The Law of Good Health and Long-life
Original Chinese
Language Article By: Qianfeng Daoist Master Zhao Ming Wang (赵明旺)
(Translated by Adrian
Chan-Wyles PhD)
My great grandfather – Zhao Bichen (1860-1942) – taught the
Daoist self-cultivation techniques of building health and prolonging life. He recorded his life –time of understanding
in his manual entitled 'The Secret Cultivation of Essential Nature and Eternal
Life’ (性命法决明指 – Xing Ming Fa Jue Ming
Zhi). Through this book he made it clear
that authentic Daoist self-cultivation cannot happen in a haphazard or chaotic
manner, and that a face to face transmission must take place. A qualified teacher must carefully guide a
diligent student through the many specific Daoist exercises, in the right
order, and in the correct way.
The first and vitally important step is to ‘calm and still’ the mind through the practice of effective meditation. However, this is not as easy as it sounds, and even a dedicated spiritual practitioner can have difficulty achieving this objective. Frustration and anger (through fire in the liver) can occur in the body, and congeal around the ‘baihui’ (百会) point at the top of the centre of the head – causing headaches and flushed cheeks. When this happens, medicine is usually required to restore the balance of energies in the body. So you can see the dangers that a master must deal with for each student – even at the very beginning of training.
Despite these potential problems, some people attempt to follow the above manual on their own with no guidance from a qualified master. There may be a little progress in this approach, but problems will soon arise. The reality of Daoist training is that different stages of life, require a different set of instructions to balance the body energies. A true master has already developed him or herself, and has already followed the instructions of a qualified teacher. This is why they possess the authentic knowledge to guide others at each step of the Daoist path.
A friend of mine said that he had been studying a Daoist manual of self-cultivation for many years, and had been practicing the ‘Ma Yin (马阴) Accumulation Phase’, and I asked him if he had a teacher to guide him. He said that he thought that everything he needed to know was contained in the manual, and that an actual teacher was not required. When I heard this, I laughed! I now speak to him many times by video-call, and this has allowed me to adjust his head and neck position when he is meditating (and many other things). This is because he now understands the importance of good guidance at the right time, and not just to rely upon a manual for his self-cultivation. I advised him that if he is cultivating Ma Yin, why does he not possess the correct postural alignment with regard to the throat and neck area? Refining Ma Yin is not easy, and bad posture prevents the qi energy from freely flowing around the body and correctly accumulating in the lower dantian, so that the genital area is nourished as a consequence.
I want to say that Daoist self-cultivation is a difficult process that can appear confusing due to its complexity and diverseness of technique. However, it is also true that if you find a good teacher who represents an authentic lineage, then your success in self-cultivation is assured. This is because each step of the path is clearly understood and appropriately laid-out. Furthermore, a good teacher knows exactly how to guide the student at the right time. Think about this – manuals are useful and helpful – but the wisdom they contain must be brought to life by a qualified teacher.
Beijing Qianfeng Zhao Bichen Cultural Arts and Exchange Centre.
Daojia, Qianfeng Prenatal School Lineage Inheritor.
Qianfeng Hermitage: Zhao Ming Wang
©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2015.
Original Chinese Language Source Article: http://752315496.blog.163.com/blog/static/88300182200810614928315/
性命双修.修法
性命双修.修炼之法在[赵避尘]始祖的[性命法决明指]一书中以讲明.但要想真正学好.能入门而不乱.必得由师传面授.在练功的同时加以护理.培育之法.才能顺利的进行修炼功法.
就第一步[收心求静]功夫.刚刚打坐的修士很难入静.后由肝火上升.上至百会面红耳赤有头痛之感.此时必要配合一些中药来调理去其肝火.由师傅指点培育才能步入第一步功夫.
有的人看看书自己炼功.哈哈放心.他一辈子也炼不出来.因为 性命双修的每一步功夫都有火候.如何炼法师必认真传授.助炼方能步入修炼.
有位朋友和我讲.道家性命双修的书看了好几年了.以修炼到[马阴藏相]了我问他可有师缚?他说没有全是照书炼的.我笑了.我和他在电脑上视频.一看脖子上的大喉节还在.我对这位朋友讲想修炼是好事.但没有师傅千万不要自己看看书就炼.你说炼到马阴藏象了.而你的大喉节还在外边啊.?能炼至马阴藏象那是道家的高深功夫阳具以回.
在这里我想告诉大家.修炼性命双修功夫不同与江湖小术.随便炼炼就行.而要代代相传的.每一步功夫都有它的火候..师必真传才行.
北京千峰赵避尘文化艺术交流中心
道家千峰先天派
千峰草堂 : 赵明旺
The first and vitally important step is to ‘calm and still’ the mind through the practice of effective meditation. However, this is not as easy as it sounds, and even a dedicated spiritual practitioner can have difficulty achieving this objective. Frustration and anger (through fire in the liver) can occur in the body, and congeal around the ‘baihui’ (百会) point at the top of the centre of the head – causing headaches and flushed cheeks. When this happens, medicine is usually required to restore the balance of energies in the body. So you can see the dangers that a master must deal with for each student – even at the very beginning of training.
Despite these potential problems, some people attempt to follow the above manual on their own with no guidance from a qualified master. There may be a little progress in this approach, but problems will soon arise. The reality of Daoist training is that different stages of life, require a different set of instructions to balance the body energies. A true master has already developed him or herself, and has already followed the instructions of a qualified teacher. This is why they possess the authentic knowledge to guide others at each step of the Daoist path.
A friend of mine said that he had been studying a Daoist manual of self-cultivation for many years, and had been practicing the ‘Ma Yin (马阴) Accumulation Phase’, and I asked him if he had a teacher to guide him. He said that he thought that everything he needed to know was contained in the manual, and that an actual teacher was not required. When I heard this, I laughed! I now speak to him many times by video-call, and this has allowed me to adjust his head and neck position when he is meditating (and many other things). This is because he now understands the importance of good guidance at the right time, and not just to rely upon a manual for his self-cultivation. I advised him that if he is cultivating Ma Yin, why does he not possess the correct postural alignment with regard to the throat and neck area? Refining Ma Yin is not easy, and bad posture prevents the qi energy from freely flowing around the body and correctly accumulating in the lower dantian, so that the genital area is nourished as a consequence.
I want to say that Daoist self-cultivation is a difficult process that can appear confusing due to its complexity and diverseness of technique. However, it is also true that if you find a good teacher who represents an authentic lineage, then your success in self-cultivation is assured. This is because each step of the path is clearly understood and appropriately laid-out. Furthermore, a good teacher knows exactly how to guide the student at the right time. Think about this – manuals are useful and helpful – but the wisdom they contain must be brought to life by a qualified teacher.
Beijing Qianfeng Zhao Bichen Cultural Arts and Exchange Centre.
Daojia, Qianfeng Prenatal School Lineage Inheritor.
Qianfeng Hermitage: Zhao Ming Wang
©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2015.
Original Chinese Language Source Article: http://752315496.blog.163.com/blog/static/88300182200810614928315/
性命双修.修法
性命双修.修炼之法在[赵避尘]始祖的[性命法决明指]一书中以讲明.但要想真正学好.能入门而不乱.必得由师传面授.在练功的同时加以护理.培育之法.才能顺利的进行修炼功法.
就第一步[收心求静]功夫.刚刚打坐的修士很难入静.后由肝火上升.上至百会面红耳赤有头痛之感.此时必要配合一些中药来调理去其肝火.由师傅指点培育才能步入第一步功夫.
有的人看看书自己炼功.哈哈放心.他一辈子也炼不出来.因为 性命双修的每一步功夫都有火候.如何炼法师必认真传授.助炼方能步入修炼.
有位朋友和我讲.道家性命双修的书看了好几年了.以修炼到[马阴藏相]了我问他可有师缚?他说没有全是照书炼的.我笑了.我和他在电脑上视频.一看脖子上的大喉节还在.我对这位朋友讲想修炼是好事.但没有师傅千万不要自己看看书就炼.你说炼到马阴藏象了.而你的大喉节还在外边啊.?能炼至马阴藏象那是道家的高深功夫阳具以回.
在这里我想告诉大家.修炼性命双修功夫不同与江湖小术.随便炼炼就行.而要代代相传的.每一步功夫都有它的火候..师必真传才行.
北京千峰赵避尘文化艺术交流中心
道家千峰先天派
千峰草堂 : 赵明旺