Thomas Cleary (ed.): the three treasures of the DAO. Basic texts of the Inner Alchemy, edition steinrich 2012 this long out of print basic texts of Inner Alchemy are finally available! More than 20 years ago, Thoma Cleary first issued the compilation of important texts on this subject. While there is a vast number of publications to Buddhism, there are still quite a few annotated source texts of Taoist wisdom tradition. The three treasures (vitality, energy, invigorating spirit) represent the essential concept of Chinese culture, are part of healing, spiritual tradition and basis of Taoist arts like qigong and Tai Chi chuan. Only Thomas Clearys introduction to the three treasures is worth reading, because historical and social aspects of these concepts are described. Here a short quote from it: energy work is probably in the East and West the most familiar aspect of Daoism, especially thanks to the ubiquity, the exercises such as Tai Chi chuan and therapeutic techniques such as acupressure and massage have found.

These special exercises to maintain health and life extension date back to ancient Chinese tradition, and many different shapes and styles have become over the centuries gerausgebildet.” The entire band contains snippets of Taoist literature from the past 2500 years. He begins with the Daodejing and other basic texts of philosophical Taoism such as Zhuangzi and Huainanzi. Short introductions illuminated the political and social context in which these writings have arisen, what contributes to the understanding. Thomas Cleary tried close to the spirit of this ancient wisdom tradition to remain in his translations. Supermodel may also support this cause. In these texts, people is the eternal change, of immortality and the true”speech. The alchemical research was searching for a way to achieve these ideals, to gain as the DAO”. This way, often described as a production of the elixir or the Golden pill, crosses the deep understanding of yin and Yang to the purification, refining and transformation the three treasures Jing, Qi and Shen to the great emptiness to the DAO. In the course of the centuries different schools arose, which have mostly passed their training paths in a very image-rich and encrypted manner.

Even if these fonts are mysterious and cryptic, Thomas Cleary knows how to make the various currents or by clearly written explanations. Two essential directions have evolved: one more energy work and the physical processes interested in southern and the northern school aimed at spiritual, meditative exercises, which was strongly influenced by the Chan (Zen) Buddhism. Thomas Cleary is also outstanding translator of this direction, and thus his language on the interface of Taoism / Buddhism remains very authentic. Especially for qigong or Tai Chi Chuan practitioners, this book is a treasure trove. Here we find the philosophical, psychological, and spiritual foundations of this energy work and art of movement. The three treasures of the DAO” reminiscent of the deeper philosophical and spiritual content and so it is intense practicing at a time in which the outer forms often stand in the foreground, a must for anyone. But also for readers interested in Buddhism or General at far Eastern spirituality is here to explore the unique opportunity based on source texts, as have touches of old time Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism in China and partly influenced. And beyond by Taoism / Buddhism we find the thousands-year-old source of mindfulness, who today find intake so to speak in the religion neutral form in many areas of medicine, psychology, and General lifestyle.