religions

Let's face it - Taoism is difficult for Western minds to understand. For me, it exemplifies the difference between simple and easy. Taoism is so basic and simple in its concepts, that it can be nearly impossible for a busy Western brain to accept. Well, whether you are looking for an introduction to Taoism or well along your own path, this book is an indispensable addition to your library.

The idea here is simple - Benjamin Hoff uses these perfect Pooh stories to explain the fundamental concepts of Taoist belief. Whether he is pointing out our contradictory beliefs or educating us on finding our paths, he does so with humor and compassion, always smart and simple. One of my favorite examples of our silly Western contradictions is where he talks about time-saving devices. In Western culture, we are constantly surrounded with time-saving devices, from alarm clocks to microwaves to computers to cell phones... yet we rarely have enough time. Then what happens when you go to a place where there are no time-saving devices? All of a sudden you have all the time in the world!

Have you read from the Tao Te Ching? I have spent hours contemplating one tiny passage before it even started to sink into my thick skull. What a difference it is to have Pooh and his crew as your guides! Hoff brings new meaning and understanding to these texts, creating a strong foundation for you to continue along your way. I have recommended this book to friends in all walks of life and with varying degrees of education and I always have received a more than enthusiastic reaction.

For me, the Toa of Pooh is as much a place as it is a book. I can read a chapter and suddenly find myself in a more relaxed space, maybe a little higher up where I can get a little more of the big picture. I hope it can do the same for you.

After reading this 158 page book filled with old friends of my childhood; Eeyore, Piglet, Rabbit, Owl, Pooh and other western world friends, six times for my school required reading, I regret to inform that this story does not uphold the Taosim aspect of this book. I believe it was a good idea for Benjamin Hoff to write a novella based on A.A. Milne's childhood stories of Winnie the Pooh, but I was let down on how he explained Taoism. In his attempt to explain this teaching of China, he managed to insult many other lifestyles and ways of living. In this book I learned that people should basically meditate all day long and not live in houses, not use cars, and not partake in activities that many people of the world are involved in such as jogging or eating at a fast food place once in a while. I was also enlightened by the fact that basically things happen to Pooh for no reason whatsoever, and also that everything proved by modern science is false and can basically be interpreted as "We don't know". There were some rich teachings of Taosim in the Tao of Pooh, such as the painting of the Vinegar Testers and how that related to Bhuddism, Taoism, and Confucianism, but overall I think Benjamin Hoff should have left the book to that instead of showing how the other practices in life are inferior the Taosim. In my opinion, Eeyore, Piglet, Rabbit, Owl, Pooh, Christopher Robin, Kanga, Roo and Tigger are representatives of the various people in the world and their different backgrounds and personalities, and we should all repect and learn from each other inspite of our various walks of life, instead of believing that one school of thought, Taoism, is more superior than other beliefs, which is the feeling Benjamin Hoff imposed on me when I read the Tao of Pooh. I think I'll stick to my wise and knowledgeable Uncle Alan for information on Taosim.

I bought this book in '95, and re read it about once a year. If you want a simple, wonderful introduction to how life can be, you might want to read this book.

I do not agree with the other reviewers in this thread, who say this book is against the western lifestyle. The author does have criticism about the western civilisation, and if you think about it, it all does make sense.

Thanks to this book I have found my path, and inner peace that goes with it. It has so many treasures inside, that I cannot even begin to mention them all...