The Daily Tao

The Daily Tao is an invitation to choose peace over distraction, flexibility over fear, and wisdom over turmoil. Written in 400 BCE by the Chinese sage Laozi, the Tao Te Ching is a potent source of wisdom that speaks to spiritual seekers across faith traditions and secular lines.

Inside the Daily Tao, you'll find a reading from the Tao Te Ching for every day of the year, along with a reflection to lead you to deeper understanding, and an intention for the day. Whether you begin your morning with the Tao or snatch a spare moment of calm in the hurry of the day, The Daily Tao will create a practice of reflection that will echo through your life.

The word Tao literally translates to "the way" and the Daily Tao is the perfect companion on that journey, step by step and day by day. Author William Martin's extensive work on the Tao has been embraced by countless readers and praised by the likes of Oprah and Alice Walker. Drawing on work first shared in his beloved book A Path and a Practice, this original translation of the Tao maintains the lyrical poeticism of the text while making its wisdom accessible for all.

The Daily Tao is part of The Day by Day series, a collection of books designed to help readers infuse the rhythms of their lives with meaning and intention. Our lives are built by small choices, tiny moments, and quiet thoughts-The Day by Day series is a gentle way to choose those moments and begin to build a life you love.

"Filled with inspiration, keen insight, and the ancient wisdom of the Tao Te Ching, William Martin's The Daily Tao is a vital guide for today's turbulent times. As a wise companion on life's journey, this book invites you to look beyond the busy surface of your days in moments of reflection that can bring you greater awareness, understanding, and peace of mind."
--Diane Dreher, author of The Tao of Inner Peace
"In Daily Tao, William Martin invites us to join him in walking day by day along the path of the Tao Te Ching. As we take each of his 365 steps we feel the presence of a friendly companion at our side. The path is neither straight nor easy and each one of us treads it in our own unique way--but that doesn't mean we are alone. Drawing skillfully from the timeless wisdom of the Tao Te Ching, William Martin gently reminds us how to let go of ourselves and respond instead to the Tao. As he says, "The only step necessary on this walk with the Tao is the one before you at this moment." Daily Tao shows us how to take this step every day."
--Francis Pring-Mill, author of In Harmony with the Tao: A Guided Journey into the Tao Te Ching and There Is No Somewhere Else: Insights from the Tao Te Ching
"William Martin's contemporary rendering of the Tao Te Ching's message is a welcome teaching in these troubled times. His words are simple yet profound, and provide essential guidance for the major tasks of becoming a wise elder. The wisdom is timeless, the prose is lyrical, and his meditations produce a harmonious resonance for the Soul on its journey Home in the autumn and winter of life.

Simple. Delightful. Inspirational."
--Maggie Meigs, PhD, Director, Forest Dwelling Program: Spirituality for Our Wisdom Years, Oblate School of Theology

A native Californian, Bill graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in electronic engineering. After four years as a research scientist for the U.S. Navy, Bill returned to graduate school, earning a master's degree from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. He did not find himself fitting within the traditional clergy structure, so, guided by his love of the Tao Te Ching, he began to seek his own way. He has been a student and teacher of the Tao for more than four decades and has published many books on the subject, including the popular, Parent's Tao Te Ching. Bill now lives in southern Arizona with his spouse, Nancy. He continues to teach classes and work with private students.

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