Taoist Yoga: Alchemy and Immortality -Charles Luk

[mwight]

I have read this book, but I still cannot make any sense of it, can anyone here make sense of it? Could it be translated into Taoist Yoga For Complete #$%%^ing idiots?

[voidisyinyang]

It's basically the small universe practice only to achieve "supreme complete enlightenment." Personally I agree with the recent comment on the embryo breathing thread about alchemy. The whole idea that "spiritual vitality" creates an immortal physical body beyond the universe is not valid. When Taoist Yoga states that we should

 

"jump into emptiness" -- that's admitting that there is no eternal physical body -- only female formless awareness.

 

This book though is the best detailed description of achieving supreme complete enlightenment in my opinion. I like the part that states after immortal breathing then you can easily go insane from all the paranormal perceptual powers.... yep -- that's why I stopped practicing so that my energy channels closed up.... partly because I accidently pulled this old lady's spirit out of her head! She bawled nonstop for at least 15 minutes.... haha she was fine though -- some healing she had asked me for! haha. No touch -- just I forgot not to pull energy out of the top of someone's skull....

 

I have read this book, but I still cannot make any sense of it, can anyone here make sense of it? Could it be translated into Taoist Yoga For Complete #$%%^ing idiots?

[Sahaj Nath]

yep -- that's why I stopped practicing so that my energy channels closed up.... partly because I accidently pulled this old lady's spirit out of her head! She bawled nonstop for at least 15 minutes.... haha she was fine though -- some healing she had asked me for! haha. No touch -- just I forgot not to pull energy out of the top of someone's skull....

 

LOL!

 

that was the best laugh i've had all week! thanks!

[Ryan McCoole]

LOL!

 

that was the best laugh i've had all week! thanks!

 

I do agree, though: Luk's book does seem more of a DIRECT translation rather than an adaptation to English readers. It's kind of like reading a word for word of the Dao De Jing rather than reading Stephen Mitchell's English interpretation.

 

thoughts?

Edited October 22, 2007 by Ryan McCoole

[DentyDao]

The book is one of our practice texts, although nominally so. It is based on the Nei Jing Tu, an illustration of which can be found in the book. The Nei Jing Tu is a secret code that can only be broken by a master schooled in the art it contains, passed down in a lineage that knows it's true meanings and the methods it reveals. The original carving was created by one of the original sages in a tradition that is know commonly known as the Long Men Pai, headed by Wang LiPing, my grand master.

 

You would do well to throw the book away, it is useless, with due exception of personal entertainment. The book is a translation of an authentic cultivation manual that was one, translated incorrectly intentionally by it's original author, the correct version handed down only to close students, two, meant only as a companion guide with actual teachings given orally by the master, and three, contains so many errors in the English translation that it is truly and completely flawed. Only someone who received the transmission from a real master, and achieved it's methods could even begin to make use of it. It is used in our school to illustrate a few key points and nothing more.

[Sahaj Nath]

I do agree, though: Luk's book does seem more of a DIRECT translation rather than an adaptation to English readers. It's kind of like reading a word for word of the Dao De Jing rather than reading Stephen Mitchell's English interpretation.

 

thoughts?

 

 

just for the record:

 

i think stephen mitchell's translation is one of the worst translations out there. it was the first translation i ever saw, over ten years ago. so it captured my interest. but i've liked almost every translation i've found afterward better.

 

can't really speak on the taoist yoga book; i don't really use it. i do like the stimulation of sexual fluids bit in the beginning, though. i think that's right on. there's probably more that's right-on in the book than at first appears, but sean's probably right, ultimately.

[minkus]

I didnt see the book as a complete manual (some things are hard to do in the western world, some things really require a master to teach as sean denty said or atleast to help you out practically .. like with the stuffing of all openings in your body so the embryo doesnt leave you fe.)

 

The book is written in question-answer style wich doesnt exactly make it more clear although i liked the diffrence in reading for once

 

It gave a very nice overview yeah and gives you a way more complete image of

cultivation. If you didnt directly saw what they ment in the book you can put it next to your bed and before you go to sleep read the parts that where unclear a few times. Its like said above: like a direct translation .. at the end things come togheter like a puzzle .. but even then

 

If you liked reading this book i would also suggest holding yin, embracing yang (from eva wong).

 

Cheers !

Edited October 22, 2007 by minkus

[voidisyinyang]

The book seems consistent internally except I did find one translation error -- the use of "respectively" incorrectly -- in correlation fire and wood with dragon and tiger. It's turned around but you can correct the error by just reading the glossary. Respectively means the same order of reference but in this book the order is opposite....

 

 

 

I didnt see the book as a complete manual (some things are hard to do in the western world, some things really require a master to teach as sean denty said or atleast to help you out practically .. like with the stuffing of all openings in your body so the embryo doesnt leave you fe.)

 

The book is written in question-answer style wich doesnt exactly make it more clear although i liked the diffrence in reading for once

 

It gave a very nice overview yeah and gives you a way more complete image of

cultivation. If you didnt directly saw what they ment in the book you can put it next to your bed and before you go to sleep read the parts that where unclear a few times. Its like said above: like a direct translation .. at the end things come togheter like a puzzle .. but even then

 

If you liked reading this book i would also suggest holding yin, embracing yang (from eva wong).

 

Cheers !