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Found 45 results

  1. Hi Dear Bums, My name is narayana I am new to this website. I am interested in Taoist meditation. I want to practice Lower Dantian meditation. What is location of Lower Dantian? Waiting for your answers 🙏
  2. LDT Breathing techniques

    Hi, which is the best breathing method to fill lower dantian? Natural abdominal breathing or riverse abdominal breathing? Which is safe to practice without a teacher?
  3. I have finally understood why I was angry and frustrated of Taoists denying my ideas and made-up technique. I failed to understand what we search for was different and our understanding of Internal Alchemy was never really the same. Classic Taoism & Internal Alchemy Classic Taoists are just fans of the Tao Te Ching, like old Chinese philosophy/poems and maybe even have a bit of religious believe in talismans and shamanism. Classic Internal Alchemists, however, believes in meditation where one think of deep, sometimes dark, things to overcome their traumas and inner demons. Their version of "spiritual" is psychological rather than supernatural. They use Qigong in hope of, not immortality or true longevity like living for 1000 of years, but to heal their mortal body and mind. I, however, was searching for the Xian immortal version of Internal Alchemy. To live for as long and how young I want, to become strong enough to split mountains and seas, like in the Xianxia novels. Before you say that was childish, yes it was, however, in my defends I do have and am diagnosed with atypical autism so I have all the right to be a bit childish and dream about the impossible. Also that buzzing feeling that keep take the shapes of the meridians on the acupuncture maps did make me believe of was right and you were wrong, blinding me with arrogance. I'm sorry for my outbursts and being mean. Totally not because my mom forced me as punishment for my arrogance... Joke aside. I will still leave this community because this community doesn't support my search of the Xian immortal art or whether it is real or not. Thank you for the experience of understanding arrogance. P.s. please delete my account as I will not be back. P.s.s. My Yin Yang Lotus technique wouldn't have caused Qi deviations since it focuses on moving/generating that (physical) buzzing feeling (not emotionally) rather than your inner thoughts and demons like classic meditation does. Bye.
  4. Hello all, I've been masturbating since I was 13, I'm now 28. Before I would masturbate about 3-4 times a day when I was about 16 but after my girlfriend left me when I was 20 this habit got destructive. I masturbated out of sheer frustration, thinking about her having sex with another man. This led me down I dark path where I was actively trying to destroy my genitals and myself; I masturbated about 8-10 times per day during that time. I would masturbate until my penis hurt and nothing came out. I've been trying to kick the habit for sometime now but It's proving difficult. When I was 24 i started having complications with what started with the head of my penis (itching/burning) which progressed to the urethra and has now found its way to my scrotum. I'm starting to feel the effects of masturbating on my whole body now when I participate in the behaviour and I noticed that my body does not simply spring back to vitality anymore. Now when I masturbate it hurts my lower back and belly bottom during ejaculation. I regret my decisions so much that i'm filled with dread. Became curious in neidan about a year ago and I've realized that I was destroying one of my 3 treasures all this time (jing). Is it possible to replenish it? is it possible to heal? Sometimes I feel like I've fucked this life up and the only way forward is a restart of some sort. Any advice.
  5. I just had this shower-thought! Before our birth, we do not exist. After our birth, we exist. Once we are dead, we cease to exist once more. These things are known to all of us, therefore many of us believes in reincarnation, since the next step would likely be "to exist once more". This is the circle of life and reincarnation that most follow by their own free will, but those who seek to cultivate the three treasures does not follow this circle out of their own free will. My thought is; Those who practice neigong or chigong are like Sisyphus, endlessly pushing a boulder up the hill. Not because what we do isn't real but because we are like a bucket full of holes, what we build up leaks out fast. My hypothesis is that we start with nothing, no meridians or dantians, but we (our soul/consciousness) are a seed. We must use inaction (wuwei) to grow our meridians and then later grow our dantians (similar to how potatoes grow). (We refine our meridians and dantians with Shen, Qi and Jing after storing enough of it). (Shen is spiritual force/energy, Qi is life force/longevity and Jing is vitality/youth.) (Qigong and other exercises could be used to refine the body). To use Wuwei: Get comfortable (meditate). Focus with your sense of touch/feeling (not only your mind) on the acupressure point between your eyebrows (slightly above the nasal bone a.k.a the glabella). Do not actually move (hence to inaction). Though involuntary movements are fine and sometimes putting your focus on those movements, trying to feel it again, is good. Focus on the acupressure points of your temporal bones. Go back and forth between those points. Your goal would be to feel a light buzzing of energy in those areas. Later you must try to spread this feeling down to other acupressure points which would later allow you to feel strings of energy taking the shape of meridians. To spread the energy, you must simply focus with inaction on the next acupressure points. Trust yourself and try to find the right buzzing feeling, as well as, acupressure points for you (a feeling of; that this is the right one to focus on). Good luck and happy cultivation. - Sleepy Bluejay
  6. Apparently, nobody believes that they can live for more than 100-200 years by practicing internal alchemy. They also do not believe that they can eventually jump over a house or split a mountain in half by practicing martial arts together with internal alchemy. My questions are; why do you/they practice internal alchemy? What is your/their final purpose with doing so? - A sleepy and curious bluejay
  7. What would be wisest to do?

    Let's have a fun debate! If you were to discover how to cultivate just like the wuxia novels with flying sword and immortality, would you tell or teach the world or keep it a secret? What would be the cons and pros of telling or teaching everyone immortal cultivation? What would happen if you keep it a secret, yet keep experimenting with plants and livestock to make them "spiritual/divine"? *Think of things like; the cons and pros of growing spiritual herbs and fruit, could lead to deadly byproducts for mortals, but not for cultivators and such* - A sleepy but curious Bluejay.
  8. THE GIFT OF LIGHT ....................................... A daily meditation session offering free healing and energy attunement to help clear blockages, dissolve resistance and align you with the subtle vibrational energies of the higher realms. Xuan Daoji is an ordained priest, Daoshi 道仕, in the ancient tradition of the Xiao Yao School of Daoist Spiritual Cultivation. In this scheduled one hour guided meditation, you will be energetically empowered to receive a vibrational attunement in the frequency of our lineage with the purpose of guiding your consciousness into a state of calm and peace. The transmission will help to facilitate an energetic re-balancing of your physical and subtle bodies and bring you into alignment with your encoded blueprints for optimal functional health and spiritual awareness. For those practising internal alchemy and the esoteric spiritual arts; this daily transmission will assist you in cultivating your subtle energy to stimulate the delicate process of internal transformation by infusing the volume of your body with a refined Shen energy through the Shang Dan Tian. This light will step down into Qi in the Chong Dan Tian and then settle into the Xia Dan Tian to facillitate the transmutation of Jing into the frequency required to activate the Du and Ren meridians for the refinement of high vibrational energy through the Xiao Zhou Tian (Microcosmic Orbit). INSTRUCTIONS: ................................ After you join the room. Take a comfortable seated meditation position with your back naturally straight and set a gentle intention to reach out to me with your heart and mind. This will establish a consensual resonance between us and allow me to elevate your vibration, attend to any areas that are out of balance and imbue your subtle energy with transformational light. When the countdown timer hits 1:00:00. Put your hands in a prayer position against your chest for a minute, then relax and allow your body to react spontaneously to the session, permitting the energy to go where it is needed and to flow through you to release stagnation and dissolve resistance. You may experience sensations of heat, cold, tingling, shaking, vibrations, visible lights or glowing, see images, re-live old experiences from a different perspective, or experience cathartic releases of emotions. Whatever you need to heal and fortify your being; you will receive. Many blessings, Tai Shang Bao Yu. ..................................................................... TO JOIN THE MEDITATION ROOM: - Download Insight Timer: https://insig.ht/0igdjKasKEb - You can use the FREE version, no need to subscribe to plus. - Everyday from 11PM UK time. Duration: 1 hour TESTIMONIAL 1: "I strongly advise you to participate in @Xuan's daily meditation. It's a fantastic opportunity to let go of what no longer serves you and reconnect with your authentic self. I've been participating for the last three nights and am amazed at how much my days have improved. The first night, I had a powerful bodily experience in which I felt blocked energy begin to flow through my body. My body was shaking as a cold sensation flowed through it. On the second night, I was led through many former events when I felt a lot of fear and clarified why I felt that way because of the meaning that I assigned to what happened. Last night, I found the strength to forgive and let go of all the resentment I had been carrying for a long time. My everyday mindset improved significantly and I was able to go through stressful events while remaining present in my body rather than running away from what I was feeling. During these days, waves of love poured over me, and I felt at peace doing my regular tasks. I was present, which helped me to trust that I am unconditionally supported by the creation and that my life is unfolding just as it should. I used to have a lot of resistance during the day because I kept arguing that I couldn't let go of control for a long time, but since I started meditating with Xuan, I've been able to let go and appreciate every part of my days. I had the idea that everything happens at the right moment and that I will not miss anything; that I am where I am for a reason and that it is exactly where I need to be. I was also able to give and accept love, joy, and compassion, as well as detach myself from my old beliefs and trust I have exactly what I need. For a long time, I felt at my core that I was so insignificant and had so little control over what was going on in my life. With Xuan's guidance and support, I was able to connect the dots and begin relaxing by realising I had the freedom to choose what I preferred. I am a Reiki master in multiple systems and have been working with healing energy for a long time, but the Xiao Yao schools cultivation is uniquely different. Thank you, Xuan for all your hard work and for allowing us to benefit from it." TESTIMONIAL 2: " Hi Elizabeth. The energy feels really different. Reiki energy has always felt hot for me, but when Xuan connects to me, I feel a flow of strong cold energy, not heat. Another thing that is different is that Reiki energy tends to make me feel energised, it charges me, but in a general, non-specific way, if that makes sense. On the other hand when im in the meditation room with Xuan, i feel the energy is doing specific things in my body, focusing on problem areas im aware of and i can feel it clearing blockages. It's like it has intelligence or consciousness of its own. Reiki also tends to leave me a little tense afterwards, but with this I have a persistent feeling of peace and emotional stability afterwards. Also a significant sense of detachment from my emotions, almost like im watching things from a distance rather than identifying completely with them." TESTIMONIAL 3: "Quite an interesting experience. I initially started off before reading the instructions and did my usual seated stillness with hands in dyana mudra position. I found that I could breathe much slower than usual and was able to concentrate better. After around 20 minutes I had to adjust my seating position and saw the instructions to properly connect with Xuan. I put my hands in the relevant position and did the intention. Soon after that it felt like a jacuzzi in my head, an effect I sometimes experience from qigong, accompanied by images of outer space. Throughout the meditation I didn’t see much except blue, most of physical affects were being able to breathe much deeper and much slower than usual, and I felt some energy around my shoulder blades. Towards the end I had to adjust my seating position again, re did the connecting process and experienced the same effect which was quite interesting. Looking forward to join again and highly recommend everyone tries a session!" TESTIMONIAL 4: "I had an extraordinary experience yesterday when I started a group meditation session. First of all, just before starting meditation I felt a very strong energy resonance from my heart chakra, then after starting meditation I immediately entered a deep meditation state and felt the energy from the heart chakra spread to the third eye chakra and sacral chakra. This lasted for 1 hour and after finishing I felt very peaceful and felt like all the energy blockages in my body were all cleared. After meditation I feel very energized all day. On the second day today, I immediately felt peaceful when I started meditating, although the sensation was not as intense as the first day (maybe because on the first day there was clearing of energy blockages in my body) but I felt peaceful throughout the meditation. That is my testimony from following the daily meditation session for 2 days. Lu." TESTIMONIAL 5: "Hi Xuan, it's me Lu. I am grateful to you because since attending this group meditation session for almost a month I have experienced a very significant change in myself, it feels like I was reborn into a different person. I felt very calm, balanced and filled with love. My Lian Gong process also feels deeper and I feel that my Gong Li has improved a lot since attending this meditation session. I hope that more people can benefit from these group meditation sessions. Once again thank you very much Xuan 🙏" TESTIMONIAL 6 "I had a tremendous experience yesterday during your mediation session. It is very hard to put into words, but after several minutes, my hands wished to move independently and if I moved them back to the original position they would then proceed back to where they wanted to go. After rising and falling they rotated over both knees for a very long time, so much so that I began to think I would be doing it for an hour. Next my body did circular movements, in both directions, then my spine did forward and back motions. I then did a movement that made me feel the movement of my ribs and my internal organs felt massaged. Lastly my neck was stretched upwards and I felt a heavy pressure that pushed me backwards until I was leaning completely backwards. At any stage when I moved against the direction my body wanted to go, I was then again slowly led back. I stayed in the backwards position for quite some time. Despite being cognitively there I did not realise the session had finished. I was then pushed forward at a much greater speed and then felt a release. I should add that I was conscious, that my breath was much deeper and lower and felt guided throughout. I have never had an experience like it and went in not expecting it. I felt a great feeling of relaxation and peacefulness, and immediately went to sleep. This morning I feel that I have had a work out and feel stretched especially internally. My mind has clarity and peacefulness Guy"
  9. Are there any schools or workshops that provide in-person QiGong/Neidan training in the USA? Preferably in New York, but any state will do. A brief search just gives me online schools and QiGong massage parlors. I went to one of those massage parlors that do QiGong and it was a happy ending place, I was very disappointed.
  10. If I meditate on the Real Lower Dan Tian during regular sitting meditation, will that build up and store Qi there? Is that an effective approach to filling the Real Lower Dan Tian?
  11. Hi

    Neidan internal alchemy practicioner. Hiya
  12. What is internal alchemy, anyway? Post your views/experience here. Here are some of my own thoughts on the matter: Internal alchemy practice is actually a specific type of 'system' with (at least fairly) specific goals, although those goals them self can appear rather vague such as 'immortality' and 'returning to dao', and different 'neidan' schools may define those goals somewhat differently. Although a neidan system may include some qigong and neigong practices and physical movement practices, etc., it will also typically include specific meditation practices with the specific purpose of achieving the goals of 'immortality' and 'returning to dao' and similar. Different qigong and neigong practices available out there are not necessarily at all (and usually aren't) 'internal alchemy'/ 'neidan' specific, although some such practices may have similarities or overlap to some neidan practices from some neidan schools. One problem is that throughout China's history, terms and concepts and practices from neidan systems have sometimes been borrowed and mixed in with other 'systems' which may have very different goals and views from neidan, so you can get martials arts or health/medical practices which may use some similar terms and concepts as used in neidan, but which may well be used somewhat differently. The point is, from what I have gathered, qigong practices and neigong practices which may have some similarities to some neidan practices, are not necessarily at all directly related to neidan, and they usually have quite a different focus. The whole thing becomes even more murky when you throw into the mix that there are different schools/sects which may include neidan or similar practices, but which may have quite different practices and views from other neidan systems. For example, some of those schools may have strong daoist religious aspects interwoven with their 'neidan' practices, and others may not. Therefore, there really is no clear cut right and wrong in all this, in my view. There is also the problem that during the Chinese cultural revolution, the Chinese people destroyed many Chinese temples and beat and killed many daoist and buddhists, and burned many books, etc, and forbade anyone from practicing such 'superstitious' practices. The end result was when the cultural revolution began to subside and the Chinese government began to allow daoists and buddhists and others to start these types of practices again under the close supervision and directon from the Chinese government , much had been lost, and people were left to try to piece together some of these systems and practices again. The takeaway from all the above is, from my perspective, anyway, there really is no clear cut way to say such and such a system is 'true and pure neidan'. This has helped open the door for various charlatans and self-deluded people to start offering and promoting various practices as being 'neidan'. Often such people will insist that what they promote is the only really 'authentic' practices, and they may spend a lot of time criticizing and putting down other systems and teachers to try to bolster up what they are offering. Some of these fakes and self-deluded people may only have read through some old daoist neidan texts and practiced some qigong practices and then declare them self to be an 'expert' on the topic, and start promoting them self and implying that they are some kind of very accomplished 'master'. Yes, in my view, it really is that much of a mess. So, what can an aspiring student do to potentially find a suitable teacher if they are interested in such things? In my view, you really can only use your best judgement and try to get to know the teacher for some time, if possible, and see if they seem to truly embody some of the principles and abilities they claim their system should bring. Can they answer questions in a clear and practical way, or do they just throw around more terms and concepts or become dismissive when asked questions, and seem unable to explain anything in a clear way? Can the teacher demonstrate in some clear and practical way that they have real accomplishments in what they are claiming to offer? Can this teacher provide clear details about their own teachers and lineage (there are self-proclaimed 'masters' out there who have made up their lineage and teachers). In the end, the aspiring student can only use their best judgement and try to find something which resonates with them personally. What some people may insist is a true 'accomplished master' may appear to be a complete fraud or self-deluded person to others, so in the end you will have to go with your own judgement. Keep in mind that traditional neidan practice would typically require several hours of practice a day as a minimum, and some (many?) neidan systems require celibacy, as well, so such practices are not really suitable for many people. What are your views/experience with neidan?
  13. Endless debates over what is correct and what is not correct. Endless debates over what is better and what is worse. Every day fare in the kingdom of the ego. Up and down, east and west, hot and cold. Which is correct? Which is not correct? Which is better? Which is worse? Which all-knowing and all-seeing being can answer these questions with absolute authority? Who here on this Earth can say what immortality is? If anyone can live forever, they must be very rare. No, it's about spiritual immortality, you say? What is spirit? What is spiritual immortality? This person says this. That person says that. Which all-knowing and all-seeing being can answer these questions with absolute authority? What use is self-cultivation if it is not practical? If what a person practices has value and benefit for them, is it not good? If what a person practices improves their health and state of mind, is it not good? What does it matter what this person or that person says about some particular cultivation method? If what a person practices has value and benefit for them, is it not good? If what a person practices improves their health and state of mind, is it not good? I am just a human standing on a vast Earth, surrounded by a vast universe. I do not know anything about spiritual embryos and immortality. Nebulous clouds which no one can seem to agree upon. Beautiful images for the ego to picture and behold. In this world we must be practical. Will it help us through our work day? Will it give us better health? Will it give us a better state of mind? Will it help us to interact with others in a more positive way? Will it help ease the aches and pains as we grow older? What is ultimately real, and what is ultimately not real? What is ultimately of value, and what is ultimately not of value? I do not know. Which all-knowing and all-seeing being can answer these questions with absolute authority?
  14. Neidan plan

    Hello All! Im a 40 year old from India. Im interested in neidan practices but I dont know anyone teaching this in India. Im thinking of following online courses. What are some good courses by which I can cultivate Jing, Qi and Shen ? Another question, does neidan have any parallels with Kriya Yoga ? Do they complement each other ? Regards, Anand
  15. Long time lurker

    Hello, Honestly I wanted to make a new account because I woukd like access to the reading material non accessible to non members but I would like to interact too. Personally, I've been lurking, analyzing content on NeiDan/Internal work for a few years here, never needed to make an account because all questions I wanted were already covered. 2 to 3 years back I had a intense UDT Pranothana experience which change my life for that time from messing with advance lvl exercises I shouldn't have. Too many weird paranormal experiences sent me running for help because of the intensity of the experiences. For that I would like to thank SOTG back when he had lonemanpai for free and I did a lot of their advices to bring the yi to the ldt and start working there which helped out tremendously among other things. And a good bunch of information from here also! So thank you for providing a free medium of knowledge to work with!
  16. The Art of Song 鬆

    After reading through Nathan Brine's wonderful book (The Taoist Alchemy of Wang Liping, vol. 1) depicting the practices and overall line of development within the Dragon Gate sect, Nathan puts out a wonderful reminder. To truly build the foundation for neidan, one needs to learn how to relax and in particular learn the art of Song 鬆 . In WLP's lineage the art of Song is explored through methods such as pore breathing, body squeeze and the nine basic foundational techniques. From Nathan, I can understand there is a big difference between Song and flexibility. One can be completely flexible, yet not be Song 鬆. This is important to remember, I feel. I personally have been exploring Song through the practice of "anchoring the breath" as described by Damo Mitchell in his online Microcosmic Orbit course along with some of the practical teachings (pore breathing, from Wang Liping (viz. Nathan Brine). I also try to incorporate the principles into my standing work, though this is proving more difficult than I thought as it usually ends up with me spiralling into sponteanous postures rather than sinking the Qi and rooting and anchoring more deeply. I thought this would be a nice topic to explore together. I am sure it has been mentioned before, but it could be nice to have a thread directly dedicated to this aspect of internal training. So, what methods or ways have or are you working on Song or sinking in your practice? What does it feel like when it's working for you -- how about when it's not? What is important to keep in mind when learning this process?
  17. Hi all, I have been studying/practicing qigong/taiji/yoga for 20+ years, reading everything I can find. I also have professional training in TCM, with qigong/taiji training from multiple teachers, but I feel like it is time to take my practice to the next level. For now, I have only found Lotus Neigong and Ba Men Da Xuan online training systems. I know people say that this is something that we need a teacher for, but I don't live in an area where there are live teachers. For this reason, I am looking for a system that I can learn from books and videos. I would be able to travel from time to time, but really am looking for a complete system that I can learn mostly online. Is there anyone here that can vouch for either of the above systems or is there a better one that you could recommend? I am open to suggestions. TIA
  18. Greetings

    Greetings Dao Bums, New member here, I look forward to being a part of this community. Daoist NeiDan Practitioner 6+ years. Longmen Pai Zhongnan private lineage, 13th generation, direct transmission. Looking for fellow Practitioners / Daoist recommendations in NYC. Have a great day!
  19. What is Jing ... really?

    So... what is Jing really? Some say it can be increased by doing certain things like horse stance. Some people seem to think it's the same as hormones like testosterone. Other seem to think it's the potential of cells or something like stem cells if it had a homologous physical attribute. Others say it is more related to letting go of habits and becoming deeply still. Would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks!
  20. Hi, first off I'm pretty new to practicing 7 months or so. My question is about how do you tell when the Lower Dantian is full and then what to do about it? I'm also going to include the sensation I had, as well as part of a extremely vivid dream where I also had the same sensation. Sadly this was months ago so perhaps my progress has gone backwards since then. I don't know why I didn't just come straight here.. So the feeling was of a pulsing/shaking sensation in my lower dantian area, kinda like a muscle spasm feeling. The dream I had was really cool and memorable. I had also read the Magus of Java twice so there was a John Chang like figure. Basically I was at some temple on a very small island surrounded by water somewhere in South East Asia and was sitting in a circle with several other students and they were doing a test to see if we were ready to advance. After awhile the master looked directly at me and put his palm up to his mouth and blew in my direction and all of a sudden that intense pulsing feeling happened in my Lower Dantian region. Afterward he walked over to me and said some joke to the rest of the guys about surfer's bodies and patted me in the stomach . Then I woke up. The guy who I had learned my basic movements from told me he wasn''t sure and that it probably just meant i actually had a LDT. Recently I opened up this thing from Dr. Yang and it described the exact feeling I had in regards to it being full but this was months after the feelings happened. And i haven't felt it since. https://ymaa.com/articles/2014/1/nei-dan-sitting-meditation Here's the quote from the end of the arcticle, "After you have practiced the abdominal exercises for about three to five weeks, you may feel your abdomen get warmer every time you practice. After continued practice, the abdomen will start to tremble and shake each time you start the fire. This means qi has accumulated at the lower dan tian and is about to overflow. At this time you should start to coordinate your breathing and abdominal movement with the movement of your huiyin (Co-1) (literally "meet the yin") cavity and perineum to lead the qi to the tailbone (weilu cavity)." Thanks so much for any advice!
  21. Rigpa vs. Yuan Shen

    Anyone know if they're comparable or can be directly related in some way? It seems in Dzogchen there's four levels of rigpa (from rigpawiki below). Ground rigpa: "(Tib. གཞིའི་རིག་པ་, shyi rigpa, Wyl. gzhi'i rig pa) acts as the basis for all of samsara and nirvana, and is identical to the subtle clear light. This is the pristine awareness one experiences at the time of death, but not during the ordinary waking state. It is from this awareness that the foundation consciousness arises." Essential rigpa: "The fundamental innate mind of clear light is considered to be the nature of mind, or the ultimate root of consciousness. In the same way that a sesame seed is entirely permeated by sesame oil, as soon as there is clear and aware consciousness, it is said to be permeated by the clear light rigpa. This aspect of rigpa, this in-dwelling clear light is what is called essential rigpa (Tib. ངོ་བོའི་རིག་པ་ , Wyl. ngo bo'i rig pa).[1] Effulgent rigpa: "The Dzogchen teachings are very precise in talking about rigpa and categorizing it with many subtle distinctions. So a distinction is made between the ground of being and the appearances of that ground, and effulgent rigpa (Tib. རྩལ་གྱི་རིག་པ་ , tsal gyi rigpa, Wyl. rtsal gyi rig pa) is rigpa that is present in the appearances arising from the ground. It’s an aspect of rigpa which is to be identified and experienced only when coarse levels of mind and conceptual thoughts are active. At that point the experience of the fundamental innate mind of clear light has ‘ceased’―‘ceased’ in the sense that it is no longer a direct object of your experience. However, there is still a definite quality of clarity and awareness that permeates the coarser states of consciousness. This type of clear light experienced as a quality that permeates these states is the effulgent rigpa. All-embracing rigpa: rigpa of all-embracing spontaneous presence (Tib. ལྷུན་གྲུབ་སྦུབས་ཀྱི་རིག་པ་, Wyl. lhun grub sbubs kyi rig pa) Do these have equivalents in Daoism, and if so, what would they be? Thanks a lot!
  22. There are a lot of pictures, in books, online, in charts and diagrams, that show where the dantian (or lower dantian) is located. Almost all of them are side views, almost all of them show no bones, or show them so symbolically as to not really allow identification. I'm hoping someone can definitively help with where the lower dantian is. Most verbal descriptions say, 3 fingers below the navel and 3 fingers inside, with the number of fingers for each varying, and some people actually using thumbs instead. The navel is roughly at the illiac crest, which is the bone pictured at the front of the top of the pelvis in the following picture, so the vertical location on this picture seems like it is correct. It would say the dantian is in front of the sacrum (picture from seeds of longevity): Quite a few pictures lead to a conclusion more like the one below, however, which shows the dantian below the navel, but also above the sacrum? The following picture is one I've seen quite a lot (this and the previous are from this site which has a ton of pictures including the top one). It does the triangulation more carefully, but it's unclear in the diagram on which it is superimposed what we are looking at for spine, but does seem to be again in front of the sacrum. I've seen diagrams with female torsos, and it seems to be put in the "womb space", which seems lower. I am also reading Damo Mitchell's White Moon on the Mountain Peak, which says that the dantian is vertically aligned with the baihui and the huiyin, which puts it far back, but also on a line between the mingmen and the qihai, which seems like it would be almost above the navel. I have always "left it indistinct" when doing my exercises, it has been sufficient that it was below the navel and inside, but that place only warms for me, it never gets hot, and multiple sources talk about the dantian getting hot when fed energy. I did his correcting exercise, moving up the line from the huiyin, and I did another person's exercise, using warm hands and moving slowly inward, Mitchell's put it against my sacrum, the other put it a little forward from there. I got my indications of these by feeling for the bones, and somewhat by comparing to the iliac crests, which are easy to find. For background and disclosure, I am trying to complete Mitchell's and some other's visualizations/meditations. I can't penetrate that area with visualizations for some reason, when I do a Tibetan style visualization of the nadi it fades in that area, when I do more Daoist visualizations the area responds but I can never seem to see it. So I'm looking for a more concentrated location point than what I've visualized in the past and want to know how to "narrow it down".
  23. Ok so I'm confused as hell, what even is neidan at this point? I feel like the rabbit hole I've fallen into has become about 20 times deeper What's the purpose + has anyone tried it or does it currently? Is it even worth it (all benefits seem sort of lackluster in the grand scheme of it all? Why are their so many schools and sects and which ones should be avoided and seemed out? (idek like mantak chia and so on) Or should I just go all the way back to the Dao de ching and firm my own opinion on it? I doubt anyone will have the answer to all of these so at least one is fine So many questions, not enough answers 😫 Thanks in advance
  24. Damo mitchell has written two books on the subject of internal alchemy, namely, White Moon on the Mountain Peak and A Comprehensive Guide to Daoist Nei Gong. So my question is for someone interested in chi gong/nei dan practical and theoretical aspects which one of these books is necessary? or maybe both of them are complimentary and should be read together?
  25. Hello everybody. I'm a neurosurgeon from Italy running a spine surgery program in Milan. I am one of the teacher of the italian most important acupuncture school: so-wen (sorry for not being able to link their internet site). I'm about to start a project on a group of seminar concerning the study of oriental medicine physiology and I found great help in some of your posts while working on my power points. So thank you everybody and hope to start exchanging experiences on everything.