Professor Livia Kohn Daoist Psychology and Life Dynamics

Mind and body in Daoism form part of the same continuum of vital energy (qi), yet are expressed in different dimensions—spirit, heart-mind, emotions, inner nature, and destiny. The first part of the workshop examines these on three levels: the traditional Daoist understanding, matching concepts in modern science, and ways of modification in terms of personal energy management.

In the second half, we then apply our new appreciation of the Daoist mind-body system to the dynamics of day-to-day living. Understanding first the powerful flow of yin and yang in various dimensions, we will look at our relationship to material goods, living spaces, artistic and intellectual endeavors, as well as different aspects of time, aiming to achieve an overall sense of rightness in our lives.

Livia Kohn is Professor Emerita of Religion & East Asian Studies at Boston University. Her specialty is Daoism and the study of Chinese longevity practices. She has written and edited numerous books and articles. A long-term practitioner of taiji quan and meditation, she is also a certified instructor of yoga and qigong as well as a Core Health facilitator. 

One of the world’s foremost scholars, Livia is expert at placing each practice in its historical and cultural context, relating its current application and efficaciousness to modern Western living.

Livia Kohn is Professor Emerita of Religion & East Asian Studies at Boston University. Her specialty is Daoism and the study of Chinese longevity practices. She has written and edited numerous books and articles. A long-term practitioner of taiji quan and meditation, she is also a certified instructor of yoga and qigong. A top Daoist scholar, she is expert at outlining the details of all kinds of practices and placing them in a relevant context, both historically and as relevant for our lives today.

Livia earned her Ph. D. in 1980. After six years at Kyoto University in Japan, she joined Boston University as Professor of Religion and East Asian Studies in 1988, then returned to Kyoto twice more for two-year stays. She has also worked variously as visiting professor and adjunct faculty at Eötvös Lorand University in Budapest, the Stanford Center for Japanese Studies in Kyoto, Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio, San Francisco State University, and the Taoist College Singapore. She retired from active teaching in 2006 and now works as a freelance researcher and lecturer.

Her specialty is the study of the Daoist religion and Asian long life practices. Having lived in Kyoto for close to ten years, she is also an expert in Japanese religions. She has written thirty-four sole-authored books and over a hundred articles, as well as edited eleven volumes and translated five works from the German, French, Chinese, and Japanese. Since 2008, she has served as the executive editor of the Journal of Daoist Studies, editing a 250-page volume every year. She also manages Three Pines Press, the Western voice of Daoism (www.threepinespress.com) 

In addition, she serves on numerous committees and editorial boards, leads Daoist qigong and Core Health workshops worldwide, and is the lead organizer of a series of major international conferences on Daoism: the next one will take place at Belmont University in Nashville in June of 2023 (join the Facebook group Daoist Conference for updates). She also guides study and hiking tours to Japan, the next one of which is scheduled for October 2022 (http://liviatoursjapan.com).

A $50 non-refundable deposit is taken at the time registration occurs.
The full balance is collected 7 days prior to arrival.

Other than the deposit, no fees are incurred if cancelled up to 7 days after reservation date.
50% of the total cost is retained if cancelled less than 4 days prior to event.
The $50 deposit given at registration is non-refundable.