The Tao of Pooh (The Wisdom of Pooh)

This book talks of the joys of been simple minded and I think that's just what you would have to be to enjoy this book. However, if your looking for a book that encourages you to be free of responsibility, knowledge and work this is for you!
This book is also poorly written with a "he says, she says" format! My advise is if your looking for a book about philosophy or even a Pooh look somewhere else.
However, I should also add that the little information it has about philosophers has made me more interested about reading up on the subject. Of course those parts of the book were coped by the writer.

No poo-poohing... (26/27 people found this helpful)

`The Tao of Pooh', a fascinating synthesis of Eastern philosophy and Western children's literature, is done largely in conversational style between Benjamin Hoff, erstwhile writer, photographer and musician with a penchant for forests and bears. Thus, Pooh makes a natural philosophical companion. But, more than a companion, Pooh is, for Hoff, the very embodiment of the Tao.
`It's about how to stay happy and calm under all circumstances!' I yelled.
'Have you read it?' asked Pooh.

This is two-way book: to explain Taoism through Winnie-the-Pooh, and to explain Winnie-the-Pooh (not always an easy task itself) through Taoism. Taoism, more academically, is a religion indigenous to China, built upon teachings primarily of Lao-tzu, with significant influence from Buddha and K'ung Fu-tse. It is in the teachings of harmony and emptiness and being of Lao-tzu, however, that Taoism draws its meaning, believing that earth is a reflection of heaven, and that the world `is not a setter of traps but a teacher of valuable lessons.'

As with many religions, this one took various guises: philosophic, monastic, structural, folk. But through them all, the imperceptible Tao, the essence of being, essentially undescribable, shapes the universe continually out of chaos, with a yin and yang alteration of perpetual transformation, in which nothing remains eternal save the Tao.

This makes Pooh a perfect example and exemplar. `For the written character P'u, the typical Chinese dictionary will give a definition of 'natural, simple, plain, honest.' P'u is composed of two separate characters combined: the first, the 'radical' or root-meaning one, is that for tree or wood; the second, the 'phonetic' or sound-giving one, is the character for dense growth or thicket.'

Through semantic changes, perfectly in keeping with the Tao, we find that Pooh, or P'u, is actually a tree in the thicket, or a wood not cut, or finally, an Uncarved Block. And this, of course, is what pure being is.

Pooh, in his journey through the Tao, with the Tao, of the Tao (it is a hard one to nail down, isn't it?) encounters many. This includes Eeyore, the terminally morose, who represents Knowledge for the sake of Complaining about Something. It also includes Owl, the Western successor of the 'Confucianist Dedicated Scholar', who believes he has all truth as his possession, and studies Knowledge for the Sake of Knowledge (even if it isn't always the best knowledge). `You can't help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn't spell it right; but spelling isn't everything. There are days when spelling Tuesday simply doesn't count.'

Of course, all of the knowledge of the Owl, accompanied by the variable helpfulness of Rabbit who cannot stop activity in favour of just being something, couldn't figure out what had become of Christopher Robin, who left the Very Clear Note on his door:

Who or what is a Backson? Backsons are those people trying to outrun their shadows and their footprints, not realising that to stand still and rest in the shade defeats the power of both. And of course, the Bisy Backson is never at a standstill. And of course, one cannot experience the Tao, be the Tao, know the Tao (well, you get the Tao) if one is perpetually on the run.

or, maybe GONE SOON. Anywhere. Anywhere he hasn't been. Anywhere but where he is. Of course, the idea of not going anywhere is abhorrent to him, and there is no concept of being able to do nothing.

Nothingness frees the mind. Nothing works like nothing. For there is nothing to distract you. Nothing to get in the way. Nothing to hinder you. Nothing means anything.

Any thing is by definition itself, but when it is no thing, it can become potentially any thing.

Wisdom lies in the way of Pooh, who shirks the busy-ness of Rabbit, the intellectual hubris of Owl, and the doom-saying of Eeyore. Pooh simply is, and enjoys being who he is. Pooh is a Master, who knows the Way. Learn from him. Learn to be with him.

Rubbish! (6/48 people found this helpful)

The scary thing about this book is that it sold shedloads. Preachy, judgemental, anti-intellectual, semi-facist crap aimed at stupid gullible middle-class yuppies, who you can just imagine sighing "oh its so TRUE!" as they read. Absolute rubbish! All you 5 star reviewers should be ashamed. Go read the orginal taoist or buddhist texts if you want to find out about the "Way." Pooh is a KIDS book people and Pooh is a rather sweet, but not so bright bear.

So-so... (2/17 people found this helpful)

I picked up this book because I love Winnie the Pooh (and who doesn't?) but I found it quite heavy-going. The taoist concepts were quite hard to grasp, but over-all the inclusion of Winnie saves the book.

Taoism for a Teen (6/8 people found this helpful)

If This book had not been writen, I would have never been introduced to taoism, simply because it sounds to much like religion. yet the lessons i've learned in this book helped me get through the trecherous years of high school.
I was always trying to fit in to crowds that just didn't feel natural. now I have found my true friends and, even though on the surface we have very little in common, deep down we all have two things in common, a love for things unique and a deep and passionate hatred for popular culture. this book is definetly catagorized into the first group

The Tao of Pooh (The Wisdom of Pooh)

Benjamin Hoff

Reader Reviews:

Simple. (2/24 people found this helpful)

No poo-poohing... (26/27 people found this helpful)

Rubbish! (6/48 people found this helpful)

So-so... (2/17 people found this helpful)

Taoism for a Teen (6/8 people found this helpful)

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