Cultivating Stillness A Taoist Manual for Transforming Body and Mind

Equanimity, good health, peace of mind, and long life are the goals of the ancient Taoist tradition known as "internal alchemy," of whichCultivating Stillnessis a key text. Written between the second and fifth centuries, the book is attributed to T'ai Shang Lao-chun-the legendary figure more widely known as Lao-Tzu, author of theTao-te Ching. The accompanying commentary, written in the nineteenth century by Shui-ch'ing Tzu, explains the alchemical symbolism of the text and the methods for cultivating internal stillness of body and mind. A principal part of the Taoist canon for many centuries,Cultivating Stillnessis still the first book studied by Taoist initiates today.

Eva Wong is an independent scholar and a practitioner of the Taoist arts of the Pre-Celestial Way and Complete Reality lineages. She has written and translated many books on Taoism and related topics, including A Master Course in Feng-Shui; Tales of the Taoist Immortals; The Tao of Health, Longevity, and Immortality; and The Shambhala Guide to Taoism.