ShouYi

Zhen (眞 / 真) is one of the most important word in the Daoist tradition. It appears for example in:

zhenren 

Quanzhen

xiuzhen (i.e. Xiuzhen Tu diagram, Liu Yiming' s work:  Xiuzhen houbian),

Chuzhen (The title of the second chapter of Huainanzi)

What is the best English translation for this word in a Daoist context? (noun:) Perfection, Reality, Truth, (adj:) True, Authentic, Genuine?

What does "zhen" mean in the Daoist tradition? 

Is this a different term for Dao? Why exactly this one?

Thank you Vitalii

Is it proper to practice zhan zhuang at Zi hour (part: 11 pm to midnight) or Hai hour (9 pm to 11 pm)?

It's the best time for me (before midnight), but Hua-Ching Ni wrote that "All important spiritual energy cultivation occurs during the yang part of the cycle" (between midnight and noon) and "The best time for self-cultivation is in the early morning when yang energy is not yet too strong". Is it a waste of time to pracice zhan zhuang before midnight, before bedtime?

http://www.docshut.com/pmmsi/komjathy-inward-training.html

"Visions better than drugs have not come.

Intelligence exceeding genius has not come.

Titanic strength has not come.

Beauty to attract lovers has not come.

Visitations from the Gods have not come.

Freedom from weariness has not come.

An end to vexing annoyances has not come.

Great wealth has not come.

Fame has not come.

Unlimited understanding of others has not come.

Supernatural powers have not come.

The skill to spontaneously heal has not come.

The gift of prophesy has not come.

None of these things have come.

Find a good teacher

I also heard a Zen master say something like "keeping one's mind focused on one's body helps with enlightenment as opposed to letting one's thoughts wander about elsewhere".

Yes, I think that buddhist mindfulness practice is a good method of focusing one's spirit (-s). In regard to the teaching of Guangchengzi, it's fascinating that cultivation of the spirit (nourishing, housing, etc.) can change (heal) a body, but I think that it's different practice than mind cultivation in e.g. buddhism or jnana yoga (advaita). In ancient chinese method (rooted in shamanism) one works with spirits (specific forms of energy) not with the mind (concepts, ideas, ego).

It's one of my favourite and most inspirational quotes. It's an excerpt of the discussion between Guangchengzi and Huangdi. It appears in Zhunagzi, Chapter 11 and in Ge Hong’s Traditions of Divine Transcendents. This fragment is taken from 'To Live as Long as Heaven and Earth. A Translation and Study of Ge Hong’s Traditions of Divine Transcendents' by Robert Ford Campany, p. 159:

The essence of the ultimate Way
Is dark and obscure.
It involves no seeing, no hearing,
But only embracing your spirit in quietude.
Your body will then correct itself
And will certainly become pure.
Do not egg on your body,
Do not disturb your essence,
And you may achieve long life.
Take care of what is within, and close yourself to what is without.
Know much, and you will sure decay.

I think this is the very essence of nourishing life traditions and daoist cultivation: keep the spirit within you - by keeping the spirit within one's form, the form will live long and one will attain the Dao.

Hi BananaMonkey! Thank you for your welcome

For many years, I have been interested in daoism, qigong, TCM. I'm going to start a discussion about five spirits cultivation (shen, hun, po, zhi, yi). I think it's quite underestimated issue.

Hi, I send greetings from Poland

I' ve found a lot of interesting and helpful posts on Taobums, so I' ve decided to join

Peace to All