opendao

Right. Similar words we hear very often from Taoist Teachers in China. This is the only approach that works, not abstract ideas about doing nothing and emptiness. 道可道, 非常道

Having no goals is just another goal. Getting rid of attachments is just another attachment. Lao Zi said about his Dao, that it's not on side roads... Dao is the goal. Without such an aim, practical, not philosophical abstract idea, it's really easy to wander carefree in the deadly emptiness the entire life.

funny words out of non-Chinese folks making rush promotion of a Taiwanese lady as an "authentic source"...

Right. Many modern Chinese are so far from their ancestors. Let's also remember that Taoism is based on the alchemy, which has been known in many parts of the ancient world. So it's possible to understand other Traditions through Taoism, and Taoism through other Traditions. And it doesn't depend on nationality. However, one need to get practical results in any tradition first.

If you really want to teach us and reduce misunderstandings, maybe you will finally stop attacking others, return to the topic and tell us the Goals of your Dan Dao practice? Like a plan. What to do first, what to do next.

they are directed to no-sense arguments and trolling. It's obvious for all not-so-huge-ego people. Just to help you: ad·jec·tive ˈajəktiv/ nounGRAMMAR a word or phrase naming an attribute, added to or grammatically related to a noun to modify or describe it.

it seems foolish arguments are over, and stupid trolling confirms that... thanks Arkady for a great lesson on careful and attentive translation of Daoist texts. It shows again how every word is important, and when neglected such mistakes easily confuse people. "Without texts one can't find a Teacher, without a Teacher one can't understand texts"

It works the same with anything people do. Any writing can tell a lot about its author and his or her level. And by reading good texts it's possible to learn how to attune to the author's thoughts, because great texts are like a Camertone - they create an example of harmony.

Some people here are so desperately trying to promote themselves by slandering traditional Daoism. That's the certain negative advertisement to begin with.

it is so when we speak about those who proved many times their inability to read texts, as in the example above. Imaginary goals, based on textual misunderstanding and lack of attention, make no harmony.

In Taoist tradition wisdom is not something learnt from books or by extensive thinking. Real wisdom comes from spirit-Shen, Yuan Shen, innate spirit. But naturally it's weak and silent, so Shi Shen, the mind, takes over the control. Many people believe that if they "shut up" their mind, by means of meditation, for example, then Yuan Shen will be able to control the life. But it doesn't happen really. Because Yuan Shen is weak, it's Yin.. The way to obtain wisdom is to use Ming, innate life force, to empower Shen, make it Yang. Then the ability to see and understand things directly, as well as explaining them, will grow. That's what is wisdom really. Chinese tradition speaks more about De in this context. Without Ming practices, everybody has an access to this innate wisdom, but very rarely. It's called intuition or conscience (honesty).

That's exactly what I told: open dogmatic mind and see another side of the tradition. If (and only if is strong) you want to pursuit other goals.

Some people here are really looking for more than simplified modern qigong from muddy sources. And if they are interested in Dao as a goal, with high level results of Shen transformation, then their attitude towards Daoist schools and classics defines clearly the possibility of such high level results. By neglecting later texts, explaining the ancient method more clearly (for modern people), with explanations of unity of various teachings, such students just intentionally limit their possibilities. Their understanding is very low.

There is another side. As example, take Taijiquan practitioners. 99% of them don't understand the art and cannot use it. But there are masters who know, and their abilities are way behind fantasy stories we can read... And they teach texts to their students, because there is something in Taoism that have to be transmitted through texts. And they do argue with no-sense translations and shallow approach of "tai chi" people. Because it's the only way for their students to achieve the goal of Taijiquan. This is a real tradition, not a water-down imitation. It's up to you: limit yourself intentionally or pursuit other goals. I think the main thing is for people to understand that there is a choice. Not everybody wants just chant in a shower )) Western parody on taoism make people weak and without any goal at all...

maybe, as an option, just to stop "directing chi with the mind"? especially, if it produces so much heat. Proper chi movement shouldn't produce the heat as you describe. In contrast, thoughts have to calm down, sleep - improve and so on.

I'm not aware of any english book explaining the nature of deviations in qigong and neidan or even listing them... The problem is in using intention, attention and imagination. And most of the exported variants of Taoist arts are based on them, so obviously their evangelists try to avoid speaking about potential issues they have no idea how to solve... Neidan uses San Bao, Three Treasures: Jing, Qi and Shen. But Three Treasures have to be Pre-Heavean, or they are impure and cannot be used. When one reads about LDT or small heavenly circle in popular "neidan" books, intention is focused on getting such things, attention is focused by such intention and it's not very hard to imitate anything you want inside of own body. However any tool our mind can use - intention, attention, visualization, thoughts etc - is impure and is based on Post-Heaven Qi. So such results have no value for the alchemy, for the further transformation of the body and spirit. What you describe as a technique you use is a qigong technique. Qigong uses postures, breathing or mind to control post-heaven qi. Its role is to heal and make life better and happier. Qigong cannot bring any of the results of the Neidan-alchemy. Taking this into consideration, if you have no Neidan teacher yet, it's better to focus on balancing your Qigong, so it stops creating deviations. Deviation here means lack of qi balance, first of all. Good, ancient qigong (yangsheng) variants don't use mind, but use other methods to control post-heaven qi and bring it to a balance. Why any mind work is not desirable for Qigong? Because it creates an opposite result, it dis-balance qi, and it's unavoidable (that's how our heart-mind works). Online "gurus" love it, because such dis-balance creates fast and impressive sensations. But we can understand that such home-made "schools" only teach how to press gas and break pedals at the same time... sensations are strong, but vehicle will be broken quite soon... To sum up, there is no way to learn Qigong or Neidan by books or videos. Human nature has constant tendency to jump to extremes and choose the most dis-balance way possible. Only knowledgeable and patient teacher can help. In your case I'd suggest to stop reading and doing, and start walking more outside (park, forest), until all the effects are gone. Then find a teacher and start learning any ancient qigong without mind work: zhang zhuan, simple tai chi movements, 5 animals etc. For that you might need to travel, but I really think that traveling expenses are nothing comparing to the issues one might have by doing wrong things (like telling I'm fake and poser :-)

yes, usually such things are considered as dangerous deviations in Neidan. I really suggest to find a real (not online) teacher and correct your practice before continuing.

"doing" is not really initiated by mind... of course we take a decision to learn and practice, but while practicing the mechanism is not based on mind or physical activity or any post-heaven, it's based on yuan qi changes.

doing and non-doing both work only with pre-heaven in the alchemy. But shishen is postheaven, as well as most of widespread practices, you're right.

both

impurity of methods based on imagination can be understood after people experience that there is something else, more effective and less erroneous.

it's a good choice, but try to find somebody to learn basics at least to avoid various common mistakes...

Yi Jin Jing is a part of Chan Buddhist legacy. Originally it's parallel in Daoist world is Neidan, Internal Alchemy. Qigong, both Buddhist or Daoist, has different methods and results. To practice them both or not - teacher has to decide. There are many variants of Qigong, there are many variants of Yi Jin Jing...

Right. Live, struggle and die is useless. Live and obtain Dao - stop being a straw dog Some people don't get how to be strict and love at the same time. But isn't it how good parents raise their children? Heaven and earth are strict to people the same way and for the same purpose...

Right. It's impossible to stop mind with the mind, thoughts with other thoughts, visions by means of the imagination... Real transformation of the heart comes naturally from a deep change of the Yuan Qi. It was the same in all traditions, but lost in time and translation... Kongming, I think it has more sense to look for a teacher, not for a particular tradition.