Internal Alchemy and Non-doing

[konchog uma]

I wanted to say that I have been practicing cultivating spirit, or "transmuting chi into spirit", and in a post some time back, withheld the technique at the middle dantian. Well I wanted to post again regarding that because 1. my teacher said its not a super special or very dangerous technique and if i wanted to i could talk about it, but more importantly 2. it has given way to non-technique, which i wanted to talk about.

 

Firstly, the technique is very simple, just to use counter-rotation. He said it can be done in multiple ways, if i am just working with spherical field, just visualize them going both directions at once, like chakras. Or if i am using the imagery of a cauldron, stirring it both ways at once til the qi arises as shen. I will repeat his caution here that the MDT doesnt like too much energy at once (or rather that the physical heart doesn't) so just put a little bit in at a time, and wait for it to transmute, which should feel like a nice refreshing feeling like a cool spring or a glittery mist which should be spread out in all directions from the MDT. He also said don't try to do it if the heart isn't quiet, the heart must be quiet and calm like still water in order for it to work.

 

After a while, the technique got in the way, and when i told him this, he said "AHA thats the true technique, the first part is just something to latch on to that beginners need".. In the same vein, I just came upon this passage from Wu Shouyang from Recorded Sayings on the Common Origin of the Immortals and Buddhas: 'Simply repair by yourself this essence with your essence and this qi with your qi. You do not need to perform any odd practice, self cultivation is easy." I think that the context of it is that the mind is quiet and the heart is still and the essence is conserved, but some of the alchemical instruction i have been reading implies or states that the work happens spontaneously when the energy is conserved and stillness is practiced. Zhang Boduan in The Secret Text of Green Fluorescence said "What is called 'coagulation of the spirit' essentially consists of ceasing thoughts and returning the spirit to the heart."

 

My teacher said that the lower dantian turns forward, the middle dantian turns both ways, and the upper dantian turns in all directions without turning at all (to transmute the spirit to emptiness) but that these were just tricks to kickstart the natural progression of the alchemy, which actually happens spontaneously in stillness when thoughts are stopped and the heart quiets down. So in my experience, visualizing cauldrons or spinning fields, or maybe anything at all actually disturbs the process.

 

I feel like i can say this much about it without mentioning my own personal experiences, and i hope it helps those who also study and practice neidan. I think the concept of going beyond technique is a key to cultivating spirit and manifesting the medicine. As someone said, (and i paraphrase) "the medicine is not separate from essence or energy or spirit, it is the same". Blessings to all!

[Harmonious Emptiness]

I'm glad you made this topic, and that I'm not alone here on this. There is so much about pills and elixers, seeds, and metals, but when I read the writings of early masters they seem to say these are just metaphors for the clear heart and still mind upon which alchemical processes sprout. Like you must plant the seed (attain stillness, freedom from desire) and then just wait for the rain to fall so to speak (though not a perfect metaphor as daily work, psychology, diet, abstinence (of differing degrees), and other things play integral roles).

 

For example, Duanyan wrote: "The secret workings of the subtle mysteries can be summed up by this statement: In absolute stillness and in the absence of desire you will see the subtleties. This absolute stillness is necessary for stabilizing original nature. When it is time for movement to occur, the one primordial vapor of the origin will emerge from the void and the One cavity will materialize. Original nature and primordial vapour both originate from the taiji. In nothingness, we see the subtleties of original nature and attain the One Mystery..."

- Discussion on the Cavity of Tao, ch. 15, in Eva Wong's "Holding Yin, Embracing Yang"

 

People may say the philosophy is all talk and no action, but most modern alchemical instruction seems rather all action no talk and this ends up misleading people imo. I personally think the Taoist methods are much more simple, but they are infused with East Indian techniques which have become of greater interest and focus as they are more tangible and thus more accessible to the yang predominance of modern society. They work for some people's life and goals, so they have value, but I think they generally try to put the cart before the horse for a Taoist path.

 

I'm not saying there isn't more to Taoist alchemical practices than emptiness meditation, but it seems to be lacking which is like expecting a tree to grow without planting a bulb in the ground first..

Edited January 16, 2012 by Harmonious Emptiness

[Jetsun]

I wanted to say that I have been practicing cultivating spirit, or "transmuting chi into spirit", and in a post some time back, withheld the technique at the middle dantian. Well I wanted to post again regarding that because 1. my teacher said its not a super special or very dangerous technique and if i wanted to i could talk about it, but more importantly 2. it has given way to non-technique, which i wanted to talk about.

 

Firstly, the technique is very simple, just to use counter-rotation. He said it can be done in multiple ways, if i am just working with spherical field, just visualize them going both directions at once, like chakras. Or if i am using the imagery of a cauldron, stirring it both ways at once til the qi arises as shen. I will repeat his caution here that the MDT doesnt like too much energy at once (or rather that the physical heart doesn't) so just put a little bit in at a time, and wait for it to transmute, which should feel like a nice refreshing feeling like a cool spring or a glittery mist which should be spread out in all directions from the MDT. He also said don't try to do it if the heart isn't quiet, the heart must be quiet and calm like still water in order for it to work.

 

After a while, the technique got in the way, and when i told him this, he said "AHA thats the true technique, the first part is just something to latch on to that beginners need".. In the same vein, I just came upon this passage from Wu Shouyang from Recorded Sayings on the Common Origin of the Immortals and Buddhas: 'Simply repair by yourself this essence with your essence and this qi with your qi. You do not need to perform any odd practice, self cultivation is easy." I think that the context of it is that the mind is quiet and the heart is still and the essence is conserved, but some of the alchemical instruction i have been reading implies or states that the work happens spontaneously when the energy is conserved and stillness is practiced. Zhang Boduan in The Secret Text of Green Fluorescence said "What is called 'coagulation of the spirit' essentially consists of ceasing thoughts and returning the spirit to the heart."

 

My teacher said that the lower dantian turns forward, the middle dantian turns both ways, and the upper dantian turns in all directions without turning at all (to transmute the spirit to emptiness) but that these were just tricks to kickstart the natural progression of the alchemy, which actually happens spontaneously in stillness when thoughts are stopped and the heart quiets down. So in my experience, visualizing cauldrons or spinning fields, or maybe anything at all actually disturbs the process.

 

I feel like i can say this much about it without mentioning my own personal experiences, and i hope it helps those who also study and practice neidan. I think the concept of going beyond technique is a key to cultivating spirit and manifesting the medicine. As someone said, (and i paraphrase) "the medicine is not separate from essence or energy or spirit, it is the same". Blessings to all!

 

What you say here makes sense with my own thinking and with masters like Liu-I Ming who says that only natural methods will bring you to the Tao, but forced or un-natural methods can bring you to a natural practice, then you can then let them go. Also Lao Tzu stresses over and over the importance of being un-contrived and it seems to me all that forced breathing and manipulation of Qi and visualisation stuff, mantra etc is very contrived so on their own they will not get you there. But it sounds like you are making really good progress, congrats!

[konchog uma]

I'm glad you made this topic, and that I'm not alone here on this. There is so much about pills and elixers, seeds, and metals, but when I read the writings of early masters they seem to say these are just metaphors for the clear heart and still mind upon which alchemical processes sprout. Like you must plant the seed (attain stillness, freedom from desire) and then just wait for the rain to fall so to speak (though not a perfect metaphor as daily work, psychology, diet, abstinence (of differing degrees), and other things play integral roles).

 

For example, Duanyan wrote: "The secret workings of the subtle mysteries can be summed up by this statement: In absolute stillness and in the absence of desire you will see the subtleties. This absolute stillness is necessary for stabilizing original nature. When it is time for movement to occur, the one primordial vapor of the origin will emerge from the void and the One cavity will materialize. Original nature and primordial vapour both originate from the taiji. In nothingness, we see the subtleties of original nature and attain the One Mystery..."

- Discussion on the Cavity of Tao, ch. 15, in Eva Wong's "Holding Yin, Embracing Yang"

 

People may say the philosophy is all talk and no action, but most modern alchemical instruction seems rather all action no talk and this ends up misleading people imo. I personally think the Taoist methods are much more simple, but they are infused with East Indian techniques which have become of greater interest and focus as they are more tangible and thus more accessible to the yang predominance of modern society. They work for some people's life and goals, so they have value, but I think they generally try to put the cart before the horse for a Taoist path.

 

I'm not saying there isn't more to Taoist alchemical practices than emptiness meditation, but it seems to be lacking which is like expecting a tree to grow without planting a bulb in the ground first..

 

Right! My sentiments exactly. It seems that there are ideas (cinnabar fields and dragaons and tigers etc) that help the process along in the right direction, but what i am realizing very recently that i had never gleaned from the texts before is that stillness is the main practice, and without it, all the forcing of lead and mercury up and down ones channels into and out of crucibles etc hahaha will not do anything. But if one has true stillness, actual quietude of mind and calm of heart and lets the body stabilize in stillness, then the energies will transmute and refine almost automatically.

 

So learning to be still is planting the bulb, and staying still is watering the bulb, and sunlight, and you can sing special songs to the bulb, and it will respond, but without the planting, the water, and the sunlight, there is no hope of growing a tree.

 

I feel like i kind of had this AHA moment of realizing what is meant by the adage which is generally phrased "as one grows in ones practices they become more and more simplified". It totally makes me excited that all that stillness meditation was worth a lot, when i was constantly thinking "uh can i get to the cinnabar and the lead and the mercury yet?" hahahahah youth!

[konchog uma]

What you say here makes sense with my own thinking and with masters like Liu-I Ming who says that only natural methods will bring you to the Tao, but forced or un-natural methods can bring you to a natural practice, then you can then let them go. Also Lao Tzu stresses over and over the importance of being un-contrived and it seems to me all that forced breathing and manipulation of Qi and visualisation stuff, mantra etc is very contrived so on their own they will not get you there. But it sounds like you are making really good progress, congrats!

 

thanks! I almost didn't post that for fear of "cracking the alchemical crucible" but my meditations went really good this morning! I can't be sure but i think they went a little bit better.

 

It almost seems that just knowing about the alchemy is the catalyst for it to happen in the stillness of sitting. Or, if intent need be applied, it seems that a gentle nudge goes further than a wild push or some overwrought attempt to manipulate energies.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

 

It almost seems that just knowing about the alchemy is the catalyst for it to happen in the stillness of sitting. Or, if intent need be applied, it seems that a gentle nudge goes further than a wild push or some overwrought attempt to manipulate energies.

 

yeah, I think, going with the tree planting metaphor, that knowing about the alchemy is like planting the tree in the sun so it will turn its leaves when it feels the sun rising...

 

edit: but of course, forget this too

Edited January 16, 2012 by Harmonious Emptiness

[Birch]

---opinion alert---

 

I'm thinking that the act of alchemy 'forces' one to pay attention to one's current alchemical state. Forgetting no aspect of oneself, one allows the spaces to once again be filled with clear consciousness, letting that which one had stored away free itself to fuel development (some energy comes from transmuting the 'stuck' stuff that is held to be 'negative' through the act of conscious awareness applied). As practice deepens, one links up naturally with the rest of the felt universe.

 

Right now I'm stuck with emptiness meditation. I suspect I'm both on to something and missing a lot.

 

----opinion alert---

[dwai]

I wanted to say that I have been practicing cultivating spirit, or "transmuting chi into spirit", and in a post some time back, withheld the technique at the middle dantian. Well I wanted to post again regarding that because 1. my teacher said its not a super special or very dangerous technique and if i wanted to i could talk about it, but more importantly 2. it has given way to non-technique, which i wanted to talk about.

 

Firstly, the technique is very simple, just to use counter-rotation. He said it can be done in multiple ways, if i am just working with spherical field, just visualize them going both directions at once, like chakras. Or if i am using the imagery of a cauldron, stirring it both ways at once til the qi arises as shen. I will repeat his caution here that the MDT doesnt like too much energy at once (or rather that the physical heart doesn't) so just put a little bit in at a time, and wait for it to transmute, which should feel like a nice refreshing feeling like a cool spring or a glittery mist which should be spread out in all directions from the MDT. He also said don't try to do it if the heart isn't quiet, the heart must be quiet and calm like still water in order for it to work.

 

After a while, the technique got in the way, and when i told him this, he said "AHA thats the true technique, the first part is just something to latch on to that beginners need".. In the same vein, I just came upon this passage from Wu Shouyang from Recorded Sayings on the Common Origin of the Immortals and Buddhas: 'Simply repair by yourself this essence with your essence and this qi with your qi. You do not need to perform any odd practice, self cultivation is easy." I think that the context of it is that the mind is quiet and the heart is still and the essence is conserved, but some of the alchemical instruction i have been reading implies or states that the work happens spontaneously when the energy is conserved and stillness is practiced. Zhang Boduan in The Secret Text of Green Fluorescence said "What is called 'coagulation of the spirit' essentially consists of ceasing thoughts and returning the spirit to the heart."

 

My teacher said that the lower dantian turns forward, the middle dantian turns both ways, and the upper dantian turns in all directions without turning at all (to transmute the spirit to emptiness) but that these were just tricks to kickstart the natural progression of the alchemy, which actually happens spontaneously in stillness when thoughts are stopped and the heart quiets down. So in my experience, visualizing cauldrons or spinning fields, or maybe anything at all actually disturbs the process.

 

I feel like i can say this much about it without mentioning my own personal experiences, and i hope it helps those who also study and practice neidan. I think the concept of going beyond technique is a key to cultivating spirit and manifesting the medicine. As someone said, (and i paraphrase) "the medicine is not separate from essence or energy or spirit, it is the same". Blessings to all!

 

I am nt that well versed with the taxonomy of internal alchemy but my experience tells me this arises (or descends) naturally, once we stop trying to do this. I think there in lies the crux of non-action. I think i encounter it each time i practice since the past month or so. Specifically when "tried" to move the various dan tians all i got is frustration. Now when i focus instead on a point (say crown point) something seems to descend on its own and fill the dts.

[konchog uma]

Right now I'm stuck with emptiness meditation. I suspect I'm both on to something and missing a lot.

 

Its impossible to do everything at once, so I always feel like I should just do what I am drawn to do naturally. When you say "stuck with" do you mean that you are without other forms of meditation? If so maybe you could do a 30 day mentorship and learn some new meditations. Or read a book

 

I love emptiness meditation but i wouldn't want it to be my only meditation...

[konchog uma]

Now when i focus instead on a point (say crown point) something seems to descend on its own and fill the dts.

 

I imagine that its slightly different for everyone, and that we each have the blessing and burden of figuring out how our energies "work" and what they need in order to progress.

 

In qigong, the crown point is where heavenly qi naturally enters the body, which is yang and subtle like spirit (shen). As opposed to earth qi which is a little denser and yin, and associated more with essence (jing). Not to patronize, just trying offer something helpful . What you describe makes perfect sense according to qigong theory, if that matters

[Birch]

Its impossible to do everything at once, so I always feel like I should just do what I am drawn to do naturally. When you say "stuck with" do you mean that you are without other forms of meditation? If so maybe you could do a 30 day mentorship and learn some new meditations. Or read a book

 

I love emptiness meditation but i wouldn't want it to be my only meditation...

 

Yeah, I dunno. It's just easier to slip off into emptiness than do any real introspection at the moment. I also wonder what it's doing to my neural connections.

I practice moment-to-moment mindfulness throughout the day. Nothing very exhalted or ecstatic or blissful or anything much. Oh yeah, then the orbits. I've been running whatever comes up, not sure if that's a good idea either. I really don't want to get into a teacher/student thing, although I love learning from the TTB's.

[dwai]

I imagine that its slightly different for everyone, and that we each have the blessing and burden of figuring out how our energies "work" and what they need in order to progress.

 

In qigong, the crown point is where heavenly qi naturally enters the body, which is yang and subtle like spirit (shen). As opposed to earth qi which is a little denser and yin, and associated more with essence (jing). Not to patronize, just trying offer something helpful . What you describe makes perfect sense according to qigong theory, if that matters

Thanks

Indeed the earth connection is dense and heavy...sky connection is light and fast. The system i practice suggests that we focus on crown point and earth connection (root) will automatically happen. Sofar it has been very accurate. The point i was trying to make is that by not fixating on a goal, the goal seems to appear by itself. Like effortless effort...if that means something...

[konchog uma]

Yeah, I dunno. It's just easier to slip off into emptiness than do any real introspection at the moment. I also wonder what it's doing to my neural connections.

I practice moment-to-moment mindfulness throughout the day. Nothing very exhalted or ecstatic or blissful or anything much. Oh yeah, then the orbits. I've been running whatever comes up, not sure if that's a good idea either. I really don't want to get into a teacher/student thing, although I love learning from the TTB's.

 

I thought that Daoist Yoga for Women book looked pretty good, but i didn't actually read it, just kinda skimmed small parts.

 

I'm not actually trying to solve your problem tho, if you even have one. Emptiness does lend itself to the slipping off though.. Nothing really wrong with that if you ask me. I figure do whatever feels right at the moment is a pretty good way to go about it.

[konchog uma]

Thanks

Indeed the earth connection is dense and heavy...sky connection is light and fast. The system i practice suggests that we focus on crown point and earth connection (root) will automatically happen. Sofar it has been very accurate. The point i was trying to make is that by not fixating on a goal, the goal seems to appear by itself. Like effortless effort...if that means something...

 

Oh it means the same thing I was really excited about and posted the OP about... effortless effort for sure!

 

Thats neat about the crown point being the key to automatic happenings.. I really like that idea. I use the root chakra the same way, to breathe up from the earth and down from heaven. I should say i use the perineum, or the huiyin point as a focus for breath when doing qigong, and rest my awareness there. It opens up the bubbling wells to the earth and draws heavenly energy from all around for me. Its not so much a chakra thing as a matter of channels and vessels like the thrusting vessel and all the leg channels. Its not even that, its just how energy moves, I just put it in terms of channels and vessels but heavenly energy just goes wherever it wants, I don't think it needs channels. Anyway, I like the idea of refining a work down to one or two points or processes that one can focus on in order to jumpstart the whole thing.

[Birch]

I thought that Daoist Yoga for Women book looked pretty good, but i didn't actually read it, just kinda skimmed small parts.

 

I'm not actually trying to solve your problem tho, if you even have one. Emptiness does lend itself to the slipping off though.. Nothing really wrong with that if you ask me. I figure do whatever feels right at the moment is a pretty good way to go about it.

Yeah, thanks! I'll check out that book. I don't think I have a "problem". It's more like apathy. Perhaps a minor "dark lunchtime". Working on some "stuff" here and there but even that, I don't really care about it. You'd think this would make me happy...hum.

Maybe it's the weather?

[konchog uma]

Yeah, thanks! I'll check out that book. I don't think I have a "problem". It's more like apathy. Perhaps a minor "dark lunchtime". Working on some "stuff" here and there but even that, I don't really care about it. You'd think this would make me happy...hum.

Maybe it's the weather?

 

Yeah winter can do that. hahah dark lunchtime.. like a dark night but with sandwiches!

 

vitamin D helps me in the winter, which one can get from pills, or also from chlorella or spirulina or superfoods in general. Its the hormone that the body creates when the skin is exposed to sunlight, and it helps with happiness.

 

just a thought

[Birch]

By Jove I think you've nailed it!

 

Would also explain why all these people around me keep harping on about it and I keep opening books at certain pages. I keep forgetting to look outside for answers to the inside (nothing weird, just a special function of attention:-)) I mean, if synchronicity is useful at all, it ought to be so all the time.

 

Yes there are sandwiches :-)

 

Thanks to you!