Day 01: Taoist Book You Are Reading Right Now

Okay, I was struggling with when to start my 30 day challenge, what with all the distractions described previously.  I really didn't want to wait until next month, I'm clinging to the Tao right now with all that is happening in my life, so it feels like a good time to be doing this.  So I decided, now is as good a time as any, and here we go with day 1.

Day 01: Taoist book you are reading right now.

The Tao of Success
By Derek Lin

First of all, let me say this.  I am a new but big fan of Derek Lin.  He is a presenter at the virtual temple I attend each week.  I call it temple for lack of a better term (I don't have it in me to call it church) but really it is a meeting of the minds where those interested in Taoism meet and discuss presentations giving by those willing to share knowledge.  Through his books and personal correspondence at temple, I am of the opinion that Mr. Lin is the most "sage" like person I have ever encountered.  He truly embodies what I envision a Taoist master to be.  He also speaks both Chinese and English, giving him the ability to translate ancient writings himself, rather than being dependent on translations by others.  I believe he's the real deal, so to speak.  So, I've probably gushed about him enough, on to talk about the book.

On the surface, the title of this work may seem a bit questionable.  It's important to realize that Lin is not talking about success in terms of career or finances, but rather success in terms of fulfilling one's destiny.    This book introduces the reader to the five rings of life, otherwise known as the five ancient rings of destiny.  These rings begin at the very heart of a person, and ripple outward like a pebble in a pond, meaning the inner most rings will effect every other ring.  The rings starting with the inner most are: Spirituality, Mind, Relationships, World, and Destiny.

After cultivating each of these aspects, one can truly undergo a life transformation.  I haven't finished the book yet, but one of my favorite things about it is the stories.  Rather than bog you down with too much instruction, Lin uses stories to illustrate the points being made.  The writing is very accessible and enlightening.  I have enjoyed it enough that I purchased several of Lin's other works including The Tao of Daily Life, The Tao of Joy Every Day and an annotated version of the Tao Te Ching.