Simple_Jack

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To bodyoflight: From Tao&Longevity: Mind-Body Transformation by Nan Huai Chin: "From the Chin and Han dynasties to the Wei and Chin dynasties visualization constitute the main practices of Taoism. Ancient Taoist sutras such as the Huang T'ing Nei Wai Chin Ching use visualization and imagings as their main principle. Chang Tao Ling in the Han dynasty, the creator of Tien Shu Tao Kou Ch'ien Chu (another important figure of Tien Shu Tao) in the North Wei dynasty, and the famous Taoist Tau Hong Ching in the South dynasties, use visualization and imagings as their principal methods. Others, such as esoteric Buddhists, employ visualization as a principle of their teaching. Further, conceptualizations and imagings regarding the existence and nature of gods or God are used in the prayers and rituals of many religions." "Trancendental thinking* is also mentioned in ancient Taoism. Trancendental thinking and visualization are quite different. Visualization is a method of cultivating the spirit or attitude. Transcendental thinking is a method of cultivating wisdom." "Visualization and transcendental thinking methods involve neither the transmutation of chi method that prevailed in the Chin, South, and North dynasties, nor the concentration on the cavity (such as concentration on Tan Tien) cultivation method that prevailed during the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties. They do not involve the Taoist cultivation method of the transmutation of ching into chi, transmutation of chi into shen, and transmutation of shen into Void. Each of these Taoist methods has its own pattern and function. It is unfortunate that those who learn Taoism have confused the different traditions. Some students thought that all they had to do was find a good master who would teach them a different a hidden secret, and they could become an immortal instantly. They therefore ignored the study of the principles of the Taoist methods. Taoist methods were not organized into a science of immortality with principles, rules, systematic sequences, and methods. As a consequence , these practices lend to calamity rather than to the achievement of immortality." *He compares this method to the hua-tou/koan method of the Zen school.

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