Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Religion - World Religions    4. Religious    5. Taoism    6. Acupuncture   

Reviews (7)

Meal by Meal
I might not call this book meal by meal but I would call it day by day.I've been using it for about a month now as a guide for mindful eating.Some of the ideas are things I do, some of them are easy for me to implement, and some of them are a challenge.I like the idea of focusing on eating rather than dieting and it appears to be helping me make more concious choices about how I approach food.

Elegant and readable daily joy
I was familiar with the work of Donald Altman from his earlier 'Art of the Inner Meal' and was impressed how his writing has found a fresh and densely pragmatic new form. 'Meal by Meal' is a fluid read of inspiring quotes coupled with practical insights by the author. This book is extremely handsome, a beautifully laid out composition making this both useful and pleasurable to read. If you have the discipline to read a page at a time, you will find this helpful day by day. I personally had trouble putting it down and would read a month at a time... but the suggestions are valid and useful on a second slower read. Worthwhile investment for someone wishing to calm their compulsive behavior for a more reflective perspective.

Meal by Meal Returns You to the Source of Food
I open this book up several times a day to get inspiration. It always gives me a big dose of compassion and acceptance for my food struggles. Best of all, it connects me to a deeper source of food that gives me strength for mind-body-spirit. Rarely have I read a book that improved and changed my life on a dialy basis, but this one does! Perhaps it can for you, which is why I highly recommend MEAL BY MEAL as one of the most caring and compassion-filled books that I have ever had the opportunity of reading! This book makes love part of your daily recipe for eating, and it removes the guilt of food! Forget dieting, because if you use this book each day you will apply your deeper awareness and soul to your food choices. This book is a real blessing, and I am thankful it is there for all who need it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Consumer Health    2. Cookery    3. Diet/Nutrition    4. Diets - General    5. Eastern - General    6. Food    7. Health & Fitness    8. Meditation    9. Meditations    10. Nutrition And Diet    11. Religious aspects    12. Spiritual life    13. Coping with eating disorders    14. Mind, Body, Spirit   

Reviews (10)

If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would!
I just finished my first reading (there will be many more) of "How Yoga Works" last night and it was bittersweet.To the reviewer who felt corny admitting that it "changed my life," you are not alone.This is not the first book to delve into the whole of yoga, but it is the first one I have read that does it so accessibly.The authors' concept of writing this book in the form of a novel makes it more attractive to a greater audience than past attempts.And in a society where the physical poses of yoga have become so popular, I think it is more important than ever to provide insight into the rest of yoga.
Detailed and deep yoga instruction hidden inside a charming story
This book is a practical explanation on the deep practices of yoga, encased in an easy to read tale.The protagonist - a young woman - makes a nice change from the bearded, middle-aged male that so often is the 'star' of yoga stories.Through the chapters of the book, the storylines cover a) specific directions on how to relate to a yoga practice, b) commentaries on the Yoga Sutras of Master Patanjali, and c) how the practice of yoga actually can transform the world around you, from a prison to a school and beyond.
gifted storytelling
The extraordinary gift of this book, even beyond how well-written and wise the book is, is the presentation of ideas and principles in the form of a story. The reader comes to know these characters and understand their circumstances and as a result, the principles become real, rounded-out and alive. The characters stand in the place of the middle step in understanding an idea, translating that understanding into what kind of person we are building in our practices, and manifesting that. Here the characters grow that understanding on our behalf, they give us an example and an inspiration that even the most valuable and rewarding principles often don't have on their own. The human frailty of the characters, their obstacles and misunderstandings, all become real, fertile and inspiring as we see practice and theory blossom into the kind of life sincere practice can bring. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Consumer Health    2. Diet / Health / Fitness    3. Eastern - General    4. Hatha Yoga    5. Health & Fitness    6. Health/Fitness    7. Yoga   

Editorial Review

Is it Read more

Reviews (23)

Lin Yutang and the New Age Left: There isa Noble Art to Doing Nothing
I first heard of Lin Yutang, I am almost reluctant to say, many years after my exposure to Alan Watts and the "New Left", long before the "Neo-Cons" came to be a force majeure....in fact,..it was during a Michael Savage discussion of his new (4th) political bestseller, "The Political Zoo."He even remarked that he was probably hurting his own sales to remark on this classic work of Yutang--which experienced a resurgence in sales the LAST time he mentioned it in about 1998.But I ordered the Political Zoo at the same time--they are so different as to occupy quite different spaces in the mind and thought.....
What was true about Chinese and Americans no longer hold, but the brilliance of this book is for all human kind!
What was true about Chinese and Americans no longer hold, but the brilliance of this book is for all human kind!
A delightful book to savour
Lin-Yutang (1895-1976) a Chinese humanist and humourist, was
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Subjects:  1. Conduct of life    2. Eastern - General    3. General    4. Life    5. Movements - Humanism    6. Personal Growth - Happiness    7. Philosophy    8. Self-Help / General   

Reviews (9)

"Silence" had a profound effect on me
I have read countless books on spirituality in one form or another, and this is my absolute favorite.Vedanta will obviously not be to everyone's liking, but I have always considered it to be an unsurpassed spiritual philosophy.The trouble I have had with it at times, though, is that it all seems to get a bit too "heady."If there is anything I am convincedthat I need to do in my life to progress, it's getting out of my head more.But the great thing about Robert Adams and "Silence of the Heart" is that this is indeed Vedanta with a heart.Somehow, Robert Adams, through these dialogues, makes the highest expressions of Vedanta accessible and relevant to our daily lives.This is not dry, sanitized, or isolated Advaita.Robert's style seems a perfect fit for my temperament.
Nothing like it
To me, this is the most enjoyable of all Neo-Advaita books. I think I can say that, having read just about all the new wave of such books flooding out in the past ten years.
Eckhart Tolle on spiritual steroids!
Spectacular Spectacular
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Subjects:  1. Body, Mind & Spirit    2. Hinduism    3. Meditation    4. New Age    5. Religion - World Religions    6. Spiritual life   

Reviews (10)

Michael Frann
Over the years I have acquired a high number of I Ching translations.This volume involves hundreds of pages of backgroung data associated with oriental mysticism.The explanations and diagrams illustrating the celestial stems and branches in and of themselves are sufficient to render this volume unique in caliber and worthy of extreme contemplation.

A "must-read" for anyone interested in learning more about or practicing divination with the I Ching
I Ching The Book of Changes and The Unchanging Truth is an in-depth instructional guide to the ancient philosophical and divination system that has been used by the Chinese for nearly 5,000 years. Author, teacher and physician Hua-Ching Ni presents much more than a manual for how to use the hexagrams of I Ching; The Book of Changes and The Unchanging Truth teaches the reader about the fundamental principles of the system. From Yin/Yang theory, to the Five Phases of Energy, to the Natural Calendar, the Constellations, Heavenly and Earthly cycles, and much more, The Book of Changes and The Unchanging Truth explains ideas expressed by ancient scholars such as Confucius in plain terms. A "must-read" for anyone interested in learning more about or practicing divination with the I Ching.
A "must-read" for anyone interested in learning more about or practicing divination with the I Ching
I Ching The Book of Changes and The Unchanging Truth is an in-depth instructional guide to the ancient philosophical and divination system that has been used by the Chinese for nearly 5,000 years. Author, teacher and physician Hua-Ching Ni presents much more than a manual for how to use the hexagrams of I Ching; The Book of Changes and The Unchanging Truth teaches the reader about the fundamental principles of the system. From Yin/Yang theory, to the Five Phases of Energy, to the Natural Calendar, the Constellations, Heavenly and Earthly cycles, and much more, The Book of Changes and The Unchanging Truth explains ideas expressed by ancient scholars such as Confucius in plain terms. A "must-read" for anyone interested in learning more about or practicing divination with the I Ching.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. I Ching    3. Religion    4. Religion - Socialissues    5. Yi jing    6. Fortune-telling & divination    7. Taoism   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (253)

Not the Best Choice

Art Of War Best Translation!
This is the best version of the Art of War I have ever read.

This is aextremely short version of a timeless piece of history written for the future.
Sun Tzu's work, "The Art of War," originally written sometime in the period of time from 400 to 300 B.C.E., has experienced numerous revivals in popularity over the years. During the 1970s it was popular with students of the New Left when the study of guerrilla warfare was in vogue. In the 1980s, "The Art of War," reappeared in quite different company.
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Subjects:  1. Early works to 1800    2. Eastern - General    3. Military    4. Military - General    5. Military Science    6. Military art and science    7. Philosophy    8. Technology    9. History / Military / Strategy    10. History, Other | Military History    11. Other prose: classical, early & medieval    12. Warfare & Defence   

Editorial Review

At an Esalen Institute meeting in 1976, tai chi master Al Huang said that the Chinese word for physics is Read more

Reviews (99)

Loved it!
Gary Zukav did an incredible job on this book. I bought the tape series as well. I recommend it highly.

An uncomfortable mix of science and philosophy...
While I can appreciate Mr. Zukav's motivation for writing this book, he does to some extent become the victim of his own observation that we see what we wish to see.That's not to say that the book fails to offer an interesting if limited summary of quantum mechanics/theory, but the philosophical point of view is difficult to reconcile with the inherently scientific and mathematical nature of the subject.This may be my failure to adequately grasp the caveats and choices he lays out at the beginning.If one subscribes to the idea of independent observer and external existence, then the book offers little satisfaction.If one can embrace the idea of human experience being inexorably tied, even essential to the unfolding nature of the universe, then this book offers a wealth of possibilities.As I see from most of the reviews, the book ultimately compels the reader to choose one perspective or the other.After reading it, I find myself somewhere in between, contemplating the gap between what I think I know and the provocative, challenging enlightenment this way of thinking offers.If you're looking for comforting facts, look somewhere else.If you're willing to live with the uncertainty, jump in and enjoy this entertaining book.

Anti-Western new age nonsense
Zukav has a decidedly anti-Western tone and is obviously biased in favor of oriental thinking.This is new age gobbledegook passed off as a bare bones reader on physics.Rather than writing a laconic outline of physics, Zukav spends the majority of his time praising Eastern thought and toying with the idea that everything is subjective.
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Subjects:  1. Eastern - General    2. Philosophy    3. Physics    4. Quantum Theory    5. Relativity    6. Science    7. Philosophy / Eastern   

Reviews (3)

Think on these...
What an amazing reflection on the sturas!Bouanchaud does an exceptional job breaking down the sutras into managable chunks, with leading questions to help you personalize and internalize the ancient text.Giving the sanskrit words and pronunciation along side the english is also helpful.The "table of contents" listing of each sutra at the beginning of the book is a wonderful way to find the sutra you seek, though they are all such phenominal concepts to think on.The questions for each sutra are wonderful to start a yoga class, a conversation, or just a way to start your thought process rolling.I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, it will change the way you see things!

Next best thing to studying w/ an exceptional teacher
I have actively studied this book for over 2 years.It is the next best thing to studying with a learned scholar & practitioner.While studying w/ two such teachers, I have used several translations.Whilethey all have their merits, none are as good as this for conveying anunderstanding of the work as a whole and it's relevance to perennial humanconcerns.The literal translation of each sutra is the least vauable partof the book and here I can see room for some debate on a few individualsutras.More valuable, however, is the commentary and discussion.Herethe book excels, like a good teacher.I found the occasional scholarlytangential discussion of Samkhya and Ayurveda quite useful and relevant tobetter understand the overall content.If I had to recommend just onesutra book, this would be it.

A decent book on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras
I ordered this book from Amazon and was amazed by the structure and content of this presentation. The only factor that may distract the careful reader is that it is a translation from French and by no means it isperfect. Some misspelling remained and there are some sentences that leavethe reader clueless (not necessarily because of the cosmic infotransmitted). The original work must be a decent piece, it is a pity thatits translation is less accurate.Read more

Subjects:  1. Eastern - General    2. Health & Fitness    3. Health/Fitness    4. Pataänjali.    5. Philosophy    6. Yoga    7. Yogasåutra    8. GARDENING - Outdoor Gardg TRD PB    9. Oriental & Indian philosophy    10. Patañjali    11. Yoga for exercise    12. Yogasutra   

Reviews (12)

Zen Pancakes
This book is not exactly brimming with the intellectual profundity of Suzuki, let's say, but it's a great little book nonetheless. Not really about Zen, this book is entirely about Zen. You don't have to practice Zen to follow along with it, but if you follow along with it you will be practicing Zen, essentially (Zazen is recommended).
Opened the Door
I consider myself very fortunate to have discovered this book at the time I did. After reading just a few sentences, I began to feel some relief from what was, at that time, a very tormented mind. Zen seemed to be exciting and new yet comforting and familiar at the same time.
An excellent practical guide to Zen
Many books on Zen fall into one of two categories: the "jump on the cool buzzword bandwagon" books that really have nothing to do with Zen, and the very dry and overly rigid books that are filled with many words and yet very little that a person would find helpful in everyday life. I am pleased to say this book falls into neither of those categories, and instead fits into a more enjoyable one: the kind of book that helps you learn to live better.Read more

Subjects:  1. Body, Mind & Spirit    2. Buddhism - Zen    3. Eastern - Zen    4. Genres & Styles - New Age    5. Meditation    6. New Age    7. Philosophy    8. Religious life    9. Spiritual life    10. Zen Buddhism    11. Body, Mind & Spirit / Personal Transformation    12. Mind, body, spirit: disciplines & techniques   

Reviews (5)

Necessary for anyone practicing Ashtanga yoga
This book is a must for any Ashtanga practicioner.The beginning of the book describes the philosophy.The rest shows pictures of Jois and grandson Sharath in the poses as well as detailed explainations.

Great
Yoga Mala is written by a living legend with many years of practice and teaching experience.I would recommend this book only to those already familiar with Ashtanga, as parts of it will make no sense unless you are.Indispensable knowledge is interspersed with lovely throwbacks to earlier days in India, eg. the part where it is suggested a nice flat floor smeared with cow dung is essential to any good practice space.Gotta love it!

Good Ashtanga Book
I have a personal library of about 50 yoga books.This one is not one of my top ten, but it is a soild book.It's like the "Light on Yoga" of the Ashtanga world.
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Subjects:  1. Astanga yoga    2. Aòsòtåaçnga yoga    3. Consumer Health    4. Eastern - General    5. Exercise    6. Health & Fitness    7. Health/Fitness    8. Yoga    9. Yoga for exercise   

Reviews (13)

I've looked for more elsewhere, but it is all here!
This was my first I Ching book.I bought it having no idea what it was.I was bored, yet longing at the same time.So, I figured I would purchase an Eastern Philosophy book.
A great interpretation of a classic book
For anyone just beginning their studies in the I-Ching, or those who are more experienced and rely on this oracle regulary, this book is wonderful.
Guidance for Daily Life
For over a year I've been practicing the spirtual beliefs of the I Ching through this book, and I've yet to find a better translation of it's teachings.Frustrating as the teachings are (in that they are so simple, plain, and seemingly obvious), once you begin to cultivate the teachings, you cultivate the superiors in yourself, and as long as you follow the path of the Sage, you will see the change in yourself, and thusly, the change in your environment and those around you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. I Ching    2. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    3. Philosophy    4. Mind, body, spirit: disciplines & techniques   

Subjects:  1. Chinese philosophy    2. Eastern - General    3. Encyclopedias    4. Philosophy    5. Philosophy, Chinese    6. Reference    7. China    8. Oriental & Indian philosophy    9. Reference / Encyclopedias    10. Reference works   

Features

• Box set

Reviews (41)

Very Good but is it Good enough, two things lacking
The self realization fellowship's translation of the Bhagawad Gita is oriented towards Kriya Yoga, since the interpretation primarily is based on Patanjali's yoga sutras. The SRF still use orthodox hindu philosophy. In the sarvadarshana Samgraha of Madhavacharya, the Patanjali and allied systems this text refers to fall under the Ashtika or extremely orthodox vedantic premise; albeit they are probably one of the more recent developments of the system.
God Talks with Arjuna
God Talks with Arjuna is the product of a higher intelligence that mankind aspires to attain. I have been studying the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda for nearly four decades,and have translated several of his books into Arabic. In God Talks with Arjuna one is amazed at the depth and breadth of Yogananda's wisdom and fathomless realization. He challenges the human mind to stretch itself to infinite reaches of cosmic knowledge, and leads serious hopefuls to intuitive discoveries within the depth of the human spirit. Those who read his works out of sheer curiosity may or may not find the nuggets of wisdom in the folds of his thoughts; while those who have the slightest receptivity and desire for higher truths will never fail to discover Yogananda's immortal gems of divine realization. God Talks with Arjuna is a bright luminary in Paramahansa Yogananda's inexhaustible divine library. I have gained much from this monumental work and hope to be able to translate it someday into Arabic. Any one who reads this great book with an open mind will find at the end that he/she has gained something worthwhile and truly lasting.

Good Commentary, Average Translation
The commentary of this translation makes it easily worth the price. It is clear that Yogananda has devoted years to the study of the Gita and the examples which he uses in conjunction with verses are lucid, if at times dated.For example, in explaining 62-63 verse of chapter 2 of the Gita, Yogananda describes the progression from attachment to sense objects to the loss of the ability to distinguish the soul from sense objects using an example of a husband who is looking forward to a picnic becoming enraged when his wife says that she wants to go to her mother-in-law's while driving. It seems that more sensitive and less sexist commentary could have been used. On the other hand, the remainder of this commentary, which spans five pages, is very helpful and discusses how "anger arises from the non-fulfillment of desires." The translation itself is fairly dry and fails to bring the beauty of the Gita to life. An excellent translation which can be read in conjunction with this book is the 1942 classic by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopter Isherwood (with a forward by Aldous Huxley). In comparison here is verse 67 from chaper 2 Yogananda's version "As a boat on the waters is carried off course by a gale, so an individual's discrimination is driven from its intended path when the mind succumbs to the wandering senses"Prabhavananda's version: "The wind turns a ship from its course upon the waters. The wandering winds of the senses, cast man's mind adrift, and turn his better judgment from its course." The first version is a translation and the second is poetry. However, Prabhavananda does not provide commentary, where Yogananda provides insightful and extensive discourse. Overall, Yogananda's version is highly recommended for the student of the Gita. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bhagavadgita    2. Bhagavadgåitåa    3. Commentaries    4. Eastern - General    5. Hinduism    6. Religion    7. Religion - World Religions    8. Spirituality - General    9. Bhagavadgītā    10. Mind, body, spirit: mysticism & self-awareness   

Editorial Review

Tibetan Buddhism has one of the most complex iconographies of any religion. Robert Beer, the artist who brought to life the saints of Tibetan Buddhism in Read more

Reviews (13)

read Dagyab Rinpoche's Buddhist Symbols in Tibetan Culture
It's a more interesting and authoritative reference for this subject matter. This is due to Rinpoche being a qualified (I emphasise the word 'qualified') Lama and Tibetan scholar. Also at no point does Rinpoche compromise Tibetan Buddhism by giving away restricted information.

The 'Wonderful' Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs!!!
I love this book. Having found it a few years back at a tattoo shop in Santa Cruz, California, I was only able to look at it for a short time but I was able to gain so much knowledge as to the wealth of designs and deep meaning found in Tibetan art. This book stayed in my mind thereafter. Here it is a few years and a couple tattoos later and the book resurfaced on Amazon. Great price, great condition and prompt service.This book is great for one who has interest in Tibetan art and it's symbolic nature.The concepts are well articulated and with each 'type' placed into a different chapter it makes refrencing quite simple. If you are interested, get this book!

Great book
Great book, with lots of details. If you are interested in tibetan handicrafts, here you can get any tibetan design you can imagine. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient Oriental Art    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Art, Tibetan    5. Buddhism - General    6. China    7. Criticism    8. Eastern - General    9. General    10. History - General    11. Religion And Art    12. Symbolism in art    13. Themes, motives    14. Tibet    15. ASIA    16. Religion / Buddhism    17. Sign languages, Braille & other linguistic communication    18. Tibetan   

Editorial Review

Bhagavan Das is back. The 1970's guru of egregiousness, who inspired the title of Ram Dass'Read more

Reviews (22)

Interesting story with many contradictions
This is an interesting story and a page-turner. It definitely rambles and becomes incoherent, especially towards the end. I was left wondering about all the contradictions between the professed spirituality of Bhagavan Das, especially his 'deep' spiritual experiences in India, and then the full-blown hedonism and ego-centered pleasure that he pursued later. But in the end they were really the same pursuit.
An Inspiring Tale of a Spiritual Journey
This is really a great book and one that I would recommend to anyone interested in devotional spirituality, especially Hindu and Buddhist. This is a very honest book and he has clearly made it a point to not glamorize it or gloss over the sordid parts. Highly recommended!

Another Mahabharata
I can read Mahabharata for spiritual food - but when my humanness was 'stuck' in my fears, it was so easy for me to get 'stuck' in the grandeur and antiquity of it. At those times I wish I had the 'living Mahabharata', who is Bhagavan Das.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Das, Bhagavan    4. Eastern - General    5. Gurus    6. Religion    7. Religious    8. Spiritual biography    9. Spiritual life    10. Spirituality - General    11. United States    12. Philosophy / Eastern   

Reviews (6)

Worth a read or two or three
I have read this book a few times, not because it is hard to understand, but because it is so very exciting. If you want to understand how God interacts with humanity, how all religions have the same foundation, and why we who live now are extraordinarily blessed, pick up this book and savor it.

A Wonderful Introduction...
This book is a wonderful introduction to the Baha'i Faith.I enjoyed the detailed history of the faith in the beginning chapters very much.Kenneth Bowers did an amazing job on what I believe is his first book!

Wow
This book was beyond insightfull!!!I couldn't put it down for days.Mr.Bowers truly did an amazing job! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baha' i    2. Bahai Faith    3. Religion    4. Religion - World Religions   

Reviews (3)

An Extraordinary Resource
Koans and stories of the deaths of Masters are scattered throughout the sacred texts of the East.This book is remarkable in that it brings those many stories together in one place.By focusing a book on the theme of "death stories", the stories illumine each other, and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.The stories reveal a wonderfully refreshing way to think about death (and hence, to think about Life!)Many are solemn, but some are quite humorous.In each, we see the presence of someone who embraces all of human experience, who says "Yes!" to all of Life, including death.Many of the Masters give one final gem of wisdom, summarizing their life's teaching, as their last word.The many photographs of the Masters are heart-warming.For anyone ready to think about death and mortality in terms of their spritual meaning, this book is ideal.Ironically, through looking at how the Masters die, we can implicitly understand their teaching on how to be ever more fully alive.

A most unusual book on spirituality
My favorite story was about the 97-year-old Zen nun Nogami Senryo who wanted to, and did, die standing up.What a great story!There are many little gems throughout the book, though it is kind of morbid and I couldonly read a page or so at a time.The stories from India are prettyfantastical and hard to believe, though.I found the afterward to bestunning, how Ms. Blackman discovered she had advanced lung cancer and wasgoing to die.It was the captstone of the whole volume.This book makessobering but good reading for anyone, even those who are in the bloom ofhealth and are young.

MUST READING FOR EVERYONE WHO IS GOING TO DIE
I read an excerpt of this book in a magazine and had to read the whole thing. The author,for reasons unknown to her,was compelled to collect death stories of Hindu,Buddhist and Zen masters.The stories she reports are awe inspiring.These men and women faced died with poise and courage, inspirations to all who must die. The book has a deeper message:Sushila Blackman was herself dying as she wrote the book.A trip to the emergency room while compiling the stories revealed that she wasn't suffering a mild heart attack as she thought.She was dying from incurable lung cancer.This is the story of a remarkable woman who used the material in this book to guide her own death.It gives me chills. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Buddhism - General    3. Death    4. Doctrines    5. Eastern - General    6. Hinduism    7. Philosophy    8. Religion - World Religions    9. Religious aspects    10. Philosophy / Eastern    11. Taoism   

Reviews (11)

not an easy read but well worth the effort
Mantak Chia is a master who gives detailed descriptions of the how-to of moving sexual energy. The methods he proposes are very disciplined and therefore work best for people who like structure and have lots of patience and self-motivation. This book is also good for individuals not in relationship, because so much of the work is done on one's own. Because Chia's work derives from the Taoist tradition (as opposed to Tantric), there is more emphasis on the physical and practical than the mystical and emotional aspects of the work.