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The Tao of Survival: Skills to Keep You Alive
"Offers clear, concise, effective, time-tested, even hallowed, means of going into any survival situation with your 'A' game."--Jim Morris, Special Forces major (retired) and award-winning author of War Story
Written by a student and teacher of Asian thought, martial arts, healing, and meditation, The Tao of Survival focuses on real-world, core survival skills that can save your life anytime and anyplace, in any emergency situation. It delves into fundamental concepts that most survival books don't cover, including how to deal with fear, developing mind/body skills, and fully engaging your senses to be aware of your surroundings.
"It is not every day that one comes across a gem. And that is exactly what this book is. For anyone who is into survival--that is, into life and living--then this book is truly a precious commodity to be read by everyone."--Mykel Hawke, author of Hawke's Green Beret Survival Manual and Special Forces combat commander
"What a great book, not only well written and informative, but actually useful. There are many fine books written on the topic of survival . . . but this is the first I've seen which comprehensively focuses on teaching the essential fundamentals of true survival."--Dr. Carl Totton, Psy.D., director of The Taoist Institute and martial arts grandmaster
"[Ayres has] always had a seeker's perspective and has applied it well in his search to know what one needs to learn to be a survivor . . . The Tao of Survival is a masterful synthesis of what it takes to survive . . . while living in a modern world."--David Wescott, director of Backtracks and managing editor of the Bulletin of Primitive Technology
Written by a student and teacher of Asian thought, martial arts, healing, and meditation, The Tao of Survival focuses on real-world, core survival skills that can save your life anytime and anyplace, in any emergency situation. It delves into fundamental concepts that most survival books don't cover, including how to deal with fear, developing mind/body skills, and fully engaging your senses to be aware of your surroundings.
"It is not every day that one comes across a gem. And that is exactly what this book is. For anyone who is into survival--that is, into life and living--then this book is truly a precious commodity to be read by everyone."--Mykel Hawke, author of Hawke's Green Beret Survival Manual and Special Forces combat commander
"What a great book, not only well written and informative, but actually useful. There are many fine books written on the topic of survival . . . but this is the first I've seen which comprehensively focuses on teaching the essential fundamentals of true survival."--Dr. Carl Totton, Psy.D., director of The Taoist Institute and martial arts grandmaster
"[Ayres has] always had a seeker's perspective and has applied it well in his search to know what one needs to learn to be a survivor . . . The Tao of Survival is a masterful synthesis of what it takes to survive . . . while living in a modern world."--David Wescott, director of Backtracks and managing editor of the Bulletin of Primitive Technology
161 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 9, 2013
24 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
James Morgan Ayres
12 books3 followersUsing a variety of pen names, I’ve written more than a hundred articles and short stories, seven books, two shows for television and more commercials than I care to number, or remember.
I worked in Latin America, Asia, and Europe as a consultant for U.S. Government agencies and private corporations. My military service was with the 82nd Airborne Division and the 7th Special Forces Group (Green Berets).
In parallel lives I founded and sold four companies with international operations and have traveled or sojourned in over forty countries.
I attended various institutions of higher learning including Howard University and U.C.L.A. and have trained and studied with masters of martial arts and meditation for over thirty years.
While in college I worked as a truck driver, sponsored sports car race driver, archeologist’s assistant and ghostwriter. I’ve taught martial arts, directed meditation and Eastern philosophy, survival and defensive shooting. Before hopping a freight train at fifteen out of a mid-western state I was employed as a newsboy, strawberry picker and crow hunter.
After a couple of decades knocking around boardrooms and back alleys from Beijing to Zagreb, I now spend my time writing, traveling and continuing as a lifelong student of almost everything.
I worked in Latin America, Asia, and Europe as a consultant for U.S. Government agencies and private corporations. My military service was with the 82nd Airborne Division and the 7th Special Forces Group (Green Berets).
In parallel lives I founded and sold four companies with international operations and have traveled or sojourned in over forty countries.
I attended various institutions of higher learning including Howard University and U.C.L.A. and have trained and studied with masters of martial arts and meditation for over thirty years.
While in college I worked as a truck driver, sponsored sports car race driver, archeologist’s assistant and ghostwriter. I’ve taught martial arts, directed meditation and Eastern philosophy, survival and defensive shooting. Before hopping a freight train at fifteen out of a mid-western state I was employed as a newsboy, strawberry picker and crow hunter.
After a couple of decades knocking around boardrooms and back alleys from Beijing to Zagreb, I now spend my time writing, traveling and continuing as a lifelong student of almost everything.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 20, 2015
Bought this title for my brother-in-law (a neurologist) after he shared with me that he had purchased a big "survival kit" after one of the many natural disasters that happened over the past ten years, then we made fun of all the things in his kit that would be useless, spoiled, or simply missing as necessities should hell freeze over. As a gift, I will arm him with this.
I chose this title because as an army airborne infantry veteran, the idea of pop survival books and b.s. TV shows is laughable. Bear Grylls is a Hollywood-sculpted sham, and most survival books outside of military-crafted ones are probably, in my opinion, kindling best used to light a fire. Ayres delivers a work of Taoism-applied philosophy to the ignorant, selfish, fearful Westerner, and he does it very well. This book is short & sweet, and I'll just go ahead and say "cute" too. It's more about mental, physical, and existential fitness than silly kung-fu moves and improvised explosives. Most importantly, I believe, is the 3-page section on "Death." Where Western religions have hammered fear and senseless mythological paradises into their canons, Eastern religions look at death as simply another beginning. This is a fundamental change in mindset that could improve the nature of societies and cultures everywhere. Mindfulness, alertness, action-oriented methodology for survival in everyday life to catastrophic circumstances beyond any one's (and any divine being's) control.
Whether an asteroid splits the planet in two, being in a hostile office environment, or when intolerant Texas* finally declares war on the rest of the country, having the proper mindset will, in most cases, help you and those you are supposed to protect.
*Sorry, I should replace "Texas" with "any knot of ignorant redneckery" to cover communities in Virginia and Tennessee specifically, and anywhere else abstractly.
I chose this title because as an army airborne infantry veteran, the idea of pop survival books and b.s. TV shows is laughable. Bear Grylls is a Hollywood-sculpted sham, and most survival books outside of military-crafted ones are probably, in my opinion, kindling best used to light a fire. Ayres delivers a work of Taoism-applied philosophy to the ignorant, selfish, fearful Westerner, and he does it very well. This book is short & sweet, and I'll just go ahead and say "cute" too. It's more about mental, physical, and existential fitness than silly kung-fu moves and improvised explosives. Most importantly, I believe, is the 3-page section on "Death." Where Western religions have hammered fear and senseless mythological paradises into their canons, Eastern religions look at death as simply another beginning. This is a fundamental change in mindset that could improve the nature of societies and cultures everywhere. Mindfulness, alertness, action-oriented methodology for survival in everyday life to catastrophic circumstances beyond any one's (and any divine being's) control.
Whether an asteroid splits the planet in two, being in a hostile office environment, or when intolerant Texas* finally declares war on the rest of the country, having the proper mindset will, in most cases, help you and those you are supposed to protect.
*Sorry, I should replace "Texas" with "any knot of ignorant redneckery" to cover communities in Virginia and Tennessee specifically, and anywhere else abstractly.
September 12, 2019
Taoism to me is a philosophy which deals with man's place within Mother Nature. Taoism teaches us that we can only reform ourselves and we can only do that by attaining balance and harmony with our environment. Tao of Survival helps us learn how to develop an awareness of what our minds can overcome when our bodies resist or want to quit. Mr. Ayres does this by giving us easy-to-learn activities directed at strengthening an awareness of how to react in times of great stress or danger.
In a calamity such as an auto accident, a great flood, or an apartment fire, there is always someone who narrows his or her vision and only sees what needs to be done to help others survive. Police, fire-fighters, or medical personnel are trained for their roles, yet there are always some who cannot function under emotional stress. They could benefit from practising the exercises contained in the Tao of Survival.
The author writes "Thoughts are powerful. Thoughts help to create our individual realities. Believe you can survive, or that you cannot, and you'll be correct either way. Endurance is partially physical and mostly mental. During intense military training I saw many outstanding high school and college athletes fold up...Virtually all who quit did so because their mind told them to quit..." They were "special" because they willed themselves to endure.
Mr. Ayres also tells us that "without mutual dependency, our survival is in peril." You do not have to have been a member of Special Forces to practice The Tao of Survival and still develop a better understanding of survival in our stress-filled and sometimes dangerous world.
As terrible as terror and shooting events of the past few years have seemed in the headlines, let us not lose our heads and run around like Chicken Little screaming "the sky is falling." Terrorists and thugs have been around since the beginning of recorded history and will continue their horrible activities after all of us are long dead. There are things we can and should do in such an event, but panic is not one of them nor is listening to extremist dialogue from silver-haired (and sharp-tongued) politicians.
In his Afterword, Mr. Ayres emphasises a broad concept of teamwork, "Ordinary people do not survive in these beleaguered countries by bunkering up, arming themselves and fearing their neighbors. They survive by cooperation and interdependence, by forming communities and villages...From tribe to country, the history of humanity is not only of conflict, but of mutual dependency."
The team helps us survive but we have to be willing to endure for the sake of not only ourselves, but also those around us.
In a calamity such as an auto accident, a great flood, or an apartment fire, there is always someone who narrows his or her vision and only sees what needs to be done to help others survive. Police, fire-fighters, or medical personnel are trained for their roles, yet there are always some who cannot function under emotional stress. They could benefit from practising the exercises contained in the Tao of Survival.
The author writes "Thoughts are powerful. Thoughts help to create our individual realities. Believe you can survive, or that you cannot, and you'll be correct either way. Endurance is partially physical and mostly mental. During intense military training I saw many outstanding high school and college athletes fold up...Virtually all who quit did so because their mind told them to quit..." They were "special" because they willed themselves to endure.
Mr. Ayres also tells us that "without mutual dependency, our survival is in peril." You do not have to have been a member of Special Forces to practice The Tao of Survival and still develop a better understanding of survival in our stress-filled and sometimes dangerous world.
As terrible as terror and shooting events of the past few years have seemed in the headlines, let us not lose our heads and run around like Chicken Little screaming "the sky is falling." Terrorists and thugs have been around since the beginning of recorded history and will continue their horrible activities after all of us are long dead. There are things we can and should do in such an event, but panic is not one of them nor is listening to extremist dialogue from silver-haired (and sharp-tongued) politicians.
In his Afterword, Mr. Ayres emphasises a broad concept of teamwork, "Ordinary people do not survive in these beleaguered countries by bunkering up, arming themselves and fearing their neighbors. They survive by cooperation and interdependence, by forming communities and villages...From tribe to country, the history of humanity is not only of conflict, but of mutual dependency."
The team helps us survive but we have to be willing to endure for the sake of not only ourselves, but also those around us.
September 9, 2018
An interesting, useful, and practical look at the basics of and uses for Taoist meditation. Most helpfully he also provides small practice lessons to help internalize it - the "how to" that many such books leave out.
Taoist practice is compatible with any religion or none as at it's heart it is simply the practice of being present to experience life more fully and act/react more effectively to whatever happens. This book simply applies it to happenings on the more dangerous ends of the spectrum.
Taoist practice is compatible with any religion or none as at it's heart it is simply the practice of being present to experience life more fully and act/react more effectively to whatever happens. This book simply applies it to happenings on the more dangerous ends of the spectrum.
December 23, 2019
This is a super book to help you build your situational awareness and reactions. It's one of those I'll be going back to again and again to practice the exercises.
March 2, 2015
This is really two reviews in one as both my husband and I have read this enlightening and most helpful book. Among other things, the book contains exercises to support in relaxing, centering and healing. I spend time each morning doing the simple exercises, and find it helps me to focus for the day.
My husband suffers from depression, and like many of his fellow sufferers has tried many solutions to combat the issue. He would be the first to tell you that has found the exercises in this book absolutely invaluable. Nothing, and I mean nothing, has helped him as these exercises have. He is now dedicated to spending time focusing, centering and gathering himself at the start of each new day. If for any reason, he does not do the exercises, he can tell the difference, and isn't as calm and relaxed. He is thrilled to have found something as simple and accessible as the information in this book.
We have both enjoyed discovering the delights of gathering Chi and the simple meditations, which have an holistic and non-religious approach.
We can highly recommend this book to everyone. Its a great investment; why not see for yourself
Currently reading
July 14, 2018have stalled on this book because a lot of the exercises require two people. @(!@%*(~@%$.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews