The Book of I Ching (Classic of Changes) contains the thoughts of the Chinese people in philosophy, medicine, astronomy, geography, arithmetic, literature, military affairs, music, art, and martial arts. In addition, I Ching serves different functions for different people. For many scholars, it is regarded as a book of philosophy. For the fortune tellers, it…
One of the primary roles of a Daoist spiritual Master is provide various services to their community. This includes rituals and ceremonies. Daoists undergo extensive training in the ritual arts, and often preside at weddings, births, purification ceremonies and blessings for new homes and businesses. Because we have been inspired by these practices, and want…
It’s 5 o’clock in the morning, the hour of day called “Breaking the Quiet”. As the sun rises and the people in the temple wake up, the sound of a drum calls them to the main altar where they begin their morning ritual. They chant sacred texts and prayers for peace accompanied by flutes and…
Living with the Dao. Life is a great training center; existence is a kind of cultivation, we are all constantly refining it. The results depend on the path we choose. The “Dao” 道 is a very abstract word. Everyone understands it a little differently. For me, the Dao is a kind of natural regular pattern in the…
At the Daoist Gate Center, there are often Chinese medicine doctors and qigong teachers who come to study with me, and they also help heal people for free. Tatiana B. is one of them. During the Spring of 2021, when the second wave of the pandemic was starting to wane, Tatiana was the fourth student…
Defining these hallucinations as “demons” is to express that they disrupt our quiet sitting, and distract from our cultivation. At the same time, it also is a kind of training for our heart-minds, as it helps us take a calm and undisturbed perspective on many things.
What is the difference between Qigong, Meditation, and Inner Alchemy?
Elixirs (dan) were pills Chinese doctors made in antiquity, objects that in those times were very mysterious. In novels and movies we often see scenes where a person takes one of these pills (an elixir), and is able to come back to life, or attain the Dao and become an immortal.
Please begin by reading “Standing Meditation for Martial Power” first. The standing meditation practices for health and healing use proper body alignment and relaxation to encourage proper Qi flow and remove physical and emotional blockages. This differs from the martial standing because the whole body is relaxed, with no force or power. Qigong style standing…
When you hear the word “meditation” you probably picture a person sitting down. But, standing meditation (zhàn zhuāng 站桩) is a simple and powerful practice you can use to build strength, improve balance, increase sensitivity, calm the mind, and promote healthy Qi flow. There are two main types of standing meditation depending on your goals:…
Many people in the United States ask me the difference between Wudang style and Shaolin style. Both Shaolin and Wudang are traditional Chinese martial arts, but they are different in many ways. SHAOLIN Shaolin style kung fu comes from Shaolin Temple, in Henan Province, Northern China. Legend has it that around 500 CE, a Buddhist…
