Damo Mitchell interview questions

[Apech]

Very happy to say that Damo Mitchell has agreed to an interview. I emailed him a while ago and received this (typically modest) reply.

 

 

 

 

Damo here. So sorry for taking a while to get back to you. I have been on the road from Thailand and then across the US so only just getting time to sit down and answer e mails.

I am more than happy to answer questions for your forum although I am not sure how much of an authority that I am to be honest! I am certainly a relative newcomer to the arts compared to some of the others you have interviewed such as Bruce Frantzis.

The only problem is that I am just about to enter a four month long retreat in Sweden. For this time I will be pretty much out of contact with the outside world. Our centre has no electricity or anything like that so I will just be able to check my messages once a week on the afternoon off. Would it be a big problem if you came back to me after the retreat is finished? I am happy to answer any questions in those few months time...

Sorry if this is a nuisance in any way; it always seems to be that I get requests like this just as the retreat starts each year!

Best wishes to you

Damo

 

 

He is the author of several books on Daoist cultivation:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Damo-Mitchell/e/B004J7R0JY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1398684970&sr=8-1

 

and has his own website:

 

 

http://damomitchell.com/damo-mitchell/

 

"Damo is a teacher of the internal arts who began his studies at the age of four. He was brought up in the UK but has travelled extensively throughout Europe, China and the rest of Asia searching out answers to the nature of existence. His books are a study of the Daoist tradition and the arts which it gave birth to."

 

 

 

We have already had some discussion of his work and here are a couple of examples.

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/21036-daoist-nei-gong-by-damo-mitchell/?p=300003

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/21190-lower-dantian-theory-by-damo-mitchell/?p=301922

 

So I'm hoping for some good questions.

 

As you see we have four months so I'm kicking off this thread now … so by the time he comes out of retreat in September we will have a good interview ready

Edited April 28, 2014 by Apech

[JohnC]

Wow... awesome that he does 4 month long retreats... I'd love to be able to do that. Some day soon...

 

John

[SecretGrotto]

Question 1: With the knowledge of all you have seen, learnt and experienced, if you have to restart your practices as a neophyte, what would your practice program look like?

 

Question 2: How important is the transfer of lineage energetics for spiritual/alchemical progress, and can sufficient individual effort be a proper substitute for it?

 

 

I have all of Damo's books, which have inspired me thoroughly, especially the accounts of his personal experiences of growth and failure.

 

I love how his journey took him from martial arts, being taught from a young age by his parents, to focusing on Internal Alchemy today. It is like the inevitable conclusion of his search and study of so many paths leads to the superior path of Neidan.

 

I love that his teacher training program actually aims to ensure that the teachers have actual energy manipulation skills, and that his courses and retreats are so relatively inexpensive.

 

Damo certainly seems very humble, and avoids bickering and debate, opting rather to practice and benefit from personal experience. An example I would do well to follow.

 

He says in an interview video that the emphasis really comes down to the basic Qigong routine (Ji Ben Gong?), being done daily as the bulk of the practice.

[thelerner]

Apech, you bagged a big one . Very impressed with Damo Mitchells writing.

 

For those who can't commit to a full retreat, are there any actions they can do to get some of the benefits? Guess I've got 4 months to come up with a worthy question. Better re-read his book.

[Blackfinger]

Question for Damo:

 

"Hi Damo,

 

In your book 'Daoist Neigong', chapter 1 pg 25, you state, about the conversion of shen to dao, of pure consciousness to emptiness, that "I am afraid that my understanding ends here as I am working on this stage myself."

 

I, like I imagine most of your readers, am impressed with your honesty and clarity regarding this. In the c.3 years since writing this book, how has your work on this stage progressed and are you able to share any of this with us? Do you think you will be able to write a followup book, or a revised version of 'Daoist Neigong' to incorporate any findings from your ongoing work?

 

Thanks for your time."

 

cheers for faciliating this, TBs

[soaring crane]

I like this one, too. Looking forward to it :-)

[Apech]

Apech, you bagged a big one . Very impressed with Damo Mitchells writing.

 

For those who can't commit to a full retreat, are there any actions they can do to get some of the benefits? Guess I've got 4 months to come up with a worthy question. Better re-read his book.

 

 

Thanks ... I read his book Heavenly Streams (I have the Kindle version) I found it excellent. He comes across as a good guy and a serious cultivator.

[Apech]

Note to self:

 

"fate, destiny, the extent to which it can change, the question of Shen development from birth upward... How much is achievable in one lifetime." - question from anonymous TB.

[Apech]

Damo has now contacted me to say if I get the questions ready by 21 May he has a window where he may be able to answer them.

 

So .... roll up with more questions please.

[Apech]

BUMP

 

 

come on need more questions.

[Ish]

What are the markers for the stages (Jing->qi Qi-Shen Shen-> Tao Tao-> Nature ) in Taoist energy cultivation?

Thank you.

[Trunk]

It seems to me that we are often the most ignorant about the most basic things...

 

1. Please describe some critical mechanics and dynamics of a functioning dan tien. What is it? Perhaps described in a way that would give us some long term orientation for that work.

 

2. Often descriptions of work and results are framed around 'best case'. Perhaps some perspective on the scope of work and degree of results that an *average* student of the internal arts might face in developing functioning dan tiens, and a functioning internal arts body in general.

[Trunk]

Seems to me that we will quickly reach a semi-burn-out where members will not offer up as many new questions for new interviews.

1. Created a generic gathering ?s thread where people can put ?s for re-use.

2. Feel free to use ?s from any prior interview.

[Apech]

...ask Damo what he very specifically gets out of four month long retreats, and how much progress does he think a part time practitioner can really make, without changing their diet and lifestyle.

[Apech]

REBUMP

 

I'm going to start to pull together a question sheet so if you have any other questions please post today or tomorrow.

 

I might make it a part one and part two interview both 21 May and after his retreat if he agrees.

[BaguaKicksAss]

1. If one only has half an hour to an hour to practice each day, what do you recommend (besides meditation as that would be done during other times), as the most important practice/practices?

 

2. Can you learn and practice neigong from books and videos only, or do you need an in person teacher?

 

3. What are the standard dangers of the above, and what usually tends to go wrong? (if any)

 

4. Which one practice (aside from meditation) has brought you the furthest/worked the best for you over the years?

 

5. Can a neigong practice be integrated with an internal martial arts practice, or should they be trained separately?

 

6. Which hard qigong practice would you most recommend?

Edited May 17, 2014 by BaguaKicksAss

[Apech]

Thanks for all the questions.

 

Here is a pdf of the interview to date which I will send before 21 May.

 

Damo Questions v1.pdf

 

If you have any comments and so on please post here today.

 

 

[Lao Sun Tao]

Download link doesn't work :/

[Tung]

I forgot about this one, hope some one can repost the pdf.

[cheya]

This was a link to proposed questions.

Here is a working link to Apech's link to the pdf of Damo's  answers to the questions that were asked. 

 

http://www.thedaobums.com/topic/34992-damo-mitchell-interview-for-tbs-may-2014/?p=549696

 

Opps. That one led to another dead link.

Let's ask Apech!

 

Edit: Apache fixed it!

Now that link will get you there!

Edited July 19, 2016 by cheya

[Apech]

I've reupped it.

[cheya]

Thank you Apech!