TAOIST  STUDIES

My name is William Cecil Martin, but thankfully, everyone calls me Bill. I am the spouse of Nancy, the father of Lara and John, and the grandfather of Jillian and Andrew. I live in Chico, California. I write, teach, and sometimes lead retreats. I am the author of several books on Taoist thought, including: The Parent’s Tao Te Ching, The Couple’s Tao Te Ching, The Sage’s Tao Te Ching, A Path and a Practice, and The Tao of Forgiveness. I recently had the pleasure of co-authoring a book with Nancy titled, The Caregiver’s Tao Te Ching, Compassionate Caring for Your Loved Ones and Yourself. You can purchase these books through any bookstore or on-line site.


My professional history is varied. If my father were alive he would still be waiting for me to get a real job. He was delighted when I graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a B.S. in Engineering. He never really got over it when I left my job as an Electronic Engineer and embarked on a path that led me to a M.Div. degree from Western Theological Seminary and a brief, uncomfortable, stint as a clergyman. From there I spent a few years working in Criminal Justice Reform. Then I entered private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist and spent twelve years as a therapist, also teaching counseling at a Community College in Phoenix, Arizona.


In 1999, Nancy and I sold all of our furniture, packed our remaining possessions in a 5 ft. by 8 ft. UHall trailer, and moved to the Oregon coast. We spent a year living in a small apartment overlooking the ocean. Nancy worked at a small Inn in Newport and I wrote a book. We walked, talked, and thought about life. We felt the intensity of natural forces - wind, water, and forest. It was a transformative time. In 2000, we moved to Chico and began a new life. We are delighted with every moment of it.


If you have questions, please drop me an email.  email bill  I check my email once a day (trying to cut down on the sense of urgency that pervades the electronic world) and will try to respond within 72 hours.

 

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