“What’s this Tao all About?” is a lighthearted journey through the wisdom of the Tao that initially began in 2015 as a dialogue between journalist Tod Perry and Dr. Carl Totton, a member of the Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Doctor of Psychology and founder of the Taoist Institute in North Hollywood, California. In this first-of-its-kind Taoism podcast, Dr. Totton and Tod discussed the basic concepts of Taoism, the chapters of “The Tao Te Ching,” and most importantly, how you find peace and happiness in today’s world.

In 2024, after Dr. Totton had some health setbacks, George Thompson joined the show to continue its goal of learning just what this Tao is all about. George is a filmmaker, tai chi teacher, and popular Taoist communicator on YouTube, with over 240,000 subscribers.

“What’s This Tao All About?” covers essential Taoist topics such as wu-wei, te, pu, yin and yang, qi, and Chinese medicine while providing an overview of basic Taoist practices, including meditation and qi gong. You’ll also learn about the work of important Taoist philosophers such as Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, Lu Dong Pin, Benjamin Hoff, and Alan Watts.

Taoism can be a bit confusing for the average beginner; this show is dedicated to making the philosophy’s abstract concepts understandable and accessible to just about everyone.

May the Tao be with you,

Dr. Carl Totton, Tod Perry, and George Thompson

Are you looking for a Taoism podcast? How about a Tao Te Ching podcast? Look no further. Or Tao podcast on iTunes. We’ve got it. (If this paragraph sentence looks weird, it’s so people find the show when searching online.)

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What is Taoism?

“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao” – Chapter 1, Tao Te Ching

Taoism is an ancient Chinese philosophical tradition whose origins extend back to 3000 B.C. and were attributed to the legendary Taoist sage, Lao Tzu, author of The Tao Te Ching (The Way and Its Power). The word Tao itself translates as the Way, or Path.

Taoism’s central principle is that all life, all manifestation, is part of an inseparable whole, an interconnected organic unity which arises from a deep, mysterious, and essentially unexplainable source which is the Tao itself. Taoism views the universe and all of its manifestations as operating according to a set of unchanging natural laws. Human beings can gain knowledge of these laws and become attuned to them through Taoist practices such as meditation and qigong. By aligning ourselves with these principles, we can attain a universal perspective and live in harmony with the Tao.

Taoist philosophy is primarily based on three books, The Tao Te Ching, The Chuang Tzu also known as The Inner Chapters by Chuang Tzu, and The IChing.  

For further enlightenment, check out this brief introduction to Taoism written by Dr. Carl Totton and fellow Taoist scholars. What is Tao >>