The Daily Tao: 365 Meditations on the Tao Te Ching

by William Martin

An accessible daily guide to applying the timeless wisdom of the Tao Te Ching to your life, featuring an original translation from Taoist author William Martin​

The Daily Tao is an invitation to choose peace over distraction, flexibility over fear, and wisdom over turmoil. Written in 400 BCE by the Chinese sage Laozi, the Tao Te Ching is a potent source of wisdom that speaks to spiritual seekers across faith traditions and secular lines.

 Inside the Daily Tao, you'll find a reading from the Tao Te Ching for every day of the year, along with a reflection to lead you to deeper understanding, and an intention for the day. Whether you begin your morning with the Tao or snatch a spare moment of calm in the hurry of the day, The Daily Tao will create a practice of reflection that will echo through your life. 

The word Tao literally translates to "the way" and the Daily Tao is the perfect  companion on that journey, step by step and day by day. Author William Martin's extensive work on the Tao has been embraced by countless readers and praised by the likes of Oprah and Alice Walker. Drawing on work first shared in his beloved book A Path and a Practice, this original translation of the Tao maintains the lyrical poeticism of the text while making its wisdom accessible for all. 

The Daily Tao is part of The Day by Day series, a collection of books designed to help readers infuse the rhythms of their lives with meaning and intention. Our lives are built by small choices, tiny moments, and quiet thoughts—The Day by Day series is a gentle way to choose those moments and begin to build a life you love. 
 

Genres: Spirituality

426 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 3, 2024

About the author

Meet 'the king of the historical thriller' (Providence Journal). William Martin is a New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels, an award-winning PBS documentary, book reviews, magazine articles, and a cult classic horror movie, too. He is best known for his historical fiction, which has chronicled the lives of the great and the anonymous in American history while bringing to life legendary American locations, from Cape Cod to the Sierra foothills during the California Gold Rush. His latest, December '41, sweeps us across America in the weeks after Pearl Harbor and has been hailed as "propulsive," "cinematic,' and "riveting" by critics. He was the recipient of the prestigious 2005 New England Book Award, given to "an author whose body of work stands as a significant contribution to the culture of the region." And in 2015, the USS CONSTITUTION Museum gave him the Samuel Eliot Morison Award. He has three grown children and lives near Boston with his wife.

Reviews

[Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Martin’s The Daily Tao offers a year of daily reflections inspired by the Tao Te Ching, blending poetic translations with accessible insights. Perfect for moments of mindfulness, the book encourages peace, flexibility, and intentional living. Its simple, practical structure makes it an inspiring guide for anyone seeking balance and meaning in everyday life.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did a 2025 reading challenge that had a prompt to read a book slowly. I chose this one. It was one lesson a day for the entire year. I'm glad I chose this book. The Tao is wise. Each little lesson makes you contemplate your thoughts and actions and reflect on how you might improve yourself and how you relate to the world around you - not just other people. I am going to continue to read it daily, starting at the beginning.

[Maileen Hamto · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Daily Tao" by William Martin is a collection of one year’s worth of meditative readings about Laozi’s Tao Te Ching. Written over 300 years ago, the Tao has endured among the preeminent texts explaining Eastern traditions of self-knowledge and mastery. Taoist teacher and Qigong practitioner William Martin offers essential teachings from the classic text of Chinese philosophy, spirituality, and moral guidance. In the book, Martin provides an overview of Eastern thought and his approach to making it relevant in everyday life. By emphasizing the lessons of stillness and being in the present moment, Martin compiles a thoughtful collection of meditative prompts beneficial to anyone seeking guidance for self-reflection and ease.

I have been a student of Buddhism for almost twenty years. In my evolving understanding of Mahayana Buddhism, I have come to understand the impact of the Tao Te Ching on how China adopted the precepts of Buddhism in its cultural contexts. However, one does not need to understand Chinese history and philosophy to derive meaning, strength, and inspiration from "The Daily Tao." Martin's deep knowledge of the wisdom of the Tao is evident in his ability to explain its value to readers from all backgrounds. The author’s daily practice of compassion and mindfulness is apparent in the approachability of the text, which is suitable for readers of diverse spiritual persuasions.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many things to love about this book! The daily truth bombs are fantastic reminders to keep what’s important in mind as we go through life.

A few of my favorite things:

There is no preachiness. “Lau-Tzu is distrustful of formal religion and does not talk about belief systems.” The lessons are appropriate for literally everyone.

The book is not dated or organized any certain way. Day 1 is simply day 1.

Each day shifts your way of seeing the world just a bit. Over time you’ll notice that you are far more open to different ways of viewing the world and your life has a chill vibe to it that can only be explained by exposure to these teachings.

This is one of those books that I will hold dear and will refer to daily. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hachette Books for the review copy!

[Yamini · Rating 4 out of 5]

The translations of 'Tao Te Ching' are now available to us in various forms. This book filters out the teachings from it in the form of short verses, that the author further explains in his own way and an intention for the day (365 in total).

I liked that the language used was simplified, given the nature of the text was already quite depthful. The division of verses into 365 days makes it easy for people to read and implement its wisdom in their lives. The only thing that was slightly disappointing to me was that some verses often had a similar meaning, giving a sense of repetition - especially if they are laid side by side.

If you are looking for short doses of daily motivation and Chinese philosophy, you should try this.

[Michelle Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been meditating for 18+ months at this point and it’s changed my life for the better ❤️ I was, therefore, so thankful to receive early access to The Daily Tao and read it with gratitude.

This book of daily meditations is one I plan to buy on audiobook upon publication so I can listen to one each day while preparing for meditation. The daily meditation thoughts provide the reader with terrific and inspiring messages.

I found so much within these pages and really appreciated my reading of this.

A full recommendation from me.



Thank you to Hachette Go and NetGalley for the DRC