100 days laying the foundation

[gendao]

Its used for different types of qi qong. You practise one method for 100 days , without ejaculating. Then you have layed the foundation to work on.

 

By 100 days you should have got your body to a reasonably healthy state and restored most of the vitality and qi that had been lost through wasting jing. A young , healthy person may require less that 100 days and a weaker person may require more. Some styles of qi qong require up to 600 days!

 

MCO or srping forest is good to clear the pathways and turn the jing into qi and its also a safe method.

My limited understanding based on Taoist Yoga of this thus far is:

 

The goal is essentially to reverse the clock back to your prenatal state (as before you were born). This method involves cultivating both xin (for "Buddhist enlightenment") & ming (for "Taoist immortality").

 

Celibate cultivation is used to replenish "yang qi & jing" that is steadily lost starting from puberty at age 16. Men age in 8-year cycles (women in 7-year cycles), and every 100 days of celibate cultivation can supposedly restore 8 years of lost yang qi. Keep in mind that this includes several hours of cultivation per day, ideally on a split schedule.

You should gather (vital) breath in the morning and sublimate it in the evening; if you do not so practice you will miss your good luck.

So, we're really talking a few hundred hours per cycle - although overall I'm sure these are just ballpark figures. Mileage may still vary with each individual.

 

Anyhow, the older you are, the more 100-day cycles you will have to do to refill your jing & dantian to rebuild your foundation. That's where it all begins. You must first accumulate a critical mass to work with further.

 

The basic meditation method is absolute stillness while ideally sitting in full lotus.

The jing changes into qi when the body is motionless; qi changes into shen when the heart is unstirred; and shen returns to nothingness because of immutable thought.

So, that's a very loose interpretation & synopsis. Just keep in mind that I am no authority on the subject and have basically zero street cred, though. So, don't take my word for it!

In Taoist Yoga, they say to do this from 11pm-1am, since at this time you can best work on the MCO with the breath.

Yea, I dunno about this?

 

It's based on the idea that the yang part of the day basically starts at around midnight & the yin part at around noon. So, you can best refine yang qi from yang qi-induced "night wood" at this hour.

 

But, I've also heard that the yang part of the day starts at dawn (hence morning wood) & the yin part at dusk...so I'm not really sure which version is really correct here?

In addition, when you practice Embryonic Breathing, other than placing your mind at the Yang center of the Real Lower Dan Tian, you must also place your mind at the Yin center of the Upper Dan Tian. You should remember that the Uper Dan Tian and the Real Lower Dan Tian are the two Polarities of the central energy line. They correspond and synchronize with each other simultaneously. Though they are two places, they are the two faces of the same thing and cannot be separated. Remember, the Shen and the Qi are just like son and mother which cannot be separated when you practice Embryonic Breathing.

 

When this happens, due to the mind concentrating at the Yin center of the Upper Dan Tian, the production of melatonin (pineal gland) and growth hormone (pituitary gland) will also be regulated and increased. With these hormones, all of the biochemical reactions will become smooth and the metabolism of the body can be regulated and improved.

Interesting, I sorta started doing this recently myself.

 

I call the upper dantian your "dreamscreen." Because to me, it is the "plane" in your head where you see everything when you dream. That's how I find it (well, assuming I found the right thing, lol).

 

I'm not too good at locating my dantian yet, though. Still need to work on that...

 

Keep in mind though that you're born with a xiatian, but must form your dantian there. And until you do, you will likely not have much to feel there. *Batteries not included*

Edited June 18, 2010 by vortex

[Aetherous]

Vortex,

 

It's based on the idea that the yang part of the day basically starts at around midnight & the yin part at around noon. So, you can best refine yang qi from yang qi-induced "night wood" at this hour.

 

Interesting...I didn't think of it that way before for some reason.

 

But, I've also heard that the yang part of the day starts at dawn (hence morning wood) & the yin part at dusk...so I'm not really sure which version is really correct here?

 

It would make sense that anytime you have morning wood is an ideal time to cultivate.

 

I don't have the book on me but I think somewhere in Embryonic Breathing it talks about the way the energy of the body tends to flow in the orbit throughout a day...at around midnight it is primarily "at" the huiyin which connects the front and back channels.

 

Anyway, who knows!

[Trunk]

There are clues in the yin~yang symbol, I think.

 

 

Both yin and yang are always present in varying portions over time... I think that yin starts somewhere around the apex of yang, and likewise the opposite. Per that thinking, yang would subtly start around midnight... when yin is at its fullest.

 

I think that at the apex of each there is kind of a magical openness to the neutral space.

 

Not speaking authoratively, just thoughts.

 

- Trunk

[Non]

I thought embryonic breathing sounds funny. WOuld the belly button have any play in "embryonic breathing" being that in the womb one was attached to a real embryo through an umbilical cord? Could the belly button be seen as a chakra itself or vortex drawing in energy? or.. at least, be the place where the chi would have the to fall in the center of the lower belly being deeper in the belly button as a place of storage? I always had tension in my belly, and perhaps some of that might be due to a fear I've had of sticking things into the belly button because I thought it would feel SO odd and weird that it would be excruciatingly painful, since it seemed like there would be an opening at the other end, a hole into my navel... I'm an innie btw..

Edited June 20, 2010 by Non

[Sloppy Zhang]

Balance- thanks for quoting directly from the book! I really like how Yang Jwing-Ming is always very detailed oriented. His was the first book that I got on the subject, and even as a beginner I really appreciated his attention to detail- helped me get the lay of the land and to know exactly what I was getting into.

 

I call the upper dantian your "dreamscreen." Because to me, it is the "plane" in your head where you see everything when you dream. That's how I find it (well, assuming I found the right thing, lol).

 

Interesting!

 

I've recently tried two experiments to try and figure out where my "dreaming state" is. Basically, in the morning when I wake up I try to stay "in the middle" between wake and dream- when my eyes are open, I see the normal everyday world, but as soon as I close my eyes I am in a dream (there is no blackness at all). But I'll try centering my awareness there and see what happens!

 

As far as the point itself, I too have experienced it (or at least, in its general area). During meditation I'm sometimes able to center my awareness in that location, as well as during qigong (yeah I know, I should be keeping on the lower dantien ) In some systems that require visualization I have tried, I feel like that some visualization is a layer above it ("surface" level), like on a normal thinking level, but when I dig deeper and think from that lower, deeper level inside my mind, it's much clearer, and it feels more integrated with the rest of the world. The "surface level" thought state seems very forced, sort of like I am trying to put a flat piece of paper on an uneven surface and trying to write on it.

Edited June 20, 2010 by Sloppy Zhang

[Spectrum]

Each time you refine you redifine ! Re fine

 

Fundamental Principles of Cultural Breathing Rhythm

 

Principle 1: Internal Tri Harmonies

a. Harmony of Mind and Yi

b. Harmony of Yi and Chi

c. Harmony of Chi and strength

Principle 2: Relaxation of the Body and Firmness of the Yi

Principle 3: Harmony of the Shen and Mei

Principle 4: Concentration of Yi on the Tan Tien (field of elixir)

 

Methods of Cultural Breathing Rhythms

 

Method 1: Long Breathing: Spiritual Stimulation Physical Comfort

Method 2: MCO Small Yin Yang Cyclic: Latent Breathing: Overcome indigestion, panting, etc

Method 3: MCO Great Yin Yang Cyclic: Harmonizing Breathing: Stregthen Nervous System

Method 4: Immanent Breathing (Foetal Breathing)(Real Breathing) : Prevent Ailments, Prolong Life

a. Stilling Mind: Harmonizing Breath: Harmonizing Mind

b. Following Breath : Discontinuing Breath

c. Introspection: eight criteria of breath: naturalness slowness delicacy harmony stillness continuity depth and long

outwardly the activities of exhalation and inhalation stop: practically you are using your navel to breath. Real Breath

 

after exhausting above techniques Drumming and Stimulating tremendous benefits.

 

Spiritual bath: with realization at this stage technically speaking mind imagination reaches tips of fingers hands soles your Chi reaches with it. (Intrinsic Energy) Successful Tai Chi Chuan cannot be practiced with success with the accomplishment of this "inner efficiency" Nei Kung

edit

Edited June 20, 2010 by Spectrum

[Spectrum]

I think that at the apex of each there is kind of a magical openness to the neutral space.

 

Yes you are precisely right Trunk! When the breath is adjusted w Following the Breath until the sesantion of breathing discontinues. This is Discontinuing the Breath, at this point the transitions points at the peak and trough the breath cycle elongated and very tangible windows open that are previously undetectable during normal breathing rhythms.

Edited June 20, 2010 by Spectrum

[Trunk]

I found that, most effective if I want to be peacefully celibate, activate all 8 of the extraordinary vessels and jing submerges into pre-natal levels of nurturance, prior to externalized sensation.

[Spectrum]

I found that, most effective if I want to be peacefully celibate, activate all 8 of the extraordinary vessels and jing submerges into pre-natal levels of nurturance, prior to externalized sensation.

 

ok this is good I remember the eight backfeed the twelve, so they are like reservoirs of chi. The first I heard about cycling the chi through the 12 through the 8 was in Da Liu texts. My Sei Gung in the Taoist Arts describes it like Energetic Irrigation, however the chi is moved released stimulated etc will change w seasons and personal development or degeneration

 

I'm remote mobile my shoulder is killing me today after the 4 man wedding tackle pileup, we're driving up to Mt Hood. Volcano. I'll take some photos of the area. Remote. In and out of service . Good Earth

[gendao]

I found that, most effective if I want to be peacefully celibate, activate all 8 of the extraordinary vessels and jing submerges into pre-natal levels of nurturance, prior to externalized sensation.

That's it, buddy!

 

Neidan is all about sublimating prenatal jing to qi (for starters).

 

Bodily stillness transmutes jing to qi.

The 8 Extraordinary Vessels channel prenatal qi.

 

So, these both help to transmute prenatal jing to qi...before it can convert to "sexual" postnatal jing (which is then easily lost & a poor alchemical fuel even if retained).

 

And the more jing you conserve and reroute, the easier it becomes too. Because when your jing is full, you lose your sexual desire. Which I think means that you could still arouse yourself at will, but now that your jing has found an alternate pathway, you are no longer "suffering" from constant horniness due to sexual neediness (like someone who has to nervously go pee all the time due to a bladder problem).

[Trunk]

you are no longer "suffering" from constant horniness due to sexual neediness (like someone who has to nervously go pee all the time due to a bladder problem).

Yup.

[thelerner]

 

Fundamental Principles of Cultural Breathing Rhythm

 

Principle 1: Internal Tri Harmonies

a. Harmony of Mind and Yi

b. Harmony of Yi and Chi

c. Harmony of Chi and strength

Principle 2: Relaxation of the Body and Firmness of the Yi

Principle 3: Harmony of the Shen and Mei

Principle 4: Concentration of Yi on the Tan Tien (field of elixir)

 

Methods of Cultural Breathing Rhythms

 

Method 1: Long Breathing: Spiritual Stimulation Physical Comfort

Method 2: MCO Small Yin Yang Cyclic: Latent Breathing: Overcome indigestion, panting, etc

Method 3: MCO Great Yin Yang Cyclic: Harmonizing Breathing: Stregthen Nervous System

Method 4: Immanent Breathing (Foetal Breathing)(Real Breathing) : Prevent Ailments, Prolong Life

a. Stilling Mind: Harmonizing Breath: Harmonizing Mind

b. Following Breath : Discontinuing Breath

c. Introspection: eight criteria of breath: naturalness slowness delicacy harmony stillness continuity depth and long

outwardly the activities of exhalation and inhalation stop: practically you are using your navel to breath. Real Breath

 

Spectrum,

 

Could you give some definitions and examples of the various breaths, ie Long, Latent, Immanent, Fetal, Real..

 

Thanks

[Spectrum]

Long Breathing : Elongation of the Breathing Ryhthm: Lower Tan Tien Breath In Nose Out Mouth: Hen(g) inhale Ha exhale: relaxation of whole body prerequisite for following stages: natural breathing; yi mind imagination leads chi through fixation of awareness lense fueled by qualitative changes to Jing field via chi cultivation: sounds shape the harmonic wave that the shakes turn your tuning rod into; the mind fixed on the lower field is safe: result of practice spiritual stimulation and physical comfort.