- Readers Who Meditate
- Posts
- Taoism Made Simple: Lessons from The Tao of Pooh
Taoism Made Simple: Lessons from The Tao of Pooh
Exploring Ancient Taoist Philosophy with Pooh's Playful Spirit (1/5)
Two years ago, the Tao of Pooh was supposed to be a birthday gift. My teacher wanted me to read it, but copies were unavailable in online and offline bookstores. So she bought me “The Te of Piglet” and suggested I read “Tao of Pooh” on my Kindle.
I read the book in 2022. I breezed through it, and I loved it. I remember feeling warm and fuzzy reading it, and I had parked it aside to read it more deeply at some point. When I started putting together the book list for this newsletter, this book quickly made the shortlist of 50-odd books I wanted to write about.
The Tao of Pooh
The “Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff explains the principles of Taoism using the characters from A.A. Milne’s “Winnie the Pooh.” The book blends Taoist philosophy with Western literature, making complex ideas more accessible through the familiar world of Winnie the Pooh.
Though I have not read A.A. Milne’s series, I was familiar with the characters. The inscrutable Taoist principles are explained through the adventures and characteristics of Pooh and his friends. The unfamiliar couched in familiarity helped me assimilate and absorb the book’s essence.
The book embodies the Taoist philosophy in the way Hoff has written it. A sense of humour pervades the entire book, making it very light. At the same time, he has given his readers a deep exploration of Taoist concepts. He explains them in a way that is simple and accessible while tapping into the profoundness of the Taoist philosophy.
What is Taoism?
The book opens up with a whimsical journey that Pooh and Hoff take to China to understand what Taoism is. Hoff explains it to Pooh using “The Vinegar Tasters” painting.
The Vinegar Tasters is a traditional Chinese Painting used as an allegory to illustrate the different approaches to life and its challenges from the viewpoint of Confucius, Buddha and Lao Tze. The painting depicts these three men tasting vinegar from a vat and their reactions.
K’ung Fu-tse’s (Confucius) sour expression represents his philosophical view that life is inherently flawed and requires order, moral effort, and social responsibility.
Buddha’s face reveals a bitter expression. This expression represents his philosophical view that life is suffering and requires spiritual practice to be transcended.
Lao Tse has a smile on his face. This smile represents the Taoist philosophy that life is fundamentally sweet and harmonious when lived in accordance with the Tao (The Way).
Another perspective that resonated deeply with me is that these philosophies are not mutually exclusive but complement each other. The three men are gathered around one vat of vinegar, representing that “ all teachings are one.”
As someone deeply interested in Buddhist teachings, philosophy, and practices and trying to integrate them into my life, I find Taoism to complement the Buddhist viewpoint. My first introduction to Taoism was through tʻai chi chʻüan, more popularly known as Tai Chi, a slow martial art movement that is known as meditation in motion.
The Tao cannot be described, but it can be understood.
In reading “Tao of Pooh,” six concepts are explored using Pooh and his friends, teachings from the Tao Te Ching, the foundational text of Taoism written by Lao Tse, and parables and stories by Chuang Tzu, who expanded on the writings in the Tao Te Ching.
The six concepts are
P’u - The Uncarved Block
Wisdom
Inner Nature
Wu Wei
Tz’u - Caring
Appreciation
1. The Uncarved Block
Hoff explains P’u as “The essence of the principle of the Uncarved Block is that things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed.”
2. Wisdom
Hoff says, “Scholarly intellect is useful for analysing certain things; deeper and broader matters are beyond its limited reach.”
This principle focuses on cultivating useful wisdom that is helpful in our lives. Knowledge is not seen as a way to become wise, and it can sometimes be an obstacle to wisdom.
3. Inner Nature
Inner Nature refers to the inherent qualities and true essence of an individual, being, or thing. It is unaltered by external influences and is the natural state aligned with the Tao. Discovering and understanding our inner nature is vital for aligning with the Tao.
4. Wu-Wei
Wu-Wei, a fundamental concept in Taoism, is hard to explain. It is described as without doing, causing or making. There is no going against the nature of things; there are no clever workarounds. We work with the natural order of things, how they are and with less striving and exertion.
Hoff explains, “When you try too hard, it doesn’t work. Try grabbing something quickly and precisely with a tensed-up arm, then relax and try it again. Try doing something with a tense mind. The surest way to become tense, awkward and confused is to develop a mind that tries too hard - one that thinks too much.”
5. Tz’u - Caring
The difference between knowledge and wisdom is explained in the Taoist philosophy as “Knowledge doesn’t care. Wisdom does.”
Lao Tse says, “From caring comes courage.” Hoff adds, “From caring also comes wisdom.” Courage and wisdom have heart, whereas knowledge and cleverness do not.
6. Appreciation
Appreciation is a key trait of a Taoist mind.
Hoff says, “Do you want to be happy? You can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what you’ve got. Do you want to be really miserable? You can begin by being discontented.”
With this, we round up this edition of the newsletter. I hope this inspires you to pick up “The Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff and get a primer on Taoist Philosophy. This is one of those books that can serve as a beacon in our lives when we are going through a hard time. As a bonus, the book also has illustrations from Winnie the Pooh by E.H. Sheperd.
We will explore some of these concepts in depth in the next four editions. The deep dives are available to the paid members of this newsletter.
And we finish this edition with a tiny story.
The Archer & The Sage
There once lived an archer who was renowned for his skill. He could hit any target with precision, and he demonstrated his skills in villages and towns. He was proud of his abilities. Once, when he demonstrated his skill at a village fair, a Taoist Sage stopped to watch the archer.
After the demonstration, the sage approached the archer and asked, “Your skills are impressive. However, I wonder if you could hit your target under any circumstance.”
The archer was outraged, “Of course. Show me any target, and I will hit it under any condition.”
The sage smiled, led the archer up the mountains across a narrow ledge, and placed a small gourd on a precarious branch over a deep ravine. The sage said, “Stand at the edge of the ledge and hit the target.”
Beyond the narrow ledge was a steep drop. The narrow ledge, the height, and the precarious branch on which the gourd rested made the archer nervous. Not wanting to appear weak, he drew a breath and released his arrow. His hands trembled slightly, and he missed the target.
The sage calmly took the bow and arrow and took his position on the ledge, not bothered by the steep drop or the precarious branch. He was serene, drew his bow, and easily hit the target.
The archer was shocked, “How did you do that?”
The sage replied, “Your skill with the bow is great. However, true mastery comes not just with skill but also with the harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. When you are distracted by fear and pride, your mind is not in balance, and your hands tremble. To achieve true mastery, you should learn to align your mind with your spirit and be calm and centered no matter the circumstances.”
💌 Siri