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Reviewed by Natalie Soine for Readers' Favorite
Dao De Jing: Gateway Into Nature by Aviilokín K'shi is a portrayal of 81 verses written by Lao Zi, a record keeper and librarian in the court of the Zhou Dynasty, approximately 2400 years ago. Dao De Jing became the leading reference for Taoist philosophy (universal essence of all things and empathic relationship with the truths of life). The fabled Chinese sage shared his ancient wisdom that Aviilokín K'shi has translated, explained, and interpreted for modern readers. During a trip to China, Aviilokín K'shi discovered that he had been a humble Taoist mystic in his previous life who was in tune with nature. He has cultivated his Taoist talent to continue and share his journey and the Quanzhen form of Taoism with the rest of the world.
Dao De Jing is well written, and because it consists of short stories, the book can be put down and picked up at any time without losing track. The index is helpful to refer to specific sections. I loved the consistent tone of this book – peace and tranquility. While some verses may be confusing, and to emphasize the full effect, Aviilokín K'shi has included commentaries to some of the verses. The commentaries are extremely helpful for clarity and understanding. The verses are written in a smooth flowing order to slowly introduce the Tao virtues of character and behavior, existence in the most complete and holistic sense, for example, "how to advance into a technological society that destroys neither itself nor its environment." Dao De Jing lives up to its claim of taking the reader on a journey beyond the realm of what we believe to be the truth. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable book.
