Essential Daoist ways of looking at the world are expressed most potently in the ancient classics Daode jing and Zhuangzi. Using these as the foundation, the workshop begins on Friday evening with a close look at the texts, their editions, formats, and early history.
On Saturday,we examine their social setting and the different schools they represent, then move on to core concepts, such as Dao, heaven, qi, and virtue, as well as the traditional understanding of body and mind, to looking particularly at ideas of how best to live in the world, expressed in the Zhuangzi vision of perfect happiness.
On Sunday, we continue by examining the contemporary relevance of ancient Daoist thought in terms of personal self-realization, social leadership, and ecology.
Each session begins with a PowerPoint presentation and offers plenty of opportunity for discussion and personal reflection.
Suggested readings: Livia Kohn, The Daode Jing: A Guide (Oxford University Press, 2018)
Livia Kohn, Zhuangzi: Text and Context (Three Pines Press, 2014)
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