20 The Tao of Pooh Quotes For Those Interested in Learning About Taoism

The Tao of Pooh quotes below give a brief explanation of Taoism.

The Tao of Pooh is a book about Taoism written by Benjamin Hoff in 1982.

Hoff used the fictional characters created by A.A. Milne for Winnie the Pooh to help explain the Eastern belief system of Taoism to those not familiar with the belief system.

The book was popular and on the New York Times bestseller list for 49 weeks and has even been used as required reading in some college courses.

The popularity of The Tao of Pooh led Hoff to write a companion book titled The Te of Piglet.

The book seeks to teach the concepts of Taoism, including the ability to “be open to experiences” and being “satisfied” or at peace with experiences or situations.

Check out these The Tao of Pooh quotes to learn more about Taoism.

Popular The Tao of Pooh quotes

Below are some examples of Taoism told in The Tao of Pooh.

1. “‘If people were superior to animals, they’d take good care of them.’” said Pooh.” – Benjamin Hoff

2. “The wise know their limitations; the foolish do not.” – Benjamin Hoff

3. “We simply need to believe in the power that’s within us and use it.” – Benjamin Hoff

4. “A clever mind is not a heart.” – Benjamin Hoff

5. “Sourness and bitterness come from the interfering and unappreciative mind.” – Benjamin Hoff

6. “How can you get very far if you don’t know who you are?” – Benjamin Hoff

7. “Knowledge doesn’t really care; wisdom does.” – Benjamin Hoff

8. “Many people are afraid of emptiness, however, because it reminds them of loneliness.” – Benjamin Hoff

9. “I think therefore I am… confused.” – Benjamin Hoff

10. “The goal has to be right for us, and it has to be beneficial in order to ensure a beneficial process.” – Benjamin Hoff

The Tao of Pooh quotes from the book

Here are more quotes sharing what’s inside the book.

11. “The surest way to become tense, awkward, and confused is to develop a mind that tries too hard—one that thinks too much.” – Benjamin Hoff

12. “The main problem with this great obsession for saving time is very simple: you can’t save time. You can only spend it.” – Benjamin Hoff

13. “Sooner or later, we are bound to discover some things about ourselves that we don’t like. But once we see they’re there, we can decide what we want to do with them.” – Benjamin Hoff

14. “Do you really want to be happy? You can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what you’ve got.” – Benjamin Hoff

15. “The wise are who they are. They work with what they’ve got and do what they can do.” – Benjamin Hoff

16. “While pounding on the piano keys may produce noise, removing them doesn’t exactly further the creation of music.” – Benjamin Hoff

17. “Like silence after noise, or cool, clear water on a hot, stuffy day, emptiness cleans out the messy mind and charges up the batteries of spiritual energy.” – Benjamin Hoff

18. “When you know and respect your inner nature, you know where you belong. You also know where you don’t belong.” – Benjamin Hoff

19. “You’d be surprised how many people violate this simple principle every day of their lives and try to fit square pegs into round holes, ignoring the clear reality that things are as they are.” – Benjamin Hoff

20. “The honey doesn’t taste so good once it is being eaten; the goal doesn’t mean so much once it is reached; the reward is not so rewarding once it has been given.” – Benjamin Hoff

How The Book Was Written

The book was important to Benjamin Hoff, so he carved out time in his life to write the teachings he believed in.

He spent his nights and weekends writing while working by day as a tree pruner.

He was able to finish the 158-page book that people continue to read forty years later.

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