Podcasts about Tao Te Ching

Break free from seeking love and approval from others and discover how to reclaim your self-worth without performing, pleasing, or proving anything.Are you still trying to earn love by performing, pleasing, or never making a mistake? In this episode, we explore how the belief that love is conditional forms in childhood — and how it shapes people-pleasing, perfectionism, and the constant fear of not being “enough.” We uncover how to break free from the performance trap, heal the Inner Child, and remember your intrinsic worth.You'll learn how conditional love sabotages relationships, how to dissolve old vows using the Golden Thread Process, and how to create love from within rather than chasing it from others. If you're ready to reclaim self-worth and experience love without conditions, this conversation will guide you back to truth and emotional freedom.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Discover our online consultations, events and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhXSelf Love & Self Acceptance – Guided Meditation https://youtu.be/sJtQu6vaSHM?si=1RrasPbkzN8UxpeeMeditation for Self-Love & Loving Relationships https://youtu.be/duUfdGPUtFs?si=yPPN9lu9d5OanIjW Our INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qq 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 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.

On the Tao Te Ching as guide through recovery, allowing our process, and the generative medicine of stillness. (0:00) – Introduction (3:32) – Miguel's Journey and Inspiration (6:50) – Day 11: The Use of Emptiness (11:44) – Day 19: Empty Your Mind (15:16) – Day 25: That Which Cannot Be Named (21:00) – Day 60: Handle Life Gently (24:46) – Group Facilitation and Personal Reflections (26:55) – Final Thoughts and Contact Information Miguel Rios is an educator, writer, and recovery advocate. By day, he teaches 8th-grade English, helping young people find their voice through literature. By night—and often early morning—he writes poetry, reflections, and spiritual texts grounded in Taoist philosophy, sobriety, and presence. The Way Within Without was born from Miguel's personal journey through recovery. It's the book he wished he had in the beginning: something honest, non-dogmatic, and deeply gentle. Miguel believes healing happens quietly. In stillness, not striving. In simplicity, not performance. His work blends ancient wisdom with modern clarity, inviting readers to return to the calm already within them. He lives in New York and spends his free time walking, reading, and sipping coffee. https://www.thewaywithinwithout.com

We attempt to weave together the history of Route 66 (The Mother Road) and Tao Te Ching chapter 66 in order to answer a listener question. Whether we pull it off or not, we at least address a few key ways in which the Tao Te Ching can shed light on global issues of our day, especially the ways in which economic injustice globally can bring insecurity and chaos to our local communities. There's a discussion also of whether a libertarian socialist society is even possible in our age.

Procrastination isn't laziness — it's a signal calling you back to stillness, clarity, and aligned action.In this episode of Tao Dialogues, we explore the stillness before action — a Taoist approach to ending procrastination and perfectionism without force, pressure, or self-criticism.Rather than pushing yourself forward, this teaching invites you inward — to the sacred pause where Shen (inner wisdom and clarity) aligns and true action is born. We uncover how procrastination often arises from the Inner Child's need for safety, not a lack of discipline, and how wu wei (effortless effort) restores natural momentum.You'll learn how to:Stop fighting procrastination and listen to its messageRelease perfectionism without lowering your standardsUse stillness as preparation, not avoidanceTake aligned action that flows from truth, not fearRead the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/shifting-the-storyOur 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/Discover David's online consultations, events and shop: 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_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqJoin our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  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 guided meditation to reconnect with your wise inner guide and return to calm, clarity, and trust - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees.In this guided meditation, we gently reconnect with your wise inner guide (Shen) — the quiet, steady voice of inner truth beneath self-doubt, comparison, and inherited conditioning.Through breath, stillness, and compassionate awareness, this practice helps you recognise the difference between the Inner Child's fearful voice and your authentic inner knowing. Rooted in Taoist wisdom and wu wei (effortless effort), it supports Inner Child healing, emotional clarity, and living with greater integrity and flow.This meditation is for anyone seeking calm, alignment, and trust in their own inner guidance. This is a remembering — not a fixing.⚠️ 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 and shop: 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=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubSHEN (SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-j&si=bWpWNXUUNoFNgow4INNER CHILD PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qq&si=7TkslLfvthRWePOIIs 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

We aren't sure what this chapter is saying. We think we might disagree with what it's saying. This week, we discuss how we read the Tao Te Ching differently than we read the Bible during our youth in Evangelical youth groups and why indoctrination of even something we think is true is not helpful in the long run. Come experience the interpretive discomfort with us and consider the ways in which education plays into the emancipation of all minds, yet sometimes confuses minds.

Espero disfruten del humor y de la sabiduria de este Sketch.

"How should you treat a bird? As yourself or as a bird? — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 103   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 most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and 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!

Ellen Kamhi, The Natural Nurse, talks wtih Doug Hilton, a counselor for over 30 years with extensive experience in trauma, addictions, and couples and family issues. A certified Universal Healing Tao instructor, he has been integrating Chi Kung into his counseling practice for twenty years. A Taoist guide to recovering from addiction offers easy-to-perform Chi Kung practices to aid with recovery, he explains the nature and development of addictions, the process of recovery, and how the Tao Te Ching can provide guidance. fullcirclehealing.ca 

Explore how early conditioning shapes your inner voice, and how to return to your wise, authentic self.Do you know whose voice is guiding your decisions? In this Life Lesson, we explore how the Inner Child absorbs the beliefs, expectations, and emotional rules of authority figures — and how those inherited voices can quietly shape our adult lives. Through Taoist wisdom, we learn how to distinguish conditioned thinking from our true inner knowing and wise inner guide, reconnect with our inherent worth, and gently return to authenticity, clarity, and alignment. This is an invitation to stop living by inherited rules and begin trusting the quiet truth within.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Discover our online consultations, events and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:SHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-jShen (The Spiritual Self) Guided Meditation https://youtu.be/BM2CNYvI45Y?si=KLQdxovVFqbxDYNaINNER 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 ~~~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.

We discuss Tao Te Ching 63, which encourages us to tackle major projects by focusing on one component part at a time. Applied to our lives and community building projects, instead of focusing on grand ideological constructs, it might be best for us to ask whether each small action we take serves our overall plan. We cross reference a similar teaching from Jesus in Luke 14, where he encourages us to count the cost before setting off on a spiritual or material quest.

"If I cease striving for happiness, the 'right' and the 'wrong' at once become apparent all by themselves." — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 101   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 most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and 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!

"The hard and strong will fall, the soft and weak will overcome": two poems from the Tao Te Ching, read and then explored by Jay Leeming, poet and storyteller. www.JayLeeming.com

Learn why you believe something is wrong with you or that success feels unsafe — this is the Inner Child vow you never questioned.In this episode of Tao Dialogues, we explore The Inner Child's vow — an unconscious belief formed in childhood that can create self-doubt, anxiety, and self-sabotage, even when life is going well. Through Taoist wisdom, wu wei (effortless effort), and Shen spirituality, we gently uncover how this survival vow shaped our behaviour, and how it can be dissolved without force, self-criticism, or confrontation. This dialogue is for anyone ready to release old conditioning, trust life again, and return to alignment, flow, and authenticity. Nothing within you is broken. This is a return — not a repair.Read the blog post that inspired this episode:https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/the-inner-childs-vowOur 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/Discover David's online consultations, events and shop: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_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqJoin our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  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

"I know the joy of fishes in the river through my own joy, as I go walking along the same river." — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 98   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 most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and 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 reading for meditation of selected verses from the The Tao Te Ching - translation by Tolbert McCarrollThe Tao Te Ching or Dào Dé Jīng, ('Classic of the Way and its Virtue'), is an ancient Chinese classic text, becoming a foundational work of Taoism. It is traditionally credited to the sage Lao Tzu, though with some several early versions recovered, the texts' authorship and dates of composition and compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion dates to the late 4th century BCE. While tradition places Laozi earlier, modern versions of the text could more conservatively be estimated to date back to the late Warring States period (475 – 221 BCE), not having been recovered that early.The Tao Te Ching is central to both philosophical and religious Taoism, and has been highly influential on Chinese philosophy and religious practice in general.

A calming Taoist meditation to help parents release control and guide their children with trust, presence, and love - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees.This mindful parenting meditation invites you to release control, soften fear, and return to presence-led parenting. Rooted in Taoist wisdom, this gentle practice helps parents and caregivers guide without gripping, protect without overprotecting, and respond with calm awareness rather than emotional reaction.Through breath, visualisation, Inner Child compassion, and affirmations, you'll reconnect with your authenticity, trust your child's inner wisdom, and learn to parent from alignment instead of perfection. This meditation supports emotional regulation, resilience, and a deeper sense of ease for both parent and child.⚠️ 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 and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy: The Tao of Parenting - Raising Resilient Children with Trust and Balance https://youtu.be/uJ37rsYFr1E?si=nBFqdPQjshuJL-wGGUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubINNER CHILD PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qq&si=7TkslLfvthRWePOIIs 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 discussion of Tao Te Ching 61 and the ways in which larger countries, or leaders of large groups can benefit from a way of yin-like humility and the feminine principle. taosurfers.comprotectyournoggin.orgBuy our rendition of the Tao Te Ching online today.

Am I living from a foundation of fear or Love?   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 most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and 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!

Friend of the pod, poet and rapper Micah Bournes is back at it with another powerful protest album. On it, he challenges us to consider seeking the freedom of even those who've committed crimes against humanity. This is a challenging but timely conversation, given our recent discussions of parts of the Tao Te Ching that encourage us to draw former enemies into the virtuous community (this of course, for Micah is inspired by Jesus' teachings on reconciliation, repentence and restoration).micahbournes.comtaosurfers.comprotectyournoggin.org

A Taoist guide to parenting with trust instead of fear — so love flows without control, criticism, or comparison.Parenting often pulls us between overprotection and emotional distance — both driven by fear, not love. In this episode, we explore the Tao of parenting, the art of guiding without controlling, and how to raise resilient, confident children through trust, presence, and balance. Drawing on Taoist wisdom, Inner Child awareness, and the release of criticism, comparison, and judgment, this episode reveals how fear-based parenting patterns form — and how aligning with wu wei creates freedom, emotional safety, and unconditional love for both parent and child.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Discover our online consultations, events and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqSHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-jIs 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 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.

Stephen Mitchell has translated or adapted some of the world's most beautiful and spiritually rich texts, including The Gospel According to Jesus, The Book of Job, Gilgamesh, Tao Te Ching, Bhagavad Gita, The Iliad, The Odyssey, Beowulf, The Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet, and The Way of Forgiveness. In his latest book, The First Christmas: A Story of New Beginnings, he brings the Nativity story to life as never before. In this special episode, Jacke talks to Stephen about his translations, his search for spiritual truths, and his work imagining the story of the first Christmas from multiple points of view. PLUS Jacke continues his way up the charts of the Greatest Books of All Time with a look at #4 on the list, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Note: A version of this episode first ran in December 2021. Join Jacke on a trip through literary England! Join Jacke and fellow literature fans on an eight-day journey through literary England in partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in May 2026! Scheduled stops include The Charles Dickens Museum, Dr. Johnson's house, Jane Austen's Bath, Tolkien's Oxford, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, and more. Learn more by emailing jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com or masahiko@johnshorstravel.com, or by contacting us through our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. December update: Act soon - there are only two spots left! The music in this episode is by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gabrielruizbernal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Help support the show at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/literature ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com/donate ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Tao Te Ching with San Qing San Qing is a Taoist Master of Qigong and Neigong. He is an ordained priest and a lineage holder of Taoism. He is also a spirit channeler and healer. He is author of Tao Te Ching, Magical Register, Immortality: Crystallized in the Material, The Ancient Practice of Synchronicity: How to Manifest and Realize You are the Universe, and Primordial Mother Crystallized. His websites are immortaltaoistrites.com and theway126.com. San delves into the profound teachings of the Tao Te Ching, exploring its significance, the essence of Lao Tzu, and the magical aspects of Taoism. He describes how the text serves as a manual for self-discovery and spiritual growth, emphasizing the importance of intuition, the paradoxes within the teachings, and the transformative power of reading and embodying the verses. He highlights the Tao Te Ching’s ability to enhance everyday life and foster a deeper connection with oneself and the universe. New Thinking Allowed CoHost, Emmy Vadnais, OTR/L, is a licensed occupational therapist, intuitive healer and coach, and spiritual guide based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Emmy is the founder of the Intuitive Connections and Holistic OT communities. She is the author of Intuitive Development: How to Trust Your Inner Knowing for Guidance With Relationships, Health, and Spirituality. Her website is https://emmyvadnais.com (Recorded on September 25, 2025) For a short video on How to Get the Most From New Thinking Allowed, go to https://youtu.be/aVbfPFGxv9o Check out our new website for the New Thinking Allowed Foundation at http://www.newthinkingallowed.org. There you will find our incredible, searchable database as well as our new, FREE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE. Also, opportunities to shop and to support our video productions. There, you can also subscribe to our FREE, WEEKLY NEWSLETTER! For a complete, updated list with links to all of our videos, see https://newthinkingallowed.com/Listings.html. Check out New Thinking Allowed’s AI chatbot. You can create a free account at https://ai.servicespace.org When you enter the space, you will see that our chatbot is one of several you can interact with. While it is still a work in progress, it has been trained on 1,600 NTA transcripts. It can provide intelligent answers about the contents of our interviews. It’s almost like having a conversation with Jeffrey Mishlove. To buy a high-quality, printed version of the New Thinking Allowed Magazine, go to nta-magazine.magcloud.com. To join the NTA Psi Experience Community on Facebook, see https://www.facebook.com/groups/1953031791426543/. To download and listen to audio versions of the New Thinking Allowed videos, visit our podcast at https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/new-thinking-allowed-audio-podcast/id1435178031. Download and read Jeffrey Mishlove’s Grand Prize essay in the Bigelow Institute competition, Beyond the Brain: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily Death. https://www.bigelowinstitute.org/docs/1st.pdf If you would like to join our team of volunteers, helping to promote the New Thinking Allowed YouTube channel on social media, editing and translating videos, creating short video trailers based on our interviews, helping to upgrade our website, or contributing in other ways (we may not even have thought of), please send an email to friends@newthinkingallowed.com. To order Intuitive Development by Emmy Vadnais, click here: https://amzn.to/35sbLIA. To order the book, Tao Te Ching, Magical Register, go to: https://immortaltaoistrites.com/ To order New Thinking Allowed Dialogues: Is There Life After Death? click on https://amzn.to/3LzLA7Y To order Russell Targ: Ninety Years of ESP, Remote Viewing, and Timeless Awareness, go to https://amzn.to/4aw2iyr To order UFOs and UAP – Are We Really Alone?, go to https://amzn.to/3Y0VOVh

"Go home!" said Chuang Tzu. "Leave me here to drag my tail in the mud!"  — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 93   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 most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and 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 Taoist invitation to remember who you truly are, reclaim your inner worth, and live aligned with wu wei and your authentic self.In this episode of Tao Dialogues, we explore what it means to return home to your true self. Through Taoist wisdom, wu wei and the remembrance of Shen, your innate spiritual essence and authentic self. We uncover why you were never broken, only temporarily misaligned. This conversation invites you to release striving, heal the Inner Child with compassion, and realign with inner truth, self-worth, and emotional balance. Discover how living aligned with the Tao restores clarity, stillness, and flow—so you stop chasing worth and begin embodying itRead the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/shining-from-within-reclaiming-ourOur 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/Discover David's online consultations, events and shop: 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_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqJoin 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

Instead of going on to a new Tao Te Ching chapter, we address a superb comment from a listener about feeding a zeitgeist of resistance. We conclude by discussing the unique character of proto-Taoist shamanism.

"While he [The man of Tao] does not follow the crowd. He won't complain of those who do."  — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 91   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 most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and 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!

Lao Tzu explains how to cook a small fish and govern a great nation. A discussion of how the Tao Te Ching has been seen differently over the ages, due to different emphases throughout the commentary traditions. Regardless of whether one assumes that the ghosts of our ancestors and the demons of our human nature are literal or figurative (or somewhere in between) this chapter teaches warns against authoritarianism and aggressive governments.Toward the end, there's a discussion of the ways in which Ancient Chinese shamanism might have conceived of spirits and demons. www.protectyournoggin.org

A soothing guided meditation to help you let go of perfectionism, embrace your true self, and finally know that who you are is enough - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees.Experience a calming guided meditation designed to help you release perfectionism, silence the inner critic, and reconnect with your authentic self. Through gentle visualisation and Taoist-inspired wisdom, this practice helps you let go of old survival patterns, honour your inherent worth, and embrace the freedom of being perfectly imperfect. Ideal for healing self-judgement, reducing anxiety, and cultivating deep self-acceptance.⚠️ 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 and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy: You Are Perfectly Imperfect: How to Stop Chasing Perfection  https://youtu.be/pX3MdUogo_g?si=jGIy8ZJ06a2K-R50INNER CHILD PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qq&si=7TkslLfvthRWePOIGUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubIs 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

In this exploration of the Tao Te Ching and other traditions, the conversation opens to introductions  of the five Panelists and an invocation of hope of others to investigate the Tao Te Ching. Bob, Brian, Rich, Henry and Joel share Verse 1 and questions arise: What is Reality? Is the Tao Reality? What is the Tao? What does the term Anti-foundational mean? Reversal Yin/ Yang in relation to Tao. Paradox and the Tao. Everyday consciousness is the pathway to the Tao. What is the relationship with Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Tao? What does silence offer in relation to the Tao? The Beginningless Beginning? Is the Tao directly knowable? Tibetan Buddihsm and the Tao. Verse 17 and Verse 38 are explored. Wu Wei. How do we serve God? How do we serve Tao? Why did God create? Biographies of Panel: Dr. Bob Insull is an New York State Licensed Psychologist with more than 60 years experience teaching, training, and treating in the arena of human behavior. In his clinical practice, he has worked across the developmental stages (children to golden-agers), across the diagnostic spectrum (chemical dependency, severe mental illness, relationship issues, depression, anxiety, and PTSD), and treatment settings (clinics, inpatient psychiatric centers, and private practice). During the closing years of his practice, he became interested in the area of psychological trauma and worked with survivors in individual and group settings. He has been retired from active practice for about 15 years and spends his time engaged in self-discovery on the Sufi Path and social-change activities with his church. ------- Brian Mistler enjoys communing with fellow inquirers and reflecting together on revealed perennial wisdom. Hari Om Tat Sat. Peace, peace, peace. ------- Richard Grego is Professor of philosophy and cultural history at FSCJ. His research interests focus on cross cultural themes in religion and science - including philosophy of mind, comparative world religions/world civilizations, and the metaphysical - theological implications of theoretical physics and cosmology. His publications have included studies in the history - philosophy of science and conceptions of nature in the history of western philosophy, as well as cross-cultural perspectives on mind/ consciousness in western philosophy - psychology and the neo-Vedanta Hindu tradition. Prior to his academic career, he was a criminal investigator - polygraph examiner for the Florida Office of the Public Defender and in the private sector Instructor at the Criminal Justice Institute and International Academy of Polygraph Science in Florida, and national Academic Director of the Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council. ------- Joel David Lesses is President and Executive Director of Education Training Center, Inc. and his work experience is in education, psychology, and counseling for people marginalized by trauma, addiction, and psychological distress. He is deeply vested in addressing the effects of mental health distress and its marginalization including, incarceration, homelessness, and institutionalization. Joel is dedicated to reframing mental health distress as a potential spiritual marker and existential opportunity. He holds dual Master of Science degrees from University at Buffalo in Rehabilitation Counseling and Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Epidemiology.   ------- Henry Cretella, M.D. studied and practiced Tibetan Buddhism for several years along with training in martial arts.  He then immersed himself in the more universal Sufism of Inayat Khan, an Indian mystic, for close to twenty years. He functioned as a senior teacher in the Inayati Order and the Sufi Healing Order before pursuing  his independent practice and study of mysticism. He now integrates what he has learned and experienced over these many years. He graduated from Vanderbilt Medical School and completed his psychiatric training at Strong Memorial Hospital of the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY.  His professional career spanned over 40 years as a general and child and adolescent psychiatrist and included teaching, administration, clinical practice and consultation in the greater Rochester and western NY areas.  This, along with his spiritual and especially mystical interests lead him to certification as a mind body practitioner through the Center for Mind Body Medicine and Dr. James Gordon.  He retired several years ago from active psychiatric practice, but continues to incorporate what he has learned into his spiritual practices and offerings.

This week, we explored a question posed to us: "How do I surrender to alcohol?"   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 most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and 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!

Drawing from Tao Te Ching 59, we critique the idea that cultures have a fixed life span. Surveying the longevity of various societies from the Indigenous Australians to the end of Imperial China in the twentieth century, we suggest that Lao Tzu was right that a deeply rooted, maternal, nurturing society that is adaptable and respects its natural resources can restrain its predation and outlast drastic changes. We also discuss why education in America doesn't just get a nice aesthetic boost from the humanities and creative art but depends on such things for its long term survival. www.protectyournoggin.orgwww.taosurfers.com

Let go of perfectionism and discover how to embrace your truest, perfectly imperfect self.In this episode, we explore how perfectionism begins in childhood as emotional protection and how it silently disconnects us from our authenticity, and inner truth. We unpack how to let go of perfection, dissolve people-pleasing, and embrace your perfectly imperfect self. If you're ready to release perfectionism and remember who you truly are beneath the mask, this conversation will guide you back to freedom and flow.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Discover our online consultations, events and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:Believe In Yourself – Guided Meditation https://youtu.be/Mw8oxjAIFyE?si=icAReJRbBnUUTbquHow to Believe Fully In Yourself https://youtu.be/1Z2nvteUc0g?si=zj6EcaIPRaEuzUgbINNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqSHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-jIs 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 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.

What is Taoist power really—and how do you recognize it in your own life? In this episode of Living the Tao Shorts (2-10), Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod explores De, the form of spiritual power described in the Daodejing. Instead of treating De as serendipity or good luck, Master Steenrod explains how true Taoist practice produces alignment, insight, and direct Dao interaction. Inside this episode: What De actually means in classical Taoism How Taoist “sagecraft” shapes your life and decisions The Four Ascendant triangle of Dao → Teacher → Student Why tiny “signs” aren't reliable indicators of spiritual growth What creates Dao intrusions—and what they mean for your path Why the Dao responds as if you already know the rules This short episode is ideal for listeners exploring Taoist spirituality, personal transformation, inner alignment, or the deeper teachings behind the Daodejing.

" The true conqueror is he who is not conquered by the multitude of the small."  — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 90   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 most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and 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!

Move forward with hope: healing after painful endings and embracing your next life chapter.In this episode, we explore hope, healing, letting go, and new beginnings through the wisdom of Taoism, wu wei, and Inner Child work. Discover why painful endings trigger fear, how red-light emotions guide your growth, and how to move into your next life chapter with clarity and courage.You'll learn: •  How to let go with compassion instead of forcing •  How red-light emotions reveal limiting beliefs •  The Golden Thread Process for emotional healing •  Taoist insights from the Tao Te Ching and I Ching •  How to create inner safety for your next beginning •  Simple practices to release the past and welcome renewal.This is a grounded, gentle guide for anyone navigating life transitions, heartbreak, identity shifts, grief, or emotional healing.Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/walking-forward-turning-endings-intoOur 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.Subscribe to David's Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Discover David's online consultations, events and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comRelated teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=9yNvhZaaUGvRWMOeTAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhFINNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqJoin our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  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 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

Jeff and Stacie discuss Tao Te Ching 58's second half, which says the experts don't even know how history will play out in a certain situation. They share their plan for surviving the economic challenges ahead. Jeff explains the concept of "late stage capitalism." By the way, if you are serious about considering living a different lifestyle, in terms of your domicile, feel free to reach out and we will be glad to share what we've learned about living non-conventionally. The song at the end is a song Jeff wrote for a winter musical. He offers the script and music to anyone who might use and adapt it for educational or nonprofit purposes. For show notes and more: https://www.protectyournoggin.orgFor other services provided by Stacie and Jeff: https://www.taosurfers.com For Stacie and Jeff's rendering of the Tao Te Ching, click here. 

Jeff and Stacie share what's been going on in their lives since their last episode. Then they launch into part one of a discussion of TTC 58 and it's relevance these days.  What if libertarians of various stripes banded together to resist authoritarianism and build networks to care for all members of community in need?Protect Your Noggin is a show about the pursuit of happiness amid the ruins of politics an religion.For show notes and more: https://www.protectyournoggin.orgFor other services provided by Stacie and Jeff: https://www.taosurfers.com For Stacie and Jeff's rendering of the Tao Te Ching, click here. 

The Tao of Addiction and Recovery, Doug Hilton co Author with Mantak Chia Doug Hilton has been a counselor for over thirty years with extensive experience in trauma, addictions, and couples and family issues. A certified Universal Healing Tao instructor, he has been integrating Chi Kung into his counseling practice for twenty years. A Taoist guide to recovering from addiction offers  easy-to-perform Chi Kung practices to aid with recovery, the authors systematically explain the nature and development of addictions, the process of recovery, and how the Tao Te Ching can provide guidance. With Taoist Emotional Recycling, this book shows how to heal stuck emotions and address the urges and attitudes that often cause relapse. Phone  (250) 217-8854 Email              doug_hilton@hotmail.com

"He who moves with the stream of events is called a wise statesman."  — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 88   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 most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and 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!  

Step into this calming Inner Child guided meditation designed to help you overcome the fear of the unknown and restore deep emotional safety - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees.When the fear of the unknown rises, the mind tightens and the body moves into protection. This soothing Inner Child guided meditation helps you release emotional tension, calm survival-driven thinking, and reconnect with a deep sense of inner safety. You'll gently explore the root of uncertainty, soften old conditioning, and create space for trust, clarity and courage to emerge.Through grounding breathwork, visualisation, and compassionate Inner Child work, this meditation guides you back to your natural state of ease and flow. You'll learn to meet fear with presence, restore emotional balance, and align with the Taoist principle of allowing rather than resisting. Use this practice whenever uncertainty feels overwhelming or when you want to strengthen your ability to move forward with confidence, peace, and self-trust.⚠️ 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 and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy:Untangling Fear of the Unknown: Taoism, Flow & Inner Child Healing https://youtu.be/TxWWryjPOK0?si=PKX3uvvBDgHnbWcXINNER CHILD PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qq&si=7TkslLfvthRWePOIGUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubIs 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

"When we look at things in the light of Tao, nothing is best, nothing is worst"  — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 87   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 most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and 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 real danger isn't change, but staying stuck where you are?We often mistake familiarity for safety, creating inner resistance and a fear of the unknown whenever we face something new. This episode explores that subtle fear — the emotional “red light” that appears as change approaches, whether we're starting something, letting go, or sitting with uncertainty. We look at how fear softens when we stop forcing and instead align with life's natural flow. You'll learn why the unknown feels threatening to the mind and how presence helps us move through it with greater ease. Bringing in Inner Child wisdom, we uncover early conditioning that taught us to avoid the unknown. By meeting those younger parts of ourselves with compassion, we can create an inner safety that empowers us to step forward with trust and confidence.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Discover our online consultations, events and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqGOLDEN THREAD PROCESS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIAsS_wgdRN7QGBKIk54sbyDJoin 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 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.

Tune in for the wisdom of Lao Tzu in this transformative episode of Exploring the Mystical Side of Life. Host Linda Lang welcomes Taoist Master San Qing, who channels a message from Lao Tzu, focused on discovering your innate wholeness and accelerating your spiritual evolution. San Qing shares a powerful breathing exercise—rooted in Taoist tradition—to help you reconnect to your heart, nurture self-love, and access your true nature beyond the confines of everyday struggles. Experience guidance on mastering emotions, cultivating patience, and igniting your divine spark. Plus, learn more about San Qing's teachings and practical tools for self-realization. Tune in for insights, inspiration, and a practical path to remembering who you truly are.Explore San Qing's podcast, The Way 126 Experience on all major podcast platforms and YouTube.Work with San Qing: ⁠https://immortaltaoistrites.com/⁠ Buy the TAO TE CHING transcribed by San Qing as a DIRECT Channel of Lao Tzu: ⁠https://bit.ly/SanQing-Tao-Te-Ching⁠The Way 126 app LIVE now on web, IOS and Android: ⁠https://theway126.com/ ⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/theway_126⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theway126experience

"The game is never over. Birth and death are even. The terms are not final."  — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 86   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 most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and 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 soulful solo episode of Mirror Talk: Soulful Conversations, we reflect on the reckless beauty of youth — from lustful desires to fiery mistakes — and the profound wisdom that blooms from it all. With references to public stories like Britney & Justin, Robert Downey Jr., and ancient teachings from Heraclitus, Tao Te Ching, and African proverbs, this episode offers healing, insight, and hope. Learn how to transform the pain of the past into the power of the present.CONFESSIONS is now available: https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/confessions-book/ Thank you for joining me on this MIRROR TALK podcast journey. Please subscribe to any platform and remember to leave a review and rating.Stay connected: https://linktr.ee/mirrortalkpodcast More inspiring episodes and show notes are here: https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/podcast-episodes/ Your opinions, thoughts, suggestions, and comments are important to us. Share them here: https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/your-opinion-matters/ Could you support us by becoming a Patreon? Please consider subscribing to one or more of our offerings at http://patreon.com/MirrorTalk All proceeds will help enhance the quality of our work and outreach, enabling us to serve you better.We use and trust these podcasting tools, software, and gear. We've partnered with amazing platforms to give our Mirror Talk community exclusive deals and discounts: https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/mirror-talks-recommended-podcasting-tools-exclusive-discounts/ 

The root of self-sabotage lies in your Inner Child's fear of failure and rejection — learn how to transform that fear into flow, confidence, and peace.Are you tired of getting in your own way? This Tao Dialogue explores the deeper roots of self-sabotage — why it happens, where it begins, and how to transform it through awareness and compassion.You'll learn how to: ✅ Recognise hidden self-sabotaging patterns ✅ Heal your Inner Child and reconnect with self-trust ✅ Reprogram limiting beliefs that keep you stuck ✅ Take aligned action toward peace, purpose, and successWhen you stop fighting yourself, life starts to flow. Freedom begins with understanding, not force.Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/breaking-free-from-self-sabotageOur 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/Discover David's online consultations, events and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comOther related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:Why Do I Self-Sabotage My Happiness? https://youtu.be/8xOmnlLZ08I?si=HlOOhfx247kdApHGTAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhFINNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqJoin 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

Experience deep subconscious healing and release old beliefs keeping you stuck in scarcity. This powerful guided meditation helps you attract wealth, flow, and emotional freedom—with Taoist monk and teacher David James Lees.Reprogramme your money story from the inside out with this Inner Child healing meditation for abundance. Your financial blocks aren't about money—they're rooted in childhood patterns of scarcity, safety, and self-worth. Through gentle guidance, you'll release old fears, open your heart, and align with the natural energy of prosperity and ease. Let your inner child lead you back to peace, abundance, and financial freedom…⚠️ 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 and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy:Master Your Mindset For Wealth https://youtu.be/BuVV7PXewsA?si=NZ2MlXno-hS2tMLR LAW OF ATTRACTION PLAYLIST  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIDtpsyrlO2TNeBoKwUDlQOI&si=Z6dGUJSDR36XKHjq GUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubIs 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

In this deeply personal and powerful solo episode, we explore the liberating truth that you have nothing to prove. Through heartfelt storytelling, soulful reflection, and ancient wisdom, this episode guides you through the silent burden of performance-based worthiness — and invites you to reclaim your life from the pressure of perfection.From healing metaphors like the story of a dying house plant, to meditative questions and transformative truths, this episode is a soulful reminder to rest in your enoughness and let go of the need to impress, justify, or strive for love.This is the episode for you if you've ever felt like you're not enough — or like you're constantly living your life to be validated. Today, you are invited to come home to yourself.

In this episode, I share why I've been off mainstream media (and feel calmer, clearer, and more engaged), how I stay informed on my terms, and what the Tao Te Ching and Stoicism taught me about hope that does the work. We'll look at the “doom loop,” why outrage isn't engagement, and how to channel energy into real life—voting, volunteering, showing up for people you love—without pretending everything's fine. Along the way, I unpack a Tao passage that once infuriated me (“You can't improve the world”) and how it ultimately freed me: the world is imperfect—and we make it better anyway. This podcast is listener-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Support the PodcastTo keep Food for Thought Podcast ad-free and accessible to all, I rely on the support of paid subscribers. If you're already one—thank you. If you're not, please consider becoming one. None of the companies below sponsored this episode. They're simply brands I personally use, love, and trust—which is why I agreed to be an affiliate.If you make a purchase using the links below, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you—and you'll receive exclusive discounts using the codes provided!* Complement SupplementsEverything you need, nothing you don't. Complement makes targeted supplements for plant-based eaters, including B12, D3, DHA, and more—all from clean, trusted sources. (Discount includes Omega-3 Index tests!)