Secret of the Golden Flower

[deci belle]

Yes, it is just that way, after all.

 

Throughout the text of the Golden Flower, it seems to be very much a meditation manual~ certainly, one is dealing with the mind itself from start to finish. Yet, it is constantly referring to inner and outer light, authenticating experiences, turning the light around in ordinary circumstances.

 

Meditation in terms of quiet sitting is just becoming familiar with the substance of mind in a controlled environment— it is not advisable to become attached to quiet sitting construing mind as separate from ordinary situations. Ordinary awareness is the light itself. Turning it around is just a matter of not using it to create illusion— this is accurate mindfulness.

 

Maintaining a subtle concentration of the shining mind throughout the day and night in ordinary affairs is not apart from quiet sitting. In the course of interacting in ordinary affairs "if you can look back again and again into the source of mind, whatever you are doing, not sticking to any image of person or self at all, then this is 'turning the light around wherever you are.' This is the finest practice."

 

Other than that, the secret is employing objective awareness of the mind of tao, true lead, in seeing through illusory worldly situations. This is reached by not sticking to emotional consciousness of any image of person or self at all. Though you have feelings in contacting situations, still you do not act on them or allow opinions to form unawares. "Not sticking to any image of person or self" is exhaustive in its application. It is most essential to the operation of turning the light around.

 

So the book starts out as a meditation manual, then gradually introduces guidance to apply the open potential of mind in the midst of ordinary affairs.

 

Turning the light around is only the general term: with each level of progress in practice, the efflorescence of the light increases in magnitude, and the method of turning around becomes subtler. Previously one controlled the inside from the outside; now one abides in the center and controls the outside. Before, the assistant administered for the master; now one promulgates policy in service of the master. There has manifestly been a great reversal.

 

"Controls the outside", refers to controlling oneself in the midst of situations, without losing oneself through following external stimulus by maintaining autonomy. "One abides in the center", refers to accurate awareness "not sticking to any image of person or self at all".

 

Turning around the light is not apart from seeing through phenomena without denying their characteristics. Not denying characteristics is seeing accurately. Seeing through phenomena is the same as "not sticking to any image of person or self at all".

 

 

 

 

ed note: typo and italics in first paragraph

Edited December 15, 2012 by deci belle

[Cheshire Cat]

This thread looks like the springtime of the Buddhas

[effilang]

If you look to page 24 of the Wilhelm translation he very clearly indicates through his use of terminology, that the method is concerned with the MCO.

 

Shen creates Qi, Qi creates Jing.

Jing creates Qi, Qi creates Shen.

 

Either you collect your sexual energy into the LTD, or you collect your Spiritual energy in the UDT.

 

With the LDT, the initial processes is rising, while with the UDT it is descending.

Either way, the 3 postnatal energies strengthen and support each other and each of them in turn nourishes and sustains their prenatal counterparts directly. Eg: postnatal Jing strengthens postnatal Qi, while Postnatal Jing strengthens prenatal Jing and postnatal Qi strengthens prenatal Qi.

 

"... The magic of the elixir of life makes use of conscious action in order that unconscious non-action may be attained. Conscious action consists in setting the light in circulation by reflection in order to make manifest the release of heaven. If the true seed is born, and the right method is applied in order to melt and mix it, and the way to create the elixir of life, then one goes through the pass. The embryo, which must be developed by the work of warming, nourishing, bathing, and washing, is formed. That passes over into the realm of unconscious non-action. A whole year of this fire-period is needed before the embryo is born, sheds the shells, and passes out of the ordinary world into the holy world. "

 

" This method is quite simple and easy. But there are so many transforming and changing conditions connected with it that it is said that not with one leap can a man suddenly get there. "

 

" Whoever seeks eternal life must search for the place whence human nature and eternal life originally sprang. ".

 

I am posting this, because as I read this thread I see a lot of people becoming misguided in thinking that one must simply concentrate on Ying Tang and all shall there after be revealed, as though the whole energetic system of the body suddenly becomes obsolete in light of this activity.

 

Concentrating on Ying Tang will build postnatal Shen which will directly strengthen prenatal Shen, but also very importantly it will build Qi and the Qi the Jing and when the Jing fills it will ascend up the Governor or flow out of the sexual gates or butthole. Yes, I prefer butthole to anus.

 

When all this occurs, you're back to the micro and macro orbits again.

The bathing and washing he speaks of take places oppositely at the level of the heart, on both the main yang and yin channels of the torso. This bathing and washing can only occur through the MCO.

 

Don't delude yourself by thinking this method simplifies it. It is simply the beginning. Those of you who need to generate wisdom and right conduct first, start with the UDT, those who need to generate sexual energy and control of their body, start with the LDT. Those who don't care, do both, whichever of the three energies you decide to strengthen first, Jing Qi or Shen, they will all transmute and overflow accordingly until the waterwheel is opened.

 

It is only when the waterwheel is opened that real alchemy of the spirit can start to take place, and the" mixing and melting" can be practiced.

 

Do not be fools. There is no method beyond the small and grand circulation, mixing and fusing true nature and life, birthing the embryo and leaving the body to merge with the Tao.

 

Anytime the energies are full the MCO will open and alchemy can begin.

 

The many transforming and changing conditions are all explained in detail in Taoist Yoga Alchemy and Immortality. If you want to succeed past the beginning stages of TSOTGF you need to understand, what to melt, when to melt, what to mix, when to mix, slow fires, fast fires, warming, bathing, nourishing and washing, opening and closing mechanisms, safety instructions tooprevent harm to the body (the vessel for immortality), confirmatory manifestations, what they mean and how to identify them and what to do when they do appear etc.

 

It is not a straight forward line and those that think it is will only hurt themselves or worse never go beyond mediocre achievements.

 

It is of my honest opinion that one either needs to have a perfect understanding of the processes and mechanisms of alchemy or one must be blessed with a spiritual guide in order to achieve anything.

 

Don't want to sound like a know it all, I don't, but I know some things and I don't want people to be mislead with false expectations.

Edited December 15, 2012 by effilang

[adept]

Page 67 of the Cleary book states:

 

'External work has no connection to the great Way. The true practice of the great Way first requires that vitality be transformed into energy. As alchemical literature has clearly explained, this vitality is not sexual.'

[joeblast]

good points

 

yet, in taoist yoga, the generative force is what creates vitality, so there is a link, even though the vitality that manifests is not sexual. the endocrine glands have their control center in the udt

[Cheshire Cat]

If you want to know the theory, lust is empty and emptiness is lust...

[johndoe2012]

.

Edited August 18, 2013 by chris d

[Jeff]

Of course there is a link between energy work and increased concentration / less filters internally.

 

After my first Stillness-Movement workshop with Ya Mu there was a major increase of awareness and stillness.

 

Let's not kid ourselves here.

 

The greater the clarity, the greater the energy. They are two sides of the same coin.

 

 

(edit - fixed spelling)

Edited December 16, 2012 by Jeff

[Ratatosk]

The text itself is not a manual of instruction. You can't follow the text and do the practice. Doing so is nothing more than indulging in your own fantasy.

 

Well, J.J. Semple did, and he awakened his kundalini by following the directions in the text itself.

He wrote a book about his experiences, and he calls it "The backward-flowing method".

http://www.frontstreetreviews.com/Backward.html

[joeblast]

The greater the clarity, the greater the energy. They are two sides of the same coin.

 

 

(edit - fixed spelling)

similar correlation can be made with depth of stillness

[Jeff]

similar correlation can be made with depth of stillness

 

Agreed. For me, clarity and depth of stillness are really the same thing. We need a universal dictionary of terms.

 

Have a good week.

 

[hydrogen]

 

Your own awareness is aware itself. This is unborn mind. There is no other mind. Deluded people don't see their delusion. That's what delusion is. Being awake is seeing delusion. Seeing delusion is enlightening activity. When you see delusion by objective awareness, it cannot fool you, so you don't go along. Not going along is reversal.

 

Could you give us a solid daily life example please?

 

What did you mean by "not going along"?

 

If your coworkers ask you "would you like to join us for a couple of beer at 6:45 pm?"

 

You say "no, I will go with you for two beers at a quarter to 7 pm."

 

Or "no, you will buy me martini and drive me home."

 

Or "no, I will drink pure water and watch you and watch me with my inner unborn mind."

 

Or " no, I will go home and meditate."

 

I at times have hard time understand plain English let alone descrypted hidden meanings.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Could anybody point me towards an online Chinese version of Secret of the Golden flower, please?

[hydrogen]

I bought the book from Amazon by Richard Wilhelm. It's not that expensive.

 

This web version is even cheaper.

 

http://www.lifeforcebooks.com/_Media/SecretGoldenFlower.pdf

[Harmonious Emptiness]

I bought the book from Amazon by Richard Wilhelm. It's not that expensive.

 

This web version is even cheaper.

 

http://www.lifeforce...oldenFlower.pdf

 

Thanks. Not sure if that was meant as a response to my request, but what I'm looking for is an online text of the Chinese sinograms, which can be copy+pasted.

[johndoe2012]

.

Edited August 18, 2013 by chris d

[deci belle]

Not going along is just not using what is seen, hydrogen.

 

Whatever you see in daily life, in terms of potential, you do not see in terms of opportunities for speculation of outcomes.

 

You do not see things in terms of quantifying, calculating and satisfying desires unawares.

 

Unconscious judgement of good, bad, right, wrong, attraction, aversion, etc. are all "going along", using the shining mind to create illusion.

 

The reason for this is to stop karmic activity, stop exercising the props of ego-reflective intellectualization, stop the endless flow of conditioned habitual mental activity, stop following external stimulus— the list is endless.

 

Not going along is reversing the light of consciousness and has nothing to do with energy work.

 

NOTHING TO DO WITH ENERGY WORK.

 

Stop going along until you see your nature: then you will know the meaning of life and death and transcend Change.

 

Going along is hastening death. Anything having to do with the body, physical or subtle is not it.

 

Anyone who says otherwise is deluded.

[hydrogen]

 

Not going along is reversing the light of consciousness and has nothing to do with energy work.

 

NOTHING TO DO WITH ENERGY WORK.

 

Stop going along until you see your nature: then you will know the meaning of life and death and transcend Change.

 

Going along is hastening death. Anything having to do with the body, physical or subtle is not it.

 

Anyone who says otherwise is deluded.

 

Thanks for the reply though I still have no clear understanding about your point.

 

Inside is outside. An instruction manual should work both way.

 

I used the "secret of Golden Flower" as internal energy work instruction. It worked exactly as described in the book so far. I didn't reach the end yet. There is some setback. I don't know when I'll go back to its practice.

 

The "Secret of Golden Flower" should apply to outside too. I just can't connect the dots to put into practical use.

 

It seems to me what you described is to give up on life. No desires, detachment, i.e. the heart sutra. It's a buddhaist practice. It definitely works for them.

 

However, The "Secret of Golden Flower" is a taoist text book. I don't believe it takes the same approach.

 

If I misunderstand your point, please let me know.

[deci belle]

I'll try to let you know without being too sassy, ok? heehee!!❤

 

The point is reversal, hydrogen. The part about turn the light around that you don't understand is the entire concept, I'm afraid. It's about being utterly independent and awake without anyone knowing that you are, in order to first realize your nature, then to take up advanced practice and fulfill tasks in secret.

 

Only enlightening beings are capable of this. It is the great vehicle of saints, sages, wizards and buddhas. Turning the light around is itself enlightening activity~ no need to sit around waiting to experience enlightenment, which isn't a big deal after all.

 

I'm not making any points. This is a description of discovering and developing one's relationship with impersonal aware nature. Your nature. You know, the one you are completely unaware of.

 

Your own everyday mind is the light itself. You are following it unawares in step with creation. Baaaaaad. haha!!❤❤

 

If you are referring to the Wilhelm version, you won't be getting anything outside of energy-work. Baaaaaaad.

 

The term turn the light around was coined by the adept Wenshi who was a student of Lao tzu.

 

How old is that?

 

Lao Tzu had two students who went on to start the Complete Reality and Hidden Dragon schools. Both these schools are direct transmissions of Lao Tzu's teaching. How is this not taoist enough for you— as if it matters?!!

 

That the northern branch of the school of Complete Reality is, at its highest levels of application of realization, essentially the same as Chan is attributable to the way itself. The way isn't taoist, buddhist, Confucian, or any other tradition's possession.

 

The Secret of the Golden Flower is an "all at once" transmission re-introduced in it's present form during the period of China's cultural implosion at the hands of Great Britain.

 

If you want to work with what is the same in order to arrive at what is the same then you must try to get beyond your comfortable conceit of tradition and realize that reality is not a product of a country, teaching tradition or an entry-level meditation technique.

 

I can tell you that sudden enlightenment is itself an entry-level experience. Is that saying a lot? Or not?

 

You do in fact need to give up on life as you know it. How profound is that? So profound in terms of subtlety that no one will know that you have turned the very light of creation around to shine back on its source. Turning the light around is not for those who do not have the will for enlightenment.

 

Not going along is just not using what is seen, hydrogen.

 

Whatever you see in daily life, in terms of potential, you do not see in terms of opportunities for speculation of outcomes.

 

You do not see things in terms of quantifying, calculating and satisfying desires unawares.

 

Unconscious judgement of good, bad, right, wrong, attraction, aversion, etc. are all "going along", using the shining mind to create illusion.

 

The reason for this is to stop karmic activity, stop exercising the props of ego-reflective intellectualization, stop the endless flow of conditioned habitual mental activity, stop following external stimulus— the list is endless.

 

I noticed you did not even get into any this~ only the part about having to give up your life… not very intrepid of you, dear.

 

It's not at all energy work, but then, realizing the totality of your self may not be for you, either.❤

 

 

 

 

ed note: dang! typo in laaaast sentence. pooh!

Edited December 24, 2012 by deci belle

[tccii]

Could anybody point me towards an online Chinese version of Secret of the Golden flower, please?

 

http://www.jnk.org.tw/wn01-3-02.htm

 

http://www.360doc.com/content/10/0220/19/396690_16269439.shtml

[deci belle]

Thank you so much for the links, tccii.❤

 

When HE asks for a link to a Chinese-language version of the Secret of the Golden Flower and hydrogen responds with a link to a pedestrian Wilhelm translation— this is exactly the kind of completely unconscious blog-mentality being employed towards supposed self-refinement by those habituated to thoroughly unmindful energy-work.

 

The Wilhelm translation needs to be forgotten. Wilhelm's source document was tailored to a spin-off cult using recreational meditation techniques to get off. Simply pathetic beyond words.

 

 

Moving right along~

 

Since things come from the way, they are no different than the way, so it is not a matter of abandoning things to search for the way. Nothing is "given up".

 

For starters, reversal can be expressed and developed simply by not taking it upon oneself to habitually intellectualize arbitrary opinions and feelings towards anything at all whether objects of self or other are internal or external phenomena. Another word for this is not-doing or nondoing.

 

Creation is the manifestation of the way. There is nothing else to work with. The only difference between enlightening activity and willingly going along in the matrix of karmic momentum, is turning the light around. There is no other mind. It is possible to arrive at the beginning and cross over into the unborn mind itself by reversing the light and shining it back onto its source where you are right now. This is the unexcelled method of adepts.

 

Arriving at the solidification of the totality of oneself is entry into the inconceivable. This is sudden enlightenment. Though it is instantaneous realization, the process of self-refinement is carried out in a sustained subtle course of unbroken effort over a long period of time— like a hundred days, a thousand days, ten thousand days— it doesn't matter to those who have the will to enlightening being.

 

The teaching is sublime, but it is people's own habitual selfish ignorance, physical, mental and spiritual laziness and avarice that prevents them from seeing reality as it is, even now in the reading of these words.

 

Just as nothing is gained from sudden enlightenment, nothing is lost in turning the light around. Try it.

 

All the taoist classics speak of return, tell of reversal to arrive at reality, but no one can accomplish this.

 

It is such a pity.

 

As for the Secret of the Golden Flower practiced by ignoramuses— the waterwheel and derivative exercises are discussed in countless other manuals. It is unconscionably perverse to insist that energetics is the import of this transmission.

 

If only for the fact that a few European adventurers who arrived on the scene of a science deeper than science itself (and only a few thousand years late to boot), that there is a wasteful contention that not only overlooks the point of the teaching itself, but (during its European heyday), tried to make it out as a heavily-veiled mystical wonder too good for ordinary people. Oooooooh (Must. Genuflect. At. Jung's Altar)!

 

In spite of the shortcomings of Wilhelm's source document and its poor translation, the real benefit of its debut in the West's lexicon was simply that it was discovered at all! An excellent version of an authentic source document has been available in English since 1991: ISBN 0-06-250193-3.

 

It is just that body-based energy work is easy to grasp, while working with the light of consciousness is inconceivable, that people covet their tiny little specks of practice and imagine that a minor subtle-body trick will somehow, eventually transport them to inconceivable realms~ veritable signposts of the way.

 

If you want to arrive at entry into the inconceivable, it is necessary to work with inconceivability from the very start.

 

 

 

ed note: exchange f-word for "pedestrian" in first paragraph

Edited December 25, 2012 by deci belle

[Walker]

Longchenpa

[Harmonious Emptiness]

http://www.jnk.org.tw/wn01-3-02.htm

 

http://www.360doc.co..._16269439.shtml

 

Thank a lot tccii.

 

The first link has about 7 chapters before the main chapters start. Is the 360doc.com link the "trucated version" which Cleary says Wilhelm translated? Do you know of any historical reasons why the first link has these 7 additional chapters?

 

thanks again.

 

 

Happy Christmas all

Edited December 25, 2012 by Harmonious Emptiness

[deci belle]

Longchenpa

 

Yes, there are obvious parallels between the Secret of the Golden Flower teaching and

You Are the Eyes of the World) by Longchenpa, in that they are both all at once teachings necessarily working with unborn conscious awareness directly in everyday ordinary situations.

 

 

Why don't you start a thread on Longchenpa, Walker? That would be the appropriate place to bring it up!

 

Introduce Longchenpa in the buddhist section with your insights and perhaps a few quotes to illustrate them.

 

I have a few threads devoted to Longchenpa in the articles section as well.❤

 

 

 

 

ed note: add link to Longchenpa's book.

Edited December 25, 2012 by deci belle

[Walker]

Indeed, I have noticed your posts, and I think that reading Longchenpa is invaluable. I am not really qualified to lead a discussion on his work though, but felt it might be worth it to bring him up here because, well, if people don't wanna take your word for it, maybe they'll take his haha. Precious Treasury of the Way of Abiding, as I believe it's called, is also excellent. My main Daoist teacher has occasionally said things that sound like they could have been lifted from the pages of that book; things you are saying here, as well.