Dedicated to the ancient Chinese master Lao-tzu. May his wisdom continue to enlighten the world. EFFORTLESS LIVING “Immersing yourself in the origins and underpinnings of this ancient way of thinking and being will definitely help usher you into the Intuition Age with its interconnected, holographic perception. This book is brimming over with gems and overall wisdom. It’s a comprehensive weaving of many threads that makes for a fascinating—and useful— read.” PENNEY PEIRCE, AUTHOR OF LEAP OF PERCEPTION AND FREQUENCY “In the West, people say, ‘where there’s a will there’s a way,’ by imposing your will over nature. More often than not this backfires. In ancient China, the wise ones discovered that the best way is wu-wei, ‘doing nothing,’ and thereby getting everything done by letting nature take its course. In this book you’ll learn how that’s not-done.” DANIEL REID, AUTHOR OF THE TAO OF HEALTH, SEX, AND LONGEVITY AND THE TAO OF DETOX “In Effortless Living, Jason Gregory explains in clear and simple terms the Taoist concept of wu-wei and reintroduces a model of contemplation much needed in the world today. He describes how wu-wei (literally ‘not forcing’ or ‘allowing’) can facilitate communion with the Tao—the timeless flow from which everything else we perceive is but a reflection. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I learned so much from it. My humble thanks to Jason Gregory for facilitating my own understanding of the Tao and, in doing so, allowing me to apprehend the inner silence and to listen to its wordless wisdom.” ANTHONY PEAKE, AUTHOR OF THE INFINITE MINDFIELD AND OPENING THE DOORS OF PERCEPTION AND COAUTHOR OF THE IMMORTAL MIND “Jason Gregory has tapped into a living stream of wisdom to bring us an antidote to our cultural numbness. By learning how to let things be, rather than interfere and intervene in an unnatural order of life, Gregory forces us to love the world again, by trusting it. This is essential and practical wisdom for a modern social world at its best.” KINGSLEY L. DENNIS, AUTHOR OF THE PHOENIX GENERATION AND NEW CONSCIOUSNESS FOR A NEW WORLD “Effortless Living is a timely book. In a time where absolutist and rigid views are proving to be outmoded if not dangerous, Jason Gregory uses his heart and critical thinking skills to lay bare the essential, irreducible teachings of Lao-tzu. He deconstructs the myths, formulaic thinking, and the business of ritual of Taoism as it is practiced today that obscure and often hinder our innate abilities to have a direct experience of that from which we are never separate.” ROBERT SACHS, AUTHOR OF THE PASSIONATE BUDDHA AND THE WISDOM OF THE BUDDHIST MASTERS “In Effortless Living, Jason Gregory reminds us that a magic still dwells in our world despite the external forces, and psychological habits, that increasingly steer us toward cynicism. Gregory gives not only clear explanations of Taoism and reconciliations of it with Confucianism, but also guidelines for getting in touch with the Tao at the heart of all things. Furthermore, he makes clear why the root of world peace is the inner peace of the individual, which is why—socially and environmentally— this book is so deeply valuable. This is the best book on Taoism as a spiritual path since Alan Watts wrote Tao: The Watercourse Way nearly fifty years ago, and so I say, it’s about time.” DANA SAWYER, PROFESSOR OF RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY AT THE MAINE COLLEGE OF ART AND AUTHOR OF ALDOUS HUXLEY: A BIOGRAPHY “In this work the Tao is alive, expressing through itself, as itself! The words propel us through the labyrinth of mind to point us directly at the profound truths of our being, that mysterious Way which transcends the intellect and filters of the human mind. The book reverberates with the perennial truth that the great saints and sages of antiquity have taught. With clarity and insight we come to see the place of techniques and practices as well as their limitations. The dismantling of mind is palpable as we are pointed over and over again to the limits of the words themselves and a possibility of an opening, a dawning of that which we always already are but have forgotten.” DANIEL SCHMIDT, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER OF INNER WORLDS, OUTER WORLDS AND SAMADHI “In Effortless Living, Gregory portrays beautifully the ideas of hard-and- fast belief colliding with the natural harmony of true living with the flow of our natural state of being. This book also wonderfully explains how our need to control is more of an illusion that creates the very struggles that we see in our modern world; control interrupts the natural flow of life.” STEVEN L. HAIRFIELD, PHD, AUTHOR OF A METAPHYSICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE Acknowledgments Istarted writing Effortless Living back in 2013 in a small apartment in Seoul, South Korea. Since then this book has been on a journey around the world for over three years, from Seoul to Chiang Mai in Thailand to Tiruvannamalai in India on to Pokhara in Nepal and then back to Chiang Mai. It has changed shape many times, including numerous title changes, a stack of edits and reedits, and many additions and subtractions all along the way. There are many people to thank for persisting with me in the unfoldment of this book. First and foremost, I am forever grateful to my wife, Gayoung. You showed extreme patience and tender care during this extended writing process. When I would let this book rest for months on end you would motivate me to persevere with it and inspire me to continue to overcome the obstacles this book presented. You always said the right thing at the right time to curb my anxiety, leading to insightful guidance. I am beyond fortunate to live a life with someone who embraces the rollercoaster of uncertainty. Our trust in this crazy ride called our life is the trust we have in the love we share with each other. Let’s see where this rollercoaster will flip us next. Secondly, a big hug and humble gratitude to all of the wonderful people at Inner Traditions and Bear & Company. Words cannot describe what you’ve all done for my work going forward. I am especially thankful to my acquisition editor, Jon Graham. Jon, you steered me through the whole process. You pushed me all the way. You knew this book could be so much more. Back in 2013 when I thought the book was finished, you intuitively knew that I could do better. And this process happened many times because I was too anxious to finish the book without understanding its true potential, which included a massive revision. Without your book industry knowledge and all-around wisdom this book would have remained on my bookshelf. Thank you for giving it wings to fly. Next I owe a debt of gratitude to my two editors for this book. First of all, a big thank you to my copyeditor, Richard Smoley, for meticulously going over each line to make the text sparkle with clarity. Secondly, heartfelt gratitude to my project editor, Meghan MacLean. You’ve been my project editor for my three previous books, and I’m always astounded by your skill and wisdom. But this time you really outdid yourself. For you to be able to focus and do your work with minimal fuss just before and after the birth of your child is a testament to the amazing individual you are. Effortless Living was extremely fortunate to have a foreword written by Taoist teacher of traditional martial arts Damo Mitchell. It’s no surprise that our paths have crossed considering our mutual love for the internal arts and the Eastern mind they came from. Some of my fondest memories are when you and your wife, Roni, visited Chiang Mai. I enjoyed gallivanting around northern Thailand with both of you. It’s not common that two authors write a foreword for each other’s books, but I’m proud to have written one for you and to have you provide one for Effortless Living. Last but definitely not least, a humble bow to three of the great sages of the Warring States period of China: Lao-tzu, Confucius, and Chuang-tzu. All three were the inspiration behind this book. Though their views may differ, and even though I may appear critical of Confucius in this book, we are truly blessed to have open access to all their wisdom. Now more than ever their wisdom is needed. Effortless Living hopes to carry their wisdom into the future.