William and Nancy Martin have drawn on the timeless wisdom of the Tao Te Ching and on their years of experience in counseling, hospice work, and Zen practice to present a compassionate and gentle guide to the art of giving care.William Martin has re-interpreted the Tao Te Ching in the style of his ever-popular The Parent's Tao Te Ching to present a series of wisdom teachings that touch the very core of living a caring life in the midst of constant change. Together he and Nancy have added reflections and suggestions that help readers discover natural responses and helpful actions in the midst of the confusion of caring for those in life-altering circumstances. In this practical and gentle book they have blended the complexity of compassionate care with the clear simplicity of the Taoist/Zen tradition.
The book follows the 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching. Each chapter will be in two parts: Listening to the Tao, an original wisdom verse that captures the essence of that Taoist principle as it applies to caregiving situations, and Putting the Tao into Action, a prose reflection on the practical applications of the principle to the actual practice of giving care.
This book will be a resource for all those who seek to respond with compassion to family, friends, clients, or patients who are in the midst of difficult life changes. It will enable life's difficult times to become opportunities for grace and growth - both for those who receive and for those who give care.
