Fire, Water, Dragon and Tiger

I have arrived in Wuhan, China now where I will be for a couple of days. I always find Wuhan quite a
confusing place, the city layout seems to make no sense and everything just seems to be like hard
work here! Since I am planning for a 14 day long alchemy course in a few weeks I have alchemy
theory at the front of my mind. This will be the first time I have taught a prolonged event on Daoist
meditation and so I am very excited about it. I have wanted to do this for a long time as meditation is
my main interest these days but have not had the chance until now. Alchemy can seem confusing at
first but, if broken down step by step, is actually not too bad to follow.
Maybe it is a little confusing to those not used to the language or processes but here are a few notes
taken from my old study books on a couple of the processes in alchemy. It is always interesting to
read old thoughts and notebooks when you come across them
Within alchemical language the spiritual energies of the Heart and Kidneys are known respectively
as the energies of Li and Kan. These are the two trigrams known as Fire and Water within Yi Jing
circles. Li is formed from two solid lines with a broken Yin line within its center. Kan is the opposite
and formed from two broken Yin lines surrounding a solid Yang line.
Within Qi Gong and Nei Gong practices, the merging of Fire and Water refers to bringing the Qi of
the Heart and Kidneys into such a state whereby they can communicate with each other. Here there
is an alchemical reaction between the two of them whereby the exciting function of the Hearts
energy balances the more reserved energy of the Kidneys. This takes place on an energetic level
which is accompanied by tangible sensations of Qi flow within the torso which generate distinct
reactions within the body. The alchemical interaction of Fire and Water through Daoist meditative
practices takes a slightly different form as here we are discussing the mental/spiritual/psyche
aspects of the Heart and Kidneys rather than their energy. In this case we are discussing the
difference between the acquired mind and the congenital mind and the imbalances which have
caused our consciousness to divide into two halves in the first place. Here the trigrams of Li and Kan
can be discussed as follows.
Li has two Yang lines on the outside representing true knowledge based in wisdom. Unfortunately,
at the center of these two lines sits a single broken Yin line representing the biases and acquired
knowledge which is getting in the way of accessing or trusting our wisdom.
Kan has two broken Yin lines representing mundane thoughts and trivial attachments. They are
surrounding a single solid Yang line which represents intuitive understanding of the nature of reality.
We could access this intuitive knowledge (and indeed many people do on occasion) if only we could
dig it out of the mundane thoughts which it is buried beneath.
Philosophically Fire is said to rise and Water to sink within the body. Since Fire sits above, at the
level of the Heart it is inevitable that it will blaze upwards, mostly fuelled by our emotional states,
which causes it to move away from the Water energy which it needs to mix with. Water sinks
downwards represented by the wastage of our essence which we do not adequately preserve
throughout our lives. This causes it to move away from the Hearts energy and in this way we divide
these two forces even more. As they divide they cause the ageing processes to hasten and the

formation of the acquired nature (sometimes called the ego) is sped up. Realisation is pulled even
further away from us as our mundane thoughts and conditioned thinking overtakes us. The tool of
the mind has become the master of consciousness and thus elevation of spirit is denied to us.
In order to change this, through alchemy we must mix the energies of Fire and Water which meet
halfway at a location within the body known as the Yellow court. If we are to get the two to meet
with each other we must locate the Dragon and Tiger and cause them to copulate. Alchemical
language like this can be confusing at first, especially when it is also multi-layered but let us see if
we can take this apart so that it makes sense.
Firstly, the copulation of the Dragon and the Tiger means different things on different levels. On the
level of Jing (physicality) it can actually refer to sexual practices known as dual cultivation. The male
is the Dragon and the female is the Tiger. Specific tantric and energetic practices enable these two
to combine their energies and so mix the Fire and Water essences with each other through physical
union. This would be considered the lowest level manifestation of Dragon and Tiger energies mixing
and generally only used within Daoist sects to form a foundation of good health within the physical
level of the body. The second level of Dragon and Tiger mixing refers to the energies of the Liver and
the Lungs which can interact with each other on the Qi (energy body) level. This would take place
within some forms of Qi Gong exercise. The third level can refer to the mixing of the spiritual
energies of the pineal and pituitary glands which will produce a fluid which moves through the body
restoring health to many of the bodys tissues. This is probably the least used definition of the
Dragon and Tiger terminology to be honest and mainly understood in this way within more esoteric
Daoist sects concerned with attaining physical rather than spiritual immortality. The final (and most
relevant to alchemical meditation practices) is the meeting of the Yin line within the Li trigram with
the Yang line within the Kan trigram. In this way Yin and Yang of the Dragon and Tiger symbology
have been reversed from the physical poles making the Dragon Yin and the Tiger Yang; generally it
is the other way around.
By subtracting the Yin line from the center of the Li trigram we have found the Dragon. This can
only be stirred by finding true stillness in the Heart-Mind (Xin). This will cause the Yin line to sink
downwards which is the nature of Yin. In the early stages of the practice this will enable the Fire
energy of the Heart to stabilize and stop rising as it is now anchored into the body by the Yin
Dragon line. In the same way we must stimulate the Yang Tiger line of the Kidneys to movement
which will cause it to rise. This lifts the Kan Water energy preventing it from sinking as before.
Now the ageing process is slowed and the early stages of alchemy have been entered into.

If we can do this for long enough and effectively enough we will cause the two center lines to meet
within the Yellow court. This will result in the two lines copulating which reverses the center lines
of Kan and Li. The result is the formation of the Qian and Kun trigrams which are pure Yang (three
solid lines) and pure Yin (three broken lines). Now Fire and Water will be gone and alchemically
Heaven and Earth have been produced instead. This brings harmony to the body which will lead a
practitioner towards true stillness, the emergence of the congenital nature (consciousness) and the
dissolution of the acquired mind.
All of this is the precursor to ending the movement of the breath, mind and spirit to generate the
three congenital treasures, the key ingredients which form the alchemical agent..
Over the course of the 14 days I have to give 14 lectures which will be around an hour each in length.
In have never spoken for that amount of time on a course before so it will be a new challenge for me.
I will discuss the Nei Jing Tu, the Xiu Zhen Tu, the Can Tong Qi, the Yi Jing Jing and the Xi Sui Jing
as well as personal experiences form my own practice. This is alongside hours of practice each day
so it is going to be a busy couple of weeks. We have also actually got hold of the required equipment
to film all of these talks so hopefully if the footage comes out okay we can make it available to those
who are interestedthose who can go through the torture of 14 hours of me lecturing on alchemy
that is! Argh!

The Ding and the Lu

The Ding and the Lu () are two important elements of the energetic body utilized within Daoist
Nei Dan alchemical practice. The Ding is the cauldron whilst the Lu is the furnace or cultivating fire.
When working with these aspects of our inner universe it is crucial that we develop an
understanding of their location, functions and the process of awakening them.
The Ding is situated within the center of the lower Dan Tien. Many think that the Ding IS the lower
Dan Tien () but this is not the case. The lower Dan Tien is made up of numerous layers which
can divide and rotate freely around each other like various layers on a gyroscope. The size of the
Dan Tian can adjust according to the level of internal attainment of the practitioner. At highly
developed stages it merges with the other energy centers of the body and three separate Dan Tien
are no more, only Dan Yuan exists, the microcosmic manifestation of Hundun (), original chaos.
Unlike the various outer layers of the lower Dan Tien, the Ding continues to exist until such a time
that the body is totally dissolved into light (The Rainbow Body or the Diamond Body).
The Ding is said to be roughly an inch in size for men with a womans Ding being very slightly
smaller. It is the key place within which Jing is consolidated, Qi is converted and Shen is immersed
in order to rebirth the spirit into its original state. This all takes place through controlled use of
the breath and the Lu furnace which stimulated the Ding to generate an energetic catalyst for
transformation.
Many of the esoteric teachings within Daoism are encoded within their architecture and artwork.
Over the years as I have travelled to different temples and holy sites across Asia I have taken the
time to examine the artwork looking for hidden teachings. Teachers can manifest in many different
places, not just within people you meet. Ancient art and architecture is a gateway to the past if you
know how to read it. Below is an example of the Ding and the Lu from Daoist Nei Dan being
represented in their artwork.

You can click on the image to enlarge it if you wish

The Ding is the body of the cauldron. These cauldrons are common in most Daoist temples and used
to burn offerings to the Heavens. They always stand upon three legs or, as in the case of the example
shown here, three Fu Dogs. The number three represents the trinity of either: Jing, Qi and Shen,
Body, Breath and Mind or Heaven, Man and Earth. These are the three powers which must be
brought together in order to complete the alchemical process within the Ding and master ones self.
Upon the body of the Ding is a flaming pearl, this represents the energy at the core of the Dan Tien,
the location of the Ding. The pearl is the alchemical pill and the flames are the heat from the Lu. If
the Ding was to be read as a Nei Gong artifact rather than a Nei Dan one then the pearl would
actually show the outer layers of the Dan Tien and the flames the movement of Jing. Such is the
multi-layered nature of Daoist teachings which change depending upon which layer of the
holographic nature of reality you have managed to penetrate through to.
The two Dragons featured on the body of the Ding are the movements of Qi through the main
meridian branches which primarily run inside and along the sides of the spine. In the case of the
pictures example here are also two larger Dragons on the sides of the Ding although this is not that
common. The Dragons show the movement of energy created by the interaction of the Ding and the
Lu as Qi and alchemical substances rise in the body. The reaction to these movements is that the
practitioners body begins to spontaneously undulate and it is said to look like a Dragon is trying to
escape the body.
When Doaist monks or nuns burn their offerings of incense within the center of the Ding it sends
smoke up into the sky. This is the spirit of the offerings moving up towards the Heavenly immortal

realm. Microcosmically this is manifested as the movement of the spiritual energies upwards into the
Heaven of the body, the pineal gland and its energetic counterpart, the upper Dan Tien. This is the
result of correct and efficient usage of the Ding and the Lu.

The above classical image shows the Ding on the right and the Lu on the left. The trigrams above the
two symbols denote them add either extreme Yin or Yang. The process of alchemical transformation
relies on the two opposing powers of Yin of Yin and Yang being brought together to form energetic
union.
It does not really fit into any of my books without breaking the flow of the writing so perhaps, if
people are interested, I will break down more Daoist art and architecture to explain what they are
symbolizing within further Blog articles. Hopefully it will help people to add another layer of
understanding to their alchemical knowledge.

Advanced Alchemy - Part 2

This article is continued from part one. Please read the first part in order to understand what on
earth I am talking about!
Later Daoist practices focused upon taking the alchemical pill and submerging it within the lower
Ding (crucible) and feeding it via the Ling (magical spirit) and the five congenital pulses. Once this
had happened for a sufficient length of time then the Ling spirit would merge with the golden
embryo giving your soul autonomy. It can now leave the body at will to move around according to
your intent leaving your physical body in complete stasis. A long period of several years is then
required to train your golden embryo enabling it to survive independently. It is fed through long
periods of stillness which serve to bring together the three congenital substances of Yuan Jing, Yuan
Qi and Yuan Shen in order to form a direct connection to Dao through which the Ling is condensed.
These periods of stillness can last for several years at a time meaning that the lifestyle of a hermit is
required when working towards this attainment.
When the golden embryo can exist totally independently of the body then it is time to dissolve the

body completely. I am not talking metaphorically but literally. The Jing begins to break down
resulting in the physical body fading from existence. The Shen has become suffused through the
body by this stage through long periods of alchemical training resulting in the body beginning to
fade from view to be replaced by a bright golden light which shines outwards for all to view.
According to recorded eye-witness accounts this light is blinding to look upon and within Daoism is
known as attaining the Diamond Body. After the white light has shone for some time, the five
elemental energies of the body break down to return to the void resulting in the aura changing to a
shimmering field of red, white, yellow, green and blue. This was named the Rainbow Body and it is a
well-recorded phenomenon within many sects of Tibetan Buddhism. From here the body vanishes
laving only the practitioners clothes, nails and hair. The embryo is now free from the body resulting
in the practitioner being transformed into a spiritual light being, a Xian or immortal. It is (as always!)
more complex than this and depending upon the state of the practitioners Xing and Ming there are
nine different levels of spiritual attainment of the immortal who can travel to different levels of the
immortal realm depending upon how far they got in their practice. Much of this is recorded within
religious Daoist and some Buddhist sects although it is not necessary to engage with the religious
aspect of the teachings in order to engage with them.
Below is an image taken from the wall of a Daoist monastery in China. I apologize for the blurry
picture; it was pretty dark in the shrine where the image was taken. No matter, it is good enough to
see what is happening.

Looking at the image above we can see the practitioner demonstrating both the Rainbow Body,
which is shining out of them, and the Light of Shen which is shining from their head. They are also
projecting the multitudinous body out into the sky indicating that they had fully opened the spiritual
eye. They had reached a very high level indeed and no doubt their body will soon be dissolving
completely! Also within this picture are the Dragon and Tiger symbols which show the merging of
different aspects of Xing and the water and Clouds usually depicted to show the process of Jing
changing to Shen within most alchemical imagery.
Now, some of this may sound pretty far-fetched and yes, I am sure that some of it is. I am not saying
that this is gospel or that you should believe it; that is completely up to you. These are not teachings

from my own experience, I have not reached any of these stages but these are just some of the
classically listed higher stages of training and attainment inherent within Daoist Nei Dan. For many
it is enough to cultivate Ming through health promotion training and others will simply seek to
silence their mental chatter through working with their Xing. For others though, this is not enough
and the higher levels will be sought after. For these people maybe it is possible that they will reach
the stage of awakening the Rainbow Body and freeing the spiritual embryo?
I should add as a footnote one of my own experiences. When I asked a teacher about whether the
physical body literally dissolved or whether it dissolved metaphorically he gave the following
demonstration. He sat cross-legged and got me to watch closely. Within a few minutes his features
began to blur before my eyes and then he become semi-transparent. I could see the markings on the
wall behind him through his body. This lasted for a couple of minutes before he appeared solid once
more. He explained it that he had reached the stage of being able to still his Jing. When the Jing is
still it begins to fade away thus beginning the dissolving process of the physical body which is
ultimately fake anyway. Without being suffused with Shen spiritual energy (a stage he had not
reached) he could not sustain the Ling, nor go any further meaning that the physical body quickly
returned to normal once he stopped his sitting practice. Needless to say this was an eye-opening
experience for me, one that caused me to question many of my own doubts as to how far alchemical
training can go

Advanced Alchemy - Part 1

I generally deliver teachings solely according to my own personal experiences. I take the teachings I
have received and work with them, using the laboratory of my own body, until I have a direct,
tangible understanding of what these teachings mean. This enables me to teach not only the theory
of how Doaist practices unfold but also how these processes feel and any signs or occurrences you
should be aware of when embarking upon the same practice. In my mind this is how a teacher of the
internal arts should work; it is not simply their role to pass on prescribed instructions but also to
share their own personal take on what these teachings mean and how they affect the individual. This
means that I generally limit what I teach to my own personal level of attainment. In this case
however, I am making a slight exception. This is because I talk to many people who are confused
about where Daoist alchemical training is headed. They often mix up Buddhist practices with Daoist
and then of course the different Daoist sects each have their own take on what the highest levels of
attainment are. I shall do my best to give a brief overview of where Daoist alchemical training can
take a person from my own somewhat limited point of understanding.
The first thing to discuss is the difference between Buddhist and Daoist practice. The difference,
according to the Daoist definition, is that generally Buddhism is focusing solely on Xing which can be
translated as meaning your nature. This is divided into two mains elements, the Xian Tian congenital
Xing and the Hou Tian acquired Xing. It is the interaction of these two aspects of nature which give

us the formation of the false sense of self which Buddhist practices aim to work with in order to end
Dukkha, disturbances or suffering. Of course, this is a massively over simplified discussion of what
Buddhist practices involve but it is enough for us to understand the differences between this
tradition and Daoism. Daoism often focuses primarily upon Ming rather than Xing. Ming can be
translated as meaning your path through life as well as your destiny and even, to some extent, your
physical health and longevity. The reason that your physical health cannot be separated from your
Ming is that your body is the vehicle within which you travel along your Ming. To the Daoists, the
body was absolutely necessary as it was considered a microcosmic reflection of the nature of all
existence. Understanding the inner universe was fundamental to understanding the external world.
Whereas Buddhism jumped straight to the mind, Daoism focused initially upon the body. In modern
times there is often confusion between Buddhist and Daoist forms of meditation with many people
practicing something which they believe is Daoist when it is actually based in Buddhist philosophy.
In short, if your alchemy does not begin with direct work on the physical body then it is more akin to
Buddhist practice and likely coming from a sect which has been combined with Buddhism
somewhere along the line.
The danger of many forms of Daoist alchemy is that they may focus solely upon the Ming whilst
completely ignoring the Xing. Whilst this may help to promote health and longevity, there is little
regard to cultivation of consciousness and so there is a glass ceiling placed upon a students
development. There is also the danger that the alchemical training has cultivated Ming to such a
point that the practitioner has developed strong internal abilities via opening of various layers of the
spiritual eye but has not developed the correct level of morality within their Xing to use these
abilities in the right way. These practitioners become lost on the path as they become controlled by
their own love of power over others.
Balanced Daoist practice should include direct work on both the Xing and the Ming. This takes place
through bridging the two via their connecting substances known as Jing, Qi and Shen. Much of the
early to intermediate stages inherent within both Nei Gong and Nei Dan involves working with these
three treasures in order to bring harmony to both the Xing and the Ming. Even simple exercises such
as Qi Gong can help to cultivate the Ming but a spiritual guide is generally required for assistance
with working on the Xing. When both Xing and Ming have been cultivated along with Jing, Qi and
Shen, alchemical processes involve merging and submerging them all together in order to create the
alchemical pill of spiritual light associated with the early stages of illumination.
Skipping many stages, let us move to the higher end practices of Daoist alchemy. At this stage, the
alchemical pill has been created, absorbed and circulated out of the Ding (see previous article)
through the congenital cage of meridians (see Nei Gong book) and taken through the process of
generating the golden embryo. It is here that there is much confusion.
The golden embryo is not discussed within early Daoist texts which looked at sitting practices as a
way to attain union of Ming and Xing until the golden light of illumination was attained. This light
was then utilized to access the spiritual eye or third eye which was to be opened in several stages.
As each of these stages was attained new spiritual levels of vision were gifted to the practitioner
who could comprehend everything about people around them, the nature of existence and ultimately
the meaning of life. If a person has fully opened the third eye they should literally know everything
there is to know as well as being able to see anything they wish upon this planet or any other. It is a

very rare level of attainment to have opened the third eye to say the least and yet many people today
within the new age world claim to have done such a thing. I am doubtful. It is discussed that the
earliest stage of opening the third eye comes with the direct ability to access and understand each of
your own past lives as well as your future lives and to be able to access all of the information from
them so that you become the collected point of wisdom of generations of past and future lives. Not
only this, but as you come to this realization all of your past and future lives are projected into the
sky for all to see filling the sky with thousands of images of yourself in different forms. This is known
as the multitudinous body attainment. This is not something recorded to only be visible within your
minds eye but also to anybody around you. It should look like images of countless people are being
projected into the sky like some kind of laser show. This signifies the merging of all stages of your
timelines, past, present and future into this one single moment.
This is the end of part one of this article. The next part will look at the concepts of the Diamond Body,
the Golden Embryo and Immortality

Congenital Qi Gong - Part 2

Part 2 of the guidance on Congenital Qi Gong. Please read part 1 first. Once again kindly
excuse my port grammar and spelling. This translation is from the notes for my next book,
it was never intended to go public, I just thought some may find it useful.
This is the rest of the test, between part 1 and 2 you have the whole thing. I thought it was
interesting though that he only goes up to the end of the foundation aspect of the practice.
Though further stages are hinted at they are not discussed. This is the norm; enough is
normally given to provide good health (Yang Sheng) but rarely is clear instruction given on
progressing past this point.
The Chinese version is included below
6 Consolidate the Jing and Clear the Fire
In consolidating the Essence one must use the Will to lead it towards the lower furnace. It is
important that we understand the timing for this practice and how to ensure that any Fire is safely
managed. This is the key method for converting Essence into Energy. If this method is not followed it
is difficult to consolidate Essence and avoid leaking from the body.
The Fire must be cultivated and regulated in the furnace whilst the Jing is gathered and utilised
through silent sitting meditation practices. In order to cultivate the Stillness we must let go of our
connection to the outside. We must be able to enter true emptiness in order for the required Spirit to
consolidate. Lead the Mind down to awaken the Dan Tien region. This will help the Original Essence
to converge which ends the desires of the polluted Kidney water. The practice now consists of lifting

the perineum and using the breath to lead Energy to the Dan Tien. Ten times lead the Essence to the
furnace where it can be converted. Now you must enter stillness in the Heart-Mind. Ensure that the
Essence used is not from Polluted Water. Understand this technique along with pressing, pulling and
sealing the mouth.
Breathe the resultant essence up through the three doorways to the Heavenly cauldron. Now let it
sink to the Earthly cauldron. Return it in this way to the Dan Tien. Cultivate the warmth of your Fire
and utilise the aforementioned principles to consolidate the Original Essence. In time you will
completely dissolve away from the external world.
7 The Alchemical Transformation of Essence to Energy
When the Essence has been led into the Furnace it is time to progress. This is the stage of
consolidating Original Energy. To do this we must understand the difference between the Martial
Fire and the Scholar Fire Use directed attention to differentiate between the two Fires.
Breathe 36 times with the Martial Fire technique leading the Breath to the core; this Breath should
be consolidated within the Dan Tien.
Now allow the Spirit to gently glow for 24 breaths through the Scholar Fire method. Practice
diligently every night. Do not deviate from this method and avoid practice during the daytime.
Gradually this will warm the Dan Tien and the Essence will flourish. There will be a great
harmonization of your Energy and the fog will gather. If you train long enough in this way you will
understand the method of opening and closing the Furnace. This is also known as refining the
medicine.
8 Consolidating the Energy within the Eight Congenital Meridians
In order to progress to this stage we must first successfully complete the prior stages of Converting
Essence into Energy and converting the Dan Tien. The Essence will become still and the Dan Tien
will naturally become warm. The cavities will be full of Energy.
At this time you should remain still and firm in your practice. Your mind will become quiet as if you
are stood in the shade. Allow your progress to evolve naturally. Do not help it in anyway and yet to
not ignore it. Simply observe and guard the Energy you have gathered through the use of
Consciousness.
Continue in this way until the Heat in the Furnace reaches a high. Then use your Upright Intention
to lead it. Lead towards the Wei Lu cavity. This should adhere to the principle of if the Energy does
not want to move then I do not move. If the Energy wants to move then I move first.
When the Energy is abundantly consolidated it will rise towards the crest of the head. It will
transform into sweet tasting liquid with a flash of perceived light. This liquid will begin to enter the
Ren meridian as well as fully filling the mouth. This fluid is rooted in the marrow and the brain. As it
travels into the Dan Tien it makes a different vibrational pattern from the Saliva of the mouth.
As this liquid travels it fully integrates the eight Congenital meridians into one single network. Note
that if you are not yet strong enough either physically or energetically you will need some time to
achieve this. Guard the process with your Spirit and accomplish your goal over several sessions.

Always be patient and wait until the Energy has the desire to move on its own before leading it to
Wei Lu and then Jia Ji cavities. If it requires rest then you must use your Spirit to guard it through
constant observation. Use guided intention to help it along its way. Gradually you will get it past the
Jade Pillow (Yu Zhen) and into the Ni Wan palace. This will begin the conversion to sweet nectar
which will return down into the Dan Tien.
9 Microcosmic Orbit methodology. Converting Essence in order to strengthen the brains
marrow.
Microcosmic orbit generates Energy through regular practice. Guide your Energy into the Ren and
Du meridians and lead it through the circulation down into the lower Dan Tien. This is the
microcosmic path. When this is done you may enter stillness and Energy will be born like a new
spark. The external world will become still and distant; it is important to be patient and remain in
this state. In time the Energy will begin to develop the desire to move of its own accord; as before
use the Spirit to guide it.
On each inhalation the Spiritual Energy will rise to the crown and then fall to the Dan Tien upon
exhalation. Thus a circulation is completed. Guard your process with your Spirit. Still and
illuminated, illuminated and Still. Within the emptiness you should break down your conceptual
understandings and enter a focused state. This is the beginning of the great rebirth. This is the full
process of returning the Essence to convert the substance of the brain.
10 Combining Energy and Spirit, circulating through the Ren and Du circuit.
When the above circuits have been moved past, you will be able to differentiate between movement
through rotation and stillness. The Dan Tien must reach the stage of becoming warm without
regulation. This will ensure the Original Energy is being generated. Do not let this Energy leak, lead
it towards your center and the Zhong Gong (central palace). Here it is mixed with your Spirit; they
combine within the thick mist you have formed within the stillness. It must remain still within the
now quiet Consciousness.
After some time the Original Energy will begin to move. This will be the result of the Furnace and
not the perceived light of Spirit. Allow this Energy to follow the circuit through the Dan Tien, via the
Wei Lu and into the Jia Ji, Jade Pillow and Ni Wan. From here it descends back into the lower Dan
Tien.
When you reach this level you will find that the Spirit will follow the movement of your Energy, it is
out of your control. This is the oath to rebirth which will lead you to enter the great stillness for
longer periods. Within the depths of this stillness the Spiritual Light shines like mercury.
The microcosmic orbit will continue as before for 300 revolutions before it will begin to slow down
and stop. After this is rebirth, the higher stages of practice. This is known as the rotation of the
Falun wheel.
11 Sealing the Yang Fire and Nourishing Life
When the Falun wheel has been achieved the Upright Energy will not pass through the Yang
gateway. The external is beyond your care any more. Good health will come and old chronic disease

will be shed. The body will regulate its own temperature and the harshness of cold and heat will no
longer be of concern.
The Spirit and the Energy are full and the Spiritual Essence is satisfied. Though this is a joyous state
one must continue to seek the contentment of stillness with in the core.
Store your Spirit and your Energy, look after your newly natural state. Your hearing will become
good, your eyes will shine brightly. When you have nourished the Energy thus you will fend off
disease and longevity will be yours. This is the best method of Nourishing Life which has been
passed to us by the ancients.
Footnote
The writings here are by Laoshan Taiqinggong Kuang Chang Xiu Daozhang. Born in 1905 he studied
for over half a century and left this guidance. Do not strive too hard a nd allow the process to unfold
naturally. Be systematic and progress steadily and in this way you may study to the above stages
without a teacher.

115

1905

Congenital Qi Gong - Part 1

Below is a translation of guidance in Congenital Qi Gong which was written down by
master Kuang Qang Xiu before his death. They form a part of the notes for the next book I
am working on which is a Nei Dan alchemical book written in the same step-by-step format
as my previous Nei Gong book. I thought I would include it here as it is a useful guide for
those interested in the deeper aspects of energy work. I have put it in two parts because of
its length
Note that the words I have capitalised are words which are used quite broadly within the
original text. They were words which I am exploring further within the translation in order
to distinguish them in their correct form. It is normal to leave this sort of ambiguity in
alchemical texts but not necessarily useful for my book!
Congenital Qi Gong from the Daoist tradition is a way to cultivate both your nature (Xing) and your
life path (Ming). For many generations it has been passed down from teacher to student; it is an
effective way to clear the body of illness and improve the strength of your health. With practice, it
can promote excellent levels of longevity. Originally these practices were taught by passing them
from Heart-Mind to Heart-Mind with no reliance on the limited language of words. Later, written
records were made but they were difficult to understand due to the metaphorical language used.
Few people ever really understood these teachings and less received the entire transmission of the
theories. These writings are the result of my own studies and I hope they will help the next
generation of practitioners.
1 Theory of the congenital and the acquired three powers
The three powers are Heaven, Man and Earth; each of these have three further treasures. The Sun,
the Moon and the Constellations are the three treasures of Heaven. Fire, Wind and Water are the
three treasures of Earth. Spirit, Energy and Essence are the three treasures of Humanity. The three
treausures of man begin to reform into one as we move close to our demise. The three treasures of
man also have a congenital and an acquired form; the congenital are Original Spirit, Original Energy

and Original Essence. The acquired form of these treasures are known as the Spirit of Intellect, The
Energy of Breath and the Jing of Tangibility. The congenital and the acquired forms of the treasures
interplay with each other throughout life.
It is tricky for us to understand and intellectualize the difference between the congenital and the
acquired due to their close relationship. The congenital Spirit is that of true consciousness whilst
acquired Spirit is that of our thought. They are two but one, separate but yet the same. Congenital
Essence is Stillness whilst the acquired Essence is the fuel of desire. Congenital energy is true and
upright whilst the acquired energy is the power of Breath. Only through hard work and stillness
practices can an honest practitioner understand what this means.
2 Consolidate the Essence to Build the Energy
First we must cultivate stillness as this is core to congenital Qi Gong practice. Only an undisturbed
Heart-Mind can effectively work with and lead our Energy. When we practice we will always find
that the mind is full of many thoughts, it is an unkempt as a wildly overgrown bush; this causes the
Spirit to become weak and disturbed. We must train to keep stillness in our Heart-Mind during every
aspect of our daily lives, this includes when we speak, listen watch or interact with others, this is
important. To help expand our energy we must keep this stillness when sitting, standing, sleeping or
moving around. Me must stay firm in our efforts. The sages say that:, we should walk as if moving on
a long flat road, when standing we should move our Spirit into the void of emptiness, in sitting we
must lead the Breath into the lower Dan Tien and when laying down we must preserve the elixir we
our cultivating. Expand your energy through such diligence. In this way the Heart-Mind will calm,
the Fire will clear and the mood will regulate itself; any resentment will fade away.
Secondly we must cultivate our Nature to silence the Mind, these thoughts originate from within the
stillness at the center of the Heart-Mind disturbing it. If this is the case we cannot unite the Energy
of the Heart-Mind with the treasure of Breath. We must gather the scattered nature (Xing) and
create the light of Spirit. Cultivate your stillness, collect your Nature, perceive the light and silence
the acquired Mind. From here you will see the white clouds (also known as the White Room). This
happens as the Spirit can move out from the stillness. The waves of movement come next as the
Energy of the macrocosm move into the Heart. From here comes true emptiness but this takes time,
be patient. At this time the Heart-Mind is still.
The perceived light is the manifestation of your Nature; it can only exist if the Nature is consolidated
and strong. Use the light to ascertain the strength of the Nature.
To perceive the light we must sit in stillness. Collect the mind before the eyes. The position is both
there but not there; yet it is always illuminated. This is the method of perceiving the cloudy room.
This will make the small mind big and the small light shine brightly. The movements will come and
then the light of stillness will arrive. The light will appear mis-shapen but will gradually become
fixed and uniform. But beware, you cannot over use the mind for this process. One should not strive
as stillness is required. Train from 11 at night until 5 in the morning, especially beginners. The
increase of Yang Energy at this time will aid in the training.
3 Cultivate the Spirit in the Region of the Energy
When the Nature is consolidated and the Mind is still, the white clouds will appear. Now the Mind

attention should be led down to the lower Dan Tien region. This will help the Stillness to remain
within the Heart-Mind.
This will help the awareness to light up the regions of the cavities of Energy. The Energy now
neither stays nor leaves; it is vaguely there but yet brightly lit in stillness. It remains in the deep
peacefulness, in the dusky emptiness. It rids the body of the dormant psychological devils. The True
Heart-Mind remains steadfast and alone; though it is still you may feel the Breath in the silence. In
breathes in towards the collecting point of Energy and upwards when exhaling towards the Heart.
When the Mind and the Breath are linked you may let your psyche fade away. The Heart will rest
with the Energy and the Energy will secretly subtly enwrap the Heart-Mind. They become a single
unit resting within a fog of Heart Energy.
4 Returning Saliva to Essence
The Saliva can be used in our practice. It can be converted into a disease fighting agent. High level
Saliva can lead to longevity. Saliva is born from the Water of the Kidneys and had has a relationship
to the Blood of the Heart. The two, when combined in the fluid, can help to promote Original
Essence.
It is classically said that the mouth is the Jade Pool in the Palace of Heaven. Through the
consumption of its fluid the Magical Will of the Ling can erase disease and internal evils. During all
activities rest the tongue on the roof of the mouth and thus the Saliva will be cultivated. When the
mouth is full of saliva use the correct technique of extending the neck and swallowing to absorb the
essence of the Saliva. When you have mastered this, the saliva will reach the Dan Tien, stillness will
be born and loss of self will be the result. This is the culmination of work with the intention and the
Heart-Mind. From this profound inner stillness movement will be born. Yin will become Yang and the
Original Essence will be nourished.
5- When do we Cultivate Essence?
Between 11 at night and one in the morning, there is a rise of Yang, midnight is the peak. The body
will wish to naturally align with Heaven and Earth at this time.
Though it is easy to cultivate Yang at this time it is also easy to fall under the spell of desire which
will harm our practice. For this reason we can also use the rising of inner Yang which takes place
between three and five in the morning. This is known as the Living Zi Time. In contacting the Yang
of this hour there will be external occurrences. We must understand is this occurrence is due to
clear or polluted Kidney Water. Our job is to cultivate the clear water through a still Mind. A Mind
which is moving will only produce the polluted water which is no good for our practice.
Please excuse there roughness of the grammar within the translation, it was translated for
my notes rather than ever being intended to go public

Becoming Christ!
It is an interesting facet of human nature that we often wish to seek out some kind of higher purpose.
This may be through the practice of an internal art such as Taiji or Yoga, through study of self-books
written by modern Gurus or through aligning ourselves with one of the many religions which exist
across the world. It seems that ordinary life, though temporarily pleasing in many ways, simply is
not enough for a great many people who wish to find out what the real meaning of life is. Perhaps
we could argue that the passion many people have for turning to science for answers is a
manifestation of the same need. The new religion of science is now probing the cosmos for answers
as to what exactly makes us exist and its followers are equally as passionate as any church-goer.
It is interesting for me to see how these different paths unfold for people across the world. In the
last decade I have travelled through 25 or so countries on several different continents. In each of
these places a different system as it were is giving people a chance to search for the answers they
are looking for in a different way. I have spent time in Christian countries, Buddhist countries,
Muslim countries, Hindu countries and many countries where science ruled. In each of these places
I have had the chance to see how these systems guided people and how absolutely sure the people
there were that they alone had the right answers. All other systems were completely wrong, even if
they did not say it aloud for political correctness reasons I am pretty sure they felt it deep inside. It
is a strange trait of human beings that this concept of being right gives us great comfort as it lifts
us above our fellow human beings in some way.
In many of the countries I have been in I have seen how problems between the different religions
existing there has led to violence. Churches fight against mosques and blood has run as each
factions god seems to have told their followers to kill the other gods followers. On a worldwide scale
this has obviously been going on for centuries and different gods seem to be telling their followers to
attack different groups upon a whim including, at different times, non-believers, other religions,
witches, homosexuals, other races and potential terrorists. What strange beings gods are that they
order people to do such things when they have the power, apparently, to wipe us out with a great
flood whenever they want to any way.
To me a religion is just a spiritual system. It is a path which was originally developed to help people
grow. They are forms of Qi Gong to me with a whole load of fluff attached to them. If we actually
look at the lives of people like Buddha or Jesus it is clear to see that they were highly advanced
internal practitioners. Through deep insight and diligent practice they had reached such a level of
divine awareness that they naturally had a great affect upon those around them. Let us be clear
though, Buddha was not a Buddhist and Jesus was not a Christian; these concepts did not exist at
that time. They were individuals who stepped out of conventional religious thought at the time and
developed a way to teach people to advance themselves through self-analysis and compassion. Some
might argue that Buddhism is not a religion but I would say that it is as it has monks, priests and a
hierarchal structure. As soon as any spiritual group develops these and reaches any great size it has
become a religion. I believe that politically Buddhism tries to state that it is a philosophy rather than
a religion so that it can distance itself from the atrocities committed on a daily basis worldwide by
the other religions; a division I find completely understandable.
There is nothing wrong with any religion at their heart if we are to look at the original teachings

which founded them. To be honest they are all pretty similar, it is only once people added layer after
layer of their own interpretation and developed hierarchies that they become kind of nonsensical.
The external worship and ritual become more important than the original message of oneness and
compassion and straight away problems developed. Now the tale was wagging the dog so to speak
and their function was forgotten. It is my strong belief that anybody can find the spiritual answers
they seek through a system or religion but they must understand when to step away from convention
as the founders of the religions did in the first place. The system can only take you so far before you
get lost in the mire of ritual; they should be treated as methods which can open the door for you but
then, once the fundamentals have been learnt, a person must seek their own answers. The problem
is that people following religions are trying to be a good Christian, a Buddhist or a Hindu. What are
they doing? These people should be striving to be Christ, Buddha or Krishna. These were people
on earth who attained spiritual liberation from the constructs of their worldly form through their
practices (unless you take the son of god thing literally of course). They did not have grand churches,
temples or golden statues of themselves to worship. They had a simple method of liberating
themselves which they developed and followed in order to attain the states they did. Existing
religions were not their way, although they were all pointed in the right direction by the religions
existing round them at that time.
What is wrong with aiming to be Christ or Buddha? By all accounts there were pretty decent people.
It seems to me that the systems which developed around them after their death have only served to
divide people from those states by adding lots of unnecessary crap. Crap which causes division and
strife between groups.
Daoism is no different. In the first instance there was a guy (or possibly a group) who discussed a
way in which to elevate the consciousness through simple living, non-conventional thought and
meditation. As time went on more and more nonsense developed from this and now in Daoism there
are gods, temples, monks, ritual etc. Daoism fell into the same trap as Christianity, Buddhism,
Hinduism etc. People are lost in the rituals once more and cannot find their way to the true message.
The rituals can serve a purpose, at the beginning. That is all. Once there is no need for them they
should be dropped and the essence of the system sought out. It should be sought out through
simplicity. Even science is no different. Scientific thought can lead you so far but the great
discoveries of science were all made by those who dropped conventional thought and stepped
outside of the system. First labeled as crackpots they became scientific geniuses, the prophets of
the science of religion.
So why dont people step away from external ritual into the simplicity of their systems? I think that
there are several reasons. Firstly it is comforting to stay within the rituals, to move away from them
is to enter a land of uncertainty and lose the comfort blanket of external belief. Secondly those in
charge often have a vested interest in keeping you within ritual because this means that those
leading the rituals are still required; the go between that allows you communicate with god through
them is still in control. Thirdly I believe that it is because the vast amount of religious people dont
actually have full faith in their religion anyway. If people actually believed deep-down inside of
themselves with no doubt whatsoever that their religion was true then they would not need the ritual;
they would find their own way to god. If people fully believed their own religion to be real at their
core they would not need to kill others to prove it. If you tell me that the sky is green I will not kill
you. I will not get angry as I have no doubt that the sky is not green. You can keep saying it until you

are blue in the face but it will not bother me, I will simply think you are crazy. Clearly you are not
speaking the truth. But, if somebody tells a religious fanatic that their god is not real then there is a
good chance that they will become defensive and angry, even if it is not shown on the outside, keep
probing, it will show itself. Why is this? Are they not as certain of their belief as the sky is blue?
Nope. They have doubt. You will usually find that people expend the most energy defending
something that they are actually unsure of themselves. You have touched upon that little glimmer of
doubt that sits right there within them that prevents them from knowing wholeheartedly that they
are actually 100% correct and other people are just crazy.
So why the doubt? Simple; ritual. Many people engaging with religions are so lost in the ritualistic
actions which are a part of their system that they have never actually experienced god or higher
purpose. The ritual has kept them away from actually going inside, the deep, quiet place many
religions strive to lead you towards as this is where your god will be found. In the profound
emptiness which will allow you to experience the very nature of existence. Once this experience has
been had, there is no doubt; you have touched upon the seed of creation, the spark of god which
exists within your soul. Those few who have reached this stage are often said to have been spoken
to by god and deemed saints. They have taken the first step towards becoming Christ, Buddha or
any of the other spiritual prophets of the ancient times. When this happens there is no need for
ritual, external religious behavior, visits to churches to confess you sins or anything else like this.
You have found your own way to spiritual growth, a way which is deeply personal to you and yet at
the same time universal across all colors, creeds and indeed religions.
To me, this is one of the greatest meanings hidden within the instruction of learn and then forget
attributed to Laozi. Find your way through convention and then be prepared to step out of it when it
is no longer needed, for the only way is no way.