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Xing & Ming in the Daoist Tradition The first paragraph of a recent article I and another member of the American Dragon Lineage recently wrote. In the Daoist worldview, the end goal of attaining the Source or Origins is by cultivating our ultimate nature (xing), and our life-destiny (ming). These concepts are two of the many complex concepts informing Daoist cultivation. In the early phases of the Daoist tradition, these concepts were thought of as a single unity. As the Daoist view evolved, innate nature and life-destiny became differentiated into two distinct entities. Innate nature became recognized as our original and inherent nature which is connected to the Dao (The Way). Innate nature is also perceived as our heart-mind (xin) with which we were born, thus innate nature is associated with the heart and spirit (shen). Life-destiny became known as our fate as decreed from the intelligence of Heaven. Life-destiny is associated with the kidneys and vital essence (jing-one of the three treasures). Both states are cultivated through stillness practices and movement practices like qigong, daoyin, and other yangsheng methods. In the process, we undertake these states as a dual cultivation of innate nature and life-destiny, which culminates in an ultimate state of Stillness, the same as the ultimate reality, the Dao. The rest of this article is available for members of the American Dragon Gate Lineage. A new membership level was recently created. Contact shifu Michael for details: qigongdragon.com