Mo Tzu

Hi ALA., yes I do know Dr Stephen Chang's work, and have studied under him, and I can truly say he is very authentic. I have been practicing his system since 2005 and also attending his seminars in the USA (I am UK based) which he has now retired from doing. He has created an outstanding system to approach Taoism which he says equates to: Health, Happiness, Longevity and Wisdom. I also supply his books, and herbal formulas, and myself and family take them daily, and they have supported curing many ailments over the years. His book "The Great Tao" is a great starting place. His knowledge of Taoism is incredibly high, and he comes from a family of highly trained doctors in China as well. What I like about his work are two things:- 1. In my opinion his system works and if practiced as a whole system will have profound affects. 2 He doesn't try and monopolize; the idea being if the person is willing to study, and practice, all the information they need is within the system that he has made available to all. Hope that helps! Below is a link to my website if you need any help on orders, if you are in the US there are closer suppliers (see links page on www.thegreattao.com). www.northstarmeditation.co.uk

Hi ZBaRz33, you may be interested in Dr Stephen T Chang's work esp. his book "The Complete System of Self Healing". I am a practitioner of his work and can highly recommend his knowledge on the human body esp. the reproductive side. He is a trained cardiologist, and master herbalist (Chinese Herbs). His book has exercises for keeping the breasts healthy, and for changing their size if needed. He also produces herbal formulas that help this problem. In the book there are exercises on how to keep the body in balance, physically and energetically. If you have any further questions on his work, I would be happy to help if I can. You can post here or use the contact on my website below if you would prefer the privacy. Blessings to you on your journey. www.northstarmeditation.co.uk

Hi Lost, I am a practitioner of Dr. Stephen T. Chang and live in the UK. My website is www.northstarmeditation.co.uk. You may also enjoy his website as well www.thegreattao.com. Have a read through and if you have any questions about this system I would be happy to answer to the best of my ability. Taobums is a great place for support. And as Aletheia says earlier in this thread, "bringing the energy back to the stomach" (lower Dantien) should always be performed when doing energy work. All the best on your unfolding journey:)

Hi Jim. I live in the UK too. Dr Stephen T. Chang has done a wonderful system for home practice. I have been using it for 10= yrs. www.northstarmeditation.co.uk www.thegreattao.com Happy to answer any questions on the subject of his work. All the best on you journey:)

Hi Highfaith. A system I personally can recommend is Dr Stephen T Chang's. He has 5 books in print on how to do just what you asking for, and he produces Taoists Teas to support that journey. Of course I'm biased because I am one of his practitioners! My website is www.northstarmeditation.co.uk His personal website is www.thegreattao.com Blessings on your journey

An excellent book on this subject is the Tao of Sexology by Dr Stephen T Chang. In my experience there is constantly a need for balance with the retention method, depending on your cultivation training and sexual needs. The Deer exercise comes to mind from this book which I find channels and stores the energy as it's being produced from the retention method. Also there is a chart in the book (for guidance), when releasing this energy is beneficial, and why too much retention may work against the thing one is trying to cultivate! Balance is the key.

Hi oddsox, actually I enjoyed reading your intro. It's good to rant it out, shares the thoughts of where you are now. I have had a similar upbringing. I was a Dan grade in my twenties with Shotokan karate, and yes my teacher wasn't teaching internal arts but he had a soft approach to what is a quite a "hard" style art; his approach has def. stayed with me as I have encroached upon other disciplines. I have two recc. for you. 1st. Dr. Stephen T. Chang has written brilliantly on Taoism and creating your own practice from his books. I am a practitioner under him and can highly recommend his work. It can be applied to any other practice that is being studied Tai Chi, Martial arts etc. as well. The exercises are Nei Gong (Internal Training). The ideal being that Nei Gong supports the Qi Gong (External Training) which may be anything you apply your body to externally. From calligraphy to martial arts, or housework to gardening, anything that moves the body externally needs internal support. Although I see from your post you seem to have got that anyway. 2nd Do seek out the more softer arts, I don't know where you are based but there are some excellent internal/external martial arts teachers out there that use the Tao as their base line. Zhan Zhuang, Bagua, Xing Yi are all good examples. All the best on your journey www.northstarmeditation.co.uk

Hi pennywhistle, it sounds as though you are doing very well with practice and that you are very dedicated. A few points I would like to share with you:- 1. When doing bowel movements clicking the teeth together 36 times elliviates the waste much more easily.. 2. Ejaculation is not a bad thing when cultivating. The body does well to produce more sperm, that is what it is designed to do! To see it as a savings accout is wise, spend a little every now and again is healthy but don't reduce the balance too low. 3. The deer exercise from the book link below is very good at balacing the body's sexual energy while cultivating. It is an excellent book on this subject, written by Dr Stephen T. Chang, The Tao of Sexology. A book I highly recommend. Blessings to you on your journey.

Just been reading through this thread. Another thought on the whole excitment situation:- If you start cultivating sexual energy it is really important to be aware that your energy levels are rising and being put to good use. Once sexual cultivation begins the energy is stored inside the body and awakens to situations that are necessary. When we dance, we're dancing that's it, we don't need any more arousal than that. When we make love we do, but sometimes arousal doesn't happen then, and that's OK. The cycles of the moon and sun affect us greatly. If the energy isn't coming to the surface (so to speak) when dancing I'd say that was a good thing, and the cultivation is working. Mis-use of sexual energy creates negative karma, and the more you cultivate the more dangerous it is to mis-use that energy. So softly, softly is a good approach and be content just to dance. A useful exercise is the deer exercise to build/control sexual energy for a man or woman. Dr Stephen T. Chang has written an excellent book on this topic..."Tao of Sexology". Hope this helps.

I have used this book for years. Highly recommended. Has many recipes in it for healthy living from a Taoist perspective. TAO OF BALANCED DIET: SECRETS OF A THIN AND HEALTHY BODY Shows why stomach, digestive tract, health and weight problems are related to dietary imbalance and why it’s so easy to correct. Complete, delicious, easy-to-prepare, low cholesterol and fat 100-day diet plan controls weight naturally, safely, and enjoyably for a slim and completely healthy body. Featured in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times. Popular in the Americas (North and South), Australia, and Europe (bestseller in France, Italy, and Switzerland). Item TBD: 200 pgs. ISBN: 0942196058. $20.95

www.northstarmeditation.co.uk also follow links to Dr. Chang's website (a wealth of knowledge) x

Neidan=Internal Exercises Qi Gong=External Exercises "When one does external exercises one MUST do internal exercises. When one does internal exercises one may forget to do external exercises"

Hi all. As far as I am aware the latest copy of "The Complete System of Self Healing" has a white front cover, the next oldest has a emerald green front cover and they are almost identical except for an added piece of text in chapter 7 on how the steam rises from the stomach (internally). I think that's all. www.northstarmeditation.co.uk

Hi Xunzi, I know this topic is a little old, but I have just read it and was wondering how your were getting on with the Deer exercise. I have been practicing Dr. Stephen T.Chang's exercises for many years and am a qualified practioner under Dr. Chang. I'd be happy to help with any questions you have, or any one else, on the "Tao of Revitalisation" and its exercises from his book "The Complete System of Self Healing" "Internal Exercises". www.northstarmeditation.co.uk

Hello. I feel you need to studying the philosophy and practice of the 5 elements. These are totally intertwined with emotions (as well as the physical and spiritual). Xxxxx

Hi all, I have been both vegertarian and not, although I do find now after eating meat on a weekly basis (not daily), I feel more energized in a positve way. I only buy good quality if I can for the moral issue of animal welfare and of course for its quality and always eat with veggies for good digestion. It seems to me that a small amount of all foods in a varied diet is the Taoist way. What do you think/feel? P.S. I am not trying to convert anyone, just discussing chi and food. xxx

Hi, just logged in after a few days break. In answer to oildrops: I try to aim for Full Moon for heavy meals as the energy is behind us to actively burn it off. I also try to rest more on New Moon, although both of these fluctulate. If I am feeling unwell I may choose a particular meat to suit my needs for rejuvenation and equally if I know I will be physically exerting energy I will eat meat to stock up (esp. lamb or beef(always with 50% veggies)). Also like you, I love eggs, great alternative to meat. As for being overly energised and extra sexual energy, well this ultimately for me is one of the journeys of Taoism, as its easy to cultivate when one is exhausted but to hold onto the energy and distribute it to the organs for another day when energised is a challenge, but very worth while. Expending sexual energy is healthy as long as its not to often. As for deprivation to cultivate chi (Tao Rambler), for me its more "a switch of attention" for what I want to achieve, then nothings deprived. Would be interesting to hear other people's thoughts on food as its something we all do every day, and it varies so much for different people. The more one struggles, the more one achieves. But nothing is achieved when we give up. When we retreat conciously, we are not giving up. Therefore always are we cultivating.

Surely the same as everyone else, if they cared to look. xxx

The ultimate "tao" is its being what it is: It does not need do anything, and therefore everything gets done. xxx

Of course, otherwise I wouldn't be able to read your interesting post. The questions is "Are you awake"?

Up the back, over the head, down the front, pass the perinium and start again. Yes sorry,this is the microcosmic, my mistake. From my knowledge (there are deinitely different perspectives), macrocosmic is when the body is spiritualized enough that whole body breathing takes over and the breath eventually slows to be unnecessary for the body to live. This is a very practiced state to attain and isn't recommended unless the practioner has opened all their meridians in a safe practiced way. Which incedently is way we have masters, as there are pitfalls along the way! Dr Stephen T. Chang's system of Internal Exercises is a great book and I feel explains a very good and safe approach for achieving the Macrocosmic Orbit. xxx

Chinese whispers confuse the minds. Up the back, over the head, down the front, pass the perinium and start again. (assuming the tounge tip is touching the palate) Its beauty is its not being complicated. xxx Onwards and upwards but always striving to be below.

"Philosophical Daoism" from my perspective is only part of the tao. The pakua is a taoist symbol, and each direction is a subject of taoist life to be learnt to better oneself to get into heaven. One of these directions (NW) is philosophy, but there are 7 more:- (N) Internal Exercises, (NE) Food Diet, (E) Herb Diet, (SE) Healing Others, (S) Sexology, (SW) Management and finally the eigth (W) is the I Ching. A taoist will study all these subjects to speed up their evolution (and others who they come into contact with). This way of study also enables the whole body to be connected with the 8 directions (space and time). This approach and application to one's life I feel is what makes a taoist. Then that person's personality can shine through, and they will have their interets eg. bagua, calligraphy, knitting etc. but their aim is to get themselves and others into heaven. It is not whether or not it's East or West, heaven dictates and humans take orders from heaven. When something goes well we thank heaven, when something goes wrong we should inspect ourselves. Is this what makes a taoist. Surely?

Shen-Jing-Chi, Spiritual-Mental-Physical, Upper-Middle-Lower, Circle-Triangle-Square. The understanding of the chi to sheng or sheng chi for me is helped when I see the order of my directions. The spiritual mind knows best, this is then passed to the mind for taoist direction, the mind then tells the body what to do. When my body functions to this order I make more chi, this can then transfer to more jing, and with more jing I want to be more spiritual (shen) So I meditate to the Ultimate for my orders, allow my mind to absorb and direct, then the physical body acts them out. Then good order is universal. xxx

Hello to all. This is a little bit of self advertising which I hope doesn't offend. For the past seven years I have been sitting for an oil painter for about 6-10 hrs./week. It has been an interesting journey and near the beginning I was finding it hard to stay awake. I came across Dr Stephen T. Chang's book of Internal Exercises and started practicing to see if it would help. Well seven years later over 20 paintings have been created and many hrs. of taoist meditation practice: and yes it did work. This last year culminated to an art show of all the paintings. Also from studying (and meeting) Dr Stephen Chang who is a great scholar of the Tao Te Ching, I was inspired to edit James Legge's classic, the "Tao Te Ching" to make it gender neutral, and hopefully less cryptic. I have enjoyed in particular James Legge's translation after studying many other translations by different authors, but always felt it was male orientated and also slightly Christian based (not that that is negative). So I set out on the path of re-writing it. I thought this would be straight forward, but found that every paragraph and expression that I approached felt worthy of being contemplated upon, sometimes for weeks and/or months! Anyway it's done, and available and this is what I am sharing in this post:) Below is the link. I would warmly appreciate feedback if anyone feels to buy and cherish. The price may seem high compared to other copies but the book publishing costs take a large %, and anyway it is a priceless item! https://www.northstarmeditation.co.uk/my-latest-book-tao-te-ching.php Love and blessings to all that cultivate. x