The wisdom of the masters of Taoist yoga – How to begin?

问之一曰：正道从何而起手？答曰：心目所在，又云凝集和合，当知必有所在之妙处。古云，反观凝合，要知去处，即在命之所也。

问之二曰：何时下手？答曰：有物则下手。祖师云，可贵天然物，独一无侣伴。又非心非意，物之藏于海中，动时即有知觉，就在此时下手。

(慧命經：柳華陽)

A monk asked Master Liu Huayang:

Q: What is the first step in Taoist Meditation?

A: The place of eyes and consciousness (Paul’s comment: consciousness is the place for the third eye [between the eyebrows], and eyes mean the physical eyes). One must mix them together and one knows its beauty and subtlety (Paul’s comment: the triangle thus form has to be energized with the strongest point at the third eye).

According to old tradition immemorial, a practitioner must then gaze back and further mix it with another thing. Where should one gaze at? To the place where Life is situated (Paul’s comment: Dantian (丹田) in the lower abdomen. Now there are two energized points, one is the third eye and one is the Dantian, with the latter the stronger point of the two).

Q: When one should harvest? (Paul’s comment: Harvest chi means transfer chi up the spinal cord and down the front centre line back to the Dantian. In Taoist yoga harvesting is important because when chi is transferred to the top of the abdomen via the spinal cord, space is available in the lower abdomen for generation of more chi).

A: Meditate until you can feel there is a THING, then you should harvest (Paul’s comment: when one feels warmth in one’s abdomen). My master said, this THING is very important and is the only sign that can be used as indicator for further action. It is not one’s fantasy or imagination. The THING is hidden inside one’s lower abdomen. When this THING grows strong, one can feel it when you move it. This is the time for harvesting chi”.

Paul’s further comment: The THING is not something mystical but actual physical experience that a practitioner can feel. Laozi said so in Tao Te Ching too.