Damo Mitchell - Need Advice

[Antares]

On 27.08.2025 at 12:02 AM, Vajra Fist said:

I had a (polite) disagreement with Damo, when he woke up one morning and decided to publicly trash a different system.

Can you elaborate on it? What you mean by "trash system"?

[Antares]

21 hours ago, Master Logray said:

Do you really consider Damo is a "spiritual" teacher?    or teaches for "spiritual growth"?   I don't think he himself said that.  Qigong, Neigong, IMA teachers are not "spiritual" in any sense.   Those "seekers" would look in the direction of proper religious context like Taoism or Buddhism or philosophies, Neidan cultivation, not from primarily a physical training teacher.  

 

I disagree. It depends on neigong system. Some neigong systems are even more advanced than most Neidan school we know nowadays. For example, what about taiji? Is it Daoist or just sets of physical training?

Zhan Sanfen is revered as Immortal in China. And I would treat it as more Daoist system than modern Dragon Gate system for exmple

But it depends on certain taiji lineage of course, by taiji I dont mean modern yang style variation of it

[Gerard]

The golden rule when it comes to teachers:

 

"The quality of instruction is inversely proportional to the amount of material released by the teacher."

 

The same principle can be applied by how well-known is the teacher.

 

This in regards to depth and personal accomplishment.

 

[Master Logray]

5 hours ago, Antares said:

 

I disagree. It depends on neigong system. Some neigong systems are even more advanced than most Neidan school we know nowadays. For example, what about taiji? Is it Daoist or just sets of physical training?

Zhan Sanfen is revered as Immortal in China. And I would treat it as more Daoist system than modern Dragon Gate system for exmple

But it depends on certain taiji lineage of course, by taiji I dont mean modern yang style variation of it

 

 

Taichi Boxing i.e. martial arts, was established by Master Yang.  The prototypes and predecessors did exist long time before that.  All these were for hand to hand combat purpose.   The basic moves were chained together to form a sequence called the Long Form.  The original reason was that it was easier to remember, given the lack of means or even literacy.  The Long Form was quite interesting as students were expected to do it very slowly.   It was said to be developed by Yang when he taught Taichi in the Imperial Court where no one had the physical abilities.    You can look at Chen Style which is the predecessor of Taichi.  They are more active and have kept movements from the external martial days.

 

It was this slow sequence that gives rise to the Taoist connection, facilitate the training to build up Chi, mental training (Xing) or even regarded as moving meditation etc.    The most basic form many centuries ago did have Taoist principles applied but were not prominent.   By the way the term Taichi is so widely used.  There are Wudang Taichi, Taoist Taichi, Zen Taichi.  They are different from the Chen/Yang/Wu/Sun system nowadays, but could be more "Taoist" than the current systems as they were developed in temples and monasteries.  

 

I do agree Taichi could be used for spiritual purpose or at least be a very good facilitator.    But it is a pity to see it losing the ability as a useful fighting skill system.

[Neirong]

21 hours ago, Davey Calico said:

What I know about Damo Mitchell is that his books are very insightful, and have helped me greatly in my practice. He has a great (and free) youtube course for awakening the micro cosmic orbit, which I find very powerful.

The course is excellent, certainly exhaustingly detailed, overflowing with information and knowledge that fill hours-long lectures. It provides thorough and clear explanations of how everything works and is completely free.
There is only one question: damien’s Nei Gong school has been running for over 25 years with uninterrupted teaching. This dazzling free course sits out there with 82,000 views. Everyone seems to be praising it. Tens of thousands of students have attended his seminars.

The question is: Has anyone who followed this training developed MCO? A single person?
It is a rhetorical question, as damien himself has never had an activated MCO.

There are countless traditions, schools, teachings, religions, spiritual groups, and sects. If we distill the meaning of cultivation down to the most fundamental and basic aspects shared by every single cultivator on the planet, there are two traits or skills:

• Control of the mind
• Control of the body

These are the most basic elements present in any school, teaching, or spiritual tradition. They are what we start teaching on day 1. They do not require one to become a master wielding powerful energies, ascending to other worlds, learn from a secret hermit sage, or possessing an extraordinary level of talent.

These are simply the most basic starting qualities without which neither the cultivation nor a cultivator exists.

You cannot excuse yourself by claiming to be a "Daoist master" while asserting your Dao is to eat junk food, drink whiskey, smoke cigars, endlessly spout nonsense, and rage on social media.
This approach may have fooled a particular audience, but they do deserve what they get.

P.s. Even if the most dedicated fan, did those exercises for 50 years every single day, I would think the most probable result is having a massive blockage and crippling health issues, rather than an activated MCO. 

 

On 27.08.2025 at 8:04 AM, Forestgreen said:

Freeform spent a decade here informing us that an adept neigong practitioner would/should develop a babyfat Nezha body.

 

The Chinese have a famous saying about a frog sitting in a well, not seeing the world. People living in isolated communities tend to believe they are the main characters and special beings, which they are not.
 

If someone endorses a scamgong teacher, not only do they share that teacher’s karmic burden, but it also speaks volumes about their own cultivation.

[Apech]

2 hours ago, Neirong said:

The course is excellent, certainly exhaustingly detailed, overflowing with information and knowledge that fill hours-long lectures. It provides thorough and clear explanations of how everything works and is completely free.
There is only one question: damien’s Nei Gong school has been running for over 25 years with uninterrupted teaching. This dazzling free course sits out there with 82,000 views. Everyone seems to be praising it. Tens of thousands of students have attended his seminars.

The question is: Has anyone who followed this training developed MCO? A single person?
It is a rhetorical question, as damien himself has never had an activated MCO.

 

.......

 

How do you know this?

 

 

[Forestgreen]

59 minutes ago, Apech said:

 

How do you know this?

 

 

We are all dying to hear that answer. Distance scrying?

[Cobie]

 

2 hours ago, Forestgreen said:

We are all dying …

true 

[Nungali]

[Cobie]

.

Edited Thursday at 11:47 PM by Cobie

[Forestgreen]

14 hours ago, Neirong said:

 activated MCO. 

Activating the rainbow bridge (it's in the neijingtu, for reference) is a basic level accomplishment.

 

Activating the heche is an intermediate level accomplishment. 

 

Unless one continue with speed-reciting the names of the eight trigrams until qi moves in the du + ren channels at the speed of light ( the funniest scamgong I have seen in the 30+ years I have practiced), one moves on with more important aspects of practice. 

 

Maybe in your system these things are more central?

 

But I do agree that, as a consumer, I have the right to have potential teachers tested for accomplishments. Even brit expats. 

(Flickers through books...)

 

So, I think they should be tested for the abilities to levitate or fly, to shrink to an extremely small size, and expand to an extremely large size. Objective and verafiable claims. 

 

The established way to do that is with doctors and scientists present. Maybe one of those doctors should be a psychiatrist? And the big dudes in white coats, maybe they aren't scientists at all...

 

Edited Friday at 04:42 AM by Forestgreen
Added stuff.

[Antares]

23 hours ago, Master Logray said:

I do agree Taichi could be used for spiritual purpose or at least be a very good facilitator.    But it is a pity to see it losing the ability as a useful fighting skill system.

 

Your view on taiji is very limited. Fighting skills are only additional skills for a practitioner. In fact Taiji was the revolution in neidan. Don't forget that Zhang Sanfeng was a student of Chen Tuan. They both played a significant role in the development of the southern style of neidan  

[Master Logray]

3 hours ago, Antares said:

 

Your view on taiji is very limited. Fighting skills are only additional skills for a practitioner. In fact Taiji was the revolution in neidan. Don't forget that Zhang Sanfeng was a student of Chen Tuan. They both played a significant role in the development of the southern style of neidan  

 

 

This is not my view.  The notion that Master ZSF (Mongolian period) was not the creator of the Taichi Boxing is the results of many scholarly researches.   All his writings did not mention anything about martial arts nor creating TCB, nor how he imparted his skills.  This conclusion is accepted by the Chinese government and further confirmed by the United Nation Intangible Cultural Heritage process.

 

The most likely scenario is the mixing up with another Taoist 500 years later who had a very similar name with the genuine creator/consolidator of TCB.    The name of this boxing style was not even Taichi in the early days, it was 13 Styles. 

 

The Taichi classics didn't mention Neidan.   And Neidan classics didn't even talk about movements much.  Neidanists can do their cultivation without any knowledge of Taichi.  

 

** But Master ZSF is still regarded as the creator of Taichi in fictions, TV, movies and many martial arts sects.  We still celebrate his birthday every year.

Edited Friday at 03:58 PM by Master Logray

[Small Fur]

On 8/22/2025 at 7:27 AM, Rio said:

I'm looking for a Neigong/internal arts teacher. At first, I was drawn to Nathan Brine because I liked his vibe, but I saw a post from @freeform saying that the foundations (which are of the utmost importance) are not well covered in his teaching.

He recommended Damo Mitchell, whose approach is close to what he himself is studying.

The thing is, I don’t really feel the vibe from Damo. I’m usually very sensitive to this kind of thing, and I trust my intuition—so it would feel wrong for me to ignore it and follow his courses.

At the same time, if I choose Nathan Brine, I’m worried I might miss out on important elements.
 

This topic on Reddit also didn’t really help me decide in favor of Damo:

 

So I’d really appreciate some advice.
 

For me, internal arts are a way to align more deeply with my spiritual beliefs and help me move closer to dao. But my feelings are telling me that Damo Mitchell might not fully embody this—at least not as much as Nathan does.

 

What are your thoughts?

 

 

 

There is a deep interrelationship between internal and external arts.  In general, external arts are to condition the physiological body to prepare the internal system, while internal arts are a way to prepare the internal system for the external forms of condition; both are necessary. They set the foundations for good practice, become the primary touchstones for the refinement process, and are the points through which all transformations will resolve and finally dissolve. 

 

The crux of these depend on Consciousness first, not theory. Why do I say that? Because even with the best of theory, if you are unconscious, then there is no amount of knowledge that can save you from yourself, and what does, is reliant on the arbitrary nature of your psyche in time; in short, it is dependent on the incidental and circumstantial. But if you are Conscious, then great theory can be profoundly beneficial, yet it isn't necessarily imperative because it transcends time by relinquishing idea to be Present in what is True.

 

So where is the seat of Consciousness- this shen 神 necessary for living life, learning and decisions? It resides in the heart (xīn 心).  Therefore, true transmission of Consciousness comes from the heart, not the mind. A teacher whose Consciousness is pure and bright, is one whose heart is clarified and vibrant! 

 

So there is your teacher's Consciousness and then there is your own, which is the real determinate value of your capacity not only to practice and apply, but to connect, discover and Realize. Realizing isn't about other, this or that, but ultimately about Self. 

 

Self-realization then, isn't a theory: you are not a theory. Though thousands of years of human Realization of Self can be distilled into theory, the heart of that theory is True Nature—for through ordered chaos and chaotic order arises the emergent, something organic: an essence more subtle than the Known product that is acquired knowledge (xí shén 习神).  In order to use the acquired mind and systems to break free of conditioning through great teaching, all learning must help you unlearn to self-Realize (yes! even daily practice. You know you are learning when practice sharpens itself into perfect technique; and you know you are unlearning when practice, carrying you past technique, reveals a horizon of understanding that transcends the technique itself that you just learned!) Therefore the Buddha said, a true teacher is one who helps you realize yourself. This has many layers of meaning, but ultimately it is the one who has the power to see within you and even through you- to recognize you and therefore encourage the self-reflective awareness that is Self-Realization. All subjects and objects are the same- anything in life can be your teacher- even a turtle can teach you of the Tao! You don't need a great mind, but you do need a bright heart.

 

So when selecting a nature from which to learn, ask of your teacher that they have a Conscious heart that is the clarity of transmission as determined by loving-kindness (as you can see, Loving-kindness needs no theory and is the Enlightened state), and that is the qi breath of the True. And ask of yourself to be self-reflectively honest.  It is this turning of the light inward, that is integral to the foundation of any art- inner or outter, and it is this circulation that transforms and refines your life.

 

Ultimately, the answer isn't in the teacher, though it can certainly be found through a great teacher! The answer is in you, to commit to yourself. And in time through sincere commitment, you will  discover what is True- in any system, in any teacher, in any experience, and most of all, within yourself.

 

That is what the Taoist arts are for ultimately- the return to Tao, and you are that Return to Tao when you ask humbly for that honesty in all living and Being.  So what teaching will offer to share with you in such profound honesty? That teacher who does, won't offer you the power of great fulfillments of form and practice, but they will offer you the humility of True self understanding that transforms and purifies your understanding of what True Power really is and means... they will lead you to Emptiness, the Source of all Being and becoming. For this Emptiness is what underlies all arts and practices, all teaching and even learning itself.

 

You know where to find that Teacher. And if you haven't, it isn't because the Teacher doesn't exist, it is because you haven't yet come to  Realize it yourself. So be honest, take responsibility for your life, act from the maturity of a kind and clear heart, and live in the faith of self-commitment to these ways, then the Tao can meet you as wei-wu-wei through co-creative Being; it is then that the teacher reveals itself as you remove your own veil in Realization and that is when you truly Become.

Edited yesterday at 12:01 AM by Small Fur

[Ryder004]

On 8/23/2025 at 12:08 AM, jgd said:

My 2 cents here!

 

Regarding Damo's method:

 

-Damo itself is the reason I decided to put the method aside. I'm not a monk and dont care about his antics with alcohol and cigars, but if you compare stuff from a few years ago, you can see his body deteriorating. He had a worm that made him go through a scrawny phase, but now he is recovered and that cant be an excuse anymore. He has issues with his physical body

 

 

If I'm reading into this correctly, is it meant to be understood as, Damo's program is not so good for the body?

I read a few reports from students who had mostly good things to say about the program, but they do all say that some postures are pretty painful and you gotta hold them for a while, and overall the course is not easy because it has you holding these postures for a while(most recommend 2 hours per day in his courses) and it slow grind of I believe 5-8 years? Or something like that.


I asked chatGPT(take that as you will) what the point of these kind of practice is for, and chat said that Damo's program has you start at the foundations before doing any energy work, and that foundation with the uncomfortable long hold postures is the equivalent to upgrading the entire electrical grid and wiring of a house(but instead its your body) so that it can sustain and hold a lot more current/voltage. 

I do like the idea of upgrading your wires to hold more current. Is there any other system besides Damo's one can achieve this?

[Forestgreen]

1 hour ago, Ryder004 said:

I do like the idea of upgrading your wires to hold more current. Is there any other system besides Damo's one can achieve this?

Every traditional system. 

[-ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ-]

6 hours ago, Forestgreen said:

Every traditional system. 

Yup, it’s not something unique

[-ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ-]

7 hours ago, Ryder004 said:

I do like the idea of upgrading your wires to hold more current. Is there any other system besides Damo's one can achieve this?

Yes, in the neigong system I do there is a foundational exercise that is done to work on your channels to develop them.

 

It doesn’t need to be done for hours daily too, or for 5 to 8 years.

https://authenticneigong.com/

 

Edited yesterday at 08:05 AM by -ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ-

[Davey Calico]

14 hours ago, Small Fur said:

So there is your teacher's Consciousness and then there is your own, which is the real determinate value of your capacity not only to practice and apply, but to connect, discover and Realize. Realizing isn't about other, this or that, but ultimately about Self. 

 

Ultimately, the answer isn't in the teacher, though it can certainly be found through a great teacher! The answer is in you, to commit to yourself. And in time through sincere commitment, you will  discover what is True- in any system, in any teacher, in any experience, and most of all, within yourself.

 

I feel like this should be written down somewhere other than a forum on the internet in the 21st century!! 

[Ryder004]

8 hours ago, -ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ- said:

Yes, in the neigong system I do there is a foundational exercise that is done to work on your channels to develop them.

 

It doesn’t need to be done for hours daily too, or for 5 to 8 years.

https://authenticneigong.com/

 

You practice Flying Phoenix too right? So the system you linked can be combined with FPCK(as long as its spaced 3-4 hours apart)?

[Vajra Fist]

I will add one more caveat on the issue of Damo Mitchell. 

 

In my early 20s I was involved in a qigong cult. I see many cult-like traits associated with the community that has arisen around Damo. 

 

1) spiritual elitism. The idea of being the only one practicing the true path can feel incredibly intoxicating. 

 

When Damo teaches, he'll often have the attitude of showing students secrets that aren't available from any other teacher. Practitioners then might feel they're a cut above people practicing the same arts from a different teacher. 

 

2) Damo presents himself as the final arbiter of what is legitimate in these arts. Students continually look to Damo for his approval on what they're doing outside of his school, for instance meditative practice. He can diminish - sometimes quite vehemently - other traditions. 

And students take his word as gospel. 

 

3) he will quash dissent. People who challenge him even in the most rational terms are banned from his school. 

 

4) he has created a community in Bali where people are fully immersed in his teachings. This creates two tiers within the community of those who study in person with him, and those who are just learning online.

 

I'm just saying that all of these traits are identical to the cult I was involved in. I'm not saying Damo is running a cult. But caveat emptor. 

 

[-ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ-]

4 hours ago, Ryder004 said:

You practice Flying Phoenix too right? So the system you linked can be combined with FPCK(as long as it’s spaced 3-4 hours apart)?

Yes. Although I would say even 1-2 hours is fine. 

[Forestgreen]

15 hours ago, Vajra Fist said:

 I see many cult-like traits associated with the community that has arisen around Damo. 

Sounds like every school of qigong, meditation or martial arts I have ever trained in.

[steve]

42 minutes ago, Forestgreen said:

Sounds like every school of qigong, meditation or martial arts I have ever trained in.

 

It’s an interesting phenomenon. While there are clearly some teachers/figureheads who actively create a cult following, there also seems to be a collective tendency for students/followers to create a cult atmosphere even in the absence of a predatory leader.

[DynamicEquilibrium]

Without the culture at the basis of all this, "bowing and praying to the neon god they made" is the natural outcome.