EMPTY VESSEL: Journal of Taoist Philosophy and Practice SPRING 2015 by emptyvesselmag

The Journal of Taoist Philosophy and Practice Spring 2015 $5.95 U.S. $6.95 Canada

Being Daoist The Way of Wu Wei

Riding the Phoenix to Peng Lai Daoism in the West A Conversation Between a Taoist and a Buddhist The Empty Vessel

Contents

Spring 2015 Volume 22 Number 3

The Way of Wu Wei by Solala Towler

Riding the Phoenix to Peng Lai by Jill Gonet

Daoism in the West by Stuart Alve Olson

22 The Tao of Zen: A Conversation with a Taoist and a Buddhist

Being Daoist by Eva Wong

The Map of the Qigong and Tai Chi Universe Part Two by Roger Jahnke

Our cover

This is another absolutely gorgeous paintings by our good friend Paul Heussenstamm. He is truly one of the most gifted painters we know. Please check out his website at mandalas.com to view his amazing work. Thank you Paul!

Photos

Also many thanks to Cher Mikkola for her wonderful nature photographs sprinkled throughout this issue! Cher and I have known each other for over 30 years and her beautiful spirit is so present in her photos. Thank you Cher!

What is Taoism (Daoism)? “The Tao (Dao) that can be described is not the eternal Tao.” So begins the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) of Lao Tzu (Laozi) written some 2,500 years ago. How then, to describe the indescribable? How to fit into words that which is beyond words? The Tao can only be pointed to, or referred to, say the ancient sages. It cannot be held, only experienced. It cannot be touched, only felt. It cannot be seen, only glimpsed with the inner eye. Tao, then, is the Way, as in direction, as in manner, source, destination, purpose and process. In discovering and exploring Tao the process and the destination are one and the same. Lao Tzu describes a Daoist as the one who sees simplicity in the complicated and achieves greatness in little things. He or she is dedicated to discovering the dance of the cosmos in the passing of each season as well as the passing of each precious moment in our lives. Taoism was already long established when Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching. It originated in the ancient shamanic roots of Chinese civilization. Many of the practices and attitudes toward life were already established before Lao Tzu'’s time. For many centuries Taoism was an informal way of life, a way followed by peasant, farmer, gentleman philosopher and artist. It was a way of deep reflection and of learning from Nature, considered the highest teacher. 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 own bodies and mapped out the roads and paths it traveled upon. It is a belief in life, a belief in the glorious procession of each unfolding moment. It is a deeply spiritual life, involving introspection, balance, emotional and spiritual independence and responsibility and a deep awareness and connection to the earth and all other life forms. It requires an understanding of how energy works in the body and how to treat illness in a safe, non-invasive way while teaching practical ways of maintaining health and avoiding disease and discomfort. Taoist meditation techniques help the practitioner enter deeper or more expansive levels of wakefulness and inner strength. But most of all, it is a simple, natural, practical way of being in our bodies and our psyches and sharing that way of being with all other life forms we come into contact with. Today in China and in the West, Taoism is often divided into two forms, tao jio and tao jia. Or religious Taoism and philosophical Daoism. Many scholars argue that there are not two distinct forms of Taoism and in many ways they are right. There is really a great intermingling of the religious form of Taoism and its various sects and the philosophical Taoism of Lao Tzui and Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi). But many people who follow the Tao do not consider themselves religious people and do not go to temples and are not ordained as priests. Rather these two forms exist both side by side and within each other. It is up to each of us to find the way to the Way in our own way. What we try to do with The Empty Vessel is offer articles and information to help you, our dear readers, to do that.

The Empty Vessel The Journal of Daoist Philosophy and Practice Publisher The Abode of the Eternal Tao Editor and Design Solala Towler Contributing Editor Kurt Levins Sr. Copy Editor Shanti Technical Consultant Darrell (Tandava) Klette The Empty Vessel: A Journal of Contemporary Taoism is published quarterly by The Abode of the Eternal Tao, 1991 Garfield Street, Eugene, Oregon 97405. E-Mail address: solala@abodetao.com. Web site: www.abodetao.com. Subscriptions are $24per year (U.S. funds). Online version at www.CommunityAwake.com ©2015 by The Abode of the Eternal Tao, 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 writing to The Empty Vessel, 1991 Garfield Street, Eugene, Oregon 97405, calling 800-574-5118 or emailing solala@abodetao.com. Statement of Purpose The Empty Vessel is dedicated to the exploration and dissemination of Daoist 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 in a timely and contemporary manner that we can best benefit from them and in doing so, be able to effect change in the world around us.

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We all like beginnings, we all enjoy the opening scenes of our favorite movies. We all like starting a new project, a new relationship, a new adventure. What we don't like is finishing projects, working on relationships, cleaning up afterwards. But the finishing of anything is just as important, if not more so, than the beginning of it. How can we inspire ourselves at the end as much as at the beginning? How can we carry our qi forward and follow through? How can we make sure that we end as gracefully and creatively as possible, whether that is a project, a piece of art or a relationship? I don't have all the answers here. If fact, I have very few of them. I usually go back to the masters — Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu etc. and see what advice they have. It has stood the test of time and is as useful today as when it was written or taught thousands of years ago. For example, Chuang Tzu says: Do not seek fame. Do not lose yourself in schemes. Do not try to make anything happen. Do not think you know anything. Let your spirit be vast and walk where there are no paths. Be grateful for all that heaven has given you, yet act as though you have attained nothing. Be empty, that is all.

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Sounds like good advice to me. Solala Towler, editor

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Abode of the Eternal Dao 1991 Garfield Street Eugene, Oregon 97405 541.345.8854 www.abodetao.com

The Way of Wu Wei Solala Towler

(photos by Cher Mikkola)

nce upon a time, in the Land of the Middle Kingdom, who tried to tell him that if he would only listen to them and there lived a great emperor. This mighty Lord lived them alone he would find this essential and missing ingrediin a magnificent castle, surrounded by many guards, ent of his life. But he knew that they each were only trying to ladies in waiting, cooks, artists, philosophers and doctors. He better their own individual situation and so did not heed their awoke each day to the soft caresses of one of his many wives, ate shining and flattering words. his breakfast in a wonderful garden surrounded by the morning Instead, he winnowed them out, one by one, until there song of his many birds, and passed his days in the company of were only two groups left, the Confucians and the Daoists. his many admirers and flatterers. But he was not happy. But he could not decide which one of them had the secret and He felt that he was missing out on some essential thing of essential thing that he was lacking. The Confucians were a life. Just what this essential thing was he did not know but he haughty yet wise lot. They did not flatter him in silken phrases did know that he did not have it and this distressed him no end. like the other philosophers had. They told him where his He filled his court with various magicians and philosophers, all 2 Spring 2015

character was lacking and how he only had to reinstate the old rituals and he would be fine. They told him of the mighty days of old, when the Emperor was truly the Son of Heaven and could rule in Heaven’s name. All he had to do was return to those days and revive the ancient ways of the old rites and rituals and his kingdom would prosper and he would be happy and fulfilled, both as a ruler and a man. The Daoists, on the other hand, seemed an unorganized and motley crew. They never seemed to agree on anything, even among themselves, and spent their days doing strange movements, like animals, in the garden, and their nights drinking wine, reciting poetry and trying to seduce his ladies in waiting. But they were said to have great powers over the elements and the secret of eternal life. Of course, when he questioned them about this they only shrugged and said, “ We h ave but one precious secret and one only m y L o r d .” “Well then,” he would say, “what is this precious thing then?” “Ah,” they would counter, “we cannot describe this secret in words my Great and Powerful Lord, we can only show it to you.” “Agreed, “said the Emperor and announced a contest between the Confucians and the Daoists. Whoever could show him the true secret of their power, he said, would become the supreme teachers of the land. On the appointed day the Confucians and the Daoists were led to a great chamber deep in the heart of the castle. A great curtain was drawn down the center of the room, dividing the Daoists from the Confucians. Both groups were told that they were to create a painting, a great work of art, on the wall on either side. This would be the final test of their power and knowledge. Whoever impressed the Emperor the most would be awarded the prize. The Confucians smiled and quickly ordered all the colors that were available in the royal storerooms. They immediately

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went to work designing and painting a magnificent mural. The Daoists, on the other hand, ordered a great deal of wine and a few dozen soft cloths, the softest that were available. Then they went to work on opening the wine. Day after day the Confucians labored on their huge and wondrous mural. Day after day the Daoists ordered more wine and simply rubbed the wall with their soft cloths, over and over, while singing old drinking songs at the top of their lungs. Finally came the day when the Emperor would view each work of art and make his decision. First he visited the Confucian’s side of the room, certain that he would be in for a visual treat. He had watched how assiduously the Confucians had applied their layers of colors on the wall and how they stopped often to study the ancient texts and perform slow and stately rituals before taking up their brushes again. He was not disappointed. The Confucians had created a marvel of color and form. He saw his whole city laid out before him, with his own castle in the very center of the city, with the golden light of the setting sun glinting off its shapely and graceful roofs. And way over on the edge of the painting he saw his own magnificent form astride his favorite war horse, leading his victorious troops into battle against an already vanquished enemy. A great river ran all across the bottom of the painting with cunning little waves painted all over it and the curly shadows of birds suspended above it. It was truly a wondrous and amazing sight and the Emperor was at a loss as to how the Daoists could top it. Imagine his surprise then when he crossed over to the other side of the room to view the Daoists’ work only to find a completely blank wall and a lot of slightly tipsy Daoists doing their strange cloudlike movements. True, the wall was very shiny and smooth after numerous applications with the soft

cloths but there was nothing there, no paintings of his magnificence, no golden palace, no wondrous river. “What is this,” he thundered, “you did not even try to paint a picture. Is this the way you curry my favor?” “Oh but we have done our best” cried the Daoists, indignantly, and a little rudely. “But there is nothing there,” said the Emperor. “Is this truly how you view me? Is this your precious secret?” “Wait one moment please,” said the oldest and tipsiest of the Daoists, his long beard still damp with wine. “Please draw aside the curtain between our walls and you will then truly see our work.” So, shaking his head i n w o n d e r, the Emperor had the curtain drawn, revealing the dazzling painting of the Confucians. The Emperor stood before it once again, marveling at its wonder (and how they seemed to get his noble brow just so). Then, his mind already made up as to who was the winner this day, he turned once again to the Daoists’ blank wall, only to find there, not a blank wall after all but the reflection of the painting on the opposite wall. Only this time, instead of a flat and static picture he saw, reflected in the unbelievably smooth and shiny wall, a moving picture. Somehow, because of the play of light on the shiny surface there it seemed as though the painting had come alive. There was the palace and the town again, only he thought he could detect movement behind its windows. The river itself moved, the waves lapping against each other and the birds pirouetting overhead. And lastly, he could see himself there, astride his great stallion, whose very nostrils seemed to quiver in the air while his own beard fluttered in the breeze and his lips seemed to move with his own shouted orders to his troops. He was amazed. He was astounded. He turned to the tipsy Daoists and asked them with humility and wonder in his voice just how they had managed this miracle. The Daoists seemed to hang their heads just a little and answered simply. “It is ac-

tually in not doing that we have achieved this wondrous thing my Lord. All we did was create the space for the painting to happen and let it paint itself.” “Is this then your precious secret,” asked the great Lord. “Yes,” answered the Daoists, “it is indeed. We call it wu wei or not doing, and it is in creative and natural not doing that we are able to achieve ourselves to the highest level possible.” Then they turned and bowed in unison to the dumbfounded Confucians. “We congratulate you noble sirs in your great work of art. We watched you every day work so diligently while w e drank w i n e a n d rubbed a blank wa l l . W h a t you have created is truly marvelous. But in your industriousness you h a v e only created a flat and lifeless thing. While we, in our formlessness, have created a living world.” It was said that afterwards, for the length of his reign, the Emperor gave the Daoists in his kingdom his royal ear and they taught him many things until the day came for him to ascend to the heavens on the back of a dragon to take his place in the realm of the Immortals. Reprinted from Tales From the Tao by Solala Towler. © 2005 by Watkins Publishing

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Tales From the Tao by Solala Towler For thousands of years, stories have been a major component of Taoist teachings. It is often easier to illustrate a spiritual truth or principle through story than by any other means. The books of the Taoist masters Chuang Tzu and Lieh Tzu, as well as Lao Tzu, are full of interesting, entertaining, illuminating, puzzling and downright funny stories. They are primarily teachings stories, using narrative and character to share an aspect of Taoist thought or practice. The only problem with most of the stories is that they are very short, often only a paragraph or two. Tales From the Tao fleshes out these narratives, giving them more room to breath, to evolve and to develop the characters into fully realized people. The insights and ideas that these wonderful stories present to us are as relevant today as they were when they were first written, thousands of years ago. The stories are illustrated with amazing photos from China and Nepal, printed in black and silver on glossy paper, giving them a beautiful three-dimensional look. From our readers...... "If you are a "new age" person who believe there is more to the world than just molecules, this is the book for you." "Great food for thought - deep thinking only - is the what this book is about."

Tales From the Tao comes in two formats: an oversize hardcover, 250 pages and a small hardcover. The large format is $22.95 plus $5 for shipping and the small format is $14.95 plus $5 shipping. Write to Abode of the Eternal Tao • 1991 Garfield St. • Eugene OR 97405 • 541.345.8854

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Riding the Phoenix to Penglai Poetry by Taoist Adept Sun Bu-er Jill Gonet Photos by Cher Mikkola

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Poem One Recalling the Mind Before one ever had a body, the one Qi already existed. Isn’t cultivation like polishing jade to smoothness, like refining gold to purity? To sweep the space of the mind and clean up the ocean of thoughts —the master key is holding the mind within. Relax the mind in the spirit’s home, a void the size of half a grain of millet, and reside spontaneously there in the warmth. Commentary: When Sun Bu-Er begins at the beginning, she’s really far back at the beginning, with ‘the one Qi (primary spirit) that already existed before one has ever had a body.’ And because a person is, in actuality, one with that “one Qi” or original spirit, distances and time are all close by, right there, in the space within the body, a space the size of “half a grain of millet.” But why is one recalling the mind? Ordinary life and its activities require a constant state of alertness, responsiveness, and external focus. Constant

external focus can easily lead to mental tiredness, physical exhaustion, fatigue and illness. However, when one commits to the path of Taoist cultivation, one of the greatest attainments for practitioners is to have recalled the mind from all the previous places where it has left the fire of its attention and thoughts. Events and situations continue to occur in the life of the now committed Taoist cultivator, but one does not leave “the spirit’s home” any longer; in other words, one no longer responds as one might have before, with worry, or anxiety, or obsession, or excessive forcefulness, or any laundry list of possible responses, all of which squander and spend the fires of the practitioner’s consciousness and energy, which are now seen as indispensable for the firing process, or the “warmth” of successful internal alchemical cultivation. Warmth is experienced tangibly as heat, as all of one’s projected thoughts, emotions, and consciousness return to the cultivator from wherever they had gone. The polishing and refining of one’s body, mind, and spirit are not possible if one is still losing great amounts of energy by projecting thoughts or emotions all around. Instead, the main thought or focus becomes the act of holding the mind within. Sun Bu-Er had already experienced great energetic devel-

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opment and enhancement of her “Qi” by the time she got to writing about the state of attainment she is describing in this poem. She didn’t begin with meditation, but with Qi, and then moved on to quiet nurturance of Qi. There is the practice of nurturing Qi by focused physical movement, and holding the mind on specific key points in the body, and then there is the practice of nurturing Qi by spiritual attunement—and the latter is what Sun Bu-Er is referring to in the poem when she says “Relax the mind in the spirit’s home.” She is recommending that the cultivator focus gently on key points within. She knows the body is not the beginning or the end. She knows the mind must be brought home in order for there to be peace, harmony, and the correct conditions for a successful cultivation. The beginning is a strong place of emphasis, and perhaps Sun Bu-Er placed this poem first because she felt that too many Taoist practitioners get off on the wrong track for lack of guidance or for whatever reason. The Qi must be linked inextricably with the power of the mind and nurtured within. When this is not done, Taoist practitioners can become Qioriented only; the problem with this is that Qi amplifies not only consciousness but unconsciousness as well. Qi not only can empower peoples’ internal intelligence, potential gifts, talents, and healing power, but also can amplify unhealthy

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thoughts, and unhealthy behavior, for a time, anyway. So much moral relativism, character inadequacy, and so on can be sidestepped by exclusive focus on Qi-development. It’s like a snowball that just keeps getting bigger, building itself up higher and higher. Sun Bu-Er is saying that in order to be smooth and refined, one must sit and take the time to polish and reflect upon where one has been and what one has done, to bring it all back and evaluate it. This is a great act of heroism, for there will, inevitably, be places where one will see not only others’ shameful or inadequate behavior, but also one’s own. A wonderful thing happens when one does so—for that is how one resolves not to do that sort of thing again, because one’s internal golden rule or gold standard knows that one is capable of better things. This is the beginning of peace and harmony, to know who one has been, who one is now, and who one is resolving to become. It’s not a forceful act of will, but an organic development that flows from a relaxed orientation, one that is not out to prove something, one that is not defensive about the things in one’s past, but that has found the spirit’s home and has begun to dwell in it, even while still living in a human body. What nourishment to pay attention to that place above all others and direct one’s life from there in growing warmth!

Poem Two Cultivating the Qi Originally there was no beginning, so at what point does being fall into postnatal life on earth? One cry from the mouth and the tongue is already in charge. Ordinary life consumes the Qi with ordinary activities and then with sickness. People think that their children, when grown, will be of benefit to them, but when one has begun to cultivate the Tao one doesn’t want to go backward! Commentary Again Sun Bu-Er begins really far back at the beginning; indeed, she says there was no beginning. And poem two, “Cultivating the Qi,” proceeds to subvert whatever expectations a reader might have for a poem with such a title. Similarly, when Taoist practitioners begin cultivation they sooner or later realize that whatever they may have been expecting of Qi and of the Tao was merely a vestige of a preconceived mindset that had settled into a vast arrangement of terminal

and fixed points and slowly gave up the ghost among them. Sun Bu-Er gets right to the cutting edge of Qi cultivation and development: you, cultivator, will not be who you thought you were; you will not necessarily think in the usual socially-received fashion any more; in fact, you will regard the ordinary life of the body with great detachment. When Sun Bu-Er says that “Originally there was no beginning” she is in an earlier heaven version of creation, one over which postnatal life and later heaven have been superimposed. Her cultivation takes place in a primordial void that constantly gives rise to creation, yet she manages to dwell in both that void and her postnatal life on earth at the same time. Having succeeded in this balancing act, she sees how easily it can happen that the body can take on a life of its own: “One cry from the mouth and the tongue is already in charge.” But Sun Bu-Er knows that it doesn’t have to be that way; she realizes this is a possibility because of the two-ness of the platform on which she dwells: in the void and postnatal life on earth. By virtue of this two-ness she is able to reflect on the usual course of life, and sees how going along in that will use up the available energy resources, which will in turn give rise to old age and illness. We’ve all got a certain amount of Yuan-Qi (original Qi), which is our allotment, so-to-speak. And the more we expend

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it, the fewer possibilities and opportunities we will have to change the course of our lives even if we really want to do so because we just won’t have the energy available. There are many ways to nurture and develop one’s Qi, and thus conserve one’s Yuan-Qi. Some of these are additive methods, and include qigong practice, herbal tonics, meditation methods, devotional practices, breathing methods, etc., while some of these are subtractive methods, such as sexual abstinence, seclusion, fasting, bigu or disciplined dietary practice, energetic clearing, and the previously mentioned recalling the mind. All of these practices are valuable if done at the right phase of cultivation for the particular person’s situation. Some may be combined for great effect. With such a range of helpful practices available for conserving and nurturing one’s Qi, the serious practitioner and student of Tao becomes as protective of it as one would be of a dearly loved child or favorite thing or great treasure. Thus the revolution begins to take place for the cultivator. There’s a spiritual infant inside, if one has been lucky enough to have obtained the elixir, and that baby will not grow old. It will be carried inside the gravid cultivator like the treasure that it is, and valued and protected. To have had an experience such as this puts ordinary family life into perspective. Sun Bu-Er is saying that children are beings who have also fallen into postnatal life on earth, which may or may not be of benefit to them. These children, in turn, may or may not be of benefit to their parents. In traditional Chinese culture, parents take

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good care of their children, and in return, the children will take good care of their parents when the parents are aged or sick. Regarding the notion of benefits from children, it is the expectation of parents that their children will care for them in old age. However, even if one has very good children and the children are willing to offer nurturance and care, once one has gotten old and sick one will be suffering from the illness and the ravages of age no matter how good the care one receives from the children. This is very radical, from the perspective of Chinese cultural standards, regarding the centrality of family and the primacy and sanctity of family and children in Chinese tradition. By conserving the Qi and extending the span of one’s years and enhancing one’s vitality one will not be dependent in old age. Years will not leave the same ravages on the Taoist adept as they do on the ordinary person, and indeed the Taoist literature abounds with descriptions of silver-haired or white-haired people who move with the suppleness and flexibility of youth. Perhaps one has really begun to cultivate the Tao when detachment from ordinary life and ordinary choices comes about as a natural outgrowth of one’s discipline and practice of nurturing and conserving one’s Qi. Not for the world would one go backward on one’s commitment, when the real benefit is in going forward.

In the last line of the poem Sun Bu-Er seems to be making a very important point, although in a subtle and understated way. As people age, as people who are not cultivators advance in years, there’s less and less energy available, and, as more time passes, what was in the past becomes more front and center for them than what is ahead of them. This constant nostalgia and living in the past takes up a lot of space and doesn’t leave much room for new learning and new experiences. The Tao of cultivation, however, has forward momentum, even for those advanced in years and who may be climbing up mountains! Forward momentum generates more forward movement, insight, and creation, and this reinforces the wellspring of one’s Qi and also nurtures it with good health and gratifying joy.

From mountaintop and ocean bottom one hears the thunder after the rain.

Poem Three

In the previous poem, Sun Bu-Er gently and cheerfully claims the space of forward momentum: “one doesn’t want to go backward!” When Sun Bu-Er refers to “Practicing” she does not mean doing the same thing over and over again at the same level; all too often cultivators can fall into mind/body programming feedback loops, where the one keeps the other going, in a perpetual motion machine, or like two sides of a seesaw. A lot of people who would like to meditate and gain internal peace do not sit down to meditate at all because their mind and thoughts just will not stop turning and churning.

Practicing Hold back the breathing and concentrate the mind on the place where the Qi appears in the East. Then, thoughts are ten thousand unattached threads, and the one Qi returns to the platform. Yin phenomena come first, and easily, and then the Yang light—like a seedling planted in the ground.

Commentary: In Taoist cultivation a winnowing process occurs, naturally and of its own accord, that has to do with the aspirant’s ability to recall the mind and nourish body and spirit with the energies thus recalled. The ability, discipline, and willingness to accomplish this all-important step in the cultivation process separates those who will have to be satisfied that they can feel Qi, from those who take Qi to the next level—the platform to which it returns and from whence it further enhances awareness, realization, and spiritual perception.

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Sun Bu-Er’s advice is to “hold back the breathing and concentrate the mind on the place where the Qi appears in the East.” By this she is referring to the process of mental focus and attunement to the solar plexus/Wisdom Gate area at the center of the torso. By placing one’s attention on the Wisdom Gate, the breathing automatically activates the lower dantian and attunes to one’s own genetic memory and genetic treasure house, and becomes softer and gentler, as one is nourished as the embryo of all of one’s ancestors. Attuning to the Wisdom Gate and solar plexus area in a disciplined and regular way allows one thereby to transmute and transcend so much of one’s wandering, chaotic and busy mind, and personal and limited point of view. One does not hold back one’s breathing in any forceful, intentional, or conscious way, any more than a statue appears not to be breathing as it partakes of eternity. In the quest for the Tao and Taoist realization, cultivators can do no better than to heed this profound advice from Sun Bu-Er, for its natural corollary is “then, thoughts are ten thousand unattached threads, and the one Qi returns to the platform.” With recalling the mind, one resumes one’s relationship with the one Qi, and it will, obligingly, return to the platform (which, as the reader will recall, for Sun Bu-Er is both in the void and postnatal life on earth). Is any of this possible, or do-able, or easy? Considering the alternative—of ordinary activities and then old age with chronic illnesses—the Taoist cultivator should be well motivated to follow her guidance and practice diligently. It’s not a one-time deal, as if once and for all time the cultivator will have this permanently life-changing experience and be thus equipped for eternity. The top of the mountain isn’t gained in one leap. Practicing has its own rhythm and rewards, and one does it because it is the path. By such means are great changes effected. When a cultivator has the discipline and perseverance to adhere to regular practice, whatever events and situations may arise in the cultivator’s life will test the cultivator. One’s responses to events and situations will provide a barometer of one’s progress in practice and in one’s cultivation. Sometimes it becomes necessary to adjust one’s practice or set of practices to get better results. In all of this it is valuable to have a guide, a spiritual friend, or teacher. Ultimately one must rely on one’s own authority, but it is also good to check in with someone who is further along on the path. It is natural to pause and evaluate, re-evaluate, make any necessary adjustments, and to continue onward. The internal cultivation tradition says that a teacher guides you to the door of the path of internal cultivation, but how far you go and what achievement you will achieve, is all up to yourself. Because Sun Bu-Er has already told us that we are beings who have fallen into postnatal life on earth, it should come as no surprise that, while one is practicing, “Yin phenomena come first, and easily. . .” These are the thousands of discomforts, wayward thoughts and emotions that are part of postnatal life on earth and from which one learns to assume a state of detachment, bemusement, acceptance, and sang-froid. To be swept up in them is to lose one’s platform. To lose one’s platform after so much discipline and practice

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and commitment is regrettable. It therefore becomes second nature to monitor one’s own responses to the yin phenomena, to see them clearly, and to abide enduringly, until the arrival of “the Yang light—like a seedling planted in the ground.” The reward for sitting through all this is no great sequoia, but a seedling! And why is this true, and right, and correct? Because it is one’s very own, from the very beginning. A great sequoia of yang light would be overpowering, but a seedling is just right for the aspiring Taoist adept. It’s not any ordinary seedling or sprout, for with this sprout “From mountaintop and ocean bottom one hears the thunder after the rain.” These lines are so elegant, dense, compact, and remarkable. By placing one’s focus on the solar plexus and Wisdom Gate, by attuning oneself as embryo of one’s ancestors, one aligns with a time frame that is extradimensional and nonlinear, allowing one to hear thunder after the rain. Causes become so much more clear and easy to trace, and diligent practice will enable one to understand and to trace causes. Mountaintops are the most yang expression of the earth element, while ocean bottoms are the most yin expression of the water element. Earth and water generate yin phenomena ceaselessly, but thunder, yang and heavenly, reaches throughout all the layers and levels of yin phenomena. For the cultivator, tracing causes, discerning outcomes, and understanding the courses of events and situations becomes more manageable, more possible. In other words, clearing the rain/thoughts, brings one to direct experience of thunder/mind itself. It is also possible to interpret these lines in another, although related, way. Many other works in the Taoist canon contain reference to the practice of swallowing the saliva, which is considered to be medicine. So, perhaps when “One hears the thunder after the rain,” one hears the voices and movements of the internal organs after swallowing saliva, the body’s own medicine.

Jill Gonet, MFA has been published in numerous literary journals and anthologies, including Poetry, Ploughshares, The New England Review, The Gettysburg Review, and The Best American Poetry, among others. She is the recipient of awards from the Poetry Society of America, as well as grants from the Seattle Arts Commission. A student of ancient Daoist classics since high school, she has studied the classics diligently. In addition to being a long-time meditator, she has also practiced Qigong for over 20 years. Her interests in writing, Chinese culture, and the art of internal cultivation have combined in her work on Sun Bu-Er, the great Jin dynasty Taoist adept, in her translation of Sun Bu-Er’s teaching poems, Riding the Phoenix to Penglai.

Daoism in the West Stuart Alve Olson Photos by Cher Mikkola

onsidering the subject of this book and that it is written for the Westerner, it’s important to recognize how Daoism entered Western culture. Countless books on Daoist history explain its development in China, yet few speak about its introduction and assimilation into Western culture. I believe Western seekers of the Dao should have at least a sense of how Daoism has developed in the West. When we read about the history of Daoism, it can seem remote and so we may think it’s not applicable to our current society and culture and have difficulty accessing the teachings and philosophy. Daoism is not remote. It’s growing in the West, and its history in the United States, as

well as in other countries, should not be passed over. So, examining how Daoism took root in the West is important for those of us attempting to nourish it and cultivate what may become known as Western Daoism. The history of Daoism in the United States began in the mid-1800s with the Chinese who immigrated to California. They kept their folklore beliefs and, in many cases, brought priests to officiate at temples and to provide spiritual solace. Many of the Daoist temples they built are still standing today. Northern Creek Temple (北溪廟, Bei Xi Miao) in Marysville, for example, was built in 1854. Weaverville’s Temple of the Forest Beneath the Clouds (雲林下廟, Yun

Lin Xia Miao) was rebuilt in 1874 and is now part of California State Parks. In San Francisco’s Chinatown, Heavenly Empress Temple (天后廟, Tian Hou Miao) and Dragon Palace (龍宮, Long Gong) were built in the mid-1800s. Terrace of Contemplation Temple (觀臺廟, Guan Tai Miao) in Mendocino is considered the oldest temple in rural California (built in 1854), and the Taoist Temple (道人廟 , Dao Ren Miao) in Hanford was built in 1893. Hanford once had a population of Chinese greater than San Francisco. For English readers, Daoism began being introduced during the mid1800s, mainly through sinologists and Christian missionary scholars such as Frederic Henry Balfour and James Spring 2015

Legge who translated Daoist texts into English. Other European sinologists such as Stanislas Julien, Herbert Giles, Lionel Giles, Richard Wilhelm, and Max Muller were translating Daoist texts into their respective languages as well. Their works helped introduce Daoist philosophy to the West, which paved the way later for English-speaking teachers to introduce the actual practices of Daoism. Daoism really didn’t flourish in the West until the 1960s when people like Allan Watts and Gia-Fu Feng were writing about and teaching Daoism to the beat and hippy generation. During that period, Peter Goullart published his vivid account on Daoist life that he had experienced over thirty years of living in China. During the early 1970s, John Blofeld wrote about his firsthand experiences of Daoist masters, teachings, and temples during his travels in the 1930s through late 1940s. His books brought Daoism to life in the West and inspired so many of us to become Daoists. In 1974, photographer Hedda Morrison released a collection of her photos taken in the 1940s of Hua Shan and of the monks living there. These photos captivated and inspired many Daoist seekers in the West. Once China opened up in the mid1980s, many Westerners began traveling there to visit Daoist temples and seek out teachers. During this time various scholars and writers began presenting new Daoist works and the West started taking on a more serious approach to Daoism. Additionally, Daoist ideals and thoughts have had enormous influences on some of the West’s most accomplished writers and artists. Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959), one of the world’s most notable architects, appears to have been greatly influenced by Daoist thought and art. What he called “Organic Architecture,” a harmonious design approach for integrating buildings, furnishings, and surroundings with the natural world, mirrors the very basis of Daoist architecture. Within his architecture school, Taliesin West, you can see many Chinese works of art, as well as a quote from the Dao De Jing painted on a wall.

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Another famous figure in Western culture who helped in the propagation of Daoist thought was Carl Jung (1875– 1961). As a psychiatrist and psychotherapist he found great influence in Daoist philosophy, even writing a foreword to Richard Willhelm’s translation of the Secret of the Golden Flower, a work on Daoist alchemy and meditation. Many of the ideas he introduced into psychology were inspired by his studies of Daoist thought. On the nightstand next to his deathbed was a copy of Chinese Meditations by Lu Kuan Yu. Considering Jung’s studies of Daoism and his tremendous influence on the field of psychology, his works introduced (sometimes indirectly) Daoist ideas and perspectives into Western society in a way that has had ripple effects throughout our culture.

Another famous figure in Western culture who helped in the propagation of Daoist thought was Carl Jung.

Curiously, one of the most influential sources of Daoist philosophy in Western culture was the television series Kung Fu starring David Carradine. The show, running from 1972 to 1975, introduced Daoist philosophy, both in word and action, to millions of Westerners. Even though the show was premised on a Buddhist Shaolin tradition, the main character, Kwai Chang Caine, was portrayed as, and exemplified, a wandering Daoist. The show relied on the Daoist philosophy of Lao Zi and the Zhuang Zi to guide much of Caine’s actions and thoughts. The Kung Fu series was the first actual depiction of a Chinese martial artist, yet showed little fighting. Caine is more often shown using Daoist philosophy to curtail and solve the problems he encounters rather than his martial skills. As the blind Master Po related to Caine once in the show, “Even a beautiful rose has thorns, but does not seek to use them.” Benjamin Hoff’s book The Tao of Pooh (Penguin Books, 1983), which

remained on the New York Times Best Seller list for forty-nine weeks, was another major influence on the absorption of Daoism into Western culture. Using the character of Winnie the Pooh as a Daoist master, Hoff presented many Daoist perspectives on living, which furthered a greater interest in Daoism, and, like Kung Fu, introduced Daoist teachings to people who weren’t necessarily seeking to learn about Daoism. In general, three main groups have been responsible for influencing Daoist teachings in the West, and they all approach the subject in various ways. The first group is the clergy, the ordained community of Daoists who engage in a rigorous training of disciplines determined by the particular sect to which they adhere. Ordained Daoists may or may not live in a monastery or temple, and they may or may not be celibate, as each sect of Daoism has its own requirements on these matters. The second type of Daoist belongs to the teacher-disciple tradition and lineages, which in most cases are not of the clergy. This is truly the original way Daoism was taught and practiced by the majority of early Daoist cultivators. The third group comprises the scholars and writers of Daoism. Although most of their works are academic in their approach to Daoism, whether these scholars and writers were, or are, “Daoists” is irrelevant to the tremendous role they have played in strengthening and furthering the spread of Daoism around the world.

Daoist Clergy and Priesthood Tradition The Chinese Taoist Association, founded in April 1957, is the one governing body for all Daoist sects. The association consists of two main branches: Zheng Yi (正一, The Correct One) and Quan Zhen (全真, Perfect Realization). All ordained Daoists are governed by one of these two sects, even if they belong to one or another of the twenty-eight subsects or chapters operating in China today. The Zheng Yi sect is headquartered at Dragon-Tiger Mountain (龍虎山, Long Hu Shan) in Jiangxi province, and the Quan Zhen sect at White Cloud Monastery (白雲觀, Bai Yun Guan) in Beijing.

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The institution of the Daoist clergy began in 142 CE under Zhang Daoling, whose sect became known as the Celestial Masters (天師, Tian Shi), but during a reformation period in the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) the name Celestial Masters was changed to Zheng Yi. The Zheng Yi sect, generally, favors the ritual and spirit work of Daoism more than the naturalist philosophy and tranquil meditation work of other Daoist traditions. The Quan Zhen Sect began in the twelfth century under Wang Zhongyang (1113–1170 CE). In 1159, he learned from (through dreams and visions) the Daoist immortals Zhongli Quan and Lu Dongbin, the two founding members of the Eight Immortals. The Quan Zhen sect, for the most part, embraces the philosophical and internal alchemy traditions of Daoism. The traditional process for becoming a Daoist priest required the novice to first spend three years living in a temple, and only after accomplishing this was the novice allowed to undergo a one hundred-day ordination ceremony, referred to in Daoist texts as “one hundred days of spiritual work,” which included long periods of meditation, fasting, and other tests. This period of the ordination process was extremely harsh and brutal, sometimes resulting in death. Upon completing the spiritual work, the novice would undergo exams on Daoist scriptures, precepts, poetry, and chants. Upon passing the exams, the novice would be ordained as a priest, and would then be honored with the title of master (道師 , Dao Shi, Master of the Dao). During the Qing dynasty (1644– 1912 CE) about two hundred novices every four years would be ordained. All ordination ceremonies were stopped in 1927 due to the turmoil taking place in China, but were resumed in 1989. The one hundred days of spiritual work was changed to fifty-three days to be less severe. Now, depending on whether a person joins the Zheng Yi or Quan Zhen, the ordination requirements will vary as each sect has different criteria and focus. Once disciples had passed their ordination process, they were given a special spiritual name. Along with receiving a spiritual name, there were other indicators that would signify to

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which particular sect a Daoist disciple or priest belonged. The manner in which hand gestures are used for salutations, how prostrations are performed, how incense is offered, and the design of ceremonial robes and caps worn will vary among sects. The only general indicator of all Daoists is the wearing of the hair in a topknot, symbolic of wearing a crown, and many sects would even have specific hairpins, usually made of jade, ivory, or peach wood, for securing the topknot.

The teacher-disciple tradition, for the most part, is based on a direct and personal approach of transmitting knowledge and wisdom. Many Westerners have been ordained as Daoist priests and many are undergoing the ordination process today. These dedicated individuals are helping to preserve and propagate orthodox Daoism all over the world. Without their efforts and influence, Daoism in the West could easily become a philosophical hodgepodge of either extreme intellectualism or erroneous personal ideologies. The ordained are in many ways a balance and measure between the academic and teacherdisciple traditions. It is crucial that the tradition of the Daoist clergy be maintained and supported so the teachings can be preserved for the growth and propagation of orthodox Daoism. Daoist Teacher and Disciple Tradition Before the time of Zhang Daoling, Daoism was taught through the medium of teacher and student/disciple lineages. This tradition continues today. Some teachers in present times may also be ordained Daoist priests, and some students may also be ordained. A student may be referred to as a disciple, apprentice, protégé, or adopted son or daughter. Traditionally, this group was primarily secular and usually pertained

to teachers transmitting methods of internal alchemy and the practices of nourishing-life arts. This form of teacher-disciple relationship became the ideal for learning Daoism since the time of Lao Zi’s meeting with Guan Yinzi along the border of China at the Northwest Passage. Guan Yinzi persuaded Lao Zi to stay for a while to teach him the Dao, which resulted in Lao Zi writing the Dao De Jing. The three primary ancestors of Daoism started the teacher-disciple tradition certainly not with any intent to attract disciples, but through the merit of their works, they attracted followers. Lao Zi, Lie Yukou (author of the Lie Zi, fifth century BCE), and Zhuang Zhou (author of the Zhuang Zi, fourth century BCE) were the very founders of philosophical Daoism. These three founders were not part of a Daoist clergy—as Daoism would not be organized into a priesthood for many centuries after they lived and taught—but before and after their times, the teacher-disciple tradition existed. Indeed, there would be no Daoism, past or present, without this tradition. Personal transmission of knowledge and wisdom from one mind to another is at the heart of Daoism’s extended history. In Daoism this is called a “Mind” or “Heart Seal” (心引, Xin Yin). It is called a “seal” because the teacher affirms the student’s realization of the true reality of the “oneness of being and nonbeing” through either word or action to seal it in the student’s mind. In many ways this is a teacher melding his or her mind with the student’s mind so the truth can be transmitted directly, with or without words. With this mind seal, the student is illuminated or awakened, and thus is able to attain and realize the Dao. This Mind Seal tradition was clearly seen within the family lineage of the famous Daoist writer and cultivator Ge Hong,1 one of the most celebrated Daoist writers and internal alchemy cultivators. Ge Hong was also not a member of the priesthood, rather he was part of the teacher-disciple tradition of Daoism. His great uncle Ge Xuan2 played an important role in Ge Hong’s cultivation of Daoist practices, and Ge Hong claimed his uncle was his teacher. In more recent times, the famous 250-year-old man, Li Qingyun, 3 also

The teacher-disciple tradition, for the most part, is based on a direct and personal approach of transmitting knowledge and wisdom, whereas the ordained tradition is more about an institutional approach. This is not to say novices or priests in the ordained tradition don’t have personal relationships with their teacher or teachers, but the focus is more about following an established and formal system of learning through which each student must progress. In the teacher-disciple tradition, the manner of learning is based on the needs and endowments of the student, with the teachings rooted in the deep empirical experiences of a teacher. The ordained/clerical approach is founded on the collected knowledge acquired from various sects and clergy in Daoism’s long history. In the end, both traditions are crucial to Daoism’s survival in the West as each provides a profound perspective on Daoism.

Daoist Scholars and Writers Throughout Daoism’s long history in China, including in contemporary times, numerous scholars have worked to preserve the history of Daoism and explain much of the voluminous literature collected since antiquity. This body of literature, called the Daoist Canon (道藏, Dao Zang), first compiled in 400 CE, consists of some fourteen hundred–plus texts of Daoism, including scriptures, discourses, commentaries, and instructional works. The Daoist Canon contains the writings of many Daoist adepts who either composed a scripture or wrote discourses on one aspect of Daoism or another, or simply provided commentaries on a previous scripture or discourse. In all, the Daoist Canon is a collection of writings created by, what may be called, true Daoist cultivators and masters, and it is these writings that Chinese scholars have been pouring over for centuries. These pursuits have been echoed in the West, with numerous scholars, translators, and writers helping to present much of the Daoist Canon to their respective audiences. Without question this has been a tremendously valuable service to non-Chinese speaking Daoists. Since Daoism was developed within Chinese culture, the language used in Daoist literature becomes extremely important. Daoism uses many specialized terms and sometimes cryptic language, so being fluent in Chinese doesn’t guarantee understanding every Daoist work. Few Daoist texts are worded in straightforward or colloquial Chinese. Much of Daoist literature is also steeped in mystical thought, making it difficult for even the average Chinese reader to understand. So the works of scholars and writers on Daoism provide useful insights and clarity into source materials that most Western Daoists would not be able to interpret. Many of these works would not even be known, or even heard of, in the West if it wasn’t for the efforts of these scholars and writers. As mentioned earlier, most of the scholars and writers noted in this section have not been Daoists in the traditional sense nor engaged in the cultivation practices of the Dao, yet they have been an integral part of spreading Daoist teachings. Their efforts have

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received his teachings in the teacherdisciple tradition. He, like many other Daoists, chose not to give any information about his teacher, other than saying he met him in the Western Grotto Mountains in Gansu province. The reason some Daoists do not offer personal details of their teachers is because they see no virtue in living off their teacher’s reputation and so seek to stand on their own worthiness and skills. This makes it difficult, however, to trace the lineages of many accomplished Daoist cultivators in the past. Unlike the defined process for entering the priesthood, the teacherdisciple tradition can follow any number of paths. This is because the teachings imparted are purely up to the discretion of the teacher, and the teacher will teach a student according to the student’s unique endowments. The teacher-disciple tradition recognizes that not every student should be taught the same way, as people come into this world with different needs. Not every student has the endowments or mental keenness to learn a teacher’s entire art, yet all can benefit in one way or another. As Master Liang said, Some students who come to me can only learn the health exercises, some only martial arts, and a rare few the way of becoming an immortal. So I must teach each differently.

This way of teaching doesn’t mean that a teacher’s disciples acquired their learning any easier than a priest. Many teachers required their students to endure long periods of sacrifice and training to earn their trust. In the Yin Convergence Scripture, Chen Zhoutong (a disciple of Zhang Sanfeng in the Song dynasty) wrote this concluding remark to his commentary: The Dao has been transmitted from Sage to Sage, from ancestor to ancestor, and through this manner the mental elucidation has been handed down. But, presently, people erroneously think that uttering just a few pleasant words of flattery to a teacher will get them the transmission of Yin Convergence [immortality] skills and consciousness.

These words by Chen Zhoutong have held true for teachers, past and present. Teachers in the past wanted to see sincerity, diligence, and respect in a

potential student. Disciples who placed their teacher first, family second, and everyone else third understood that it was the teacher who enabled them to become immortal. In becoming immortal, their family (ancestors and future descendants) would all benefit from the merit of their accomplishment. Parents, siblings, friends, or any other people in their life could not instruct them on the way of becoming an immortal. Therefore, the teacher played the most important role in a student’s life. Teachers, be they spiritual or educational, were always held in high esteem in Chinese culture. This is not to say filial piety was not held in high regard as well. The understanding was that parents nourish and give us life, and teachers give us knowledge and wisdom to understand life.

Since Daoism was developed within Chinese culture, the language used in Daoist literature becomes extremely important.

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been as crucial to Daoism’s propagation in the West as have the efforts of the Daoist clergy and the teacher-disciple traditions. For those of us Western converts to Daoism, and for those now undertaking the study of Daoism, the following author/translators and their works are how many of us came to learn about Daoism. They have established the English literary tradition for all past, present, and future seekers of the Dao. It would be remiss not to recognize the likes of Frederic Henry Balfour, James Legge, Herbert Allen Giles, Lionel Giles, Henri Maspero, Lin Yutang, Holmes Welch, A. C. Graham, Hedda Morrison and Wolfram Eberhard, Burton Watson, Fung Yu-lan, Chang Chung-yuan, James Ware, Joseph Needham, Max Kaltenmark, Lu K’uan Yu, Gia-Fu Feng, Ilza Veith, Allan Watts, Chungliang Al Huang, Da Liu, and John Blofeld. In more recent times, Thomas Cleary, Kristofer Schipper, Livia Kohn, Stephen R. Bokenkamp, Daniel Reid, Eva Wong, Michael Saso, Fabrizo Pedagio, and Isabelle Robinet are carrying on the tradition of scholarship and translation work. All these pioneers and many more, have provided a framework for Daoist philosophy and practice in the West. This is but a partial list of some of the valuable Daoist works available in English, and I apologize for any other great books and authors I failed to mention. My intent was not to present an exhaustive list on the subject, but to provide a sampling of the numerous works that have been important in the propagation of Daoist teachings in the West. Also keep in mind that many of the authors listed here have multiple publications to their credit. This brief appendix has attempted to explain how Daoism has entered Western society, showing how young it is in the West and that it is still trying to find its place within Western society and in these modern times. If you were to gather up all the writings and history of Daoism’s development in China, and then compare it to what has occurred in the West, it would be akin to comparing a one hundred thousand–page book with a three-page article. In China, Daoism has at least three thousand years of history, but it has existed in the West for just over one hundred years.

When transitioning an old system into a new environment, disagreements and growing pains are bound to occur. The transition of Daoism into the West still has a long way to go, and how it will affect and find root in Western culture is still uncertain. We must all be cautious, however, not to practice elitism and cause a division between Daoist adherents. My hope is that everyone involved in Daoism’s transition and development into Western culture will see the great need for extending deep respect and support to all those who, in whatever fashion, help plant the seeds of Daoism. Whether it’s the clergy, teacher-student lineage, or scholarly academic (both Daoist and non-Daoist), we all need each other, and it must be understood that we all perceive and love Daoism in our own way. If we can respect and accept the approach of these different sectors, then Daoism will blossom and thrive on Western soil. If we consider Lao Zi’s words “Contemplate the person by the person,” then we should not judge or dismiss people by their race, creed, or nationality (or, in this case, by what sector of Daoism they follow). By extension, when we judge or dismiss others, contention is created. If we consider Lao Zi’s words, “Sages do not contend with others; the inferior person is quarrelsome.” A wise person (Sage) sees no use in contending or quarreling with others, as it is only the unwise, inferior person who regards contention and quarreling as useful. No matter which way we relate to Daoism—whether as clergy, teacher-student, scholar/writer, or as a person studying and practicing Daoism on his or her own through books and teachers—we must all practice Lao Zi’s ideal of non-contention, otherwise we are undermining one of the central tenets of Daoist philosophy. Daoism has a great opportunity to institute itself in the West, but it has to, at least in part, be adapted to Western culture. Changes are necessary and inevitable if Daoism is to survive and thrive in the West. As Western Daoists, we must clearly understand that a culture cannot just be stolen through imitation; rather, we must learn and borrow from the past with reverence, while adapting the teachings to our culture through our own authentic experiences.

This approach will allow us to nourish and develop a wonderful Western tradition of Daoism. Other teachers and organizations may define “Being Daoist” in different ways, and I do not contend with those views, for there are many perspectives of what it means to be Daoist. I wrote this book to summarize what my teachers and my many years of practicing, studying, and translating Daoist works have taught me on how to be Daoist. I make no pretense of claiming I know exactly what a Daoist is, nor that I am in any way a model of Daoism. I am but one person, among many others, looking at a beautiful piece of art, and sharing my perception and experience of it. So much of Daoism I could not, in any practical sense, incorporate here. I am not an academic, nor would I dare call myself a master of the Dao, as there is simply too much about Daoism I don’t know and have yet to accomplish. This book, then, should be regarded as but one droplet of water. Yet, I hope this droplet of water brings nourishment to some part of Daoism’s developing roots in the West.

1. Ge Hong (葛洪 , 283–343 CE) composed the Master Who Embraces the Uncarved Wood (抱朴子 , Bao Pu Zi, Ge Hong’s sobriquet), which is the first written record of a Daoist’s personal search for immortality. 2. Ge Xuan (葛玄 ) is the attributed author of The Exalted One’s Clarity and Tranquility of the Constant Scripture (太上清靜常經 , Tai Shang Qing Jing Chang Jing). 3. Li Qingyun is reported to have been born in 1678 and died in 1933, with inquiries putting his age at 256. A notice on his death appeared in the New York Times on May 6, 1933, and in the Time magazine article “China: Tortoise-Pigeon-Dog,” May 15, 1933.

From Being Daoist: The Way of Drifting with the Current by Stuart Alve Olson (Valley Spirit Arts, 2014). Stuart is a teacher, translator, and writer on Daoist philosophy, health, and internal arts. Visit www.valleyspiritarts.com for information on his other publications and projects.

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The Tao of Zen A Conversation with Koro Kaisan Miles

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We are here, sharing tea and space with our good friend Koro Kaisan Miles, who is the resident teacher at Open Gate Zendo in Olympia, Washington, a branch of the Order of the Boundless Way. Sharing this special tea with us is his son Jeff, who is also a Zen priest Solala: The Order of the Boundless Way sounds so Taoist! Miles: Yes, the idea originally was that we didn’t want to be Japanese Zen or Chinese Zen (Chan) because all of that stuff puts things in boxes. So what we were really trying to do was not build a box, although the way that things go it seems like you end up building boxes out of not building boxes. We built a box that says we are not in a box! Solala: Yes, it’s hard to avoid the boxes! Miles: Yes, and other people put you in the box if you don’t. That’s something that we noticed right away. We were operating independently for some time but then we ended up becoming associated with the Zen Buddhist order of Hsu Yun, which is a lineage tradition through the Chinese Chan master, Hsu Yun. Hsu Yun or Empty Cloud was basically the Chinese master who preserved traditional Buddhism in China during the Cultural Revolution. He’s primarily a Chan or Zen practitioner but he became ordained in all the different lineages of Chinese Buddhism at that time, as an idea of preserving all of them into the post Cultural Revolution era. Solala: I thought it would be interesting to get together around tea because tea is something that Taoists and Buddhists have a lot of respect for. The sharing of tea and the stories of tea and the kinds of things that tea brings out can bring us some very rich experiences. Miles: Oh absolutely. I think one of the troubles that affect these spiritual/religious practices is the idea that it is something separate that we do. The idea that when you practice Taoism or Buddhism is that it is something that you go do, like when you go to a movie or something like that. Whereas what we should be doing is incorporating our spiritual practice into whatever we’re doing so that having tea is a Buddhist or Taoist practice or a spiritual practice. To make a separate spiritual practice like going and bowing and chanting and lighting incense and doing this ceremony is actually a kind of falsification of a spiritual tradition. The actual spiritual tradition is, in this case, to have tea with the Taoist or Buddhist mind. And that’s the true practice. So what we do when we do the ceremonial stuff, the rituals and the whole dance of the religious aspects of the tradition, what we’re really doing is a reenactment, if you would, of what would really be a practice around our normal life, like the appreciation of nature or of the appreciation of tea or whatever we have. This is why we tend to go with the constructed image rather than the natural image. It’s like if we go outside and we look at a beautiful vista of the mountains and the trees

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and the clouds and go, ”Isn’t that beautiful?” There was nobody who went out and arranged that stuff and made it beautiful. When we go out and have that appreciation of that beauty, we don’t have to make ourselves go out and appreciate that beauty, that beauty is already there and we recognize it. Whereas oftentimes when we decorate the temple and we put all the stuff on the altar and we go through the ritual of making it all beautiful where people are inspired to look at these things when they come in…. what we’re trying to do is mimic what is really happening in the real world, like the beautiful vista that we just saw. In trying to create a sense of awe, wonder and beauty it’s kind of a false mockup of reality. So when we start doing these rituals and ceremonies and going up to the altar and bowing and stuff it’s really an imitation of the real spiritual practice. What we are experiencing here now with the tea, it’s not making the tea into something else. But really appreciating the tea as something that we can do with an open heart and open mind in a spiritual way. Solala: There’s a famous saying in Japanese Zen that to really know the taste of Zen you must know the taste of tea. Tea is a big tradition in Taoism. Any temple you go to in China there are tea masters or just people sharing tea. I think people in the West don’t realize that tea is more than just having a cup of hot water with a tea bag in it and you just drink it while you are watching TV or whatever. Miles: Yes, so when we do the tea ceremony, it’s not making tea more than what it is, but the difference is that you are experiencing it fully. Say you are eating food for example; Are you eating the food because you need calories, or you are having the food because you want to have the experience of having a meal? Solala: And tea can be another gateway. You were telling me earlier about the three gates on the way to the Japanese teahouses. Miles: Yes, in going through the various gates you are going through levels of spiritual purification. You leave the mundane world behind when you go through the outer gate and that puts you into the big landscape garden around the teahouse. So you go in there and you walk around and you look at the streams and trees and all the little plants and all of that. You get a certain sense of relaxation and a mind set that is now more in an appreciation of natural beauty. It gets you to forget about the struggles of the world, that are all man-made and all artificial, and getting you into what is really important, which is enjoying our lives. This is kind of a cooling down period, where your mind gets settled down, like silt settling down in the water so that the water clarifies. Maybe a half hour or hour is spent wandering around the garden or sitting on the benches. In the Japanese gardens you often have these little arbors that you go and sit in and they already have some tea there and so you go in and relax.

Then the tea master, he either strikes a plank or a bell, to give you a little signal that it’s time to do the official ceremony. So you get up off your bench and you sort of meander over to the middle gate. The middle gate is this kind of little courtyard that’s around the teahouse. It’s the entrance into sacred space. That middle gate is called chu mon. It’s usually a very simple gate. It’s very wabi, it’s made of bamboo and old rickety timbers. The first gate that you came to, the main gate, is very grandiose and solid and imposing. When you go through it is about leaving that structured and imposing world behind. Then, when you are going through the middle gate you are already in that kind of world where you’re not interested in importance of rank or the importance of social affairs, or your status in the world, or who likes you and who doesn’t. You realize now that that’s all unimportant. Solala: That’s really interesting because Japanese culture tends to put a lot of weight behind structure and what class of people they are and how low you bow to one person compared to another person. The teahouse is the only place I have heard of where they leave all that behind. Miles: Yes and that was Sen no Rikyu’s influence. The Zen Buddhist concept is that we are all Buddhas, and when we face each other in an honest pure, open-heart way you and

I are not different in any way. Even if you’re the emperor and I’m a lowly tea master there’s no difference. This idea of leaving the world of constructs is meant to release us from our mental contracts of society. Solala: Like those boxes we were talking about earlier. “The Tao that can be put into a box is not the true Tao.” Most of the people I know in the Zen tradition come though a Japanese lineage. But you guys come through more of a Chinese lineage. Miles: Well part of that, is due to whatever idea you have about what it is, that you think Zen is. To me there is no Chinese Chan, Japanese Zen, Vietnamese Tien, and Korean Son. You have all those different words, but for example; the Chinese word for water, the Korean word for water, the Vietnamese word for water, and the Japanese word for water are all different words, but they’re all the same water. Solala: There are some cultural differences. For instance, when Zen went to Japan and was taken up by the samurai they put a sort of martial, bushido layer on it, while the Chinese form is a little more easy going. Miles: Oh yeah, there’s definitely a cultural difference. For instance, Japanese Zen is this way; it’s very structured, and

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it’s very formal and completely orchestrated. Whereas you go to the opposite extreme with Vietnamese Zen, which is very comfortable, kind of casual, and comparatively soft and gentle. It’s a totally different idea. You can almost look at them and go, “Are these the same thing?” And that is because we are mistaking the box for the gift. When we look at the box of Japanese Zen we see the hard cornered, very well made little box that only fits together in an exact certain way. But when we go to the Vietnamese Zen its’ kind of a loose bag that we kind of just open up and dump the jewels out of, yet they’re both gifts. It’s the package that confuses people. They get so confused about the package, that they don’t realize that the real gem is what’s in the box. The Japanese box is very formal and very precise and the lid fits exactly so, but inside is this gem. Whereas in the Vietnamese or the Chinese traditions, its sort of this loose bag like when Hotei (the laughing Buddha) dumps out his bag and all this stuff rolls out on the ground and you go; “Oh, there it is.” This priceless gem is in there as well, but with a bunch of other stuff like old socks! That’s one of the reasons that in the Zen that we practice, Boundless Way Zen, we’re not looking at the construct (the box), of what that practice is, we’re looking at the essence of the practice.

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Solala: Well I think people are still trying to figure out what American Zen is, and the same thing is true with Taoism. The beautiful thing is that actually Buddha and Tao are transcultural things. They don’t really have anything to do with whether you are Chinese or Japanese or American. Everyone is a coming Buddha, as they say and Tao itself is not Chinese. Tao is for everyone. Miles: That’s what I was saying about water, it’s the same thing. The Tao is the Tao whether you are Chinese or American. The Buddha is the Buddha. That’s the thing that’s confusing people about Buddhism. Again it’s mistaking the package for the gem. Even though we have the historical Buddha who started this tradition, Buddha really means “an awakened being.” In Zen we understand that we are all Buddhas, we are all awakened beings. Our big struggle is learning to allow ourselves to be awakened, to recognize what we already know. It’s opening up the essence of what we already know in order to be a pure spiritual being. Solala: In Taoism we have the term zhen ren, which is a term for an enlightened being ,though what it actually means is a self-realized person.

Miles: Yes, self-realized. Up until the 19th century, when Japan changed because of the Meiji Restoration, self realized teachers were as common as temple teachers. But what happened is that they standardized Zen, and that changed everything. The modern Zen from Japan that we know today is actually very modern. It started in the Meiji Restoration and was changed significantly. They actually wanted to make it more like Western style religions. They wanted to become more modern and the Meiji government imposed upon the Japanese people, including the Buddhists, that they were going to standardize their practices and traditions and be more like the Catholic Church or these other modern structures because that’s the way the modern Western people did it. Solala: In China there is the Chinese Taoist Association, which is run by the government and who makes the rules of things like how many monks can be at a certain temple. Nowadays in China they have discovered that tourists love temples, both Chinese and foreigners. So the temples have to open themselves for the tourists so places where, perhaps in the past, people were able to do their cultivation practices in a nice peaceful atmosphere are now filled, all day long, with loud tourists. Of course some of us, myself included, used to have this romantic idea that all temples, Buddhist and Taoist, were filled with all these high-level people who were involved in doing very deep spiritual practices. Everyone that was there was a semi-enlightened if not fully enlightened person. But the reality is that for a lot of people it’s more like a job, a vocation. They may be from poor families and they go to the temple where they would be taken care of and they just do menial labor or they take care of the tourists. Unfortunately, the people who are running the temples have to deal with the tourists as well as the government and I think, what a difficult position to be in. Miles: Yes, traditionally temples were like orphanages, and they are to some extent today. The whole idea of a temple, was that there was a core group of monks that were running this place where other people would come and would be told that if they wanted to be fed and have a place to sleep and everything that they would have to become monks. Big families would often bring children (especially if they felt they couldn’t afford more children) to the monastery to become monks. So a very large percentage of the monks in those monasteries really were not people who actually chose that lifestyle because of some high ideal. So this idea that we have, that all the monks are these lofty characters, simply isn’t true. In one of the temples we visited in China, they had the front part of the temple where all the laymen and tourists went, and then they had a gated section up at the top, which is where the monks who were serious about cultivation would practice and live. Solala: That’s great that they have that. This term in Taoism, zhen ren, also means “authentic person.” Both Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu talk a lot about identifying with your authentic nature. That would be beside or under all the acculturation

and all the historical layers that have happened. Because we all have an authentic nature, but it’s been so layered over that most people don’t even know it’s there. The ones who do know it’s there are trying to dig down through the many layers to get there. Miles: Yes, that’s where Zen is actually very Taoist. Zen is really just a Buddhist form of Taoism. Buddhism came into China two or three hundred years before Zen developed. There were temples and such things going on all over China, these were very Mahayana Buddhist. Zen developed through what we call the “men of cliffs and caves,” these men were often the “barbarians” or the non-monks. They were not the Buddhists monks that had been trained to do all the monastic Buddhist rituals, these were the loners who lived outside the temples that were reading Buddhist scripture, who were basically Taoists. They were the hermits, the artists, the herb gatherers, and the educated literati. Most people don’t know this, but most of those hermits up in the mountains were upper middle class children of wealthy families. They were not like homeless people. Solala: Or peasants, who had to work all the time and could not support themselves by being a seeker. Miles: Right. These people living up in these caves, and in these huts, were very well educated literati, people who knew how to read, they were philosophers and artists who were practicing things like Chi Gong, ink painting and writing poetry. So the ideal for them was to go up into the mountains and live the life of a hermit sage, there to find their true nature. It was among these hermit sages that Zen developed. Zen was really formed in that free philosophical atmosphere outside the Buddhist temples, not inside. Bodhidharma became this iconic image because he became known as one of those guys. The story about Bodhidharma, is that he comes to China and he goes to emperor Wu, who gets upset with him because Bodhidharma doesn’t see Buddhism in the same way that Emperor Wu does. Solala: And Emperor Wu had been spending a lot of money to build big temples everywhere and felt he should get a lot of credit and merit for that. But when he asks Bodhidarma what he thinks about all the great things that emperor Wu has done for Buddhism he’s not impressed at all. Miles: Yes, because Bodhidharma’s Buddhism was based on more a pure internal practice rather than any kind of show and pomp, and because of this his Buddhism was very different from the kind of Buddhism that was already there in China. So Bodhidharma gets kicked out of a few places, including Emperor Wu’s palace, and he ends up going to the Shaolin temple. Why did he go to the Shaolin temple? He’s looking for a place to stay, right? He went there because one of his countrymen, the abbot, was an Indian monk named Buddhabhadra (Batuo or Fotuo in Chinese). Buddhabhadra is a traditional Mahayana Buddhist and he doesn’t like Bodhidharma any more than Emperor Wu does.

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This is because Bodhidharma has this radical, weird way of looking at Buddhism, which is really Buddhist teachings with a Taoist twist, a new kind of way of seeing the world. So he promptly boots Bodhidharma out, and Bodhidharma goes out and ends up living in a cave. Solala: Yes, for nine years. Miles: Yes, traditionally it’s said nine years. Solala: Of course nine is a very magical number. It’s a complete yang number; three times three, So it may just be a symbolic number. Who knows how long he was actually in there. Miles: Yes, saying that Bodhidharma sat in a cave meditating for nine years is like saying, “I went to college for nine years.” It doesn’t mean I spent every waking moment in class. Solala: Also, when the Indian Buddhist sutras were originally translated into Chinese there were a lot of Taoist terms put in to make it easier for the Chinese to understand. Miles: Yes, and who were those people? You had people like Bodhidharma coming into China and who do they meet up with? The literati, they are really the only people capable of

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translating that kind of stuff. These are the same people who chose to live among the cliffs and caves. They were from that tradition. Now I’m not saying that all of them lived in cliffs and caves, but a lot of the cliffs and caves people actually lived in some pretty comfortable places up in the mountains. They were rich! Their family bought property up on the mountain and built them these places so that they could live up there and drink wine and write poetry, and do translations. So those people were very welcoming of these itinerant monks, who were coming into China with all this cool new literature. They were the ones who ended up doing a lot of the translations, so the translations were being heavily influenced by these Taoists and by the literati. They’re trying to make it acceptable for the upper class, the educated classes. Because religions that are peasant religions don’t attract money, so you need to have something a little more scholarly and prestigious. Solala: That’s true. Because somebody has to buy the property and build the temple and fund everything. So a lot of the temples and monks at that time ended up being supported by the government. Miles: Yes, so you have the monks that are being supported by the government, and the people of the cliffs and caves,

who are being supported by private individuals. Now the whole Shaolin kung fu thing…people don’t really understand all that. If you go to China, you will see what they call steles, stone carvings. If you read the steles you will find a totally different history about Buddhism than you do from our teacher’s stories, because the Shaolin are actually a remaining vestige of a type of Buddhism that became Chan Buddhism. That type of Buddhism was around these monks who would come into a village and say, “We’re going to build a temple here near your village.” And the villagers would say, “Why would we want to support a bunch of monks?” Then the monks would say, “Well we are fighting monks, and we can be the garrison to defend your village against attack from marauders.” Then they would do a kung fu style fighting demonstration, usually with staffs. The staff was the first form of weaponry of the fighting monks because the monk staff, the shaku jo, is a fighting staff to fight off robbers. This kind of staff had a bunch of rings at the top and those rings are used to fight swordsmen. The rings were used to grab the blade of the opponent and twist it around and get away from them. Now the thing about the Shaolin is that they are carrying on one of the oldest traditions in China, which people sort of discount because it’s showmanship. The big thing for these monks was showing people that they could defend their village. They would give demonstrations in the middle of the town and would do the whole Shaolin leaping and fighting

thing, and that would convince the villagers that these guys were worth supporting and keeping around. So then they would build their temple near the village and the villagers would support them. These Shaolin types were very common, although they weren’t called Shaolin, but they were all Chan monks. In fact, most of the early Chan monks in China were like Shaolin monks, they were fighters. This was so common that he staff they carried became universally known as the Chan staff. The monks would show the village what they were offering them in exchange for their supporting the temple. Sometimes it would be the monks defending the village with their martial arts, while at other times, it was keeping demons at bay and help keeping the village safe from that kind of thing. Among the monks were also people like fortunetellers, astrologers, and exorcists. The Chinese are a very pragmatic people and they wanted to know what the monks would give them in exchange, for the village supporting them. Well the monks would offer protection—protection from marauders, protection from demons, protection from hungry ghosts… The temples were founded on this type of thing. And you won’t hear about it from your normal history inside Buddhism, because for one thing, they don’t want to admit it, especially the fact that Zen was fundamentally a warrior tradition. It has always been this way, World War II, where many Zen teachers supported the Japanese government, was not the exception.

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The reason they took up the staff, the walking staff of the monk, was as a weapon. When Buddhism went from the Theravada tradition, where monks carried no money and had no possessions, to the Mahayana tradition, where monks could accept money and used the money to buy possessions and to build temples, the robbers developed an interest in monks. Because of their possessions, golden statues and all those kinds of things, the monks had to become fighters. Those kind of empty hand fighting forms, like Kung Fu were developed as Buddhist fighting forms because they weren’t lethal. The staff was used to fight against somebody with a sword or spear and disarm them. The fighting monks were not killer monks, they were defending monks. So this martial tradition has been with Zen or Chan from the very beginning. But the traditional orthodox Buddhists will never admit that. They say, “Oh no, it was just those crazy Shaolin monks.” But they’re not, they, the Shaolin, are the real McCoy. They’re carrying on a very old tradition. Solala: Another thing that I think is interesting that Taoism and Zen share, is that in original Zen there was no relying on scripture, just like in Taoism it is said that the Tao that can be put into words is not the eternal Tao. And they have both developed into these great religious edifices where now Zen has lots of scriptures. Taoism also has become a religion with lots of scriptures and rituals. But it seems that in the beginning, classical Taoism and classical Zen had the same approach. For a lot of people it takes a lot of courage actually to move forward without all those crutches of scriptures and rituals and priesthoods. Yet for many people, they need that. Also in Zen Buddha is not considered a god and Lao Tzu was certainly not considered a god but now Lao Tzu has been deified as Lord Lao on High and when you go to Taoist temples there are lots of gods and goddesses. The same thing in Buddhist temples. Because people seem to need that. Miles: Well in trying not to sound elitist about it, there are different levels of understanding that come from these practices. I’ll pick on Christianity here because we are all familiar with Christianity here in the West. There’s this idea of secularism, which is worldly, earthbound and so on. We have a type of Christianity in the West called fundamentalist Christianity. Contrary to what they believe, fundamentalist Christianity is a very secular form of Christianity. What I mean by secular is that everything in their understanding is concrete, is factual, something that actually happened, something that is actually true, something that is one hundred percent the way they believe it. This is secular because it is making something that is ethereal, indefinable and ineffable into something concrete, and the minute you do that, you take it one step away from what it really is. Solala: And that’s happened in the East as well. Miles: Yes, it has happened in the East as well. What this kind of thinking does, confuses people, because heaven becomes

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a physical place where Jesus lives and where dead people go, which wasn’t at all what Jesus’s teachings were about. Solala: Or there is the Pure Land Buddhism, where Amitabha lives and if you just chant his name enough you get to go there. Miles: Right, you get to go there. So this idea that the Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao, is very much the first level. It’s a deeper understanding that there is no solidity. There is no set way. There is no standard. It’s what you open yourself to and you become aware of on your own. As a matter of fact, the symbol for Zen is really two merged characters that mean, “To you alone revealed.” Solala: I didn’t know that. These are the Chinese characters? Miles: Yes it is the Chinese characters for Zen. So what many people don’t get is that Zen has to be revealed to you alone. You can’t learn it, you can’t get it transmitted to you, you can’t get it in any way, shape or form, other than your own realization. Zen has suffered under some real political twists as far as the history in concerned because people want it to be a certain way, and it wasn’t that way at all. The classic line in Zen that has been misinterpreted over and over again is “a direct transmission outside of scripture.” This concept of “direct transmission” is very important because what is explained as direct transmission today, is really indirect transmission. Indirect transmission is; “my teacher taught me this and his teacher taught him, and his teacher taught him.” That’s indirect; it’s through a sequence of people. Direct transmission is when I am sitting on this cushion and I suddenly get it. That is direct transmission. It is when “boom”… I got hit by the lightning! To me alone this has been revealed. This idea of direct transmission has been skewed in people’s mind by repeating a slogan with a spin over and over again. They have been steered towards the idea that direct transmission is a transmission through a series of teachers… which is obviously indirect. The direct transmission of Zen, is what both Bodhidharma and the Buddha experienced. The commonly quoted saying: “A special transmission outside the scriptures; No Dependence upon words and letters; Pointing driectly to the human mind; Seeing into one’s own nature and attaining Buddhahood” which is attributed to Bodhidharma, though it was actually much later than Bodhidharma, states that it is you, that sees your own true nature, you can’t get this transmission from someone else, you have to get it through your own practice, directly. So this “direct transmission” and the Tao that cannot be spoken—they are exactly the same thing. This goes back to what we were talking about earlier about the box. The Japanese neat little box or the Chinese Hotei bag isn’t the thing. The thing is what drops out of the bag.

Solala: The thing that you can’t fit into a container. Miles: Right, the thing you can’t really fit into the bag is the real thing. Solala: Both Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu talk about the sage’s ability to teach without using words. That goes back to original Zen I believe. Miles: Yes. The words are just words, they’re poetry, they’re the finger pointing at the moon, and they’re not the thing itself…and neither is the bowing and the chanting or the whirling of incense or the building of the temple. None of that is the thing, all that is just the box. I might add that this idea of Taoism and Zen— I think they’re really like twin siblings that came out of the Chinese counter culture. I really think that what we would now call the traditional Zen school and the traditional Taoist religion, are something that developed later from the original root tradition. The original tradition was of these “men of cliffs and caves”, literati, hermit sage traditions that later started getting blended back into the orthodoxy. They are so similar because they both came from the same Chinese root; the Taoist sage countercultural movement. I think the

only difference between philosophical Taoism and original Zen was the preference for Buddhist philosophy, or Taoist philosophy, this is why both traditions carry the other tradition with them. Koro Kaisan Miles (Fa Lohng Shakya) is a Dharma Teacher in the Chinese Lin Chi tradition and Senior Dharma Teacher in the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun. Miles was gifted the name Koro Kaisan (Lone Wolf Mountain Founder) by his fellow sangha members at the formation of Order of the Boundless Way (June, 2002). The Order was specifically founded on the principles of universal practice methods and remaining non-sectarian. The members of the Order call their multidisciplinary approach Boundless Mind Zen, which can generally be described as a synthesis of various Zen practices and forms. A Zen practitioner for over 40 years, Miles is currently the resident teacher at Open Gate Zendo in Olympia Washington, where in addition to Boundless Mind Zen, he practices and teaches Tea Ceremony, Japanese Swordsmanship and Zen Archery.

Cha Dao: The Way of Tea by Solala Towler In China, the art and practice of drinking tea is rooted in Daoism, and emerged from a philosophy that honored a life of grace and gratitude, balance and harmony, fulfillment and enjoyment – what the ancient Chinese called Cha Dao or the Way of Tea. Cha Dao takes us on a fascinating journey through the Way of Tea, from its origins in the sacred mountains and temples of China, through its links to Daoist concepts such as wu wei or non-striving and the Value of Worthlessness, to the affinity between Tea Mind and the Japanese sprit of Zen. Interspersed are a liberal helping of quotes form the great tea masters of the past, anecdotes form the author’s own trips to China, and traditional tea stories from China and Japan. The unique health benefits of tea are also explored, and a chapter is devoted to the history, characteristics and properties of 25 different tea varieties.

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This book will interest tea lovers, as well as those who want to learn more about tea culture, Daoist and Zen thought and practice, and Asian History and culture.

A reviewer says: Cha Dao is not only a wonderful book on tea, its history, and the joy of appreciating its warmth and its many flavours, but is also an excellent primer on Daoist thinking and living. I loved this book. It informed me about tea and the customs surrounding it, lifted my spirit, and sharpened my mind. For those who enjoy tea, it deserves a place on your bookshelf.

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Special Sale on Back Issues Many of our back issues have already sold out. If you would like to order back issues we still have a few sets of 55 issues available for $250 plus $35 p&h! (U.S. postage only) For overseas orders please contact us at solala@ abodetao.com.

The Journal of Daoist Philosphy and Practice Summer 2014

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The Poetry of Passion The Daoist Arts of Wudang Mountain Zhuangzi’s Perfect Happiness in the Light of Contemporary Western Psychology and more! The Empty Vessel

Chuang Tzu: The Inner Chapters by Solala Towler

A new version of this ancient and timeless classic with commentary. Profusely illustrated with photos from China, printed in black and silver on glossy paper. Through its many stories, odd little passages and discourses we can find illumination on how to live in the world as free and spiritually independent beings. The principles of spontaneity, flexibility, not going against the natural flow of Tao, grace under pressure, facing death fearlessly, and going beyond the obvious and commonplace to find our own true nature, thereby transcending the world’s problems and vaulting us into the world of spiritual immortality are all contained in this work.

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Being Taoist Eva Wong Photo by Cher Mikkola

f the spirit is clear and still, we will live long and healthy lives. A spirit that is distracted and aggressive will lead to early illness and death. A spirit that is bright and luminous will radiate wisdom and compassion. A spirit that is dull and dim will bring confusion, fear, and doubt. If we can let the spirit rest in stillness, our lives will be long and healthy. If the spirit dwells in relaxed effortlessness, body and consciousness will be harmonious. Although the spirit is formless and intangible, it is nonetheless responsible for our fortune and our misfortune. If the spirit is bright and clear, our thoughts and actions will attract auspiciousness. If the spirit is wayward and violent, our thoughts and actions will bring misfortune. Physical and mental health begin with stilling the spirit. If the spirit is pure and clear, actions will be peaceful, and there will no room for hatred and aggression to emerge. If there is no hatred and aggression in our thoughts and actions, there will be no residue of these destructive energies when we pass away naturally. When we are born, the spirit is naturally clear and still. As we come into contact with the social, political, and economic environment, the spirit is captured by social and peer pressure, thoughts are confused by political ideologies, and the senses are captured by material things. Sights that please the eye, sounds and speech that please the faculty of hearing, taste that pleases the palate, praise that pleases our pride, and fame that pleases our vanity—all these begin to take root in the spirit, pulling it down into the muck of desire and confusion. The sages; seeing the suffering of humanity, devised methods of helping us see the roots of desire and confusion. One of these methods is the meditative technique of tuning our awareness within. Observe the structure and functions of the body, and you will understand that it emerges from the Great Void. When the conditions of life are met, the generative essences copulate, the spirit enters the womb, and the primordial vapors (of yin and yang) harmonize to create a fetus. Our bodies are patterned after the laws of the universe: we inhale and exhale the breath of yin and yang, the five elements (the internal organs) within us interact, and the rise and fall of our energies follow the cycle of the seasons. The eyes are the sun and the moon, the hair is the stars, the eyebrows are the clouds, and the head is Mount Kunlun. It is said that humans have the greatest potential to realize the Tao within. The human body and spirit are naturally in harmony with the Tao. Observe the subtleties of the body, and you will see the treasures stored within. Yet we humans are ignorant of the precious essences we are endowed with.

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As we are drawn into the dust of the materialistic world, toxins pervade our bodies, and the spirit becomes wayward and mad. If we scrutinize the phenomena of the natural world and the activity of our internal universe, we will realize that their cycles of activity and stillness follow the same principles. If we want to cultivate health and longevity, we need to hold the Tao within, do meritorious deeds, and let our original nature shine. Those who go after material, political, and social gains will only tire body and spirit and bring worry and anxiety into their lives. The spark of existence that humans receive from the Tao is called life. That which we receive from the natural way is called original nature. That which commands our activity is consciousness. When thoughts arise in consciousness, this is intention. Intention that is directed to objects in the world is called aspiration. The ability to discriminate and make decisions rationally is called intelligence. When intelligence intuits the nature of things, it is wisdom. That which pervades the body and protects its form is the soul. That which abides in stillness to stabilize the form is the soul-spirit. That which flows through the flesh and bones is the blood. That which nourishes the spirit and primordial life force is the generative essence. The primordial life force that is light and that rises is the minister. The primordial life force that is heavy and that sinks is the guard. That which holds together the skeletal system and the internal organs is the body. That which gives the body its form and shape is substance. That which can fathom the depth of things is the spirit. When the spirit is subtle and unfixed, we call it luminous. When the spirit is luminous, life energy is strong. When luminosity leaves the body, we die. That which gives us life is the Tao. The Tao is formless and has no structure. Yet it resonates with all things. Its transformations are limitless and can nourish and make all things grow. Within us, the Tao manifests as original nature. Therefore, to cultivate original nature is to cultivate the Tao. Because the Tao is without form, its functions can be intuited only by observing its manifestations in body and spirit. We cannot lengthen our lives except by allowing the Tao to guide us. Death is the exhaustion of the Tao within. However, if we are able to unite our life force with the Tao, we will live a long and healthy life. Humans suffer from illness and early death because they don’t know how to turn their awareness within to see this unity. Therefore, if we are to attain longevity and well-being, the technique of internal gazing must be practiced diligently. People wander around in confusion, get stuck in nonvirtuous ways, and find themselves trapped in the murky

grounds of ignorance because of desire. From desire comes attachment. Attachment affects our senses, conceptualizing everything in the environment as attractive or not attractive. Consequently, we swing wildly between moods of extreme love and hate. Imprisoned by worry and anxiety, we stray farther and farther away from the Tao. Attachments come from desire. Desires come from obsessive thinking. The primordial spirit is the Tao within. It is originally and naturally empty and still. If a discursive thought emerges to disturb the natural stillness, attachment to things in the world arises. From attachment come the dualities of gain and loss, attraction and repulsion, favor and disfavor. Once these dualistic thoughts take hold, we are drawn into the web of anxiety and confusion. Caught in the vortex of desire and self-centeredness, we become trapped in the endless cycle of life and death. The Tao does not know life and death. Only those who have distanced themselves from the Tao are subject to clinging to life and fearing death. That which is formless is not subject to growth and decay. That which has form, however, will endlessly travel the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death. Those who understand that they owe their existence to the Tao and who practice the technique of turning their awareness to the Tao within will be able to renew themselves with the life force of the Tao and live peaceful and long lives. If you abide in stillness and maintain clarity, the Tao will naturally stay with you. When the Tao stays within you, the bright and clear spirit will be held within your body. If the bright spirit is held within, you will live a healthy and long life. Many people wish to live long and healthy lives, but they don’t want to still their thoughts. In this way, they’re not that different from those who want positions of power and responsibility but are unwilling to use ethical and legitimate ways to attain it, those who want wealth but don’t want to work hard to earn it, those who want to arrive at their destinations but are hesitant to move, and those who want to be physically strong but are unwilling to exercise. The Tao is embraced through cultivating the spirit. Spirit is bright and clear because of the Tao. If the spirit is not drawn into discursiveness, the Tao will naturally stay within. When the Tao stays within, the spirit will be naturally still. The brightness of the spirit is intimately related to the physical health of the body. This relationship is analogous to that of the brightness of a flame and the oil that fuels it. Light arises from the flame, the flame is sustained by the wick, the wick is fed by the oil, and the oil is held by its container. Thus, flame, wick, oil, and container all contribute to the brightness of the light. If any of these four malfunction, there will be no light. Similarly, the Tao within is related to the brightness of our spirit, the brightness of the spirit is dependent on clarity and stillness, our clarity and stillness are determined by our ability to dissolve wayward thoughts (through meditation), and the ability to dissolve wayward thoughts depends on whether the body has the physical structure to maintain the correct meditative posture. These four—brightness of spirit, clarity and stillness, meditation, and body structure—are all needed for the Tao to dwell within. Lose one of them, and

the Tao will leave. Brightness of spirit means that whatever our eyes can see, whatever our ears can hear, and wherever our aspirations are directed, we are not clouded by ignorance and conceptual bias. It means that we can scrutinize details and yet hold a vast view. All this is possible only when our spirit is bright and our bodies are healthy. Stillness means dissolving desires and conceptualizations. Desires and conceptualizations are dissolved when consciousness is not being pulled in different directions, when we are not drawn into non-virtuous thoughts and actions, when there is space for consciousness to expand, when we are not dragged down by the heaviness of discursiveness, and when our thoughts are not tainted by negativity. Removing the obstacles to stillness involves working on the four states of consciousness. In the first state, consciousness holds its center and is not drawn into confusion by the things happening around us. In the second state, consciousness is balanced and views all things as equal. In the third state, consciousness is bright and has nothing to hide. In the fourth state, consciousness is limitless and is not bound by conceptions. The development of each of these four states of consciousness comes from the practice of turning our awareness within and being tuned to the nature of consciousness. It is easy to understand the Tao but difficult to believe in it. It is easy to believe in the Tao but difficult to act according to its principles. It is easy to act according to the principles of the Tao but difficult to embrace the Tao. It is easy to embrace the Tao but difficult to stand firm in it. If you can stand firm and hold on to the Tao, you will attain health and longevity. The method of turning our awareness within requires us to still our thoughts, maintain a relaxed physical posture, and not be drawn into things that happen around us. Once we are aware that our mental activity has slowed down, we can turn our awareness toward consciousness itself. Externally, the body is relaxed and still; internally, the awareness is sunk deep into the unfathomable depths of vastness. Embrace the subtleties of the action and non-action of consciousness and intuit the true nature of their arising and dissolution. Once you have gained insight into the activity and non-activity of consciousness, clarity will emerge. Abide in this clarity, and purity will emerge. Abide in purity, and the spirit will naturally rest in deep stillness. At this point, spirit and body are merged with the natural rising and falling of life energy. Coming and going, creating and dissolving, and appearing and disappearing without bias, inhaling and exhaling—all become part of the natural way. From Being Taoist, by Eva Wong, © 2015 by Eva Wong. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boston, MA. www. shambhala.com Eva Wong is an independent scholar and a practitioner of the Taoist arts of the Pre-Celestial Way and Complete Reality lineages. She has written and translated many books on Taoism and related topics, including Taoism: An Essential Guide, Cultivating Stillness, A Master Course in Feng-shui, Nourishing the Essence of Life, and Seven Taoist Masters.

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The Map of the Qigong and Tai Chi Universe Dr. Roger Jahnke, OMD Part Two Photos by Cher Mikkola

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The Body in Qigong

One of the easiest ways to describe the kind of Qigong being practiced is to describe the body component. A method with Buddhist or Daoist roots may appear indistinguishable to all but the most informed eye, but the difference between methods done lying down is vastly different from a method done sitting or standing, or walking. Supine (Lying Down) Qigong With breath focus and meditation With self-administered massage or postural adjustments With gentle movement Sitting Qigong Meditation With massage With movement Standing Qigong Meditation in stillness With gentle movement With massage Walking Qigong Gentle movement Dynamic movement Supine Qigong is practiced while lying down, and moving the hands, feet, fingers, and toes or shifting the body’s position. Just prior to sleep and just after awakening are perfect times to do Qigong. Qigong is easily adapted for those who are recovering from surgery or experiencing severe illness, even those who are unable to get out of bed. Sitting Qigong is really any meditation in the Chinese tradition, or from any other tradition, whether sitting in a chair or cross-legged. Unique to the Chinese tradition are sitting and moving forms. I first learned sitting Qigong with movement from Chang Yi Hsiang of the Tai Hsuan College during my study of Chinese medicine. The Silken Sitting Form starts with two relatively simple forms called Blooming of Spring and Lighting the Back Burning Spaces (associated with the Gate of Life). Then, in one of the most beautiful forms I have ever seen, The Ascending Dragon, the practitioner goes from sitting to standing. Standing Qigong is probably the most common. Standing in stillness, like at the hospital in Hangzhou is a classic Qigong meditation, totally unknown in the Western world. Most Qigong is from the category of standing with movement. While most forms can be adapted for sitting those who are well usually do them standing. Standing in this way builds strength and endurance. Walking Qigong is any form where the practitioner advances or steps back. Tai Chi is the most widely known walking form of Qigong. While Tai Chi is quite complex, the Cancer Recovery Walking Qigong that we explored under the “contemporary”

forms is one of the easiest forms of Qigong to grasp and use. People with cancer need powerful tools that are easy to use. Research has proven that the method developed by Guo Lin is also very effective for many other disorders including diabetes. One of my favorite forms of walking Qigong is the Wild Goose (Dayan Gong). In it you “become” a wild goose, the bird revered by the Chinese to fly the highest and which has the most direct experience of touching Heaven and collecting the Qi of Heaven. Notice that massage can play a role in each of these. Selfadministered massage, to both the muscle groups and pressure points along with patting and even gentle pounding, is frequently included in Qigong. Anything that enhances, refines and cultivates the Qi is Qigong. Massage is a key feature of most Qigong systems.

Dynamic, Form and Focus in Qigong

There are many subtle features to mapping the universe of Qigong. The dynamic of Qigong reveals the huge difference between absolute stillness, which is Yin, and extreme movement, Yang. Specific and directed Qigong forms cultivate Qi in a completely different context than purely spontaneous and formless methods. An almost separate universe of Qigong emerges in the context of the external focus of Qigong. Quiescent Dynamic Vigorous

The Dynamic of Qigong

One of the highest priorities in Qigong is deep relaxation and a purposeful freeing of the nervous system and inner function from the effects of tension. When one elects to enter the Qigong state, whether during a Qigong practice session or anytime throughout the day, posture and breath are important, but it is the state of clear minded relaxation that has the most power to pull you into the Qigong state. Most Qigong forms are relatively Quiescent, allowing for the decrease of inner resistance and maximum flow. It is not impossible to attain the Qigong state in dynamic or vigorous practices. In fact Gongfu (kung fu), the renowned martial arts now called Wu Shu in China, has the intention of sustained Qi focus through clear mindedness during intense activity and conflict. There are cleansing or purifying methods that are more vigorous with the intention of expelling spent or extra Qi. And some practices are more vigorous to activate the Qi and increase the circulation including the Qigong Warm-Ups that we will learn at the end of this chapter. While all forms of Qigong are meditations, the quiescent forms are the closest to what we usually associate with meditation. In supine, sitting, and standing Qigong there can be

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absolute stillness or there can be movement. In quiescent Qigong – supine, sitting or standing – there is only stillness. According to an ancient proverb, “The more you focus on movement outside, the less you can focus on movement inside.” When you place your attention on external movement, Qi and inner resources are busy attending to the function of the muscles and the metabolism of “doing.” When the mind is externally focused the preferred state of inner directed, clear and neutral mind is less attainable. It is also stated, “Those who practice only quiescence become ill with diseases of stagnation.” Given the value of inner focus and calm in Qigong, it seems like a major contradiction that the quiescent state causes stagnation of inner fluids (blood and lymph) and a stagnation of Qi, which can lead to disease. Rather than a contradiction this is a revelation of Yin – Yang harmony and balance. It is best to have a Qigong practice that combines the quiescent methods with the dynamic methods. This is why the martial arts almost always include meditation practices. The meditation is Yin; the vigorous martial arts methods are Yang and the two together foster balance and harmony of the body, mind and spirit. And this is also the reason that so many forms of Qigong are mildly dynamic, that is neither completely quiescent nor wildly vigorous. Such forms inherently harmonize Yin and Yang within one method. All forms of Tai Chi are mildly dynamic and carefully balanced -- allowing mind clearing, meditation and relaxation to occur simultaneously with gentle movement. This is probably the most important innovation of Qigong because it allows for the healing and empowering effects of both meditation and gentle movement to act synergistically.

The Form

Form – specific, directed, formalized No form – spontaneous, formless, non-specific, intuitive

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While some types of Qigong, e.g. Quiescent, supine and sitting Qigong, are relatively formless, the words “Qigong Form” (Qigong Feng Fa) usually describe the actual physical movements in a dynamic or vigorous Qigong method or technique. One of the most provocative and eloquent components of Qigong is that the forms frequently have beautiful poetic and philosophical names that deepen their meaning. What other fitness practice uses images like “Hands Pass Like Clouds” or “Immortal Dragon Cultivating Golden Elixir”? The inner practices can also have very poetic descriptions as in “Merging Water and Fire to Transcend the Matrix” or “Circulating the Light of the Inner Heaven.” The most provocative formless Qigong is the Spontane ous Method that we explored in Hangzhou Hospital. It is one of the most important methods in all of the history of Qigong. Some Qigong f o r m s a re brief and simple and easy to learn practice and teach. For example, in the Flowing Motion, which is a classic used by millions of people in China, you simply start in the Wuji standing posture. On the inhalation, with arms at your side, swing the arms forward and upward slowly on the inhalation, until at about the level of your eyes. On the exhalation you allow the arms to drift back down, gently. You may repeat a few or many times. I have heard now from many people who love the idea that simply doing 100 repetitions of the Flowing Motion is reputed in China as a way to “be healthy for the rest of your life.” In fact, it is said that if you do a thousand of the Flowing Method you will become immortal. Most people understand that, to the Chinese, this means you will gain access to your universal and eternal self. Some Qigong forms are detailed and lengthy. Tai Chi (Taiji) is an elaborately choreographed Qigong form with 108

movements done in the same order and in the same way every time. In Tai Chi you become deeply involved in purposefully coordinating yourself with universal energies and principles -- the Supreme Ultimate. There are many such forms. The Wild Goose Form (Dayan Gong) has two sections of 64 movements. Most forms can be broken down into smaller components for ease of learning and practice. Tai Chi 108 movement long form is often cut to a short form of 24, 28 or 32 movements. The 108 movements are often distilled further to a small set of 10 to 13 movements that are repeated, called Tai Chi Qigong. One of the most beautiful and poetic Tai Chi movements, used as a brief Qigong form is “Waving Hands Like Clouds.” Typically people learning Qigong will find themselves combining their favorite methods and practices to create their own personal forms. After all every form was developed by some one, that’s why there are 10,000 of them. You are sincerely invited and encouraged to develop forms of your own as well, by linking your own favorite methods. The best form is not so much one that is famous, the favorite of a renowned master or from a particular tradition. The best form is the one you will actually use. The form most likely to be used is the one that is fun instead of serious, easy instead of hard and practical instead of esoteric. With Spontaneous or Formless Qigong, there is nothing to learn and nothing to follow. Natural Flow Qigong is formless Qigong. Quiescent Qigong meditation, where there is no external movement, is formless as there is no external movement to learn and practice. Methods that include body movement, but are not directed, specific and formalized, are also formless. We visited the hospital in Hangzhou where both approaches were used. First there was a standing meditation that was completely internalized and formless. That was followed by Spontaneous Qigong, which included movement but is formless, spontaneous and intuitive. The very simple nature of formless Qigong makes it particularly accessible to people who feel uncoordinated or don’t believe they have the time to grasp Qigong forms. The differ-

ence between a beginner and someone with lots of experience in formless Qigong is invisible. When I lead classes or practices in formless Qigong people always comment that it was their favorite part. With the formless method you can work the Qi into the deepest places where it is needed, the way water finds its way deep into the ground. Spontaneous Qigong is sometimes called Wuji Qigong or Dancing in Primordial Chaos because each practitioner tunes in to their own pre-birth nature -- their pre-natal, primordial or original state -- beyond personal conditioning and local personality. It is believed that while you may be unwell or challenged in your present personal situation, you are already healed and supremely well in your universal self – the Spirit (Shen). Dancing in Chaos can also be called Shen Qigong, a method for accessing the ultimate and essential perfection of the universal self (Shen). In this formless method the practitioner channels or absorbs their Shen, their universal nature, purposefully into the body/mind of the local self. This primordial potential is collected in the Qi channels and Elixir Fields (Dan Tian) to enhance the present condition. Eventually it becomes clear that the primordial self -- the already perfect version of the self -- is latent within. Wuji Qigong at this point becomes less focused on collecting something from outside and more on revealing what is already buried within -- perfect health, intuition and insight, productivity, creativity and inner peace. Many know that the highest Qigong attainment is impossible to teach, because the most advanced methods are formless. The most advanced Qigong comes from direct experience of the true nature of Qi, one’s eternal nature and the Universe itself.

The Focus

Internal Qigong - Neigong External Qigong - Waigong

Ancient philosophical traditions are often somewhat paradoxical, and the concepts of internal and external focus in Qigong and Tai Chi are as well. Internal refers to that which is always within you. However, external can mean two com-

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pletely different things. Understanding this will make many discussions and written resources clearer, particularly those that refer to external Qigong. For some this discussion will be useful and clarifying, others may find it confusing. If such detail pulls you out of the Qigong state, turn to the practice of Natural Flow Qigong. This can help to engage that inner state of flow. You can come back to these ideas another time. Internal Qigong simply means that the focus of the practice lies within you. All forms of Qigong, from Tai Chi to the thousands of health improvement Qigong techniques practiced in the parks and hospitals in China, are types of internal practice. Deeper or more advanced internal practices usually refer to Qigong methods that are called Inner Alchemy (Nei Dan) and are focused beyond health improvement on the domain of spiritual transformation. External Qigong, particularly when used to describe the focus of one’s personal practice usually means that the methods include movement of the muscles and extremities. Given the internal self is represented by the organs, fluids and the merging of Heaven and Earth in the HeartMind, the extremities and muscles are relatively external.

tic Touch, Healing Touch, Reiki, Prana Healing, Polarity Therapy, SHEN Therapy as well as Qigong Healing and prayer. Many, many people have derived powerful health enhancement and dramatic healing from such modalities. One of the important differences between Qigong healing and many of the other forms of distant healing is that Qigong inherently includes an entire system of personal practice -- internal Qigong -- to complement the healing from a practitioner. Whether a friend, a Qigong healer, or a physician provides Qigong healing, it should always include self-practice of internal Qigong methods. If you find yourself with a teacher who does not enthusiastically combine personal internal practice with Qi transmission healing or if you find yourself with a “healer” who does not enthusiastically suggest personal internal practice to complement external Qi healing, I caution you sincerely to seek alternative teaching or treatment.

Martial arts practices, which often have a Qi cultivation component, are primarily externally focused - on expressing the power of the Qi in the muscles and extremities. But the paradox of Qigong is that an external form of Qi cultivation, the martial arts for example, can have an internal component as well, in this case Kung Fu. And the most paradoxical -- Tai Chi is considered to be an internal form of martial art, but a relatively external form of Qigong. Many forms of Qigong are considered external because they focus on external body movement, bodily health and building strength and flexibility of the limbs. Internal Qigong typically focuses on more quiescent body methods (less external movement) along with mind and spirit -- not only for healing and longevity but to enhance wisdom and insight as well. Both internal and external become relative when the martial aspects of the Chinese disciplines are discussed. You could say that internally focused martial arts are usually somewhere near equivalent to externally focused Qigong.

Qi Transmission Healing

One of the most fascinating aspects of external Qi cultivation is Qi transmission healing. External Qi Healing (Wai Qigong) describes a practice of Qigong where a practitioner transmits or channels Qi to help or treat another. Qi is invisible and difficult to explain or categorize scientifically. As a result, external Qigong based in transmitting healing influence to others is somewhat controversial. We are rapidly gaining a better understanding of what the Chinese ancients discovered in research on what is now called non-local or distant healing. There is wide variety of such distant healing methodologies based on Qi, Prana, magnetic energy and consciousness, including Therapeu-

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Dr. Roger Jahnke, OMD is researcher, author, and Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine with 40 years of clinical practice and 9 research pilgrimages to China to study its healing traditions. He is Director and Lead Trainer of the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi (IIQTC) and Board President and co-founder of The Healer Within Foundation. Dr. Jahnke’s book The Healer Within: Using Traditional Chinese Techniques to Release Your Body’s Own Medicine is used in Mind-Body training programs worldwide, and The Healing Promise of Qi: Creating Extraordinary Wellness Through Qigong and Tai Chi, is a classic in the western literature on Qigong and Tai Chi. Dr. Jahnke edited and translated the clinical chapters for Chinese Medical Qigong, the first English translation of the only official textbook of medical Qigong, used in colleges and universities of Traditional Chinese medicine in China. http://IIQTC.org http://FeeltheQi.com http://TaiChiEasy.org To sign up for Dr. Jahnke's Free Membership website, visit: http://IIQTC.org/free

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Premier Issue Teacher of Natural Spiritual Truth: an interview with Hua-Ching Ni The Value of Worthlessness

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Cultivating the Physical Body The Risks of Cultivating Internal Power Zhuangzi Speaks Comics A Taoist Abroad

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Longevity and the Eight Brocades Daoist Sitting Meditation Interview with Zhongxian Wu

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Daoist Lower Dan-tien Psychotherapy Medical Qigong Qigong Master Wan Su-jian

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The Eight Immortals of Taoism Five Elements and Taoist Feng Shui Health, Illness and Healing in the Inner Tradition

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Trusting Your True Nature Understanding Chinese Medicine

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Qigong and Unconditional Love The Valley Spirit (Living Taoism) The Taoist Antidote to Stress and Illness

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Qigong and the Dreamtime The Natural Process of Internal Alchemy Zhuangzi: The Inner Chapters

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A Daoist Master's Search for his Chinese Ancestry Daoism in the Korean Mountains The Daoist System of Lao Zi: Part One

Spring 2010

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The Liezi: Forgotten Daoist Text? Spirit of the Dancing Warrior Bagua and Tai Chi: Sophisticated Health Exercises A Taoist Master's Search for His Chinese Ancestry Pt. 1 by Chungliang Al Huang

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The Three Treasures and the Golden Embryo Shen, Hun and Po in Chinese Medicine How Will I Know When My Teacher is Ready?

Fall 2012

Big Dippoer Meditation Eliminating Pitfalls in Qigong Practice Feng Shui Guidlines to Energy Flow Analysis

Winter 2013

Lao Zi: The Hidden Dragon Taoist Sexual Meditation Art and Practice of Tai Chi

Spring 2013

Food Cures and Diets The Spiritual Warrior Daoist Nature Meditation

Fall 2013

The Watercourse Way Tea Time with Old Po Women's Powers in Popular Daoism

Winter 2014

Fall 2010

The Poetry of Passion The Daoist Arts of Wudang Mountain Zhuangzi's Perfect Happiness in the Light of Contemporary Western Psychology

Chuang Tzu: The Way of Nourishing Life Nudan Practice and Modern Women Taoists, Doctors and Shamans A Taoist Master's Search for His Chinese Ancestry Pt. 3

Winter 2011

Spring 2011 Summer 2014

Summer 2012

Nei Dan Sitting Meditation Dance of the Five Moving Forces

Chinese Astrology and Inner Cultivation Yi: Intention, Practice and the Incubation of the Sage Wu Wei: The Daoist Art of Happiness A Taoist Master's Search for His Chinese Ancestry Pt. 4

The Journal of Daoist Philosphy and Practice

Free and Easy Wandering A Western Daoist Manifesto The Tai Chi Swrod and Spritual Swordsmanship Stress, Illness & the Daoist Antidote

Summer 2010

Bagua: Why Practice This Old and Obscure Art? Mystical Wudang Mountain Guidelines for Setting Up a Daoist Altar A Taoist Master's Search for His Chinese Ancestry Pt. 2

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Spring 2012

Daoism in America: A Conversation with Xuan Yun (Mysterious Cloud) Return to Stillnes is the Motion of Tao Pu the HEART Back Into LOVE Speical Section on BiGu (Avoiding Food and Eating Qi)

Summer 2014

Fall 2014

Special Tea Issue: The Alchemy of Awareness in Tea The Last Cup: The Ten Lost Tea-Brewing Pictures The Way of Tea

Winter 2015

Wood Sheep Year 2015 Healthy Dying: A Daoist Challenge Zhuangzi on Death and Dying Meditation and teh Use of Nootropic Supplements

Summer 2011

The Poetry of Passion The Daoist Arts of Wudang Mountain Zhuangzi’s Perfect Happiness in the Light of Contemporary Western Psychology and more! The Empty Vessel

The Ox Herding Chart of Chan Buddhism Global Warming: A Meta-Physical Perspective The Master of the Mountain: A Conversation with Master Zhong Yunlong

Fall 2011

Qi Cultivation and the Dao Taiji and Spiritual Cultivation Cracking the Matrix

Winter 2012

The World of Chinese Medicine Qi Medicine and the Purpose of Cultivation Immortality and the 14 Words of Laozi

Back issues are $8 postpaid. (Add $2 per issue outside U.S.) Send check or money order (in U.S. funds) to The Abode of the Eternal Dao 1991 Garfield St. Eugene, OR 97405 or call 541-345-8854 44

Spring 2015

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Spring 2015

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The Taoist Institute offers studies and services in Chinese qigong, tai chi chuan, Daoist weddings, shamanic energy & Reiki healing.

Director: Dr. Carl Totton. 10630 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood, CA, 91601 (818) 760-4219. www.taoistinstitute.com.

Aikido, Taijiquan), Qigong & Yoga. She holds black belts in Judo & Aikido, and is ranked 6th Duan Wei by the International Wu Shu

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schedule at kim@embracethemoon.com or by calling (206) 789-0993. Taoist Arts Center. Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Taoist Meditation. Traditional Taoist arts offered in a friendly and cooperative environment. Classes,

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Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts in Asheville,

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Embrace The Moon School for Taijiquan and Qigong is located

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The Empty Vessel

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The Journal of Daoist Philosophy and Practice Spring 2013

$5.95 U.S. Canada $6.95

Food Cures and Diets The Spiritual Warrior Daoist Nature Meditation The Empty Vessel

Download free articles from past issues • watch video from China • download free guided meditations • listen to healing music • join our reader's forum • enjoy the quote of the week • read Solala's blog • learn about our qigong training courses • order back issues • see information about our yearly trips to the sacred Daoist mountains of China

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The Empty Vessel

Spring 2015