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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Master Zhao Ming Wang of Beijing often leads small groups inside the 'Temple' area of his ancestral home (and much larger groups in various other locations). These short-forms are called 'rooting' (扎根 - Zha Gen) or 'taking root', and simultaneously referred to as 'gongfu' (功夫) and 'taiji' (太极)! Like all forms of Chinese martial arts, the movements are related to a) inner and outer medical fitness, b) psychological and emotional maturity and c) self-defence. Below, is another advanced practitioner of Qianfeng Daoism beautifully demonstrating physical 'rootedness' and spiritual 'awareness' - this is Qianfeng Disciple 'Tian Xin Zi' (天心子). As this is a 'lay' lineage stemming from a 'monastic' lineage - it is invariably referred to within Chinese literature as existing 'Outside the Temple'. Although 'external' to the Temple (originally situated on Qianfeng Mountain) - its teachings encompass the must sublime 'internal', 'external' and 'integrated' aspects of Daoist self-cultivation These videos were shared with me via Master Zhao Ming Wang's WeChat Group operating in China. The debate that unfolded here, is whether this Disciples movements were in accordance with those of Master Zhao Ming Wang's. Master Zhao did not get involved but the consensus was that even if followed perfectly - the forms will always take-on a certain input from the unique configuration of the mind and body of the practitioner concerned (what is often termed 'lineage variation' seen within the various generations of an established style): Added below is a short news article that appeared on Mainland China News regarding the respect which the Qianfeng School (under Master Zhao Ming Wang) is held throughout modern China! Yin – Yang (陰陽) = ‘Shadow’ (‘Lack of Light’, ‘Dark’) – ‘Non-Shadow’ (‘Presence of Light’, ‘ Bright’)
Taiji Tu (太极图) = ‘Grand Ridge-Pole’ (a theoretical ‘rotating, controlling and directing ‘central’ polarity that lies at the heart of all material and immaterial reality – continuously ebbing and flowing between light (Yang) and dark (Yin) – dark and light (and any and all other corresponding and associated polarities). There are a number of shaded roundels all depicting the inter-play of ‘light’ (Yang) and ‘dark’ (Yin) – all termed ‘Taiji Tu’ – although within popular culture in the West these symbols are referred to as ‘Yin-Yang’ Symbols. Within Chinese culture, the ‘Taiji Tu’ is understood to symbolise the flux of ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang’ – but only from within the context of a continuously rotating and controlling centrality (the ‘Grand Ridge-Pole’). Therefore, the ‘Taiji Tu’ is never referred to as a ‘Yin-Yang’ Symbol within Chinese thinking – as this would imply an inversion of logic – similar to only ever referring to an ‘automobile’ through the functional agency of ‘mileage’. This ‘measure of movement’ tells the enquirer ‘nothing’ about the ‘automobile’ that is moving. The ox sweats if it is ill, or if it is working hard at the plough. It might sweat if the day is unusually hot, and those farmers who specialise in in looking after cows of various types, are always on the look-out for extreme variation in climate, weather and environmental temperature, as such changes are liable to induce negative health issues upon the animals. Therefore, an astute observation of nature informs the farmer that there is ‘good’ sweating (through hard-work and the need to cool-down), and there is ‘bad’ sweating (generated through too much ‘heat’ being present within the body of the ox itself, causing over-heating, exhaustion and general ill-health). If ‘heat’ is appropriately maintained on the ‘inside’ and on the ‘outside’ of the ox, then the inner and outer body of the animal will be maintained at its optimum level of well-being. Today, this is a very well-developed science within animal-husbandry, with many articles being available advising exactly what temperature a cow’s body should be at various times of the day, and at specific times of the year, etc. This is because humanity has had a very close relationship with cattle throughout the last ten thousand years or so, and has come to rely upon its strength and sustenance for survival.
Indeed, those humans who developed the ideal of medical knowledge throughout human history, realised from an early time that the bodies of animals were neither structurally or functionally that different from the human-beings who hunted, observed or avoided them! Although daily habits vary widely between different species of animals and between animals in general and human-beings specifically, there was understood to be a definite similarity of biological function that allowed certain parallels of assumption and conclusion to be formulated. Human-beings, for instance, sweated when subjecting their bodies to the tasks of arduous labour, cooled-down when resting in the shade or sitting in water, and often sweated when illness was present. The husbandry rules that applied to oxen could easily be modified and applied to the human-body as a form of medical management. Of course, humans may well have been aware of the functionality of their own bodies a long time before oxen were domesticated, but when developing an objective observational science about another species, it could well have been the case that this served as the foundation for a more incisive understanding of the human condition, and at the very least generated the conditions for a further dialectical progression in human medical thinking. Within traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), human sweating outside of regular exercise is viewed as an imbalance of inner qi-energy within the body. As sweats can be ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ this in-turn is defined as too much ‘yin’ or too much ‘yang’ being present (with yin and yang being viewed as differing polarities of a collective qi-energy flow). This also means that too much yin (cold qi) suggests that there is a lack of yang (hot qi) – and too much yang (hot qi) means that there is a lack of yin (cold qi), etc. These imbalances are rectified by regulating the living environment by opening a window, increasing or decreasing bed-covers, increasing or decreasing sun-light, as well as regulating the diet with the increase or decrease of yin or yang foods as required. A further regulatory step requires regular exercise such as Taijiquan. Sometimes, a healthy ‘sweat’ is achieved on the surface of the upper body whilst slowly performing the movements of the internal martial arts even though the heart-rate remains slow and strong, and the mind and body remain in a calm and relaxed position. This is viewed as successfully ‘expelling’ impurities from the body in the form of negative qi – with the Taijiquan sweat being either ‘cold’ or ‘warm’ depending upon the imbalance being corrected. If an excess of yang is being expelled – then the Taijiquan sweat will be ‘warm’ - whereas if too much yin is the issue, then the expelled Taijiquan sweat will be ‘cold’, etc. The schools of Philosophical Daoism, however, have developed a method of self-cultivation known as ‘Sweating Ox’ (汗牛功 - Han Nui Gong) - which appears to be designed for men of 40-50 years-of-age – as a means to regain sexual vigour and all-round robust health after the natural youthfulness has left the body. At least many men who practice this method confirm that after just a short-time of circulating ‘qi’ and ‘jing’ through the Governing and Conception Vessels – their daily (morning) erections are again evident after being virtually non-existent for a period of time. Not only this, but bones, nails and teeth strengthen and improve, as well as hair ‘thickens’ and becomes less brittle and dry. The mouth retains a natural moistness, and vision and hearing become sharper. The mind increases its ability to remain calm and yet focus intently upon a subject. Certainly, within the Qianfeng School, ‘Sweating Ox’ is performed as part of a daily schedule of Taijiquan-like exercises preserved within the tradition (a type of proto-Taijiquan). The digestive system becomes much more flexible and regular, as a sense of deep inner strength manifests throughout the body. Master Zhao Ming Wang states that the mind must be kept calm so that a permanent inner peace can be attained. During this time, the qi-energy channels of the body must be ‘dredged’ of all their impurities. This is how an expansive conscious awareness (shen) is developed which embraces all-things! A practitioner ‘sweats’ as the focused concentration of ‘will’ is directed through the qi-energy channels and encounters all the blocked energy which needs to be removed through pressure and persistence. This resistance to pollution causes the ‘sweat’ which diminishes in scope as the blocking energy is slowly but permanently banished from the body! The diagram above is from a Chinese Medical Dictionary and forms one of twenty-four exercises ascribed to ‘Chen Xiyi’ (陈希夷). These are the old ‘导引’ (Dao Yin) - ‘Stretching and Loosening’ exercises designed by the ancient sages which form the basis of all modern qigong and other internal exercises. These twenty-four exercises are linked to the twenty-four segments of the Chinese ‘solar’ calendar – which was referenced when setting the preferred lunar calendar and agricultural year. The exercises themselves are designed to ‘regulate’ heat in the body just as the sun shines upon the country of China, its crops, animals and humans. If heat is lacking, then the exercises generate and store ‘yang’ (heat), and if heat is in excess – the exercises will dissipate and expel excessive ‘yang’ (heat). As some of these exercises can be performed in the seated, meditation position, and given that a Master can perform ALL the movements on the inside of the body (as if ‘moving’ the outside of the body when it is in fact ‘still’), these exercises are known as ‘坐功’ (Zuo Gong) - which implies the mastery of inner and outer transformation that is beyond both ‘movement’ and ‘stillness’. In the above exercise, the time of day should be between 5am – 7am. After a few minutes in seated meditation, the practitioner stands-up with feet shoulder-width apart (breathing-in fully through the nose) and swings both arms (palms-up) above the head with the eyes looking upwards (breathing-out through the mouth). The arms drop to the side in a controlled manner (breathing-in) and the mind and body re-sets – prepared to go again. This exercise should be repeated at least thirty-times. Whilst performing these movements, the teeth should be gently knocking against one another continuously with any accumulated mouth liquid ‘spit-out’ in a hygienic manner. Remember to allow for a curving of the lower-spine when lifting the arms – with the bodyweight dropping straight down through the centre of the bones into the floor – and rebounding back upwards to the top of the extended fingers when stretching upwards. Although the bodyweight drops and rises spontaneously every moment – this process is more observable at different time depending upon the type of postures and movements we are assuming, as some positions emphasis the ‘dropping’ of bodyweight – whilst other focus on the bodyweight ‘rebounding’ and forming the shocking striking power associated with the internal martial arts. Treatment: waist and kidney accumulation of negative (yin) qi-energy, general fatigue and dryness, headache, heartache and desire to drink, yellow eyes, hypochondriac pain, diminished thirst, cures sadness and encourages laughter and clears forgetfulness, whilst preventing cough and vomiting, body heat and thigh pain, heart grief, head pain and cheek discolouration. Chinese Language Reference: https://www.chinaqw.com/hwjy/hykt/200901/17/147224.shtml https://www.ccdi.gov.cn/lswh/wenhua/wenyuan/202102/t20210220_236116.html http://fashion.chinadaily.com.cn/2018-05/23/content_36255405.htm https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/376608093 http://wudaowang.org/qfgf/2534.html http://bencao.5000yan.com/bbzz/323.html https://yijing.5000yan.com/mingci/2403.html https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/85573135.html Author: 大爱双成 (Da Ai Shuang Cheng) - ‘Great Love – Double Success’ -- 2019-07-08 10:31
(Translated By Adrian Chan-Wyles PhD) Sweating is a natural phenomenon of the human body. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that abnormal sweating occurs when the body's yin and yang are out of balance and the viscera is dysfunctional. We have made a brief summary of abnormal sweating, let's take a look. Excessive sweating during the day no matter in winter or summer, in the case of inactivity or light activity during the day, sweating often occurs, accompanied by physical weakness, low voice, poor appetite, and cold susceptibility. Chinese medicine believes that this is a manifestation of qi deficiency. You can choose Chinese yam, soy milk, beef and mutton, etc., or stewed chicken with Codonopsis or Astragalus to replenish the body and relieve qi deficiency. You can also enhance your physical fitness through soothing exercises, such as Taijiquan or Qigong and so on. Sweating at night Sweating when you fall asleep and stop sweating when you wake up are called "night sweats" in Chinese medicine. These people often have symptoms such as hot hands and feet, upset, redness and fever on the face, and dry mouth and throat. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that it is a manifestation of yin deficiency. They can choose lily and other yin-nourishing products in their diet, and eat less lamb, onion, ginger, and garlic. Other hot foods can also be drunk in water such as Adenophora, Ophiopogon, Schisandra or American ginseng. Excessive sweating. If you experience hyperhidrosis on the head and face after overeating, and feel full of upper abdomen, thirsty, and no desire to eat, most of which are due to the over-accumulation food, you can reduce the amount of food consumed and eat a light diet to relieve it. You can also take some digestive medicine; if accompanied by heavy limbs and weakness, bloating and discomfort, fever in the body, thick and yellow greasy tongue coating are manifestations of dampness and heat in the spleen and stomach, and a light diet is recommended. It is normal for a child to have slight sweating during sleep; however, if it is accompanied by sleeplessness, restlessness, frights, and thinning hair, it should be diagnosed and treated in time. In addition, the elderly and women who are weak after childbirth may also have excessive sweating on their heads, which are mostly qi deficiency. Sweaty hands, feet, and head If sweating of the hands, feet and head are accompanied by heat in the hands, feet, and oropharynx, it is mostly due to yin deficiency and over-heat; if sweating of the hands, feet, and head is accompanied by abdominal bloating and pain, stool failure, mostly due to faecal accumulation in the intestines, you can take a laxative If sweating of the hands, feet and head are accompanied by dry mouth, swollen and painful gums, etc., it is mostly gastric fever, so you can take traditional Chinese medicine for clearing stomach heat. Sweaty head and chest are more common in some scholarly workers. It is often accompanied by psychological fatigue, loss of appetite, poor sleep, bad dreams and other manifestations. It belongs to excessive thinking and a heart and spleen deficiency. Appropriate exercises such as jogging, Taijiquan and Qigong, etc. can relieve stress and regulate body and mind. If the smell of sweat is fishy, it is mostly related to heat syndrome or damp-heat syndrome. The diet should be light, and you can drink chrysanthemums, green grass, etc. in water. Summer is sultry and sweating a lot, and there is thirst, dizziness, chest tightness, nausea, palpitation, weakness of limbs, tinnitus, elevated body temperature, etc. It is generally a sign of heatstroke. Move to a cool and ventilated place in time and add some light salt water for a short time. The inside can return to normal. The difference between night sweats and spontaneous sweating is that spontaneous sweating refers to sweating during the day, or it can be considered as sweating profusely with a little movement; this phenomenon is usually caused by deficiency of qi. Due to the decline of the patient's concentration function, the sweat cannot be focused, resulting in abnormal Sweat. Night sweats refer to sweating during sleep at night, and the sweat stops on its own when waking up during the day. It is usually caused by yin deficiency. Nursing 1. Keep the air fresh in your home, avoid smoke and dust stimulation, and pay attention to temperature and humidity. 2. Wipe your body and change clothes in time to avoid being overly thick, and to prevent collapse due to excessive sweating. 3. Patients should take high-protein foods, such as meat, eggs, milk, etc., to supplement their nutrition. 4. A lot of night sweats should drink plenty of water to add enough water. Source: Popularization of Medicinal Materials Original Chinese Language Text: https://kuaibao.qq.com/s/20190708AZPFGY00?refer=spider 身体盗汗,是哪里出问题了? 大爱双成 2019-07-08 10:31 出汗是人体的一种自然现象,中医认为,当人体阴阳失衡、脏腑功能失调时则会出现异常出汗。对于异常出汗我们做了个简单总结,一起来看看吧。 白天出汗过多 无论冬夏,在白天不活动或轻微活动的情况下,常汗出不止,常伴有身体虚弱、说话声音较低、食欲差、易感冒等特点。中医认为这是气虚的表现,饮食上可选择山药、豆浆、牛羊肉等,也可用党参或黄芪炖鸡,以补益机体,缓解气虚。还可通过动作舒缓的运动增强体质,如太极拳、八段锦等。 晚上出汗 睡着出汗,醒来汗止,中医称为“盗汗”。这些人常有手脚心热、心烦、面部发红发热、口咽干燥等症状,中医认为是阴虚表现,饮食上可选择百合、雪梨等滋阴之品,少吃羊肉、洋葱、姜、蒜等热性食物,也可用沙参、麦冬、五味子或西洋参等泡水饮用。 头汗过多 若暴饮暴食后出现头面部多汗,同时觉得上腹胀满、口渴、不欲饮食,多为积食,可通过减少进食量、吃清淡饮食缓解,也可吃点消化药;若伴随肢体沉重无力,胃胀不适,身体发热,舌苔厚而黄腻,是脾胃有湿热的表现,饮食宜清淡。孩子睡眠时出现轻微头汗属正常现象;但若伴有睡眠不实、烦躁不安、易惊吓、头发稀少等表现,要及时诊治。此外,老人和产后身体虚弱的女性,也会有头汗过多的情况,多属于气虚。 手足心多汗 如果手足心多汗伴有手脚心热、口咽干燥等,多属于阴虚有热;若手足心多汗伴随腹部胀满疼痛,大便不通,多属于肠道内有积粪,可服用通便药;若手足心多汗伴随口干、牙龈肿痛等,多属胃热,可服清胃热的中药。 心窝、胸口多汗 多见于一些脑力工作者,常伴有精神倦怠、食欲不振、睡眠差、多梦等表现,属于思虑过度而见心脾虚。可通过适当的运动如慢跑、太极拳、八段锦等缓解压力,调节身心。 出汗的气味 如果汗味腥臭,多与热证或湿热证有关,饮食宜清淡,可用菊花、茵陈等泡水饮。夏季闷热大量出汗,并出现口渴、头昏、胸闷、恶心、心慌、四肢无力、耳鸣、体温升高等,一般是中暑先兆,应及时转移到阴凉通风的地方,补充一些淡盐水,短时间内可恢复正常。 盗汗和自汗的区别 自汗指的是白天出汗,或者也可以认为是稍微一动就会大汗淋漓;这种现象通常是由于气虚所导致,由于患者的固摄功能下降,无法固摄住汗液,导致了异常的汗出。盗汗则是指夜间睡觉时出汗,白天醒来时汗液自行止住,通常是由于阴虚所造成的。 护理 1.居处保持空气新鲜,避免烟尘刺激,注意温湿度。 2.及时擦身,更换衣服,避免衣被过厚,同时防止因出汗过多而引起虚脱。 3.患者应进高蛋白食物,如肉类、蛋类、牛奶等,以补充营养。 4.大量盗汗应多喝水,以补充足够的水分。 来源:药材科普 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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