Three Things I Learned From a 2,400-Year-Old Book
It taught me the way.
At least this is what The Tao in the title roughly translates as — The Book of the Way.
The Tao Te Ching (or Daodejing, in pinyin) is a classic Chinese Taoist text, thought to be written in the fourth century BC. It has been attributed to a writer known as Lao Tzu — which translates simply as ‘old master’, a hint that perchance the author’s true name has been lost through the years.
I was first introduced to the book through a Tim Ferriss podcast where he interviewed Josh Waitzkin. Since the book is 2,400 years old, the original text can be a little difficult to decipher. I sought out an audiobook which translated the original ideas into modern day text.
The Tao Te Ching contains timeless wisdom and possesses a natural mirror through which to question my self. This mirror is not one which creates self-loathing, but one that encourages me to ask better questions of myself.
I also began to listen to youtube snippets of Alan Watts, a British-American philosopher who is renowned for interpreting and popularising Eastern philosophy for a Western audience. He introduced me to Taoism in a more in-depth way. I caught my first glimpse of the Taoist view of the universe.
