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Dear Dao Bums, I would like to ask you: 1) What has been the most physically strengthening and stretching qigong form you've experienced? 2) Which qigong forms would you recommend solely based on the physical strengthening and stretching aspect? 3) Which qigong forms would you recommend especially for physically strengthening and stretching the whole hip & groin area, as well the low back and kidneys? I look forward to hear from you guys! All the best

Hi everyone Happy 2023 and it's nice to meet everyone. I began my gigong journey in mid 2022 through stumbling upon spring forest qigong (SFQ) on youtube. Since then I have discovered books and youtube materials by Damo Mitchell and have been practising fairly diligently (i.e. about an hour a day). My search for qigong has been driven mainly by health reasons. I have developed symptoms of yang deficiency such as cold hands and feet and tiredness last year, and I thought medical qigong might be a good place to start. Re my experience, I found the SFQ stuffs quite able to generate some noticeable effects soon after I started. specifically, I have been able to feel a lot of tingly sensation throughout my body and some relief after a short while. However it wasnt until I read Damo Mitchell's A comprehensive guide to Daoist Neigong did i realise how much fundamental practice I must go on with if I were to develop systematically. At present, I am working primarily on 'stilling and consolidating the Jing' in the Wuji posture. After about practising for 2 weeks - for about an hour a day, I started to feel my lower abdomen heating up, just as Damo described in Chapter 7 of the said book. At the beginning the heat only came on while I exhaled and was concentrated in one spot. This slowly spread through to the back and now occasionally occurred even at inhalation and would become consistent for 2-3 mins, before they disperse again. I have started to also complement this with some sitting practice (also to still the Jing and stablise the mind). I also do 10-15 mins of jing ben qigong (like the 5 elements qigong taught in SFQ when the lower ab is heating up, it brings a nice, warm sensation up and down my torso). To support the practice, I have cut out most unskillful sexual behaviours, including cutting down porn consumption to minimal /necessary level. Just wanted to ask anyone who know this here, 1) if this sounds about right? 2) Does anyone have any similar experience? 3) If so, have they experienced any health benefit? 4) How did your experience progress from here? I am 39/M based in London, UK. I dont really have many friends I can talk to about this (maybe 1), so if you are in the UK, specifically London. I am very keen to link up! Jason

Awhile ago i wrote how i had a unwanted kundalini awakening, i could not face it because i had prior health issues for over nine years including epilepsy. i fought the kubdalini tooth and nail. anytime i did semen retention after this awakening i would have dreams of snakes and a strange ball would start flying up and down a central channel trying to blow my head off. alot of people told me to surrender but i was in such a weakened state i couldnt. at this time i could only masturbate once a week, then once every two weeks and eventually only once a month. i had extremely low back pains and eventually a shock sent up my body and i developed neuropathy everywhere. burning numbness and tingling in all my limbs. this kept going for two years. i couldnt move during this time but i hated kundalini energy so much because i didnt want to be controlled my entire life by it , and i didnt like it damaged me because i just wanted a break and to be free. regardless none of this story matters. where im at now is, i want to restore my jing and heal my body, so even if you dont believe this story so far or whats happened. here is my latest development and looking for advice. eventually the neuropathy got so bad it went into my colon, a bad shock sent down throughout there. the pudendal nerve was damaged. the nerve responsible for sexual function. the pain there got worse and worse, three times over a couple months. in the ayurvedic system they call this extreme vata imbalance and even on a more sub scale ( apana vata) because of this damage i will never be able to have sex again, or sit comfortable. i have laid in bed in incredible pain screaming everyday. here is the kicker. i cannot restore jing anymore because of this. since this damaged occured i am having nightly nocturnal emissions i couldnt understand because usually the only time that would happen to me is from extreme overwork or a day where i was overheated. then i finally read about how if the perineal nerves in the colon and pudendal area are weakened or destroyed you can have constant nocturnal emissions. as i lay in bed, everyday i have the classic signs of jing deficiency at only age 30 because of over 10 years of extreme extreme stress. i have deep pale circles under my eyes, a pale white complextion and can barely move , all my joints ache and crack and i get dizzy standing up longer then 10 minutes. i guess this is what happens when you fight a kundalini awakening. but from my guess now is, regardless if anyone believes that i think this is my soul or higher self finally trying to kill me. my jing is so low my back screams in pain, my nerves burn me on fire to the point im in agony and my asshole hurts so badly from the nerve damage there i cannot sit, and hurts to use the washroom. now what little jing i have left is being excreted through nocturnal emission and i have no control or way to stop it from the weakened area. as i look at myself in the mirror i look like a shell of myself. a desperate soul ready to part with this world. im assuming when my soul decided to damage the nerves down there it is my soul preparing for me to die

I started as a Buddhist practicioner cause I read on a reddit forum how Jhanas could increase human intelligence. For some reason as young as I could remember I always felt humans could be better and we were not using our full mental power. At some point I came across Daoism. I found their extremely datailed and logical approach quite fascinating. And in studying daoism I came across Bill Bodri who seemed to equate the 2 different traditions. It almost seems like they are doing the same thing through different approaches. Someone said the buddhism achieves freedom from karma or enlightenment by making ones consciousness egoless while daoism seems to make ones consciousness so powerful that its karma cant pull it back to earth what they would call the yang shen. Furthermore the jhanas and the transformation of the three treasures were seen as the same thing were first jhana body is full of jing hence the pleasure or what they call piti and sukkha. In second Jhana the jing transforms into chi. Hence the feeling of joy and loss of body awareness, By third jhana the chi turns to shen. Hence the contentment. By fourth jhana you reach emptiness. Hence the equanmity. Then the immaterial jhanas where one breaks the emptiness. And finally enlightenment where one unites with the Dao. What do you giys think?

I started reading taoist yoga and i must say all the nei dan information dont look like instructions to me. They look like biographical information of the alchemical changes of the energy body as one cultivates towards samadhi. There are too much steps and processes to be aware of that I believe alchemy infromation was more like sign posts that your on the right track rather than steps to actually follow. I mean there are easier ways like anapanasati and skeleton visualization from the buddha or samatha(concentration) practices in general. Instead of the risky practice that is alchemy. And yes you can not achieve samadhi without alchemical changes happening inside you. Else it would be false samadhi. Nan Hua Chin said that samadhi without change in your body is a false teaching that has infected buddhism especially zen. He encourages people to learn about alchemy only to use it as a referral that they are on the right track rather than an instruction manual. His book Tao & Longevity: Mind-Body Transformation shows how alchemical changes happen in the body using practices like anapanasati from the buddha. He says its based on the rule of the dao that extreme yin gives birth to yang. So the stillness from anapanasati where at some point you slow down to the point of having your breath, pulse and thoughts stop(hsi), gives birth to the yang chi being born. No need for all the alchemical jargon just slow down and become still and the internal alchemy will take place. its like our bodies mimicking creation. Where from wuji came taiji and from taiji came yang chi of heaven. The secret of immortality. It has also been said in yoga that physical immortals are in samadhi 24/7 hence they are constantly in touch with the yang qi of heaven. So if alchemy is just another way to samadhi or wuji why do Daoist treat it like its some super secret when there are even safer and less cumbersome ways of getting to samadhi. After all the emptiness is called nirvikalpa samadhi in other traditions.

Dear Dao Bums, I would like to share some insights about different systems of healing and my own experiences using these. I will go over four systems of healing I've learnt and practiced: 1) Spring Forest Qigong (Chunyi Lin) 2) Talismanic healing (Zhongxian Wu) 3) Islamic healing / sufi healing, 4) "Energy and Chakra healing" (International Academy of Consciousness, IAC) 1) Spring Forest Qigong (Chunyi Lin) I really like the systematic, yet simple method of healing in Spring Forest Qigong. The system is something like this: 1) Preparation 1.1) Prepare the patient 1.2) Prepare yourself 1.3) Detect blockages 2) Healing 2.1) You strengthen the dan tien (open hand) 2.2) You open and circulate the small universe 2.3) You strengthen the dan tien 2.4) You open the blockages (using sword finger mudra) 2.5) You remove the excess/old energy (using an open hand) 2.6) You give healing energy to the places you've unblocked and removed old energy from (using your palm) 3) Closing 3.1) You strengthen the dan tien 3.2) You open and circulate the small universe 3.3) You strengthen the dan tien Mudras are used during the healing for different purposes. This is because mudras generate a certain energy field. This specific energy field is better for different things. Furthermore, you also empower or energize food and water for healing. This could be for yourself or for the patient. I've learnt just one talisman from Chunyi Lin. This talisman is drawn using a specific mudra. Again, it's because the talisman and mudra generate a certain energy. Lastly, Chunyi Lin is very big on massage, cupping and tapping. These are all physical techniques, everyone can use and understand them immediately. 2) Zhongxian Wu The healing I've learnt from Zhongxian Wu is very focused on using your body, breath and visualisation. This is done through posture, breath and visualisation. Posture is your own physical body, as well as the hand mudra you use. Breath is using specific breathing methods, especially mantras are the most important. Visualisation you use your mind to visualise the talismans which connect you to the qi field you need for your healing. The healing I've learnt from him so far is mostly focused on the specific place that's hurt. You use the talismans (one for each of the five elements) with their mantra and mudra to energize the 3 dan tien and/or the 5 organ systems, or the specific place on the body that's in need of healing. Furthermore you give mantras to the patients or exercises accompanied by mantras that they can use every day. Healing water is also used. 3) Islamic / sufi healing Each surah/verse of the Qu'ran has a specific energy. White, blue, black, yellow, golden, green etc. These different colors of energy are good for specific purposes. Some can remove black magic and evil spirits, make a protective circle around yourself and/or your family or your home. Some can energize objects. Some can make people respect you more. Some can give you more charisma, some can improve your aura etc. Some can heal physical diseases, some can help with psychological and emotional issues, and some can help improve relationships etc. You can heal the body, energy, mind or "life". Life understood as money, career, relationships, attract good luck, have more charisma etc. You usually have a system as you do the healing, e.g: 1) Salawaat (this is a way of connecting to either the Prophet Muhammad and/or Sufi Masters) 2) Qur'an (with the help of the prophet or saints you use the particular energy from the Qur'an you need) 3) Du'a (you use a prayer for the healing, or you make your personal prayer) 4) Salawaat (you close with salawaat again) You can then blow on the persons, blow on your hands and touch the persons, blow on water and make them drink it or sprinkle it around the house, energize objects, or blow on your finger and make a circle around yourself or your house. 4) IAC energy and chakra healing There are 3 fundamental energy techniques taught in the IAC, all with the goal of eventually allowing one to have an out of body experience. The techniques are: 1) Absorbing energy 2) Exteriorising energy 3) Circulating energy (called the VELO) For healing, you would firstly absorb a lot of good energy (e.g. from nature, trees, a river etc). Then you would exteriorize energy into the patient (usually using your hands). Geo-energy (from the ground, rocks and stones) they use for the root chakra. Water energy they use for the second chakra. Energy from plants and trees are good for relaxing the mind, as well as the heart chakra. Air energy and fire energy can also be used. The best self healing would be to head to a place that has the energy one needs (e.g. ocean, forest, river, mountains) and absorb as much energy as possible. Then you would VELO for a prolonged time, to circulate the energy as well as clear blockages. EDIT: I wanted to share some of my personal experiences with each system. 1) Chunyi Lin I strongly feel that a very particular qi comes to help when using SFQ to heal. It could be Chunyi Lin's qi, or a "commonly shared" spiritual container of healing energy shared by all SFQ practitioners. Especially I feel my middle dan tien extremely empowered when doing SFQ healing. I've also experienced a strong increase in my energetic perception when doing SFQ healing (especially during the healing). Lastly, the patients I've healed have felt heat, tingling, emotional release, insights about their problem and its cause and especially the taking out of the old/excess energy they feel very strongly. 2) Zhongxian Wu The talisman healing is very strong. I personally feel very, very powerful qi in my system when using the posture, mantra, mudra and talisman. When using it for healing, the patients have felt heat, tingling, electricity, insights about their problem, visions, vibrations and many other positive things. Something very interesting is the use of different healing tools. He is a strong advocate for having your own personal acupuncture needle you use for everything, own personal calligraphy brush, mirror, lamp/light, sword etc. The idea is that by using it everday both for your own cultivation and for healing, the objects themselves slowly get energized more and more. This makes them more powerful over time. Furthermore! You can also send energy using your feet instead of your hands. Feet are more powerful than hands, therefore their healing energy is stronger. 3) Islamic / sufi healing For some reason, I feel this healing is exceptionally strong when it comes to emotions and state of mind. When I've used it on myself or my house, or made others drink blessed water, I've noticed exceptional increase in joy, peace, hope for the future, calm trust in God's plan and the patient gets extremely enthusiastic and energetic. Furthermore, when doing a lot of salawaat, qur'an, du'a and salawaat, people become more friendly, respectful and attracted to you during your everyday life. For depression or other emotional states, this is the strongest I've seen. Especially salawaat. 4) IAC For me personally, going out into nature every single day for 15-60 minutes to absorb and VELO energies was extremely powerful. Once when I was starting to catch a cold, just after I had returned from a seminar (where I learnt the VELO), I did the VELO for 15 minutes straight. It cured my cold! For healing I've done it very little. However, what I experienced was that people could feel the energy going into their body. Furthermore, depending on whether it was geo-energy, phyto-energy or water energy, they could sense how the different energies were different. I.e. phyto-energy felt more peaceful and alive, geo-energy felt more solid, water energy felt more fluid. Conclusion I've seen all these kinds of healing work to a very large extent. However, I haven't experienced miracle-healings. By miracle healings, I mean like Jesus healed people, or some of the stories you hear from Chunyi Lin or Zhongxian Wu, about how people recovered from tumors, cancer etc. In my experience, it simply improves and energizes people, as well as accelerate their healing process. If someone would take 7 days to recover from a very bad flu, with healing it would take just 1-2 days instead. So, because of this, even though people feel energy etc. during the healing, they're not "blown away". Because they usually expect "Jesus-like-healing", with someone laying hands on them, and then everything is immediately healed in one go. However, they can usually tell that the healing has a positive effect and improves their energy. Commonalities All use the body, the breath (including mantras) as well as the mind (visualisation) to heal. Furthermore they use prayer and also healing water. Almost all use mantras and mudras. Even in islamic healing you make the prayers with your hand open (this is also a mudra). Warning What I've noticed in many of the healing workshops I've gone to is that healing is more trouble than healing. This is not to scare people, but simply to make people conscious of it. People simply send their own personal energy into each other, and thereby just mix energies. If the other person has great and pure energy, this is awesome. But mostly, people have their own issues,which also get transmitted with the healing. So, when people at a workshop simply mix their energies with each other, the result is not necessarily good. It's just a mess. Furthermore, with people putting 100% faith in the healer to miraculously cure their issues (which they themselves have caused with bad diet, lifestyle etc), they don't take responsibility for their own life. Therefore the issues (even if truly healed) will simply come back after a number of weeks, months or years (depending on the healing power they got). In my mind the best is always to educate people to take better care of themselves. Diet, lifestyle, good habits, daily qigong and meditation etc. Then, if they of their own free will continue these things, then healing becomes much more valuable. Because then it simply boosts and empowers these people in their own personal healing journey. But I'm still making up my mind about healing. For the past 3 years I've been very sceptical about it (like you can see above). However, recently I'm giving it a go again, to see how it goes. And with the patients being very happy with it, I'm rethinking my attitude. Is it good, is it bad, is it more trouble than healing, or is it to be viewed simply as a boost? I'm experimenting back and forth, and then based on my experiences and observations I'm changing my position Be blessed!

“During the winter months all things in nature wither, hide, return home, and enter a resting period, just as lakes and rivers freeze and snow falls. This is a time when yin dominates yang. Therefore one should refrain from overusing the yang energy. Retire early and get up with the sunrise, which is later in winter. Desires and mental activity should be kept quiet and subdued. Sexual desires especially should be contained, as if keeping a happy secret. Stay warm, avoid the cold, and keep the pores closed. Avoid sweating. The philosophy of the winter season is one of conservation and storage. Without such practice the result will be injury to the kidney energy. This will cause wei jue, consisting of weakness, atrophy of muscles, and coldness in spring, manifesting as paralysis, wei/flaccid syndrome, arthritis, or degeneration of the bones and tendons. This is because the body has lost its ability to open and move in the spring.” ~ Maoshing Ni. “The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine”. Agreements or disagreements with the above? Open discussion.

Hello everybody! My name is Charles, I am from California and I am 22 years old. I usually figure problems out on my own but cannot solve this problem that has been haunting me for almost two years now. I'll give a quick rundown of the problem and the steps I have taken to solve it. I have been smoking weed just about everyday from the age of 17 to 21. At 21 I left my job because it was stressing me out so much, I had never felt that much stress before in my life. After working there for two years I finally quit but was left with a feeling that my "soul was tired". That's the only way I could explain that feeling. As time went on I was having a hard time finding a new job and my money was getting low so I left the stress of a secure job to the new stress of being broke and lost in the world. The bottom line was that I was heavily stressed. So that led me to smoking more and more weed and it eventually got to the point where if I wasn't high I would be highly emotional which wasn't like me. I then started having random emotional breakdowns for no apparent reason. But then after 6 months of being jobless I went to go smoke some weed and I had my first panic attack ever. I just remember my hands and feet got really cold and I felt this very intense electricity through my body all while I was in my car alone. After that I couldn't drive so I had my sister pick me up and take me home. I went to sleep early that night and when I woke up I realized that the world looked strange. Something I know now as "derealization". It has been a year and a half since then and I will list off the symptoms I've been having. Tinnitus, Dry Eyes, Dark Cirles, Fatigue, Insomnia, Weak Knees, Energy in my head, Bloating which causes me to constantly burp, A locked left ankle that lasted for two weeks, and Ulcers in my mouth. I also have anxiety now which I've never had on this level and/or constantly. Now that that's out the way I have tried it seems everything under the sun to get my body back to normal. I did a detox, Somatic Experiencing, Acupuncture, Worked on my Root Chakra, Excercise, Walk as much as I can, Ground as much as I can etc.. I'm sure there's a lot more that I've tried but those are the main points. After googling multiple things over the year I have come across many explanations of why this is happening but nothing sticks. I am from the Western society so everybody that I talk is trying to push drugs on me but I know that's not the route I'd want to go. There are thousands of people with this same problem that live with it for years, even decades but this is not a life to live at all! Anyways, it wasn't until I came across this user on here named "Lush Lemur" and he has given me the most hope out of everything I've researched. He tells his problem AND how he solved it. He went through the same ordeal as me except his wasn't triggered by weed. He explains that he had Derealization as a symptom of Kundalini Syndrome and he used reverse breathing to fully cure himself and get back to normal. He also noted that conserving jing was essential to this practice as he stores it in the lower dan tien. That statement alone got me thinking... Have I depleted my jing essence and this brought upon and anxiety disorder? The one thing I didn't mention was that I have made masturbation and sex an every night occurance for the past 10 years. I rarely ejaculated more than once a day but nevertheless it's a problem. Since reading Lush Lemurs' post a month ago I immediatley started my semen retention journey and have been successful thus far. I have not seen any improvement but at the same time I have not been doing reverse breathing nearly 200 times a day as he suggested as it causes my chest to tighten (yes, i am doing it as gentle as possible). I do have nearly every symptom of a depleted kidney yin energy so I went to acupuncture yesterday and got treatment for that. I would message Lush Lemur but it says that he cannot recieve messages sadly. So I am posting this here in hopes for some feedback from you kind people as this is my life on the line here. Thank you! I'll respond to all suggestions.

Preface This is a basic post meant as a simple (yet also deep) guide and reminder to living with particular emphasis from the perspective of (jing) conservation. This piece does not talk about methods of jing tonification or replenishment1 which are different though inter-related issues. Rather, this provides foundational philosophy and perspectives with a few guiding lifestyle suggestions to consider in practicing conservation. I will note that many of the suggestions appear basic and they are. Yet most people fail to take care of the roots and the foundations: if you don't take care of the foundation at its roots, any accomplishment you come to at a more advanced level will be built on unstable ground and therefore eventually and likely come to some kind of fail. This includes people who experience aspects of the Void and become fearful of the existential, people who witness Tao and walk away in carelessness or disappointment, people who see some aspect of metaphysical light but cannot access them again or more profoundly, people who find bliss but become drunken, or people who have years and decades of cultivation that just one day simply get up and walk away in disillusionment, disheartened even given all their progress and effort. So, practitioners who come to resolve and completion on this path are people who care for and attend to the most basic until each succession of what is basic becomes what is fantastical to the novice. This is what makes the understanding deep, rich and profound; this is what allows it to become complete and enduring; this how existence transcends itself to become immortal. So, it is encouraged that after you read this, you take the time to assess what additional and specific changes you could make in your life to commit to improving your vitality- not only physiologically but also psychologically (which has more implication upon shen- the spiritual aspect of consciousness that resides with each yin organ (including zhi shen). Then as you regularly apply and assimilate these commitments into your life, consciously reflect upon how you can both broaden and deepen your understanding so as to refine your methods over time. Do this for the rest of your life. Every one who goes deep starts from a beginning over and over again, but what is the beginning becomes something completely anew with each successive cleansing and resolve, and what is basic in time becomes deep and profound if you are astute, diligent and sincere. As per usual and with few exceptions, I rarely post to a thread more than once. For those who continue this thread, please be mindful- post with generosity and take care that you words and ideas are posted with intention for benevolence. Share thoughtfully what you feel you know in yourself to be of value and benefit. Be as truthful as you understand while being kind. When we cultivate in ourselves strong yi (yi- spirit of the spleen organ whose virtue is intention), we can create greater shen for all beings (shen- spirit of the heart whose virtue is awareness and consciousness). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reference Notes for the following reading: Jing- is the primordial essence of existential potential and the root of vital energy. It also is one of the Three Treasues integral to the transmutation processes of internal alchemy. [Note that jing itself is not a tangible substance- though it becomes most notably the substance of semen and ovum; but as iterated above, it is an essence first and foremost before it transmutes into additional forms of (post-natal) qi.] Jing's associations are as follows, primarily because it manifests through the Water phase of the Kidneys: (thus these are direct notes about the Water element and Kidney organ as they relate to jing, but not necessarily directly about jing itself. Understanding the elemental phase from which jing arises and/or is associated is helpful to guiding health and living principles) Wu Xing Phase is: Water Housed in the Yin organ: Kidney Spiritual Axis and Stage: Heart (shao yin) Mother of: Wood Child of: Metal Seasonal phase: Winter Associated Gland: Adrenals Tissue governance: Bone Orifice opening: Ears Flavor quality: Salty Color of light: Blue Emotion: Fear Virtue: Faith Shen Spirit: Zhi Other terms Chong mai- the central channel deep within the core of the body running from perineum to crown that passes through the Triple Burners where primary subtle transmutations occur Shen- spirit, and for the purposes of this post refers to any one of five spirits that govern the yin organs of the body Principles of Conservation in Action and Non-Action The principle of conservation is a simple one, yet can be exceptionally sophisticated and deep. Pertaining to Jing, it is to prevent leakage and loss in each moment on a daily basis so that one can: -have vital essence from which to live a healthy, vibrant life -manifest the infinite potential in the ming of xing from jing (must be done in concert with Yuan Shen in wei wu wei from the Unnamable) -prolong existence so as to continue cultivation towards greater Consciousness (also known as part of the transmutation process of the The Three Treasures) [Notice that if you read these three points about why we conserve jing it is not so we can have egoic power to live forever, have more fun and attain more magical states- this isn't a celebrity contest to be novel and have a forever good time. Which isn't to say it isn't mystical and unimaginably beautiful- but it is also a sacred process and I encourage that those who have these kinds of feelings continue to work on their minds and hearts, to deepen their 'spiritual maturity'. It takes a combination of great fortitude, humility and wisdom to come to recognize this path for all that it is, let alone fulfill it through yourself. This in turn requires a depth of essence inherent to what manifests as the virtues of diligence, integrity and heartfelt courage. So every time you feel these stirrings of superiority, grandiosity, passionate zeal and desire, or conversely feel deep doubt, have reservation or fear your capacity- let it all go and just keep moving inherently, deeply, sincerely and unceasingly from the most essential place you know in yourself.] Just as jing can be conserved with awareness, diligence and care, it can also be lost through unconsciousness, wastefulness and careless expenditure, especially those that go above and beyond our most basic and foundational energy. In modern life, the propensity towards excess in living automatically leads to imbalance that can cause deficiency at a deeper physical and energetic level in the body, leading to disease manifested as aging and ultimately death. Three most basic, daily and common ways you can immediately begin working to conserve jing from the perspectives of: LIFESTYLE WELLNESS AND BALANCE: Be balanced and moderate in actions; do not over exert. For instance, do not work long hours, over-think, over exercise, stay up late, allow your emotions to be become stressed or upset. Do not consume caffeinated or high sugar drinks or foods to push your body to function beyond their basic healthful limit- this pulls energy from your reserves and taxes the adrenal system- the adrenals which are the glands of the kidneys and thus this will cause jing to be extracted. Do not indulge regularly in addictive substances- in most cases, the condition of 'getting high' draws from the jing and pushes out our reserves so that people can experience sensational phenomena through uncontrolled (and therefore not fully conscious) altered states (if you want to know bliss, god, and unceasing beauty, learn to find it from within naturally through your own heart and Consciousness. Through transcendent wisdom in meditation one comes to understand this beyond all measure and through all moments in ways that no drug, medicine or supplement can compare). Eat on time, and eat moderately so that you do not have to draw from the reserves from your body and so that the process of qi creation through the chong mai are not depleted progressively as it transmutes through each of the three burners. Drink a plentiful amount of clean fresh, vibrant water through out the day.2 Note: -as said in Taoism, "the highest good is like water" (implications which are both literal but also progressively energetically subtle, nuanced and deep) -the body is made almost entirely of water -all the jin ye (heavy and light) fluids of the body require fresh water to function -the kidney itself is the water organ in the wu xing phase To the degree that you think your life is 'too busy' or that 'you must' do certain things or that you feel your situation demands your extra energy to succeed, achieve or survive re-assess your perspective, remember that everything you do in life is a choice- even if some choices are difficult to make. Consider more deeply or profoundly what is essential- essence being not of the body or ideation of the mind, but of the yuan (original) in the universe. If you are a woman, until you learn the secrets to healthily cease menstruation (this is NOT the same as going into menopause- contrary) take care of your health so that your hormones are balanced during the moon phase and that your bleeding is fresh, bright and minimal. Menstruation and blood are in many ways for women analogous to the treasure of what jing is in men, so you must learn to conserve blood loss and smooth emotions/ hormones while purifying the menstrual blood. Menstrual blood that is dark, thick, heavy or excessive are signs of serious health issues in Chinese medicine and need to be addressed through lifestyle and dietary changes as well as with a trained practitioner. If you are perimenopausal, know there are ways- however rare but entirely possible, to restart your period. If you are late into menopause, then all the same lifestyle suggestions here apply but in particular you will be benefited by healthful methods of tonification because as noted later below, within most degrees generally and practically, it takes energy to make energy- so more tonification in this case will help with conservation, particularly if you can nourish the blood and focus on qi gong for the liver and breasts. SEXUAL INTIMACY AND HEALTH: When sexually engaging do so consciously, from a place of generosity and in mutual reciprocity where there is a foundation of clear, healthy trust and intimacy. Abstain from sexual behavior that is objectified, sexualized in action, thought and/or emotion whether it is with another person, a projection or image of another. The act of sexualization and/or objectification leads to perpetuation of leakage out the kidneys, eyes and penis- not only during masturbation or ejaculation, but upon mental and emotional provocation as well. Do not engage in random, casual or ungenerous and selfish sexual behaviors alone, with a partner or through 'fantasy' this reduces the opportunity for natural dual-circulation that can help heal and replenish the body, heart and subtle energy systems at the least and at the worse can increase the potential for deep hurt and harm to yourself and others, individually, inter-personally and collectively. To the degree that you suffer from forms of sexual addiction or unconscious habituation (ie. wanting sex out loneliness or emptiness; for vanity, control or power; viscerally unconscious base desires, etc), remove all forms of sexual stimulus from your life until you come to understand what is actually 'sexuality' free from socialized or unconscious base impulse. Instead, focus your attention on healthful life things. When you feel a strong urge or have a strong reaction to something- stop and bring great awareness to yourself. If you are in a healthy and secure relationship, make sure sharing intimacy is done in conscious presence with a mutually open heart and in generosity to each other. This alone if done with enough genuine care, will allow for a certain potential or opportunity for dual-circulation and/or at least mutual health even if neither persons entirely can recognize, sense or understand its technical processes. If you are abstaining from sexual engagement all together make sure that you are resolved. Without true resolve around the matter, conditions of stagnation and turbidity are likely to accumulate whether this is through suppression, repression, or other unconscious desire and fear. For health, flow, and to prevent negative accumulation, continue some measure of circulation until the system is fully purified; meaning in most cases that ejaculating (or some other more subtle clarified form if you are more advanced in your practice) on a rare occasion- will prevent imbalances to various layers of the system, including negative build-up and injury from excess, or conversely depression and increasing weakness in the body. Until the layers of the system are replete with shen to naturally circulate and refine the jing unaided, some measure of continued physical flow through the genital from a sacred inner place can be beneficial. The point in any case is to not simply abstain or not abstain from unconsciousness- be this a mindless procedure of discipline, fear or desire, listlessness or lust. MENTAL-EMOTIONAL and SPIRITUAL WISDOM: Find peace and faith; learn to release fear and do not engage doubt. (Note that not engaging doubt does not mean to relinquish discernment nor does it mean to have either blind faith nor harbor distrust) Fear is the emotion of the kidney that drains the organ's energy and source of jing. Doubt or the lack of faith (not meant from so much from a Western perspective but from the Taoist perspective of lacking trust in the mundane and existential mysterious) are opposing forces to the virtue of zhi- the spirit of the kidneys. People who live in perpetual fear and (particularly existential) distrust have a propensity to exert there will inappropriately (either forcing situations or giving up. As a side note, I also often observe greater levels of procrastination in those who have a constitutional predisposition to water) and cause harm to jing and more importantly, the zhi shen itself. Symptoms of these imbalances include feeling 'frozen' by fears, lacking faith about the course of things in your or other people's lives, doubting the potential of the existential, in yourself and in others; these are highly dangerous and harmful perspectives that come from a lack of clarity in the (organ) spirits. In fact, for so many the unfulfilled life, the unfilled dream, the doubt in whether this (spiritual) path is possible or true, is so integral to these emotions and perspectives. So when we look at jing from a more essential perspective of essence and spirit rather than purely as (post-natal) qi, we come to recognize that how we orient our mind, heart and spirit- and thus our perspective to existence can deeply impact our essence, and thus our actions and the outcomes of our life- including existence and non-existence, life and death. Among other practices, two of the most powerful to target the nature of the kidney and zhi is to dutifully practice 1) deep self-reflection in all moments- particularly when you experience fear or feel deep doubts and 2) to learn meditation that develops the capacity to listen into the silence of Nothing. Remember that the ears are the orifice of the kidneys and that deep self-reflection is the movement between the spiritual poles of kidney and heart. In time, once you have arrived at a certain successive mastery of these very basic life actions, go back to the foundation of the applied philosophy and move deeper. That is: Be still internally (in the spiritual and at the utmost, true stillness requires internal silence, the state of sung, and arrives through wisdom found through meditation), while in vibrant circulation (circulation which was once discrete circuits of the mundane body of qi as well as physical actions and behaviors in living; now becomes the movement of essences and treasures- including jing, and then eventually what is beyond essence and is radiant). When you can make living the same as conservation, the issue of either conditions will resolve and be no longer. Thus, refine your understanding of what it means to not-strive, be moderate, and to be free of desire and fear until your recognition is no longer mundane, until the energetic system and its spirits (the shens) do not move from unconscious impulse and until you are free of all notions that lead to such impulses- not only now in this life time and this moment, but across all planes and dimensions that are the field of time, space and dimension that become the thing you experience to be body and spirit. This is how we cleanse the 'karmic' to prepare the 'body' for the utmost forms of profundity. ------------- Footnotes and Miscellaneous Note: Note to cultivators who are middle-aged or later in life and/or those who are sincere and exceptionally serious in progressing along this path: If you are starting this process now, I suggest that in addition to the above, spend as much leisure time focusing on cleansing and/or purification as the means to actually conserve. Without a properly pure and bright system at all levels, jing can only be cultivated so far- so in order to go deep, you must make sure the system is very clear. The later one starts this process and/or the more accumulation a person has to work through (whether this is mental, emotional, physical or karmic) the more complex it is to minimize the loss of jing over time and thus hinder decline. This is because, if nothing else, as people age they have a phsyiological propensity toward less and less resources within themselves to achieve daily functions and balance, therefore all living increasingly must draw on the foundation of vital jing (rather than post-natal stomach and spleen) qi to act and survive, and eventually even down to the Sea of Marrow (these are bone and blood systems in Taoist medicine). Because the deeper process of systemic purification requires an intense energy of focus and application- particularly if it involves the density of physicality, in order to cultivate a more ascendant form and to refine and transmute more subtle energies, it actually requires a lot of energy. So it takes energy to make energy- energy which you may have less of depending on your constitution and/or level of health if you are deficient or burdened. (Note that once the system reaches are certain level of purity, the system will circulate in a more optimal manner and then this principal changes in certain deep and nuanced regards) Therefore, it is best to spend all time devoting energy to caring for your energy: spend your jing wisely! 1 True jing replenishment and tonification- that is what is deep and substantial enough to make an impact that is profound and lasting enough for transmutation, exceptional longevity or immortality; only truly begins after one has sufficient mastery of conservation in their living and adequately purified the system to the degree where shen and aspects of shen can begin to guide the process. Notice here that people who talk of subtle orbital circulation as a mental-physiological procedural process of qi have not realized True Nature (xing) and that spiritual maturity, greater depth and more profound realization is required to fulfill this process clearly and truly. 2 Regarding Water: those who have cultivated to a very advanced level will note that the start and end phases of all existential processes in the system begin and end with water, breath, and light- so water, like breath and shen, are core to cultivation. Students of mine who in early phases are dismissive when asked to take inventory of how much water they drink through out a day, trivialize a core aspect of the foundational root and thus foolishly jeopardize their potential towards more profound cultivation- not so much exactly because of this one thing, but because of the totality of their perspective in depth and breadth that leads to continually misguided perception born from unconsciously entrenched notions. There is a lot of Western conception that objectifies water into a mere mundane scientifically discrete particle and so much emptily spoken rhetoric around 'drink X ounces of water a day' that others hear the mere suggestion and automatically dismiss it as trite at some level while superficially nodding in agreement at its importance to one another at another level. Deep listening means the potential for deep recognition. Deep recognition leads eventually to profound understanding. And in time, that leads to wisdom; if you can do this in all moments, through all things, your understanding of what is existence and its manifestations will change beyond all conception. Take that to heart. And recognize that what is wise, is often simple. Be so humble so as to be sincere when being basic. Strive less to achieve all Taoist advancements yet be utterly profound in your sincerity and inherent in your diligence and you will surpass any need for stages and levels.

So a little over a year ago now I had come across Mantak Chia's book for sexual cultivation. I was very excited to figure out how to send the energy up the spine and preserve my jing. It's been an interesting journey and its honestly been quite hard for me to cultivate this. At times I experienced extreme fatigue, depression, zits along my spine, etc. After a while it started to get easier though. And I have gained a lot of strength and limberness along my spine during this time. So here is what I am still struggling with now: It seems the more I do 'jing excercises' and send energy up the spine, the greater urge I have to ejaculate. I have tried to force my body not to ejaculate while I am doing lots of 'jing exercises', but this will lead to chronic fatigue, numbness of emotions, and literally waking up in middle of night with strong urge to masturbate and ejaculate. I listen to my body when I get to this point and I feel much better after release. To me, it seems overdoing 'jing exercises' (depending on your cultivation) causes the Jing to become toxic or overloaded with 'negative energy' and then body wants to release. I have currently found a happy medium where I don't do much of these 'jing exercises' and I ejaculate about once a week with my partner. I mostly do other meditations and Qi Gong and purposely avoid doing any pelvic floor exercises. But I would love to be able to cultivate my Jing as much as I want and not have a strong urge to ejaculate. So my question would be is there any other way to ground this energy when I feel this way? I literally start to get negative symptoms if I don't ejaculate in these scenarios, but would much preferably find a different way and save my energies. I also think I may have been overdoing it for my level of cultivation. I would sometimes keep my pelvic floor engaged for several hours.(I wonder if the goal to always have the pelvic floor engaged and be constantly sending up energy?) Doing it this much was be very interesting because when I would do it this much I would sometimes feel like I am on a mushroom trip. Trees starting to look holographic and feel very connected to nature. And what's great is that even when I am not doing the exercises now my visuals are much enhanced. But, asides from the cool visuals, I would start to feel worse and worse the longer I would do this. thanks for any wisdom you throw my way

this is a long story, and im looking for help or anyone that can send me in the right direction. Im going to sum It up as short as I can. When I was younger I abused alcohol and weed, and was always tired. Really draining my Jing at a young age. Later on I went through benzo withdrawal trying to get off pills I really drained the Jing there as well. Where I am now. I had a very very bad head injury that lead me to develop a minor type of epilepsy, then I had to go on more shitty seizure pills that drain yin and Jing. Western medicine wouldn't help me and after a year I did meditation, deep breathing and yoga without knowing what I was doing ( thinking I would heal my body ) My kundalini one day arose and I had a lot of psychic phenonema, dreams of snakes, out of body experience and too much prana or whatever in the body. Once you open this up it won't go away I soon discovered, But the snake only risen half way through my chakras and not piercing the heart. so as long as I did masturbation it would go down and stay away. . Finally the snake went down and all my symptoms went away after about 4 months of grounding. I am now left with a frail damaged body, with no energy,. Low kidney energy and it literally hurts to get an erection in my lower back, all my joints ache and crack. The only way to keep the kundalini away is too masturbate at least once a week and it will stay away, if I dont then ill start to have dreams of snakes and bliss at my spine and it will start to raise again, but if I DO masturbate ONLY once within a week or so then ill get extreme bad pains in why lower back due to low Jing/ kidney energy and I kept doing this because I felt sooo scared and just sick of living life and not wanting to go through a kundalini awakening while being so ill. I kept doing this for 2 years after it awakened but basically laid in bed. Eventually because of all the emotional stress, my yin Jing or yin went too low and my back pains were so bad it damaged all my nerves permanently. I now have constant, numbness tingling, burning in all my limbs. In Chinese medicine its called bi or Wei syndrome and it permanent and for life and its getting worse starting to make my muscles weak. SO my situation now is this, very low Jing and kidney yin, damaged kidney essence and damaged meridians, it is constant and stuck in bed and the neuropathy is growing and now affecting my limbs as well and my eyesight. Also if I dont masturbate at all my kundalini tries to raise again and I dont want to go through it. IM NOT abusing my sexual energy, its just my kidney energy is so low that I cant even do it once in a couple weeks. Im so screwed because I cant dig my way out of this. I worked SO hard to try and be healthy and heal and balance my body, but now that this Wei syndrome or bi syndrome has started because of all the meridians being damaged and damaging my nerves I dont have It in my to move forward. I consulted with some Chinese medicine people and they say that I can't reverse the nerve problem. So whats the point in even going through with the awakening if im going to be like this forever. I avoided the awakening because before it happened I had suffered for 7 years and just wanted freedom. Being slapped with an awakening and to go through more hell I would have rather died, but now my situation is even way worse. I feel helpless and my body is degernating with nothing I can do about it. I try to be positive and work towards fixing it but whats the point if its degenerating faster then I can fix

after seeing this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKiYOHjli80 is the goal to get yuan shen or yuan jing or yuan qi ? or all of them (make are qi,jing,shen become their respectable yuan versions) ?

So... what is Jing really? Some say it can be increased by doing certain things like horse stance. Some people seem to think it's the same as hormones like testosterone. Other seem to think it's the potential of cells or something like stem cells if it had a homologous physical attribute. Others say it is more related to letting go of habits and becoming deeply still. Would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks!

Hi i read for some days about microcosmic orbit, jing, qi, sexual transmutation etc and im still very confused especially cause i read different stuff - would like to ask : * mainly what are the names of the "stuff" we convert when we do sexual transmutation ...... specifically what is the first thing we convert (what its name - is it pre heaven jing/ post heaven jing or something else ) ... and to what we convert it too is it to qi ? post heaven qi ? Zheng Qi ? ..... and what is the final goal of it after we converted it to the second thing (to bring it back to lower dantian from head ? to make it into void jing>qi>shen>void ? ... by the way the format of X>Z>Y>G>R is a real simple way that can make it very clear ) so would like to know what is the exact name of the "stuff" we are converting - meaning if its post heaven jing than write post heaven jing and not just jing , or if its yin qi or yang qi than write that and not just qi... and what is the exact stuff that it needs to be converted to through its stages including what is the final final stage it goes by ** I would love long replies that explain in detail it all (including the whole microcosmic orbit etc) .... but before that part i would love a section before that explains just the names of the stuff we convert - cause i mainly ask this question cause in different places they say different names (even by Taoists not other traditions even) and its confusing its not the same thing *** i would love as much different people here to reply to me with their view

What is the difference between jing and qi ? im asking cause im confused a bit about it - i used to hear that jing is something you have from birth and you should try to preserve it and when you get old you are slowly loosing jing yet recently i asked here how to not get wet dreams (if i dont want to have sex or masturbate) and got an advice to turn jing to qi (if someone wants to add an explanation how i do that - can be nice) .... so by what i heared in the past it seems like a bad idea to turn jing into qi ... and if anything it should be the other way around ... would love to hear whatever info people can add on the subject of jing vs qi

Here is a diagram from page 30 of the Zhonghe ji (中和集). http://repository.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/en/item/cuhk-44970#page/31/mode/2up (I couldn't get the image jpeg to load, it is a jpeg on the page but TDB's loader doesn't like the URL). The diagram has two parts, the right hand part is called, "verbal formula" (口訣) the left hand part is called "metaphor" (譬喻). On the right are three steps, at the bottom is the trigram kan (坎). On either side, it says, "When the body doesn't move, the jing coalesces/strengthens." (身不動，精自固). Then at the top, is the trigram li (離). On either side, it says "When the heart/mind doesn't move, the qi coalesces/strengthens." (心不動，氣自固). There are 2 lines coming from the center lines on each trigram to right under the other, the one going from kan to li has a wu (戊) the 5th tiangan (celestial stem), the one going from li to kan has a si (巳) the 6th dizhi (earthly branch). On either side of the center it says daogui (刀圭) which means a tiny pinch (of medicine). Then the central trigram is qian (乾). On either side, it says "When the intent doesn't move, the shen spiritifies." (意不動，神自靈) or maybe, in keeping with leaving Daoist concepts transliterated, "the shen ling-ifies". On the left (metaphor) side, there are three corresponding circular diagrams representing the same thing: At top a white circle with black center (li), in the center a white circle (qian), and at the bottom a black circle with white center (kan). On the kan circle, above it, it says, "refine jing transmutes to qi" (錬精化氣) and on either side it says, "Inside the body is jing, inside yin is yang." On the li circle, above it, it says, "refine qi transmutes to shen" (錬氣化神) and on either side it says, "Inside the heart/mind is qi, inside the yang is yin." The center circle says "yuan shen" (元神). Above and below, it says, "refine shen returns to emptiness" (錬神還虛). Each thing that must be refined and transmuted is done so by keeping the thing that holds it still. To transmute jing, this is the transmutation of kan, yang within yin, which is the jing within the body, it changes when the body is kept still. To transmute the qi, this is the transmutation of li, yin within yang, which is qi within the heart/mind, it changes when the heart/mind is kept still. To transmute shen, this is the transmutation of qian, the yuan qi, it returns to emptiness (shen becomes ling) when the intent is kept still. I have two questions: 1) 神自靈. Ling is used as a verb, I think here it means that the spirit of the corporeal person becomes the ethereal spirit (returns to emptiness)? 2) Is it refining (bodily/after heaven) jing becomes original qi refining original qi becomes original shen (original being 元)? Or is it refining bodily jing becomes original qi, refining bodily qi becomes original shen, refining shen becomes ling and returns to emptiness? This is one of my favorite diagrams, I like the holding things still makes them change thing.

Three years ago, I experimented with Mantak Chia's Scrotal Compression (compressing air into testicles) and Microcosmic Orbit exercises to increase my energy. However, since then, energy has been leaking out of my kidneys and Ming Men in the form of heat. I've gotten treated by many healers since then, but the energy continues to leak. What solutions do you think would be the best fit for me?

Namaste friends, I have had this site bookmarked for a couple years and come here sometimes to read, tho recently had the urge to be more involved, so I made my account and am making this post now in the Newcomer section. What got me into Taoism was my instructor for Yellow Dragon Kung fu, he recommended some books on Taoist philosophy, and from there I had read more books and resonated with their content. Some of the books I like are the following: The Chronicles of Tao 365 Tao Fourth Uncle in the Mountain Bones of the Master Enter Mo Pai etc. Some of these books may not fall into the strict genre of Taoism (tho technically we can say everything falls into Taoism...) I got similar stories and vibes from all of these books, however. I look forward to discussing these subjects with all of you! Eternal Love & Light, Arya

I am a newbie here at Daobums. I found you guys as I was searching for ways to restore jing. I am 42 year old male and I have been suffering with Liver Yang Rising with Wind for the past 3.5 years as well as shortness of breath and sexual impotence. I've tried all sorts of TCM therapy. I have a new TCM practitioner now and she says I am kidney jing/yin deficient, liver yin deficient and there is a communication problem with Heart/Kidney (i.e. triple burner). So right now she is focusing on fixing the kidney/heart communication with mild liver yang sedatives. She said I am not ready for kidney jing restoration as my spleen qi is weak due to liver yang attacking the spleen. I am also getting Heilkunst Homeopathy treatment (sequential therapy). My adult life has been one trauma after another and due to the frustration I resorted to sexual excess although I've been engaging in sexual excess behavior since I was a young teenager. I was ignorant of the consequences and now I am facing them. I was wondering if anyone here knows how kidney jing can be restored with homeopathy or whether that is even possible? I was practicing qiqong but having trouble breathing right now so making it very difficult. It would be nice if I can stablize myself and then go nuts practicing qigong and daoist yoga. Would be grateful for your help.

Hi all I am very happy to be here but I am full of questions and doubts. I was hoping someone can help me on this journey. 1) Where should I start? 2) How do I cultivate Jing, chi and shen? 3) Do I have to be celibate? 4) If I am sexually active, can I still conserve my Jing? How? 5) Where do I find a Master to learn from? Does it has to be in person or can it be online? 6) I live in New Zealand, anyone here as well? As you can see I am very lost, any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you

Hello The Dao Bums Feels like home here already. Almost like there's no use for words. I've had many great teachers, one of whom was a priest of the Quanzhen lineage. who have given me insight into the mysteries. Not the most strictly disciplined here myself, but have a lot of knowledge. Mystical experiences lead me to the Dao De Jing, and I am able to feel qi as magnetism between my palms. Went to Naropa University in boulder, co where I got a degree in Traditional Eastern Arts, Concentration Tai Chi Chuan. That is also where I met the priest. Im a quarter Chinese, my grandfather's jing. The Yellow Emperor's Y chromosome. Excited to talk and meet people here.

Hello all forum members I am male 29 years old. I am here to learn and explore more about energies. I am interested in jing energy cultivation and sexual energy transmutation into achieving goals like building a business and finishing school. My goal is to be my best possible version. All the best

Perhaps some of you might recognize these concepts and point me towards sources and the chinese characters and pronunciation for them. Three currents of will: Yi (Discipline) 意 Wu (Theurgic Will) 無 Jing (Sexual Will). 精

What is Jing (essence) from a Taijiquan perspective? If Chi (energy) is "internal movement", then what is Jing (essence)? How can Jing (essence) be cultivated from a Taijiquan perspective and by using the Taijiquan principles? This thread is about Jing (essence), not about Jin (power).

In this thread I'd like to discuss and hear opinions concerning the signs and effects of successful jing ("pre-heaven energy", "essence", "ming") replenishment through high-level taoist practice ("taoist alchemy" etc.). What in your opinion are the effects and signs of successful jing replenishment through taoist practice? Do you know quotes in classic taoist texts which describe the signs and effects of successful jing replenishment?