品茶论道。
Tasting tea and discussing the Dao.

Making green tea is an extremely meticulous and labour-intensive procedure. This brief two-part introduction aims to give an outlook on this process and its relation to Daoism. To detail every single step of this cultural tradition which is thousands of years old is, however, beyond the scope of this article.

The first step is gathering the tea leaves. What seems to be straightforward manual labour is actually a crucial part in the overall process. If the buds are picked incorrectly, the quality of the tea is effected. When removing the tea buds and the first one or two tender leaves, rather than using the tips of the fingers close to the nails, one needs to have the flat part of both the thumb and of the index finger pressed around the stem of the tip of the plant. That is to provide a larger surface to evenly distribute the pressure. Then the tip can be gently lifted. Another way to describe this technique would be to ‘prop’ the tip up. If the stem is pinched with the fingertips or, even worse, with the finger nails, the broken end will turn visibly black during the roasting process. This is a sign of a sub-standard tea since it shows it was not picked conscientiously.

The tea collectors from the village at the bottom of the mountain can collect approximately one kilo per day, which requires fast working and nimble fingers. 1650 grams of fresh tea eventually shrink and dry down to roughly one kilo of dry tea. The tea’s final value will depend on the season it is picked, its variety, as well as how much is picked off the tip. The most expensive teas are only made of tea buds and no leaves at all. It is needless to say the amount of work and time which is integrated into them.

The second step is to use a wok to roast the tea; using a flat pan or pot is absolutely not acceptable. Traditionally this is done over a fire. This stage processing with heat is called “Sha Qin”’ (杀青 in Chinese, which literally means “to kill the green”). The objective is to soften the leaves and reduce their firmness by removing the Water-Qi and moisture. While continuously kneading and turning, the tea is roasted on top of a bright fire. It eventually becomes slightly sticky and is taken off onto a winnowing basket to be left to cool down for a while.

For the next part, the fire is decreased into a smouldering fire with which the remaining moisture of the leaves is removed. Again the leaves are continuously turned, but this time with much less force, as not to crush the now hardening and crumpled up leaves. If too much strength is applied, the tea leaves will break into very small fractions. When the dried leaves in the wok generate a sort of high-pitched sound when they hit the wok’s surface upon turning, the tea making is nearing its final stage. If the final tea product contains yellow or black tea leaves, it is due to lack of caution when turning the tea leaves inside the wok, which results in them being burnt.

Li Shifu roasting White Horse Mountain Tai Ji Tea

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 In Bitterness will is Born

Here at the temple the courses are over, alongside myself only a few have stayed back, to which we are faced with a sense of bitterness within this fortress of solitude. The requirements are a daily regiment of physical labour alongside coping with the winter elements, Shifu gives us further instructions to use this time to calm our hearts, to which may be more difficult than the latter. In nature, winter is a time of slowing down and refinement, now more than ever is a good time for introspection, though, that may prove to be harder than it seems to truly face oneself.

In my dreams at night I see my character is tested, to which times I fail to embody the person I have been training in my year at the temple, perhaps I am to recognize these depictions and be cognizant of them, but I’m not sure… I complete another 7 day fast of no food and water, Shifu tells us “in bitterness will is born”, and so I thrust forward in experiencing this, however, Shifu clarifies, you can fast for days, but if you’re still dreaming then it’s no good, the “cup is leaking”, it’s about the thoughts. It seems that constantly maintaining balance is bitterness enough, the true challenge is to bring harmony between inside and out. Still, within, all this my time here is a blessed opportunity to have this chance to put in that work, and so to be able to be grateful in relation to it. Much like a brief couple days of sunshine that we get here makes us appreciate its warmth ever so preciously. This time at the temple feels like a shield away from the outside world, some days the winter clouds block all sides of the view of the mountain making seem like an endless dimension of white. It’s hard to describe peace, quietude and bitterness at the same time. Regardless, for me there is still work to be done… 

In the Yi Jing the hexagram Fou (P’i) – heaven over earth explains: The superior person does not forget danger when he is in security, nor does he forget death when he is well, nor disorder when affairs are in order.

Cheng De

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   For almost 4 weeks the weather and living conditions here at the temple were rather bitter, it was constantly grey, wet and cold, a real challenge for a person who appreciates a warm and tropical climate. As a result I was struggling with different aspects that seemed to be so much more intense than usual: getting out of my warm bed, food cravings, overeating, the feeling of being constantly cold and tired, motivational issues to study and memorize things, being caught up by negative thoughts and the urge of spending time on my own away from the group. This consumed quite a lot of energy. I had to constantly remind myself to be focused and determined, however the daily qigong practice, recitation of the eight incantations and the evening meditation stopped the process of me being completely drained out of energy.

   Looking back at this somewhat difficult period I am really glad that I can embrace it as a teacher, a lesson and a blessing rather than an evil external oppressor that wanted to invade my body and mind. Why? It profoundly challenged me to work on myself to overcome my inner demons and my ego that strives to stay in its comfort zone following its desires.

According to Li Shifu, a Daoist doctor is not afraid of eating bitter, a saying goes:

“The Dao is even sought in bitterness.”

  The truth is whatever circumstances/demons will be knocking on my door I will have to stand tall, be compassionate, humble and sincere in order to heal my patients. Being aware of this I know that there is still a long way to go to become a Daoist doctor. Haile Selassie once stated very inspiringly that “Many discouraging hours will arise, before the rainbow of accomplished goals will appear on the horizon”. I am very positive to get through this “rainy days” by putting effort in my studies and practices, by correcting my thoughts and by striving to become a better human being every day.

  Therefore I am very grateful for having experienced this kind of “bitterness”. Along with the practical tools and methods I have learned from Li Shifu, it feels like a solid preparation for something bigger to come, it feels as if I have been given a very powerful medicine that keeps me sane, focused and healthy to see eventually the colorful and magic “rainbow of accomplished goals.”

“Sleeping and meditating as foundations…”

Amongst the many experiences and learning content during this period at the Wu Xian Miao/ Five Immortals Temple on Bai Ma Shan, I remember my attempts, living with a community of people, to let go of my roles/ego, having trust, learning to meditate everyday and to integrate different practices in the daily preparation for healing. These are different forms of Qi Gong, the recitation of scriptures, the rituals in the altars and establishing a connection to the strong presence of the immortals.

For many years I have had severe insomnia. When I was younger I excused my insomnia with the idea that sleeping was boring, taking a lot of time, and I could use this time much better by studying. But these last years I came to the understanding that this unwillingness/fear of falling asleep was maybe covering up my everlasting fear of death. An irritating side effect was that I also had fear of meditating.

I have been confronting it in my everyday life, in my work accompanying patients fighting with cancer, trying again and again to sit down in meditation, and working on my sleeping issues in many different ways. But somehow even if it got better, I felt I was fighting all the time, and my fear of meditation was stronger than the knowledge that meditation is a requirement to walk on the spiritual path, on a path as a healer. In the end I was always lacking sleep and not having time and energy to meditate and doing my Qi Gong exercises as regularly as I wanted, even if I have organized my life so as to have time for both practices.

Today, after nearly two months at the temple, I recognize with wonder that I have been SLEEPING every night! In spite of the weather conditions this year, in spite of the toilet at the other end of the temple, in spite of my roommate snoring ;-), of my cold feet, and the monkey jumping around in my head, and, and, and. In the evenings I am falling asleep immediately and if I wake up during the night, it does not last for long, and more than half of the time it does not happen. The next thing is that I am also MEDITATING everyday! In the beginning it was with great difficulty and physical pain, but as the days succeed, I entered this state with less reactions, and less reluctance, and now I even look forward to do it in the evening. About my fear of death? I don’t know yet, time will show.

It seems to me as a small miracle, and I could not have accomplished it alone. The strict daily schedule, the requirements for the course, living in the temple, the presence of the altars of the immortals, the counseling of the master and teachers, the strong motivation of each member of the group and the benevolent and inspiring presence of my roommate; all have helped me breakthrough this difficult experience.

Sitting down to calm the spirit, practicing Qi Gong not only as a personal benefit but also as a necessary practice for being able to work differently with the patients, learning (very slowly) to recite the scriptures; our teachers would probably call it a small part of the foundations of Daoist Medicine.

As for the many other things we have learned, I am conscious a door has been opened, guidelines laid. Casting a glimpse, I barely imagine the profound depths of Daoist Medicine, but I can better measure the intensive and extensive daily training it requires to become a Daoist healer and that it is a life-path.

I feel very grateful to the Immortals, to Li Shifu, and the senior students who teach us with dedication and insight.

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‘ These last weeks have been very rich with information and experiences. First there was the ceremony for relatives who committed suicide. I realized I had to separate and let go of my mother. I was too attached and it was not good for her nor for myself. I believe she sent me these visions of her dancing and singing, turning in a white dress, full of happiness. I was so surprised but now I understand I should be happy too.’

   The classes are very intense, we receive a lot of information, but to me the most important is the process we are living through the everyday life in the temple. . I could not imagine how different it was going to be this year spending two months during the fall comparing to last year, when I spent ten days in the temple during alchemy class. The weather was nice, it was full of joy. This time I had to face my limitations about bitterness and I was not expecting it. I realized I am attached to my warm room and large bed and to the possibility of being alone whenever I need. It makes me sad to be attached to these material conditions, but I have to be honest with it. I was also disappointed  to see that I have to work on my compassion and try not to judge other people but at the same time I am very happy to face my limitations and to learn more from myself.

   Daily training and eating healthy food is transforming me. I realize that self-healing from long time joint pains is possible. I have more confidence in my power. I had lost this self-confidence many years ago, maybe thirty years ago and I could not imagine to find it back. I have the feeling that everything is possible again and it is all about letting go, faith, training and being in a positive
and elevating environment.

   After the alchemy class last year, I realized I had the most elevating experience of all my life. This time is different because I can feel, I can start to touch and sense my inner power and control. Of course I know that the hardest test will be back in society but I understand the importance of the environment and I do not want to live in a big city any longer.

  I do not know if it is my imagination but I have the feeling that what I am experiencing in this life are shortcuts to help me remember past lives. I am very glad of all the assistance we receive from Heaven these last years and at that special time. I have faith again that humanity will be able to save mother earth, because I am experiencing the miracle of changing my own thoughts and mental patterns.

“Synchronicity of Life”

    We are on the home stretch of the Daoist Medicine course. Only nine days left. We are now getting our teeth into the practical aspects of moxa, prick bleeding, scraping (gua sha) acupuncture, massage, cupping; a lot of techniques that we can use to tonify or reduce the body, the organs, the meridians or the emotions.
I am attracted the most by cupping, scraping (gua sha) and moxa  and I will definitely integrate it into my massage therapy practice. The techniques are not too difficult to apply, yet it takes time to practice. I guess it is more difficult to have the right diagnosis which is the most important to get the best results. I am still not confident enough to give a diagnosis, but I may be close to. I need to do case studies outside the temple in order to really practice what I learned here. Actually I have not even left the temple and I already have my first patient since my friend called me yesterday asking for help.

   A few weeks ago we learned how to use the Yi Jing. The book of transformation and
three questions came up. One about my family and friends and the last one of the questions was about the health of the organs of a friend of mine who already had some trouble before I came here – namely stomach ulcer – and that had another problem arise at this time, one that made me feel in his voice the physical pain that he is experiencing from a kidney stone. The pain is terrible that I tried to give him some advice. At first I gave him the number of a traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner in his area. Western medicine cannot do much for him at this stage, as the Kidney stone is too small. Now I understand better what Shifu says:

“Western medicine can be good for intervention, but for prevention and recovery Chinese medicine offers much better solutions and pragmatic tools.”

  Then I told my friend that there are many methods for kidney stones. I told him a bit about all the methods including the herbs. His Liver is full because he is taking too much anti-inflammatory drugs, affecting all the other elements. I understand more the link within the whole body, and the Five Elements theory. My friend was also often worried about money for his new family, thus two emotions stood out; fear and worry, stomach ulcer and kidney stone, exactly the corresponding emotions.

   It is just the beginning of my journey into Daoism, Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong, yet I already feel having more faith in those therapies and the Art and Way of living. It is an amazing system than can change someone’s life, and bring so much energy, motivation, health, happiness, peace of mind, physical power, concentration, discipline, and connection with the Earth and the Universe .

   Sometimes I have doubts, but life always sends me signs and synchronous events that remind me that I am on the right path, and that I should continue to put in efforts for myself, my family and all the living beings.

   I am grateful to be here at the Temple to study. I really want to come back next year to learn more about Tai Chi. I am grateful to Shifu, the teachers, and grateful to Life.

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Since a long time ago, when I first start practicing Tai Chi and get to know about the martial arts world, it has been my dream to come to China and find a Master who can teach me more about martial arts and its secrets together with a spiritual development. Until I found it.

In some point I had no idea why I was coming to Wudang I barely knew it was Daoist but I didn’t really had a clue where I was going or to what, because all the sudden I lost the sense of my own walk and life and my dream was not anymore my dream. But I kept on going with the original plan, even dough I was scared of what was ahead… the unknown. Inside me I had a feeling I was going to find something and also leave something from me and transcend in a certain way.

My first lesson, ” you are welcome to the Temple as long as you take it seriously…” commitment has been a big issue to me, I just can’t commit to anything because it gives me the sensation of trimming or cutting my wings. My body manifests many illness and all the signs says to me “You must take the step”. So far I have realized that the commitment is with one self and commit to be yourself, to take care of yourself, to nourish yourself, to cultivate yourself, life is a gift, your body is a gift like how Li Shifu would say ” life is precious, the body is precious,
take care of it, who is going to do it?…”

Since I start with the Internal Alchemy course a window of unlimited possibilities has been open, showing a long road to walk to keep cultivating a porpoise, nourishing my body, mind and spirit.

On Traditional Chinese Medicine course I have learned so amazing and interesting information and besides I have ground more what I have learned in the past and also grounded my self working every day on my stillness and emptiness of mind. I had to disperse all my personal illusions and fears and attachments but every day I feel stronger and stronger. The time is passing by and i start to feel the Temple of the Five immortals like my home. With all my brothers and sisters, helping each other on our personal grow, getting to know Li Shifu a little more and being able to see his soul and carrying beyond his strength, holding space for us in the middle of our personal growth and dealing with all our insides, providing the wisdom and knowledge that we seek for. There is so much to learn still, and time is running. The cultivation is constant.

“Plan for your self…” Li Shifu

I thank the Great Dao for the experience I am living now, I hope I can come back and take the Kung fu with the Taichi courses, if there is Destiny.

 “Inner Discipline”

I had a rough emotional year where I indulged in negative and excessive behavior.

A solution was on the horizon and I knew help would come from the temple. Qi gong, Daoist medicine, and a deeper look at myself helped me deconstruct the negative habits that brought me down and often times to bad places. One of the main things I’m looking to gain is lasting inner discipline, that I am able to take with me everywhere.

The past couple times I came to the temple I had amazing experiences and developed skills that I took home but due to the constant pressures of society I lost touch of my focus on how to be my best self. I have a higher idea of what I want my life to look like and I believe I can unlock it with the skills I learn at the temple, but only when I can stay strong in the face of my previous unhealthy habits.

It is a slow journey that has a lot to teach me, and day after day I learn a little more about what it means to be myself. The view of Daoist medicine is not only about material diseases, but also formless issues. Which is a foreign concept in other medicine practices. I have seen how so many problems can originate from something that can’t be seen, or scanned. We often forget to look inside ourselves and see how were really doing. I know firsthand that the best kind of healing starts within.

I know that the first step to helping others is to help myself. I need to look closer at my inner world and let go of the emotional conditioning that prevents me from experiencing life to the fullest, and helping others.

“A new chapter as a healer”

The first two weeks of Daoist Medicine have been about change and adjustment. Throughout my time on the mountain I have been faced with many different time schedules, wake up times, training styles, Qi Gong, Tai Ji, lectures and Ceremony. Having mostly lecture and theory is hard for me, I do better with one movement class and one lecture a day. I hope we go back to that soon.

Over the past several years while doing massage, people have approached me with severe cases and have asked for my diagnosis, which I have had a problem with. I’m glad we are spending a lot of time learning the different types of diagnosis: observing, listening, asking and palpating. I think that when we get to studying the methods to tonify and reduce based upon deficiency and excess of the elements, the diagnosis will be ultimately the most important step in treating the imbalance and patients needs to reach optimal health. I am understanding how important the 5 elements, the Bagua, the earthly branches and the heavenly stems are to treatment, understanding the Qi flow in the body, and the unification of Earth and Heaven through the human.

As my first deep dive into Chinese Medicine, I feel that understanding its roots as Daoist Medicine is starting a new chapter of my life as a healer. There are many patterns that I am beginning during my time here, for example daily meditation and Qi Gong. Right now I am having a difficult time staying present as my return to my life back home is near. I want to press for time and take advantage of my time here.

“Download the system”

Most of the paid jobs I’ve had have been within scientific medical research – biotech, spectroscopy with cell biology, meta-analysis work, cognitive neuroscience, etc. In this context, I have spent a lot of time immersed within world of Western medicine, in addition to being the personal health consultant for family and friends as a result. I came to the Daoist medicine course because I am personally searching for knowledge where the un-scientific holes are within Western medicine – psychiatry, pain management, women’s health, to name just a few. I am hoping that by learning different languages to describe the body and health, I will be able to gain a deeper understanding of these topics – similar to how learning different spoken languages helps one gain a deeper understanding of human expression, communication, and cognition. Also, the doctors that my loved ones have turned to for help with medical problems have rarely had the capacity to help, to even decipher what is occurring in, apparently, complicated situations. I hope that with a broader understanding of health, with becoming fluent in different medical systems, that by their mutual support, I will be able to understand more deeply, to have more tools and perspectives with which to interrogate, understand, and, God-willing, treat the persistent health issues around me.

While Western medicine speaks about the absence of health, traditional medical systems tend to speak about the presence of health. This is something that has held true within the language of the course concerning Daoist and Traditional Chinese Medicine so far. I am hopeful about the healing methods we will learn in this course from the language used in these first few weeks. The importance accorded to thoughts and emotions and their effects upon the body is something which is taken as a fundamental within the course content, in contrast to this only being spoken about within research on the edges of Western medicine or within superficial epidemiology research (e.g. “people who have more social support have a higher life expectancy”). This adds another dimension, something more holistic, to a health system.

I am also excited to learn the qi gong sets in this class – it is another aspect to “speak about the presence of health” to be concerned with maintaining one’s own health through Qi and blood regulation, massaging joints, stretching, etc. This is something which is lacking from my knowledge in Western medicine, and, furthermore, health in modernity is inherently a socio-political issue. States exert power and control over people through health, through control over life. Today, one can find many people in the “developed world” who will be able to say what the average “healthy” resting heart beat is, yet who have not taken time in stillness to listen to and be familiar with their own pulse. We have become disconnected from our bodies (and minds, too), from our health, and when people give up the capacity, power, and knowledge to affect their own health, of how to maintain life, they are easily controlled and manipulated. What is more dear to us, after all, than our own life and that of those whom we love? It is necessary for the individual to understand how to create the conditions for health to flow, but, also, on the broader scale of humanity, it is necessary that we regain our understanding of how to tend to our own health, so that we do not submit ourselves to control by something as personal and close to us as our own lives, lest we continue to be used as pawns in the power struggles of capitalist nation-states. I am hopeful that the Qi gong practices we are learning and will continue to learn will provide some help towards this endeavour.

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            Prior to traveling to the Five Immortals Temple I believed I had all I could ever want; the job I’d always wanted, a perfect apartment, all the clothes and items that I believed gave me value, but with all the material gain I received, I also received crippling anxiety and depression, that lasted regardless of the amount of promotions I got or of the work I created. I got to the point where either my depression was going to kill me or I had found a resolution to the traumatic events of my past that seemed to follow me wherever I chose to go. That’s where my journey in Daoism began.

            Fast-forward almost one year and I find myself studying Daoist medicine in an ancient temple in China; with an emphasis in healing both the material body and the formless/spiritual body. So far, my time at the temple has been challenging, enlightening, and one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I’ve been challenged to break my habits of sleeping in, my poor diet practices, and my inner discipline towards bettering myself. In addition to connecting with my body more and more as time goes on. Every day has a new, unexpected lesson to be learned. Whether it’s my strange obsession to chocolate, or dealing with the loss of a close loved one, I’ve found a healthy way to balance the rapid emotions associated with this modern age.

            The greatest challenge I’ve faced (so far) is bettering my inner discipline towards accomplishing tasks and following actions to their end. Buckling under pressure or simply giving up when the going got tough was a common path I followed, but this new life has shown me the beauty of seeing my difficulties become my achievements. I still have much work to do and I’ll always be learning new things about myself and the world, but I am so fortunate to have this passion to keep me going.

            Daoism has brought out the very best in me that has always been there. Even when waking up at 5 am and running up a mountain was the last thing I wanted to do, I persevered and did so without question. Every day I wake up with more dedication and drive to learn, grow and experience. In hopes of one day having the abilities required to help others who may be in need, like I once was.

            Overall my time at the Five Immortals Temple has brought inner balance and peace to my life. I am so thankful to have this opportunity to develop valuable skills to heal, and be able to share my story of evolution with those interested. I will continue to strive for inner peace by letting go of all that which prevents me from succeeding.

 After all:

“If you mould a cup, you have to make a hollow: for it is the emptiness within it that makes it useful.” 

–Dao De Jing–

What you seek is seeking you!

Daoist Medicine – a holistic and all-encompassing healing method

Roughly one month ago, the Daoist Medicine course kicked off and it has been an intense and enriching time so far. The basic teachings and tools that we have received within this tame frame, helped me already a lot to understand more about myself and what I want and should do when I go back home. But why did I participate at this course in the first place? And have my expectations been met so far?

I signed up for this course to broaden my horizon on herbalism and alternative healing methods. Before travelling to the temple, I was working in the pharmaceutical and MedTech industry. I came across many psychological and physiological disorders. The approach of curing those diseases was mainly based on the prescription of heavy chemical drugs and complicated surgeries. I soon started to realize that the companies` focal point was was often related to monetary aspects rather than the patients` wellbeing. As a result, my perspective on healthcare, medicine and the approach of healing started to change gradually. At one point it simply did not make sense anymore to work in this money driven environment.

I decided to quit my job in order to look for another occupation, something that would be more sustainable, honest and benevolent for other people, animals and our planet in general. A new door opened and I started to research about different options for my future career. One of those options was Traditional Chinese Medicine. I was instantly hooked on the idea of going back to university to invest in my future. However, before I would sign up for this life changing path, I wanted to make sure that my decision would be as solid as a rock. I learned that in order to understand the applications of TCM, it is crucial to familiarize with the principles and philosophy of Daoist medicine first. Why? Because Daoist medicine has been in existence long before TCM and laid an essential fundament of today`s Chinese Medicine. And here I am, studying Daoist medicine, in a “real” Daoist community in a “real” temple somewhere in the mountains of Wudang.

My understanding of the major difference between Daoist, Chinese, and Western medicine is the formless, spiritual aspect. “The Six Ones” and the “Seven Skills of the Daoist Gate” are the main requirements for every Daoist medicine practitioner. There is also the Scripture of Heaven, respectively the Yi-Jing that must be understood by the Daoist doctor. The Yi-Jing is one of the oldest books of China, it contains 64 hexagrams. Each hexagram is made of six lines and has its own meaning and divination. The lines represent yin and yang, the basic polarities of Daoist cosmology and philosophy. Especially on a spiritual level, I often relate to numbers as well. Therefore, I find the aspect of explaining the universe through numbers very interesting. However, numbers are not only seen as a bridge between heaven and earth, but also as a tool to heal and guide people.

Two other essential points of becoming a Daoist doctor is the sincere integration of honesty and reverence in one’s everyday life and work. How could the doctor otherwise connect with the spirits, heaven and earth, as well as the ten thousand beings? Without these two virtues, it would be simply impossible to build up these connections in order to heal the patient’s formless and physical body. We are practicing sitting meditation, Qi Gong, and reciting purifying incantations on a daily basis. These profound tools, all taught by Li Shifu, help us to strengthen and keep these virtues.

Moreover, Li Shifu told us that nine out of ten Daoists used to be doctors. Their students learned directly from them while they were healing their patients. This was the traditional practice of transmission before modern clinical classrooms for the masses were invented. I am grateful and feel privileged in having gotten this unique opportunity to learn directly from a Daoist priest and healer. This boosts my confidence and willpower to keep on putting efforts in my studies in order to raise my wisdom, awareness, and compassion.

Stronger than ever before, I feel that working in the medical field is my path indeed. However, I thoroughly understand now that this needs to be within a holistic, sustainable, and all-encompassing scope. Only this way, I can grow professionally and spiritually at the same time while being in service of humanity and our planet. This is what I was searching for quite a while now, and it is certainly no coincidence that my path led me to the temple, to Li Shifu. What you seek is seeking you, isn’t it?

Cheng Xin

What our Deep driving Desire is, is our Will.

What our Will is, is our Deed.

What our Deed is, is our Destiny.

– Buddha –

We have all come here to participate in the Taoist Medicine Course, with similar aspirations of helping and being of service to others through Eastern Medicine, Longevity theories, practices, and methods transmitted here. That is our deep driving desire. But what is the driving force behind this desire? Why have we chosen this place at this specific time? Why are we here within this configuration of people? There is no coincidence in the world, and for reasons unknown to us within our limited scope and understanding of how things unfold as they do, it is part of all of our destinies to be here now, individually and collectively. We have important work to do here together. To help each other heal and elevate. So when this brief expanse of linear times comes to a close, we will go back to our respective lives within society and hopefully be operating at a more loving, forgiving, and compassionate frequency. We are rough stones smoothing out one another´s edges as we surrender to the ebb and flow of the sea and the laws and realms that govern its infinite compression and expansion. Here we are now, all of us arriving at the top of this mountain with our stories and suffering and plus ones and two´s; with our angels and our demons, with our dreams and desires and most importantly, our faith. Faith, whether we are aware of it or not, has brought us here together under the guidance of Li Shifu and the Masters and Healers and Great Sages that have come before. Not so we can all become healers in two months, but to start to understand and experience how to heal ourselves and in the process help heal one another. To relinquish all that does not serve us, or the greater collective. To transmute all of our suffering into the lessons and gifts that will bring us self healing and the ability to help and serve others along our journey.

“ The only service anyone can ever truly render the world is their own self realization”

 –Ramana Maharishi –

Right now, we are just entering into the beginning. We are just beginning to unravel all of the pathologies and patterns within our bodies and minds, and removing the barriers surrounding our hearts and spirits. We are engaging in a daily rhythm that promotes the flow of Qi, healthy living, stillness, and that guides us to greater compassion and understanding of ourselves and thus the world around us. This is the initial stage of healing. We are on the path to the gate that exists within every human being to our own regenerative healing system. Within each one of us exists a healing authority connected to the universal healing authority. In order to enter into this space, we must first open our compassion and our loving hearts and have desire and will to heal ourselves to the point where it becomes deed in our daily lives. First we must all rest in a heart of unconditional love and forgiveness to ourselves and the entire world around us. We must move from the truth that all beings under heaven are our family members. We must condition ourselves to reside in the natural order of things and to abide by universal law and principles. All of this prepares us to enter into stillness, the great Gong of Taoism.

“Only through stillness of thoughts and body and spirit can you cultivate to nourish.

All methods have one purpose, to enter into stillness.

Thoughts guide our bodies and destiny.

Nourishing stillness is the foundation of refining one’s elixir.”

–Li Shifu–

So in this moment in time, it’s the process of self healing, and only through this experiential truth and wisdom, will we ever be able to truly be of service to the great collective and the world around us. This is the feeling at the moment. Thank you for all of your guidance, willpower, sincerity, faith, and individual experiential processes. For it has helped us begin to find it within ourselves.

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Welcome to bai ma shan, the white horse mountain, the dwelling of the immortals…a place where wordly discomforts make one ponder about his habits and attachments. And once one bows down to the five Immortals and Guan Yin with a naked heart and mind, a strong connection ties one to that exceptionnal energy field making each steps away from the temple heavy, filling one’s heart with nostalgia as if leaving behind the love of one’s life.

That last day before i left the temple, i shared with Li shifu my last experience among many experiences i had during the 3 months I spent training in taichi and learning dan dao.

The night after the end of the alchemy course I was lying in my bed in the “dragon hibernating” position, preparing myself to have a good sleep.

But the healing process I had started for many years continued that night. I felt that the blockage I had in my left shoulder for many years, dissolve with little tiny vibrations. Then all the liquids and gas stuck in my stomach started moving. A warm flow of heat runned down my legs to the tip of the toes. Of course it was only one of the many layers that dissolved that evening but somehow an inner voice told me that the ending of the healing process had started. I was at the last stage of the whole process of eradicating a karmic obstacle.

At 4 o’clock in the morning I woke up, and while I was walking outside, I “heard” : “you have to come back to pay back your gratitude”. It was as if the Immortals were talking to me…

Li shifu told me that it was very normal, that many other students who came here had the same kind of experience. That the strong connection I felt and the faith and devotion I developped here was the beginning of an awakening. That nothing was special or strange but very natural.

And many old students came back because they also had the same feeling of attachment I had towards this place.

But for me it is strange because in other spiritual places like plum village, where the energy fields are as strong as here, even if I love this cozy and warm  place, when time comes to leave I don’t feel any attachment nor “missing”. And no such connection with the higher energies “above”. But here…It is as if I belonged to the five immortals temple…

Learning from my feelings and emotions, bridging my body and mind owing to the training of taichi, wisdom arises. I let go all these “ghosts” of the past hanging around the mind, preventing me to unburden my heart, and keeping my wounds alive as if they were jewels that I couldn’t be separate with. They are just dead bundles but we give them so much power on our destiny.

For sure I will come back to pay back my gratitude, when and how I don’t know but I’m confident that  when time comes I will receive some signs from the immortals …

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Internal Alchemy is the subject I was most interested in, when I first came to the Five immortals Temple. Now, 3 years later, I had finally the chance to attend this course. It was a short, but very intense time. Full of content, theories and methods. And since the first day of class, the myths and knowledge I believed to be part of the internal Alchemy, began to fall apart. By having ShiFu showing us patiently the main framework of the way of refining the elixir and cultivating the Dao, we learned how to differentiate the truth from the fake. To differentiate the path of the great Dao from that of the small Dao, the bedchamber art, as it is often called in the west and believed to be the internal Alchemy. We were taught the methods and requirements for cultivating stillness and experienced collective meditation and longevity qi gong. We also practiced collective fasting, which gave me a deep insight in the way my body and mind changed during the three days abstaining from any type of food.

It is illusory to think to have been able to grasp the immense content of internal Alchemy in a few days. Even more, given the fact that most of the content of internal Alchemy is related to stages, that we common people are far away from being able to understand, not even mentioning to have experienced or have reached there. Nevertheless, I am truly grateful to Li ShiFu, for having given us a clear direction. Now it is up to us, to put this knowledge into practice. The path is already under our feet.

Becoming One

On the second day of abstaining from grain, I stood there early morning – feeble, shaky, alone. The mist of the mountain clouds was covering the temple grounds, and inside me – the flicker of light dim and fading. Suddenly, a wave of unknown energy washed over me. As I looked up and felt the wind on my face – the trees started to move gently, whilst staying perfectly still. Everything- the sky, the earth, the trees, the clouds, me – became one. I could feel what they feel, what they must have felt all these timeless years. All the hardships, the bitterness, the loneliness, the strength persevered by these trees. What are my own daily worries if not dust? Nature knows stillness, and in the middle of it there is movement. As the sun peaked through the clouds, suddenly I heard music softly rolling into our QiGong courtyard. It was full of light, and calmness, and indescribable hope – for this unity, for each of us, for the Universe. It’s as if, at this very moment, Shifu knew. He does.

It’s impossible to convey my experience here through common language. I could say that I learned about inclusivity, perseverance, repentance, wholeheartedness and destiny. But that would just be a list of big words. I could say that I learned about QiGong, and sitting meditation, and internal alchemy, and even the Elixir of the immortals. But that would be pretentious. I could say that I learned acceptance and gratitude through living simply, but I haven’t experienced even a yota of what this place has been through. The path is under our own feet. Thank you.

Reaching knowledge

Having been interested in various aspects of daoist arts over the years I came across many books, countless websites and very few actual teachers so I made sure to choose my first destination to ever visit in China wisely. After months and years of inquiring the search was over and the fate brought me to the Five Immortals Temple on the top of the mysterious Bai Ma Shan. Even more exciting, the course I was accepted to was Dan Dao, The Inner Alchemy.

Before applying I thought I already knew a bit on the topic and initially was just interested in clearing some of the misconceptions regarding the ever controversial Bi Gu practice and get some extra tips on the gong of sleeping meditation. First doubts about the content of my previously acquired knowledge started arising during the 10 months long preparation process before the Dan Dao course had even begun. Sitting in the comfort of my home and reading mandatory scriptures I have to confess I already had troubles digesting it properly and the literature of the past was of no help and started to seem simplistic and sometimes even childish in comparison.

Once up in the temple the very first classes made it even more clear – the popular notions of the daoist practices that I had encountered in the West in the form of books, online courses and even some actual instructors are nowhere near the richness of the full picture that Li Shifu was patiently unravelling in front of us day by day, presenting us with his detailed lectures, informative diagrams, many examples and perhaps most importantly answering our countless questions again and again.

Now having completed the course I feel like that was the most precious of the many gifts that I have received during my days spent in the temple. Coming back home with such an abundance of knowledge, practical skills and above all a much clearer perspective of what the daoist path to ascension is, the one not distorted by crooked paths or popular mistruths. Could there be ever a more valuable lesson a person can receive while still living in this human form?

 Bai Ma Shan, August 2017

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New OpportunityA new opportunity has arisen for those in need to restore their health…

The construction works of the White Horse Mountain Five Immortals Temple Daoism & Qi Gong Healthcare Centre is soon to be completed, because a lot of people want to come to this place in order to study and use the natural methods of Daoism & Qi Gong for self healing and to regain their own health. Therefore we decided to allocate a time slot for a course in Daoism & Qi Gong healthcare lectures and practices from 10^th-30^th October, 21 days in total. We hope that the application of Eastern healing methods will help people to resolve the pain and suffering of body and mind.

Be clear that we are not a hospital here and we are not a hotel, as our living conditions are very austere. We are also not Spirit immortals or angels. No one can guarantee that your illness will be resolved. We are only able to provide an opportunity, since your health and life are in your own hands. Via the methods that we teach to you we are hoping that you will be able to open a great gate of your own body’s self healing abilities. We hope that you are able to retrieve your health through the study of theoretical knowledge and practical methods of healthcare. You could apply the knowledge and methods of your studies to help even more people to get healthy. Therefore if your body and mind present with problems, you can participate in this course.

The study content:

1. Holistic healthcare theories and knowledge
2. Fire healing, moxibustion, cupping, music healing, Qi Gong healing and other external regulatory foundational theories and methods
3. The study of Daoist Yoga [Dao Yin], Qi Gong, standing pillars and sitting meditation methods tailored to one’s symptoms
4. Participation of collective sitting meditation, chanting of the scriptures and the study of the morning and evening Daoist liturgy.

Requirements:

In advance download (click here) and submit your application, as the maximum number of participants is five people per course. Participants must be aged between 18 to 50 years and strictly comply with the temple requirements in regards to clothing, diet, living and conduct, as well as obey to the temple administration. If the recovery is very smooth, you can donate towards the renovations of the temple according to the individual situation and recognition. There are no restrictions on how much or how little you contribute. Upon arrival there is an adaptation phase of seven days. If you dislike it, you can get a refund on departure.

Study schedule plan:

In the early morning one hour of Qi Gong and Standing Meditation;

In the morning one hour of study, the free time is for the practice of Gong [skill] and

practical applications;

In the afternoon one hour of study, the free time is for the practice of Gong and practical applications;

In the evening collective sitting meditation for one hour. One must partake in the collective recitation of scriptures and the morning and evening Daoist liturgy.

Altogether this 21-day-course costs 6000 RMB. There is no fee for the healing or the study during this course.

White Horse Mountain Five Immortals Temple

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Laziness is so deeply rooted in me that i still need a collective discipline to enhance my will power. This is the biggest work on myself. Actually i don’t know where i found the energy to keep on going everyday as every morning i felt so tired before starting training.

As a matter of fact the relationship between mind and body is so obvious. Despite the fact that i had abandonned all physical training for almost 9 years, and that i’m getting older, i have progressed in flexibility as stretching the tendons is not only a physical aspect; as the more i could relax, the more i could endure the pain and go further.

The 2nd aspect of the connection between mind and body that appears to me so clearly during this month is that even i spent only one hour in meditation, the purification process i had undergone through intensive meditation retreat had continued during this month of training. Moving the qi through physical movements liberates energies that were emprisoned in the body for years.

And last but not least shifu is a living example of how one has to keep on walking on the path despite one’s own karma and weaknesses.

Even if i cannot see clearly my past, i have an intuition of pitfalls i have encountered in my past lives.

Somehow i understand why despite the fact that i was attracted to martial arts since my childhood, and qi gong was so familiar to me the 1st time i heard the word without knowing exactly what it is all about…i didn’t follow this path but had an interruption of almost 10 years, exploring other spiritual skillfull means in buddhist traditions before coming back to the taoist path in a place like this.

It was most probably a period where i prepared myself to receive what i have to receive here, without falling again in the same pitfalls i got trapped in the past.

I don’t know if my internal demons have completely disappeared, this “Golum” voice I sometimes hear in meditation retreats, but for the time being this voice doesn’t come to annoy me. Passion was also the biggest “fetters” in my life. Even if it is not uprooted, at least i’m no more enslaved to it owing to vipassana meditation. I guess that these 2 strong karmic obstacles must be overcome before training in internal alchemy.

I have the feeling that getting more and more grounded, gives me this feeling of being fully alive, this kind of sensation I was seeking in passion throughout my youth.

Not feeling my thighs as a burden anymore in the horse stance, is just like throwing away fetters and returning back to the primordial freedom.

The gate to the other shore is still far away but i have the intuition that the last piece of the puzzle to understand my karma is here in that temple, to prepare myself for the real step on the spiritual journey, and face whatever might be on the path.

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