The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism

One of the best books I’ve read. Goes detailed enough into the physics to be reputable, and thus is able to draw deep, understandable parallels with eastern mysticism.

Amazing work. Everyone should own a copy . . . . and read it !!

This is an outstanding! book. It is non-too complicated nor overly-simplified so that every reader can gain an insight into physics and the Eastern non-scientific view of life, with an explanation of universal forces and laws such as unity of opposites. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

Needed for course. Ok I guess....

This book weaves a magical spell over the reader who is fascinated by both science and mysticism. It covers both in great depth and detail. The essential teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and Zen are carefully distilled and the unifying principles of these paths are identified. The one characteristic all these '-isms' share is the awareness of unity of the connectedness of the whole. Capra compares and contrasts classical and modern physics while integrating the mystical truths as discovered in these religions. It is a daunting undertaking but he succeeds with aplomb! The close parallels between Eastern mysticism and modern physics (quantum physics) is amazing - each approaches reality from a different starting point but arrives at the same place. Capra writes about the cosmic dance of particle, energy, and consciousness - highly complex topics, in a very readable manner. He touches upon Geoffrey Chew's S-matrix theory (bootstrap philosophy) and Bohm's theory of Implicate Order. He calls the paradigm shift we are experiencing "a crisis of perception" from which all problems in the world arise. The manner in which scientific ideas are interspersed with mystical concepts is truly astonishing! Fritjof Capra manages to precipitate the essential kernal of truth from apparent divergent viewpoints ...This is a great book for anyone exploring the relationship of the rational scientific view and mysticism, i.e., the spiritual journey. This is a very valuable book for the modern world. Erika Borsos (bakonyvilla)

This is a complicated read. I tried my best to stick with it, but it just became too complicated. Starts off well and then quickly turns into a head f***

I can understand why this enlightening book achieved cult status as it is an excellent exposition of some real correspondences that had probably never before been pointed out. Having known very little on the physics side, it has certainly taught me a lot and I am sure these parallels will become even more obvious with advances in the studey of quantum physics. Tao was a great pleasure to read as the author takes pains to be clear and understandable, and the book is lavishly illustrated with plates and drawings. I fround the section on the I Ching hexagrams of particular interest. Dana Zohar's The Quantum Self is a good choice to read at the same time, whilst "Tao" also further stimulated my interest in sacred geometry

Beautifully written, the most amazing thing about this book is how it manages to cover so much ground and yet remain so elegantly readable. A must read.

Yet not going into too much details of neither of them. Could be quite heavy on the physics parts for those without engineering background.

I had heard a lot about this book. Fully satisfied and overwhelmed by the comparisons Dr Capra makes with ancient eastern religious texts. Must read for the modern generation. Abstract concepts of physics are explained in layman's terms without any complex mathematical equations. Can be read again and again to ponder over the points raised.

This is a book well worth reading from cover to cover. And I especially liked the two prefaces and two afterwords, and the epilogue. There are no less than 60 mentions of scientists, mystics and scientific theories for those interested in further research. A book for every school library, one that may replace many many other more sectarian ones.

This is an amazing book to read if you want to see how some of the most important ideas in eastern mysticism and modern physics are converging. Actually, the "converging" is only taking place in our understanding: the concepts and worldviews of the two schools of thought are startlingly similar and have been for some time, and the author does a great job for the most part of drawing the parallels while not getting too technical with the modern physics stuff. I say "for the most part" because towards the end of the book (about the last two chapters) he basically says "screw the layman" and delves deeply into S matrix theory in a very technical, confusing, boring, and brain-overloading way. This is where he lost me; I wasn't able to finish the book. But most of the book is a great read--one of the best on the subject in my opinion.

Very interesting how ancient eastern philosophy described reality that modern physics now reveals.