ChiDragon

It is not a multiplication table. It is the combination of 8 trigrams by stacking them one by one. Then, it ends up with 64 combinations of hexagrams.

I thought you would ask. There are 8 trigrams in the Yijing to begin with. If you stack the first trigram on top of the 8 trigrams. Then, the second on top of the same 8 trigrams and so on. You will be ended with 64 hexagrams.

It is 8 x 8 = 64 8 trigram x 8 trigram = 64 hexagrams

这听起来很有趣，我期待听到你有什么要说的。

Correction: A "received copy" was edited to make all the corrections for the mistakes in the codex.

The former is incorrect, the "received copy" is not a translation. It is only a codex. I won't argue the latter, but where is this same old standard translation?

乾: 元亨利貞 乾 is the first hexagram of the 64 hexagrams in the Yinjing. 元亨利貞 describes the positive characteristics of the 乾 hexagram. 1. 元 describes that 乾 is the origin of all things. It is the creator of all things. It is the nature of the universe. 2. 亨 describes that everything with 乾 is going smoothly with nature. 3. 利 describes that everything with 乾 is beneficial without interruption, deterrence, or damage. 4. 貞 describes that everything with 乾 is genuine.

There are many translations of the DDJ, but none of them is standard!

MCO stands for Microcosmic orbit(小周天) and Macrocosmic orbit(大周天). If it is not a breathing exercise, then, there would be no such thing as MCO. It would be a myth to think that moving substances through the Du and the Ren meridians. However, the old concept of MCO was only a legendary concept was passed down from century to century. The same old story was always repeated with no proof. There are no living reference. It was only told by the word of mouth. The story comes out differently each time depends on who told it. I had challenged these ideas about MCO on a Chinese Qigong site. So far, no one has taken the challenge with contradiction but just took it silently. I will go find my post and place it here with translation.

Sorry, I don't know him. My understanding was acquired from the correlation between Taoist texts and modern science. Sometimes, the ancient Taoist text does not make much sense. Thus I have to find my answer elsewhere to put things into perspective.

Yes, it is true.

元炁 should not be translated as Original Breath. It is a substance was untouched by fire.

The 元炁 was referred as the universal unit or energy that comprised of all things in the universe. Here is how to distinguish the usage of two chi characters 炁 and 氣 先天之炁: prenatal Chi 后天之氣: Postnatal Chi PS 元炁 should not be translated as Original Breath.

I believe it is the cultivation of 調身(body)、調心(mind)、調息(breathing). "Intent" is in the mind already. It was just double talk.

IMO I don't think the question was addressed properly. Based on the TCM definition of 后天之气, it is acquired substances by external means. The acquired substances are food and oxygen. How can any one practice or cultivate an external substance?

This the biological formula for generating the ATP energy inside the mitochondria in the body cells. Glucose + O2 >> CO2 + H2O + heat + ATP Using the TCM logic, glucose and oxygen are 后天之氣. In your term, they are the acquired Qi. On the left side of the equation: Glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen. Oxygen is the acquired Qi from breathing. On the right side of the equation: The decomposition of glucose by the oxygen yields carbon dioxide and water and heat and ATP. ATP is the final product of energy which can be referred as inner Qi(內氣). With a constant supply of oxygen, the mitochondria will continuously generate ATP. If the numbers of mitochondria increase, then, a greater amount of ATP can be produced. IMMHO By doing moderate exercise, the number of mitochondria increases in the body cells. Hence, that is why our body strength increases from the practice of Qi Gong, Neigong, Tai Chi or martial arts of any kind. You name it.

Here is my understanding of sink chi to the dantiam(氣沉丹田)

The quote is very vague. If we are speaking of Qi, here, we must limit its definition to ATP energy only, nothing more. Yes, it is the energy that carries the signal through the nervous system which is called the "Action potential." That is another term we should be familiar with to understand the information/control level. The "Action potential" is the signal(ATP) sent by the brain through a nerve to fire a particular muscle to be contracted. As soon the ATP signal was gone, the brain had to send another signal to fire it again. Please keep in mind that the ATP cannot be stored, it can only lasted a few seconds then it's gone. It has to be generated by the body cells with cell respiration.

Yes, Qi is more than that. We must use the term wisely. We should understand its definition by its contextual meaning by not assuming it is energy to begin with. "The difference between cultivators and ordinary people does not lie in who has more ATP" This statement contradicts my understanding about the amount of ATP. Based on modern scientific explanation of ATP, I have learnt that if we do moderate exercise, not strenuous, a constant slight contraction on a particular muscle will increase the amount of ATP in that muscle cells tremendously. For that said, based on you words, even we can actively mobilize ATP. However, both cultivator and an ordinary person only have the limited amount of energy to work with. With my understanding, the cultivator has more ATP energy to work with than an ordinary person. A cultivator must had done some different than an ordinary person. That was by cultivation of some type. Does this make sense?

Good! I am glad that we agree to the definitions of the innate Qi(先天之气) and acquired Qi(后天之气). However, the Qi in both cases are not energy. The acquired Qi itself is not energy but the source of energy for metabolism. BTW I would rather use the word 'activate' other than "mobilize'. I would like to rephrase to say activate the cells, but not to mobilize the cells.

You're welcome! First of all, before we start, let's not assume that "The Essence of Qi: A Control System from Cells to Neural Networks." If assuming that is true, then, we will abide to this definition and lead us farther and farther away from the subject. The term Qi just came out of nowhere. How do we justify that essence of Qi is a control system In regarding to the cultivation Dan Dao, 練丹道, without healthy, active cells, there is no basis for cultivation. This is a fallacy. The reason we cultivate is because we want to improve the health state of the cells. Hence, It is independent of the health state of the cells. The purpose of cultivation is to make unhealthy cell healthier and the existing cells stays in good health to prevent from deterioration. I am not quite sure what do you mean by "how to mobilize cells." Perhaps, we need some work on that to come to the condition.

hmmmmmm.... Now, people say alchemy is emotional. What else can someone couldn't imagine?

This OP is confused as hell. I just don't know how to start nor how to respond to it.

How would you go about doing the spiritual/metaphysical experiments with the levels of consciousness? If it can be done, is it only done by mental processes? That would only lead to the conclusion of one's thought or imagination as what the ancients always had done.