Damo Mitchell – Any Verifiable Demonstration of Skill or Qi Emission?

[ChunMaya]

Hi all,

I've been searching quite thoroughly but haven't found any video footage or firsthand accounts of Damo Mitchell demonstrating any tangible signs of Qi emission — specifically anything that would indicate genuine Lower Dantian development such as Faqi (energetic projection).
 

By contrast, someone like Rudi from Authentic Neigong has shared videos that, whether you believe in them or not, at least display observable Qi phenomena — enough to suggest a real foundation of internal power. With Damo, it often feels like the emphasis is heavily skewed toward intellectual exposition and repackaging classical texts rather than personal energetic display or transmission.
 

I’m genuinely curious, not trying to start a flame war. I come from a background in CST Wing Chun (Chu Shong Tin lineage), where internal force and structural power are not just talked about — they’re felt. You can't really claim you can do something, you need to be able to demonstrate where I come from. I've personally taught students who have also trained with Dong Yang here in Sydney — someone I would consider a real Daoist master with authentic elixir development and incredibly high field-level skills. His system involves actual energetic refinement that produces unmistakable results over time.
 

So, with that context:

• Has anyone here personally experienced Damo’s skill?

• Is there any video or in-person testimony that shows he has real internal power, beyond theoretical frameworks?

• Or is it more a case of encyclopedic knowledge with no Faqi or field resonance behind it?
   

Again, not trying to stir anything — I’m just trying to sort the signal from the noise in this space. There are a lot of articulate voices in internal arts, but fewer who can actually do the thing.
 

Would love to hear from anyone who has trained with him or seen him work in person.
 

Thanks in advance.

[Paradoxal]

Hi there! Fellow Wing Chun guy here (William Cheung's lineage). 

 

Haven't worked with Damo Mitchell in person, nor interacted with him via email, but I have done his MCO video course and developed a very obvious flow of energy through it in a matter of less than a month. 

 

I also use his books as reference for my growth, though they are also *not* for the system I practice, so I need to be very careful with them. Nonetheless, I come back to them from time to time to refresh, and always get something immediately useful. 

[Sahaja]

In this Damo talks about qi emissions - risks, benefits and relation to what he teaches (as well as his process for selecting who he teaches this to). I would suggest for specific questions you contact him directly through his Instagram site  Damomitchell  or through emails that are listed on his Instagram or websites. 

[idquest]

On 26/05/2025 at 5:02 PM, ChunMaya said:

...

So, with that context:

• Has anyone here personally experienced Damo’s skill?

• Is there any video or in-person testimony that shows he has real internal power, beyond theoretical frameworks?

• Or is it more a case of encyclopedic knowledge with no Faqi or field resonance behind it?
   

Again, not trying to stir anything — I’m just trying to sort the signal from the noise in this space. There are a lot of articulate voices in internal arts, but fewer who can actually do the thing.
 

Would love to hear from anyone who has trained with him or seen him work in person.
 

Thanks in advance.

 

I've taken several workshops with Damo. One time I was standing in wuji, eyes closed, and then I felt something strange in my kidney area, like something was moving there. After some time, I opened my eyes and saw Damo walking around people and doing some finger transmission in ming men area. It was not a big deal, lots of qigong instructors can do that, but it was certainly very distinct. In any way, Damo stopped doing any transmissions in open doors events after that guy from apricot garden died from failed heart doing too much of faqi. I guess that death had an impact on Damo's approach to teaching.

 

Regardless of all this, I doubt any new students will be able to pull off a training session with Damo these days. From what I understand, he has trained enough qigong instructors for open doors events, and  only very few of his senior students can now work directly with him. 

 

Just crossed my mind how I was in a class with Shou You Liang and he decided to demonstrate how to emit qi, and for whatever reason he kicked his leg and shot his qi from his young quan towards me. It was not much, and I was not sensitive those days, but there was a very distinct feeling of some weird stuff hitting me. Good days...

[ChunMaya]

2 hours ago, idquest said:

 

I've taken several workshops with Damo. One time I was standing in wuji, eyes closed, and then I felt something strange in my kidney area, like something was moving there. After some time, I opened my eyes and saw Damo walking around people and doing some finger transmission in ming men area. It was not a big deal, lots of qigong instructors can do that, but it was certainly very distinct. In any way, Damo stopped doing any transmissions in open doors events after that guy from apricot garden died from failed heart doing too much of faqi. I guess that death had an impact on Damo's approach to teaching.

 

Regardless of all this, I doubt any new students will be able to pull off a training session with Damo these days. From what I understand, he has trained enough qigong instructors for open doors events, and  only very few of his senior students can now work directly with him. 

 

Just crossed my mind how I was in a class with Shou You Liang and he decided to demonstrate how to emit qi, and for whatever reason he kicked his leg and shot his qi from his young quan towards me. It was not much, and I was not sensitive those days, but there was a very distinct feeling of some weird stuff hitting me. Good days...

Thank you for sharing your experience. That’s fascinating — especially the part about Damo stopping public transmissions after that incident. I can see how something that intense could shift his teaching style and priorities.
 

Your story also reinforces for me that Damo has genuine LDT development. What really interests me is how different systems or teachers articulate what the LDT is and how it forms. Most explanations tend to stay within traditional or symbolic language, but it's rare to hear it described using more functional models — especially ones grounded in field theory.
 

Damo calling it a “magnetic container” stood out to me. That’s the closest I've heard someone get to an accurate mechanical description. It aligns well with how I understand the LDT from my own training and research.

[idquest]

10 hours ago, ChunMaya said:

Thank you for sharing your experience. That’s fascinating — especially the part about Damo stopping public transmissions after that incident. I can see how something that intense could shift his teaching style and priorities.
 

Your story also reinforces for me that Damo has genuine LDT development. What really interests me is how different systems or teachers articulate what the LDT is and how it forms. Most explanations tend to stay within traditional or symbolic language, but it's rare to hear it described using more functional models — especially ones grounded in field theory.
 

Damo calling it a “magnetic container” stood out to me. That’s the closest I've heard someone get to an accurate mechanical description. It aligns well with how I understand the LDT from my own training and research.

 

TO be honest, my opinion and experience from years of practice is that the LDT development is overrated. If you are into MA, you just need to understand how psoas muscles and waist muscles work. If you are in spiritual development, you need to work on the internal tissues (neigong) and at the same time work on the qi field surrounding yourself. LDT is just a piece in a big puzzle. Of course one might place a lot of focus on the LDT development in their practice, but to what end? As always, all of this boils down to one's goals.

 

My opinion of course.

[ChunMaya]

2 hours ago, idquest said:

 

TO be honest, my opinion and experience from years of practice is that the LDT development is overrated. If you are into MA, you just need to understand how psoas muscles and waist muscles work. If you are in spiritual development, you need to work on the internal tissues (neigong) and at the same time work on the qi field surrounding yourself. LDT is just a piece in a big puzzle. Of course one might place a lot of focus on the LDT development in their practice, but to what end? As always, all of this boils down to one's goals.

 

My opinion of course.

 

This is true. In CST Wing Chun, we dont use LDT at all. Some students would come in from Tai Chi schools or Bagua with preconceived ideas that because we were an internal school, then we must be using LDT. Not the case. We use a completely different engine - our spine. And we do not include the shins when finding our center of mass, which would naturally mean it would sit around MDT. I call it center of leverage to be more accurate as it is not actually the MDT being used either. Most people don't realise that you can move the bodys' center of weight, as it is a barycenter and not a fixed thing. There is a Qi component at advanced levels but that Qi can not extend beyond the body.

 

Whilst there is some overlap between systems, Neigong in my view is about building Yang Shen and ultimately retaining consciousness when the body dies. So to that end LDT development is important, but not necessary for martial arts power.

Edited Wednesday at 07:53 PM by ChunMaya

[Mark Foote]

30 minutes ago, ChunMaya said:

 

This is true. In CST Wing Chun, we dont use LDT at all. Some students would come in from Tai Chi schools or Bagua with preconceived ideas that because we were an internal school, then we must be using LDT. Not the case. We use a completely different engine - our spine.
 

Something from my latest post, on my blog "zenmudra.com/zazen-notes", that might interest you:

 

Gautama recommended a cross-legged seated posture for “arousing” mindfulness. I believe, based on my own experience, that the cross-legged posture exacerbates the shearing stress on vertebrae of the lower spine in the movement of breath. In my experience, consciousness can take place in a specific location in response to that stress, and the location of consciousness can lead the balance of the body to engage activity in order to relieve that stress.
 

A frailty in the structure of the lower spine emerged in the 1940’s, when research demonstrated that the discs of the spine cannot, on their own, withstand the pressure of lifting significant weight.
 

In the 1950’s, D. L. Bartelink concluded that pressure in the “fluid ball” of the abdominal cavity takes load off the structure of the spine when weight is lifted (“The Role of Abdominal Pressure in Relieving the Pressure on the Lumbar Intervertebral Discs”; J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1957 Nov; 39-B[4]:718-25). The pressure in the “fluid ball” is induced by activity in the abdominal muscles.
 

Bartelink theorized that animals (as well as humans) make use of pressure in the abdominal cavity to protect the spine, and he noted that breathing can continue even when the abdomen is tensed:
 

Animals undoubtedly make an extensive use of the protection of their spines by the tensed somatic cavity, and probably also use it as a support upon which muscles of posture find a hold…
 

Breathing can go on even when the abdomen is used as a support and cannot be relaxed.
 

(ibid)

 

 

In the 1980’s, Gracovetsky, Farfan and Lamay suggested that in weight lifting, the abdominals work against the extensor muscles of the spine to allow the displacement of the fascial sheet behind the sacrum and spine:
 

If this interpretation is correct, it would partly explain why the abdominal muscles work hard during weight-lifting. They apparently work against the extensor muscles. Furthermore their lever arm gives them considerable effect. In fact, we propose that the effect of the abdominal muscles is two-fold:  to balance the moment created by the abdominal pressure (hence, the abdominal muscles do not work against the weight lifter) and to generate abdominal pressure up to 1 psi, which would help the extensors to push away the fascia.
 

It is essential that the supraspinous ligament and the lumbodorsal fascia be brought into action to permit weight lifting without disk or vertebral failure. … It must be kept in mind that in some circumstances ligament tension may reach 1800 lb., whereas no muscle can pull as hard.
 

(Gracovetsky, S., Farfan HF, Lamay C, 1997. A mathematical model of the lumbar spine using an optimal system to control muscles and ligaments. Orthopedic Clinics of North America 8: 135-153)

 

Dr. Rene Cailliet summarized these findings:
 

In the Lamy-Farfan model the abdominal pressure is considered to be exerted posteriorly against the lumbodorsal fascia, causing the fascia to become taut…. thus relieving the tension upon the erector spinae muscles.
 

(“Low Back Pain Syndrome”, ed. 3, F. A. Davis Co., pp 140-141)

 

Farfan, Lamay and Cailliet referred to the “lumbodorsal fascia”. That fascia is now more commonly referred to as the “thoracolumbar fascia”.

The Lamay-Farfan model presupposed a flattening of the lumbar curve, like that of a person bent over to lift weight from the floor, but acknowledged that the control of the ligament system afforded by activity between the abdominals and extensors could not be directly accounted for in the model. My assumption is that in the cross-legged posture, activity engendered by the location of consciousness can bring about at least a partial engagement of fascial support behind the spine.

 

(The Diamond Trap, the Thicket of Thorns)

 

 

Quote

And we do not include the shins when finding our center of mass, which would naturally mean it would sit around MDT. I call it center of leverage to be more accurate as it is not actually the MDT being used either. Most people don't realise that you can move the bodys' center of weight, as it is a barycenter and not a fixed thing. There is a Qi component at advanced levels but that Qi can not extend beyond the body.

 

From a different post, about a year ago--in my experience, the activity Gautama described frequently revolves around the MDT:

 

... That brings us to the third concentration. Gautama described the third concentration as like “water-lilies” of three different colors in a pond, lilies that never break the surface of the water:
 

… free from the fervor of zest, (one) enters and abides in the third musing; (one) steeps and drenches and fills and suffuses this body with a zestless ease so that there is not one particle of the body that is not pervaded by this zestless ease. … just as in a pond of blue, white, and red water-lilies, the plants are born in water, grow in water, come not out of the water, but, sunk in the depths, find nourishment, and from tip to root are steeped, drenched, filled and suffused with cold water so that not a part of them is not pervaded by cold water; even so, (one) steeps (one’s) body in zestless ease. 

(AN 5.28, tr. Pali Text Society vol. III pp 18-19, see also MN 119, tr. Pali Text Society vol. III pp 132-134.)

 

The water-lilies I believe represent the influence of the legs, the arms, and the head on activity in the abdominals, and consequently on stretch in the ligaments of the spine. The feeling of a combined influence of the extremities in the abdomen could be said to be like lilies of three colors floating under the surface of some body of water.  The exact influence of each extremity remains unclear (zest ceases), yet with a sense of gravity and a stretch in particular ligaments, I can arrive at an ease.
 

Gautama declared that the sages abide in the third concentration. I remind myself that the activity of the body in inhalation and exhalation tends toward coordination by the free placement of consciousness, and look for ease.

 

(Applying the Pali Instructions)

 

 

Quote

Whilst there is some overlap between systems, Neigong in my view is about building Yang Shen and ultimately retaining consciousness when the body dies. So to that end LDT development is important, but not necessary for martial arts power.

I would now have to say that the feeling of ease associated with concentration is the feeling of ease that arises from activity of the body by virtue of the location of consciousness. Activity of the body can follow automatically as the location of consciousness leads the balance of the body. Automatic activity of the body by virtue of the location of consciousness has a feeling of ease, and initially a feeling of energy (or “zest”) as well.
 

Gautama spoke of the extension of the feeling of ease, an extension such that “there is not one particle of the body that is not pervaded by this… ease”. He used the words “steeps, drenches, fills, and suffuses” to describe how the feeling of ease pervades the body, indicating that the feeling is accompanied by a fluid sense of gravity.
 

The extension Gautama described maintains an openness of the body to the placement of consciousness at any point, and to ease through automatic activity of the body by virtue of the location of consciousness at that point.
 

Gautama taught that the feeling of ease ceases in the fourth concentration. Instead of ease, a “purity by the pureness of mind” is extended:
 

… (one) suffuses (one’s) body with purity by the pureness of (one’s) mind so that there is not one particle of the body that is not pervaded with purity by the pureness of (one’s) mind.
 

(AN 5.28, PTS Vol. III p 19)

 

The “pureness of (one’s) mind” is the pureness of the mind in the absence of any will, intention, or deliberation with regard to activity in the body.
 

(The Diamond Trap, the Thicket of Thorns)
 

 

Udayin, as an emerald jewel, of all good qualities, might be strung on a thread, blue-green or yellow or red or white or orange coloured; and a [person] with vision, having put it in [their] hand, might reflect; ‘this emerald jewel... is strung on a thread, blue-green... or orange-coloured’–even so, Udayin, a course has been pointed out by me for disciples, practising which disciples of mine know thus: This body of mine... is of a nature to be constantly rubbed away... and scattered, but this consciousness is fastened there, bound there....
 

(MN 77, tr. Pali Text Society vol. II p 217)

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 08:22 PM by Mark Foote

[ChunMaya]

58 minutes ago, Mark Foote said:

Something from my latest post, on my blog "zenmudra.com/zazen-notes", that might interest you:

 

Gautama recommended a cross-legged seated posture for “arousing” mindfulness. I believe, based on my own experience, that the cross-legged posture exacerbates the shearing stress on vertebrae of the lower spine in the movement of breath. In my experience, consciousness can take place in a specific location in response to that stress, and the location of consciousness can lead the balance of the body to engage activity in order to relieve that stress.
 

A frailty in the structure of the lower spine emerged in the 1940’s, when research demonstrated that the discs of the spine cannot, on their own, withstand the pressure of lifting significant weight.
 

In the 1950’s, D. L. Bartelink concluded that pressure in the “fluid ball” of the abdominal cavity takes load off the structure of the spine when weight is lifted (“The Role of Abdominal Pressure in Relieving the Pressure on the Lumbar Intervertebral Discs”; J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1957 Nov; 39-B[4]:718-25). The pressure in the “fluid ball” is induced by activity in the abdominal muscles.
 

Bartelink theorized that animals (as well as humans) make use of pressure in the abdominal cavity to protect the spine, and he noted that breathing can continue even when the abdomen is tensed:
 

Animals undoubtedly make an extensive use of the protection of their spines by the tensed somatic cavity, and probably also use it as a support upon which muscles of posture find a hold…
 

Breathing can go on even when the abdomen is used as a support and cannot be relaxed.
 

(ibid)

 

 

In the 1980’s, Gracovetsky, Farfan and Lamay suggested that in weight lifting, the abdominals work against the extensor muscles of the spine to allow the displacement of the fascial sheet behind the sacrum and spine:
 

If this interpretation is correct, it would partly explain why the abdominal muscles work hard during weight-lifting. They apparently work against the extensor muscles. Furthermore their lever arm gives them considerable effect. In fact, we propose that the effect of the abdominal muscles is two-fold:  to balance the moment created by the abdominal pressure (hence, the abdominal muscles do not work against the weight lifter) and to generate abdominal pressure up to 1 psi, which would help the extensors to push away the fascia.
 

It is essential that the supraspinous ligament and the lumbodorsal fascia be brought into action to permit weight lifting without disk or vertebral failure. … It must be kept in mind that in some circumstances ligament tension may reach 1800 lb., whereas no muscle can pull as hard.
 

(Gracovetsky, S., Farfan HF, Lamay C, 1997. A mathematical model of the lumbar spine using an optimal system to control muscles and ligaments. Orthopedic Clinics of North America 8: 135-153)

 

Dr. Rene Cailliet summarized these findings:
 

In the Lamy-Farfan model the abdominal pressure is considered to be exerted posteriorly against the lumbodorsal fascia, causing the fascia to become taut…. thus relieving the tension upon the erector spinae muscles.
 

(“Low Back Pain Syndrome”, ed. 3, F. A. Davis Co., pp 140-141)

 

Farfan, Lamay and Cailliet referred to the “lumbodorsal fascia”. That fascia is now more commonly referred to as the “thoracolumbar fascia”.

The Lamay-Farfan model presupposed a flattening of the lumbar curve, like that of a person bent over to lift weight from the floor, but acknowledged that the control of the ligament system afforded by activity between the abdominals and extensors could not be directly accounted for in the model. My assumption is that in the cross-legged posture, activity engendered by the location of consciousness can bring about at least a partial engagement of fascial support behind the spine.

 

(The Diamond Trap, the Thicket of Thorns)

 

 

 

From a different post, about a year ago--in my experience, the activity Gautama described frequently revolves around the MDT:

 

... That brings us to the third concentration. Gautama described the third concentration as like “water-lilies” of three different colors in a pond, lilies that never break the surface of the water:
 

… free from the fervor of zest, (one) enters and abides in the third musing; (one) steeps and drenches and fills and suffuses this body with a zestless ease so that there is not one particle of the body that is not pervaded by this zestless ease. … just as in a pond of blue, white, and red water-lilies, the plants are born in water, grow in water, come not out of the water, but, sunk in the depths, find nourishment, and from tip to root are steeped, drenched, filled and suffused with cold water so that not a part of them is not pervaded by cold water; even so, (one) steeps (one’s) body in zestless ease. 

(AN 5.28, tr. Pali Text Society vol. III pp 18-19, see also MN 119, tr. Pali Text Society vol. III pp 132-134.)

 

The water-lilies I believe represent the influence of the legs, the arms, and the head on activity in the abdominals, and consequently on stretch in the ligaments of the spine. The feeling of a combined influence of the extremities in the abdomen could be said to be like lilies of three colors floating under the surface of some body of water.  The exact influence of each extremity remains unclear (zest ceases), yet with a sense of gravity and a stretch in particular ligaments, I can arrive at an ease.
 

Gautama declared that the sages abide in the third concentration. I remind myself that the activity of the body in inhalation and exhalation tends toward coordination by the free placement of consciousness, and look for ease.

 

(Applying the Pali Instructions)

 

 

I would now have to say that the feeling of ease associated with concentration is the feeling of ease that arises from activity of the body by virtue of the location of consciousness. Activity of the body can follow automatically as the location of consciousness leads the balance of the body. Automatic activity of the body by virtue of the location of consciousness has a feeling of ease, and initially a feeling of energy (or “zest”) as well.
 

Gautama spoke of the extension of the feeling of ease, an extension such that “there is not one particle of the body that is not pervaded by this… ease”. He used the words “steeps, drenches, fills, and suffuses” to describe how the feeling of ease pervades the body, indicating that the feeling is accompanied by a fluid sense of gravity.
 

The extension Gautama described maintains an openness of the body to the placement of consciousness at any point, and to ease through automatic activity of the body by virtue of the location of consciousness at that point.
 

Gautama taught that the feeling of ease ceases in the fourth concentration. Instead of ease, a “purity by the pureness of mind” is extended:
 

… (one) suffuses (one’s) body with purity by the pureness of (one’s) mind so that there is not one particle of the body that is not pervaded with purity by the pureness of (one’s) mind.
 

(AN 5.28, PTS Vol. III p 19)

 

The “pureness of (one’s) mind” is the pureness of the mind in the absence of any will, intention, or deliberation with regard to activity in the body.
 

(The Diamond Trap, the Thicket of Thorns)
 

 

Udayin, as an emerald jewel, of all good qualities, might be strung on a thread, blue-green or yellow or red or white or orange coloured; and a [person] with vision, having put it in [their] hand, might reflect; ‘this emerald jewel... is strung on a thread, blue-green... or orange-coloured’–even so, Udayin, a course has been pointed out by me for disciples, practising which disciples of mine know thus: This body of mine... is of a nature to be constantly rubbed away... and scattered, but this consciousness is fastened there, bound there....
 

(MN 77, tr. Pali Text Society vol. II p 217)

 

 

 

Thanks for your detailed post. That's super interesting about Gautama's description of abiding in the third concentration. I'm not familiar with his instructions but I feel like it lines up perfectly with something I stumbled upon in cultivation. Which is when sitting for cultivation in half or full lotus, before working on LDT, I will bring awareness/presence/beingness to MDT and still/release it. I read in Awakening to Reality that the root of mentation (thinking or endless thoughts) comes from the Huangting (Yellow Court) or MDT or whatever you want to call it. When that null point is disturbed, it creates a restless mind. And so stilling the MDT naturally stilled the mind, released internal tension in the breath (all the interconnected musculature and fascia related to breathing), and allowed natural concentration to take hold. I always do this step first before moving to LDT until stillness is reached, otherwise the session is useless. This seems to line up with what you posted with regards to Gautama, so thanks for that.

[Mark Foote]

On 5/28/2025 at 2:23 PM, ChunMaya said:

 

Thanks for your detailed post. That's super interesting about Gautama's description of abiding in the third concentration. I'm not familiar with his instructions but I feel like it lines up perfectly with something I stumbled upon in cultivation. Which is when sitting for cultivation in half or full lotus, before working on LDT, I will bring awareness/presence/beingness to MDT and still/release it. I read in Awakening to Reality that the root of mentation (thinking or endless thoughts) comes from the Huangting (Yellow Court) or MDT or whatever you want to call it. When that null point is disturbed, it creates a restless mind. And so stilling the MDT naturally stilled the mind, released internal tension in the breath (all the interconnected musculature and fascia related to breathing), and allowed natural concentration to take hold. I always do this step first before moving to LDT until stillness is reached, otherwise the session is useless. This seems to line up with what you posted with regards to Gautama, so thanks for that.
 

I think that pretty much parallels my own experience. 

Particularly when I lie down to sleep, my consciousness seems to end up just under the rib cage. In that case, all I need to do is stay with it, and I fall asleep.

 

When I sit, I seem to start with something like Gautama described, consciousness like bath powder that's been scattered in the bottom of a copper basin, moistened, that can be kneaded into a ball. Equally, I have to bring my center of balance low, relax the muscles around the lower abdomen and pelvis, and allow stretch in the ligaments that attach the sacrum to the pelvis. Yuanwu's bit about "turning to the left, turning to the right, following up behind" has been useful to me.

Sometimes I'm almost a whole sitting before things shift to the vicinity of the MDT, and the placement of the jaw enters into things, but then my posture has always been terrible. I am learning new things now, I hope my posture improves.

I also find the first two lines in Gautama's short stanza about developing psychic power useful, the full stanza is:
 

So he abides fully conscious of what is behind and what is in front.
As in front, so behind: as behind, so in front;
as below, so above: as above, so below:
as by day, so by night: as by night, so by day.
Thus with wits alert, with wits unhampered, he cultivates his mind to brilliancy.
 

(Sanyutta-Nikaya 51.11; translation above, Pali Text Society vol. V p 235)

 

 

Mostly I think the first two lines are about relaxed activity in the muscles of the abdomen and in the extensors of the spine, such that stretch in the ligaments of the sacrum and spine can regulate reciprocal activity in the abdominals.

You can find my line-by-line on the stanza here, if you're interested:  The Gautamid Offers a Practice. Looks like I got the gland wrong, the pineal is not located in the sphenoid bone, but the pituitary is. I see the pituitary described as "the master gland", so maybe what I said still applies. Maybe he was still talking about the pineal but the cranial-sacral rhythm is not a factor (or the pituitary can amp the pineal?). Guessing.

I go through Gautama's metaphors for the four concentrations (leading to the cessation of volition in inhalation and exhalation) in my Applying the Pali Instructions. 

If I don't look to the location of consciousness for the automatic activity of the body in inhalation and exhalation, the whole thing falls down. At some point it's just relax, find the ease of that automatic activity, calm down, accept my mind, and look to the free location of consciousness, over and over. Not boring.

 

Edited Friday at 11:41 PM by Mark Foote

[forestofclarity]

*** MOD NOTE: @Sanity Check, please refrain from personal attacks. Post removed.*** 

[markern]

"You were deeply offended when I said the truth would eventually be known and everyone would know it.

 

Maybe you can think about why that is."

I am pretty certain he was annoyed that you said the truth would eventually be known as a response to people pointing out that Damo wasn't shut down he just stopped posting and explained why himself. That you are still claiming he was shut down, when he so clearly wasn't, is what people find annoying. It certainly is what I find annoying. To claim others can't deal with the truth, science, rationality etc. when you yourself can't admit being wrong about a simple verifiable truth everyone else understands is rich.

[Krenx]

I have been to his workshops before. I can verify he uses more subtle frequencies of Qi to help attendees run energy a little stronger during workshops. But it is intentionally at the more subtle levels for workshops. 

 

There are people I trust who knows him personally, and have witnessed his skills. Like emitting qi in the quality similar to electricity, like the some other masters many of you have probably seen online. I hear he has improved a lot. 

 

He does not demonstrate these things publicly for obvious reasons. And I don't believe he ever will. So one will need to seek him out personally to find out in person. The answer to questions around his skill will end up "go find out yourself". It is by design, and will not really change anytime soon. People who know first hand will not share it in great detail, or any detail at all. 

 

But there is a clear pattern I think most people are starting to realize, that not many great students actually come out of the other end of the school/ system. If they did, we would be all interacting with them, attending their workshops. But instead it all keeps pointing back to Damo, which is odd after all these years. You see this odd pattern in a few schools. 

 

Which does not make sense. Because his knowledge is authentic. His training methods I have experienced is legitimate and effective. There is a missing piece to the puzzle; but have put it aside and will let things reveal itself on its own. 

 

But for good knowledge and insights, framework of internal work, and methods of training, damo and his books are valuable and answers many questions correctly 👍. Anyone who would like to learn fundamental theory of daoist arts, I will direct them to Damo's books. 

[Master Logray]

1 hour ago, Krenx said:

But there is a clear pattern I think most people are starting to realize, that not many great students actually come out of the other end of the school/ system. If they did, we would be all interacting with them, attending their workshops. But instead it all keeps pointing back to Damo, which is odd after all these years. You see this odd pattern in a few schools. 

 

 

Then he is not a good teacher.   Even though a person can have very high attainment on different fields, he may not able to teach well as teaching is another set of skill.    Great master doesn't mean great teacher.   

 

[Neirong]

2 hours ago, Krenx said:

If they did, we would be all interacting with them, attending their workshops. But instead it all keeps pointing back to Damo, which is odd after all these years.

He runs the cult, and all its members truly learn is that the cult leader is a great person of profound wisdom and mythical skills. They then interact with others who have undergone a similar brainwashing process, reinforcing their belief that their views are undoubtedly correct, which fosters cognitive bias.
 

There is no evidence of any "abilities" or "spiritual attainments."
 

Many have observed that asking his "students" what they have learned or gained from years of training often provokes aggressive reactions.

 

[Vajra Fist]

I'm so confused!

[markern]

3 hours ago, Krenx said:

I have been to his workshops before. I can verify he uses more subtle frequencies of Qi to help attendees run energy a little stronger during workshops. But it is intentionally at the more subtle levels for workshops. 

 

There are people I trust who knows him personally, and have witnessed his skills. Like emitting qi in the quality similar to electricity, like the some other masters many of you have probably seen online. I hear he has improved a lot. 

 

He does not demonstrate these things publicly for obvious reasons. And I don't believe he ever will. So one will need to seek him out personally to find out in person. The answer to questions around his skill will end up "go find out yourself". It is by design, and will not really change anytime soon. People who know first hand will not share it in great detail, or any detail at all. 

 

But there is a clear pattern I think most people are starting to realize, that not many great students actually come out of the other end of the school/ system. If they did, we would be all interacting with them, attending their workshops. But instead it all keeps pointing back to Damo, which is odd after all these years. You see this odd pattern in a few schools. 

 

Which does not make sense. Because his knowledge is authentic. His training methods I have experienced is legitimate and effective. There is a missing piece to the puzzle; but have put it aside and will let things reveal itself on its own. 

 

But for good knowledge and insights, framework of internal work, and methods of training, damo and his books are valuable and answers many questions correctly 👍. Anyone who would like to learn fundamental theory of daoist arts, I will direct them to Damo's books. 

Then I would think the answer is that those who end up as his inner door students aren't students with great potential. I suspect that people with a mind of their own may struggle to tolerate him over time and if they do I suspect he may not invite them into his inner circle so they eventually go elsewhere. Based on how he handled disagreements in the FB group for the academy I would suspect that is the answer. He handled it very poorly, occasionally acted like a child and banned people left and right for no good reason at all while disrespecting them. Including me for saying things that definitely shouldn't get anyone banned anywhere. 

I have huge respect for his skill and his ability to teach in a technical way. I also believe he has a lot of wisdom and genuinely very good personal qualities. But I think he also has some severe immaturities and issues he hasn't dealt with and it made me conclude I didn't want him as a teacher and wouldn't even be able to stand being around him much. 

I hope he figures out the remaining stuff he needs to work through. He is potentially a great teacher but seems to mess it up somehow. 

[forestofclarity]

4 hours ago, Krenx said:

There is a missing piece to the puzzle; but have put it aside and will let things reveal itself on its own. 

 

Great point. 

 

Maybe several, but I can offer one having done some of the academy. First, there is no ongoing, in person support. I think with physical arts, you need constant adjustments and fixes that can only be done in person. And if you see your teacher annually, this will be difficult. Another issue is the commitment. If you wanted to do his basics, it would take at least 4-6 hours per day, which does not leave time for much else. In other words, it is not a householder path. 

 

It also seems to me that it is primarily a power path as opposed to a wisdom path, which in my experience doesn't typically attract the best people. From what it is, it does appear to be authentic as far as I can tell. 

 

I would also say there is a bit of a lack of clarity with many teachers who obscure the difference between qi emission and physical mechanics, but that is something I've seen from Adam Mizner rather than Damo. 

 

[Vajra Fist]

1 hour ago, markern said:

He handled it very poorly, occasionally acted like a child and banned people left and right for no good reason at all while disrespecting them. Including me for saying things that definitely shouldn't get anyone banned anywhere. 

 

Yes, I was also banned for politely disagreeing with him on a fairly tangential issue. That's a lot of money to have wasted on tuition. 

 

I think he is however an excellent teacher. He explains complex subjects clearly and with plenty of repetition.

 

But I wonder about what is at the end of that path if the exemplar of the tradition displays such a thin skin and casual vindictiveness in his interactions online.

 

It's even more the case with his mate Adam Mizner. Who uses his personal Facebook page to constantly bait and troll people on culture war topics, posting pictures of himself with far right politicians. Not the behaviour of someone to learn from, nor what most people hope to become after a lifetime of cultivation.

 

I do think his taiji and to an extent his qigong are both excellent. I've no doubt that he's probably among the only people that teach these arts to a high level. But I'd definitely consider carefully whether you'd want to make it your sole avenue of cultivation, or something you do on the side.

 

Edited yesterday at 12:41 PM by Vajra Fist

[Master Logray]

1 hour ago, forestofclarity said:

Maybe several, but I can offer one having done some of the academy. First, there is no ongoing, in person support. I think with physical arts, you need constant adjustments and fixes that can only be done in person. And if you see your teacher annually, this will be difficult. Another issue is the commitment. If you wanted to do his basics, it would take at least 4-6 hours per day, which does not leave time for much else. In other words, it is not a householder path. 

 

 

Yes, all Chi Kung in movements need a "coach" in modern term, always available, always correcting the mistakes, always supporting.  This is less of a teacher/student type of classroom learning, but more like coaching in sports.   Knowing something is not much useful.  Ability to always do it correctly is essential.

 

See teacher annually is alright for pure sitting meditation that tends towards observer/emptiness type.   It was quite usual in the old days.   But the students must have a certain standard themselves.

 

[Sahaja]

5 hours ago, Krenx said:

I have been to his workshops before. I can verify he uses more subtle frequencies of Qi to help attendees run energy a little stronger during workshops. But it is intentionally at the more subtle levels for workshops. 

 

There are people I trust who knows him personally, and have witnessed his skills. Like emitting qi in the quality similar to electricity, like the some other masters many of you have probably seen online. I hear he has improved a lot. 

 

He does not demonstrate these things publicly for obvious reasons. And I don't believe he ever will. So one will need to seek him out personally to find out in person. The answer to questions around his skill will end up "go find out yourself". It is by design, and will not really change anytime soon. People who know first hand will not share it in great detail, or any detail at all. 

 

But there is a clear pattern I think most people are starting to realize, that not many great students actually come out of the other end of the school/ system. If they did, we would be all interacting with them, attending their workshops. But instead it all keeps pointing back to Damo, which is odd after all these years. You see this odd pattern in a few schools. 

 

Which does not make sense. Because his knowledge is authentic. His training methods I have experienced is legitimate and effective. There is a missing piece to the puzzle; but have put it aside and will let things reveal itself on its own. 

 

But for good knowledge and insights, framework of internal work, and methods of training, damo and his books are valuable and answers many questions correctly 👍. Anyone who would like to learn fundamental theory of daoist arts, I will direct them to Damo's books. 

 I am curious which schools/teachers in your view are turning out good students. 

[markern]

I think Jesse Lee Parker could be a good alternative for those who considered Damo but have been put off for some reason. He has an online academy now, teaches alchemy, comes off extremely well as a person IMO, teaches very well and an amazing poster on this forum for some years. He used to post here under the name Dao Zhen. You can check his archive, his posts are great. He has learnt a lot since then but a lot of what he teaches seem to be the same stuff he learnt from the teacher he had back then. 

You can find his online academy here:

https://www.immortalarts.org

[Krenx]

@Sahaja

5 hours ago, Sahaja said:

 I am curious which schools/teachers in your view are turning out good students. 

Mark Rasmus method. Many great students are teaching and doing good work across the world. They are encouraged to use his methods to support their own paths, discover deeper in their own paths. And leaves the credit of skills on his students and their own hard work. Never imposes any need to mention him ever, which is very rare. 

 

And spiritually, students truly own their achieved skills because of this free and healthy dynamic for passing on skills.

Edited 18 hours ago by Krenx

[Cobie]

40 minutes ago, Krenx said:

Mark Rasmus method. …

Googled, found this video ‘Mastering Stillness: Initiation into Hermetics with Sifu Mark Rasmus - Online Course Preview’.  Oh look,  it has the word ‘Hermetics’, my cue to tag @Nungali  

 

Edited 17 hours ago by Cobie

[dwai]

Having no "horse in this race", I would say, I find Damo's online persona a bit off-putting. I think he and his mate Adam do posture a bit to provoke reactions

 

As far as abilities go, I would agree with @forestofclarity that he probably focuses more on "power" than wisdom. Personally, fwiw, I know a few teachers who are far more humble and capable than both of them, but they are young (relatively speaking), and therefore have opportunity to grow (especially in the wisdom department). I also like Mark Rasmus a lot more than either of those worthies, simply because he is matter of fact and direct, and comes across as being a lot more genuine.