Tao's Gift

reflections on personal and spiritual growth

The Book of Being I first came across Keng's Disciple in The Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton. I remember reading the story out to a therapists' training group amidst much laughter and recognition of the disciple's plight. I’m not sure that I “got it” at the time.

Immersed in the complex character of a twenty-eight year old, I was taken off guard by Chuang Tzu's simplicity. I knew there was something in it but I couldn’t uncover it or make use of it.

After living with the book for almost twenty years it eventually dawned on me that the story of Keng's Disciple was a manual for the spiritual seeker—a kind of “how not to do it” or “everything you will have to go through” for psycho-spiritual therapists and their clients. I have since read it out in some of my own training workshops—usually to puzzled expressions—in the hope that in the future the words of Chuang Tzu will bear fruit as they did so profoundly for me.

So here, finally, is my understanding of the story. May it help, daunt or encourage both genuine and not-so genuine spiritual aspirants alike.

Download a Sample (Word 31kb) the contents and an extract from the preface of this book.

The Contents

Preface

Introduction

Tao's Gift: The Story of Keng's Disciple

1. Tao is only a word
2. A difference of capacity
3. Who are all those people?
4. Illegible signposts
5. Obstructions—inside and outside
6. …Like a sick man…
7. The first elements
8. Attaining what is never attained

Practice

Notes, References and Asides

Useful Books

Appendices

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Self-Published, 2005

Pages: 114

Price: 15 euros (MS Word doc, 15MB)

What readers say

I wanted to say how much I enjoyed Tao’s Gift. The reflections and observations were very profound and astute. I particularly liked the practice section but thought the appendices were really insightful and gave food for thought.
S. L., Lancashire, UK

Tao’s Gift answered the questions about personal development and spirituality like no other book I had read before.
Reader, Southern Spain