After quickly absorbing the content, he urged me to read it as well. Lessons in mindfulness from the tao of pooh rituals. You need not to be a blossoming taoist or a selfconfessed spiritualist to apply these principles to daily life and as a result feel a greater sense of underlying peace. The tao of pooh is a guidebook to happiness books reddit. And with good reason, because the book teaches some invaluable life lessons. The book is intended as an introduction to the eastern belief system of taoism for westerners. Winnie the pooh has a certain way about him, a way of doing things which has made him the worlds most beloved bear. It teaches us how to work for the good with the effortless skill that comes from being in accord with the tao. It has become a popular book in america and stayed on the list for fortynine weeks. When i read this book 12 years ago, i was able to quit heroin for good. The tao of pooh and the te of piglet by benjamin hoff. The tao of pooh boils the taoist faith down into simple truths, each using pooh and his friends to explain them in easy, bitesized pieces. As ive said in previous blog posts, i enjoy learning about different religions and schools of thought, so this book seemed like a perfect fit. In 81 brief chapters, lao tzus tao te ching, or book of the way, provides advice that imparts balance and perspective, as well as a serene and generous spirit.
It has exerted a living influence in china for 3000. Im probably the most unknown twotime bestselling author in the. A book about daoism explained using examples from winnie the pooh. For example, if a man has a proclivity for violence and killing, he should be transformed into a great warrior and taught how to fight for his people. Milnes stories to explain the basic principles of philosophical. Winniethepooh is the bear for all ages, and now hes more fun than ever before. You can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what youve got. The tao of pooh is a book written by benjamin hoff. Hoff uses winnie the pooh and the other characters from a. Books similar to the tao of pooh and the te of piglet. The tao of pooh summary and study guide supersummary. My mother in law gave me the tao of pooh by benjamin hoff for christmas.
Hoff also wrote the te of piglet, a companion book. Feel good friday books that gave me seeds to thrive click link for the introduction to the series. Winniethepooh has a certain way about him, a way of doing things that has made him the worlds most beloved bear, and poohs way, as benjamin hoff brilliantly demonstrates, seems strangely close to the ancient chinese principles of taoism. Im so grateful that this book was written for multiple reasons. The primary character, pooh, exhibits many qualities that produce contentment. Sep 19, 2017 the tao of pooh seems to suggest a similar solution. The book s central character is winnie the pooh, who personifies the taoist principle of nonaction, or simply being. There are good lessons to reflect on concerning discarding arrogance and complexity contentment, etc. Its easy to understand taoism if you have a great teacher. Three men stand over a vat of vinegar the vinegar of life, to be precise.
Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. But the third man, laozi, tastes the vinegar of life and finds it to be, of all things, satisfying. There is alot to be learned from pooh and pu and tao and te the latter being the subject of hoffs followup book the te of piglet. The tao of pooha philosophy that changed my practice ncbi. Tao of pooh the author uses excerpts from winnie the pooh stories in order to give a simplified explanation of taoism. The tao of pooh, i replied, poking his paw away with my pencil. Every good book contains a world far deeper than the surface of its pages. The first, confucius finds lifes vinegar to be sour. The tao of pooh was a good read and could be insightful, but i thought sometimes it seemed like the author was getting a bit too preachy or idealistic about things in a way that seemed off his biased and inaccurate take on buddhism in the early portion of the book set off some alarms.
Mar 10, 2018 the tao of pooh by benjamin is a quirky little book that attempts to explain western taoism through winniethepooh. The tao of pooh the tao of pooh audiobook, by benjamin hoff. The authors explanation of taoism through pooh, and pooh through taoism, shows that this is not simply an ancient and remote philosophy but something you can use, here and now. Jul 17, 2004 my mother in law gave me the tao of pooh by benjamin hoff for christmas, i suspect because she thought my mentality was suited to the cuddly toy of the title. This is a wonderful marriage between a celebration of pooh and an understanding of tao. The book starts with a description of the vinegar tasters, which is a painting portraying the three great eastern thinkers, confucius, the buddha. A book for anyone who adores pooh or wants an introduction into tao. The tao of pooh by benjamin hoff the tao of pooh is about how to stay happy and calm in all circumstances. Benjamin hoff uses the characters and stories from winniethepooh and the house at pooh corner to explain basic concepts of taoism. Goodreads members who liked the tao of pooh also liked.
While eeyore frets, and piglet hesitates, and rabbit calculates, and owl pontificates, pooh just is. One of the best books ive read as adult is the tao of pooh. He should seek an outlet in order to actualize his negative traits in a way that allows all of him to be considered good. Milnes enchanting characters, winniethepooh, piglet, rabbit, owl. It allegorically employs the fictional characters of a. Milnes stories to explain the basic principles of philosophical taoism. Oct 11, 2019 feel good friday books that gave me seeds to thrive click link for the introduction to the series. I purchased this edition of the tao of pooh hoping that it would be a worthy successor to my old but still very cherished rather worndown copy of the same book by the same publishing company assuming like most people that it would more or less be the same and that i could safely retire my original copy by granting it a long welldeserved. Tao of pooh 1983 publication by benjamin hoff and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The second book the te of piglet i found nearly as good as the first tao of pooh although it did go off on a rant about the state of the usa a few times which i felt wasnt needed. Its an interesting introduction to taoism illustrated through the actions of winnie the pooh and his friends. He also brilliantly integrates his own brief dialogue with the characters as.
Hoff uses winniethepooh and other characters from a. The tao of pooh benjamin hoff is an oregon writer, photographer, musician, and composer with a fondness for forests and bears. Milnes winniethepooh stories to explain the basic principles of philosophical taoism. I give the tao of pooh 4 stars and the te of piglet 0 stars for an avg of 2 stars. The mystical nature diary of opal whiteley all of which are available in penguin. Im also interested in a good explaination of what taoism is. Illustrations of taoism using characters from winnie the pooh. Winnie the pooh is the bear for all ages, and now hes more fun than ever before. The tao of pooh by benjamin is a quirky little book that attempts to explain western taoism through winniethepooh. Milnes wellknown children books to exemplify and explain these principles. Hoff uses the characters from a a milnes winnie the pooh books to illustrate and. Hoff later wrote the te of piglet, a companion book.
Put another way, taoism is a path to simple, smart and sustainable living. Often referred to as the way, taoism emphasizes a harmonious relationship between nature, humanity and the divine. A bachelor of arts he thinks his degree was in asian art, hut then, he hasnt looked at it for a while, and it may not be, he was until recently a japanesetrained fine pruning specialist. Pooh, homer simpson, the fonz, joey from friends, kramer on seinfeld, etc. The tao of pooh, benjamin hoff 9781405293785 boeken. In the tao of pooh, benjamin hoff shows that poohs way is amazingly consistent with the principles of living envisioned by the chinese founders of taoism. This book has been on my tbr list for many, many years no exaggeration. The tao of pooh seems to suggest a similar solution. Pooh epitomizes the uncarved block, as he is well in tune with his natural inner self.
If you seek a way to change your outlook, this book is great place to start. Shepard called the tao of pooh penguin books, 1982. He is best known as the author of the tao of pooh 1982 and the te o. Oct 17, 2019 he also enjoys sleeping and lying about on the floor. The tao of pooh is about how to stay happy and calm in all circumstances. And pooh s way, as benjamin hoff brilliantly demonstrates, seems strangely close to the ancient chinese principles of taoism. The tao of pooha philosophy that changed my practice.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Winniethepooh has a certain way about him, a way of doing things that has made him the worlds most beloved bear. Published in hardcover in 1982, the tao of pooh has sold nearly a. The tao of pooh yoga flavored life the tao of pooh. I dutifully added it to my collection of books to read while on holiday, intending to have a complete break from books and journals about medicine. It is also an organic meeting of eastern and western philosophies. The tao of pooh by benjamin hoff 1983, paperback for. Word is hoff wrote this little gem of a book while he was working in portlands japanese garden in the early 1980s. Buy a cheap copy of tao of pooh and te of piglet boxed set book by benjamin hoff. May 9, 2016 the tao of pooh is a book written by benjamin hoff. And trust me when i say that i was an addict of the hopeless variety. How the tao of pooh made me reconsider a life of simplicity.
It was a perfect atmosphere to talk about the tao of pooh by benjamin hoff. We have always been intrigued by books that point out the marvels and. The tao of pooh and the te of piglet by benjamin hoff goodreads. The tao of pooh explains taoism by winnie the pooh and explains winnie the pooh by taoism. In the tao of pooh, benjamin hoff shows that pooh s way is amazingly consistent with the principles of living envisioned by the chinese founders of taoism. Tao te ching by lao tzu the tao of pooh by benjamin hoff siddhartha by hermann. Used items may not include supplementary materials such as cds or access codes. He also enjoys sleeping and lying about on the floor. The tao of pooh by benjamin hoff 1987, hardcover for. The book is an introduction to taoism, using the fictional character of winnie the pooh. Find books like the tao of pooh and the te of piglet from the worlds largest community of readers.
The i ching, or book of changes, is one of the 1st efforts of the human mind to place itself within the universe. The best points of this book were the excerpts from winnie the pooh. Goodreads members who liked the tao of pooh and the t. Benjamin hoff, quote from the tao of pooh a way of life that keeps saying around the next corner, above the next step, works against the natural order of things and makes it so difficult to be happy and good. There is a delightful book by benjamin hoff illustrated by ernest h. The tao of pooh by benjamin hoff was my introduction to the tao. Summary of the tao of pooh by paul adams nook book. If people were superior to animals, theyd take good care of them, said pooh. This year thom decided to make the book the tao of pooh part of his summer reading.
The tao of pooh by benjamin hoff conversation starters by. I read this write after high school but didnt remember how good it was until after i reread it. The tao of pooh was the first book written by a taoist to make the new york times bestseller list. All in all a great read to introduce readers to a great subject. The tao of pooh by benjamin hoff and simon vance audiobook. Tao of pooh and te of piglet boxed set book by benjamin hoff. Buy the tao of pooh the wisdom of pooh new edition by hoff, benjamin, shepard, e. He is the author of the tao of pooh, the te of piglet, and the singing creek where the willows grow.
The tao of pooh was published in 1982, spending an impressive 49 weeks on the new york times bestseller list. A lot of our favorite television and movie characters have this tao quality about them and we love them for it. The tao of pooh the key point executive summary book. The question and answer section for the tao of pooh is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel ask your own question. The tao of pooh in which it is revealed that one of the worlds great taoist masters isnt chineseor a venerable philosopherbut is in fact none other that that effortlessly calm, still, reflective bear. The tao of pooh, by benjamin hoff, is an introduction to the philosophy of taoism. The second, the buddha himself, feels lifes vinegar is bitter. As a lover of winnie the pooh, hoff gave me the perfect vessel to understand the meaning of the tao. Find books like the tao of pooh from the worlds largest community of readers. Authornarrator hoff calls winnie the pooh a western taoist and uses the unassuming bear to introduce eastern philosophical principles. This is from the tao of pooh farewell, but not goodbye. Some of the examples are original to author benjamin hoffs book, while others are lifted directly from the original text by a. Oct 23, 2014 motions of the tao, a documentary film about one of the oldest faith traditions.
Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. The tao of pooh pdf by benjamin hoff bookspdf4free. Winnie the pooh has a certain way about him, a way of doing things that has made him the worlds most beloved bear, and pooh s way, as benjamin hoff brilliantly demonstrates, seems strangely close to the ancient chinese principles of taoism. The tao of pooh by benjamin hoff 1983, paperback for sale. Its inspiring and refreshing for people like me that have only been exposed to western philosophy or religion. Te of piglet, has some good points, i dont like it nearly as much as the tao of pooh.