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Pooh's Way : Wu Wei

18:30 / 23.04.04

Now if this this is not one of the cutest things I've ever seen...

Excerpt:

" Not like Pooh, the most effortless Bear we've ever seen.
"Just How do you do it, Pooh?"
"Do What?" asked Pooh.
"Become so Effortless."
"I don't do much of anything," he said.
"But all those things of yours get done."
"They just sort of happen," he said.

***

I melt.

22:28 / 23.04.04

Dont forget the Te of Piglet either !

Two of (IMHO) the finest books ever written (and not just on Taoism

)

13:52 / 26.04.04

These books are really great.

14:47 / 26.04.04

This, sadly enough, was my first introduction to Taoism. Some second hand paperbook of the "Tao of Pooh". It is a very good introduction to the concepts, though obviously you can level all kinds of charges of dumbing down against it. Still as an introduction it is quite good. I believe there were a number of spin offs dealing with all kinds of philosophies.

15:11 / 26.04.04

The Tao of Pooh kept me away from taoism for over ten years. It was not until I read the Tao Te Ching I realised that there was something to it, other than smoochie-poochie-cutiness-philosophy light. I also think there is a problem having the Tao presented by a trademark of Disney.

16:24 / 26.04.04

Well, in Hoff's defense, he uses the pre-existing Pooh, not the Disney version.

In fact, there's been a big legal battle between Pooh and Mickey. I have a feeling it's not quite over, despite Disney's apparent win over Milne's estate.

19:10 / 26.04.04

Aaah, but it is it dumbing down or is it beautiful in its simplicity, like the Tao itself...?

I think the books capture some of the intangible, unnamable spirit of the Tao through the fun (and slighty more adult and sophisticated than seem at first glance) Pooh stories. Don't let the fact that Disney co-opted Pooh years after the original books get you down. And plus, the Tao isn't something you should need to read a dissertation on or two detailed philosophy textbooks to get. It's more about just living life, I think, and sensing what's there in the process of life. But now I feel I'm starting to sound silly, and that's just the Tao cautions against - over-explaining things. So I'm done.

23:03 / 26.04.04

Grant wrote Well, in Hoff's defense, he uses the pre-existing Pooh, not the Disney version.

Yes, of course. But as the saying goes: No one can do to Walt Disney, what Disney Inc. did to the Brothers Grimm.

Problem is that since the takeover, it's very hard not to think of Disney while reading Pooh. Sad but true, at least for me.

FinderWolf wrote: And plus, the Tao isn't something you should need to read a dissertation on or two detailed philosophy textbooks to get. It's more about just living life, I think, and sensing what's there in the process of life.

Yes, I agree. When people ask me about the Tao I say that the Tao is what a smooth rock, the gaze of a very small child and someone who moves without thinking about how, has in common. It's not much of a point to say much more.

It's not much of a point to know it either, since that also means that you know what's not the Tao as well. And also that thinking about it furthers you from it.

And that everything is the Tao.

And nothing.

Silence.

03:55 / 27.04.04

No. Let's see:

The Tao of Pooh kept me away from taoism for over ten years. It was not until I read the Tao Te Ching I realised that there was something to it, other than smoochie-poochie-cutiness-philosophy light. Yes, that's I don't think this book is the best introduction to The Process. This is something ment for people who already have a grasp of the thing, who are long familiar with the concepts, who can enjoy the way the material was handled and adapted.