Need help clarifying a paragraph from chapter 1of Taoist Yoga

[BluePickle]

"So a student meeting his teacher should first ask him about the
proper method and inquire whether or not it consists of gathering
outside air to turn it into the alchemical agent (Q1) . If the teacher denies
this and says that his method is to turn back the flow of generative
force to fortify the body so that it will be restored to its original
condition before puberty and cause the penis to cease standing
during sleep and to retract, his is the authentic method. (Q2)
As to the alchemical agent, if the practiser is unmindful of it when
gathering it, it is the prenatal microcosmic agent, but if he is mindful
of it it will be an illusory agent which leads only to failure." (Q3)

 

1. Breath is a tool in alchemy. Does this question mean to test whether the master's practice uses it as a tool to transmute the air to energy RATHER than the right purpose of transmutting sexual energy?

2. Does this paragraph imply that retention cause impotence? Or am I reading to deep into it?

3. I simply need an explanation as to how being mindful of this leads to failure.

Edited March 8, 2023 by BluePickle

[Taoist Texts]

4 hours ago, BluePickle said:

"So a student meeting his teacher should first ask him about the
proper method and inquire whether or not it consists of gathering
outside air to turn it into the alchemical agent (Q1) . If the teacher denies
this and says that his method is to turn back the flow of generative
force to fortify the body so that it will be restored to its original
condition before puberty and cause the penis to cease standing
during sleep and to retract, his is the authentic method. (Q2)
As to the alchemical agent, if the practiser is unmindful of it when
gathering it, it is the prenatal microcosmic agent, but if he is mindful
of it it will be an illusory agent which leads only to failure." (Q3)

this is a garbled translation

 

Quote

 

Students obtaining a true teacher first ask whether he has the beginning method like this and if it involves gathering the air qi. If he says that no air qi is gathered, but the semen is reverted to mend the body and make it like that of a youth, and creating a ‘horse hidden sign[1]’ and the yang thing not rising – then it is a true Dao.

The above refers to gathering medicine in absence of thoughts creating the pre-Heavenly small medicine. If thoughts are present that will be an illusory elixir, with nothing achieved.

 

[1] Kośopagatavastiguhya (कोशोपगतवस्तिगुह्य) refers to “male organ concealed in a sheath” and represents the twenty-third of the thirty-two major marks of distinction (lakṣaṇa) mentioned in the Sukhāvatī

 

 

this is a correct one

 

tell me if the correct one answers  your questions

 

[BluePickle]

19 hours ago, Taoist Texts said:

this is a garbled translation

 

this is a correct one

 

tell me if the correct one answers  your questions

 

 I guess I should stop reading it then haha

This makes it much clearer.

Which translation is that?

 

So why is rising of the yang not the way?

 

Also does being thoughtless in cultivation mean not feeding the mind or desires?

 

I couldnt find info online about it, what is the virtue of a sheathed male organ?

As I'm Jewish and circumcised this peaked my interest.

Edited March 9, 2023 by BluePickle

[Taoist Texts]

46 minutes ago, BluePickle said:

Which translation is that?

mine;)

46 minutes ago, BluePickle said:

So why is rising of the yang not the way?

not 'the yang', "the yang thing" which is an euphemism for penis. 'rising'='erection'. and erection is bad because it leaks the yang qi

46 minutes ago, BluePickle said:

Also does being thoughtless in cultivation mean not feeding the mind or desires?

yes. literally having no thoughts in the meditative state.

46 minutes ago, BluePickle said:

what is the virtue of a sheathed male organ?

It is believed that when the organ is fully drawn back into the  abdomen the male practiser has no leakage of yang qi. When drawn in the male practiser's anatomy resembles that of a stallion whose penis is drawn into a sheath when not erect

 

https://horses.extension.org/stallion-anatomy-exam/

 

Edited March 9, 2023 by Taoist Texts

[BluePickle]

15 minutes ago, Taoist Texts said:

mine;)

Nice

 

15 minutes ago, Taoist Texts said:

It is believed that when the organ is fully drawn back into the  abdomen the male practiser has no leakage of yang qi. When drawn in the male practiser's anatomy resembles that of a stallion whose penis is drawn into a sheath when not erect

 

Is that a real thing that can happen to a functioning male organ?

Cause I've never heard about any human like this.

 

Off topic from my other questions, chapter 1 also states that without finding the cavity of spirit the energy will rise to a psychic center, which I fear is exactly what I've been doing. Where is this center in relation to the cavity of spirit?

 

So just making sure I understand, in order to find the cavity of spirit I must sit in meditation and set my intention on receiving its light?

What more should I do and what would you advise me to do in this situation?

Edited March 9, 2023 by BluePickle

[Taoist Texts]

1 hour ago, BluePickle said:

Is that a real thing that can happen to a functioning male organ? Cause I've never heard about any human like this.

of course it can

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koro_(medicine)

1 hour ago, BluePickle said:

Off topic from my other questions, chapter 1 also states that without finding the cavity of spirit the energy will rise to a psychic center, which I fear is exactly what I've been doing. Where is this center in relation to the cavity of spirit?

if you copy that passage i will look at it, let you know

 

1 hour ago, BluePickle said:

So just making sure I understand, in order to find the cavity of spirit I must sit in meditation and set my intention on receiving its light?

in general yes

1 hour ago, BluePickle said:

What more should I do and what would you advise me to do in this situation?

you can read this. It is about the same exercise as the chpt 1, from a different prospective

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_the_Golden_Flower

http://thesecretofthegoldenflower.com/index.html

[BluePickle]

7 hours ago, Taoist Texts said:

if you copy that passage i will look at it, let you know

"While putting the generative force into orbit it is of paramount

importance to locate the original cavity of spirit in the brain which is

precisely where a light manifests in the head when the practiser

succeeds in concentrating his seeing effectively on the central spot

between and behind the eyes. If this is not done the radiant inner fire

rising to the head during the microcosmic orbiting may be mistaken for that light and wrongly driven into a minor psychic centre in the

head from which it will be very difficult to dislodge it. Many untutored

and inexperienced practisers make this mistake which hinders the

process of alchemy."

 

From the introduction

 

7 hours ago, Taoist Texts said:

you can read this. It is about the same exercise as the chpt 1, from a different prospective

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_the_Golden_Flower

http://thesecretofthegoldenflower.com/index.html

I own this book and it went completely over my head 

Edited March 9, 2023 by BluePickle

[Taoist Texts]

10 hours ago, BluePickle said:

If this is not done the radiant inner fire

rising to the head during the microcosmic orbiting may be mistaken for that light and wrongly driven into a minor psychic centre in the

head from which it will be very difficult to dislodge it. Many untutored

and inexperienced practisers make this mistake which hinders the

process of alchemy."

 

From the introduction

Right. This is not a part of the original book. The intro comes from the translator Charles Luke who did not really understand the subject matter. I would not worry about this.

[BluePickle]

7 hours ago, Taoist Texts said:

Right. This is not a part of the original book. The intro comes from the translator Charles Luke who did not really understand the subject matter. I would not worry about this.

 

I see.

Thank you very much

 

Edited March 10, 2023 by BluePickle
Misinterpreted