Entering the Tao [antikvár]

Editor's Preface Hua-Ching Ni is a Taoist master who has been teaching in the United States since 1976. He has devoted his Ufe to continuing a spiritual tradition transmitted through an unbroken succession of seventy-four generations of masters dating back to the Han dynasty (206 bce-220 ce). Trained in mainland China by Taoist masters in healing, T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Kung Fu, Internal Alchemy, Chinese medicine, and herbology, he is a fully acknowledged master of all aspects of Taoist arts and metaphysics. However, he says that he prefers to be thought of simply as a spiritual friend. Master Ni is the author of more than forty-five books in EngUsh on philosophy, Chinese medicine, T'ai Chi Ch'uan, the I Ching, Taoist meditation, and related subjects. In his writings he uses straightforward language and personal experiences, as well as traditional stories and teachings of the ancient masters, to impart the wisdom of Taoism—or, as he calls it, the Integral Way. His teachings promote a simple, natural, healthy, and happy way of life that lays the foundation for spiritual self-cultivation. Master Ni emphasizes that it is important to first establish a good understanding of basic spiritual principles and then begin to realize this wisdom in daily life by adopting practices and attitudes that help to conserve, nourish, and refine the subtle energy. The selections in this book, drawn from the large body of Master Ni's writings, were chosen so as to emphasize these two areas of principles and practice, with an emphasis on teachings that are both inspiring and easy to understand. Several meditations and other practices are included among the selections. Readers should be aware that Taoist