Five hundred years before the birth of Jesus, a quiet man in ancient China dictated 81 verses, which are regarded by many as the ultimate commentary on the nature of our existence. The classic text of these verses, called the Tao Te Ching, or The Great Way, offers advice and guidance that is balanced, moral, practical and spiritual. The only book that has been translated into more languages than the Tao Te Ching is the Bible.  Shouldn’t we know more about this extraordinary little document?

Joan Shiels says she is “a friend of all religions,” because she finds that each of the world’s great wisdom traditions offers some piece of the truth. Western religions generally encourage people to change the world around them while Eastern religions encourage people to change the world inside them. She suggests that no religious philosophy is more helpful in learning to “Be Here Now” than Taoism.