The belt channel(帶脈): as its name says, it is the belt. As with most channels, different practices and/or different practitioners defined it differently. Most Neidan (Taoist yoga or Taoist meditation) practitioners focus mostly on the Ren and Du channels (任督二脈). Zhao Bichen (author of Taoist Yoga) wrote a chapter (three) specifically on the eight channels, and stressed the importance of opening all eight channels.
What do you mean by a channel being "opened"? Tough question. Take the example of water channels. A dripping pipe is certainly quite different from a pressurized water stream from a fire-fighter's hose. The concept is the same for psychic channel opening.
Martial artists put a strong emphasis on strengthening one's belt channel. And for them, it would be a strong belt with some width, certainly wider than normal belts and fitted in higher than normal belts. Physiologically speaking, the focus is on strengthening one's diaphragm muscles (rather than the abdominal muscles). With a firm belt, one's torso will be structurally strong, making the body more prepared for combat.
In chi practice, it is always a good idea to have stronger and more controlled chi. In opening up one's belt channel, the martial artist's approach is therefore recommended.
Showing posts with label Taoist yoga (仙宗性命法訣). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taoist yoga (仙宗性命法訣). Show all posts
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
The mythical eight psychic channels: opening your shouder joints
Those who are familiar with traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture or meditation will likely be familiar with the concept of eight psychic channels. In Chinese these are called mythical eight psychic channels (奇經八脈). The interesting thing about these channels is that these are not "stand-alone" channels supplying nutrients to the organs but rather channels crisscrossing the body and, in totality, connecting all "stand-alone" channels. As a result, different practices have different (but similar) ways of connecting the standalone channels, hence different definition of the eight channels.
In Taoist Yoga, Zhao BiChen presented an ingenious and organized way to clear the channels using one's initial chi-energy generated by microcosmic circulation. Unfortunately, Charles Luk left it out in his English translation, I shall deal with it in a future post. In this post, I shall talked about opening one's shoulder joints using chi along two psychic channels.
Opening one's shoulder joints is very important for a martial artist. Zhao being one, he certainly knew its importance and therefore conceptualized two psychic channels to open a practitioner's shoulder joints. And his way of opening went well with his other purpose of clearing channels for Neidan practice. One stone with two birds killed. Clever!
He defined two channels for the arms:
1. Yang yu (陽瑜): channels in the outer sides of the both arms linking both shoulders with the center of the palm passing through the middle fingers.
2. Yin Yu (陰瑜): Linking the middle fingers to the center of the palm and up to the chest.
Whereas Zhao had a organized way to clear all eight channels in one go, specific attention to individual channels will also be needed. One example is the clearing or opening of the Ren (任脈) and Du (督脈) channels in microcosmic circulation. As for opening the shoulder joints, a practitioner will find it very useful to do chi flow along the Yang Yu and Yin Yu channels as defined by the Master.
I shall talk about other channels in future posts.
In Taoist Yoga, Zhao BiChen presented an ingenious and organized way to clear the channels using one's initial chi-energy generated by microcosmic circulation. Unfortunately, Charles Luk left it out in his English translation, I shall deal with it in a future post. In this post, I shall talked about opening one's shoulder joints using chi along two psychic channels.
Opening one's shoulder joints is very important for a martial artist. Zhao being one, he certainly knew its importance and therefore conceptualized two psychic channels to open a practitioner's shoulder joints. And his way of opening went well with his other purpose of clearing channels for Neidan practice. One stone with two birds killed. Clever!
He defined two channels for the arms:
1. Yang yu (陽瑜): channels in the outer sides of the both arms linking both shoulders with the center of the palm passing through the middle fingers.
2. Yin Yu (陰瑜): Linking the middle fingers to the center of the palm and up to the chest.
Whereas Zhao had a organized way to clear all eight channels in one go, specific attention to individual channels will also be needed. One example is the clearing or opening of the Ren (任脈) and Du (督脈) channels in microcosmic circulation. As for opening the shoulder joints, a practitioner will find it very useful to do chi flow along the Yang Yu and Yin Yu channels as defined by the Master.
I shall talk about other channels in future posts.
A world without Immortals
In the world of ancient China, people lived among Immortals. Enlightened sage talked to Immortals and lived with them and learned from them. Common folks on the other hand lived among spirits, many of them mischievous, and these spirits oftentimes had to be placated by Feng Shui masters or esteemed monks and Taoists (if couldn't be placated, eliminate them!)
In ancient India, Bodhisattva co-existed with common people, and with spirits almost everywhere, protectors fighting with aggressors, like in a fantasy dream. No wonder Carl Jung thus described, in a positive way, after a visit to India in 1938:
"It is quite possible that India is the real world, and that the white man lives in a madhouse of abstractions. Life in India has not yet withdrawn into the capsule of the head. It is still the whole body that lives. No wonder the European feels dreamlike; the complete life of India is something of which he merely dreams. When you walk with naked feet, how can you ever forget the earth?"
Nowadays, it will be unfortunate for gurus to review their revelations, because they will be hard-pressed, by the journalists, for definite data or predictions, verifiable or falsifiable by scientific means. When one is not coming, the gurus will be regarded as irrelevant, and one is coming, chances are that they will be proved to be wrong! And it would be unfortunate or outright dangerous for a person with some serious episodes of seeing angels and demons in bright daylight to seek advice from a monk or feng shui masters rather than a psychiatrist.
Like it or not, issues in the contemporary world require different methods of solution. Humans have progressed a lot culturally, but genetically we are still the same humans as our ancient stone dwellers. Mythical beliefs were and are still comforting to our restless souls. Besides, with the rapid progress of science (now scientists talked about programming genomes like programming computer software), who would know whether or not the drugs we are taking will make us better or worse. Investment bankers become salesmen and so do doctors. Their private interests become paramount. One may wonder, in ancient times, at least the esteemed monk upheld high morality and wouldn't do anything to his private gain. Not so with today's professionals, no even our politicians, or in particular our politicians!
Back to our main subject of Immortals. Recently I re-read the Chinese original of "Taoist Yoga", and noticed a tread of change in the world of Immortals in China during the period the book was written. In the preface, a famous person called Du XinWu (杜心五) was mentioned as a Taoist master who studied under the same master, Liao ran/Liao kong (了然/了空) of author Zhao Bichen (趙壁塵). Master Du was an intellectual (a graduate from a University in Japan), a famous martial artist, his father ran a armed-security company, he joined the Revolutionary party that overthrew the Qing Dynasty, and he held important posts both in public and private organizations. Master Zhao held a high regard on Master Du's level of accomplishment in Taoist Neidan practice.
Why all this background information? Because in Zhao's preface, Du was said to have doubt towards their practice of training common folks into Immortals! Du was not direct in his doubt though. He was said to be using himself as a testing-subject. He proclaimed that some 20 years later upon his (physical death), he would like to appear, as an Immortal, around China to "prove" that the profound teaching of his Neidan (a combination of Confucius, Buddhist and Taoist) to be true. Needless to say, nobody claimed to have seen him after his death!
Zhao himself was also a good martial artist, and he ran his own armed-security company before he devoted exclusively to promote and teach Neidan after middle-age (and according to his own saying, after he was jailed two times due to miscarriage of justice [details not described in his book]). Zhao and some of his students were also men of science, and there were a lot of detail anatomical drawings in his book, trying to give physical base to his Neidan practice.
I found it very interesting to read his last chapter where he said he had not accomplished the final stage of the practice. And only through a successful accomplishment, could he be able to turn into an Immortal upon physical death! And judging from the way he presented his practice, I would suspect even if he finally finished that stage (which he believed he could through instructions learned from his masters LiaoRan/LiaoKong), he would be like Du, being scientific man, put "turning into an Immortal" an event to be tested.
A world without Immortals had been donned on Taoist masters Zhao and Du. As the saying goes, the world never turns back. And I rest my case here.
In ancient India, Bodhisattva co-existed with common people, and with spirits almost everywhere, protectors fighting with aggressors, like in a fantasy dream. No wonder Carl Jung thus described, in a positive way, after a visit to India in 1938:
"It is quite possible that India is the real world, and that the white man lives in a madhouse of abstractions. Life in India has not yet withdrawn into the capsule of the head. It is still the whole body that lives. No wonder the European feels dreamlike; the complete life of India is something of which he merely dreams. When you walk with naked feet, how can you ever forget the earth?"
Nowadays, it will be unfortunate for gurus to review their revelations, because they will be hard-pressed, by the journalists, for definite data or predictions, verifiable or falsifiable by scientific means. When one is not coming, the gurus will be regarded as irrelevant, and one is coming, chances are that they will be proved to be wrong! And it would be unfortunate or outright dangerous for a person with some serious episodes of seeing angels and demons in bright daylight to seek advice from a monk or feng shui masters rather than a psychiatrist.
Like it or not, issues in the contemporary world require different methods of solution. Humans have progressed a lot culturally, but genetically we are still the same humans as our ancient stone dwellers. Mythical beliefs were and are still comforting to our restless souls. Besides, with the rapid progress of science (now scientists talked about programming genomes like programming computer software), who would know whether or not the drugs we are taking will make us better or worse. Investment bankers become salesmen and so do doctors. Their private interests become paramount. One may wonder, in ancient times, at least the esteemed monk upheld high morality and wouldn't do anything to his private gain. Not so with today's professionals, no even our politicians, or in particular our politicians!
Back to our main subject of Immortals. Recently I re-read the Chinese original of "Taoist Yoga", and noticed a tread of change in the world of Immortals in China during the period the book was written. In the preface, a famous person called Du XinWu (杜心五) was mentioned as a Taoist master who studied under the same master, Liao ran/Liao kong (了然/了空) of author Zhao Bichen (趙壁塵). Master Du was an intellectual (a graduate from a University in Japan), a famous martial artist, his father ran a armed-security company, he joined the Revolutionary party that overthrew the Qing Dynasty, and he held important posts both in public and private organizations. Master Zhao held a high regard on Master Du's level of accomplishment in Taoist Neidan practice.
Why all this background information? Because in Zhao's preface, Du was said to have doubt towards their practice of training common folks into Immortals! Du was not direct in his doubt though. He was said to be using himself as a testing-subject. He proclaimed that some 20 years later upon his (physical death), he would like to appear, as an Immortal, around China to "prove" that the profound teaching of his Neidan (a combination of Confucius, Buddhist and Taoist) to be true. Needless to say, nobody claimed to have seen him after his death!
Zhao himself was also a good martial artist, and he ran his own armed-security company before he devoted exclusively to promote and teach Neidan after middle-age (and according to his own saying, after he was jailed two times due to miscarriage of justice [details not described in his book]). Zhao and some of his students were also men of science, and there were a lot of detail anatomical drawings in his book, trying to give physical base to his Neidan practice.
I found it very interesting to read his last chapter where he said he had not accomplished the final stage of the practice. And only through a successful accomplishment, could he be able to turn into an Immortal upon physical death! And judging from the way he presented his practice, I would suspect even if he finally finished that stage (which he believed he could through instructions learned from his masters LiaoRan/LiaoKong), he would be like Du, being scientific man, put "turning into an Immortal" an event to be tested.
A world without Immortals had been donned on Taoist masters Zhao and Du. As the saying goes, the world never turns back. And I rest my case here.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Practices compared: zhan zhuang and neidan (1)
Both zhan zhuang and neidan are legitimate practices of chi. The former is the foundation practice of all internal martial arts. The current form that people practice is mainly influenced or developed from I-style Grandmaster Wang Xianzhai (王薌齋). Primarily it aims at building a sound body structure fit for combat. Because of its relation to chi, the basic forms of which have also been widely used for health and "longevity" purpose (養生). Today it has become a very popular practice in the East. Its benefits for both body structural building and health enhancement have generally been accepted and many people got good results.
Scholars can refer to old literature to show the prevalent of this practice in ancient China. And as far as having a long history it is the same with another important practice: Neidan , some refer to it as Taoist yoga or Taoist meditation. For more technical discussion in which more precision in terminology is required, the use of the word Neidan is to be preferred.
In the East, the most common practice of Neidan is developed from the Dragon Gate (龍門) branch (from Taoist Qiu Chuji 邱處機). One major reason is because of the popularity of the text 性命法诀明指 (translated into English as Taoist yoga by Charles Luk) by Master Zhao Bichen as well as the popularity of the text 慧命經 (Hui Ming Jing translated in English by Richard Wilhelm, an extract was included in his translation of The secret of the Golden Flower) by Master Liu Huayang (柳華陽). Many masters of today claimed to be direct lineage from the Dragon Gate branch, including Taoist master Wang Liping (王力平) in Mainland China who wrote a text called 大道行 (The way of Dharma) on his mythical initiation procedure from a very young age.
Nowadays, however, few people practice Neidan. And many who claim they are doing fail to understand even the first stage of the practice: microcosmic circulation.
The obstacle of Neidan's popularity is its mythical character. The proclaimed objective of any Neidan practice is to become an Immortal. Without a proper understand of the theory behind, one may easily misunderstand Neidan as some kind of secret cult with potentially harmful side-effects (I have written a previous post explaining the theory behind the objective of becoming an Immortal.)
Apart from the Immortality issue, books on Neidan are famous for their many obscurities, metaphors, and sometimes contradicting assertions between the texts. I, however, don't see the obstacle as its hindrance, because masters of later dynasties, like Zhao Bichen had already simplified their approach. The problem is many "practitioners" falsely believe the existence "profound hidden meaning" (ultimately taught or reviewed by some higher-powers) in the old texts, notably Can Tong Qi (參同契). And I personally know some who believe if they can truly decipher the hidden meaning inside these ancient texts, they will "miraculously" achieve the highest level of Immortality! And these people spent many of their precious hours doing this kind of futile search, instead of using existing knowledge, sit down, meditate, read, think and improve.
Another obstacle is, mainly in the west, some practitioners claimed that the requirement of the initial stage of microcosmic circulation doesn't work. Or, the sublimation of sexual energy doesn't work. Based on this faulty understanding, some of them follow certain masters in the West and buy into sexual chi-kung proper. That unfortunately will be another cup of tea, and a cup of tea condemned by major Taoist masters.
A related obstacle is that practitioners fail to understand the intricacies of the sublimation process and/or fail to do the preliminary foundation that will be required to do a successful sublimation. For readers who are interested to understand and learn can refer to my previous post: The secret Taoist concept of the right moment.
Here I end my first comparison. Conclusion: one simple, one (looks) complex.
Scholars can refer to old literature to show the prevalent of this practice in ancient China. And as far as having a long history it is the same with another important practice: Neidan , some refer to it as Taoist yoga or Taoist meditation. For more technical discussion in which more precision in terminology is required, the use of the word Neidan is to be preferred.
In the East, the most common practice of Neidan is developed from the Dragon Gate (龍門) branch (from Taoist Qiu Chuji 邱處機). One major reason is because of the popularity of the text 性命法诀明指 (translated into English as Taoist yoga by Charles Luk) by Master Zhao Bichen as well as the popularity of the text 慧命經 (Hui Ming Jing translated in English by Richard Wilhelm, an extract was included in his translation of The secret of the Golden Flower) by Master Liu Huayang (柳華陽). Many masters of today claimed to be direct lineage from the Dragon Gate branch, including Taoist master Wang Liping (王力平) in Mainland China who wrote a text called 大道行 (The way of Dharma) on his mythical initiation procedure from a very young age.
Nowadays, however, few people practice Neidan. And many who claim they are doing fail to understand even the first stage of the practice: microcosmic circulation.
The obstacle of Neidan's popularity is its mythical character. The proclaimed objective of any Neidan practice is to become an Immortal. Without a proper understand of the theory behind, one may easily misunderstand Neidan as some kind of secret cult with potentially harmful side-effects (I have written a previous post explaining the theory behind the objective of becoming an Immortal.)
Apart from the Immortality issue, books on Neidan are famous for their many obscurities, metaphors, and sometimes contradicting assertions between the texts. I, however, don't see the obstacle as its hindrance, because masters of later dynasties, like Zhao Bichen had already simplified their approach. The problem is many "practitioners" falsely believe the existence "profound hidden meaning" (ultimately taught or reviewed by some higher-powers) in the old texts, notably Can Tong Qi (參同契). And I personally know some who believe if they can truly decipher the hidden meaning inside these ancient texts, they will "miraculously" achieve the highest level of Immortality! And these people spent many of their precious hours doing this kind of futile search, instead of using existing knowledge, sit down, meditate, read, think and improve.
Another obstacle is, mainly in the west, some practitioners claimed that the requirement of the initial stage of microcosmic circulation doesn't work. Or, the sublimation of sexual energy doesn't work. Based on this faulty understanding, some of them follow certain masters in the West and buy into sexual chi-kung proper. That unfortunately will be another cup of tea, and a cup of tea condemned by major Taoist masters.
A related obstacle is that practitioners fail to understand the intricacies of the sublimation process and/or fail to do the preliminary foundation that will be required to do a successful sublimation. For readers who are interested to understand and learn can refer to my previous post: The secret Taoist concept of the right moment.
Here I end my first comparison. Conclusion: one simple, one (looks) complex.
Monday, June 20, 2011
The secret Taoist concept of "The right moment"
In Taoist Neidan (yoga or meditation) practice, an important concept is the "right moment" (活子時). In Zhao BiChen's Taoist Yoga, the author wrote, kids would giggle when they heard about this secret concept. Why would they giggle? And is there anything unseeming about this Taoist concept?
There has been some confusions in some literature on the meaning of "the right moment". The literal translation from Chinese is the "vivid moment of zi (子 first earthly branch)". The confusion arises from the the use of the character zi (子). Zi and other earthly branches have been used in many systems because of its mythical characters. For example zi when used in hour-system means the hours between 11:00pm and 1:00am; and zi when used in circular location system can mean the bottom point, the South of a map (or, to confuse things more, the North of I-Ching/five elements system!).
Some Taoists misunderstood its meaning and mistakenly consider the "right moment" as meditation between the hours of 11:00pm and 1:00 am. According to my research and practice, the right interpretation is to view zi as a location indication. In other words, the right or vivid moment happens at (I-Ching/five elements) North, right at one's perineum and surrounding pelvic floor muscles.
Some practitioners got it right up to here, but still can't proceed further. Why? Because in order to have the vivid feeling (that I shall explain later), one must first need to meditate to a stage in which one can control one's pelvic floor muscles with one's mind during meditative abdominal breathing.
If one can control the subtle movement of one's pelvic floor muscles, one can subtly move the control point to any focused area along the pelvic floor muscles. And when such focus rests on a practitioner's genital (applicable to both male and female), sexual energy will be subtly aroused, and such energy will seek a route to rush out. And here classic Taoist texts warned practitioners not to engage in erotic thought, but to direct and release such energy along the path of microcosmic circulation, along Du (督脈) and Ren (任脈). That is a famous Taoist saying: "A forward flow will breed a human, while a backward flow will breed an Immortal (順則成人，逆則成仙)".
You now know why kids will giggle!
PS: The release of sexual energy is also called sublimation of sexual energy. If such energy is not released (or sublimed), it will disturb the calm meditating mind of the practitioner. When such energy is sublimed, it can nurture the body and at the same time allow the practitioner to continue with his or her calm meditation. Hence, this is a natural method of seated chi-meditation.
There has been some confusions in some literature on the meaning of "the right moment". The literal translation from Chinese is the "vivid moment of zi (子 first earthly branch)". The confusion arises from the the use of the character zi (子). Zi and other earthly branches have been used in many systems because of its mythical characters. For example zi when used in hour-system means the hours between 11:00pm and 1:00am; and zi when used in circular location system can mean the bottom point, the South of a map (or, to confuse things more, the North of I-Ching/five elements system!).
Some Taoists misunderstood its meaning and mistakenly consider the "right moment" as meditation between the hours of 11:00pm and 1:00 am. According to my research and practice, the right interpretation is to view zi as a location indication. In other words, the right or vivid moment happens at (I-Ching/five elements) North, right at one's perineum and surrounding pelvic floor muscles.
Some practitioners got it right up to here, but still can't proceed further. Why? Because in order to have the vivid feeling (that I shall explain later), one must first need to meditate to a stage in which one can control one's pelvic floor muscles with one's mind during meditative abdominal breathing.
If one can control the subtle movement of one's pelvic floor muscles, one can subtly move the control point to any focused area along the pelvic floor muscles. And when such focus rests on a practitioner's genital (applicable to both male and female), sexual energy will be subtly aroused, and such energy will seek a route to rush out. And here classic Taoist texts warned practitioners not to engage in erotic thought, but to direct and release such energy along the path of microcosmic circulation, along Du (督脈) and Ren (任脈). That is a famous Taoist saying: "A forward flow will breed a human, while a backward flow will breed an Immortal (順則成人，逆則成仙)".
You now know why kids will giggle!
PS: The release of sexual energy is also called sublimation of sexual energy. If such energy is not released (or sublimed), it will disturb the calm meditating mind of the practitioner. When such energy is sublimed, it can nurture the body and at the same time allow the practitioner to continue with his or her calm meditation. Hence, this is a natural method of seated chi-meditation.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Martial artists on steroid and sexual chi-kung
Last year, veteran MMA fighter Ken Shamrock admitted in Fighting Words with Mike Straka show that he used steroid. Yet, he was not the only one MMA fighters tested to be positive, nor these fighters were the only athletes taking the juice. After all, competitive sports are tough games, when the stake is high, people just don't want to lose. The interesting question is: Are we still talking about man-to-man competition?
Frank Shamrock (also a veteran MMA fighter and the adopted brother of Ken) had this interesting remark in a 2008 interview:
"My brother Ken did them his whole life. Why do you think that his mind is so fried? Why do you think he crumbles before the big fights? He's got no psyche. He let steroids give him a false sense of security and the moment that stuff is gone he's no longer superman. ... He's the only guy that I'll tell on, because he's always in trouble anyway."
This leads me to think about those martial artists turned (or tried to turn) spiritualists. To use chi-meditation to have spiritual enlightenment requires first of all a strong bodily structure tampered or trained by chi. To this end, martial artists have a decided advantage. No wonder many previous masters were either monks or Taoists who devoted their whole lives to meditation or common citizens with strong martial art background. Actually Zhao Bichen (趙壁塵), author of the famous book "Taoist Yoga" was a prominent martial artist (he ran a business that nowadays would be called: national armed security services).
One weakness with martial artists and other athletes is that sometimes they are too impatient. Some of them want instant result! And in the area of Taoist yoga, the "steroid" is sexual chi-kung, or the use of sexual (non sublimed) energy to boost up one's chi for spiritual purpose. Most prominent masters in all ages warned against using sexual energy, and indicated its incompatibility with one's ultimate spiritual objective. Not withstanding this, some martial artists in all ages did use sexual energy. One prominent late Caucasian martial artist in USA, in his autobiography, detailed his own experience of having his first Kundalini Awakening with the help of sexual energy. Everyone takes his own cup of tea. This is the beauty of a free world.
Frank Shamrock (also a veteran MMA fighter and the adopted brother of Ken) had this interesting remark in a 2008 interview:
"My brother Ken did them his whole life. Why do you think that his mind is so fried? Why do you think he crumbles before the big fights? He's got no psyche. He let steroids give him a false sense of security and the moment that stuff is gone he's no longer superman. ... He's the only guy that I'll tell on, because he's always in trouble anyway."
This leads me to think about those martial artists turned (or tried to turn) spiritualists. To use chi-meditation to have spiritual enlightenment requires first of all a strong bodily structure tampered or trained by chi. To this end, martial artists have a decided advantage. No wonder many previous masters were either monks or Taoists who devoted their whole lives to meditation or common citizens with strong martial art background. Actually Zhao Bichen (趙壁塵), author of the famous book "Taoist Yoga" was a prominent martial artist (he ran a business that nowadays would be called: national armed security services).
One weakness with martial artists and other athletes is that sometimes they are too impatient. Some of them want instant result! And in the area of Taoist yoga, the "steroid" is sexual chi-kung, or the use of sexual (non sublimed) energy to boost up one's chi for spiritual purpose. Most prominent masters in all ages warned against using sexual energy, and indicated its incompatibility with one's ultimate spiritual objective. Not withstanding this, some martial artists in all ages did use sexual energy. One prominent late Caucasian martial artist in USA, in his autobiography, detailed his own experience of having his first Kundalini Awakening with the help of sexual energy. Everyone takes his own cup of tea. This is the beauty of a free world.
Friday, June 17, 2011
The case of Immortality in Taoist yoga
Immortality has been the core practice objective of Taoist Neidan (Taoist yoga or meditation). If human can become immortals, why we don't see Immortals walking around? Are these then false claims? If yes, then why generations of Taoists in China keep practicing Neidan with the objective to become an Immortal someday? Are they simply stupid? I shall try to answer these questions here.
Zen Master Liu Huang Yang 柳華陽(author of Hui Ming Jing)'s student Zen Master Liao Kong 了空 talked about this issue at the prefer of Taoist Yoga 性命法诀明指, an important classic by Master Zhao Bichen 趙避塵, translated into English by Zen master Charles Luk (unfortunately, the preface pieces have not been included in the English translation). According to Liao Kong, there are two kinds of Immortal: Earthly Immortals (地仙) who live forever on earth and Heavenly Immortals (天仙) who live forever in heaven.
The first stages of Taoist yoga is to train one into Earthly Immortals and there are stages of progress here. At the final stages overlapping with the more advanced Heavenly Immortal practice, one can indeed, according to Master Liao, become Earthly Immortal. But the trick is, by that time a practitioner would have passed many stages of the the more advanced Heavenly Immortal practice. And since such Earthly Immortals are usually enlightened sage, they will surely aim at a higher objective, i.e. to continue their practice and become finally a Heavenly Immortal. What is a Heavenly Immortal? He is someone who will discard his earthly body to join the family of heavenly immortals. In order words, he will choose to die!
You may wonder: how about those practitioners who willingly choose to become Earthly Immortals instead of Heavenly Immortals? Simple. They (will) die before they fail to achieve their objective (of course, they can't complain; and their students won't complain either because through Taoist yoga they and their masters live longer and healthier lives).
OK, there is no physical Earthly Immortal that we can see, it doesn't matter, because Taoism is a religion, the most important objective will be to become Heavenly Immortals anyway, so how can such concept be interpreted to our better understanding?
To answer this question, we shall make use of the concept of psychic reality and metaphysical reality as used by Carl Jung. Why do Taoists believe in the existence of and the possibility of becoming Heavenly Immortals? The answer is simple. Taoist yoga practitioners truly encounter previous Immortals (most noticeably Grandmaster Lu Zu (呂祖) during meditation or dream. These are their psychic reality, can be studied/analyzed, and cannot be refuted (unless we say they are all lying which I think is not possible). Can we physically prove the existence of heavenly Immortals? No, and the question is as futile as try to physically prove the existence of God. As Jung said if metaphysical beings can be detected by our scientific measuring instruments they will be the subject matter of physical science rather than metaphysics.
Needless to say further speculations into the metaphysical area belong to the arena of the faithfuls. As a concluding remark, since we can't perceive Immortals with our physical senses, assuming there does exist such Immortals, the only way we can communicate with them, or they communicate with us, is through our psyche, i.e. during deep meditation or in dreams. And I rest my case here.
Zen Master Liu Huang Yang 柳華陽(author of Hui Ming Jing)'s student Zen Master Liao Kong 了空 talked about this issue at the prefer of Taoist Yoga 性命法诀明指, an important classic by Master Zhao Bichen 趙避塵, translated into English by Zen master Charles Luk (unfortunately, the preface pieces have not been included in the English translation). According to Liao Kong, there are two kinds of Immortal: Earthly Immortals (地仙) who live forever on earth and Heavenly Immortals (天仙) who live forever in heaven.
The first stages of Taoist yoga is to train one into Earthly Immortals and there are stages of progress here. At the final stages overlapping with the more advanced Heavenly Immortal practice, one can indeed, according to Master Liao, become Earthly Immortal. But the trick is, by that time a practitioner would have passed many stages of the the more advanced Heavenly Immortal practice. And since such Earthly Immortals are usually enlightened sage, they will surely aim at a higher objective, i.e. to continue their practice and become finally a Heavenly Immortal. What is a Heavenly Immortal? He is someone who will discard his earthly body to join the family of heavenly immortals. In order words, he will choose to die!
You may wonder: how about those practitioners who willingly choose to become Earthly Immortals instead of Heavenly Immortals? Simple. They (will) die before they fail to achieve their objective (of course, they can't complain; and their students won't complain either because through Taoist yoga they and their masters live longer and healthier lives).
OK, there is no physical Earthly Immortal that we can see, it doesn't matter, because Taoism is a religion, the most important objective will be to become Heavenly Immortals anyway, so how can such concept be interpreted to our better understanding?
To answer this question, we shall make use of the concept of psychic reality and metaphysical reality as used by Carl Jung. Why do Taoists believe in the existence of and the possibility of becoming Heavenly Immortals? The answer is simple. Taoist yoga practitioners truly encounter previous Immortals (most noticeably Grandmaster Lu Zu (呂祖) during meditation or dream. These are their psychic reality, can be studied/analyzed, and cannot be refuted (unless we say they are all lying which I think is not possible). Can we physically prove the existence of heavenly Immortals? No, and the question is as futile as try to physically prove the existence of God. As Jung said if metaphysical beings can be detected by our scientific measuring instruments they will be the subject matter of physical science rather than metaphysics.
Needless to say further speculations into the metaphysical area belong to the arena of the faithfuls. As a concluding remark, since we can't perceive Immortals with our physical senses, assuming there does exist such Immortals, the only way we can communicate with them, or they communicate with us, is through our psyche, i.e. during deep meditation or in dreams. And I rest my case here.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
The physiology of Inner Alchemy
Inner alchemy (Neidan or Taoist meditation) qualifies as esoteric practice for the simple fact that every claim of physical and mental change happen inside a practitioner's body - ONLY through being seated and meditate!
On a previous post I looked at the practice from an energy point of view (Entropy and Taoist Meditation). On the physical or physiological level, what are the changes?
When the mind is focused on the point of the third eye and on the point at the lower abdomen at the same time, the latter, through the breathing mechanism and the combined effect of the two focused points, acts as a handle for the mind to control the movement of the pelvic floor muscles. Through meditation in this manner, the pelvic floor muscles will be controlled by one's focused mind with energy channeled towards the control point at the lower abdomen. In terms of physiology, we have arrived at a situation in which a practitioner's mind can control the muscles movement of the pelvic floor as well as direct that energy towards a single point at the lower abdomen. Metaphorically, it can be described as the hub (the "empty" point) and its spokes (the rim of the wheel being the pelvic floor muscles). Reference: Tao Te Ching Chapter 11.
When the force (chi) thus generated becomes stronger and stronger, physiologically a practitioner can feel his lower abdomen (下丹田) jumping rhythmically by itself, coupled with a warm (or even hot, depending on individual) feeling. Those who know how to do micro-cosmic circulation will take this opportunity to direct the chi in a reverse matter up the spinal cord (since energizing the pelvic floor area will necessarily also having chi at the genital, Taoist masters in the past metaphorically say "chi running along the usual route will create a new baby whereas chi running in reverse direct will create the (golden) embryo").
Chi ball going up the spinal cord is no simple feat. Some preparatory tasks like point meditation should be practiced (different masters/texts will have different techniques, it is here the controversial sexual dual practice comes into the picture, interested readers can refer to my previous (and future) posts on the subject for reference). The physiological concept is actually quite simple. When the chi-ball travel (or made to travel) in reverse direction up the spinal cord, the pelvic floor muscles will be further pulled and energized. And assuming blockages the spinal cord can be cleared (or pre-cleared) through this upward chi thrust), the chi shall be directed back to the abdomen (丹田) via the head, the throat etc (任督二脈).
There is one further trick here. Now that the chi-ball will be closer to the diaphragm than to the pelvic floor, the practitioner should make use of this good opportunity to exercise the diaphragm through breathing (please note: reverse abdominal breathing all along).
This is a very important point here. For those practitioners only do the preliminary stage of chi meditation without reverting the chi flow using micro-cosmic circulation, they can only exercise their pelvic floor muscles and can't exercise their more power muscles of the diaphragm (in short, they can't go any further practice-wise). Breathing of the junior type will necessarily be too shallow for both physical and higher spiritual practice. In terms of physiology, without adequate or proper exercise of the diaphragm, the upper part of the lungs and their related muscles can't be exercised.
What is the next step after exercising one's diaphragm? The next step is, again through deeper meditation, to create a single more powerful chi-ball (or energy center or "hub") so that it can control BOTH the pelvic floor muscles and the diaphragm at the same time! Again, this is no easy task. A highly focused mind is required for the purpose. In this respect, the chi-point originally created at the third eye shall be strengthened and with its mental faculty totally immersed into the chi-ball at the abdomen (凝神入氣穴).
Getting complicated? Not yet finished! The next requirement is to have this mega chi-ball NOT only controlling the pelvic floor muscles and and diaphragm but also the muscles (and internal organs) of the whole body! Sounds ambitious. You bet! In Inner Alchemical lingo, it is called "Clearing the eight psychic channels" required as a separate preparatory practice. A small chapter, chapter three, was devoted this subject in Taoist Yoga (the famous book by Taoist Zhao BiChen 趙避塵, translated by Zen practitioner Charles Luk into English). This is also a stage at which seated-only, more-mind-focused, more-spiritual, more-scholarly practitioners commonly stumbled, blocked and thus can go no further (sad, er?). Clearing the eight psychic channels need a good dosage of more physical practice (still mind-body in nature). Such practices will involve mind-body exercises like zhan zhuang (standing meditation) and tai-chi. If one is familiar with yoga as a complete physical and spiritual practice, one can appreciate that a yogi has to practice his Asana to high degree of proficiency before he can tackle more higher spiritual practices. It is the same for Taoist internal alchemy.
OK, what next? After one can totally control one's mind and body using a single chi-point at one's abdomen, one can lead the chi-body carefully (without that much of conscious effort like when doing the micro-cosmic circulation) to go through the spinal cord again, but in this new perspective. This is call macro-cosmic circulation, because it is meant to include everything, and everything goes by itself just with a minimum of conscious effort (since there is still minimal consciousness on one's body, it is still not yet Tao). Again, different masters and texts offered different help and/or suggestions on the macro-cosmic circulation.
That finally rests my case on the physiology of Inner alchemy. Any stage further will be in the realm of the purely spiritual or psychological domain. And reckless venture into this final/defining area is of course totally at one's own risk: practitioners be warned!
On a previous post I looked at the practice from an energy point of view (Entropy and Taoist Meditation). On the physical or physiological level, what are the changes?
When the mind is focused on the point of the third eye and on the point at the lower abdomen at the same time, the latter, through the breathing mechanism and the combined effect of the two focused points, acts as a handle for the mind to control the movement of the pelvic floor muscles. Through meditation in this manner, the pelvic floor muscles will be controlled by one's focused mind with energy channeled towards the control point at the lower abdomen. In terms of physiology, we have arrived at a situation in which a practitioner's mind can control the muscles movement of the pelvic floor as well as direct that energy towards a single point at the lower abdomen. Metaphorically, it can be described as the hub (the "empty" point) and its spokes (the rim of the wheel being the pelvic floor muscles). Reference: Tao Te Ching Chapter 11.
When the force (chi) thus generated becomes stronger and stronger, physiologically a practitioner can feel his lower abdomen (下丹田) jumping rhythmically by itself, coupled with a warm (or even hot, depending on individual) feeling. Those who know how to do micro-cosmic circulation will take this opportunity to direct the chi in a reverse matter up the spinal cord (since energizing the pelvic floor area will necessarily also having chi at the genital, Taoist masters in the past metaphorically say "chi running along the usual route will create a new baby whereas chi running in reverse direct will create the (golden) embryo").
Chi ball going up the spinal cord is no simple feat. Some preparatory tasks like point meditation should be practiced (different masters/texts will have different techniques, it is here the controversial sexual dual practice comes into the picture, interested readers can refer to my previous (and future) posts on the subject for reference). The physiological concept is actually quite simple. When the chi-ball travel (or made to travel) in reverse direction up the spinal cord, the pelvic floor muscles will be further pulled and energized. And assuming blockages the spinal cord can be cleared (or pre-cleared) through this upward chi thrust), the chi shall be directed back to the abdomen (丹田) via the head, the throat etc (任督二脈).
There is one further trick here. Now that the chi-ball will be closer to the diaphragm than to the pelvic floor, the practitioner should make use of this good opportunity to exercise the diaphragm through breathing (please note: reverse abdominal breathing all along).
This is a very important point here. For those practitioners only do the preliminary stage of chi meditation without reverting the chi flow using micro-cosmic circulation, they can only exercise their pelvic floor muscles and can't exercise their more power muscles of the diaphragm (in short, they can't go any further practice-wise). Breathing of the junior type will necessarily be too shallow for both physical and higher spiritual practice. In terms of physiology, without adequate or proper exercise of the diaphragm, the upper part of the lungs and their related muscles can't be exercised.
What is the next step after exercising one's diaphragm? The next step is, again through deeper meditation, to create a single more powerful chi-ball (or energy center or "hub") so that it can control BOTH the pelvic floor muscles and the diaphragm at the same time! Again, this is no easy task. A highly focused mind is required for the purpose. In this respect, the chi-point originally created at the third eye shall be strengthened and with its mental faculty totally immersed into the chi-ball at the abdomen (凝神入氣穴).
Getting complicated? Not yet finished! The next requirement is to have this mega chi-ball NOT only controlling the pelvic floor muscles and and diaphragm but also the muscles (and internal organs) of the whole body! Sounds ambitious. You bet! In Inner Alchemical lingo, it is called "Clearing the eight psychic channels" required as a separate preparatory practice. A small chapter, chapter three, was devoted this subject in Taoist Yoga (the famous book by Taoist Zhao BiChen 趙避塵, translated by Zen practitioner Charles Luk into English). This is also a stage at which seated-only, more-mind-focused, more-spiritual, more-scholarly practitioners commonly stumbled, blocked and thus can go no further (sad, er?). Clearing the eight psychic channels need a good dosage of more physical practice (still mind-body in nature). Such practices will involve mind-body exercises like zhan zhuang (standing meditation) and tai-chi. If one is familiar with yoga as a complete physical and spiritual practice, one can appreciate that a yogi has to practice his Asana to high degree of proficiency before he can tackle more higher spiritual practices. It is the same for Taoist internal alchemy.
OK, what next? After one can totally control one's mind and body using a single chi-point at one's abdomen, one can lead the chi-body carefully (without that much of conscious effort like when doing the micro-cosmic circulation) to go through the spinal cord again, but in this new perspective. This is call macro-cosmic circulation, because it is meant to include everything, and everything goes by itself just with a minimum of conscious effort (since there is still minimal consciousness on one's body, it is still not yet Tao). Again, different masters and texts offered different help and/or suggestions on the macro-cosmic circulation.
That finally rests my case on the physiology of Inner alchemy. Any stage further will be in the realm of the purely spiritual or psychological domain. And reckless venture into this final/defining area is of course totally at one's own risk: practitioners be warned!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Sexual dual cultivation for real?
Recently I came across an article called “The man does not part his robes, nor does the woman loosen her belt”: Controversy over Non-Contact “Sexual” Alchemy, by Clark Hudson, an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies in University of Virginia. The Professor’s contention is basically that non-contact “Sexual” Alchemy is a (failed?) attempt of compromising two dominant practices: Solo inner alchemy and for-real Sexual alchemy, with the latter form being more powerful!
An academic approach on religious matters suffers because the practitioners don't look at things that way. A Buddhist thinks a Christian at best being irrelevant, and verse versa. If an academic thinks that a Buddhist and Christian are talking about the same “God” in different veils, both the Buddhist and the Christian will consider him rather irrelevant!
Practitioners of Taoist yoga never denied the health benefits of sexual chi-kung. As per Taoist Yoga (classic text by Zhao Bichen 趙壁塵 translated by Charles Luk), chi generated through sexual chi-kung can better the body but will be of no use for further spiritual practice (because further practice requires a mind free from physical attachments). Actually sexual chi-kung practitioners had no issue with this saying. The clients (or students) of these sexual chi-king practitioners were usually (as one can imagine!) rich males who wanted to go beyond the limitation of male sexual constrains, and it would like god-send when a “Taoist master” told him that he could do it and at the same time improve his health! Any connection with Taoism could certainly gain respectability and credibility of such practices. Moreover, these clients (or students) were most likely not interested in further spiritual advancement!
Our professor did rather thorough research, and he mentioned one concept: muck alchemy 泥水丹法 in passing. According to the Wu-Liu tradition (五柳派), sexual chi-kung is a form of muck alchemy- it means this kind of practice will be of no use to further spiritual advancement. It can however also means after one session of sexual chi-kung, a male practitioner will become a piece of muck (!) Well, fair to say, unless he also practices semen retention (the detail of which can be found in Master Mantak Chia’s seminal books) at the same time. Perhaps our professor would also like to have a hand on such practice too, but of course that will go beyond what is required for being an academician. And I rest my case.
An academic approach on religious matters suffers because the practitioners don't look at things that way. A Buddhist thinks a Christian at best being irrelevant, and verse versa. If an academic thinks that a Buddhist and Christian are talking about the same “God” in different veils, both the Buddhist and the Christian will consider him rather irrelevant!
Practitioners of Taoist yoga never denied the health benefits of sexual chi-kung. As per Taoist Yoga (classic text by Zhao Bichen 趙壁塵 translated by Charles Luk), chi generated through sexual chi-kung can better the body but will be of no use for further spiritual practice (because further practice requires a mind free from physical attachments). Actually sexual chi-kung practitioners had no issue with this saying. The clients (or students) of these sexual chi-king practitioners were usually (as one can imagine!) rich males who wanted to go beyond the limitation of male sexual constrains, and it would like god-send when a “Taoist master” told him that he could do it and at the same time improve his health! Any connection with Taoism could certainly gain respectability and credibility of such practices. Moreover, these clients (or students) were most likely not interested in further spiritual advancement!
Our professor did rather thorough research, and he mentioned one concept: muck alchemy 泥水丹法 in passing. According to the Wu-Liu tradition (五柳派), sexual chi-kung is a form of muck alchemy- it means this kind of practice will be of no use to further spiritual advancement. It can however also means after one session of sexual chi-kung, a male practitioner will become a piece of muck (!) Well, fair to say, unless he also practices semen retention (the detail of which can be found in Master Mantak Chia’s seminal books) at the same time. Perhaps our professor would also like to have a hand on such practice too, but of course that will go beyond what is required for being an academician. And I rest my case.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The wisdom of famous Masters on Taoist yoga – On breathing
曹还阳真人云：‘忙里偷闲调外药，无中生有采先天’ 趙避塵：性命法诀明指
Master Cao said, “When attending my daily chores, I will squeeze out time to practice harvesting or mixing my external elixir, in order to gather my original chi out of nothing” (Taoist Yoga by Zhao Bichen, book translated into English by Zen master Charles Luk)
External elixir is a metaphor for breathing air or, better, the act of breathing. How to harvest or mix one’s external elixir? It is by means of focusing on the centre-point inside one’s lower abdomen (dantian 丹田). When focus is thus maintained, one can fine tune one’s breathing so that through the focused point, one’s perineum and surrounding muscles (the pelvic floor muscles) will contract evenly under the mind’s subtle control. If such contraction can be finely created and maintained, chi will be generated in the abdomen. The master said that such fine-tuning and focus shall be practiced in daily life as often as possible, in other words including out of seated meditation sessions.
The bottom muscle-group of the abdomen is a group of almost involuntary muscles and are very difficult to be controlled by one’s mind. For example, after prostate surgery, some patients could suffer from urinary incontinence. One way to tackle this problem is through training a patient’s control of his pelvic floor muscles, in particular the PC muscle, or pubococcygeus. It needs dedicated effort and a focused mind to train one’s pelvic floor muscles both in terms of strength and ability to control. It is so difficult to train one’s PC muscle for this purpose that many doctors simply ignore this treatment option!
It is interesting to note that the Master said a person’s original chi was like to be created out of no where. An observer truly can’t see what a practitioner is doing, except breathing as everybody else has to do! The mechanism works like this: chi is generated through establishing a power-transmission chain starting from the breathing act itself, through the Dantian and finally to the pelvic floor muscles, and ultimately through the action of the pelvic floor muscles, energy is transmitted to the inner subtle parts of the body to release the energy stored there. For details, please refer to my previous post on microcosmic circulation (check here).
External Elixir is one of the essential ingredients for creating the Golden Flower (金華), Inner Pill (Neidan 内丹) or Golden Pill (金丹). Why did the Masters use so many metaphors? Interesting issue to be tackled later…
Master Cao said, “When attending my daily chores, I will squeeze out time to practice harvesting or mixing my external elixir, in order to gather my original chi out of nothing” (Taoist Yoga by Zhao Bichen, book translated into English by Zen master Charles Luk)
External elixir is a metaphor for breathing air or, better, the act of breathing. How to harvest or mix one’s external elixir? It is by means of focusing on the centre-point inside one’s lower abdomen (dantian 丹田). When focus is thus maintained, one can fine tune one’s breathing so that through the focused point, one’s perineum and surrounding muscles (the pelvic floor muscles) will contract evenly under the mind’s subtle control. If such contraction can be finely created and maintained, chi will be generated in the abdomen. The master said that such fine-tuning and focus shall be practiced in daily life as often as possible, in other words including out of seated meditation sessions.
The bottom muscle-group of the abdomen is a group of almost involuntary muscles and are very difficult to be controlled by one’s mind. For example, after prostate surgery, some patients could suffer from urinary incontinence. One way to tackle this problem is through training a patient’s control of his pelvic floor muscles, in particular the PC muscle, or pubococcygeus. It needs dedicated effort and a focused mind to train one’s pelvic floor muscles both in terms of strength and ability to control. It is so difficult to train one’s PC muscle for this purpose that many doctors simply ignore this treatment option!
It is interesting to note that the Master said a person’s original chi was like to be created out of no where. An observer truly can’t see what a practitioner is doing, except breathing as everybody else has to do! The mechanism works like this: chi is generated through establishing a power-transmission chain starting from the breathing act itself, through the Dantian and finally to the pelvic floor muscles, and ultimately through the action of the pelvic floor muscles, energy is transmitted to the inner subtle parts of the body to release the energy stored there. For details, please refer to my previous post on microcosmic circulation (check here).
External Elixir is one of the essential ingredients for creating the Golden Flower (金華), Inner Pill (Neidan 内丹) or Golden Pill (金丹). Why did the Masters use so many metaphors? Interesting issue to be tackled later…
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
I Ching and Taoist yoga - 2
Talking about the relationship between I Ching and Taoist yoga, one cannot miss this famous book 周易參同契 (or shortened as 參同契 - Can Dong Qi)。 An English translation titled as "The Secret of Everlasting Life: The First Translation of the Ancient Chiense Text of Immortality" will be published in 2011. This unfortunately is a highly complex book, that, again unfortunately, has labored many scholars and practitioners for centuries, trying to dig out something useful there. I mean, like fallen into an (Eastern) abyss, can or can't get out is of course none of the business of the author, alchemist Wei Boyang in the Han Dynasty.
Talking about complexity, recently I came across a Taoist yoga book called 天仙金丹心法 ("Insider techniques for practicing Golden Flower [Dan] immortality", no English translation yet) written by a group of Tao yogist of same lineage in the most recent Qing Dynasty. As if in response to the complexity of Can Dong Qi, a large portion of this manual was written in different anagrams. A practical joke may be, or a way to safe-guard some insider techniques. This manual has been deciphered by a modern Taoist named Song Fei， and he published his work under the same name.
Taking about the influence of I Ching, we can still see it today, like the new English translation that I mentioned. Indeed there have been many studies interpreting Can Dong Qi, like one by the famous Chinese classic author Nan Huaichin. And some western Tao yogist call their practice Kan and Li - of course, how much, if any at all, they understand I Ching is beside the question.
Zen master and Taoist yoga master Liu Huayang, author of Hui Ming Jing belonged to another stream of practitioners. They prefer demystify rather than mystify. Liu Huayang (柳華陽) and his Master Wu Shouyang (伍守陽) wrote a few texts on the subject, and is now generally known as the Wu-Liu sect (伍柳派). Accordingly to them, their grandmaster Qiu （丘処機 - grandmaster of 龙门派） started this trend of demystification. Master Qiu was a figure made legendary through the highly popular fiction 射雕英雄传 "Legend of the Eagle Shooting Hero"). It is interesting to note that Grandmaster Qiu taught in foreign (non-Han-Chinese) lands, first in Jin Dynasty (that drove Han-Chinese to the South) and then in Yuen Dynasty (the Mongol empire that ruled China as a complete Dynasty, Master Qiu was highly popular with the Yuen Emperor). In other words, master Qiu demystified ancient Taoist practice and texts and spread the teachings to foreigners.
I find it interesting to compare Grandmaster Qiu with Richard Wilhelm who translated Hui Ming Jing (written by Liu Huayang a lineage practitioner of Qui) and spread this profound teaching to modern western readers. Even more interesting, Zen practitioner Charles Luk (encouraged by Carl Jung) later translated the book Taoist Yoga （性命法訣明指）. The author of Taoist yoga master Zhao bichen 趙避塵 was a lineage practitioner from Liu Huanyang - actually Chao learned from a lineage student of Liu - Zen master Liao-ran (了然)!
In conclusion, it is up to each modern man who is interested in this ancient practice whether to follow the complex way (like studying "Can Dong Qi" 參同契 ) or the simpler way (like studying "Hui Ming Jing" 慧命經).
Talking about complexity, recently I came across a Taoist yoga book called 天仙金丹心法 ("Insider techniques for practicing Golden Flower [Dan] immortality", no English translation yet) written by a group of Tao yogist of same lineage in the most recent Qing Dynasty. As if in response to the complexity of Can Dong Qi, a large portion of this manual was written in different anagrams. A practical joke may be, or a way to safe-guard some insider techniques. This manual has been deciphered by a modern Taoist named Song Fei， and he published his work under the same name.
Taking about the influence of I Ching, we can still see it today, like the new English translation that I mentioned. Indeed there have been many studies interpreting Can Dong Qi, like one by the famous Chinese classic author Nan Huaichin. And some western Tao yogist call their practice Kan and Li - of course, how much, if any at all, they understand I Ching is beside the question.
Zen master and Taoist yoga master Liu Huayang, author of Hui Ming Jing belonged to another stream of practitioners. They prefer demystify rather than mystify. Liu Huayang (柳華陽) and his Master Wu Shouyang (伍守陽) wrote a few texts on the subject, and is now generally known as the Wu-Liu sect (伍柳派). Accordingly to them, their grandmaster Qiu （丘処機 - grandmaster of 龙门派） started this trend of demystification. Master Qiu was a figure made legendary through the highly popular fiction 射雕英雄传 "Legend of the Eagle Shooting Hero"). It is interesting to note that Grandmaster Qiu taught in foreign (non-Han-Chinese) lands, first in Jin Dynasty (that drove Han-Chinese to the South) and then in Yuen Dynasty (the Mongol empire that ruled China as a complete Dynasty, Master Qiu was highly popular with the Yuen Emperor). In other words, master Qiu demystified ancient Taoist practice and texts and spread the teachings to foreigners.
I find it interesting to compare Grandmaster Qiu with Richard Wilhelm who translated Hui Ming Jing (written by Liu Huayang a lineage practitioner of Qui) and spread this profound teaching to modern western readers. Even more interesting, Zen practitioner Charles Luk (encouraged by Carl Jung) later translated the book Taoist Yoga （性命法訣明指）. The author of Taoist yoga master Zhao bichen 趙避塵 was a lineage practitioner from Liu Huanyang - actually Chao learned from a lineage student of Liu - Zen master Liao-ran (了然)!
In conclusion, it is up to each modern man who is interested in this ancient practice whether to follow the complex way (like studying "Can Dong Qi" 參同契 ) or the simpler way (like studying "Hui Ming Jing" 慧命經).
Monday, November 22, 2010
Zen master Liu Huayang
Hui Ming Jing (慧命經) was written by Zen master Liu Huayang （柳華陽). For him, the kind of Taoist meditation that he practiced was the same as the Dharma as taught by Zen's sixth Patriarch Hui Neng, and his text interpreted many Buddhist texts in such as way as to support his contention. Taoist Richard Wilhelm called Liu's meditation method a hybrid of Zen and Taoist practice.
One of the students of Liu was Zen master Liao Ran (了然). And Liao Ran was one of the masters of Zhao Bichen 趙避塵 author of the famous text Taoist Yoga (仙宗性命法訣) translated by Charles Luk, who was a Zen practitioner himself with one of his masters being a lineage Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, the famous Xu Yun (虛云) who was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution (and was reported that, after being beaten up seriously, laid unconscious for a few days and woke up again in good general health conditions!). Incidentally, it was Carl Jung who encouraged Charles Luk to translate classic texts on the subject (as mentioned by Charles Luk).
Although some Zen masters, such as the famous master Yin Guang (印光法師) said these people, in particular Zen master Liu Huayang, were defaming Zen Buddhism, it does seem very likely that Taoist and Zen deep meditation methods did have many similarities in the past, if not influencing each other in the course of their separate developments.
For the modern man, it is suffice to know that Hui Ming Jing is an important book and classic on the subject of Taoist meditation, and worth our efforts to dig out what is relevant to us - as a Living Practice.
One of the students of Liu was Zen master Liao Ran (了然). And Liao Ran was one of the masters of Zhao Bichen 趙避塵 author of the famous text Taoist Yoga (仙宗性命法訣) translated by Charles Luk, who was a Zen practitioner himself with one of his masters being a lineage Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, the famous Xu Yun (虛云) who was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution (and was reported that, after being beaten up seriously, laid unconscious for a few days and woke up again in good general health conditions!). Incidentally, it was Carl Jung who encouraged Charles Luk to translate classic texts on the subject (as mentioned by Charles Luk).
Although some Zen masters, such as the famous master Yin Guang (印光法師) said these people, in particular Zen master Liu Huayang, were defaming Zen Buddhism, it does seem very likely that Taoist and Zen deep meditation methods did have many similarities in the past, if not influencing each other in the course of their separate developments.
For the modern man, it is suffice to know that Hui Ming Jing is an important book and classic on the subject of Taoist meditation, and worth our efforts to dig out what is relevant to us - as a Living Practice.
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