Barefoot Doctor's Guide to the Tao: A Spiritual Handbook for the Urban Warrior

In ancient China, barefoot doctors traveled from village to village without concern for financial or personal gain. Their aim was helping people stay healthy and in good spirits, explains author Stephen Russell, who for the past 20 years has considered himself to be the modern-day "barefoot doctor." Applying the principles of ancient Chinese Taoism, Russell dishes out irreverent advice for how to find peace and prolong life while keeping one's Donna Karan designer clothing and urban lifestyle.

The first step, claims the barefoot doctor, is to recognize that we're all urban warriors, engaged in a spiritual struggle between the forces of light and darkness within us and around us. Rather than get into "inner street brawls" with these opposing forces, Russell suggests that readers learn to live in balance by following one's Tao or "The Way." Russell humorously yet wisely illustrates how readers can follow the Tao, including short chapters on "Manners," "Condoms," "Cults, Gurus," "People Surfing," and "Intuition." This is a somewhat glib but surprisingly sensible spiritual guidebook for those who like their teachers to be streetwise as well as enlightened. --Gail Hudson