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Summary: Effective Introduction To Tao Te Ching
Review:
Lao Tzu's TAO TE CHING is a respected manual on the art of living. This classic book is read and re-read by many, not only in Asia but also in the West, and is almost always included in "Top Ten" reading lists by business-oriented magazines. (Other books that I can think of are the Carnegie best-seller HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE and THE ART OF WAR)
'Thinking Body, Dancing Mind : Taosports for Extraordinary Performance in Athletics, Business, and Life' is a useful, interesting "self-help" book, and an effective introduction to the understanding of Tao Te Ching. The book, I believe, was written without the intention of raising disciples for the Taoist faith, but contains Taoist messages/ lessons that one can use for everyday living.
(I've been using my copy since Year 10 high school, so this book is one I highly recommend)
For people interested with the 'actual' Tao Te Ching, Stephen Mitchell's translation is a readable interpretation of the philosophy (Tao), and a very inexpensive one.
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Summary: Thinking Body, Dancing Mind
Review: A wonderful source of information for all performers about how to healthily improve their performance when the chips are down, especially musicians. I recommend it to all of my students.
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Summary: This should be the bible for all elite athletes!
Review: Chungliang Al Huang and Jerry Lynch have put together a truly exceptional sports reference. The book is divided into three peices. First, it teaches the reader a special approach to solving problems. This process includes directed thoughts, afirmations, visualizations and many other techniques to tackle ones goals. Next the book addresses every problem an athlete could possibly encounter in pursuit of world class performance. The authors have disected these obstacles and given several strategies for conquoring them. Finally, the third part of the book (actually about the entire second half) presents all of the phsychological traits which exemplify champion athletes. From detachment to integrity, every last emotion and thought of a champion is addressed in this book. Thinking Body, Dancing Mind is very usefull for beginners who are just learning the basics of their sport. Amazingly, the book takes on an entirely different dimension for world-class athletes, who are struggling for an edge. For these athletes this book can be liked only to the bible.For those interested in maximizing there performance, Optimum Sports Nutrition by Dr. Micheal Colgan is another great source for athletics.
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Summary: Fabulous!
Review: I am in graduate school for Sports Psychology and this book hits at the heart of what works for athletes. This is an Eastern-thinking text, so if you do not agree with that philosophy, you will not like this book.
Not only can this book be a reference for the athlete, it is also a reference book for living. I love this book.
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Summary: My adrenaline was pumping after the first chapter.
Review: Not only did this book inspire me to evaluate my attitudes towards sports, but I began to think even more about my attitudes towards work and my personal life.
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Summary: Disappointing combination of Tao and Sports Psychology
Review: Perhaps, it was my expectations. But this book marks an extreme disappointment for me. As someone who has interests in both the Tao and sports psychology, I thought that the combination had incredibly potential. In fact other Sports Psychologists like Robert Nideffer in his books Psyched to Win and An Athlete's Guide to Mental Training discuss the benefits of Eastern philosophy on enhanced performance but not in the direct approach promised in this book. But what Jerry Lynch has put together is a quick "fix-it" book which reads more like David Leadbetter's Golf instructional book, "Faults and Fixes", than a book that seeks to address the real connections between the Tao and Sports (or business) performance. The title promises substance. The answers in this book are hollow. For example, they describe a meditative exercise on Candle focusing (p.64) as such: "this is an easy, quick way to strengthen your ability to focus and be present in the moment, in the Beginner's mind". He goes on in one paragraph to tell the reader to stare at the candle exclude all thoughts and if the mind wanders just go back to the flame. Well, for anyone who has seriously considered and attempted meditation we could only wish it was this simple. Commiting yourself to improving your performance in sports or business through improving your mental skills/approach takes knowledge, practice and skill. It is never "quick and easy" just as teaching you to hit 300 yard drives down the middle of the fairway is not in any way "quick and easy". There are a number of concepts and ideas that are useful in this book especially for a novice to both the Tao and Sports Psychology. But if you are familiar, you'll be much better off reading the Tao te Ching for yourself and also reading Nideffer's books mentioned above or Terry Orlick's In Pursuit of Excellence if you are interested in Sports Psychology/Enhanced Performance through Mental Training
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Summary: About the Book- from the Publisher
Review: Thinking Body, Dancing Mind: Taosports for Extraordinary Performance in Athletics, Business, and Life
ANNOTATION
Written by a sports psychologist and a renowned T'ai Chi master, here is a guide to enriching all of life's pursuits through the practice of its simple mental tools and wisdom. Using stories of success from athletes and businesspeople, the authors present techniques and exercises to promote relaxation and enhance performance.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Why fight your way to the top when you can rise to it? Let go of the obsession to win - and you will be victorious. Acknowledge your vulnerabilities - and turn them into strengths. Find the courage to risk failure - and begin your journey to success.
That is the secret of the TaoAthlete, and in this remarkable book t'ai chi expert Chugliange Al Huang and renowned professional and Olympic sports psychologist Jerry Lynch teach you the time honored principles of successful performance - whether on the playing field, in the office, or in your relationships. By mastering the unique strategies and mental exercises of the TaoAthlete, you'll unlock the extraordinary powers of body, mind, and spirit that will lead you to victory in any field of endeavor.
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Summary: Important Tool for Committed Athletes
Review: This book addresses most of the stumbling blocks many athletes encounter in their quest for excellence. It then suggests specific guidelines for achieving not only performance excellence but also an internal sense of calm and satisfaction with the effort and accomplishment.
The format is succinct and easily used as a reference when specific concepts need to be reviewed. It is not a deeply theoretical book. Rather, it is a very practical and, in my experience, highly effective friend. It has totally changed my approach to my sport (and to my life) with wonderful results.
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Summary: Fabulous!
Review: This IS a book for novices. True Taoists would just have a copy of the Tao Te Ching and the I Ching and draw their own answers through introspection of these two primary documents. While I had hoped that this book would provide something of substance, the whole of the book can literally be summed up with, "Visualize how you want things to be and it will be so. Center. Take five easy breathes. Act as if and it will be so." The authors say this in EVERY chapter and with every chapter being template formatted to this mantra it gets VERY repetitive and exhausting. I cannot believe they got 300 pages out of the same text... I also have trouble believing that the worldclass athletes alluded to within this book are so undisciplined that they need the simple affirmations provided to open their eyes to their true potential, especially martial artists. The affirmations provided get so much to the point of comedy that it is best to ignore them as you push through the book. (They reminded me of the Saturday Night Live skit, "I'm okay and I like me.") This is a New Age book, not an enlightening text. (Though I acknowledge that once you decide to become enlightened, you are.) If you are an advanced athlete who understands even the basics of Taoism and how it can be applied to ALL ASPECTS of your life, this IS NOT a book for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for the advanced...
Review: This IS a book for novices. True Taoists would just have a copy of the Tao Te Ching and the I Ching and draw their own answers through introspection of these two primary documents. While I had hoped that this book would provide something of substance, the whole of the book can literally be summed up with, "Visualize how you want things to be and it will be so. Center. Take five easy breathes. Act as if and it will be so." The authors say this in EVERY chapter and with every chapter being template formatted to this mantra it gets VERY repetitive and exhausting. I cannot believe they got 300 pages out of the same text... I also have trouble believing that the worldclass athletes alluded to within this book are so undisciplined that they need the simple affirmations provided to open their eyes to their true potential, especially martial artists. The affirmations provided get so much to the point of comedy that it is best to ignore them as you push through the book. (They reminded me of the Saturday Night Live skit, "I'm okay and I like me.") This is a New Age book, not an enlightening text. (Though I acknowledge that once you decide to become enlightened, you are.) If you are an advanced athlete who understands even the basics of Taoism and how it can be applied to ALL ASPECTS of your life, this IS NOT a book for you.
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