Jason Gregory
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About Jason Gregory
JASON GREGORY is an author, philosopher, and teacher specializing in Eastern and Western philosophy, comparative religion, psychology, cognitive science, metaphysics, and ancient cultures. He is the author of Fasting the Mind, Enlightenment Now, and The Science and Practice of Humility. For several years he has lived in Asia studying the classical spiritual traditions of the East.
Jason lived in India studying the Hindu schools of Vedanta and classical Yoga, and the Buddhist schools of Mahayana and Zen. While living in Nepal he studied Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism. He lived in South Korea studying Korean Buddhism, Confucianism, Neo-Confucianism, and Taoism. In South East Asia Jason lived in Thailand studying Theravada Buddhism and its monastic Forest Tradition, while taking numerous research trips into the monasteries and temples of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Jason has traveled extensively to over 15 countries.
His work is focused on the benefits of Eastern wisdom in the modern world and how it can transform our lives to live more optimally and peacefully. Jason travels worldwide lecturing about the East, its science of mind, and the methods and practices that define the East, and how its philosophy is a cure not only for the individual’s mind but also for the cultural, social, and religious problems in the world. Visit the author's website at www.jasongregory.org
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Jason Gregory
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Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony Paperback – 13 March 2018
by Jason Gregory (Author), Damo Mitchell (Foreword)
4.6 out of 5 stars 87 ratings
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A guide for achieving an enlightened mind through the art of non-doing
• Details meditation practices, focused on stillness of the mind, along with Patanjali’s yoga methods to maintain a consciousness referred to as “being in the zone”
• Builds on Taoist, Confucian, and Hindu principles along with scientific findings to support wu-wei--the art of non-doing, non-forcing--as a way of life
• Explains how wu-wei practitioners cultivate intelligent spontaneity and effortless action to allow the natural harmony of the cosmos to prevail
The practice of non-doing, non-forcing is an essential aspect of Taoism known as wu-wei. Attributed to the great sage Lao-tzu, the philosophy of wu-wei teaches you how to develop a natural state of consciousness not bound by thought or preconceived limitations. Experienced by the greatest artists, athletes, musicians, and writers, this heightened state of consciousness, referred to as “being in the zone,” is where intelligent spontaneity and effortless action flourish via a practice rooted in permitting the natural harmony of the cosmos to prevail.
Merging Taoist philosophy, Hindu principles, and Confucianism along with scientific findings, Jason Gregory outlines the practice of wu-wei as a vehicle to realize our innate freedom, revealing that when we release our ego and allow life to unfold as it will, we align ourselves more closely with our goals and cultivate skill and mastery along the way. Equating “being in the zone” with a stillness of the mind, Gregory shares meditation practices coupled with yoga exercises from Patanjali that allow you to approach life with a mastery of acceptance, releasing deluded beliefs of how to achieve success that make your mind “sticky” and poised for conflict. The author shows how practicing wu-wei paradoxically empowers you to accomplish all that you desire by having no intention to do so, as well as allowing you to become receptive to nature’s blueprint for expressing beauty.
Revealing wisdom utilized by renowned sages, artists, and athletes who have adapted “being in the zone” as a way of life, the author shows that wu-wei can yield a renewed sense of trust in many aspects of your daily life, making each day more effortless. As an avid wu-wei practitioner, he provides keen insight on how you, too, can experience the beauty of achieving an enlightened, effortless mind while reveling in the process of life’s unfolding.
==
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Review
“Immersing yourself in the origins and underpinnings of this ancient way of thinking and being will definitely help usher you into the Intuition Age with its interconnected, holographic perception. This book is brimming over with gems and overall wisdom. It’s a comprehensive weaving of many threads that makes for a fascinating--and useful--read.” ― Penney Peirce, author of Leap of Perception and Frequency
“In the West, people say, ‘where there’s a will there’s a way,’ by imposing your will over nature. More often than not this backfires. In ancient China, the wise ones discovered that the best way is wu-wei, ‘doing nothing,’ and thereby getting everything done by letting nature take its course. In this book you’ll learn how that’s not-done.” ― Daniel Reid, author of The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity and The Tao of Detox
“In Effortless Living, Jason Gregory explains in clear and simple terms the Taoist concept of wu-wei and reintroduces a model of contemplation much needed in the world today. He describes how wu-wei (literally ‘not forcing’ or ‘allowing’) can facilitate communion with the Tao—the timeless flow from which everything else we perceive is but a reflection. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I learned so much from it. My humble thanks to Jason Gregory for facilitating my own understanding of the Tao and, in doing so, allowing me to apprehend the inner silence and to listen to its wordless wisdom.” ― Anthony Peake, author of The Infinite Mindfield and Opening the Doors of Perception
“Jason Gregory has tapped into a living stream of wisdom to bring us an antidote to our cultural numbness. By learning how to let things be, rather than interfere and intervene in an unnatural order of life, Gregory forces us to love the world again, by trusting it. This is essential and practical wisdom for a modern social world at its best.” ― Kingsley L. Dennis, author of The Phoenix Generation
“Effortless Living is a timely book. In a time where absolutist and rigid views are proving to be outmoded if not dangerous, Jason Gregory uses his heart and critical thinking skills to lay bare the essential, irreducible teachings of Lao-tzu. He deconstructs the myths, formulaic thinking, and the business of ritual of Taoism as it is practiced today that obscure and often hinder our innate abilities to have a direct experience of that from which we are never separate.” ― Robert Sachs, author of The Passionate Buddha
“In Effortless Living, Jason Gregory reminds us that a magic still dwells in our world despite the external forces, and psychological habits, that increasingly steer us toward cynicism. Gregory gives not only clear explanations of Taoism and reconciliations of it with Confucianism, but also guidelines for getting in touch with the Tao at the heart of all things. Furthermore, he makes clear why the root of world peace is the inner peace of the individual, which is why—socially and environmentally—this book is so deeply valuable. This is the best book on Taoism as a spiritual path since Alan Watts wrote Tao: The Watercourse Way nearly fifty years ago, and so I say, it’s about time.” ― Dana Sawyer, professor of religion and philosophy at the Maine College of Art
“In this work the Tao is alive, expressing through itself, as itself! The words propel us through the labyrinth of mind to point us directly at the profound truths of our being, that mysterious Way which transcends the intellect and filters of the human mind. The book reverberates with the perennial truth that the great saints and sages of antiquity have taught. With clarity and insight we come to see the place of techniques and practices as well as their limitations. The dismantling of mind is palpable as we are pointed over and over again to the limits of the words themselves and a possibility of an opening, a dawning of that which we always already are but have forgotten.” Daniel ― Daniel Schmidt, documentary filmmaker of Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds and Samadhi
“In Effortless Living, Gregory portrays beautifully the ideas of hard-and-fast belief colliding with the natural harmony of true living with the flow of our natural state of being. This book also wonderfully explains how our need to control is more of an illusion that creates the very struggles that we see in our modern world; control interrupts the natural flow of life.” ― Steven L. Hairfield, PhD, author of A Metaphysical Interpretation of the Bible
“Jason Gregory has produced a sustained meditation on the meaning of the Tao Te Ching based on his personal insights and life experiences, aimed at understanding the text as a guide for the modern world.” ― Philip J. Ivanhoe, PhD, Chair Professor at City University of Hong Kong
“Wu-wei in the Tao Te Ching has always been a difficult concept to interpret. Jason Gregory has expressed his way of understanding in a clear and insightful manner to share with the world.” ― Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, PhD, author, scholar, and teacher of tai chi chuan
“Effortless Living is a well-written and cogent exposition of the ancient Tao in modern terms.” ― Red Pine (Bill Porter), author and translator of Lao-tzu’s Taoteching
"Gregory's book gives us the gift and the freedom of no striving and no struggle, and teaches us that often nondoing--seeking the stillness of nonaction--is the better way." ― Clare Goldsberry, Quest Spring 2019 Clare Goldsberry, Quest Spring 2019
====
Customer reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
A guide for achieving an enlightened mind through the art of non-doing
• Details meditation practices, focused on stillness of the mind, along with Patanjali’s yoga methods to maintain a consciousness referred to as “being in the zone”
• Builds on Taoist, Confucian, and Hindu principles along with scientific findings to support wu-wei--the art of non-doing, non-forcing--as a way of life
• Explains how wu-wei practitioners cultivate intelligent spontaneity and effortless action to allow the natural harmony of the cosmos to prevail
The practice of non-doing, non-forcing is an essential aspect of Taoism known as wu-wei. Attributed to the great sage Lao-tzu, the philosophy of wu-wei teaches you how to develop a natural state of consciousness not bound by thought or preconceived limitations. Experienced by the greatest artists, athletes, musicians, and writers, this heightened state of consciousness, referred to as “being in the zone,” is where intelligent spontaneity and effortless action flourish via a practice rooted in permitting the natural harmony of the cosmos to prevail.
Merging Taoist philosophy, Hindu principles, and Confucianism along with scientific findings, Jason Gregory outlines the practice of wu-wei as a vehicle to realize our innate freedom, revealing that when we release our ego and allow life to unfold as it will, we align ourselves more closely with our goals and cultivate skill and mastery along the way. Equating “being in the zone” with a stillness of the mind, Gregory shares meditation practices coupled with yoga exercises from Patanjali that allow you to approach life with a mastery of acceptance, releasing deluded beliefs of how to achieve success that make your mind “sticky” and poised for conflict. The author shows how practicing wu-wei paradoxically empowers you to accomplish all that you desire by having no intention to do so, as well as allowing you to become receptive to nature’s blueprint for expressing beauty.
Revealing wisdom utilized by renowned sages, artists, and athletes who have adapted “being in the zone” as a way of life, the author shows that wu-wei can yield a renewed sense of trust in many aspects of your daily life, making each day more effortless. As an avid wu-wei practitioner, he provides keen insight on how you, too, can experience the beauty of achieving an enlightened, effortless mind while reveling in the process of life’s unfolding.
==
===
Review
“Immersing yourself in the origins and underpinnings of this ancient way of thinking and being will definitely help usher you into the Intuition Age with its interconnected, holographic perception. This book is brimming over with gems and overall wisdom. It’s a comprehensive weaving of many threads that makes for a fascinating--and useful--read.” ― Penney Peirce, author of Leap of Perception and Frequency
“In the West, people say, ‘where there’s a will there’s a way,’ by imposing your will over nature. More often than not this backfires. In ancient China, the wise ones discovered that the best way is wu-wei, ‘doing nothing,’ and thereby getting everything done by letting nature take its course. In this book you’ll learn how that’s not-done.” ― Daniel Reid, author of The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity and The Tao of Detox
“In Effortless Living, Jason Gregory explains in clear and simple terms the Taoist concept of wu-wei and reintroduces a model of contemplation much needed in the world today. He describes how wu-wei (literally ‘not forcing’ or ‘allowing’) can facilitate communion with the Tao—the timeless flow from which everything else we perceive is but a reflection. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I learned so much from it. My humble thanks to Jason Gregory for facilitating my own understanding of the Tao and, in doing so, allowing me to apprehend the inner silence and to listen to its wordless wisdom.” ― Anthony Peake, author of The Infinite Mindfield and Opening the Doors of Perception
“Jason Gregory has tapped into a living stream of wisdom to bring us an antidote to our cultural numbness. By learning how to let things be, rather than interfere and intervene in an unnatural order of life, Gregory forces us to love the world again, by trusting it. This is essential and practical wisdom for a modern social world at its best.” ― Kingsley L. Dennis, author of The Phoenix Generation
“Effortless Living is a timely book. In a time where absolutist and rigid views are proving to be outmoded if not dangerous, Jason Gregory uses his heart and critical thinking skills to lay bare the essential, irreducible teachings of Lao-tzu. He deconstructs the myths, formulaic thinking, and the business of ritual of Taoism as it is practiced today that obscure and often hinder our innate abilities to have a direct experience of that from which we are never separate.” ― Robert Sachs, author of The Passionate Buddha
“In Effortless Living, Jason Gregory reminds us that a magic still dwells in our world despite the external forces, and psychological habits, that increasingly steer us toward cynicism. Gregory gives not only clear explanations of Taoism and reconciliations of it with Confucianism, but also guidelines for getting in touch with the Tao at the heart of all things. Furthermore, he makes clear why the root of world peace is the inner peace of the individual, which is why—socially and environmentally—this book is so deeply valuable. This is the best book on Taoism as a spiritual path since Alan Watts wrote Tao: The Watercourse Way nearly fifty years ago, and so I say, it’s about time.” ― Dana Sawyer, professor of religion and philosophy at the Maine College of Art
“In this work the Tao is alive, expressing through itself, as itself! The words propel us through the labyrinth of mind to point us directly at the profound truths of our being, that mysterious Way which transcends the intellect and filters of the human mind. The book reverberates with the perennial truth that the great saints and sages of antiquity have taught. With clarity and insight we come to see the place of techniques and practices as well as their limitations. The dismantling of mind is palpable as we are pointed over and over again to the limits of the words themselves and a possibility of an opening, a dawning of that which we always already are but have forgotten.” Daniel ― Daniel Schmidt, documentary filmmaker of Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds and Samadhi
“In Effortless Living, Gregory portrays beautifully the ideas of hard-and-fast belief colliding with the natural harmony of true living with the flow of our natural state of being. This book also wonderfully explains how our need to control is more of an illusion that creates the very struggles that we see in our modern world; control interrupts the natural flow of life.” ― Steven L. Hairfield, PhD, author of A Metaphysical Interpretation of the Bible
“Jason Gregory has produced a sustained meditation on the meaning of the Tao Te Ching based on his personal insights and life experiences, aimed at understanding the text as a guide for the modern world.” ― Philip J. Ivanhoe, PhD, Chair Professor at City University of Hong Kong
“Wu-wei in the Tao Te Ching has always been a difficult concept to interpret. Jason Gregory has expressed his way of understanding in a clear and insightful manner to share with the world.” ― Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, PhD, author, scholar, and teacher of tai chi chuan
“Effortless Living is a well-written and cogent exposition of the ancient Tao in modern terms.” ― Red Pine (Bill Porter), author and translator of Lao-tzu’s Taoteching
"Gregory's book gives us the gift and the freedom of no striving and no struggle, and teaches us that often nondoing--seeking the stillness of nonaction--is the better way." ― Clare Goldsberry, Quest Spring 2019 Clare Goldsberry, Quest Spring 2019
====
Customer reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
===
Top reviews
Top review from Australia
christian
5.0 out of 5 stars I am very fortunate to have come across this book
Reviewed in Australia on 31 March 2018
Verified Purchase
This most helpful book I have read in a long time, I am very fortunate to have come across this book. I am more confident that I am in sync with the universe after reading this book, and I am more at peace.
One person found this helpful
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johno
5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 October 2020
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A great book for those that are practicing Taoists, and also for the beginner in the Taoist way, I consider myself a contemplative Taoist, and not a practitioner of the more ritual, and magic based / shamanistic schools. For those who want a simple approach to the teachings of Lao tzu, then this is the book is for you, I can't recommend it enough, a great book.
2 people found this helpful
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joanne lees
5.0 out of 5 stars Fab
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 September 2020
Verified Purchase
I absolutely loved this book..so much so..I intend to buy a load more for Christmas presents..I know everyone is on their own voyage and may not be ready to understand the way..however..I'm a great believer..if a book is handed to us and we just stick it on a shelf..we will read it when the time is right for you to understand it 😊.. Thank you Jason Gregory..for sharing this knowledge with us in a simple way..thankyou🙏
2 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Nic Smith
3.0 out of 5 stars Meh...somewhat long on intellectual discourse and somewhat short on practicality
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 September 2021
Verified Purchase
I suspect that when the author's older, he might want to rewrite this book without quite such a self-consciously intellectual approach to a startlingly non-intellectual matter (and even perhaps without a young man's striving to be in a 'spiritual elite').
But then again, perhaps not, depending on his wu wei
Report abuse
RyanHikes
5.0 out of 5 stars It will change your taoism view
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 August 2019
Verified Purchase
Wow this book completely changed Taoism for me! It is now not this thing I will never understand, but something so simple I need to just take my time to fully embrace it. This book will unlock something in you.
5 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Prashant patil
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellence of flow and spoeniety
Reviewed in India on 7 March 2020
Verified Purchase
Author has studied Buddhism ,Upnishads ,Taoism .All eastern streams of spiritual awareness.In this book he has explained Wu Wei very easily .I loved this book and read in a week's time .Now I am ordering his other books as well.
===
Top reviews
Top review from Australia
christian
5.0 out of 5 stars I am very fortunate to have come across this book
Reviewed in Australia on 31 March 2018
Verified Purchase
This most helpful book I have read in a long time, I am very fortunate to have come across this book. I am more confident that I am in sync with the universe after reading this book, and I am more at peace.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
See all reviews
Top reviews from other countries
johno
5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 October 2020
Verified Purchase
A great book for those that are practicing Taoists, and also for the beginner in the Taoist way, I consider myself a contemplative Taoist, and not a practitioner of the more ritual, and magic based / shamanistic schools. For those who want a simple approach to the teachings of Lao tzu, then this is the book is for you, I can't recommend it enough, a great book.
2 people found this helpful
Report abuse
joanne lees
5.0 out of 5 stars Fab
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 September 2020
Verified Purchase
I absolutely loved this book..so much so..I intend to buy a load more for Christmas presents..I know everyone is on their own voyage and may not be ready to understand the way..however..I'm a great believer..if a book is handed to us and we just stick it on a shelf..we will read it when the time is right for you to understand it 😊.. Thank you Jason Gregory..for sharing this knowledge with us in a simple way..thankyou🙏
2 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Nic Smith
3.0 out of 5 stars Meh...somewhat long on intellectual discourse and somewhat short on practicality
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 September 2021
Verified Purchase
I suspect that when the author's older, he might want to rewrite this book without quite such a self-consciously intellectual approach to a startlingly non-intellectual matter (and even perhaps without a young man's striving to be in a 'spiritual elite').
But then again, perhaps not, depending on his wu wei
Report abuse
RyanHikes
5.0 out of 5 stars It will change your taoism view
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 August 2019
Verified Purchase
Wow this book completely changed Taoism for me! It is now not this thing I will never understand, but something so simple I need to just take my time to fully embrace it. This book will unlock something in you.
5 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Prashant patil
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellence of flow and spoeniety
Reviewed in India on 7 March 2020
Verified Purchase
Author has studied Buddhism ,Upnishads ,Taoism .All eastern streams of spiritual awareness.In this book he has explained Wu Wei very easily .I loved this book and read in a week's time .Now I am ordering his other books as well.
===
Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony
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Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony
by Jason Gregory (Goodreads Author), Damo Mitchell (Foreword)
3.91 · Rating details · 94 ratings · 22 reviews
A guide for achieving an enlightened mind through the art of non-doing
• Details meditation practices, focused on stillness of the mind, along with Patanjali’s yoga methods to maintain a consciousness referred to as “being in the zone”
• Builds on Taoist, Confucian, and Hindu principles along with scientific findings to support wu-wei--the art of non-doing, non-forcing--as a way of life
• Explains how wu-wei practitioners cultivate intelligent spontaneity and effortless action to allow the natural harmony of the cosmos to prevail
The practice of non-doing, non-forcing is an essential aspect of Taoism known as wu-wei. Attributed to the great sage Lao-tzu, the philosophy of wu-wei teaches you how to develop a natural state of consciousness not bound by thought or preconceived limitations. Experienced by the greatest artists, athletes, musicians, and writers, this heightened state of consciousness, referred to as “being in the zone,” is where intelligent spontaneity and effortless action flourish via a practice rooted in permitting the natural harmony of the cosmos to prevail.
Merging Taoist philosophy, Hindu principles, and Confucianism along with scientific findings, Jason Gregory outlines the practice of wu-wei as a vehicle to realize our innate freedom, revealing that when we release our ego and allow life to unfold as it will, we align ourselves more closely with our goals and cultivate skill and mastery along the way. Equating “being in the zone” with a stillness of the mind, Gregory shares meditation practices coupled with yoga exercises from Patanjali that allow you to approach life with a mastery of acceptance, releasing deluded beliefs of how to achieve success that make your mind “sticky” and poised for conflict. The author shows how practicing wu-wei paradoxically empowers you to accomplish all that you desire by having no intention to do so, as well as allowing you to become receptive to nature’s blueprint for expressing beauty.
Revealing wisdom utilized by renowned sages, artists, and athletes who have adapted “being in the zone” as a way of life, the author shows that wu-wei can yield a renewed sense of trust in many aspects of your daily life, making each day more effortless. As an avid wu-wei practitioner, he provides keen insight on how you, too, can experience the beauty of achieving an enlightened, effortless mind while reveling in the process of life’s unfolding. (less)
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Published March 13th 2018 by Inner Traditions
Original TitleEffortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony
ISBN1620557134 (ISBN13: 9781620557136)
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pengice
Feb 02, 2020pengice rated it it was amazing
This is a must read for spiritual growth
flag3 likes · Like · comment · see review
Nick
Jun 07, 2021Nick rated it it was amazing
Find the path of least resistance.
flag4 likes · Like · comment · see review
Y.S. Stephen
Mar 13, 2018Y.S. Stephen rated it it was amazing
Effortless Living tries to redefine the essence of Lao Tsu's book, Tao de Ching, stripping it of layers others have put on it over the years.
WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT?
People interested and invested in Tao de Ching and its principles would love this book.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT
There is a whiff of commercialism and religion about Tao de Ching and Taoist principles in general in today's world. The author goes to a great length removing Tao de Ching from self-help, martial art, and religious strappings to communicate its timeless message about the world, the human self, and the ridiculousness of prescribing rules for people to follow in the bid to live a fulfilled life.
MEMORABLE PASSAGE
Common misconceptions are built around language, especially among those who are spiritually inclined. The way people associate their understanding with certain words, such as consciousness, mind, awareness, perception, ego, self, truth, and God, all cause much confusion, because each word has the ability to change its meaning in correspondence to the growth of the individual. This confusion occurs even among people of the same language. On top of this, there is an immense amount of misinterpretation that is lost in translation from one language to another. In any event, language itself, no matter what dialect, is an inadequate tool for describing the nature of the universe.
.......
Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony by Jason Gregory is available to buy on all major online bookstores.
Many thanks to Inner Traditions for review copy. (less)
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T Love
Apr 18, 2018T Love rated it it was amazing
The practice of non-doing – simplified
Isn’t that an oxymoron – non-doing is already simple, right? Not exactly, but it can be. This book explains how, and it makes so much sense. It is an art, and yes, it is a practice, but once you get it, and it will come somewhat quickly, you won’t want to stop non-doing. The results are obvious and so very beneficial. If you truly want to change your life, if you truly want to create a better life, if you truly want to manifest your desires – allow this to be your guide. BUT, and there is one caveat – you may receive more than you thought, believed or dreamed possible. That happened to me. I’ve been non-doing for a while, so this book was a refresher. It made me go back through the lineage of my outcomes to see what I dreamed, wanted, thought only to notice that what I got was so much better and more worthwhile than what I hoped. It truly is a work of excellence. Buy. Read. Non-do. It’s that simple.
(less)
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Harry Green
Jan 15, 2018Harry Green rated it it was amazing
I was super fortunate to read this book before publication and I can tell you Jason did not disappoint again. I've learned so much from all of his books and this one just adds to a deeper wisdom I've been trying to learn about life and myself for the last few years. In Jason's previous books and on his shows he speaks about wu-wei a lot but this book just took it a step further. Especially because its about how taking our foot off the gas can actually bring life back into harmony when we leave life to be as it will. Lao-tzu was definitely ahead of his time, actually he's still ahead of our time and I'm extremely grateful that Jason has brought this ancient wisdom to life for me. Highly recommended! (less)
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Taylor Ellwood
Dec 08, 2019Taylor Ellwood rated it it was amazing
Shelves: meditation, taoism
This was a rather intriguing book to read and contemplate as it discusses at some length the practice of wu-wei. I struggled with this book at times, because I see how much my own narrative of control has stopped me from gracefully being in the moment and not doing. Yet reading this book opened my awareness further around not doing and it is something I will come back to again and again, because it is worth doing, and worth letting go.
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Sarah Artist
Jan 17, 2021Sarah Artist rated it it was amazing
I am just halfway through the book, and had to come here to review. This book is a must read, filled with knowledge and essential truths. Those exciting moments where you can see with true clarity and understanding. Thank you Jason!
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Bárbara
Jul 22, 2018Bárbara rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
2 notes & 93 highlights
I cannot say enough good things about this book. Don’t let the long, self-help like title mislead you thinking that’s what this book is. Simply written, it offers the right amount of intellectual concepts and examples so as to give you a tangible grasp of Taoism.
flag3 likes · Like · 2 comments · see review
Paula
Feb 05, 2018Paula rated it it was amazing
I've read a truckload of books on Taoism in my time and this is the best book on Taoism and the concept of wu-wei hands down. This book is very important in our current culture. (less)
flag3 likes · Like · 1 comment · see review
Lo
Feb 17, 2019Lo rated it it was amazing
I enjoyed this book, although it was a little hard getting through the first part. A lot of info and made me realize that I need less distractions and to be more in the moment.
flag3 likes · Like · comment · see review
Jae
Aug 07, 2020Jae rated it it was amazing
Good read
flag3 likes · Like · comment · see review
SAT CHIT ANANDA
Jan 18, 2021SAT CHIT ANANDA rated it it was amazing
Surrender control, the art of Wu-Wei. A beautiful book by Jason Gregory that is enjoyable, coherent, and thought-provoking. This book is absolutely flush with great quotes - here I will share with you that I copied down:
"When you trust the universe, you become one with it. Wu-Wei dawns upon the individual in the same way, because when we let go of control, we gain the indescribable power and virtue of Tao. This relation of trust and oneness is the principle of living wu-wei. When you are humble enough to leave things alone, you begin to feel a sense of unity intuitively."
"Our true nature and reality can only be experienced when the sense of "I" has vanished. "
"Satori, is not the crowning of an ultimate success but of an ultimate defeat. The consciousness of always having been free appears in us when we have exhausted all the attempts, all the training, that we believe may be capable of liberating us."
"When you finally realize, beyond intellectual speculation, that the whole universe is happening to you right now all at once, you will cease projecting yourself into the world, because you will become receptive to the universe."
"If your attention is focused on worldly affairs, the Tao cannot make use of you, because your awareness is hypnotized to believe that the world of forms is a concrete reality."
"As the softness of water slowly wears away at the hardness of rock, so too does fate wear away at the rigidity of our conditioned identity".
"Fate and the unconscious conspire against the conscious self to further the growth of the individual."
“Synchronicity is the song of spirit and matter”
“When we look into the Eternal Self we discover the Way, and when we follow the Way we reveal the Eternal Self”.
"Our love has to exceed our boundaries to include not only our neighbors but also our enemies and the community of animals, plants, and minerals.".
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Lastly, this is the first book that I've read that I'm a little taken back by the rating. It is currently at 3.97 stars. In my opinion, a book of this caliber should be averaging at least 4.5 stars, if not higher. It almost seems unfathomable to give this book 3 stars or less. /In my opinion (less)
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Lilach Lavy
Jul 20, 2019Lilach Lavy rated it really liked it
It's a good book. And it seems it came to me at just the right time...
If you expect very brilliant and stylized authorship- you might find that it's not so much what this book offers. The writing is pretty straight forward.
Mostly, it's just a personal perspective, that seems well earned through years of seeking and deep inqiry.
Up till now i like the "whole picture" i see from Jason, both from this book, and from other media he's active on, like his YouTube videos... he comes across as just a gen ...more
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Ina
Apr 22, 2020Ina rated it it was ok
I can't say I gained much from this book.
The first 60% were judgemental generalizations about modern society. Not the vibe I'm looking for in a book that is supposed to offer peace and wisdom. The rest was very chaotic, lacking in concreteness, and depth.
It's like the author just retold us things he's read about wu-wei, instead of sharing his lived experience and helping us deepen our own practice. (less)
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Tony Thorn
Mar 04, 2018Tony Thorn rated it it was amazing
Jason's books have been especially helpful for me and this new book just blew my mind with its wisdom. He is one of the best contemporary teachers on Zen and other Eastern philosophies. Zen is my taste but Taoism is always close to my heart as I love the teachings. This book has allowed me to understand Taoism even more. (less)
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Cheryl Tanner
Mar 17, 2018Cheryl Tanner rated it it was amazing
I went into this one as a beginner and came out of it with my head spinning. What a radical way to view the world. And the irony is that in the end this is the true way to live but we are all wound up in the hustle and bustle. No thanks, leave me out of it. I'm going to follow the natural way for now on. (less)
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Asia
Mar 01, 2018Asia rated it did not like it
To bardzo osobliwa lektura i trzeba mieć dosyć specyficzne podejście do życia, aby ją docenić. Dla mnie wartościowych myśli było jedynie kilka, a reszta jawiła mi się raczej jako nawiedzony bełkot. Autor mówi, że należy żyć zgodnie z zasadą wu-wei, ale tak naprawdę nie mówi, jak to zrobić w dzisiejszym świecie - jak żyjąc w zgodzie ze sobą nie popaść w ruinę, nie być bezdomnym itp. Światłe idee, ale jak dla mnie kompletnie oderwane od jakichkolwiek możliwości realizacji. A fragment, w którym czł ...more
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Lili
Jan 12, 2018Lili rated it liked it
From netgalley for review:
I am a huge fan of Wu-wei, it is one of my favorite aspects of Taoist studies. However, reading this book was not effortless, I found reading it to be a bit of a slog and I honestly cannot put my finger on why. It is filled with philosophy I enjoy but presented in a way that just did not keep my attention. Definitely a case of like what is written but not necessarily how.
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Chris
Mar 27, 2019Chris rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Good Nuggets
Of someone who lives in Wu Wei I can say that this book is filled with some great sentences. I just wish some parts of the book were easier to understand. There is a lot of jargon, but that’s probably because it’s a concept you can’t really put into words. He does a great job of explaining some of these deep concepts. Great work.
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Mikolaj
Jun 29, 2021Mikolaj rated it did not like it
Looks like a self-help book, turns out to be mostly historical and when it gets practical, any pieces of wisdom turn out to be nothing new. What is surprising, is the amount of negativity and criticism of some other philosophies and lifestyles - justified or not, it's neither pleasant to read nor very Zen. The book is extremely wordy and repetitive, I couldn't read it from cover to cover.
The author thrives on overcomplicating the sentences to sound sophisticated while oversimplifying all the world's problems (not a hyperbole) as he tries to convince the reader that Wu-Wei philosophy is the only solution we need. Sounds like a recruitment call to a cult for moderately smart people.
Some passages are just plain bullshit. The worst to me is his complete misinterpretation or even fake portrayal of Thor Heyerdahl's famous trip that Gregory uses to support his spiritual claims while ignoring all the science behind the actual events. Furthermore, he pushes a completely twisted conclusion from the quote from Jung (at least that's how it appears in the polish version) - an apparent attempt to use authority and show scientific support for claims related to Tao, while claiming it cannot be tested by science (elsewhere in the book). That's just some examples from a quick, partial, read. I imagine there's much more.
Below is my summary of the good stuff, not necessarily how Gregory would put it: practice acceptance rather than forceful attempts at controlling things, meditate to free yourself from the rush and domination of the logical intellect, go with the flow and your natural inclinations, be more spontaneous and trust your intuition. There are far better books on these subjects though.
I imagine someone interested in all the details and history of Taoism could benefit from the book. Still, I consider it poorly written and dishonest. (less)
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