how to go? where to go? how to begin?

[arinb12]

Hi there,

I have recently begun this journey and i have joined for advice. In london there are not many places i have found to learn. I am interested in the internal cultivation arts. Xoukd anyone tell me where to start? Books etc?

Thanks

[Vitalii]

Hi there,

 

I have recently begun this journey and i have joined for advice. In london there are not many places i have found to learn. I am interested in the internal cultivation arts. Xoukd anyone tell me where to start? Books etc?

 

Thanks

 

Hello arinb12,

 

If you live in London, you are welcome to our lessons in the School Zhen Dao.

The study program includes learning of methods of work with energy (Qigong), corporal practices (Dao Yin, Taiji quan, Xing yi quan), breathing practices (Tuna), and, what is the most important, the core of Daoism Tradition – practices of Inner Alchemy (Neidan).

 

You can find more information on the website http://zhendaopai.com/

Edited September 24, 2013 by Vitalii

[arinb12]

hi, thanks for the webpage!

 

where in london are you based?

 

thanks

[Harmonious Emptiness]

http://www.amazon.ca/Vitality-Energy-Spirit-Taoist-Sourcebook/dp/1590306880

[arinb12]

thanks harmonious.

 

are there any books i can use to begin? perhaps some that will teach me how to start meditation prior to finding a teacher?

 

 

thanks

[Vitalii]

hi, thanks for the webpage!

 

where in london are you based?

 

thanks

 

At the moment our lessons are held in the park in central London. you can find more information here.

If you have any questions about lessons send me a private message.

Let me know when you will come to our lessons. From 2 until 15 October we don't have lessons, because we have a retreat in Nepal.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

thanks harmonious.

 

are there any books i can use to begin? perhaps some that will teach me how to start meditation prior to finding a teacher?

 

 

thanks

 

Well, the first step is quieting the mind. I love my books, for sure, and there are numerous books I could suggest, but all texts I have read by the masters of antiquity have said that quieting the mind is station A, and this is something that requires "time on the mat."

 

I realize you're asking for book advice, not "my" advice, but I would be wasting your precious time by not starting with this.

 

So the first thing you want to do is get comfortable with doing nothing. Just lie down or whatever, with no books, no music, no games, just silence. Feel free to think about whatever you want, but you need to get comfortable with doing nothing. Start with 10 or 15 minutes, add 5 minutes the next time until you can do this for at least half an hour.

 

Once you've got that down nicely, do it with correct posture: cross legged, on the edge of a chair, or standing with knees slightly bent; keep your back straight while also relaxed; shoulders relaxed; ears over shoulders, looking at the floor basically where the angle of your nose is pointing to. This relaxed yet aligned posture allows fluids and nerves to function freely, communicating up your spine to your brain, etc. Yin and Yang/aligned yet relaxed/relaxed yet aware.

 

To quiet the mind, I suggest being aware of what you feel inside your body. This will put the "light of the mind"/awareness in place of the thoughts "thinking" about what's happening inside the body.

 

Thoughts will come.. let them come and let them pass.. sometimes they will help you focus. Figure out what you're figuring out and move on past them.

 

Another "trick" to help quiet the mind is to count breaths, so the only thought is "1" (out, in) "2" (out, in) "3" (out, in), and then start again when thoughts interrupt or you reach "10."

 

If you plan to study with a teacher and what to get a bit of a head-start, this is where to start. This is the means to the ends. As Nan Huai-Chin says "Start with the means, not the ends."

[Thunder_Gooch]

My advice is spend some time figuring out what it is you want from your practice, otherwise you'll just be a spiritual impulse shopper for the rest of your life.


Let me quote you something I think you might like from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?

The Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to

Alice: I don't much care where.

The Cat: Then it doesn't much matter which way you go.

Alice: …so long as I get somewhere.

The Cat: Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.





Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson aka Lewis Carroll

"What are you doing?

Why are you doing it?

Where is this going?

If you know, you’ll succeed.

If you don’t, you won’t.

That’s not just pretty talk, that’s the law."


Jed McKenna - Spiritual Enlightenment The Damnedest Thing

[arinb12]

Thanks everyone!

 

more pie. Essentially my desire is to practice a nei kung/ nei dan art. I want to build and control the inner chi. A goal to free my stresses and learn about my spirit. I have tried for a while to astral project to no avail but that is something I would like to obtain. To be able to move my energy and use it in a healing way both inwardly and outwardly for others.

 

perhaps you could also help me understand this. While it was mo pai interest that brought me here. I am not fanatical about learning that particular style, as I feel they would all benefit me in a similar way.

 

However what I would like to know is whether all neidan (inner alchemy) arts are similar in their structure etc?

I have seen mo pai has many levels. Is this true for other schools? Do they work in the same way of building chi, moulding chi, yin and yang chi, bringing yin and yang together?

Edited September 25, 2013 by arinb12

[Vitalii]

However what I would like to know is whether all neidan (inner alchemy) arts are similar in their structure etc?

 

Each school has its own structure and levels.

 

The system of Zhen Dao is comprised of three big units:

• Art of inner quietness (静坐功) (Art of Immortals – Inner Alchemy);
• Art of external moving (外动功) (Art of external mastership);
• Art of sleeping (睡功) (practice during sleeping).

Among these three units Art of inner quietness is the main one, as it is a basis for studying External mastership and Art of sleeping.

 

Mastership of inner quietness consists from three vehicles:

• Lower (mastership of Human Immortals);
• Middle (mastership of Earth Immortals);
• Greater (mastership of Celestial Immortals).

 

Each of vehicles consists of a certain number of levels and methods. This level-based structure was constructed by the Grandmaster Lu Dongbin around 1000 years ago, and was set out in the treatise “Complete Method of the Spiritual Jewels” (灵宝毕法, or Ling Bao Bi Fa). This text is one of the core texts of the Zhen Dao School’s unit of Art of Inner Quietness.

 

 

Do they work in the same way of building chi, moulding chi, yin and yang chi, bringing yin and yang together?

 

In our school, we use the next sequence on the 1st level.

Before practising these methods of inner alchemy, you need to learn other special part of Daoist teaching called "building the foundation" [筑基] and "refine the self" [炼己].

So, at first, you need to learn the "methods of building the foundation", which consider basic Qigong, basic breathing techniques, Dao Yin and other methods, which can help to improve the circulation of Qi.

After that, you need to structure your dantian. For this purpose, you will use a special method, which will help you to make an alchemical dantian from usual dantian.

Then you also need to collect Yang Qi and activate it. This is work with Post-Heaven Qi.

 

Thereafter, you need to find and feel Pre-Heaven Qi, after which to collect Yin Qi, coagulate Yang and Yin Qi, and, finally, use a special method for fusion of Yang and Yin Qi.

[Jetsun]

There is lots going on in London check out Watkins book shop at Leicester Square which is probably one of the best esoteric book shops in the world, there you will find many books and they have leaflets by the side of the door for groups and teachers.

 

My recommendation for books depends on what area you are into,

Taoism: probably Chunyi Lin who teaches Spring Forest Qigong, or Bruce Frantzis, or Dr Yang Jwing Ming

For strictly meditation without energy work you are probably better off looking at Buddhism and the books by The Dalai Lama and Allan Wallace.

For fast track awakening I would look at Ramana Maharshi, Nisrigatta Maharaj, Adyashshanti, Gangaji

[Kempomaster]

I would like to suggest an alternate to looking for the ease of practicing in your backyard.

 

Yes -- it will take time and effort to travel -- and you would have to most likely travel to the U.S. to attend one of Michael Lomax's seminar's - but the travel would be well worth your effort.

 

The method of Qigong is known as Stillnes-Movement Qigong -- the very Foundation of this Lineage is based on Meditation, however, there is a complimentary set of movements that Michael created along with his teachers including Master Wang Juemin .These movements are known as the Gift of the Tao - series -1, 2 and forthcoming 3.

 

What is extremely attractive about this lineage is that it is so simple to learn -- Yes - you must learn how to quiet your mind, the Teacher creates the Dantian and energetically transfers the Lineage to the student. The student then builds upon this energetic dantian with each Meditationj - or Gift of the Tao session that they do --- the more time and effort they are willing to invest, the more return on their investment they receive.

 

A person can choose to simply reep the benefits of the Stillness-Movement Lineage for themselves. However, The Lineage is primarily a "Healing" Lineage. So if a person wants to become a "healer and help others -- this Lineage is extremely powerful. Master Wang Juemin - Michael's Teacher - was founder and Chief Healer of the Baoding Healing Hospital - In Baoding, China -- Their only method of healing was Qigong - the methods we used are proven in this hospital setting as well as proven by many famous Qigong Healers including Master Hu Yao Zhen - who coined the term Qigong, In this system I have seen most students be able to do Qigong Healing projections at the first seminar -- this is after 2 days of energy building from doing Stillness-Movement and Gift of the Tao Neigong Movements, This type of internal power development in 2 days in generally unheard of - but is true results with Stillness-Movement Neigong.

 

We have had many individuals from London travel to the U.S. to attend workshops here -- we have had 1 workshop in the U.K. and last year traveled to Finland for a workshop. I am not sure when the next London workshop will be , but, as I said sometimes a bit of investment in your time can pay you dividends in the long run. This is a simple system -- that is very POWERFUL. II would recommend it to anyone wanting to start Qigong.

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Brion

aka Kempomaster