The Tao of Now

Daily Wisdom from Mystics, Sages, Poets and Saints

By Josh Baran

New Paperback Edition:  September 2008 (Hampton Roads)

Originally published in 2003 as 365 Nirvana Here and Now

“Read this—Now.  Josh Baran delivers a daily wake-up call from the world's great thinkers, celebrated and obscure.”  —O the Oprah Magazine

"This collection is the very compilation of teachings that has been sorely missed up until now in spiritual literature. It is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in finding peace in the present moment."  —Sharon Salzberg, author and Buddhist meditation teacher

"Everyday  Nirvana.  At last:  A seeker's guide to the end of seeking..." 

—Tricycle, the Buddhist Review

“If you loved The Power of Now, this book is for you.  The Tao of Now is both fun to read and transformational.”  —Raphael Cushnir, author of Setting Your Heart on Fire

"In this non-sectarian, wake-up now spirit, Baran presents us with readings from traditions and non-traditions. There's one for every day of the year and we can take it in before we have finished our morning beverage. "— Shambhala Sun

Featured in Time Magazine’s cover story “The Science of Meditation” (8/4/03)

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People often imagine enlightenment as something only for the spiritually elite, requiring decades or even lifetimes of spiritual practice in Himalayan caves. THE TAO OF NOW:  Daily Wisdom from Mystics, Sages, Poets, and Saints (Hampton Roads, September 2008) suggests that the awakened state is actually immediately present and available to everyone. Josh Baran, a former Zen priest, spent ten years gathering 365 of the most powerful and inspiring examples of this insight—illuminating the abundance and grace that is here right before our eyes and in every breath.

THE TAO OF NOW has been praised as an “exquisite handbook for enlightenment,” as “an invaluable resource for anyone interested in finding peace in the present moment,” and called, “the ultimate hit parade of ageless wisdom and timeless presence.”   The book has been endorsed by Jack Canfield, Lama Surya Das, Byron Katie, Rodney Yee, Raphael Cushnir, Krishna Das, Susan Piver, Sharon Salzberg, Helen Palmer, Mark Matousek, and featured in such publications as Time Magazine, O the Oprah Magazine, Tricycle: the Buddhist Review, and Shambhala Sun. 

In this treasury of timeless wisdom, Josh has carefully gathered voices spanning cultures, centuries, continents and traditions—from ancient Buddhist, Tibetan, Indian, and Zen sages to Christian and Jewish mystics to contemporary western teachers, artists, scientists, screenwriters, and poets—all celebrating the beautiful perfection of the present moment through stories, dialogues, songs, meditations, teachings and poetry. 

Whether these insights spring from the Buddha, St. Francis, or Alanis Morissette; from Jesus, Krishnamurti, Eckhart Tolle, or the Dalai Lama; from ancient texts or modern films —they all point to the same essential truth.  The flow and juxtaposition of the selections is often startling and profound, each standing alone yet simultaneously building on one another. Additionally, Josh acts as our private guide, providing in-depth personal insights through his on-going commentaries.  He answers many questions readers may have when encountering this simple yet radical viewpoint. 

THE TAO OF NOW is an invaluable companion for anyone, regardless of spiritual experience, seeking peace in their life.  Open this book at any point and read a handful of passages.  You will see how this collection is a daily call to presence and a reminder that the only reality we ever truly experience is here and now. 

Josh writes in the book’s introduction:  “Stop now and look. It is in front of your nose. In the palm of your hand. In the light of your eyes. In the taste on your tongue. You may have ignored this truth your entire life, but you have never been apart from it for a single moment. Nothing is required. No new meditation practices, therapies, ceremonies, or gurus.  No path.  Everything you need is already here, unfolding before you in every instant. Right here, right now.”

THE TAO NOW comes out in the fall of 2008.  Coincidentally, 2008 has been a year of mass media attention of present moment awareness.  Oprah Winfrey conducted an on-line weekly class with Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now and A New Earth, and millions of people participated.  Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor became a media and web sensation with her remarkable book, A Stroke of Insight, which chronicled her realization of here and now awareness during a serious brain stroke. 

Note:  The Tao of Now was originally published in October 2003 as 365 Nirvana Here and Now.  This new re-titled version is revised and includes new selections.

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Josh Baran is a former Zen priest and a well-known strategic communications consultant. Over the last 25 years, he has worked with many organizations and companies including Amnesty International, Rock the Vote, Natural Resources Defense Council, Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Universal Pictures, Warner Records, Oracle and Microsoft. In the last few years, he has focused on environmental communications.  He worked closely with Paramount Pictures and Al Gore in support of the release of “An Inconvenient Truth.”  In addition, he provides public relations for new green technologies and industries.  For many years, he has managed media relations for some of the major visits of the Dalai Lama to the Eastern United States including the two huge events in Central Park. He lives in New York City.

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Contact the Author:  jcbaran@aol.com

THE TAO OF NOW

Josh Baran

Hampton Roads

Available on-line and in stores:  September 2008

ISBN:  978-1-57174-584-2

432 Pages

Suggested Retail Price: $16.95 US / $19.95 Canada