Quiet mind, fearless heart: the Taoist path through stress and spirituality

254 Pages·2005·3.27 MB·English

by  Brian Luke Seaward

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Quiet Mind,
Fearless Heart
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Also by Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.
Hot Stones and Funny Bones: Teens Helping Teens Coping with Stress
and Anger
Health of the Human Spirit; Spiritual Dimension for Personal Health
The Art of Calm: Relaxation through the Five Senses
Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward: Rising above Life’s Challenges with
Humor, Hope, and Courage
Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water: Reflections on Stress and
Human Spirituality
Health and Wellness Journal Workbook (second edition)
Managing Stress: A Creative Journal (third edition)
Managing Stress: Principles and Strategies for Health and Well-being
(fourth edition)
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Quiet Mind,
Fearless Heart
The Taoist Path
through
Stress and Spirituality
BRIAN LUKE SEAWARD, Ph.D.
John Wiley & Sons,Inc.
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Copyright © 2005 by Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
The author gratefully acknowledges the following for permission to quote from: page
34, If Life Is a Game, These Are the Rules: Ten Rules for Being Human by Dr. Chérie
Carter-Scott, Broadway Books, © 1998; page 91, translation from Tao Te Chingcour-
tesy of Josh Zhou; page 117, “Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water” by Brian Luke
Seaward, © Health Communications Inc. Reprinted with permission; page 165,
“Beauty Poem” from In One Era and Out the Otherby Samuel Levenson. Reprinted
by permission of SLL/Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. Copyright 1996 by Samuel Lev-
enson; page 226, “The Winds of Grace” by Brian Luke Seaward, © Inspiration Unlim-
ited. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or trans-
mitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, record-
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Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and the author have
used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or war-
ranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and
specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a partic-
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able for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Nei-
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Seaward, Brian Luke.
Quiet mind, fearless heart : the Taoist path through stress and spirituality / Brian
Luke Seaward.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-471-67999-2 (pbk.)
1. Spiritual life. 2. Stress (Psychology)—Religious aspects. 3. Taoism. I. Title.
BL624.S4226 2004
299.5'144—dc22
2004014378
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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For Donna and Scott Mefford
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C
ONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix
INTRODUCTION The Best ofTimes,the Worst ofTimes 1
PART I
Into the Unknown 9
1 The Winds of Change Are Brewing 11
2 Under Pressure 37
PART II
Crossing the Threshold 61
3 Stand Like Mountain, Move Like Water 63
4 Move a Mountain, Walk on Water 119
vii
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viii CONTENTS
PART III
Life in the Balance 141
5 The Human Equinox: Six Ways to Bring Balance
into Your Life 143
6 The Health of the Human Spirit: Twenty-one
Strategies for Letting Go of Stress 167
PART IV
Back Home Again 211
7 The Winds of Grace 213
EPILOGUE Sacred Spaces and Divine Inspiration 227
REFERENCESAND RESOURCES 231
INDEX 233