Carry Tiger to Mountain: The Tao of Activism and Leadership

by Stephen Legault

"Stephen Legault's marvelous ability to connect the experiences of the present leaders of social causes with the wisdom of the ancients shows us all that there is a passage through the often-seeming[ly] insurmountable obstacles of the present, a way that enables all who care to be successful in their personal and professional lives."—Brock Evans This fascinating and useful book is a modern-day interpretation of Lao Tzu’s Tao te Ching for social activists and leaders within various activist movements in western civil society. It’s a thoughtful examination of how the Tao , and Taoist thought, might be applied to the challenges, conflicts, and obstacles that activists and concerned citizens face as they fight contemporary battles regarding such issues as poverty, workers’ rights, environmentalism, freedom of expression, gender and sexual equality, and social justice. The book also includes a verse-by-verse interpretation of the Tao te Ching ’s 81 “chapters”; the Tao te Ching is one of the most important historical works of Chinese philosophy, and is the basis of Taoism (or Daoism). Carry Tiger to Mountain is a timely book about the role of spirituality in activism in the twenty-first century, and how we—not only activists per se, but those for whom issues of social and political justice are important—can forge new paths in their daily struggles to make the world a better place, and at the same time restore personal balance to their lives. Includes an introduction by Dr. Jim Butler, a political activist for the past 30 years who is also a Buddhist monk.

225 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2006

About the author

Stephen Legault is the author of fourteen books, including most recently Where Rivers Meet: Photographs and Stories from the Bow Valley and Kananaskis and Earth and Sky: Photographs and Stories from Montana and Alberta.

He is a full-time conservation activist, writer, photographer, public speaker, and strategy consultant who lives in Canmore, Alberta with his wife Jenn, and two sons, Rio and Silas. He has been writing since 1988, and for nearly as long has been leading national and international conservation programs and organizations.

Stephen recently served as the program director (Crown, Alberta, NWT) of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y). His writing includes nine murder mystery novels, books of essays on Buddhism and Taoism and a collection of works by 25 authors on the Bow Valley of Alberta.

Follow Stephen on Facebook, or visit www.stephenlegault.com.

Reviews

[Sue Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by a fellow that had come into my place of work one day. I can't exactly recall how we started up on books and reading but it went there eventually and he mentioned that this was one of two that changed his life. I was intrigued. For a couple of reasons. One - I don't know if I could pinpoint a book - or two - that has changed my life. Influenced it - yes. Enhanced it - definitely. Enlarged it - by all means! But to change it .... it has to be pretty powerful to change it. Two - I am always looking at people's perspectives. I've found some wonderful stories of people and their life experiences. I can tell you truthfully that everyone has a story to tell, often when you would never think there would be one there to tell at all. Plus I think it's always instructive for your own life's journey to see anothers - to learn other lessons to lessen your own, so to speak. So I kept the sticky note that these two books were noted on and have been looking at it for a long time.

And I discovered that I really need to look into the ways of the Tao.

I'm not an activist. And although this book is written for the outlook of that cause using the ways of the Tao to enhance it, I believe it is a way to apply to your life in any way you see fit. What I read I liked and have unwittingly applied as a Mother to my kids. It was exciting to realize it and has made me decide to search out other books on it to see other perspectives on it's philosophy. I like how it makes you evaluate what you see and hear and understand the choices that you can make in your life. And how that can ultimately influence others.

A very powerful idea.

If you're an activist, this book has other aspects that Tao can help you overcome or master to make it a satisfying experience. If you want a nice short and sweet intro into Tao, this was it. Easy to read and interesting to see it applied to a cause. Certainly it's something that has made me realize that it's a fork in my path that I will need to follow.

[Jennifer]

Read this for my Curriculum Leadership course, and it was the right book for the right time—very Tao. :-) As I’m working to begin building community and a strong support network for and with preservice and career teachers, much of the advice was salient and helpful. I’ll revisit this book as my small (for now) group and I work together for a better future for ALL students and teachers.