Joseph Kazden’s newest book “TAO: A New Interpretation” recently hit the bestseller list, given the mind-blowing nature of this book that was no surprise. This is the third bestselling book from this brilliant author, whose books take readers on a cosmic ride exploring physics, the nature of reality, and yes consciousness.
While some may think this book is a translation of the “Tao Te Ching,” it is not, it is a rather dynamic and thought provoking interpretation. In “TAO: A New Interpretation” Kazden focuses on the fundamental conundrum laid out in its text; a conundrum intrinsic to the very existence of consciousness and reality. Einstein himself understood this concept when he noted that: “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a persistent one.”
“TAO: A New Interpretation” is destined to inspire readers to expand their inner horizons, making it a must read for generations to come. We were thrilled to sit down with this talented author, to learn more about him and his groundbreaking work.
“TAO: A New Interpretation” just hit the bestseller list, as have all your books. What does it feel like to have another book on the bestseller list?
The content of my books does not fall into what might be called the mainstream. The ideas I write about are challenging and require thought and engagement from the reader. They also require open mindedness. With a willingness to put what you are sure is true on temporary hold, you can explore a new way of looking at the world. My books examine the world, and its reality, from unconventional, though not unknown, vantage points. For this reason, it is very heartening for me to see so many who are willing to engage with the ideas that my books posit. I must also send a huge shout out to eBookMarketingSolutions.com, Michael Beas, and Dar Dowling. Their belief in and support of my work, as well as their expertise, and their own hard work, has been an indispensable aid in helping to get this work into the public sphere.
TAO: A New Interpretation” is a very dynamic and enlightening book. It’s actually a new interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, and the way you have written it sets it apart from other books. What inspired you to write this groundbreaking book?
The Tao Te Ching has been important in my life since my late teens. It, along with the writings of Chuang Tzu, Zen Buddhism, Eugien Herrigel, Robert Pirsig, and Carlos Castaneda among many others, have created openings that allowed fresh breezes and clear light to flow into the dark and sequestered places of my inner being. When I was writing my last book, Gita, I found that I had to create my own translation of the Tao Te Ching to enable me to incorporate it into the book. I did this using a variety of sources. It was in the process of doing so that I realized I had to re-interpret the Tao Te Ching. As a text it has had a deep influence on my ideas of totIs, on the concept of the nonmanifest nature of reality, and thus the illusory nature of observation by consciousness. For me this interpretation of TAO helps to clarify the unity of all creation.
What was it like writing this book during the time of Covid 19?
There is a passage in the book “Black Elk Speaks” by John Neihardt that metaphorically evokes that feeling for me. In it Black Elk recounts his incarceration for, essentially, being native American. In the passage Black Elk rhetorically asks whether his jailers understand that his spiritual power comes from his own personal practice of self-isolation and deprivation. To paraphrase, “Don’t they know?” He ask’s, “that instead of punishing me, putting me in this situation will only increase my power?” This could have been John the Baptist talking. The unique circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic afforded me an opportunity to focus on this work in a unique way. It is one of several of the constructive effects that the virus brought to my life, and that have helped to balance its concomitant destructive elements.
You have a unique point of view, which is evident in all your books. Can you tell me how you developed this vision of the world?
The story of the cause-and-effect process of the development of my world view would, I’m afraid, lead us all through a hall of mirrors with no exit. In its own way it is a Chicken and Egg conundrum. That said there was a moment in my life when I was a young boy of about 10 or 11. I was an outcast, had buck teeth, curly hair, and was poorly dressed. The other boys and girls made merciless fun of me. To try and impress them I would tell the most outlandish lies about my life, what I’d done and what I was capable of. I did this knowing full well they were lies. One day it hit me like a bolt. The lies I was telling them were really lies I was telling myself. I was losing my grasp of what was true and real, and somehow, through the grace of god, I don’t know, but somehow, I understood the importance of truth as a path to self. I promised myself from that day on to stop lying to myself and live the life of me, not of someone I wanted others to think I was. Easier said than done. To do so I needed to search within myself, to find and confront the impetus for engaging in such behavior. The short answer is that the impetus is fear, not of this or that, but fear itself. Circumstances themselves are not fearful until we ourselves attach the fear to them. The truth is that every circumstance affords the opportunity for us to be anything, from our best to our worst selves. In confronting my own fears, a door opened that put me on a path to discover, fearlessly, the world as it is, as opposed to how I wished it was. I love Einstein’s quote “I live in that solitude, which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.” And though that moment was an important one, it has taken a lifetime of commitment to live in reality. It is this that has helped me develop and hone my vision of the world, no matter what the circumstances.
I know this is a little soon to ask this question but since “TAO: A New Interpretation” has been such a hit I feel like I must – do you have another project or book in the works?
I feel the seeds of a new book germinating, maybe even sprouting a bit, but am not sure of its form yet. A friend just recently gave me a small but jam-packed book called “Essays in Science” by Albert Einstein, published by the Philosophical Library, New York. It feels like a rain nurturing those tender sprouts. So, as I read, I write. As I write, the way begins to open. I’m confident that something more concrete will appear but for now I remain more interested in the sights, sounds, and feelings of the journey as I traverse it.
To learn more about Joseph Kazden and “TAO: A New Interpretation” head over to Amazon.
