Empty Vessel Fall 2019
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The Journal of Taoist Philosophy & Practice
IN HIS T ISSUE
aT mois n i het Seasons Manuals for yveliL n I a pirs ion t Qigong: A journey
Editor's corner Hello readers!
A
utumn equinox has passed, and we move into the phase of the year where the nights stay longer, and the cold starts to linger. This season has always been my favorite and I wanted to share that with you all in this edition of The Empty Vessel. When many of us think of fall, what comes to mind is sweater weather, changing trees and landscape, and many Western holiday celebrations (think pumpkins and turkeys). So, with this edition we wanted to bring to you what fall traditions and meanings are in Taoism and Chinese culture. I’ve compiled a special feature for this edition that I hope you will enjoy! Feedback and questions are welcome. Please contact us at our new email we’ve set up EmptyVesselMag@gmail.com or our website www.EmptyVessel.net.
The Empty Vessel — Page 2
As I continue this journey in Taoism, I’m still learning what it means to change and shed what is only temporary. Learning to live like nature’s seasons and allowing ourselves to follow the path true in our life. Until next season.
— Heather Hernandez Editor
Publisher's corner
T
he fall equinox is a good time to harvest the fruits of all your summer work and recycle or let go of what no longer serves you. The seasons are subtle here in south Florida, so this is the time I begin to turn my attention to inner cultivation, letting go and wrapping up long term projects if possible, clutter cleaning, and creating an action plan to implement during our busy winter season. Chris and I want to take another opportunity to thank you for continuing your journey of Taoism with us and the Empty Vessel magazine. As always, please feel free to reach out to us or Heather with your submissions or suggestions about what you would like to see in your magazine.
What I’m reading this quarter On first glance, Minerals for the Genetic Code doesn’t look like it has anything to do with Taoism, but Charles Walters delves into Dr. Richard Olree’s research, resulting in a book that synthesizes minerals, subatomic particles, genetics, chiropractic and Chinese meridians and connects it to the I Ching. This definitely is not light reading, but it is another fascinating way to look at how the subatomic microcosm influences the macrocosm of our physical shell. Minerals for the Genetic Code 308 pages https://www.acresusa.com/ products/minerals-for-thegenetic-code Fall 2019 — Page 3
What is Taoism?
What is Taoism?
Tao is referred to as The Way, as in direction, in manner, source, destination, purpose and process. In discovering and exploring Tao, the process and destination are one and the same. Lao Tzu describes a Taoist as the one who sees simplicity in the complicated, and achieves greatness in the little things. It is a simple and natural way of being in our bodies and our psyches, and sharing the Way of being with all life we come into contact with.
Taoism Origins Taoism was long established before Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching 2,500 years ago. It originated in the ancient shamanic roots of Chinese
civilization. For many centuries Taoism was an informal way of life, a way followed by peasant, farmer, gentleman philosopher and artist. Followers of the Way studied the stars in the heavens and the energy that lies deep within the Earth. They meditated upon the energy flow within their bodies and mapped out the roads and paths it traveled upon.
The Way The Way is a deep reflection, learning from Nature which is considered the highest teacher. It is a belief in life, a belief in the glorious procession of each unfolding moment. The Way is a deeply spiritual life, involving retrospect, balance, emotional and spiritual independence and responsibility with awareness and
a deep connection to the Earth and all other life forms.
Taoism Today Taoism in China and the West today is often divided in two forms, Tao Jiao and Tao Jia, or religious Taoism and philosophical Taoism. Many scholars argue that there are not two distinct forms of Taoism, and in many ways they are right. There is a great intermingling of the religious form of Taoism and it various sects and the philosophical Taoism of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi). Many people who follow the Tao do not consider themselves religious people, do not go to temples and are not ordained priests. Rather these forms exist side-by-side and within each other.
‘It is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to attempt to carry it when it is full.’ — Lao Tzu
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Contents Fall 2019
Volume 26 Number 3
Features Manuals for Lively Inspiration.......... 8 What a long strange trip it’s been........ 20 Qigong: A journey........ 24 Taoism in the Seasons .................. 32-33
Departments Directory / Classifieds ........38 Event Calendar .................... 39 Poetry Corner .............. 14-16 Book Reviews .............. 17, 29, 37 Like us on Facebook @EmptyVesselMagazine Or visit
www.EmptyVessel.net
The Empty Vessel The Journal of Taoist Philosophy and Practice Publishers Dr. Nicole Noles Collins & Christopher Collins Editorial, Design, Advertising Dr. Nicole Noles Collins & Heather Hernandez Facebook Team Dr. Nicole Noles Collins, Christopher Collins & Heather Hernandez The Empty Vessel: A Journal of Contemporary Taoism is published quarterly by DaoDog Press, 3440 Conway Blvd. Unit 1D, Port Charlotte FL 33952. Subscriptions are $22 per year (U.S. funds). International subscriptions are $27 per year (U.S. funds). ©2019 DaoDog Press, all rights reserved. The Empty Vessel is not responsible for opinions or statements expressed by authors or for advertisers' claims. Advertising rates are available by calling The Empty Vessel /Vitalichi Acupuncture at 941-979-9793 or emailing daodogpress@gmail.com. The Empty Vessel is dedicated to the exploration of Taoist philosophy and practice. It is open to sharing the various traditional and contemporary teachings in a nondiscriminatory manner. We at The Empty Vessel believe that it is in using these practices and attitudes of the ancient achieved ones that we can best benefit from them and in doing so, be able to affect change in the world around us.
Fall 2019 — Page 5
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are headed.” The Empty Vessel — Page 6
— Lao Tzu
Contributors Sandie Osborne has been interested in Chinese culture since the age 12. She lived in Hawaii for 31 years, and has traveled widely in China and Hong Kong. She has practiced Chinese brush-painting.
Dr. Christopher R. Holder is a Medical Qigong doctor and a strength and conditioning coach. He studied under the tutelage of Qigong Grand Master Sifu Jerry Alan Johnson, received his DMQ, co-authored a Qigong study on collegiate athletes, is currently the head strength and conditioning coach for Mater Dei High School and has a private practice. Solala Towler founded the Abode of the Eternal Tao in Eugene, Oregon, in 1993. He also created The Empty Vessel magazine, which he published quarterly for 25 years until 2018. Solala has had 12 books published on the Taoist arts, and offer tours to China, I Ching readings and courses in Taoism. He can be reached at solala@abodetao. com/www.abodetao.com.
•••
Poetry Contributors — Rachel Hamilton — C.L. Babcock — Ray Vespe — Sandie Osborne
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Fall 2019 — Page 7
Manuals for Lively Inspiration By Sandie Osborne
practice, the student of painting or any practice may need to rely on manuals. Painting manuals became popular in the late Ming Part 3: Previously, we discussed dynasty, a particularly significant the tools and the energy of the practice of Chinese painting. Here period of art reference standards, and when the practice began to we present sources, principles of be a pastime for people of leisure composition, techniques, and (an upscaling class of travelers perception so you can make a and literati, as well as simple painting, a first step toward your Daoists, who might be disposed album, a record of cultivation. to calligraphy, the marriage of painting and poetry, the grandparent of those landscapes The best way to learn a painting practice, as with taijiquan, is with with inscriptions). In prosperous times, painting was no longer a teacher whose skill is credible and is transmitted to you through just an endeavor of elite scholars and poets, but an indulgence demonstration and sincerity. of the more or less idle, quite But this may not be in your possibly wives and concubines. fortune, or you may only have Hence the popularity of manuals. brief direct experience with a Not the first, but one of the master. To enhance or develop a The Empty Vessel — Page 8
most famous, the Mustard Seed Garden Manual, from 1679, is still readily available on its own, and is excerpted in a popular book in English by Mai-Mai Sze, “The Way of Chinese Painting — Its Ideas and Techniques,” first published in 1956. Literati (scholars) wrote about painting much earlier, but not in such a practical way. While the early art critics extolled virtues of styles, and critiqued the insights of the classic painters and calligraphers, the newer manuals illustrated the motifs and techniques for an audience who already knew how to hold and move a brush in accordance with established and accepted cosmic principles. The Chinese generally learned how to write
by copying calligraphy; to extend that skill to imagery was a logical extension. I approached a Chinese gentleman painter not long ago, seeking a new teacher after an overseas move took me away from a beloved mentor. The new acquaintance studied the brushstrokes of a couple of my existing works, and said, “Just get the Mustard Seed Manual and work your way through it. That’s what I did.” You might also scour YouTube for video tutorials which show technique. But like learning taiji from a video, you may succeed only if you have had some transmitted instruction from a human being first. You cannot learn taiji from simply reading the Taiji Classics, perhaps akin to Xie He’s Six Principles of painting, though the texts will inform and enhance your practice. A bit more sophisticated than my beginner’s novelty kit, manuals of traditional origin and the currently published show how to paint symbols and motifs: birds, flowers, rocks, mountains, water, human figures, elements of nature. You can pick a motif and concentrate on it. Symbolic motifs are characteristic of Chinese painting. Dictionaries of the symbolic meanings might help you construct a more meaningful painting. Zheng Baiqiao of the 18th century painted nothing but bamboo, orchids, and rocks, satisfying symbols, through his whole life. Today easily obtained manuals go beyond the classics, and may focus on insects or vegetables, flowers and mountains, and even such specific topics like “How to Paint Lifelike Camels” or “Cute Animals.”
In addition to manuals, you may want to collect albums, museum catalogs, and art history books to inspire your painting. Once you become familiar with the way of the brush, you will appreciate even more the classics, and be able to distinguish the great from the mediocre, and assess the various contemporary styles which either honor or break the models of the past. A collection of a single painter’s oeuvre, or of figures or landscapes, will speak and sing, bringing the outdoors in, circulating what your eye sees on a scroll or out your window and the way the life force may be transmitted to paper.
Regarding that life force, rarely do you see a dead thing in a traditional Chinese painting. I once was captivated in the Smithsonian by a huge Flemish oil still life of a rustic pantry: a gorgeous execution with flowers, fruits and vegetables, cooking implements, arrayed on oiled wooden board, in rich lighted detail—including a dead rabbit drooped on the table. Occasionally in a Chinese still life, you will see a fish or shrimp or crab, even a chicken, foodstuff, but I don’t recall ever seeing a dead mammal. Wild birds and water buffalo, flowers and trees are depicted with vitality, just as brushed waterfalls and Fall 2019 — Page 9
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mountains convey the qi of the earth. Actually, there is no such thing as a “still” life in a Chinese painting. The painting should radiate energy and honor life.
Styles of painting Notwithstanding some modern Chinese art, there are two basic traditional styles—xie yi (spontaneous) and gong bi (highly detailed, elaborate, disciplined and structured.) A xie yi painting can be completed in less than an hour, in one sitting, like a session of qigong. You cannot go back and correct or modify it. Although sometimes you might transform an unfortunate ink splash into a bird or a tree. Gong bi has some of the concentrating appeal of adult coloring books, albeit with your own carefully drawn and colored design. A gong bi painting can take weeks, coloring the outlined image with layers of pigment and water, using two brushes.
Basic strokes and techniques The ink brush strokes of Chinese painting, more functional than application of color or rendering dimension, are the basic language of the xie yi artist. They are based in calligraphy strokes (which is partly why one “writes and reads” a Chinese painting). Practicing a brush stroke is a basic exercise of controlled and connected lines and dots, like stances and steps in taiji. There is a kind of “magic paper” for both calligraphy and image practice, a grid and ground for strokes; a water-loaded brush is used, reminiscent of the wax and film “magic slates” we used as children to make marks and disappear them, repeatedly.
He Xie’s Six Principles
“Spirit Resonance,” or vitality, and seems to translate to the nervous energy transmitted from the artist into the work. The overall energy of a work of art.
“Bone Method,” or the way of using the brush. This refers not only to texture and brush stroke, but to the close link between handwriting and personality. In his day, the art of calligraphy was inseparable from painting. “Correspondence to the Object,” or the depicting of form, which would
include shape and line.
“Suitability to Type,” or the application of color, including layers, value and
tone.
“Division and Planning,” or placing and arrangement, corresponding to
composition, space and depth.
“Transmission by Copying,” or the copying of models, not only from life
but also the works of antiquity.
— WIKIPEDIA.COM
When the wet mark dries, it vanishes on the magic paper so you can start all over. I like to use paper toweling or old newsprint to practice and test marks with ink or color in my brush. Sometimes these blotters become appealing spontaneous works of abstract art themselves. A basic how-to manual will illustrate the various lines and dots: long and short, thick and thin, with abrupt or trailing or reversing ends and beginnings. Varying pressure on the brush through a stroke, using the tip or the side, will produce different effects. The amount of moisture, and the density of ink or color will produce graded effects. Closely observe a painting to identify these qualities. Chinese art has generally been more focused on line—stroke— to build images, as opposed to approximating light and shade for a 3-D effect.
Composition: Balance with Contrast, Perspective The fundamental aim in Chinese painting is to achieve harmony
through balance and contrast. To create balance, try to divide the blank space of your paper into a magic square, nine squares equally arranged within a larger square. The corners of the central square are the best focal points; the outer horizontal end points of the square are the best beginning and ending points. This is similar to contemporary western grid theory, which is based on the rule of thirds. In calligraphy a similar “squaring” is used but it radiates from a center point in the eight directions like a bagua. One grid for area, another for direction or distance. Yin/yang balance is achieved with a gathering or scattering of elements, contrasts of dark/ light/, clear/blurring, showing/ hiding, large/small, long /short, curved/straight, still/moving. Yin and yang. Consider these elements in painted images when “reading” or “writing” a painting. Because Chinese painting traditionally depends more on energetic line to create form, perspective is not linear, but diffuse. Images may “float” on a plain background. If there Fall 2019 — Page 11
is a detailed sea, there will not be a clouded sky; flowers will not be displayed against a cluttered background. The vanishing point is an element in western art; in Chinese art, the images tend to be arranged on a surface and distinguished by contrast and the flow of qi, not a linear depth achieved by lines converging to a single point. As in other energy practices, structure is important; in painting you might charcoal it in, a warm-up for the painting to be gently dusted off after you execute the brush work. As taichi is generally performed in a limited space, as opposed to a race from a starting point to and end, so is the Chinese painting a sort of freeze frame. You get one chance, unless you are accomplished at recovery. But you can make 10,000 paintings!
Dao of Creativity Brush painting is actively participating in creation, and perhaps the xie yi style, the spontaneous, might better meld the manifest world and its artistic representation. When Laozi says you can know the world without going out your door, he might have been thinking of the scholar at his table, wielding a brush and revealing his vision of nature. The xie ye painter —the most Daoist— engages in deep inward contemplation and then quickly paints his vision. To paint anything, one must study the structure, see bones, life, qi. But as you delve into this practice, you may discover an apposite reaction. With an imaginary brush in mind, you will begin to observe the living tree, its structure, its qi revealed. How would you paint this energy? In my early days of this practice (which I really should do more), I started to see real objects as if they were painted; the real world began to reveal its qi, its form, its color in a way it hadn’t before, through a different sort of perception achieved through a practice. A mirrored perception of reality in my mind now persists, and sometimes I don’t feel the need or desire to paint it at all. (Or perhaps it is those 18,000 photos on my phone). Perhaps as a form of cultivation, I don’t really need to do anything at all. Just let the qi flow. My teacher once told me to experiment, try anything. He had lineage, training, and history, practiced qigong and taiji, is a generous, open and cheerful man despite having come of age in the Cultural Revolution. He also painted in oil. I would like to ask him if the monk Shi Tao, a late Ming/early Qing painter was correct when he said The Empty Vessel — Page 12
“the method which consists in not following any method is the perfect method.” I leave it up to you.
Bibliography 1) The Way of Chinese Painting, Mai-mai Sze, 1956, Random House 2) Art by the Book, Painting Manuals and the Leisure Life in Late Ming China, J.P. Park, 2012,University of Washington Perss 3) The Chinese Literati on Painting: Susan Bush, 1971, Harvard University Press 4) CAS WIlliams etc
Embarking Upon the Way: A Course on Taoism by Solala Towler
5 CDs One DVD 130-page book (on disk) Take a journey into the philosophy and practices of Taoism with master teacher Solala Towler. Over five hours of audio and two hours of video along with a 130-page book (on disk). The eight main principles of Taoism and instruction on Taoist Meditation. Seven guided meditations and more.
Hard copy on disks: $79 (with free shipping) http://abodetao.com/store/#!/ Embarking-Upon-the-Way-A-Course-inTaoism/p/94364000/category=28462308 Hard Copy on flash drive: $79 (with free shipping) https://my.ecwid.com/ store/1783331#product:mode=new Digital version: $59 http://abodetao.com/store/#!/Embarking-Upon-the-Way-A-Course-in-TaoismDIGITAL-DOWNLOAD/p/103406332/ category=28462308 The Abode of the Eternal Tao 1991 Garfield St. Eugene OR 97405
130-page book covering all the main principles and history of Taoism plus Chinese medicine, meditation, the Way of Tea and Tao and the Great Mother. DVD: Instruction on Dao-In (Taoist Yoga), Grounding and Rooting Qigong, Spiraling Dragon Qigong, video from China and more!
Order now and receive a 25-minute bonus video (Introduction to Taoism) for free! Go online to www.abodetao.com
or call 541-345-8854 Fall 2019 — Page 13
Poetry Corner Send in your poetry submissions and art to daodogpress@gmail.com. Send high-resolution images as attachments and copy in the body of the email.
The Nature In Me
By Rachel Hamilton
I watched the river flow Where it was to end up it did not know It trusted it would flow where it should be It didn’t fight or struggle it was light and free I watched a tree waving in the wind It bent but did not break again and again It was smart enough to surrender to the wind In the end it was still standing a win Tell me why after all I see Do I let life be a struggle for me
Karma By C.L. Babcook
I plan and plan my dream seems further away I live in the past and future but not today I no longer force I just let go I raise up my hands I just don’t know Where will my journey lead me today I let nature show me the way I now choose to live as nature flow with this day I live in my heart nature leads my way I let go and claim I just don’t know I trust the process let nature lead where I should go.
The ghosts of the past come forward By means of our insincere actions Haunting the present because of the past. Unresolved actions, painful memories That need to be addressed,
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But rarely are. Few can review their past With eyes of clarity. Too many sorrows, too many fears. The ripple effect of tragedy As we move ever closer to Dao
Lady Yin & Lord Yang By Ray Vespe Lady Yin of the Winter Spirit Soulful Kneader and Shaper Of Life’s soft raw dough Standing next to the deep Well Even in her coldest and dampest Of dark moonlit nights She always remembers Her loving Summer Lord Yang And… Lord Yang of the Summer Spirit Soulful Baker and Keeper Of Life’s solid whole Loaves Sitting next to the flaming Hearth Even in His hottest and driest Of bright sunlit days He never forgets His loving Winter Lady Yin And… They both rejoice together When joining once again At the Common Boundary Of Spring and Autumn Equinoxes When blessing the Bread And… They both kneel together When crossing once again At the Familiar Turning Of Dawn and Dusk When sharing the Bread And… They both dance together When reversing once again Upon Earth’s still Ground At the warming Valley Waters Where Yin is becoming Yang Beneath Heaven’s clear Sky At the cooling Mountain Fires When Yang is becoming Yin In their endless Transforming
Author’s Note: This poem was created for, and concluded, my keynote address at the 15th Annual Taoist Gathering at the Taoist Center in Oakland last October. After preparing the address, I was reflecting on Yin and Yang relationships and the words Lady and Lord came into my awareness. I looked up their etymological definitions in the dictionary, and lo and behold and much to my surprise, discovered that the root meaning of lady is “kneader of bread” and Lord is “keeper of loaves”! This poem naturally unfolded from that truly amazing and delightful moment of discovery. Fall 2019 — Page 15
A Brush with the Tao — Hu Ke Ming’s Calla
By Sandie Osborne Incense is wafting A cup of wine or tea is set I fill my three-bin water bowl I gather my brushes I lay out my felt I am thinking about what to paint, been reading Peter Swann I search for my favorite copy book “100 Flowers by Hu Ke Ming” my teacher’s teacher’s teacher, it is said Lineage in painting is important too I pick the calla lily I rip/tear/cut a sheet from my throwaway practice
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roll of rice paper I grind ink while contemplating Hu Ke Ming’s calla. I select my wolf brush, after 2 years becoming supple I feel its spirit I mix ink and water on my plate I trace/follow/mimic Hu Ke Ming’s calla steps using all the techniques passed down I stroke and stroke push and pull My painting looks nothing like HKM’s calla I start all over again.
Book Review
Daoist Morning and Evening Altar Recitations By Josh Paynter and Jack Schaefer Parting Clouds Daoist Education A translation of the 玄門早晚壇功課經 (Xuanmen zaowan tan gongke jing)
This work is a complete translation of the Morning and Evening Altar Recitations, aka “The Gongke”. The Gongke is the collection of liturgical scriptures recited at the altar at every Quanzhen Daoist Temple. These recitations occur in the early morning and in the evening, and can be as simple as a sole chanter or as complicated as the entire body of resident monks and nuns. There can be a simple accompaniment of a wooden fish bell, or the ornate accompaniment of the Daoist orchestra. Whether simple or complex, at the heart of these performances is the text itself. The corpus of texts is a fascinating journey through Daoist doctrine and practice. Prayers of purification, hagiographies of special deities, prayers of commitment, cosmology, meditation, theory, and much more all converge in this collection. It can be said that this is a pocket sized or mini Daoist Canon. Josh and Jack set about translating this as a response to a deep need to connect to the tradition and the most common practices as experienced in daily life at the temples. As Daoism continues to take root in the West, it is becoming more mature in its presence. The relationship to lineages in China is becoming the new norm. As such, there is a need to align with those practices that describe traditional lineage Daoism. The Gongke, and its recitation, is one such defining text. By having access to the translation and the original Chinese and pinyin pronunciation (all provided in this
book), the English-speaking person can now engage and understand this practice and the textual depth and meaning within. Together, Josh and Jack, 22nd generation Long Men priests are the main teachers and founders of Parting Clouds Daoist Education. Parting Clouds is a community that has been recognized as a temple/ community by Zhang Mingxin, the Abbess of Qingcheng’s Jianfu gong. This translation is the first in the Parting Clouds Daoist Resources series. More core practical texts and translations are upcoming from Parting Clouds Press. SUBJECT: Taoist Philosophy / Western Taoism • ISBN-13: 978-1-68707-363-1(paperback) • COST: $29.99 • PAGES: 178 pages/paperback
Fall 2019 — Page 17
Temple of the Celestial Cloud Esoteric Daoist Mysticism
The following books have been written by Professor Jerry Alan Johnson and contain translated texts from ancient Zhen Yi Daoist Mystisicm and are introduced for the first time in English.
Daoist Exorcism. Contains the History of Exorcism, The Three Realms of Daoist Magic, Interac-
tions with the Spirit World, Schools of Daoist Sorcery, Understanding Psychic Influence, Principles of Psychic Interference, Psychic Attacks, Types of Psychic Attacks, Symptoms That Indicate a Psychic Attack, Defending Against Psychic Attacks, Encounters With Ghosts, Types of Hauntings, Communicating with Ghosts, Encounters With Spirits, Historic Classification of Spirits and Immortals, Seductive Spirits, Animal Spirits, Plant Spirits, Nature Spirits, Spirits of the Elemental Realms, Spirit Snakes and Spider Spirits, Sensations Attributed to the Presence of Spirit Entities, How and Why Negative Spirit Entities Attack, Self-Defense Against Spirit Entities, Protecting Children, Closing the Ghost Gate to Protect against Ghosts and Spirits, Encounters With Demonic and Evil Spirits, Demonology, Levels of Demonic Influence, Demonic Manifestation, Demonology According to Christian Mysticism, Historical Facts, Demonic Attacks, Encounters with Demon or Spirit Possessed Individuals, Demon or Spirit Oppression and more. $175
Daoist Alchemy: Nei Gong. Secret teachings of esoteric Daoist Alchemy written by a Senior
Daoist Abbot for his “Wen (Healer/Scholar) - Wu (Martial)” disciples. This historic instruction book includes an introduction to Ancient Chinese Alchemy, Spiritual Transformation, The Metaphysical Realm, Returning to the Original Nature, External Alchemy and Daoist Lower Magic, Internal Alchemy and Daoist Middle Magic, Esoteric Alchemy and Daoist High Magic, Magic and Immortality, The Natural Forces of the Three Powers, Nine Treasures and Daoist Alchemy, Understanding Energy (Qi), The Five Realms of Energy, Energetic Formation of the Universe, The Five Pure Lights, The Yellow River Chart (Hetu), The Luo River Graph, Three Martial, Medical, and Magical Schools of Daoist Neigong Training, and more. $200
Daoist Incantations. Imprinting with Incantations, Enchantment, Trance Induction, Daoist Magical Hand Seal Training, Types of Hand Seals, Specific Functions of the Hand Seals, Hand Seals Used For Worship, Summoning, Protection, Obstruction, Attacking, Binding, Imprisoning, and Sealing, Mao Shan Hand Seals Used for Healing or Protection, History of Daoist Star Stepping, Using Star Stepping with Hand Seals, Incantations and Magic Seals, Summoning the Spirits of the Dead, Summoning Celestial Immortals, and more. $85
Daoist Magic Tools. This particular training manual provides information originating from the
Taiqing (Great Clarity) Daoist tradition, and includes secret methods of writing magical talismans and speaking sacred Words of Power via Breath Incantations. This particular Taiqing Daoist Manual provides for four special categories of magical talismans, as well as their specific stroke orders, and their essential activation incantations. Included in this special training manual are: The special categories of magical talismans traditionally used for the “Suppression of Demon Spirits” and for “Blessing the Home;” which are to be posted up on the wall or main pillar of the house like a “Public Notice.” These special Taiqing Talismans must both be written with Black Pine Soot Ink and The Empty Vessel — Page 18
Cinnabar on Yellow Talisman Paper. The special categories of magical talismans traditionally used for “Summoning Spirits” and for “Treating Diseases.” These special Taiqing Talismans must be written with Red Cinnabar Ink on standard Yellow Talisman Paper. These four special categories of Taiqing Talismans are extremely important, and essential for all Daoist disciples to study; therefore this special instruction manual is presented here as an essential companion to the Daoist Magical Talismans textbook. $175
Daoist Transformation Magic. Transformation Skills of Daoist Sorcery, Two Types of Magical Transformation Skill, The Magical Transformation of Man, Observing the Present Meditation, Psychometry, Clairaudience, Transferring Thoughts, Clairvoyance, Perceiving a Person’s Destiny, Seeing Spirits and Having Visions, Dream Magic, Dream Magic Training, Herbs Used To Induce Lucid Dreaming, Mind Magic, Illusionary Magic, Invisibility, Three Types of Invisibility Skills, Suspended Animation, Walking Through Walls, Soul Travel, Teleportation, Bilocation, Shape-Shifting Magic, Methods of Shape-Shifting, The Magical Transformation of External Things, Defense Magic, Healing Magic, Sex Magic, Materialization, Weather Magic, Divination Magic, Corpse Magic, Transferring a Soul, Stealing the Soul of a Coma Victim, Rituals Used In Corpse Magic In Order to Obtain a Spirit Helper, Energy, Spirit, and Soul Projection, Qi and Thought Projection, Shadow Magic Training,Three Types of Soul Projection, Five Phases of Soul Travel, Soul Projection Training, Imagination Techniques, Respiration Techniques, Mantra Sound Techniques, Advanced Soul Projection and Shape-Shifting Techniques, Communicating in the Spirit World. $85
To order these books, send check along with $10 postage for each one to: DaoDog Press, 3440 Conway Blvd. Unit 1D, Port Charlotte, FL 33952 or via PayPal at daodogpress@gmail.com.
Book Title: Cost: Book Title: Cost: Book Title: Cost: Name Address City State Zip Fall 2019 — Page 19
What a long strange trip it’s been By Solala Towler
Thirty odd years ago, as I lay in my bed of torment, suffering from various effects of CFIDS (Cronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome) — low to no energy, foggy thinking, extreme insomnia, as well as a roller coaster of emotional ups and downs — listening to my three children running around the house without a father, I felt I had really reached the end. My wife was valiantly running the household while I lay up stairs listening to my life going on without me. I had tried acupuncture (no qi to really access), Chinese herbs (worked for awhile then stopped), and naturopathy (not much there either). Of course Western medicine had nothing to offer me. To them CFIDS was not even a real disease. Then, through a CFIDS support group, I met a woman who had recovered using a line of foodgrade Chinese herbs from a company named Sunrider. In order to afford the somewhat expensive herbs I had to give up all my appointments with my acupuncturist and my naturopath (which were actually not that helpful), but it was a bit scary. After a month or so on the herbs I started to feel better. Soon I was out of bed and getting back into life. I still had a ways to go however. Then I decided to take a qigong weekend course with Professor Chen Huixian. She taught a form called Soaring Crane Qigong. It The Empty Vessel — Page 20
was a lot to take in during one weekend class and at first I felt more exhausted after I did the 20-minute form. But I kept at it and eventually I was healed. Soon after that I began teaching it myself.
Now 30 years later, I find myself healing from prostate removal surgery after cancer was found in one part of it. My prostate was extremely swollen, so I had to wear a catheter for two months leading up to the surgery, one of
the most traumatic experiences of my life (you really haven’t lived until you have practiced taiji with a catheter implanted in you). I had had some problems with urination starting a few years ago but was able to keep on top of it with Chinese herbs and acupuncture. My acupuncturist, Sunny Cheung, has a two-year waiting list and talks to me about Dao and meditation and living a good life. He has a very thick accent so I admit there is a lot of what he says that I cannot follow. But he says things like, “Identify with your forever self, not this episode.” And, “If our mind was pure we would be healthy and we could eat the sugar and the cake and, not only would it not be bad for us, it would be good for us! But our mind is not pure so we cannot eat the cake because we are already too full of cake.” But my urination problems got worse until I stopped being able to urinate on my own. After a scan showed that I had an enormous amount of urine backed up in my bladder I had to get a catheter inserted to not only drain the old urine but also to make the urine flowed in the correct direction so that my kidneys did not get backed up, which would be serious indeed. I was so traumatized by that first catheter insertion that I came home and just lay on my bed for 8 hours! I ended up having it in for two months before surgery while waiting for a biopsy and other tests. The biopsy showed cancer in just one place of the twelve they biopsied but it had a very high Gleason score, which meant it was an aggressive form of cancer. The decision was made to remove my swollen prostate and get rid of all the cancer. The surgery was done by a great surgeon, Dr. Dimarco, whose
warm, easy and very patient demeanor made Shanti and me feel like we were in good hands. The surgery itself was done robotically, which is much less invasive that the old-fashioned kind which was done with large incisions and longer recovery time, and is also much more painful. But the first few days after the surgery were pretty rough. Not only was I in a lot of pain but I was taking an opioid medication named Oxycodone, which pretty much turned me into a zombie. I was too out of it to read or even watch a movie. Then I started having regular blood sugar crashes. I called the doc and they did not have anything to offer. When I finally questioned them about the meds they told me to cut it in half, which helped hugely. The next day I went in for my checkup and the doc there told me I could just stop taking it. Wow, that was the right thing to do! Fortunately, I had only been taking it for four or five days and had no trouble stopping. I know that there are folks out there who have more serous surgery and pain issues and have to be on it for longer periods of time and have a really rough time getting off of it. I transferred to taking Tylenol and was willing to put up with a little more pain but have my life back. One day, when I was feeling pretty bad and was having a very negative mental outlook, I remembered that my dear friend Nancy Hopps and given me two CDs of hers, using guided imagery which she created to help people through the before surgery time and also after the surgery. I had listened to the surgery one but forgot about the pain one. I listened to it and it made a huge difference in my experience and attitude. I moved on from that
to listening to the latest cd by David Crosby (Here If You Listen), which is gorgeous and the equally gorgeous CD Awaking by Mitan. I felt tears flowing down my face. It seemed to me that every beautiful and hopeful song on the both CDs were written and sung just for me. Shanti came in and found me lying there weeping and smiling. I told her that I had moved from “rage and despair to hope and glory.” The main problem of the catheter and then the surgery has been my inability to sit down as my hui yin (perineum) has been very painful, which did not allow me to sit at my computer or even drive myself. But now, almost three months later that is much better. My partner Shanti has been a saint and angel taking care of me, all with a good will and good humor. I am so grateful for that. So many people have sent me money through my GoFundMe page and many others have offered love and support. Really, the best thing about getting sick is how much love you receive from everyone around you. Before the surgery some of my kirtan friends put together a benefit kirtan for me. My little backyard temple was so packed with musicians and supporters (some of whom I didn’t even know) that others had to stand outside the door! I did not play that night but just soaked up all the good music and good feelings. I told everyone that I would be taking them all with me into the operating room! Another good thing about getting sick is that it is an opportunity to put all your spiritual training into practice. It was quite a challenge not to get too caught up in fear and anxiety about the idea of having cancer and the upcoming surgery; I found that my training in Daoism cultivation practices Fall 2019 — Page 21
really came in handy. I found that I could take one step at a time and not worry about the future. Earlier in my life I would have been a nervous wreck about it all, but I found that I could instead just trust in each moment to evolve into the next, without feeling anxious about it all. I remember being taught years ago that if you worry about the possible outcome of something you end up suffering twice, once when you are worrying about the future and then again when the future comes to pass. Not only that, but sometimes you worry for nothing. Again, useless suffering. As I have not been able to sit on a cushion for many months I have done all my meditation and much of my qigong practice lying down. I miss sitting on a cushion, but one of the basic tenets of Daoism is flexibility so I need to be open to whatever works. Of course there is the whole thing of “How come I have practiced qigong for 30 years and still got cancer?” thing. One thing is genetics. Both my father and brother had prostate cancer. Also, I think too many hours and years of sitting in front of the computer, one of the drawbacks of being a writer, probably led to congestion and inflammation in my lower Jiao. One of my friends, who is an acupuncturist and qigong teacher, has had cancer three times! I am sure there are also karmic implications to all of this. Some of my friends with the healthiest lifestyles have died of cancer. Laozi says that one of the reasons we suffer is
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because we have such a limited sense of self. This is often translated as “if we did not have a body we would not have problems.” While that is often true it does not go deeply into what Laozi was really saying, in my opinion. It is when we identify only with our physical self and its physical problems that we suffer so. Then we add emotional suffering on top of that, and sometimes even spiritual suffering on top of that. We create such a multi-layered situation of suffering that it can really block out any sense of relief or hope for the future. When my kids were young we used to go to all the Jackie Chan movies and there would always come a time in the story when it looked very bad for our hero. Then I would turn to them and say, “I wonder how he’s going to get out of it this time.” Because of course, he was the hero and would end up getting out of it at some point; we just didn’t know how. We got to look forward to seeing just how he did it. So when things get rough for me I often say to myself, “I wonder how he’s going to get out of it this time.” Being the hero of my own life, I know that I will get out of the trouble somehow. It’s a different feeling than worrying about the future; instead it is a feeling of curiosity and excitement as to just how I will manage. Another thing is that just about every terrible thing that has happened to me has always led to something great. Whatever great thing that is going to come from this situation (besides the whole not dying of cancer thing) has not revealed itself yet. I am greatly looking forward to seeing it when it does reveal itself. So, I would greatly encourage anyone to really go deeply as possible into his or her self-cultivation practice. Then, when big life-changing things come down the road, we are more able to confront or at least flow with them. I will be 69 in a few weeks and am most grateful for the many blessings I have received and continue to receive. And I am so, so grateful to all my wonderful teachers (including my cancer) who have guided me along the Way for the past 30 years.
Book Reviews
LAO TZU’S TAO TE CHING: Soul Journeying Commentaries A Sojourning Pilgrim’s Rendering of 81 Spirit Soul Passages AUTHOR: Raymond Bart Vespe
The Tao Te Ching is a principal text of the ancient Spiritual tradition of Chinese Taoism. It is a compilation of 81 wisdom sayings attributed to Lao Tzu, the old boy/philosopher/Master, written down over 2,000 years ago and which has since undergone hundreds of translations, commentaries, adaptations and applications. Tao Te Ching maxims were wise counsel given by Taoist sages to feudal rulers on how to harmoniously and peacefully live, order their states and govern their peoples at a time period in Chinese history of socio-political conflict and upheaval. The wisdom sayings have become universally meaningful guidelines for enlightened leadership, Spiritual awakening and Soulful living. The Ultimate Reality of Tao is interpreted as Spirit and its Virtuosity/Te is interpreted as our embodied Spirit, inner Spirit-nature or Human Soul. The textual maxims and their Soul-journeying commentaries and meditations are considered as some passages we human beings can make on our Souljourneying from being ego- identified to identifying with/as Spirit and Soul and which are relevant, meaningful and useful for some dynamic-kinetic energetic aspects of Soul-work, Soul-making and the enSouling process throughout our human life course, life cycle and life span. SUBJECT: Tao Te Ching / Spirituality / Human Soul • 978-1-58790-4295 (paperback) • COST: $19.95 • 978-1-58790-430-1 (e-book) / $9.95 • PAGES: 310 pages/paperback
LIEH TZU’s HSING SHIH SHENG: Psychotherapeutic Commentaries A Wayfaring Counselor’s Rendering of The Nature of Real Living AUTHOR: Raymond Bart Vespe
The Lieh Tzu, here titled as Hsing Shih Sheng/The Nature of Real Living, is a principal text of the ancient Spiritual tradition of Chinese Taoism. It is a compilation of narratives recorded over 2,000 years ago and is a companion text of Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching/The Tao Virtuosity Experience and Chuang Tzu’s Nei P’ien/The Interior Records. It is set in the same historical time period of great human conflict, social upheaval, political intrigue and bloody warfare. Offering guidelines for wise ruling and true being, the narratives illustrate poignant vicissitudes of universal realities and practicalities of the everyday living and ordinary experiences, and difficulties associated with seeking, pursuing, acquiring and displaying excessive status, fame, wealth, profit and power. The commentaries are for anyone who is interested in the benefits of finding some encouragement, support and guidance throughout their unique wayfaring journey from being mostly ego-identified to realistically living a more awakened, conscious, reasonable, sufficient, gratifying and meaningful Spiritual and Soulful human life. SUBJECT: Chinese Taoism / Lieh Tzu / Psychotherapy • 978-1-58790-415-8 (paperback) • COST: $19.95 • 978-1-58790-416-5 (e-book) / $9.95 • PAGES: 238 pages/paperback
Fall 2019 — Page 23
Qigong: A journey last 20 years honing my craft. Everything weight training, speed development and movement minded is where my specialty resides. I’ve coached over 5,000 athletes in my career, worked for four major universities and now head up strength for the most successful high school athletics program in the country.
By Dr. Christopher R. Holder
Tai Chi, meditation, yoga, neigong, all of the internal martial arts and Qigong have been known for millennia to bring about a myriad of health benefits. There are countless studies, if you are willing to do a comprehensive search, that support this from all over the world. From addressing very general things like stress down to very specific disease states, the Eastern approach to health has answers for it all. Beyond the search for a cure, most anyone else who regularly participates in this type of work either have a heavy cultural influence or was indoctrinated into a practice or martial system and simply never stopped. Particularly for westerners. And because of this, many of the more esoteric practices that are either in the forefront or hidden in the mysteries of some of these trainings, stay “mystical” and out of the consciousness of western society. I found my way when I began to study with Sifu Dr. Jerry Alan Johnson in 2009. My experience with eastern philosophy of any kind was next to zero before my full immersion in his teachings. I studied Medical Qigong, shamanic Daoism, Tai Chi and Baguazhang which completely shattered everything I thought I knew about medicine, martial arts and mysticism. In 2012, I graduated from his Medical Qigong doctoral program with an emphasis in oncology. Having The Empty Vessel — Page 24
3.5 years of the deepest dive imaginable, I didn’t know where I was going to take my studies. It wasn’t long for me to find a home for it in the exact place I had been working for over a decade.
Performance My 9-5 is very different from that of an energetic oncologist. After my playing days were over as a member of Eastern Kentucky University’s football team, I immediately shifted my role from athlete to coach. If I’m being totally honest, I never loved football. What I loved was the training for football. The long days in the gym, the grueling conditioning sessions and all that goes around for preparation for the season… this is where my love was. Naturally, I went into the sports performance side of coaching for my career. I started my coaching career in 2000. I became a collegiate head strength and conditioning coach immediately and have spent the
At the time of my graduation from Sifu Johnson’s doctoral program we were given a wonderful gift. We were required to write a doctoral thesis for the completion of our degree and because we were oncology students, it was assumed that we would have to conduct cancer research to receive our diplomas. But, as a gesture of love to us all, Sifu Johnson gave us permission to conduct research on any topic that interested us. With that, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. During our clinical rounds I was able to treat folks from all walks of life. The truly sick to those folks who were healthy and simply wanted to have the experience. Concurrently, I had the opportunity to randomly treat my athletes at the university and found some very interesting trends. See, folks who come to me for Qigong to address an illness present in an eerily similar way to an athlete who is burning the candle at both ends training for their sport. Both have marked deficiencies in some areas and an overabundance in other areas. The athlete frankly is lucky that their youth and resiliency keeps them in front of any real stagnations developing and kicking them into the disease state. Oh the magic of youth.
With that I had a hunch that if we could restore energetic balance to the athlete, we might be able to see a marked increase in performance. And since I didn’t have protocols to make someone throw a football farther, kick a soccer ball harder or hit a golf ball longer, I needed to address variables that we all know help and athlete perform better. Things like sleep, evening out emotions, reducing nervousness, increasing focus and ramping up overall energy for competition. With an entire year of testing, 8 doctoral candidates performing over 500 treatments and three
competitive seasons, we were able to see just that. Direct, consistent exposures to Qigong in fact does positively impact the performance of competitive athletes.
Qigong Strong Fast forward to 2014. I had taken a new job at Cal Poly on the central coast of California and was helping my assistant, Chris White, work on his Master’s Thesis. Thanks to some one-onone treatments with him and as a result of a positive experience, he was interested in writing his
thesis on and researching how a daily Qigong practice might impact strength gains during a formal training block. For those of you who don’t train with weights, particularly at the level college athletes do, let me give you a little insight on how things are done. We coaches write programs in blocks. The programming is systematized and typically lasts between 8-12 week cycles. Natural breaks occur due to academics and break times, so these cycles repeat over and over the duration of an athlete’s career. The hope is, as their body matures Fall 2019 — Page 25
and the months and years pass, the athlete remains injury free and continues on an upward trajectory in measurable strength and speed attributes. The research clearly states that it takes about six continual weeks of weight training for an adaptation to begin and a detectable change in the proteins of the muscle can be observed. Strength, as a skill, has even more moving parts than just big muscles. There is a coordination of the nervous system, a lowering neurological threat to allow the athlete to perform and express strength that simply takes time. Lots of time. Once we were clear on what Chris wanted to observe, had our “game plan” together on how we were going to effectively expose our experiment group to the Qigong and then granted human subjects approval from the university (no small task, believe me), we were ready to go.
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in front of 70 student-athletes that would not be overly time consuming yet powerful, direct and able to create the desired effect. The end result was a 15-minute daily practice that focused on clear balancing with particular focus on cultivating the lower dantian. My hunch was that if we could create an energetic leveling among the athletes with
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I had been working on treatment protocols for years by this time to “tune” and induce flow states for athletes. I was well aware of some of the major energetic players within the body that acted as accelerants for some of this phenomena. But the Qigong study Chris and I were attempting to do would involve, at the beginning, 125 participants, a daunting number for a lone practitioner to manage. Therefore, we needed to create a daily practice that could be led by me,
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The Empty Vessel — Page 26
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the addition of building out a robust lower dantian in each, we could have a measurable change in those participating. And again, we were right. The weight training program we created for the experiment was eight weeks long. Enough where the physiological change the research agreed with could
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take place and to build out comprehensive testing in both the front and back ends of the study. Three teams were used for the study. All three teams performed the exact same General Physical Preparation (GPP) program I developed for their strength training. The entire pool of athletes took part in the study, with those who wanted to take part in the Qigong portion acting as the experiment group with the remainder acting as our control. Fortunately for us, the athletes were very interested in what we were doing and we had a robust number by the end of the experiment to substantiate our findings. Along with the strength training data, we collected a wellness intake for both groups at the end of every week. This was included to help us create language around what we found in the end with the hard data of the lifting numbers. We took lifting maxes at the beginning of the study to create a baseline for the athletes, poured that data into our computer program to assign loads over the 8 weeks which helped predict where we would end up. And at the conclusion of the 8 weeks, we tested again. What did we find? Exactly what we hoped to find. Significant differences were found in all but one of the tested variables. Strength increases in both groups were impressive substantiating the effectiveness of the lifting program. But what we saw from the Qigong group was truly mesmerizing. Without boring you all with numbers, many of the strength leaps we saw could only be compared to someone using performance enhancing drugs. Even more interesting were some of the “outliers” in the experiment. We had several football players have an increase in front squat performance of over 100 lbs in 8 weeks, something that most would consider impossible without steroids. Included in this article is a link to this study for those of you who like crunching numbers and seeing the intricacies of the experimental model.
Take Home If you are reading this, it’s assumed that you have a true interest in these esoteric practices and have a degree of understanding of the nuances of all of this. One of the things I haven’t mentioned about either of these studies were the phenomena that was implied. In the strength study the wellness intake implied this and in the original study it was something that was discovered when looking at the entire body of results. Each of the athletes in both studies displayed a tangible display of emotional leveling, a consistent clarity that they carried throughout the duration of both experiments. It was seen clearly in the strength students study where around week five the students were taking midterm exams. Their data showed a “cratering” of sorts in the wellness intake that had to do with some of the emotional and stressrelated questions. Whereas, again in both studies, the Qigong groups showed a consistency that continued to improve over the course of the duration of the studies. As you can imagine, I have a dozens of theories as to why something like Qigong could be an ace in the hole for high-level athletes. Many are conjecture on my part. Western-minded athletes juxtaposed with eastern esoteric practices don’t always mix. And I would like to be the first to demand that they in fact do, and might be in fact the perfect harmony represented in our beloved symbol of yin/yang. Intended to be together so that one might fully compliment the other. Since the conclusion of the strength study, Chris White has moved on to coach at Louisiana State University and is finishing up his Ph.D. The strength study is being used for his doctoral dissertation as he is expanding on those findings. He intends to publish this study at the conclusion of his program. Link to Chris White’s Master’s Thesis: https:// digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1470/ Fall 2019 — Page 27
Practicing the Tao Te Ching: 81 Steps On the Way "Solala Towler’s approach to the Tao Te Ching reveals the quintessence of the study. Taoism relies upon practice, the cultivation of innate nature, and the preservation of life force. Under his guidance, anyone can deepen their practice as well as digest the core meaning of this classic.”
- HU XUEZHI author of Revealing the Tao Te Ching
"A well-written and eminently useful guide to putting the teachings of Taoism’s greatest sage into one’s daily life and practice. So simple, even Lao Tzu would understand it."
- RED PINE author of Lao-tzu’s Taoteching
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Most people think of the Tao Te Ching as a book on philosophy or a treatise on leadership. Yet there is a little-known treasure hidden within the familiar passages of Lao Tzu’s work: step-by-step practical guidance for the spiritual journey. With Practicing the Tao Te Ching, renowned teacher Solala Towler reveals a new facet to this spiritual classic, offering accessible instructions paired with each of the 81 verses of the Tao Te Ching. “Tao is a way of deep reflection and learning from nature, considered the highest teacher,” writes Towler. The book guides you through meditations, movement and breathing practices, subtle energy exercises, and inner reflections—all to help you to embody Taoist wisdom in every aspect of your life. Paperback, 306 pages, $16.95
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Book Excerpt
Bai Xin Excerpt Excerpt (lines 15-21, with translator commentary) 15原始計實, 本其所生。 The true primordial strategy is the root from which life springs. 16 知其象則索其形， Knowing its image, one apprehends its form. 17 緣其理則知其情。 Reaching to its principles, one knows its nature. 18 索其端則知其名。 Seeking its end, one knows its name. 19 故苞物眾者莫大於天地, Thus, for producing many flourishing things, nothing is greater than Heaven and Earth; 20 化物多者莫多於日月, For transforming many things, nothing can transform so many things as the sun and moon; 21 民之所急, 莫急於水火。 For causing urgency in people, nothing is more urgent than water and fire.
Here we see the emergence of a higher wisdom: the “clear vision” (明 ming: enlightenment) that accompanies one’s ability to preserve Dao within. While, again, not indicating any familiarity with the Dao De Jing, lines 15-18 of the Bai Xin show a striking correlation to the following lines from DDJ1, perhaps offering further insights into them: DDJ1:
The Dao that can be told is not the Eternal Dao The name that can be named is not the Eternal Name The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth The Named is the mother of the myriad things… BX15-20:
Excerpt from: Reid, Dan G., The Thread of Dao: Unraveling Early Daoist Oral Traditions in Guan Zi’s Purifying the Heart-Mind (Bai Xin), Art of the HeartMind (Xin Shu), and Internal Cultivation (Nei Ye), second edition • Montreal: Center Ring Publications, 2019 • Paperback book • ISBN13: 978-0-9949781-8-9
The true primordial strategy is the root from which life springs. Knowing its image, one apprehends its form. Reaching to its principles, one knows its nature. Seeking its end, one knows its name Thus, for producing many flourishing things, nothing is greater than Heaven and Earth. For transforming many things, nothing can transform Fall 2019 — Page 29
so many things as the sun and moon. What the Bai Xin calls “the 原始 primordial 計 strategy (that is) 實 real,” the Dao De Jing refers to as the Eternal Dao in the line “The Dao that can be told is not the Eternal Dao.” Both texts begin this discourse by setting apart the true Dao. As will be seen later, the Bai Xin also uses the term 道 Dao much in the same way as Lao Zi. The parallels continue: DDJ1:
… Thus, always without desires Observing its inner subtlety Always with desires Observing its outer surface… BX17-18: Reaching to its principles, one knows its nature. Seeking its end, one knows its name Despite the stark similarities in these verses, the differences in their terminology and shifted sequences of development suggest that both texts were written records of a shared oral tradition, rather than one directly influencing the other. Their verse-
like qualities further suggest an oral transmission aided by these mnemonic devices. Lines 15-16 also shed light on DDJ35’s “by holding onto the great image, the world is put into motion.” The Bai Xin clarifies the meaning of “the image,” here, as an indistinct sense of Dao, not yet revealing its principles. Holding to the image, then, is to “know without knowing;” in other words, to know Dao, “the true primordial strategy,” without intellectualizing it. Heshang Gong (c. 200 AD) comments on this line from DDJ35:
“By holding onto the great image, the world is put into motion”
“Holding onto,” here, means holding close. “Image,” here, means Dao. The Sage holds the Great Dao close to him, and everything in the world shifts its heart to the way things once were. He governs his body, and Heaven sends down spiritual lights. (These spiritual lights go) back and forth between his body (and Heaven).
Excerpt (lines 212-214, with translator commentary) 212 大明之明, 非愛人不予也，
The brilliance of great illumination does not nurture those who do not accept it. 213 同則相從, 反則相距也。 To those who join with it, it also joins. From those who are in opposition to it, it also separates. 214 吾察反則相距, 吾以故知古從 之同也。 I have witnessed this opposition, and subsequent separation. Thereby, I know that the ancients joined with it in unity. As the sage follows Heaven rather than man (and human desires that lead to obstinate actions), he recognizes when Heaven/nature/ziran offers the time, the opportunity, to be seized. He waits on Heaven’s hand in emptiness and tranquility, and follows when beckoned by the right timing and opportunity. He must be open, listening, and changing according to what is naturally offered. Doing so, he proceeds with the chariots of “all things being aligned” – the “action of no action” (wei wu wei) that allows all things to fall into place. Virtue is the power within action of no-action. When Virtue abides, Dao naturally follows, for “Virtue is the abode of Dao.” Though we are still, many processes
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continue on inside of us. The Daoist art of stillness – the art of stillness in movement and movement in stillness – allows for these processes to proceed at a higher capacity and functionality than simple inertia. Like King Yu’s waterways, the Daoist art of stillness finds the path of least resistance and highest attainment. As such, this practice reduces the potential for harm caused by obstinate force, and so naturally bestows longevity, effortlessness, and competence, whether in our physical body or in our endeavours.
Virtue is also happy to have them Those who are one with loss Loss is also happy to have them
These closing lines of the Bai Xin emphasize the techniques of lines 201-207, above, which can be understood as a method to welcome Virtue in light of the Xin Shu Xia’s opening lines (see my comments lines 201-207, above). These closing lines also share in common with DDJ23 the idea of sympathetic resonance. Lao Zi’s words in DDJ23 impart the very same thoughts as BX212-214, while mentioning Virtue, directly:
As for the sages of antiquity, Their mouths were without empty chatter, And their hands without empty gesturing. As things arose, orders were sent out
Those who are one with Dao Dao is also happy to have them Those who are one with Virtue
We might take from the connection between these stanzas that the beginning of DDJ23 also suggested the importance of tranquility to welcoming Virtue – whether during quiet stillness, or when conducting affairs. This ideal of conduct is found in the opening lines of the Bai Xin, and in BX130-132:
DDJ23 begins: To speak rarely is natural Gusting wind does not last in the early morning Sudden rainstorms do not last all day Who acts in this way? Heaven and Earth If Heaven and Earth cannot continue in such a way What then, should be the case for men? They should follow the method of Dao! For a better understanding of early Daoist references to Virtue, it helps to look at the early commentary attached to the Xin Shu Shang, lines, 116-119: Thus, Virtue (De) also means “attainment (de).” As for this attainment, it is called “attaining the causality.” The effortlessness of this (causality) is called “Dao.” When abiding in things, we call it “Virtue.” Synonymous with “obtaining the causality,” Virtue is what put things into order so that they accord with Dao. So Virtue is within, a power obtained that brings about balance and harmony. Wu wei is also to not resist this change, this reversion back to balance and harmony. The Xin Shu and Nei Ye both describe the way of attaining Virtue, while the ancient commentary appended to the Xin Shu Shang explains that Virtue implies its homonym (de) meaning attainment – when Virtue is attained, Dao naturally follows as Dao resides within Virtue. As such, all of the Daoist arts, from internal cultivation, to martial arts, to painting, music, and healing practices, apply the technique of inviting virtue, balance, harmony using the technique of wu wei (no action) – relaxation in action that allows Dao to naturally arise in the subject, whether that subject is a work of art, a patient, or oneself. Fall 2019 — Page 31
Taoism in the Seasons Mid-Autumn Festival
The (Zhongqiu Jie) is a traditional Chinese holiday and Taoist festival on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, Guìyuè, around the time of the autumn
equinox.
It’s traditional to pile
13 mooncakes into
pyramid, for the Mid-Autumn Festival symbolizing the 13 moons of a lunar year.
Mooncakes are similar to English fruitcakes. They
In 2019 it was on September 13, in 2020 it will be on October 1. Its roots in the Shang dynasty tradition of
typically have a filling of
nuts, seeds, Chinese dates, almonds, minced meats and/or orange peels.
moon worship. — LEARNRELIGIONS .COM
Fall is associated with the
metal element, the lungs, and the color white. — EARTHSKY.ORG
Courage and sadness
are the feelings on the season, According to Chinese philosophy sadness isn’t an emotion to be avoided at all costs. Instead, sadness is
simply part of nature.
— EARTHSKY.ORG
The Empty Vessel — Page 32
a
— LEARNRELIGIONS .COM
To celebrate the autumn equinox as the Chinese philosophers did,
stand facing west,
considered the direction of autumn while thinking of your dreams and the path you move on
Light white candles or place white flowers on your table, white will contrast the darkness of autumn
Allow yourself to weep — it’s the sound of this season
Have the courage to look ahead. — EARTHSKY.ORG
In this
Yin season, it is important to find balance. Balance with letting go of things we have carried with us
through the past year and preparing for the new that lies ahead.
Breathing exercises can help your mind find balance in this season. As the trees let go and bring in what they need so must we both let go and open our heart, with each breath you must exhale before you can take in. — ENERGYARTS.COM
Fall 2019 — Page 33
Missing a past edition of your favorite Taoist magazine? We have a select number of past issues available for order of The Empty Vessel.
$5.95 each or
u
4 copies for $22!
Contact us now at DaoDogPress@gmail.com to see if we have what you’re looking for! Purchase now available on our website, www.EmptyVessel.net
The Empty Vessel — Page 34
DaoDog Press 3440 Conway Blvd., Unit 1D Port Charlotte FL 33952
Request past issues at the address below with the form provided with payment.
Edition(s): Cost: Edition(s): Cost: Edition(s): Cost: Edition(s): Cost: Name Address City State Zip Fall 2019 — Page 35
“Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear?” — Lao Tzu
The Empty Vessel — Page 36
From Solala Towler
The Spirit of Zen: Teaching Stories on the Way to Enlightenment The Spirit of Zen is filled with stories, history and practical guidance from the masters of Zen. It is a journey through a world of paradox and insight, offering guidance on the path to enlightenment as well as the down-to-earth, living-in-the-moment path of Zen. These stories, many of which are about satori or enlightenment, are funny, outrageous and full of paradoxes and puns; they are also earthy, sometimes even scatological. Nevertheless, they contain deep teachings on the Buddhist path. These stories — profoundly illuminating as well as highly entertaining — contain the true flavour of Zen. Hardcover, 175 pages. Profusely illustrated with beautiful nature photos printed in black and silver on glossy paper. Published by Watkins, the oldest esoteric publishing house in England, founded in 1893. $12.95 plus $5 shipping. Visit www.abodetao.com (in store) or call 541.345.8854.
Tales From the Tao: The Wisdom of the Taoist Masters A new version of this popular book, first published in 2005. This new hardcover version is a companion volume to the Spirit of Zen. This accessible and enlightening collection offers stories and quotations from the most celebrated Taoist masters, including Chuang Tzu, Lieh Tzu and Lao Tzu, as well as new writing inspired by the traditional tales. Set against a stunning photographic backdrop of the mountains, waterfalls and gorges of China, these stories introduce important Taoist ideas about our most basic human experiences, including birth, death, loss, gain, simple dignity in the face of challenge, how to judge character, when to move forward, when to retreat and how to surrender to the most fundamental experience of Tao itself. Hardcover, 191 pages. Illustrated with the stunning photographs of John Cleare. Published by Watkins. $12.95 plus $5 shipping. Visit www.abodetao.com (in store) or call 541.345.8854.
541-345-8854 or www.abodetao.com Fall 2019 — Page 37
Directory & Classifieds Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. Three
year academic and clinical program. We offer classes in Oriental medicine, acupuncture, and Chinese herbology. Master’s degree is accredited. Financial aid and China internships are available. Preparatory to national certification and state licensing examinations. 503-253-3443 for information, literature.
Genesee Valley Daoist Hermitage. Qigong, sus-
tainable gardening, meditation for self cultivation. Chinese herbs, daoist healing to harmonize chronic disorders. PO Box 9224, Moscow, Idaho 83843-1724. 208-285-0123. Celebrating 23 years of service.
The Alaska College of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture & Massage Therapy. 2636 Spenard Rd., Anchorage, AK 99503. Offering course work in a full spectrum of Asian Studies including Taiji, Qigong, Meditation, Medical QiGong, Taoist Herbology, Massage Therapy, with advanced study in Thai Yoga Massage and Tui Na Acupressure Massage and a three year Masters program of study in Acupuncture. We offer year round full or part-time schedules of study. We feature biannual Spring and Fall Health and Wellness Festivals where participants can study cutting edge information with our expert staff and visiting masters from around the globe. Traveling to Alaska? Check out our website and make sure our classes and workshops are in your plans. www.touchoftao.com. 907-279-0135
White Cloud Institute. Classes open to everyone. Taoist Studies, Energy Medicine, Chi Nei Tsang, Pelvic Health. Qigong and Meditation. Retreats. NCBTMB approved. 505-670-3538. www.whitecloudinstitute.com.
American Dragon Gate Lineage: Shifu Michael Rinaldini offers 125, 300, 500 hour Qigong Certification. Trainings in Daoist practices. A 3-year training to become ordained Daoist priest of the Lineage. qigongdragon.com
Taoist Arts Center. Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Taoist Medita-
tion. Traditional Taoist arts offered in a friendly and cooperative environment. Classes, Workshops, Private Instruction. Director: Susan Rabinowitz, 342 East 9th Street, NYC 10003. 212-477-7055. www.taoist-arts.com.
Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts in Asheville, North Carolina. Accredited Masters program in Oriental medicine; steeped in the spirit of Daoism and teachings by Jeffrey Yuen, a world-renowned leader in Classical Chinese Medicine. Preparing students to enter the profession as skilled acupuncture clinicians. www. daoisttraditions.edu.admissions@daoisttraditions.edu. 828225-3993.
Qigong Meditations CD (with music). Three
guided meditations – Three Level Relaxation, Organ Balancing Meditation, Expansion Breathing Meditation – by Solala Towler. $10 plus $3 shipping. Abode of the Eternal Tao, 1991 Garfield St. Eugene, OR 97404. www.abodetao.com.
Kirtan Qigong CD. Three slow, relaxing bhajans (San-
skrit chanting) with Solala Towler and friends. Perfect for slow movement. $10 plus $3 shipping.Abode of the Eternal Tao, 1991 Garfield St. Eugene, OR 97404. www.abodetao.com.
Chi Wellness, The Center of Qigong. 3-year
Medical Qigong Practitioner and Qigong Instructor certification training curricula. Retreats and weekly transformational Qigong Lifestyle and Qigong Movement classes for all health objectives and self care. Medical qigong treatment, and Qigong Lifestyle and Chi Nutrition coaching appointments. Consulting and training for enhanced productivity and balance customized for organizations. Founder/Director: Debra Lin Allen. 4155 East Jewell Ave., Suite 105, Denver, CO 80222. 720-427-0406. DebraLin. ChiWellness@gmail.com / www.ChiWellness.net.
National Qigong Association. Since 1996, the NQA is the premier non-profit membership organization for all types of qigong schools and enthusiasts, and offers annual conferences and qigong certification. Website: http://www. nqa.org.
Learn to play Shakuhachi the Zen flute of Japan. Gold Coast Chicago location. Vintage instruments
available. Etsy.com shop: ZenShamanicArts. www.utaguchi. com.
Directory listings: $25 for first 30 words, $1 per word thereafter, 15 word minimum. The Empty Vessel — Page 38
Calendar of Events To submit events, email daodogpress@gmail.com with the name of event, date, time, place, cost, and contact information.
Tai Chi Amongst The Bonsai
Spiritual Journey to China
Fall 2019 — $15
May 2-May 22, 2020. Study Qigong, Tai Chi, Tea, Taoism and the culture of the Middle Kingdom. From Los Angeles we travel to Hangzhou where we visit Buddhist and Taoist Temples, tea villages and have am practice with the local people. Then we visit the Taoist Cave Village of Qiyun. From there we spend time in the charming Buddhist Village of Jia Hua, which is home to 9 mountain peaks and 99 Temples. Then we are off to Wudang Shan, the birthplace of Tai Chi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where we study several hours a day with Zhou Jin Bo in the misty mountains, surrounded by sacred temples. After a week in the mountains we travel to our final destination, Chengdu, in the Sichuan Provence, where we will visit the Panda Rehabilitation Center, roam the Tibetan Marketplace, see Opera and practice in the Green Goat Temple. In each location we have a local master or one of our teachers lead a daily practice. We encourage private time for personal cultivation and exploration. All inclusive $6650.00 double. $7650.00 single. Contact Jessica Kolbe, Mystical Abode, 805705-3426, Web: http://chinatrip.mystical-abode.com. Email: Jessica@JessicaTaiChi.com
Sun, Nov 3 (9:00 AM) National Bonsai & Penjing Museum 3501 New York Avenue Northeast Washington, DC 20002 DC Tai Chi and the National Bonsai Foundation partner to bring a unique and unitive experience. Join us for a one hour Tai Chi class taught by internationally recognized Master Nick Gracenin surrounded by the beauty, serenity and history of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum’s world-famous collection of tiny trees. Master Nick will introduce the essentials of traditional Tai Chi and Qigong. Class is suitable for all levels.
Subscriber raffle! All current subscribers will be automatically entered in the Dec. 21 Solstice Raffle, to be held live on The Empty Vessel Facebook page @EmptyVesselMagazine Like our page and see what gift you may win!
“The Tao is an empty vessel/It is used but never filled.”
— Tao Te Ching
The Empty Vessel is now accepting poetry submissions! Send entries to DaoDogPress@gmail.com We will notify by email if your poem is chosen. Fall 2019 — Page 39
The Empty Vessel DaoDog Press 3440 Conway Blvd. Unit 1D Port Charlotte FL 33952 daodogpress@gmail.com
