What is Shen-Spirit?

[Ya Mu]

In my stillness-movement practice, the "cultivate/regulate/harmonize" is automatic. Trusting the spirit, the shen, to do its own work, without allowing the mind to slow down, or muddle, the process, is essential.

 

YJM's Embryonic Breathing book is a good resource and an enjoyable read. However, once the embryonic (and at times reverse breathing) spontaneously arised, and grew beyond measure, in my s-m sessions (and walking life), well... I didn't need a book to guide me.

 

Oh, and I don't recall how this cultivation technique came about (again, maybe it is part of the s-m lineage): An ability to instantaneously access a supreme level of calm. Truly beneficial to a deep and abiding peaceful spirit.

Yes, the calmness is an aspect of the lineage. We also utilize this in our medical qigong; this is where our "valium treatment" that works so well comes from. We also gain ability to walk into a room full of non-calmness and transmute this to calmness (as in the example I have given of walking in on someone about to shoot someone else) This is an absolute reflection of Shen.

 

Shen is a concept generally defined as spirit.

If you look at the 3 qualities of energy described by the Chinese.

Jing corresponds to essence or sexual/ emotional energy. These energies are very heavy and physical.

As attention is applied to the essence it begins to become rarefied and chi develops.

Chi corresponds to breath or air. This is a more clarified form of energy. It is much lighter and subtler than rough essence. To convert essence into chi we must purify our lower and more basic emotions through a means of alchemy.

As the chi is worked with it begins to rise and cool off substantially. Your life becomes more free-flowing and playful as you develop your heart.

When you seek an even further degree of clarity you move into the realm of shen. As chi reaches its highest point it guides the mind into the spirit world. This energy takes on the vastness of space. There are a great deal of new possibilities to explore and objectivity is gained through exploring beyond the individual circumstances.

As the learned personality is sublimated into a perspective of pure clarity and balance then shen is cultivated sufficiently to begin the higher stages of alchemy.

 

You could say that we begin the journey tied into our lower emotions. As we develop heart and love we begin to transcend these emotions. As love develops we begin to transcend our individual (egotistical/ selfish) perspectives. When we attain an objective and natural perspective we can begin living through our spiritual consciousness.

 

The shen or spirit is an energy that is shared with the entire universe. An individual may cultivate an awareness of this energy by rising above the limited circumstances of the individual and becoming aware of the unlimited potential of expression inherent in existence. As spiritual consciousness is developed we begin a spiritual journey.

Remember qigong was originally developed as a path to enlightenment. It is not a shortcut lacking in spirituality. Spiritual Qigong is a very systematic approach to life that allows a person to become more spiritually aware through the medium of space-time (life) in stages. The ancient sages graphed the stages of the journey they observed and created systems to help guide humans along their chosen paths.

 

Once we have developed enough spiritual awareness we gain access to our divine intelligence. We are no longer limited to exploring the universe through the limited awareness of the monkey-mind. Through spiritual awareness we can uplift the human consciousness. Even in the darkest times by listening to our divine intelligence we can access our spiritual ecstacy. Through this deep inner strength we can hold fast to our benevolent principles. When you have developed shen your life journey becomes a very inspiring affair. Your consciousness becomes aware of universal balance and harmony. We come to a realization that we live in a world of light illuminating universal love. And a world of love illuminated by the light of consciousness.

 

In the higher stages of alchemy the spiritual light begins to illuminate the holographic unlimited nature of non-being and gives rise to virtue.

 

Qigong is a medium that works through time to transcend time.

Mushin is a state of freedom from the monkey-mind. Mushin gives rise to our inherent divine intelligence that animates us and witnesses our journeys. When the monkey mind is still the guidance arising from the spiritual energy can be heard.

This guidance encourages to transcend our self-centered perceptions and act in alignment with universal harmony and balance. It is a message of the triumph of divine light and unconditional love.

Shen is what you have when you let go of attachments to heavier things. It is always with you but our monkey-minds tend to draw our awareness away from it.

A couple of things that I don't agree with but I have to say this is one fine post. Thank you for putting this perspective here.

 

One of those things is:

...

Qi goes beyond breath and air.

Ancient Daoists used separate characters.

Air/Breath or Qi 氣 contains "internal energy" Qi 炁 but also lots of other stuff - mostly unwanted (according to my teacher)

Breathing is also a process that allows us to extract Qi 炁 from Qi 氣

We also get Qi from other sources (prenatal, food, universal, etc...)

The Qi itself, however, is a more subtle "energy/awareness/connection" that is beyond air or breath.

Guiding the Qi through the bone marrow is not guiding air or breath through the marrow, for example.

...

Yes, I never have understood people saying "Now breathe in the qi or breathe it into the ___ part of the body." We can pull qi into any part of the body and it is a totally independent process from breath, although yes, air contains a small amount of qi. We get that from natural breathing. The confusion from how it used to be written (vapor rising from boiling caldron) to the way qi is written now (breath) has brought a whole slew of practices about that are at the very least oh-so-limiting and inefficient.

 

Yes, in qigong the breath extends beyond the lungs and air.

 

If people knew something about physiology, perhaps they would have known that "the breath extends beyond the lungs and air" is the ATP. Most Chi Kung practitioner have no knowledge about the ATP, they can only give a vague answer about Chi by calling it some sort of universal energy or cosmic energy.

When people really study both neigong and physiology, they certainly see the connection with ATP; thanks for pointing that out. But Qi is far beyond human body limitations.

 

edit: to correct bold on comment

Edited July 3, 2011 by Ya Mu

[Friend]

Edited November 16, 2011 by Friend

[doc benway]

 

When people really study both neigong and physiology, they certainly see the connection with ATP; thanks for pointing that out. But Qi is far beyond human body limitations.

 

I would agree with this.

Qi cannot be pinned down to a biomechanical process or substance, IMO.

[Satya Ram]

From my previous post.

1. Shen is something that can be felt or manifested from a state of high jing energy. Another word, without jing, one will look fatigue. Perhaps, the one has no jing may be showing a pale face. If one's face is energetic looking and full of life, that is a sign of a person that is full of Shen. It was because there is good blood circulation in the body of this individual.

 

Do you consider that as a good sign...???

What has good blood circulation to do with Shen? Upon death, blood stops circulating, but Shen, the universal great Vital Force, does not die since it is not some energy like Chi and Jing that can be apprehended and developed. However, its Vital Force can get passed on by those who are great practitioners, or is simply given up by those who have not cultivated to a high level. Unlike bodily essences, Shen is impersonal, and cannot be 'owned'.

 

When a high cultivator passes away, his or her Shen remains and is available to anyone among his/her circle who are willing to succumb to it - these willing ones are considered the filial 'sons and daughters' of the lineage. They feel the Shen of the master, but those who are not filial will not be able to feel it. An example is the legendary Chen Zhen (fictional character?) succumbing greatly to the Shen of his dead Master, Huo Yuanjia. One does not say Hou Yuanjia left his chi or his jing behind... one says he left behind his Shen.

 

This is why i mentioned that Shen is signless. To think that such a force can be cultivated is a travesty. Just like one cannot cultivate the Sun, but can feel the effects and benefits of the Sun's warmth and light. Is this warmth and light graspable? Everyone benefits the same from the Sun, yet not everyone becomes equally appreciative of it. Most people simply take it for granted... they have not learnt what it means to be filial to the Sun.

Edited July 3, 2011 by Satya Ram

[ChiDragon]

What has good blood circulation to do with Shen? Upon death, blood stops circulating, but Shen, the universal great Vital Force, does not die since it is not some energy like Chi and Jing that can be apprehended and developed. However, its Vital Force can get passed on by those who are great practitioners, or is simply given up by those who have not cultivated to a high level. Unlike bodily essences, Shen is impersonal, and cannot be 'owned'.

 

The point I was trying to make was that if a person has poor blood circulation, he will not have the redness shown on his face as a normal healthy person would have. Otherwise, as I had indicated before, his face will be appeared to be paled and look comatose. This was a sign of a person with a poor health condition. If the jing energy was abundant in the person, then, the redness will appear on his face due to good blood circulation. I am only using common knowledge and common sense for my explanations other than using mythical believes.

[Satya Ram]

The point I was trying to make was that if a person has poor blood circulation, he will not have the redness shown on his face as a normal healthy person would have. Otherwise, as I had indicated before, his face will be appeared to be paled and look comatose. This was a sign of a person with a poor health condition. If the jing energy was abundant in the person, then, the redness will appear on his face due to good blood circulation. I am only using common knowledge and common sense for my explanations other than using mythical believes.

A person showing a red glow on the face is not an indication of good health, nor is it a sign of permanent vitality. There are uncountable Chinese men all over Asia with glowing red faces from consuming Chinese herbal concoctions and drinking snakes' blood and eating turtle soup... they may have replenished their Jing, but what matters is how they then direct this increased Jing. Many men with glowing faces indulge in this sort of nutritious intake simply to ensure their sexual health is kept at a satisfactory level. How this determines Shen is quite doubtful. Surely if a person routinely indulges in sexual activities and then after each robust session gather up herbs and stuff simply to keep up the stamina, or for basic health maintenance, cannot be said to have Shen because it (Shen) is a sacred spirit, right? It requires a life of dedicated virtuous conduct and discipline, and cultivating the proper paths in order to ensure that immortality can be gained in the form of... Shen!

 

Shen is the spirit of a person which lives on - either in his or her children, if he or she has been a good parent, or in the case of great Masters, in their elite students. Ask any Taoist teacher what they feel when they think of a Shifu who has helped groom them to be the kind of teachers they are - they often shed tears with grateful memory, and respond with words of admiration, respect, fondness and inspiration that is remembered with great affection... what is that? That is Shen. Same with children who are filial to their parents -when they pass away, these children visit their parents' graves often, as a mark of devotion and piety. This is the Shen of the parents passed on to the next generation. Yet there are some parents who die and get forgotten - why? Because there is no Shen there. Of course yuen fen plays a part too...

 

You can try to put a finger on Shen, but if you think you can, then you have missed its essence. This is common sense and common knowledge... nothing mythical at all. If you are ethnically Chinese, then you will understand completely what i am saying.

[henro]

I think what some people are calling shen here is the spirit, as satya ram has described. But others, especially when they speak of vitality are talking about the shen stored in the heart as in Chinese medicine.

 

According to Chinese medicine the heart manifests in the face, and that's where the blood circulation comes in as others have mentioned. If someone comes in with pale complexion, and pale lips we might consider Heart Blood Deficiency depending on the other symptoms. Further if they're having palpitations, insomnia, or vivid dreams we would draw the conclusion that the heart blood deficiency is disturbing the shen, and prescribe points and herbs to address this - nourishing the heart blood, and calming the shen.

 

神 shen, 2nd tone, - spirit, can be all five of the zang organs spirit combined - hun in the liver, yi in the spleen, zhi in the kidneys, po in the lungs, and shen in the heart.

Edited July 4, 2011 by robmix

[dawei]

I think what some people are calling shen here is the spirit, as satya ram has described. But others, especially when they speak of vitality are talking about the shen stored in the heart as in Chinese medicine.

 

According to Chinese medicine the heart manifests in the face, and that's where the blood circulation comes in as others have mentioned.

Yes, this is true. But the disease process is not 'physical' alone. One can heal the physical or even the energetic body as they believe very basic chinese medicine, but it may fail to reach the spiritual and divine healing. The point of the thread seems to really be about those higher levels; if someone cannot move beyond the physical level then, well, they are stuck to describe and deal with physical issues.

[henro]

Yes, this is true. But the disease process is not 'physical' alone. One can heal the physical or even the energetic body as they believe very basic chinese medicine, but it may fail to reach the spiritual and divine healing. The point of the thread seems to really be about those higher levels; if someone cannot move beyond the physical level then, well, they are stuck to describe and deal with physical issues.

 

 

Absolutely, I just wanted to clear out what appeared to be a semantic issue. . .

Edited July 4, 2011 by robmix

[Ya Mu]

Yes, this is true. But the disease process is not 'physical' alone. One can heal the physical or even the energetic body as they believe very basic chinese medicine, but it may fail to reach the spiritual and divine healing. The point of the thread seems to really be about those higher levels; if someone cannot move beyond the physical level then, well, they are stuck to describe and deal with physical issues.

Good point!

Unfortunately, it seems most are stuck in the physical and mental. Here's hoping more and more open up to the divine.

[Satya Ram]

Yes, this is true. But the disease process is not 'physical' alone. One can heal the physical or even the energetic body as they believe very basic chinese medicine, but it may fail to reach the spiritual and divine healing. The point of the thread seems to really be about those higher levels; if someone cannot move beyond the physical level then, well, they are stuck to describe and deal with physical issues.

Exactly. Appreciate the expansion above.

 

This thread relates to Shen as spirit, that which can be manifested beyond the limits of the physical being. Hence the reference i made to Shen being impersonal and i also gave one or two examples of how Shen can be passed on. The greater the Shen, the wider its influence, and also, the stronger the passage of potential growth and expansion from one generation to the next. This can be seen clearly among spiritual and martial traditions as well as in family situations.

 

On the individual level, Shen is that which moves one to seek out and develop the best possible level in each phase of one's life so that what can be left behind, although intangible, yet palpably becomes a legacy of worth for the benefit of others.

 

My limits of understanding the spiritual aspects of Shen.

[dawei]

Hence the reference i made to Shen being impersonal and i also gave one or two examples of how Shen can be passed on. The greater the Shen, the wider its influence, and also, the stronger the passage of potential growth and expansion from one generation to the next. This can be seen clearly among spiritual and martial traditions as well as in family situations.

Yes, I thought that was one of the best explanations I have seen. Right after that, I found a picture which seemed to exactly show your point and thought to post it but didn't want to push it any further. Thanks.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Not to confuse concepts, but in this discussion there seems to be a major correlation between shen-spirit and te-virtue. I recall a part in the Leih-Tzu that said the virtue returns to its place of origin after death. It seems like shen and te are both attached in that cultivation of one increases the other inevitably.

[doc benway]

Not to confuse concepts, but in this discussion there seems to be a major correlation between shen-spirit and te-virtue. I recall a part in the Leih-Tzu that said the virtue returns to its place of origin after death. It seems like shen and te are both attached in that cultivation of one increases the other inevitably.

Excellent observation, I think that is accurate

[dawei]

I recall a part in the Leih-Tzu that said the virtue returns to its place of origin after death.

There is another passage that I have always liked:

"Your body does not belong to you; its form was lent to you by heaven and earth. Your life does not belong to you; it came into existence with the interactions of the energies of heaven and earth. Your mind and your spirit are not yours to control; they follow the natural way of heaven and earth"

[Harmonious Emptiness]

There is another passage that I have always liked:

"Your body does not belong to you; its form was lent to you by heaven and earth. Your life does not belong to you; it came into existence with the interactions of the energies of heaven and earth. Your mind and your spirit are not yours to control; they follow the natural way of heaven and earth"

 

Yes, if we can sustain awareness that we are really living "on borrowed time" we'd surely "suffer life in vain" a lot less. The Buddhist swastika symbolizes this to me the most; unfortunately I would cause a lot of negative emotions in other people if I walked around with one.

[ChiDragon]

Anyway, in jing, chi and shen(精氣神), 神(shen) has a complete different meaning than "spirit" here. It was just too confusing to explain it because too many of you already has some ideas about this character. The usage of the character in different field has a different meaning. If one try to mix them together and applied all in one, then we'll never reach the intended meaning.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Anyway, in jing, chi and shen(精氣神), 神(shen) has a complete different meaning than "spirit" here. It was just too confusing to explain it because too many of you already has some ideas about this character. The usage of the character in different field has a different meaning. If one try to mix them together and applied all in one, then we'll never reach the intended meaning.

 

I'm thinking the shen from jing and chi is also part of Te-virtue and that this is how shen is cultivated by some people even without chi cultivation (though jing cultivation may be necessary).

[ChiDragon]

The three treasures of the body are jing, chi and shen(精氣神). These three terms are related to the physical body. Disregard what have you leaned about these characters in the past. Here is the simplest description that I can put it.

 

jing(精) is related to the physical strength of the body.

chi(氣) is related to the physical function of the body.

shen(神) is related to the physical appearance of the body.

 

In preserving one's body for longevity, a body must be in good physical condition, functional and good appearance. These are the technical terms used by the Taoist Chi Kung practitioners for describing the physical condition of the body. These are the combination of the body conditions that muse be maintained, in order, to have a state of homeostasis.

[Golden Path]

So, at this point, what is the "Shen"?

Hi! This is a Yin spirit in the human body-YINSHEN.

 

It comes into the body at birth and leaves the body at death.

 

Understand what Shen possible only if take it out beyond the body .

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Hi! This is a Yin spirit in the human body-YINSHEN.

 

It comes into the body at birth and leaves the body at death.

 

Understand what Shen possible only if take it out beyond the body .

 

So, you mean it comes into the body at birth and leaves at death, but it is capable of wondrous things when you are able to intentionally move with it in and out of the body? This would be the YANGSHEN developed by combining cultivated yang with the yinshen as sort of a propulsive mechanism?

 

This sounds a bit like astral travel, and also how some shamans go into the spirit world to bring someone's spirit back -- two different things maybe? both of which I have no experience of (nor great ambitions to).

[Golden Path]

So, you mean it comes into the body at birth and leaves at death, but it is capable of wondrous things when you are able to intentionally move with it in and out of the body? This would be the YANGSHEN developed by combining cultivated yang with the yinshen as sort of a propulsive mechanism?

Yes ,the Shen of an ordinary human is the YINSHEN. Capable of wondrous things are possible for Yinshen. But we can speak about YANGSHEN only for those who reach earth immortal, because of the cultivating true alchemy methods.

This sounds a bit like astral travel, and also how some shamans go into the spirit world to bring someone's spirit back -- two different things maybe? both of which I have no experience of (nor great ambitions to).

Yes, shamanic practices are actively working with the yinshen.