Temples on High Mountain Peaks and on Steep Cliffs - Why?

[NotVoid]

Regarding kanyu/fengshui, an online translation of the Zangshu, (Book of Burial) by Guo Pu (276-324) can be found here:

http://www.fengshuigate.com/zangshu.html

 

Although this text is ostensibly about the most auspicious place to bury a person, it contains many key concepts of kanyu and fengshui, and is apparently considered an important text in kanyu/fengshui. As is typical in older Chinese writings, it is written with much symbology. IMO, this provides a hint that the concepts discussed run much deeper than just what the words can convey. Here's just a few interesting examples from the text, and although the text is fairly short, it appears to contain much to consider.

____________________

 

The five (phases of) qi course through the earth, materialize and give birth to the myriad things.

 

...

 

I. The Flow of Qi

 

A. Wind, Water, and Qi

1. The bones of hill and crag, the (arterial) branches of bank and mound, these are the trails of qi. [6]

2. The Classic says: Qi rides the wind and scatters, but is retained when encountering water.

3. The ancients collected it to prevent its dissipation, and guided it to assure its retention.

4. Thus it was called fengshui.

5. According to the laws of fengshui, the site which attracts water is optimum, followed by the site which catches wind.

 

B. Underground Qi

1. The Classic says: Truly it is said, where qi is manifested on the surface of the earth, underground qi accumulates vitality.

2. Why is this so?

3. Where qi flourishes, although it flows away, still there is some retention of its surplus.

4. Although it dissipates, still there is some accumulation in its depths.

5. Thus burials in arid lands should be shallow, whereas burials in lowlands should be deep.

6. The Classic says: When the proper depth is achieved, fengshui comes about naturally.

 

C. Earth, Water, and Qi

1. The qi of yin and yang breathes out as wind, rises up as clouds, descends as rain, and courses underground as vital energy.

2. Earth is the receptacle of qi where there is earth, there is qi.

3. Qi is the mother of water where there is qi, there is water.

4. The Classic says: Qi flows where the earth changes shape; the flora and fauna are thereby nourished.

 

...

 

Exalted Mountain Sites

 

1. The mountains of exalted ground descend from Heaven like a succession of bows, like billowing waves, or galloping horses.

2. They come in a rush, and they cease as if laid to rest, like someone resting peacefully while embracing a treasure, or fasting in purity while laying out a feast; like a bulging bag, or a brimming plate; like dragons and phoenixes, soaring and circling.

3. Birds hover and beasts crouch, as if paying homage to a noble of ten thousand chariots.

4. The heavenly lights regenerate, like rivers returning to the sea, or like the stars revolving around the North Star.

5. Embraced and protected by dragon and tiger, receiving each other like host and guest.

6. The Four Aspects [7] correct and clear, the Five Dangers [8] nowhere near.

7. If one-tenth deficient, the site is inferior.

 

...

 

 

C. Fathoming Qi

 

1. Carried in metal, assisted by water, entombed in earth, and marked by wood.

2. On the outside it catches the eight winds; inside it hides the five elements.

3. The heavenly lights shine down; the earthly energies are carried upwards.

4. Yin and yang blend and mix, (forming) the five (colored) soils and the four perfections.

5. With the intelligence of strong vision and the totality of skill, pursue the perfect and avoid the imperfect; augment the high and low.

6. Subtlety lies in wisdom; deduce from analogy and thereby take advantage.

7. By the mysterious fathom yin and yang; through skill snatch the (merit) created (by heaven).

 

____________________

Edited February 16, 2014 by NotVoid

[silent thunder]

Art resonates the intention and the unintended state of the artist during the act of creation.

It is a living thing for me.

[zerostao]

imagine for a moment, if that image / photo/ picture is having that effect on you,,,,,,

imagine what experienceing nature in the raw is like,,,,

does the artist improve on nature, it is an oft asked question,,

in this case tho, you know and understand nature is the place to be.

rewild yourself

[silent thunder]

rewild... I like that.

[NotVoid]

Caramba, but this rock looks a lot like a turtle.

The mysteries of nature...

 

 

 

Some sample works of the Group of Seven - I find these magical...

It's like these artists were saying, Ok, if you can't see it, let me try to make it clearer for you...

(more here: http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/canadian/The-Group-of-Seven.html)

 

 

 

Mirror Lake - Franklin Carmichael - 1920

 

 

 

Bay of Islands - Franklin Carmichael - 1930

 

 

 

Scrub Oaks and Maples - Franklin Carmichael - 1935

 

 

 

Algoma Hill - Lawren Harris - 1920

 

 

 

The Fire Ranger - Frank Johnston - c1920

 

 

 

Winter Charlevoix County - A. Y. Jackson - 1932-33

 

 

 

The Guide's Home Algonquin - Arthur Lismer - 1914

 

 

 

Another by Frank Carmichael

 

 

 

 

Nature is speaking to us. Are we listening?

 

 

 

_

Edited February 16, 2014 by NotVoid

[Taomeow]

Regarding kanyu/fengshui, an online translation of the Zangshu, (Book of Burial) by Guo Pu (276-324) can be found here:

http://www.fengshuigate.com/zangshu.html

 

Although this text is ostensibly about the most auspicious place to bury a person, it contains many key concepts of kanyu and fengshui, and is apparently considered an important text in kanyu/fengshui. As is typical in older Chinese writings, it is written with much symbology. IMO, this provides a hint that the concepts discussed run much deeper than just what the words can convey. Here's just a few interesting examples from the text, and although the text is fairly short, it appears to contain much to consider.

____________________

 

The five (phases of) qi course through the earth, materialize and give birth to the myriad things.

 

...

 

I. The Flow of Qi

 

A. Wind, Water, and Qi

1. The bones of hill and crag, the (arterial) branches of bank and mound, these are the trails of qi. [6]

2. The Classic says: Qi rides the wind and scatters, but is retained when encountering water.

3. The ancients collected it to prevent its dissipation, and guided it to assure its retention.

4. Thus it was called fengshui.

5. According to the laws of fengshui, the site which attracts water is optimum, followed by the site which catches wind.

 

B. Underground Qi

1. The Classic says: Truly it is said, where qi is manifested on the surface of the earth, underground qi accumulates vitality.

2. Why is this so?

3. Where qi flourishes, although it flows away, still there is some retention of its surplus.

4. Although it dissipates, still there is some accumulation in its depths.

5. Thus burials in arid lands should be shallow, whereas burials in lowlands should be deep.

6. The Classic says: When the proper depth is achieved, fengshui comes about naturally.

 

C. Earth, Water, and Qi

1. The qi of yin and yang breathes out as wind, rises up as clouds, descends as rain, and courses underground as vital energy.

2. Earth is the receptacle of qi where there is earth, there is qi.

3. Qi is the mother of water where there is qi, there is water.

4. The Classic says: Qi flows where the earth changes shape; the flora and fauna are thereby nourished.

 

...

 

Exalted Mountain Sites

 

1. The mountains of exalted ground descend from Heaven like a succession of bows, like billowing waves, or galloping horses.

2. They come in a rush, and they cease as if laid to rest, like someone resting peacefully while embracing a treasure, or fasting in purity while laying out a feast; like a bulging bag, or a brimming plate; like dragons and phoenixes, soaring and circling.

3. Birds hover and beasts crouch, as if paying homage to a noble of ten thousand chariots.

4. The heavenly lights regenerate, like rivers returning to the sea, or like the stars revolving around the North Star.

5. Embraced and protected by dragon and tiger, receiving each other like host and guest.

6. The Four Aspects [7] correct and clear, the Five Dangers [8] nowhere near.

7. If one-tenth deficient, the site is inferior.

 

...

 

 

C. Fathoming Qi

 

1. Carried in metal, assisted by water, entombed in earth, and marked by wood.

2. On the outside it catches the eight winds; inside it hides the five elements.

3. The heavenly lights shine down; the earthly energies are carried upwards.

4. Yin and yang blend and mix, (forming) the five (colored) soils and the four perfections.

5. With the intelligence of strong vision and the totality of skill, pursue the perfect and avoid the imperfect; augment the high and low.

6. Subtlety lies in wisdom; deduce from analogy and thereby take advantage.

7. By the mysterious fathom yin and yang; through skill snatch the (merit) created (by heaven).

 

____________________

 

Actually the terms kanyu/feng shui are interchangeable to an extent, but feng shui is a more inclusive one, since it refers to both yang feng shu based on the Houtian (Luoshu) diagram and concerned with dwellings for the living, and yin feng shui based on the Xiantian (Hetu) diagram and the arrangement of dwellings for the dead. Book of Burial is used for yin feng shui practices. Kanyu is a term usually in reference to yang feng shui, far as I know.

 

Yin feng shui practitioners are almost nonexistent in the West, but in many parts of Asia, a family typically spends ten times as much on yin feng shui for the deceased as on yang feng shui for the living. This has to do with the ideas of continuity of one's life into the lives of posterity, which are affected profoundly by what happened to the ancestors in general and how/where they were buried in particular. So yin feng shui endeavors to take care not so much of the people who died as of their living and yet-unborn descendants. It is a futuristic science, and a very complex one at that.

Edited February 16, 2014 by Taomeow

[NotVoid]

Hi Taomeow. Ok on that. My purpose for posting excerpts from the Zangshu, were in regards to the underlying principles in regards to interactions of qi in nature, which appears to me could be applied to many things...

 

 

A little more about kanyu and fengshui. As with all things, there may well be other views

(http://www.kanyu-world.net/index.php?main_page=page&id=11)

__________________________

 

Kanyu

 

KanYu was the first word to describe FengShui. The word FengShui was a later development.

 

The ancients of China, experiencing the unpredictable forces of Nature, decided to observe Nature acting upon the land where they lived. They gathered experience after experience, accumulated data after data, stored knowledge after knowledge, and eventually accumulated a whole body of information concerning climatic patterns and its relationship with the land where they lived.

 

The accumulated knowledge on the character of Nature, on how to avoid the unpleasant and on how to create a pleasant environment by channeling and intelligently utilizing the forces of Nature, became known as KanYu 堪舆. This was the original term for FengShui in ancient times.

 

Kan 堪 by itself has a literal meaning of ‘May or can’ but here in this context, it has taken on the meaning of KanCha 勘察, which means ‘prospecting’ or ‘measuring.’ Kan 堪 can be Kan 勘, which means to survey or to prospect.

 

Yu 舆 which has a few literal meanings:

( a ) ‘earth or land’ and YuTu 舆图 means ‘map’,

( b ) ‘vehicle’ and YuMa 舆马 as in horse cart. But here, it has the intrinsic meaning of ‘the Big Earth’ 大地.

 

Therefore, KanYu 堪舆, together, took on the meaning of ‘surveying the big Earth.’

 

 

Fengshui

 

Concept of the Word FengShui Based on the HeTu

 

This concept of FengShui is based on the theory of the HeTu. It is one of the two most widely accepted explanations of FengShui. The other is based on the theory of the ZangShu.

 

The HeTu’s fundamental theory has two important facets: Xiang or Appearance and Xing or Image. The HeTu itself is none other than a Map (or Chart) of the Stars (or Heavenly Bodies), and when used in FengShui, the Xiang (Appearance) denotes Heaven and the Xing (Image) represents Earth.

 

Heaven is Xiang – is Appearance – is about the Stars, the 28 Constellations, is about Heavenly Qi which affects the Seasons on Earth and this Qi is carried by the Wind. Therefore, Heaven represents Feng 風 or Wind.

 

Earth is Xing, is Image and is about the Four Celestial Animals represented in Landforms – QingLong (Green Dragon), BaiHu (White Tiger), ZhuQue (Red Phoenix) and XuanWu (Black Tortoise). Landforms is all about Mountains as Earth Dragons and Waters (Rivers, streams lakes, etc…) as Water Dragon. All these are Earth and represent Water 水.

 

Therefore, the word FengShui can be explained using the theory of the HeTu.

 

------------------------

 

 

Where can one learn more about the theories of the movement and interaction of qi in nature? (besides directly from nature. )

 

The theories of nature created by people are complicated and long winded and confusing and can be misleading. However nature speaks to us directly and simply. If we can only remember her language...

Edited February 16, 2014 by NotVoid

[C T]

Feng Shui is one of the best ways to make money in Hong Kong, but not in ways easily grasped in the West...

 

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/LL03Ad01.html

 

 

 

dragon energy = BIG $$$$ !!!!

[NotVoid]

Hi CT. Greed and unscrupulous behavior can be found in many forms, but because something can be abused it of course does not necessarily mean that it cannot have value. I am more interested in the general views and interpretations, and the interactions and usage of the forms and forces and energies of nature in this thread, rather than in any specific system or practice.

Edited February 16, 2014 by NotVoid

[C T]

Hi CT. Greed and unscrupulous behavior can be found in many forms, but because something can be abused it of course does not necessarily mean that it cannot have value. I am more interested in the general views and interpretations, and the interactions and usage of the forms and forces and energies of nature in this thread, rather than in any specific system or practice.

O yes, i agree! It was just something trivial i read, and wanted to share how something useful like Feng Shui can be used for holding a whole nation to ransom due to ignorance and superstition. Was such unscrupulous behaviours present when those lofty and holy sites were being built, i wonder, and if they were, would that affect the energy of the place in any extent? What about the labourers and workmen, what sort of conditions were they exposed to? Just some thoughts which crossed my mind, thats all. Nothing serious. Sorry for disrupting your noble aims.

[Starjumper]

Temples on high mountain cliffs and on steep cliffs - why?

 

no bozos

[NotVoid]

The forces of nature at work.

 

The Wave - Coyote Buttes, Arizona

 

 

 

 

Bryce Canyon, Utah

 

 

 

The Painted Desert

 

 

 

Painted Desert Petroglyphs - Nature through the eyes of a people

 

 

 

The Grand Canyon as seen from way up high - dragon veins?

 

 

 

 

A petroglyph in the Coso Range Canyons, California. It is unknown how old the petroglyphs are, but some could potentially be as old as 16,000 years, and some could be much more recent. Somehow this one looks familiar.

Edited February 17, 2014 by NotVoid

[Taomeow]

Hi Taomeow. Ok on that. My purpose for posting excerpts from the Zangshu, were in regards to the underlying principles in regards to interactions of qi in nature, which appears to me could be applied to many things...

 

 

A little more about kanyu and fengshui. As with all things, there may well be other views

(http://www.kanyu-world.net/index.php?main_page=page&id=11)

__________________________

 

Kanyu

 

KanYu was the first word to describe FengShui. The word FengShui was a later development.

 

The ancients of China, experiencing the unpredictable forces of Nature, decided to observe Nature acting upon the land where they lived. They gathered experience after experience, accumulated data after data, stored knowledge after knowledge, and eventually accumulated a whole body of information concerning climatic patterns and its relationship with the land where they lived.

 

The accumulated knowledge on the character of Nature, on how to avoid the unpleasant and on how to create a pleasant environment by channeling and intelligently utilizing the forces of Nature, became known as KanYu 堪舆. This was the original term for FengShui in ancient times.

 

Kan 堪 by itself has a literal meaning of ‘May or can’ but here in this context, it has taken on the meaning of KanCha 勘察, which means ‘prospecting’ or ‘measuring.’ Kan 堪 can be Kan 勘, which means to survey or to prospect.

 

Yu 舆 which has a few literal meanings:

( a ) ‘earth or land’ and YuTu 舆图 means ‘map’,

( b ) ‘vehicle’ and YuMa 舆马 as in horse cart. But here, it has the intrinsic meaning of ‘the Big Earth’ 大地.

 

Therefore, KanYu 堪舆, together, took on the meaning of ‘surveying the big Earth.’

 

 

Fengshui

 

Concept of the Word FengShui Based on the HeTu

 

This concept of FengShui is based on the theory of the HeTu. It is one of the two most widely accepted explanations of FengShui. The other is based on the theory of the ZangShu.

 

The HeTu’s fundamental theory has two important facets: Xiang or Appearance and Xing or Image. The HeTu itself is none other than a Map (or Chart) of the Stars (or Heavenly Bodies), and when used in FengShui, the Xiang (Appearance) denotes Heaven and the Xing (Image) represents Earth.

 

Heaven is Xiang – is Appearance – is about the Stars, the 28 Constellations, is about Heavenly Qi which affects the Seasons on Earth and this Qi is carried by the Wind. Therefore, Heaven represents Feng 風 or Wind.

 

Earth is Xing, is Image and is about the Four Celestial Animals represented in Landforms – QingLong (Green Dragon), BaiHu (White Tiger), ZhuQue (Red Phoenix) and XuanWu (Black Tortoise). Landforms is all about Mountains as Earth Dragons and Waters (Rivers, streams lakes, etc…) as Water Dragon. All these are Earth and represent Water 水.

 

Therefore, the word FengShui can be explained using the theory of the HeTu.

 

------------------------

 

 

Where can one learn more about the theories of the movement and interaction of qi in nature? (besides directly from nature. )

 

The theories of nature created by people are complicated and long winded and confusing and can be misleading. However nature speaks to us directly and simply. If we can only remember her language...

 

This is incorrect. Don't know who the author is but he or she appears to have skimmed some terms off the surface of feng shui without real understanding of what it's all about.

 

"Stars" of Hetu are not constellations, they are not material stars, they are the nine fundamental patterns of qi in the universe (both abstract and concrete forces of creation) expressed as numbers. They aren't and can't be used in yang feng shui because Hetu is a yin diagram, of Xiantian, Earlier Heaven, a static perfectly balanced world before (or after) manifestations. Feng shui for the living is based, just like I said before, on Luoshu, whose stars are also numbers and are known and used as Flying or Floating stars, because they, well, move -- they encode patterns of movement of qi in the world of manifestations, the world of the living. To do feng shui, one has, among other things, to learn to "fly" or "float" the stars in order to determine which heavenly qi is coming in where at a given moment. ( I can do it on my fingers.) The players superimposed on Luoshu in yang feng shui are the bagua and the wuxing. Together they cover a lot of territory... The Five Animals are just metaphoric expressions of some of the wuxing dynamics in their interplay with the bagua. And so on...

 

If you are looking for a good beginner source, I always recommend the second edition of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui by Elizabeth Moran and Val Biktashev, edited by Joseph Yu.

Edited February 17, 2014 by Taomeow

[NotVoid]

Hi Taomeow. Thanks for the info on fengshui. I think the author of that piece was describing one of two 'common' explanations of the origination of the term 'feng shui', and not so much about the application of modern fengshui, and he was likely drawing from the views his own fengshui tradition as well (which he calls YangGong FengShui). He mentioned the following about his tradition, "YangGong FengShui has a set of theories that are quite different from other contemporary FengShui schools."

As I mentioned, it would be no surprise to me if there are various views about such things, and I did come across another more scholarly interpretation of the origin of the term kanyu as well which was different than the one that that was described above. I have been around this sort of thing (looking at different Chinese traditions and their differing views and practices) long enough that I realize that there sometimes can be quite differing views depending on the tradition and the source, and so I don't worry so much about right and wrong, as that can get messy and is not always so productive. Anyway, all that aside, from what I can gather, a type of fengshui called form or landform feng shui (xing shi pai fengshui and luan tou fengshui have been mentioned) delves a fair bit into the interactions and influences of different land formations and that sort of thing. I may look more into it if I find the time sometime.

While searching on landform feng shui, I came across this which I thought was interesting as well:
(http://phoenixqi.blogspot.ca/2007/02/feng-shui-land-or-landform-school.html)
"Landforms are also symbolic of the five phases of energy ... based upon shape:
Very pointed forms represent the fire phase,
flat forms like wide plateaus represent earth phase,
rounded-top hills are metallic in energy,
rolling hills are considered to belong to the water phase,
and tall, thin hills with flat tops symbolize the wood phase of energy. "

Edited February 17, 2014 by NotVoid

[Taomeow]

NotVoid,

 

yes, terms are seldom right or wrong -- they are just labels. Concepts, however, can be, don't you think?

 

99% of what passes for feng shui in the West was derived from one school, Black Hat Buddhist, invented by "professor" Lin Yun some 30 or 40 years ago and popularized in the books of his followers. (Members of the actual buddhist Black Hat Sect deny having anything to do with this school.) This one pretty much took over Western FS landscape -- and in the passages you cited I thought I recognized its flavor. I mean, the mistakes were not minor nor merely a terminological difference. But please don't take my word for it. Any landform/compass practitioner knows that landform/compass means Luoshu and luopan. If neither is used, it's not any of the schools of feng shui for the living.

 

As for mountains interpreted in terms of the phases of qi, they are, of course, of the Metal phase primarily, that's in their Heavenly Stem, and that's their Wuxing attribution -- Earth produces Metal and Metal produces Water, mountains are Earth's children and Water's parents. While what the author cites as associations with other phases is the type of qi this formative one of "all" mountains meets when interacting with a particular Earthly Branch which supplies additional "flavor." So a pointed mountain is, technically, Metal with Fire, rolling hills may be Metal with Water, and so on. Landform analysis makes a note of but is not limited to visual impressions of shapes -- there's usually a need to look beyond and through appearances, like in that taoist story about a master who called the emperor's favorite white mare a "magnificent black stallion," because he could see what that horse really was inside, in its spirit.

[NotVoid]

Hi Taomeow. Ok, on your views about such things. As I mentioned, I have encountered a lot of varying views and practices and opinions from different Chinese traditions and sources, so much so that I take it as pretty much a given now, and I try to avoid getting into the whole right and wrong thing. I always take it all with a grain of salt, and If something proves useful or beneficial to me I may make use of it, if not, I won't use it. Thanks for the feedback however.

 

 

[NotVoid]

Regarding good and bad, and right and wrong, and that sort of thing in regards to various systems or practices or views, etc., my own experience and point of view is that this just can't be avoided in regards to pretty much anything in this world. Nothing is perfect in this world, and in my experience all systems, practices, viewpoints, beliefs, and the people involved with them can include varying degrees of good and bad, right and wrong, proper and improper, just and unjust, balanced and imbalanced, straightforward and misleading, etc. I personally have never encountered a perfect system, a perfect viewpoint, a perfect teacher, or a perfect student, etc. IMO, all we can do is keep an open mind and try to keep focused on the positive. Take what seems good and useful, and bypass that which does not seem good or useful. IMO, much of what we believe to be true is actually just concepts derived from many sources in many different ways and based on whatever information we can manage to gather and assimilate through our senses and instruments, and through the filtering systems of our world views. What we conceptualize and perceive at any given point in time can actually be far from 'reality', but despite this many such views and concepts can still prove at least somewhat useful or beneficial to us along the way in our development in various ways. This is how I personally view things, and it is the reason I am not so quick to throw something completely away just because there may be flaws or misuse by some, etc., or just because it is interwoven with seemingly outdated beliefs and viewpoints from a former time. etc. Focus on the good and positive and useful, and make use of it where it seems appropriate. In my view, it is all anyone can really do anyway. It's been an interesting discussion!

Edited February 17, 2014 by NotVoid

[Gerard]

 

Gerard, thanks for coming back to share these inspiring images and words. Nice to give the head and heart a mini-respite from daily life. The images are like a portal for spiritual nourishment.

 

You are welcome.

 

Here's some more stuff, which only shows the sheer beauty of Gaia...still most humans are totally unaware of our critical connection to the natural environment and the ones in power keep on plundering of its precious resources. Gaia is a huge living being, a true gift of Dao to us 'ignorant' sentient beings.

 

 

Atop Ama Dablam - Nepal

 

 

 

Celestial Peak (Four Girls Mountains), Sichuan - China

 

 

 

Machhapuchhre (Fish Tail) - India. She is linked to the god Shiva.

 

 

 

Chandra Taal (Lake of the Moon), Himachal Pradesh - India

 

 

 

Himalayan valleys

 

 

Under the Milky Way in the Himalayas, Ladakh - India

[Gerard]

 

95-year-old mountain woman, Paldar valley, Ladakh - India

 

How many 95-year-old people living in society are as active as her, a mountain inhabitant living at 5,500 m (18,000 feet) and above?

 

 

 

Tengboche monastery with Ama Dablam in the background - Nepal

 

 

 

Senior monk, Tengboche Monastery, Nepal

 

 

 

Tsemo Gompa

 

 

 

Phuktal Gompa, Ladakh - India

 

 

 

Tibetan child monk, Yuru Gompa, Ladakh - India

 

Many poor villagers give their boys to the Tibetan monasteries away for adoption because they can't feed them. Still better this than dying from starvation.

Edited February 18, 2014 by Gerard

[Gerard]

 

Sunrise above Huashan - China

 

West Great Mountain (Metal)

Daoists believed that in the mountain lives the god of the underworld. The temple at the foot of the mountain was often used for spirits mediums to contact the god and his underlings. Unlike Taishan, which became a popular place of pilgrimage, because of its inaccessibility to the summit, Huashan only received Imperial and local pilgrims, and was not well visited by pilgrims from the rest of China. Huashan was also an important place for immortality seekers, as many herbal Chinese medicines are grown and powerful drugs were reputed to be found there.

 

Kou Qianzhi (365–448), the founder of the Northern Celestial Masters received revelations there, as did Chen Tuan (920–989), who spent the last part of his life in hermitage on the west peak. In the 1230s, all the temples on the mountain came under control of the Daoist Quanzhen School.

 

 

 

Star and galaxy dancing. The Milky Way

 

 

 

The abyss. Huashan.

 

 

 

Montserrat - Spain

 

 

More dragon veins:

 

 

Montserrat - Spain

 

 

 

Nā Pali, Kauaʻi - Hawaii

 

 

 

Guadarrama - Spain

 

 

 

Guilin Xingping - China

Edited February 18, 2014 by Gerard

[Gerard]

The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao
The name that can be named is not the eternal name
The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth
The named is the mother of myriad things
Thus, constantly without desire, one observes its essence
Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations
These two emerge together but differ in name
The unity is said to be the mystery
Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders

 

Another favourite place of mine to find a true meaning to those words:

 

Ordesa Valley

 

 

 

 

 

and amongst my neighbours

 

 

 

 

 

[Gerard]

while listening to the sound of water, which is the gate (Kidney Qi) to higher states of consciousness (via the Liver Qi).

 

 

 

Daoists go to the mountains because it is like being placed in a massive energy grid, from Earth directly to Heaven. No pollution by desire and attachment to worldly affairs; simplicity and returning to the original mind are nourished in the mountains:

 

 

 

 

 

"When I was in solitary retreat, I knew that I was together with all sentient beings in innumerable worlds. Even though I seemed to be alone in a small, enclosed room, actually I was in company with many ants who found their way inside, and there were many insects around the hut who created all kinds of sounds in the evening. When I opened the Sutras, people thousands of years in the past were talking to me. How could I feel lonely? Some people think I must feel lonely being a monk without any wife or children. Not at all. I have the 5 precepts and the 10 Virtuous Deeds as my wife, and my children are all the people who I have developed a karmic affinity with and who call me Shi-fu. It is only those pitiable people who enclose themselves and cannot establish a relationship with the outside world who feel lonely. If you keep yourself enclosed, even if you live among thousands of people you will still feel very lonely. However, if you keep yourself open, then even if you are living alone, you will still have a very full life. So open your mind and treat everyone as your intimate, virtuous friend." (Buddhist Chán master Sheng Yen (1930-2009), Taiwan).

Edited February 18, 2014 by Gerard

[Gerard]

Some forest animals who work closely with nature spirits in order to maintain the natural balance of Gaia:

 

Deer (wood spirit)

 

 

Female

 

 

Male

 

 

Cat (snow leopard)

 

 

Owl

 

 

Tree spirit (beech wood)

 

 

Hayedo de Montejo - Spain

 

 

Water Element

 

Required element to work with for those who have depleted their Jing or have weak Kidney Qi (for whatever reason). You can't progress in your spiritual practice if you don't nourish and restore your Kidney function. Same goes with the liver. Weak kidneys destroy the liver, the mother can no longer look after her child. This is a very serious issue. Excessive sexual activity, alcohol and various other drugs, stress, overdoing things (including exercise) are the main offenders.

 

Excellent locations to work the spirit of the kidneys (zhi):

 

 

Almeria - Spain

 

 

Lanzarote - Spain

 

 

Menorca - Spain

Edited February 18, 2014 by Gerard

[Gerard]

 

Corsica - France

 

 

The Mediterranean sea

 

 

 

Plitvice Lakes - Croatia

 

 

 

Pristine waters, happy fish (Plitvice Lakes - Croatia)

 

 

 

Skógafoss waterfall - Iceland

 

 

 

Midnight sun at the sea (Grundarfjörður - Iceland)

 

 

 

Water the mother of Wood

 

 

 

Children of the Kogi tribe - Colombia

 

The Kogi (a pre-columbian civilisation) understand the Earth to be a living being, and see humanity as its "children." They say that our actions of exploitation, devastation, and plundering for resources is weakening "The Great Mother" and leading to our destruction.

 

Thanks all!

 

[NotVoid]

Really nice Gerard. Thanks for the contributions!

Perhaps pictures are the best way to try to get such concepts across.