Jasper Lake Maoshan (Jason Read Daoist Magic)

[Nuralshamal]

On 7.7.2025 at 1:28 PM, Constantine said:

Just a note to say thank you Nuralshamal for your insights here. I had been seriously considering enrolling in study with Jason Read, as I have found his books to be very interesting as an introduction to Maoshan magic. I found the magic is accessible, and I have had success with using his translations, including in establishing contact with Hu Xian. I wish he had included tones on his pinyin though, I don't speak Chinese so I rely on these for correct pronunciation.  I have found google translate useful in resolving this.  

 

Your experiences in studying with him was really helpful and helped me dodge a bullet (or a bite) it seems.  I had found a couple of you tube video interviews with him and he really does look sick and drawn compared to the strong vital shots I found of him in his younger years. The vampiric techniques you say he is inflicting on his students while looking so sick himself does smack of a negative attachment doesn't it.  

I'll take the opportunity to thank you also for your feedback on Master Wu, I picked up his book on Microcosmic orbit qigong last month, and after trying it a few times, I decided to put it down for now, as the energy coming from it was really strong, I got a sense that my body wasn't fully ready to hold the energy it was generating if I kept going.  I'll be building a stronger foundation with Tai Chi and FPCK first, but I am very excited to deeply study his forms in the future, there seems to be a really raw and powerful energy behind his form combined with the visualisations. I appreciate you have studied with him in person, but do you perchance have any of his dvds? How did you find them if so?  
 

Would definitely recommend you to keep going, that is the best way to make yourself stronger.

Yes, I used his Cosmic Orbit DVD in the beginning 6 months when I was reading his books before I decided to go for a live workshop. It's great, but it's nothing compared to going to a live workshop.

So follow the DVD, and when you've done a couple of 49 day cycles of daily practice without fail, take an online class with him. 

Do a couple of 49 day cycles of daily practice without fail with that.

Then when you're ready mentally and financially (to invest time and money), go to a workshop.

Then do 49 day cycles of that.

Then again when you're ready for the larger investment of time and money, go on a retreat.

Wu is hands down the most legit and authentic practioner. I have also critiqued him slightly here and there over the years, but honestly, after so many years, trying so many teachers and schools, his stuff is just so legit and authentic, I've not found anyone cloes to him, only ZYM, but he's so inacessible.

Why waste time with inferior stuff "to make yourself ready?" Go for gold ASAP, you're just wasting time. The time "to prepare yourself" could've been spent leveling up and going further in your cultivation journey.

We have so limited time in this life on this planet to level up spiritually, and trust me, truly leveling up spiritually is a life long journey of daily practice, it's not just over night. Every single moment is precious, don't waste it.

Ofc we need some foreplay to get going, but endless foreplay serves no one. Go for the main act! Why waste time? That you've come across him means you're ready. So go for it! Enjoy 

[Lala Nila]

wow, very interesting thread, I appreciate all of the commentary especially OP's openness about the Mao Shan school. I've read a few of Jason's books Fox Magic, Practical Chinese Magic and Thunder Rites. While I found his books extremely informative I was disappointed with a lot of the imagery and lack of explaining some of some elements.

 

The Fu talismans presented in Fox Magic for example, were pretty bad and nearly unreproducible/blurry, numerous spelling mistakes and grammatical errors which the editor should have caught prior to printing kind of annoyed me and brought into question if there were (perhaps) other important factors and possible errors in the rituals themselves. I really enjoyed Fox Magic otherwise and used some of those concepts in my personal work, but I found that Benebell Wen's Kitsune commentary and associative essay's on Queen Mother of the West more beneficial to me personally.

 

Another example which still standout is the Thunder Magic rites. He mentions that if one has "bamboo fingers" or hands then they should definitely not even attempt the rites described in the book. Yet, he fails to tell the reader what exactly "bamboo fingers" are or at the very least how to find out if you have this quality. Just something that still sticks out to me all these years later. 

 

I decided to watch a few of his interviews, which I did like and received ok vibes from. But, yes as others noted above, he looked a little sickly for someone who cultivates. Before I attempt a system I want to know what the teacher looks like, body language, eyes, and go from there. He didn't look too good in my opinion. I still appreciate his content, but I move from a place of caution when attempting the rites described in his books.

 

awesome thread and extremely informative.