Tag: Educational

Book Review: Warrior of the Light by Paulo Coelho

by drpgreene, posted in Book Review

Let me begin with some fanboy adoration, Paulo Coelho is one of my favorite all-time writers.  The reason that I like Coelho is that his writing can be as simple or as complex as you are willing to go.  A person could read nearly any of his works in an evening but, if that person was willing to consider the work more deeply, these works could be studied for weeks or months.  Another genre that is capable of such a span is fairie tales.

Warrior of the Light is a list of beliefs and decisions made by the people who identify as Warriors of Light.  The list is told in a parable form and the parables are quite enjoyable to be read.  The parables are enjoyable and easily understood at a base level.  The defining of a Warrior of Light is the entire plot of the book.  Warriors of Light have a fluid definition and can be useful to nearly everyone.

The beautiful thing about Warriors of Light is that the reader can accept what he or she needs and reject what does not apply.  This is not an all or nothing list.  Take what you need, reject the rest.  My best recommendation is to take the time to reflect on the words being written.  Consider your feelings on each section and make use of that which is useful.

Book Review: Taoism-101 by Grigory Lukin

by drpgreene, posted in Book Reading List., Book Review

Taoism-101 is a very short read that gives the most basic of overviews of Taoism.  One thing that I enjoyed about the book is that the author gave plain information without attempting to sway the reader in one way or another.  There has been a long-running discussion as to whether Taoism is a religion or a philosophy.  In my opinion, either could be correct as Tao is flexible enough to be whatever the practitioner needs.

There are a large number of similarities between religions and philosophies.  Both attempt to act as a moral guide for the follower.  They give signposts about acceptable and unacceptable behavior and actions.  The biggest difference is that religions offer a reward or punishment at the end of life while a philosophy avoids making such assertions.

The author of the book is very clear to disseminate in his answers whether or not he is answering from the religious or the philosophical side of Taoism.  It is extremely important that he makes that distinction because the answers could change based on the form of Taoism being considered.

The author does an excellent job answering simple questions as they relate to Taoism,  He writes in clear and concise language that gives the reader an answer that is not vague or jargon-filled.  As the title of the book states, this is an entry-level book designed to clarify the beginning question.  In this, the author excelled.