A story of compassion, friendship, and wisdom and now a Full Length Feature Film!
"Michael's book Tao of Surfing is one of the most Visceral experiences I have had. When I read the book I was hooked...it made me feel that I was actually at these locations. It just slowed time. It made me appreciate being in the moment. Tao of Surfing is an amazing piece of literary material."
-- Alex Carig, Award Winning Director of "A Long Road to Tao."
"I think it is beautifully written with many instances of striking images and metaphors. I doubt if there is another book available that develops in such a sustained way the application of Taoism as a philosophy. You have trained your senses to be especially sharp and to experience the moment without intervening language or thought, and thus you are able later to describe the moment in such detail and vividness, reminiscent of the philosophy of the impressionist painters in France."
-- Dr. Paul C. L. Tang: Chairman of the Cal. State University Long Beach Philosophy Department
Tao of Surfing, based on the internationally acclaimed book by Michael A. Allen, celebrates the joy and wonder of youth, the heartbreak and challenges that come with unexpected life change and the inner peace that can result when we face adversity with courage and resolve. It is a film about two childhood friends bonded together by their mutual connection to the power and majesty of the sea and their love of surfing, one, an iconic, intuitively gifted free spirit, the other, a struggling young writer. We follow their journey as they come to age in their search for excitement, love, and adventure, and are with them as they come to terms with a life-changing event…the discovery of a mortal illness.
The metaphor of the ever-changing Sea underlines the influence of the Tao of life’s cycle, an ancient Chinese philosophy that emphasizes simplicity and the flowing movement, change and renewal that happens within the natural course of things. And so, the other leading character here is the Sea itself with her passion, beauty, exuberance and calm; her power to heal and renew; and her shared sense of peace and tranquility as one day ends and another begins.
This is a story of compassion, brotherhood and the wisdom that a dying friend leaves behind, and the realization that life’s changes parallel the ebb and flow of the tide. This is a film about our quest to achieve a more meaningful life by obtaining a deeper understanding of ourselves and our relationship to the world around us. Thus we continue our search for Perfection, Individuality, and Freedom. This beautiful, heartfelt story is one for the ages.
