Dear S The words will tumble as they will - all simultaneously (and equally) full of 'worth' (Yang) and worthlessness (Yin) - and who is to say where this distribution occurs? Many spend their time ascribing 'worth' and denying 'worthlessness' - except those immersed in the essence of the Dao (whatever that is). Linguistic trickery springs to mind - but then I find that when we sit in the endless moment - here and now - we can fill eternity with whatever we want. The point about this is that we do not have to necessarily 'fill' it with physical things - as this remains beyond the means of many (and for different reason) - but ideas cost nothing in the material sense, although the spiritual paths quite rightly advise against not filling the psychic space with visions that might upset the emotional balance (as many are prone to do). Of course, I fill the space with 'silence' and with 'words' as and when the moment seems right to do so. I am not suggesting you are doing (or thinking) any of the above - but through the sharing of these words perhaps a premise for the next step might materialise - for either one of us. Many years ago, I communicated with Eva Wong (perhaps in the late 1980s) and she discussed her Old Daoist Master with me. This distinguished lady (old herself at the time) was very kind to communicate with me when she discovered my lineage link with Zhao Bichen (1860-1942). Like all effective things ‘Daoist’ - this lady chose her words very carefully - so that she did not tread in a sensitive place. She agreed to pass my respectful greetings to her Old Master - and that was enough. Again, the expert use of 'emptiness' and 'form' - 'words' and 'silence' (dare I say - 'women' and 'men'). I was taken with the stories about Bodhidharma preserved in the Chinese language (Daoist) literature - and how they differed (in content and scope) to those retained in the Ch'an Records. This was at a time long before the Internet - when there was no direct link with any other country and all academic work was pursued face-to-face and via local libraries! Letter-writing was a crucial skill in those times - something akin to a relatively short but highly mobile 'book' (a 'pamphlet' I suppose) - through which important data could be made known, provided and exchanged. Not every recipient was willing to exchange data through this method - but each letter had to be written exactly right - just in case! For a time, the inner path takes on an isolatory stage and letter-writing (already existent in ancient China) was an excellent way to remain detached from the direct machinations of everyday life - whilst still benefitting from the wisdom traditions accrued by humanity! Today, we do the same but in different ways! Best Wishes Adrian
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Humanity exists in a psychological-physical space defined as being situated under the divine sky (乾 - qian2) and above the broad earth (坤 - kun1). Humanity stands on the broad earth and is covered by the canopy of the divine sky! This is recorded in the Zhouyi (周易) - or ‘Changes of the Zhou Dynasty’. This Classical text is better known in China as the ‘Yijing’ (易經) - or ‘Change Classic’, etc. Indeed, existence in this text is presented as an interaction of the forces of ‘light’ and ‘dark’ which manifest in the first two hexagrams as 1) ‘䷀’ (乾 - qian2) - ‘Yang’ (light) and 2) ‘䷁’ (坤 - kun1) - ‘Yin’ (dark). These two hexagrams interact in such a manner so as to produce the further 62 hexagrams which comprise the ‘Book of Change’ – each individual hexagram of which contains the root of the other 63 hexagrams within its constantly ‘moving’ six-lined structure of ‘broken’ and ‘straight’ lines (with each transitioning into its opposite when the conditions dictate). For Daoist self-cultivation, this is a blue-print for the mind and body – and all the changes needed to purify these structures and transform its functionality from the mundane to the supramundane. Nothing in reality (and physical existence) goes beyond the divine sky or the broad earth and these concepts must be thoroughly studied and understood. The hexagram ‘乾’ (qian2) - ‘divine sky’ - is comprised of two particles. The left-hand particle is ‘龺’ (Zhuo) - but this is constructed from ‘十日十’ - with ‘十’ (shi2) referring to the number ‘ten’ or the concept of ‘completeness’, and ‘日’ (ri4) meaning ‘day’, ‘sun’, ‘light’ and ‘every day of the month’, etc. When all three are combined there is ‘completion - sunlight – completion' (龺) or that which ‘gives rise to all things through the power of light, heat and positivity’! The right-hand particle is ‘乞’ (qi3). This is comprised of two particles. The top particle is ‘人’ (ren2) meaning ‘person’ or ‘people’, etc. The lower particle is ‘弓’ (gong1) referring to the use of the ‘bow and arrow’. When all this data is assembled together - 乾’ (qian2) or the ‘divine sky’ suggests an individual (or group) that have mastered the bow and arrow. This in-turn suggests that a complete inner and outer mastery has been attained. This concept is represented by the ability to shoot the arrow ‘correctly’ from the ‘bow’, so that mind, body and environment are unified in a perfect moment of eternal awareness that cannot be shaken. Out and out light re-produces itself without end – like a bow that never ends its draw – or which never needs to be drawn – such is the perfect positioning and readiness of its archer! Although physical ‘light’ originates from the external sun – the spiritual ‘illumination’ sought after by the ancient Daoists emerges entirely from the inner being – and yet as both are pure ‘yang’, it seems that both possess exactly the same source of purity and continuous re-becoming (hence ‘longevity’). The ideogram 坤’ (kun1) - 'broad earth' - is comprised of the left-hand particle ‘土’ (tu3) which is traditionally thought to represent a potter’s wheel upon which is a lump of clay. Whereas ‘乾’ (qian2) or the ‘divine sky’ can be associated with the male reproduction fluid (and the explosive nature of the conceiving moment), the ‘clay’ or ‘soil’ as envisioned within this concept is that of absorbing (feminine) fertility! This ‘soil’ or ‘earth’ is highly fertile and able to reproduce the plant life required for humanity to exist. Just as agriculture and farming are genuine scientific art-forms – so is the act of conceiving, growing, birthing, protecting and educating a child. The idea of ‘clay’ is clever as it suggests that out of one substance (I.e., ‘earth’) - another structure can emerge! A clay-filled soil not only gives rise to the food that feeds humanity and its domesticated animals – but the dirt can be transformed into something completely different (such as a cup or a plate, etc) providing it first passes through the hands of a skilled artisan! Although highly practical in concept, this also refers to the highly skilled guidance of a Daoist Master who ‘moulds’ the inner and outer structures of his or her disciples! The right-hand particle is ‘申’ (shen1) and stands for ‘lightning’. This is comprised of a) 工 (gong1) the sound of thunder (shocking and sudden – like an unexpected attack) b) 弓 (gong1) the shape of lightning (like that of the ‘bow’) and c) 口 (kou3) the sound of thunder (like an open mouth ‘shouting’ or ‘scream’) which all suggests that lightning ‘申‘ (shen1) implies the presence and arrival of the great and guiding divine spirit (神 - shen2)! When combined together - 坤’ (kun1) - strongly suggests discipline and self-mastery through the attention of detail. Attention to detail is the doorway through which the divine spirit enters the earth (and travels through its populations). Without self-discipline the earth cannot be mastered and nothing can be ‘transformed’.
Dear Friend
There may well be other Daoist lineages being practiced outside of China – but Master Zhao’s Qianfeng lineage is rare. Indeed, Master Zhao has only acknowledged the lineage from his grandfather (Zhao Bichen 1860-1942) who taught my grand-teacher Charles Luk (1898-1978) in the West. That means at the moment - I am the only recognised gateway for this lineage in the West. This is not because I am good at it or even talented in any way – it is just that I am ‘here’ and was taught by Richard Hunn (1949-2006) - the head-disciple of Charles Luk. Master Zhao spent some months in conversation with me and then surprised me with recognising my lineage – for which I am very grateful. This is unusual, as I am not a formal disciple of Master Zhao Ming Wang. I suppose I must go to house one day and serve him tea and get this ceremony out of the way. He keeps asking me to go. This means you are stuck with me. Women los their essential energy (jing and qi) through the vagina and the nipples of the breasts. This suggests that the jing (essential nature) and qi (vital force) leave the body through menstruation, sexual arousal and sexual activity. This activity (in both men and women) is referred to as a ‘leakage’ of the essentials energies that preserve health and prolongs life-spans. Eating meat diminishes essential energy, whilst eating a vegetarian diet (of various kinds). Within Chinese culture this is far easier than in the West, as bowls of rice and boiled or fried vegetables are plentiful – as you know. There is also the moral imperative of not taking any form of life. Drinking green tea and/or plenty of water keeps the body well-hydrated. All this is a matter of behavioural modification and change of habit. As for the mind – one sits in meditation and directs the breath from the tip of the coccyx up to the top of the head with the inward breath – and then the breath travels down the centre of the face, the centre of torso and down into and around the groin and through anus-area and back to the coccyx – where the cycle begins again. Each session should involve 360 full cycles (usually in the morning). As you breath-in, you become aware of energy moving back into the body through the vagina and into the energy channel in the spine (where it is directed up to the top of head). Simultaneously, you become aware of energy returning into the body from the breast and nipple area – where it is integrated into the energy channel of the spine and directed up to the top of head. As the vagina is anatomically situated lower than the breasts – the energy enters the spinal area slightly lower than that from the breast area. All of this is practiced with the intention of ‘stilling’ the mind and clarifying the spiritual vision. Dear Friend Be careful with the fasting if your losing blood - or at least take a supplement like immunace or something similar. Science and spirit can over-lap in a helpful way. Within Daoist teaching I have read that some women can 'stop' all blood-flow on a permanent basis through an act of will. However, this is usually older women who are over forty (and looking beautiful to my mind). My Western friends often react with incredulity when I casually mention this practice - but it's all in the context of the situation. As these women are approaching the menopause - they simply align their intention with the unfolding physical reality. The surrounding Daoist ideology was once referred to as 'mystical nonsense', although to be fair, the person stating this had no real knowledge of Chinese culture or Daoist practice. Master Zhao Ming Wang is a great man in the traditional Chinese sense. He works in the hospitals around Beijing with people who are terminally ill. Quite often they have tried Western medicine and it has not worked, and so they have chosen to move to a TCM hospital (all financed by the State). Master Zhao treats them out of compassion and there has been a number of 'miracle' transformations. He is such a good person that he even secured a meeting with North Korean Representatives and discussed Daoist practice in the DPRK. The Western media – as you know – continuously lies about China and North Korea, and so some people do not understand why Master Zhao is proud of the achievements of the Communist Party of China. Outside of the distortions of Western racism – the world is a very different place!
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AuthorAdrian Chan-Wyles (內丹 - Shi Da Dao) - Qianfeng Lineage: Zhao Bichen (1860-1942), Charles Luk (1898-1978) and Richard Hunn (1949-2006). Acknowledges Master Zhao Ming Wang (赵明旺) of Beijing as the ONLY Lineage Head of the Zhao Family Lineage of Qianfeng Daoism in China and the world. Archives
February 2024
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