Art and words inspired by ancient Taoist and Zen poetry.
The Tao Te Ching Journal: A Path to Inner Quiet
Our life and work in the world are manifestations of our inner work. The heart of this work is the nurturing of a friendship with yourself.
The Tao Te Ching Journal is a contemplative refuge of Taoist wisdom, art, and quiet. It offers a journaling practice, inspired by the ancient words of Laozi, for those who seek to create a life and work in harmony with their vision of a quality life. That quality is related, in part, to the questions we are willing to explore.
The quiet center of a human life needs to be nurtured. This journal is for those who manifest an inner life in some creative work or project that contributes to the lives of others. It is for those who choose a quiet, contemplative life in nature. It is for those who march to a different drummer, who live a set of values outside of those of the dominant culture.
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Distilled down, what does the Tao Te Ching actually mean? What does a human life lived according to its principles actually look like?
The Tao Te Ching Journal is a contemplative companion for those seeking a quieter, more meaningful life. Combining Taoist hermit poetry, abstract Tao/Zen-inspired art, and guided reflections, it turns the Tao Te Ching from a book you read into a practice you live. Each chapter pairs a distilled verse with space for personal insight, helping you reconnect with your inner world, your intuition, and the “soundless music” at the center of your life. This is not merely a translation — it is a path toward understanding one’s life and the hidden currents that underly it from a Taoist/Zen perspective.
The Tao Te Ching Journal explores the Tao not just intellectually, but inwardly.
Each verse is presented in clear, poetic language alongside original Zen-inspired art. Instead of commentary or doctrine, you’re invited into your own quiet — with prompts and spacious pages for journaling, contemplation, and stillness. This structure turns reading into self-discovery, and the journal becomes a companion on your path toward simplicity, clarity, and inner freedom.
Rooted in thirty years of creative work, wilderness solitude, and study of Taoist hermit poetry, this journal offers a modern gateway into ancient insights. Whether you are new to Taoism or deep on the path, the Tao Te Ching Journal helps you reconnect with your inner world — gently, honestly, and in your own way.
About half the book consists of art, writing and questions to consider. The other half is blank, for your own notes and sketches. Printed on Mohawk Superfine, a beautiful uncoated paper that renders color beautifully and provides an excellent writing surface. It is wire-o bound to lay flat. Hardcover. 9.5 x 8.5. 160 pages.
The Tao Te Ching Journal:
Example interior two-page spreads.
Example interior two-page spreads.
Back cover mockup.
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Journaling has been a friend and guide to me at the significant turning points of my life. The hidden undercurrents that shape us — many of them taking form in childhood — affect the quality of our lives and our relationships, both with ourselves and with others. In this journal those currents weave together.
And so I offer you this work, which has grown out of a creative life lived on the edges of our culture. Some of those lessons were learned the hard way. Some I seem to be still struggling against, still resisting. Sometimes the easiest way forward — surrender — appears the least attractive.