointAInsurance.com

"What shall we there say—that Tao is simplicity, stillness, indifference, purity, harmony, and ease? All these names leave me indifferent for their distinctions have disappeared." — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 124   GUS – 12StepRecovery.ai 30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

What if the thoughts you trust most are the very thing keeping you anxious? Discover the Taoist way to quiet overthinking, calm the monkey mind, and return to inner peace. In this Tao Dialogues episode, discover the Taoist wisdom for taming the monkey mind and breaking free from overthinking, worry, anxiety, and the need to control life. Learn how the monkey mind is driven by fear, how Shen (authentic self) offers calm, clarity, and truth, and why practising wu wei helps you find lasting inner peace. If you're ready to stop believing every thought and start living with greater presence, authenticity, and emotional freedom, this teaching will show you how.Read the blog post that inspired this episode:  https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/borrowed-happiness  [second blog post on this page]Our Tao Dialogues are powerful yet gentle teachings about authenticity, spirituality and finding emotional balance and flow in everyday life. These spoken-word episodes draw from David James Lees' practice as a Taoist monk and teacher, and expand upon popular posts on ‘David's Journal', his Substack blog.You can subscribe to David's Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comOther related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:TAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhFSHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-jINNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

What would a Daoist utopia actually look like? A perfect society? A better political system? A sacred rulebook everyone finally agrees to follow? Not exactly. In this free episode of Living the Tao (1-187), Master Mikel Steenrod and Morgan explore the Daoist view of utopia, and why Taoism begins with personal liberation rather than social control. The conversation moves through the Tao Te Ching, Confucianism, Laozi as the fed-up scholar leaving society behind, and the uncomfortable truth that humans may be building machines faster than they are developing wisdom. Along the way, the episode asks a sharper question: What if the reason humanity cannot build a perfect world is that humans have not yet developed enough to imagine one? This is a talk about Taoism, technology, failed ideologies, personal freedom, and the double donkey salute of Laozi riding out of a broken system. In this episode: Why the Tao Te Ching did not create Taoism The difference between personal liberation and social rule-making Why Daoism is not apolitical, but anti-political How technology can outpace human development Why old “isms” keep failing What a Taoist utopia might actually require   Watch the video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/6H5JFASQ10Q

Rick Rubin joins Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz, Anjney Midha, and Erik Torenberg to discuss creativity, artificial intelligence, and his book The Way of Code, which reimagines the Tao Te Ching for the age of AI. The conversation explores vibe coding, remix culture, artistic process, entrepreneurship, and what AI changes, and doesn't change, about creativity. Rubin argues that AI is best understood not as a replacement for artists, but as another creative tool, one that expands what's possible while making taste, curiosity, and individual perspective even more valuable. Along the way, they discuss music, philosophy, startup building, collective intelligence, and why the most enduring creative work begins with staying true to yourself rather than trying to satisfy an audience.   Resources: Follow Rick Rubin on X: https://x.com/rickrubin Follow Marc Andreessen on X: https://x.com/pmarca Follow Ben Horowitz on X: https://x.com/bhorowitz Follow Anjney Midha on X: https://x.com/AnjneyMidha Stay Updated:Find a16z on YouTube: YouTubeFind a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Show on SpotifyListen to the a16z Show on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"His mind could not bite on the meat of doctrine." — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 121 Being toothless is a state of being that helps us live in the "I don't know."   GUS – 12StepRecovery.ai 30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

AI is forcing us to define what being human is. So, did our host, an art curator and writer, dare to create a Manifesto? Awkward? Or are we not used to women proclaiming things? How can art–seemingly at the brink of commodification–bear new forms of being human? Or is does it spotlight you, art wanderer? The self-help book "Tiny Experiments " by Anne-Laure Le Cunff sparked this art question: why did it excite such a meditative exploration of the role of art, and its urgent proclamation? Tune in to find out.Did you enjoy the episode? Think about supporting Exhibitionistas by leaving a small donation: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhibitionistaWhat else to do when we live in a society of images, but don't know what they are? In Joana's words: "Art Wonderment is me, howling, in recognition, in celebration, in fear, in respect, in defiance." Read the rest of her text here because a podcast episode is not the same beast as a text. The complete experience combines the two.Sign up for a tiered monthly support: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2624749/monetization/supporter_settings Your contribution keeps us going.With the wonderful Catalan artist Susanna INGLADA; the timeless wisdom of LAO TZU's Tao Te Ching translated by Ursula K. LE GUIN–, the most innovative Portuguese poet, Fernando PESSOA and his mind blowing creation of more than 100 heteronyms (poets he invented with a persona, a life, and their own authored poetry), amongst which the most extreme of them all, Alberto Caeiro.Art Etiquette Segment guest: Spencer Moore, Creator and host of The Hairy Chin PodcastArt question: why is contemporary art not considered art?Soon: Bonus – full length Art Etiquette episodes.Come for the art, stay for the creative writing–segment, Brainstorm in a Teacup, where Joana reads short texts from her notebooks exposing her inner thoughts and strange fictional flash writing.Jingle: "Wunder", experimental poem by Joana P. R. Neves.00:00:00 - Intro: A Different Start + Featured Artist Susanna Inglada00:02:06 - The Self-Help trap00:13:36 - Art Wonderment Manifesto00:19:26 - Art Etiquette with S. Moore: why is contemporary art not considered art?00:28:25 - Art Wonderment Manifesto – Holding the paradox wit artist Susanna Inglada00:33:07 - The mysterious life of Portugal's most intriguing poet, Fernando Pessoa00:42:06 - Brainstorm in a Teacup00:43:55 - A message, a rant, a call for voice notes, a see you soonDid the episode stir Art Wonderment memories? Share them via text or voice message.Support the showCreated & Hosted by Dr. Joana P. R. Neves, art curator and writer with over 20 years of experience in the contemporary art field. Artistic director of Drawing Now Paris since 2018, she has worked across the industry, from the art market to education. She co-launched the art residency and project space Worlding in 2020. Exhibitionistas' first year offered exhibition discussions with guest co-host Emily Harding; organically, it grew into a more experimental show exploring art topics, stories and interviews complemented by Joana's publication Art Thinkosaurus on Substack. She champions ‘Art Wonderment's' embrace of complexity against the lure of ready-made opinions. A polyglot, she grew up in Lisbon, studied and lived in Paris, to finally settle in London with her artist husband, four children and two cats. Find us:On Instagram – @exhibitionistas_podcastOn Substack (NEWSLETTER: sign up!): Art Thinkosaurus > Exhibitionistas FilesOnline: www.exhibitionistaspodcast.comDo you want to be a guest on Art Etiquette? Reach out: joana@exhibitionistaspodcast.comCopyright: Joana P. R. Neves, 2024.

Pour yourself a warm cup, find a quiet corner, and let the noise of the day fade away for a little while. In this episode of The Coffee Buzz, we unpack the provocative and deeply liberating words of Verse 19 of the Tao Te Ching. Lao Tzu challenges us to drop our exhausting performances of holiness, morality, and endless industry, pointing us instead toward a radical simplicity that lives right at the center of our everyday lives. We explore how stepping off the wheel of constant striving allows our innate goodness to take over.In This Episode, We Pour Over:The Performance Trap: Why trying too hard to look wise or good builds a wall between us and genuine, unforced happiness.The Root of Compliance: Looking at how modern systems of manufactured justice and profit can inadvertently erode organic human empathy and trust.The Center of the Circle: A practical look at finding stillness within the hub of life, letting go of the need for control, and letting things settle into place naturally.Featured Reading: Verse 19 of the Tao Te Ching (Stephen Mitchell translation).Join the Conversation: Where do you feel the heavy weight of "performance" or "hustle" in your life right now? What changes in your day when you step back to the center of the circle and just let things be? Let me know in the comments below. If this reflection brought a bit of quiet to your day, feel free to subscribe and share it with someone else who might need a moment to slow down. See you on the next one.

When life feels uncertain, you don't need more answers. You need a calmer mind. This meditation helps you find peace in the middle of the unknown - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees. This guided meditation for uncertain times combines Taoist wisdom, mindfulness, breath awareness, and Inner Child healing to reduce anxiety, calm overthinking, regulate your nervous system, and help you release the need for control. Discover greater inner peace, emotional resilience, clarity and trust, one breath at a time.⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERYThis meditation can be practised daily or whenever you need it. Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy: How to Stop Overthinking & Let Go of Control (Even When Life Feels Uncertain) https://youtu.be/sq8LvB3SIfM?si=mkrQ5t8Vej087RF6 GUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubLOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=-zdah_z6MiSZIl0tIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

"By what system of thought and what technique of meditation can I apprehend Tao? By what renunciation of what solitary retirement may I rest in Tao?" — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 117   GUS – 12StepRecovery.ai 30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

In this second part of our investigation into the Tao Te Ching, we cover some of the many, many, many shapes its teachings have been bent into over the last 2,500 years—from the inspiration for an alchemy-and-sex cult that accidentally invented gunpowder to the basis for the most popular science fiction film franchise in history. Join us as we discuss Chinese demon hunters, bad management advice, and—yes—Star Wars.Need a transcript of this episode, or want to see the reading list? Click here. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to share us with friends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pour yourself a cup of coffee, find a comfortable chair, and let the world slow down for a few minutes. In this episode of The Coffee Buzz, we unpack the biting social commentary and deep psychological insight of Verse 18 of the Tao Te Ching. This verse presents us with a radical challenge to our modern obsession with rules, policies, and performative virtue. Today, we explore why a sudden abundance of moral rules usually means we've lost our underlying connection to reality, and how we can find our way back to an authentic, unmanufactured way of living.In This Episode, We Pour Over:The Paradox of Enforced Goodness: Why talking endlessly about virtue and piety is often a sign that the genuine flow of life has been forgotten.The Substitute Trap: How our culture relies on clever metrics, branding, and strict rules to fake an organic harmony that we've let slip through our fingers.Tending the Source: Moving past the performative demands of family duty or external righteousness to nurture simple, natural connection in our everyday interactions.Featured Reading: Verse 18 of the Tao Te Ching (Stephen Mitchell translation).Join the Conversation: Where in your life are you relying on a rigid rulebook or an abstract policy rather than trusting your natural instincts or authentic connection? How can you loosen your dependence on performance metrics this week and just sit with the real thing? Let me know in the comments below. If you enjoyed this reflection, please subscribe and share it with someone who might need a quiet moment today. See you on the next one.

Bishop Nathan Wilson pt.1 Welcome back to Gnostic Insights and to the Gnostic Reformation on Substack. Hey, this week I interviewed Bishop Nathan Wilson of the Gnostic Union, and it was a good long interview, so I’ll be breaking it up probably into three segments for the next three weeks here. Bishop Wilson earned a diploma of ministry from the Gnostic Catholic Union, and then he later went on to create The Gnostic Union, and he’ll tell you about that in this week’s episode. Here I’ll read you the intro from their website. “The Gnostic Union is an independent sacramental assembly of Gnostic Christian communities and individuals. It exists to uphold the Gnostic Christian traditions and to encourage and promote the work of Christ and the Holy Sophia in the world.As an international, independent, autonomous, non-political organization, the Gnostic Union is in no way dependent upon any other authority outside of its own administration. We are neither Roman Catholic, Orthodox, nor Protestant. We are Gnostic Christians that encourage self-development and connecting with the spirit within to build a personal relationship with God, the Monad, the Father. Our bishops, priests, and deacons are merely guides to help you on your spiritual journey. The Gnostic Union aligns itself with the history and teachings of the first Christians of early first century Christianity and the teachings of Jesus Christ as found in the Gospel of Thomas. We encourage new members to read from the Nag Hammadi and to understand how different early Christianity is from modern mainstream Christianity. We welcome all people, regardless of past religious backgrounds or faiths. Gnosis means knowledge, not just simple intellectual knowledge, but deep spiritual knowledge within you. Knowledge from the Spirit, from the Holy Spirit, and from and of God.” You see, I felt that that really went along with what we talk about here at Gnostic Insights, and so when Bishop Wilson reached out to me via our Substack Gnostic Reformation site, I was more than happy to engage in conversation with him, and I thought that having a talk with him along with you and then broadcasting it would be helpful to all of us. Here’s the last little bit that it says on their Gnostic Union homepage, which is only one page long. It’s still in development. It says, “Gnostic Christian theology differs greatly from Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. Gnostic Christianity does not depend upon the authority of a Pope or the Church. Instead, it emphasizes being reborn in Spirit, building a personal spiritual relationship with God, and becoming Christ-like by enacting the teachings of Jesus Christ in our lives. Gnostic Christianity began from earlier Gnostic traditions, such as Hermeticism and Mysticism, which arose from Jewish mystics. Gnosticism itself is much older than Judaism, and traces back to the Hermetics of ancient Egypt, the Druids, and the ancient Greeks. Although many Gnostic Christian theologies differed, they shared a common theme of a trapped spiritual essence within the material body, the divine spark, the soul, or the spark of Sophia. The ultimate goal for Gnostic Christians was to become like Jesus, to be reborn in Spirit, through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Sophia, and to know thyself, reflecting the divine essence within.” As you know, here at Gnostic Insights and the Gnostic Reformation, I stay away from the histories, because it seems to me that what is important is the here-and-now relationship we have with the Christ and with the Fullness of God. And so, I’m just not all that interested in history, but as you’ll hear from these ongoing interviews with Bishop Wilson, he’s all about history. So, for those of you who have been missing that strain of thought in our Gnostic Insights here, you’ll get an earful for the next three weeks. So without further ado, here's part one of my interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of The Gnostic Union. Cyd: Well, such a pleasure to see you. You have such a nice smile. Bishop Nathan Wilson:Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for having me. It’s a pleasure. It’s always lovely to meet other Gnostics, other spiritual people, all those with open hearts and open minds. It’s always lovely to see. Cyd:Yes. Yes. Yes, it’s true. I wish I had more of these people close around me. Do you have neighbors who are Gnostic? Do you have people you can actually face-to-face with? Bishop Nathan Wilson:I’ve met a priest that I can now speak face-to-face, which was really good. So, it was the first real Gnostic I got to speak to face-to-face. Mostly, I was speaking to many online in other parts of the world, and I kind of felt like I was the only one here in Adelaide, Australia. So, I kind of felt like the one odd villager out. So, it was lovely to meet some other people. I’ve trained people, and other people have done what they wanted. Other people carried on as undercover Gnostics in this world. So, yeah. Cyd:Let me get a formal introduction to you here going. This is Bishop Nathan Wilson of the Gnostic Union, and we have connected through Substack, although you don’t have a Substack presence, do you? You don’t have a site? Bishop Nathan Wilson:No, no. We have got a website in the works, but it’s still in development. I’m not too tech-savvy, but we’ve got other people that are. So, we’re mostly on Facebook and YouTube at the moment. Cyd:Well, wonderful. Now, tell me the difference between the Gnostic Catholic Union and just the Gnostic Union. Bishop Nathan Wilson:Well, we used to be the Gnostic Catholic Union as well until I basically got in charge, and then I removed the Catholic part, which they only had for the Latin reasons, meaning universal, but not everyone knows that Latin subject. They’re just going to see Catholic, and usually today’s world, when you have a Catholic Union, it’s mostly those who have been brought up with a Catholic background that have now found Gnosis, and in turn, carry on those old traditions, which I don’t find anything wrong with. I think there’s many different ways to experience Gnosis. Gnosis doesn’t belong to any religion. It’s something you find within. It’s what you experience, spiritual knowledge gifted to you by what’s divine, by God, by the Father, by the Mother-Father, whichever term you like. The Source. It could even be referenced to, given you to by divine beings, by angels, angelic forces. So, Gnosis is something that you experience. So, it’s yours. It’s personal. It’s intimate. So, it’s a beautiful thing. So, with the Gnostic Union, we are more open to different Gnostic schools of thoughts. So, you could be a Sethian, a Valentinian. You could be a Carpucratian Gnostic, whichever. It doesn’t matter. You could be a Jewish Christian. Whichever the path is—we’re not really dogmatic. So, we appreciate all those who come into this spiritual life, seeking answers, and respecting each other’s beliefs, which is also rare. We have to remember, when we looked at the ancient schools of thought regarding Gnosticism, the ancient Gnostics got along. They didn’t kill each other. They didn’t fight. They had some disagreements, but they shared each other’s writings, which is fantastic. So, that’s very rare when you see that in a religious or even a spiritual school of thought. Many people can be my way only. So, that’s where Gnosis comes in, that inner spiritual experience. So, one’s own personal relationship with what’s divine. The Gnostic Union wants to encourage that, not to be bound by traditions. That’s mostly the difference between the Gnostic Union and the Gnostic Catholics, where they will be more bound by tradition, more bound by a dogmatic experience. We’re not really about that, not dissing any of that. We don’t mind, but we’re more open. Cyd:So, the Gnostic Catholics are still going on? That church is still active, but you have stepped away from them then, in that sense? Bishop Nathan Wilson:Yes, pretty much. So, we’ve done our own independent thing. So, that way we can have more schools of thought. I prefer it like that, so we can all grow from each other, which is something that I’m more about. So, that’s why I went into more of the Gnostic Union sense of things and removing the Catholic part. Some people didn’t like Catholic. Some people liked it and others were stoked that I removed that term from the group. I much prefer it. It’s less of a mouthful as well. I like things nice and simple as well. Cyd:Yes. So, it’s union—it's unity. That’s what the union means in the name, not like a labor union, but the union of Gnostics. That’s lovely. That’s very lovely. So, how many people are associating with the Gnostic Union at this point? Bishop Nathan Wilson:Well, we have a couple of other different groups from different parts of the world. We have a Gnostic Catholic group. I think they’re Gnostic Catholic Unitarians located in the Philippines. Then, we have other groups as well that associate with us. Within the Union itself, we have a couple of different ones. We have also side branches as well that used to be a part of the Gnostic Catholic Union, but there was some theological difference. So, some splitting went on. So, there’s other groups. We still recognize each other. Within the Gnostic Union at the moment. There is Bishop Jason, me, Bishop Nathan Wilson, Bishop Lorenzo, David and Michael, Randall over in South Africa. There’s also Priest Jeremy and Edgar and Rus. So, there’s quite a few. At the moment, it’s mostly men. We’re hoping to have some females join as well. We did have a couple of female members back in the Gnostic Catholic Union, but they ultimately retired. So, we’re hoping to expand. So, the Gnostic Union is kind of fresh on the scene. So, everything’s still building. Cyd:How fresh is it? How long have you been in existence here? Bishop Nathan Wilson:Well, in the Union itself, probably about almost two years now. It’s still maybe a year, year and a half, something like that there. So, it’s still growing in a sense. So, we’re doing okay, which is not too bad. We’re mostly on Facebook and YouTube. So, we do our online masses and group gatherings and stuff like that online as well. And mostly, just support each other’s individual works as well as promote each other’s work. And sometimes, I might edit a couple of videos of all of us together, give it to other people with their own channels, their own independent use, and then I’ll put it onto, say, the Union sites. Other people can go check it out as well. Cyd:I’ll be putting this up on my site. I’m going to post this to YouTube and make it for my audio podcast. But I’ll also give you the recording so that you can use it at your site if you’d like. Bishop Nathan Wilson:Oh, lovely. Lovely. I’d enjoy that as well. And again, thanks for reaching out to me. I very much enjoy speaking to like-minded individuals as well. And regarding even my translations that you brought me on to discuss as well, that’s relatively new as well. It took me about two years to fully actually translate. So, to get it all together, I use encyclopedias, I used Greek, Koine Greek dictionaries, as well as I used Bill Mounce, which is one of the top Koine Greek-speaking people in the world. I have a few friends that can speak Koine Greek as well as modern Greek as well. So, that also came in handy. So, it took me a while. I started doing that while I was still with the Gnostic Catholic Union and I didn’t finish it until the Gnostic Union. Cyd:So, tell us about, you’re speaking of your translation, tell us about that. It’s your New Testament, is it? Bishop Nathan Wilson:Yeah, I did the New Testament Gospels. I used Codex Sinaiticus because that was the oldest complete text, but then I wanted to do non-canonical. I didn’t know any Coptic at all, so I didn’t want to use any other people’s work. I just went to the Koine Greek, used what knowledge I did know, and I also used experts as well. So, I was able to look at every definition of the word and term and use. I did the Gospel of Thomas, which I actually first messed up on because I found out that the version I was looking at first was actually inspired by the Coptic version put into Koine Greek, and I realized it’s not the text. So, I went to the actual fragments themselves, and so I translated from there. It’s not very long. I didn’t use any AI recovery, so anything that wasn’t visible to our naked eye, I did not touch. So, I didn’t want to have any guessing involved. So, I just put what it was, and I did the Greek Gospel of Mary, as well as the Gospel of James, the Gospel of Peter, and I did three unknown Gospels, and they are little fragments, and they are Papyrus Oxyrhynchus. I have the names here. Actually, I better put that in—5072, and the other one was Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 840 and the other one is Egerton Gospel. So, they’re little fragments. The titles are missing. We don’t know who wrote them, so they’re unknown, but they could and likely do predate the Gospels that we do have. So, they predate the fragments we have. So, that’s interesting. So, all the fragments we have are second century. It’s likely they predate the fragments that we have. So, I chose to do them, but the interesting side was the Egerton gospel, which was actually a two-sided text, and Bart D. Ehrman actually did side two, and I did side one. So, he didn’t realize that there was a side on one. So, that means he was only looking at digital copy only, just like me. So, he didn’t actually look at the actual Papyrus itself, and so when I did one-sided, I didn’t realize there was a double side to that text, and so otherwise I wouldn’t have done it. So, the interesting thing is side one has not been publicly released for public domain, where side two has been released, which is very suspect, if you ask me, and I didn’t like that. So, I thought I’d introduce some texts that are very little looked at that were very Gnostic, such as Jesus insulting the Pharisees for dipping in waters that pigs jumped into and making themselves look like prostitutes to attract men. Cyd:They’re highly offensive, yes. Bishop Nathan Wilson:Yes, and that’s why they really want to release that publicly. So, you have to pay a scholar for their works, and that’s not really fair. All this knowledge should be for free, especially when you’re looking at our own religious or spirituality or the text involved in that. Otherwise, we’re limiting ourselves, and that’s definitely not fair. So, I think we should be more open, and the text should be up for public display, public domain for everyone to have access to. So, that’s what I ultimately believe in. It’s one reason I chose to share my translations and make accessible for free digital copies. I didn’t want people to just buy my work rather than download the digital text and just read it for themselves. Go to the library, print it out. It might be cheaper. So, when I do sell my texts, I donate it, like some of it’s a charity anyway, to Make-A-Wish Foundation. So, that’s something I do on my end. So, everything I do, I try not to make money just for myself. I try to do other things with it because I’m not really materialistic. I live very much a monk lifestyle, so I read a lot. Cyd:Yeah. Yeah, I do too. I live like a nun, I say. I’ve got a little cloister where I sleep. I live in a one-room place, so it’s very interesting. Would you explain to us the difference between the Koine Greek and the Coptic Greek and which was written and why are there two different versions? Bishop Nathan Wilson:Okay, well the Coptic, when you see Coptic Greek, that’s devolving into Coptic. So, very early proto-Coptic is what scholars term, is the developing into it. You see it with Greeks in the very language. Otherwise, Coptic language very much is a mixture of Greek and Egyptian. So, Egyptian hieroglyph turned into writing basically, but mixed in with Greek. So, Greek was like the English of the past back then. Hebrew also borrowed from the Greek during the second temple period of Jesus’ time. So, the word Judaism and synagogue are Greek words, for instance. So, a lot of borrowing, but the Greeks also borrowed from the Canaanites, such as the Phoenician language or the alphabet. So, that’s also fascinating. So, the ancient past, it was all about borrowing and making it your own, you know. But yeah, with Greek as well, that would be also evolving as well. So, you have, within the gospel itself, you might have one word being spelt slightly different, but ultimately meaning the same thing. And all that is, is one dialect from another speaking from one coastal region to a different coastal region. Obviously, saying the same thing, it just might be the accent. So, that’s played different in the language. So, it’s like we see hilios or hilion, but it’s the same root message. It’s just one person’s pronouncing it in the market different from this region, because he’s closer to the shore and other ones closer to the inner cities. And that’s basically all. So, Greek’s very advanced. You can have one word that can mean ultimately different meanings. And some words you come across can have hundreds of meanings, and that can make things difficult when translating. So, with the Koine Greek, we only know 70% to 90% of the language. We know the 100% of the alphabetical, but we don’t know every context of use. So, because of that difficulty, I had to add alternative English translations. So, I realized then that every translation we’re reading is just based on someone else’s interpretation of that translation. And it’s like, oh, that kind of sucks, so I put them all in there. So, when you come across the word aftos, for he, she, it, they, them, this one, I leave it as all of that, so, you can choose what that means. Because Jesus is speaking to diverse audiences. He’s speaking to males and females, not just men. And that’s what people forget. It’s like the word for spirit is also very feminine in Hebrew. In Greek, it’s masculine and feminine. So, it’s used as both, which is fascinating as well for the spirit within us, you know. So, but again, that’s going back to that root meaning of feminine, because when you add in the word hagion pneuma you now have the Holy Spirit, but that’s a feminine word of it. Otherwise, the root word of masculine is hagios, but the female name or the feminine version of that concept is hagion. Cyd:Ah, that’s fascinating. Yeah. You run into the same problem when translating Chinese, because Chinese pictograms can just mean many, many things. So, I’ve studied the Tao Te Ching quite a bit, and everybody’s book that’s famous of the Tao Te Ching, it’s their translation out of a hundred choices for every word. So, it’s, I understand quite a bit what you’re saying there. Well, tell me this, what makes you a bishop? How is it that you’re calling yourself bishop? Bishop Nathan Wilson:Well, I was ordained by, well, back when it was the Gnostic Catholic Union, I was ordained by Bishop Bill Thomas, and he was the bishop of a church in Florida. He was running a church. He was an older man, so he’s kind of, he retired for a bit, and now he’s more of a wandering bishop, because he had trouble with the funds of running a church. It’d be quite expensive. So, he was part of an organization that was the Gnostic Catholic Union. A lot of members retired as well, then he took over, and then it kind of went on for a few years, and then they started retiring, and then I joined from there, and I was ordained, and I took up a course with them, started off as a deacon, then became a priest, and then as they were retiring, I was made bishop, basically, and so then I was left with a little bit of the reins. So, it was from there, it was a lot more—more churches were involved. So, some of that has also, a lot of them have also retired or ultimately changed theologies. One of the original members of the Gnostic Catholic Union, I believe, is now either an Orthodox priest or joined the Orthodox Church, and he renounces all his old Gnostic past, which is kind of a shame. So, sometimes that does happen. So, people become wanderers because of, people basically rely solely on one priest, oftentimes, which is also sad, and when one priest moves, people lose passion, and sometimes that’s how it is. So, I prefer to have people more independently on their own, not just say rely on me, I make other people bishops so they can carry on with their own, and from there, expand it. So, someone might have, say, the coin enough to start their own church, and from there, maybe, from there, do whatever they need. So, it inspires, and still something to bring a bit of community in, and have a little bit of recognition from other people, basically. So, I kept that term. I was almost considering to remove the title, bishops and priests, but a lot of the old members wanted to keep it as well, and some of the young ones did as well. So, I thought, well, I’ll keep the term for them in their sake. Otherwise, I was going to keep it as teachers, or brothers and sisters, but I still encourage our members to, when dealing with each other, not just sit there and call each other bishops, or bishopettes, or priests, or priestess, whichever term they prefer. I prefer to call us brothers and sisters, which is more stressed. Even with the outfit some people are talking about, I would tell them, remember that Jesus wouldn’t be wandering around with fancy robes, or wearing collared shirts, or wearing gold jewelry, and say, I’m doing now, in a sense. He was out in the wilderness, gathering with community. So, as blessed as those who are poor, you know, so, which was rare. So, a lot of people wanted money back then. So, he was very much for the poor, which is beautiful to see. There were rich Christians. It doesn’t mean that was strictly only for poor people only. There were ones who were shipfarers, and in turn, would carry their message throughout the ports, or from region to region. Cyd:I was just wondering–you are obviously a Christian Gnostic, as am I. I know that you’re open to all Gnosticism, but Gnostics who reject the notion of the Christ, or the need for the Christ, doesn’t that create some kind of difficulty, let’s say? Bishop Nathan Wilson:It would conflict a little bit, yes. I haven’t really come across ones that more reject the Christ. I wouldn’t mind. I have come across ones who have debated me over it in a sense, which I don’t mind in a sense, but I would also encourage them to say, look at the message. Ultimately, it’s about finding the Christ within, being Christ-like for yourself. It goes back to that root word of the first Christians for Christanos, being little Christs, little anointed ones. So, those who were taken on their masters teaching to be Christ-like. But say we have ones that don’t believe Jesus existed. I don’t mind that, because ultimately it is the message, but I will tell them I do believe because I have reasons. I would say for them to look up, say, Judas Kriakos, which is a grandson of Jesus, which is recorded in history. We have church father writings that actually whinged about Jesus’ family being Jewish Christians and not Catholic. So, that’s interesting. So, why would you whinge about a family if the man did not exist? For instance like that. But ultimately, there were some Gnostics that didn’t believe that Jesus existed, but was rather a spirit or was the myth that you took on yourself. So, I’m okay with that, as long as we don’t conflict with each other, with our hearts, as long as we’re not hating each other. So, we can have separate beliefs, as long as we respect those beliefs. Ultimately, that’s what would stop the disheartening and also the conflictions. end part one of interview Okay, we’re going to stop for this week. This is a good place to stop because next, Bishop Wilson goes on to discuss his translation of the New Testament and also some other Gnostic texts. So, we’ll spend next week talking about his translation that he calls the Gnostic Christian Truth Bible, and we’ll get into that. Also, I did record this entire interview as a Zoom video, and as soon as I get that edited, I’ll be posting it to YouTube so you will be able to find it and watch the interview as Bishop Nathan Wilson and I discuss these things. So, I hope to see you there, and thank you for listening this week, and we’ll pick it up again next week. Until then, God bless us all, and onward and upward. The Gnostic Union Facebook The Gnostic Union YouTube Channel

Learn why uncertainty triggers anxiety, overthinking, perfectionism, and the need to control outcomes. Drawing on Taoist wisdom, we uncover why uncertainty itself is not the real problem, and why your nervous system may be reacting to old patterns of instability and fear.Learn how overthinking becomes mental vigilance, why control creates more stress, and how calming emotional activation can bring clarity, trust, and peace of mind. You'll discover practical ways to regulate anxiety, stop forcing solutions, and take aligned action without struggle.If you often feel stuck in worry, rumination, people-pleasing, perfectionism, or the need to know what happens next, this episode will help you find stability from within rather than chasing certainty from the outside.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:Our INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqOur GOLDEN THREAD PROCESS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIAsS_wgdRN7QGBKIk54sbyDIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email:  https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup Music by Earth Tree HealingDisclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

It is important to be flexible rather than brittle in life, in our families, at work, and when it comes to entire nations. After discussing several recent events in the world news and our lives, we discuss the principle in Tao Te Ching 76 that flexibility is related to youth and life but rigidity is associated with death. In other words, we should bend rather than break as we exist in the wins of time. We introduce but do not fully tease out the thesis of Sarah Allan, that we who are conditioned by Western thought should avoid realizing that nature (and water in particular) does not serve as an illustration for divine and abstract realities, but rather is the root metaphor itself and arguably even the root reality.

"12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all of our affairs." — Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 60 " If you don't realize the source, you stumble in confusion and sorrow. When you realize where you come from, you naturally become tolerant, disinterested, amused, kindhearted as a grandmother, dignified as a king. Immersed in the wonder of the Tao, you can deal with whatever life brings you, and when death comes, you are ready." — Stephen Mitchell, Tao Te Ching, Verse 16   GUS – 12StepRecovery.ai 30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Pour yourself a cup of coffee, find a comfortable chair, and let the world slow down for a few minutes. In this episode of The Coffee Buzz, we look past the noise of our attention-driven culture to sit with the quiet wisdom of Verse 17 of the Tao Te Ching. This verse offers a radical perspective on how we influence, guide, and care for the people around us. True leadership isn't about standing on a podium or demanding obedience; it's about building trust, stepping out of the spotlight, and allowing others to discover their own strength. Today, we unpack Lao Tzu's hierarchy of power and talk about the quiet dignity of becoming a catalyst rather than a conductor in our daily lives.In This Episode, We Pour Over:The Spectrum of Control: Why our cultural obsession with being loved and praised as leaders might actually get in the way of true growth.The Trust Trap: Unpacking how micromanagement and suspicion inadvertently manufacture the very untrustworthiness we fear.The Power of the Catalyst: How to create space for others to succeed, step out of the spotlight, and celebrate the beautiful moment when they can say, "We did it ourselves."Featured Reading:Verse 17 of the Tao Te Ching (Stephen Mitchell translation).Join the Conversation:Where do you find yourself gripping the wheel too tightly in your life right now? What is one area where stepping back might actually allow the people around you to step up? Let me know in the comments below.If you enjoyed this reflection, please subscribe and share it with someone who might need a quiet moment today. See you on the next one.

Your emotions are not facts—they are signals. Discover what anxiety, anger, fear, and shame are really trying to tell you. In this Tao Dialogues episode, we explore the Taoist understanding of emotions and why anxiety, anger, shame, fear, and emotional triggers are not problems to fight but messages to understand. Discover how hidden beliefs shape your emotional experience, how the Inner Child influences your reactions, and how Shen—your inner wisdom—can guide you back to clarity, balance, and emotional freedom. Learn practical Taoist insights, wu wei principles, and self-awareness tools to transform emotional suffering into growth and authentic living.Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/resonant-return   [third blog post on this page]Our Tao Dialogues are powerful yet gentle teachings about authenticity, spirituality and finding emotional balance and flow in everyday life. These spoken-word episodes draw from David James Lees' practice as a Taoist monk and teacher, and expand upon popular posts on ‘David's Journal', his Substack blog.You can subscribe to David's Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comOther related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:TAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhFSHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-jINNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

"11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for the knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out." — Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 59 " We mold clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that makes the vessel useful." — J.H. McDonald, Tao Te Ching, Verse 11   GUS – 12StepRecovery.ai 30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Pour yourself a cup of coffee, find a comfortable chair, and let the world slow down for a few minutes. In this episode of The Coffee Buzz, we strip away the noise and sit with the profound comfort of Verse 16 of the Tao Te Ching.This verse offers a beautiful reminder about the nature of reality: everything eventually returns to its root. Instead of viewing this return with fear or resistance, we are invited to see it as the ultimate serenity. Today, we look at the text together and discuss how embracing this natural cycle can make us more tolerant, amused, and completely grounded in our daily lives.In This Episode, We Pour Over:The Power of Emptiness: Why clearing the mind isn't about losing something, but making room for absolute peace.Returning to the Root: Understanding the "source" and finding comfort in the natural, inevitable cycles of life.Living with Grace: How realizing where we come from naturally makes us more kindhearted, unbothered, and dignified in the face of chaos.Featured Reading: Verse 16 of the Tao Te Ching (Text displayed in video).Join the Conversation: How do you find moments of stillness and "return to the source" during a chaotic week? Let me know in the comments below.If you enjoyed this reflection, please subscribe and share it with someone who might need a quiet moment today. See you on the next one.

A calming meditation to help you move beyond emotional struggle and soften into trust, ease, and natural self-leadership - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees. In this guided meditation, David gently leads you through the transition from Inner Child healing into emotional integration and authentic inner peace. Inspired by Taoist wisdom, this meditation helps you release constant self-monitoring, emotional over-analysis, and nervous system vigilance, allowing your grounded adult awareness — your Shen — to lead with steadiness and ease. Experience a restorative meditation for emotional healing, self-trust, nervous system regulation, trauma recovery, relaxation, mindfulness, and effortless living. The meditation is ideal for anxiety relief, emotional overwhelm, self-soothing, spiritual growth, and reconnecting with calm presence and flow.⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERYThis meditation can be practised daily or whenever you need it. Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy: Reparenting Yourself Without Force: How to Heal the Inner Child Gently https://youtu.be/YC2kzpZs3pI?si=ROup6Y9f_SIvIyErGUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubLOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=-zdah_z6MiSZIl0tIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

Right now, as you read this, your heart is beating roughly 70 times a minute.You're not doing it.Your lungs are pulling in air, your cells are dividing, and a planet weighing six septillion kilograms is hurtling through space at 67,000 miles per hour.And you?You're likely worried about the future and…. The Big PictureHere's the truth in its simplest form. You do not know what you actually need to do, and you do not know what will happen entirely by itself.The ancient wisdom traditions, drawing from texts like the Bhagavad Gita and the Tao Te Ching, point to something so obvious we've spent our entire lives missing it.We've confused ourselves into believing we're the doer of things that have been doing themselves since before we were born. That single misunderstanding is the source of nearly all the exhaustion and anxiety you carry every day.Why This MattersRecent studies report stress levels at record highs, with over 75% of adults reporting physical symptoms from chronic worry.Yet the universe has been running flawlessly for 13.8 billion years without your supervision. Your body performs trillions of operations every second without consulting you.So why are we so tired? Because we got recruited into a story that said everything depends on us.The Three States of BeingMost of us bounce between two states: doing and not doing. Gripping or pushing away. Chasing or avoiding.But there's a third option, and the masters called it surrender.It's the state where breath flows on its own. Where the heart beats. Where life unfolds. And your consciousness, instead of being consumed by maintenance, gets liberated to be actually alive. The Proof Is in Your BodyRun this thought experiment. Imagine you were born into a society where, generations ago, people were taught they had to consciously breathe to survive.From birth, your parents would drill it in. “Don't forget to breathe. Pay attention.”Half your daily consciousness would be tied up just staying alive. Conversations would be impossible. Creativity would vanish.Now imagine someone says, “You don't have to do that. It happens by itself.” You wouldn't believe them. Every experience confirms breathing requires effort.Yet the moment you stopped trying, the breath would keep flowing.You already live this reality with your heartbeat, your digestion, your cell division. You've simply forgotten the same principle might apply to everything else. How to Actually Live ThisStart with what you grip the tightest. Your relationship. Your career. Your reputation.Ask honestly, “Am I being Atlas right now? Am I crouched under the weight of something the universe is already carrying?”Then gently, just for a moment, duck your shoulders.Surrender isn't quitting. Surrender is doing without being the doer. It's showing up fully to what's in front of you while releasing your grip on the outcome.When anxiety rises, pause and notice your breath. Notice it's been flowing all day without your help. That single observation can break the spell. Addressing the Skeptics“If I don't take action, nothing will happen.”Surrender isn't passivity. Water flows downhill, but water still flows. The point isn't to stop acting. The point is to stop forcing.“What about people who hustled to the top?”Ask any accomplished person about pivotal moments, and they'll describe something that happened to them. Right place, right time, the right person walking through the door. They participated. They didn't author the outcome.“This sounds like magical thinking.”It's the opposite. Magical thinking says, “If I want it badly enough, the universe will deliver.” Surrender says, “The universe is already delivering exactly what's meant to unfold.” Real-World ApplicationIn your career, do excellent work without attaching to every recognition.In relationships, love people without needing them to be a certain way. When your partner is in a mood, let it pass like weather through a sky.In your finances, make wise decisions without white-knuckling every dollar.In the bigger questions, trust that the same intelligence running your heart can probably handle the next chapter. The Hidden LayerHere's what fewer people realize. True surrender is functionally invisible.You cannot prove to anyone that you're not the doer. When your life unfolds beautifully, observers will insist you did it. They'll credit your strategy and hustle. And you'll smile, because you'll know the truth.It was never you. The Lingering ThoughtRight now, as you finish reading these words, your breath is still flowing. Your heart is still beating. The Earth is still turning.And somewhere, quietly, beneath all your striving and worrying and planning, something far wiser than your mind has been running the show this entire time.It always has been.The only question is whether you'll finally let it.---Get to the level of resolve in minutes, not months. The path is a next level Trauma-Informed Oracle journey -a personalized digital guide blending nervous system science with intuitive insight to help high achievers, therapists, and healers release emotional blocks efficiently—without years of divination training or one-off oracle readings.Shift to Your Focus to your DESIRES!Start with our daily transit astrologist or dream decoder.Next level? Upgrade to unlock the app and the 5 guides for spiritual problem solving to embrace change, deepen intuition, and align with your NOW and evolutionary - future self.Because…….you don't grow to the height of your vision—you rise or fall to the level of your beliefs.The Light Between Oracle Journey offers a sacred journey and deeper path for inner personal and professional growth in a world full of noise.It helps you slow down, reconnect, and experience meaningful transformation.Each Guide and 5-layer reading guides you to slow down, access what matters most, and receive precise guidance. * Access personalized guidance for clarity and empowerment* Rewire limiting beliefs and reclaim your power* Use hypnotic visualizations and poetic insights to support healing* Tune into your inner wisdom and make soul-aligned decisionsIncluded with Subscription:The app and the 5 guides for spiritual problem solvingSubscription Breakdown:MONTHLY:For just $7/month, gain access to the app and the 5 guides.YEARLY:For a one-time fee of $84/yr (everything in monthly and bonuses)Love, Kassandra This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelightbetween.substack.com/subscribe

"10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it." — Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 59 "Take on difficulties while they are still easy." — Jonathan Star, Tao Te Ching, The Definitive Edition, Verse 63   GUS - 12StepRecovery.AI 30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

What does ancient wisdom actually look like in everyday life? In this episode, we sit with Verse 15 of the Tao Te Ching to explore why the modern obsession with constant action and "mountain-top" achievements might be keeping us stuck. Through Lao Tzu's imagery of crossing thin ice, becoming like a valley, and letting muddy water settle, we learn that sometimes the most powerful action we can take is to step back, put the glass down, and let clarity happen on its own.Grab a warm drink, take a deep breath, and let's slow down for a few minutes.**** Intro: The mistake of "stirring the pot" when we need answers.**** The Verse: A slow reading of Verse 15.**** The Ice: Why walking on thin ice demands an absolute honesty that can't be faked.**** The Valley: Shifting away from a culture that worships the mountain, and finding the quiet power of receptivity.**** Mud & Water: Why a glass of muddy water doesn't need to be fixed—it just needs to be set down.**** Releasing the Grip: Living in the present instead of waiting for life to "finally arrive."The ancient Masters were profound and subtle.Their wisdom was unfathomable.There is no way to describe it; all we can describe is their appearance. They were careful as someone crossing an iced-over stream.Alert as a warrior in enemy territory.Courteous as a guest.Fluid as melting ice.Shapable as a block of wood.Receptive as a valley.Clear as a glass of water.Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear?Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself?The Master doesn't seek fulfillment.Not seeking, not expecting, she is present, and can welcome all things.Where in your life right now are you desperately stirring the water? What would happen if you just set the glass down and let gravity do its work?If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with someone who needs a few quiet minutes today.In This Episode, We Discuss:The Verse: Verse Fifteen (The Ancient Masters)A Question to Carry With You This Week:

Discover why healing is not endless self-work — it's the moment you finally feel safe enough to live freely, lightly, and fully as yourself.This is part 4 of our powerful 4-part Inner Child series for 2026.In this episode, we explore the profound shift from healing to integration — the stage where emotional regulation becomes natural, self-monitoring falls away, and your calm adult self leads with ease.You'll learn why some people get trapped in endless self-improvement, and the real signs that healing has matured into wholeness. Learn how playfulness, spontaneity, emotional resilience, inner peace, and effortless living return when safety becomes embodied.This is a powerful guide to Inner Child integration, emotional healing, Taoist wisdom, nervous system regulation, self-awareness, and living with calm, presence, and freedom.Watch part 1 here: https://youtu.be/FY0EMmLfiDw?si=vTqAAqPGWAcsgHFxWatch part 2 here: https://youtu.be/HhxyED-VSik?si=JkAIyg2kcWdRklh1 Watch part 3 here: https://youtu.be/YC2kzpZs3pI?si=lnGkxDDGgq27za3I With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:Our INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqOur GOLDEN THREAD PROCESS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIAsS_wgdRN7QGBKIk54sbyDIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email:  https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup Music by Earth Tree HealingDisclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

"9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others." — Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 59 "Though the Tao of Heaven has no favorites, it always sides with one who has a pure heart." — Jonathan Star, Tao Te Ching, The Definitive Edition, Verse 79   GUS - https://chatgpt.com/g/g-69f9f86d3e9481919d2d732149f68d66-gus 30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

In this episode, we step away from the cultural demand for constant optimization and sit with Verse 14 of the Tao Te Ching (Stephen Mitchell translation). Lao Tzu takes us to the very edge of language, dismantling our reliance on seeing, hearing, and grasping to verify reality. We explore the concept of "negative space" in life, why you can't think your way into the Tao, and what it truly means to be "at ease in your own life"—not by arriving somewhere new, but by remembering where you came from.Look, and it can't be seen.Listen, and it can't be heard.Reach, and it can't be grasped.Above, it isn't bright.Below, it isn't dark.Seamless, unnameable, it returns to the realm of nothing.Form that includes all forms, image without an image, subtle, beyond all conception.Approach it and there is no beginning; follow it and there is no end.You can't know it, but you can be it, at ease in your own life.Just realize where you come from: this is the essence of wisdom.The Verse— Tao Te Ching, Verse 14 (Trans. Stephen Mitchell)

Discover why anger never truly protects you — and how Taoist wisdom helps you finally release resentment, emotional pain, and inner conflict.In this Tao Dialogues episode, discover how resentment, emotional triggers, and replaying past pain can quietly shape your identity and block inner peace. Through Taoist wisdom, Inner Child healing, authentic self-awareness, and wu wei teachings, you'll learn how to release anger without suppressing emotions or losing your boundaries. The teaching is perfect for anyone struggling with anger, stress, emotional overwhelm, or their spiritual growth. Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/burning-bridges  [first blog post on this page]Our Tao Dialogues are powerful yet gentle teachings about authenticity, spirituality and finding emotional balance and flow in everyday life. These spoken-word episodes draw from David James Lees' practice as a Taoist monk and teacher, and expand upon popular posts on ‘David's Journal', his Substack blog.You can subscribe to David's Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comOther related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:TAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhFSHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-jINNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Mus

A calming meditation with gentle Inner Child healing for emotional safety and self-trust - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees.In this guided meditation on gentle reparenting and Inner Child healing, we explore how to create emotional safety, self-trust and calm authority within yourself — without pressure, force or self-criticism.Drawing on Taoist wisdom, mindfulness and emotional healing principles, this meditation helps you reconnect with your Shen (your calm spiritual essence), regulate emotional triggers, release urgency, and build inner peace through steady self-guidance and self-awareness.The meditation is ideal for soothing emotional overwhelm, and supporting self-love, reparenting work and personal growth.⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERYThis meditation can be practised daily or whenever you need it. Learn more about our online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy: Reparenting Yourself Without Force: How to Heal the Inner Child Gently https://youtu.be/YC2kzpZs3pI?si=ROup6Y9f_SIvIyErGUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubLOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=-zdah_z6MiSZIl0tIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing