New beginnings, new decisions, and new directions in 2025

After years of reflection, I've decided to ...

Hey there,

I hope you enjoyed my first message of the New Year and are just as excited about this fresh chapter as I am!

With that in mind, I have 2 things I’d love to share with you:

As some of you might remember from our chat last year, I was working on a blueprint for how my wife could apply Daoist principles to create greater balance and harmony in her daily life. And that I wanted to make it accessible to more people.

Well, the time has come! I'm happy to announce that it's now complete and will soon be available for all of you!!!

I called it "The way of the Dao".

This course is designed to introduce you to the principles, key concepts, and practices of Daoism, drawing on 19 years of personal study. My goal was to create a format that’s clear, approachable, and easy to grasp—without overcomplicating things.

I’ve structured the course around 5 key areas:

• Body

• Mind

• Soul

• Environment

• Relationships

The idea is to start by cultivating yourself from within (body, mind, soul), then expand to your external surroundings (environment, relationships), and finally bring it all together to create holistic balance and harmony in your life.

In a nutshell:

You'll get practical knowledge and tools to nurture your body, cultivate your mind, enrich your soul, create harmonious environments, and balance relationships.

And just to be clear: this course isn’t about religion or trying to convert you to Daoism. The idea of the dao goes beyond strict labels or fixed beliefs. Instead, it offers a way of life that can easily fit into your daily routines, no matter what your personal beliefs or cultural background are.

I think it’s a great addition to the Teacup of Dao. I've put a lot of love, time, and effort into it—I really hope you enjoy it!

My wife has already started trying out some of the ideas and practices, and she said she’s seeing some great changes in her life.

It’s something very personal and close to my heart, so I’m excited (and a little nervous) to share it with all of you. Take it as my New Year’s gift. I hope it inspires and helps you on your own journey toward balance and harmony.

You don't have to do anything. The course is free, I'll host it on Substack, and I’ll add your emails to it. Expect the first lesson soon.

And I'd be really happy to hear your thoughts, insights, and experiences with the course.

After years of reflection, I’ve decided to pursue my passion for teaching Daoist philosophy on a larger scale. I believe that it has a lot to offer in terms of personal growth and creating harmony in our relationships, work, and overall well-being.

With that in mind, I’m going to focus my efforts on:

• Developing a comprehensive course on inner self-cultivation through Daoist philosophy (so your feedback on the first course would be greatly appreciated)

• Helping leaders, entrepreneurs, and companies leverage Daoist philosophy to enhance their personal growth and professional practices (e.g., through workshops, employee wellness programs, leadership trainings, and similar)

• Holding workshops and retreats centered around the wisdom and teachings of Daoism

• Writing a book on Daoism and its practical applications in modern life

• Building a "place of the Dao" – a sacred space where people can walk their journeys of self-discovery and mastery. A place to connect, share experiences and insights, and support each other on the path of self-cultivation.

So if you know anyone who might be interested or could benefit from these offerings, please feel free to share and spread the word.

Finally, I just want to express my gratitude for all of you who have been a part of this journey with me. Your support, feedback, and engagement mean the world to me, and I am excited to see where this new chapter will take us.

Cheers to a year of growth, reflection, and finding inner peace!

Until next time, stay balanced.

– Zhenya