This is a nice, inspirational book. There are a lot of inspirational books that give us food for thought each day. This one goes a little further in also giving us a simple meditation or exercise to do each day to fully absorb the thought of the day. I tried some of them and found that they really do help me understand and integrate the thoughts and inspirations of the day. — Anita Burns, The Messenger, 09/01/2012
This purse-sized volume containing Walt Whitman’s words and additional comments by the authors is the sort of aid to “keeping cool” that many people at their prime will appreciate. Daily life can be so harried that we forget who we are and want to be. These wise advisors remind us to stop in our tracks and really dwell on a single idea. It takes a willing heart, however.
Fifty-two weeks of daily meditations are included here in spare prose (the reading of which will take no more than ten minutes out of your day). There are no long literary passages from the American “poet of the people.” Shaw, a poet in her own right, and Allen, a student of consciousness and leader of transformational seminars, have carefully chosen a few lines for each ponderable subject: paradox, authenticity, miracles, wonder, shadow, chaos, and so forth. Then they have added their suggestion of a quick application to the reader’s own train of thought. Sundays are reserved for their thoughts, brief and provocative, arising from their practice of Taoism.
The introduction explains that Taoism is the “ancient Chinese philosophical and spiritual tradition that emphasizes compassion, humility, and moderation.” Who can doubt that these qualities are needed as correctives to the competiveness of the workplace and playing fields of our time? Wisdom that is “ancient” gives us perspective, as does the sensibility of an observant 19th century poet. Whitman was born to a working class family only three decades after George Washington was named President of the United States. He grew up in Manhattan, then just becoming an urban center in a nation that was newly formed as a democracy, inspiring pride in its leaders. His biographers (whitmanarchive.org) note that he loved riding the ferries and thus the idea of “crossings” became central to his mystical thoughts; crossing was the passage from life to death; it was the service of his poetry to cross from poet to reader and back.
Shaw and Allen are quick to say that none of what they have compiled is required reading; they want us to use what they have culled from ancient and historic thought as we see fit. They also confess that they are not Whitman scholars. English majors such as I am may find it frustrating not to know the source of each poem excerpt – or they might find themselves trying to remember. That’s a distraction. Still, the handy guide to improving each day by one positive act (whether it is to host a party or simply smile big at passersby) is extremely useful, especially to Americans who will appreciate that the gift of democracy is, at its core, plain decency.
—Karen Dahood, bookpleasures.com; 9/11/12
Just like the Tao Te Ching, The Tao of Walt Whitman offers down-to-earth pointers to living life peacefully and joyfully, connected and aligned with nature and the universe.
As you contemplate the verses of Walt Whitman, immediately after, you will find that authors Connie Shaw and Ike Allen have also provided reflections and insights that you can further contemplate, as well as actions that you can take. Altogether, these tools can be used to help you cultivate your daily life into a more peaceful and joyful one.
Through simplicity and being fully present in each day, through inquiry into the nature of things, taking time to reflect upon and cultivate your life, helps you to maintain balance, where you are fully connected to life—to nature and to the universe.
In this day and age, we are overloaded with and bombarded by technology and living a fast-paced life, which has cut us off from nature and the simplicity of life, creating more stress in our daily lives, so we have to make a conscious effort to reconnect to source, at least until it becomes effortless and a natural way—Tao of life. The Tao of Walt Whitman helps us to reconnect and remember our true nature, providing us with tools that we can use to rediscover the Tao of life that is the most fulfilling, connected, all-embracing, body and soul, where we are living a balanced, peaceful and joyful existence.
—Pamela J. Wells, www.selflessbeing.com; 9/12/12
Just like the Tao Te Ching, The Tao of Walt Whitman offers down-to-earth pointers to living life peacefully and joyfully, connected and aligned with nature and the universe.
As you contemplate the verses of Walt Whitman, immediately after, you will find that authors Connie Shaw and Ike Allen have also provided reflections and insights that you can further contemplate, as well as actions that you can take. Altogether, these tools can be used to help you cultivate your daily life into a more peaceful and joyful one.
Through simplicity and being fully present in each day, through inquiry into the nature of things, taking time to reflect upon and cultivate your life, helps you to maintain balance, where you are fully connected to life—to nature and to the universe.
In this day and age, we are overloaded with and bombarded by technology and living a fast-paced life, which has cut us off from nature and the simplicity of life, creating more stress in our daily lives, so we have to make a conscious effort to reconnect to source, at least until it becomes effortless and a natural way—Tao of life. The Tao of Walt Whitman helps us to reconnect and remember our true nature, providing us with tools that we can use to rediscover the Tao of life that is the most fulfilling, connected, all-embracing, body and soul, where we are living a balanced, peaceful and joyful existence.
—Pamela J. Wells, Selfless Being
As a guide to the transcendent, Whitman’s poetry offers illumination for those on the path of Taoist harmony. This book is an inspired blend of bite-size samples from Whitman, along with the authors’ reflections and exercises.
—Marci Shimoff, author of Happy for No Reason and Love for No Reason
The Tao of Walt Whitman presents gem-like excerpts of his verse, along with creative, thought-provoking activities and commentary, to bring the essence of this exhilarating poet into our daily lives.
—Judy Morley, publisher of Science of Mind magazine
