In the Spring  of 2002 - I was living in Beijing, and searching for a Qigong Master in China.  I contacted many Qigong schools, centers and people I met, searching for a traditional program. Through pure luck, I gained an introduction to Master Wang Tao who taught traditional Taoist Inner Alchemy as found in the Northern Taoist Complete Perfection School.

In order to learn with Master Wang Tao, I had to travel across China to the far North East in an area called Anshan, in Liaoning Province - my destination was 'Thousand Peak Mountain'. This was a very long journey, and little did I know, but this encounter would be an event which would change the entire course and direction of my life.

The program which Master Wang asked me to follow was very detailed, highly organised, exact and strenuous - day in and day out - rising at 5 am to perform the prescribed 8 Longevity Qigong Exercises as our warm up, and then...

The Firing Process of Taoist Inner Alchemy -

with its advance and withdrawal, extraction and addition, increasing and decreasing - 

concentrates a year into a month, concentrating a month into a day, concentrating a day into an hour, concentrating an hour into one breath.

From the Ages of the World on the Macrocosmic Scale - down to a Single Breath on the Microcosmic Scale, everything has a Cyclic Movement.

Those who understand this Principle shall gain the Essence of the Active and  Passive Phases of the Alchemical Process... 

---  Li Dao Chun, The Book of Balance and Harmony

In the above practice session - Jesse will guide you in the Foundation Methods of Taoist Inner Alchemy. Taoist Inner Alchemy Practice is often called - Nei Dan - in the Chinese Language, and can be translated to mean - Inner Elixir Method - we may understand that Nei Dan Practice is an esoteric doctrine, which contains physical, mental, and spiritual practices that...

The Primal True One Energy - Yuan Qi -

is the generative energy that gives birth to heaven, earth, and human beings.

It contains all patterns, and is present at all times.

This is what is called the Source Progenitor of Essence and Life.

Those who keep aware of this are Enlightened Sages - Immortals -

those who ignore it are Ordinary People.

- Liu Yiming – 劉一明 - 

* Liu Yiming – 劉一明 – (1734–1821) - was a Chinese Taoist, philosopher, and writer. He was one of the main representatives of Taoist Internal Alchemy, or Neidan – 內丹術 – Neidan is an array of esoteric Taoist doctrines, physical methods, mental training, and spiritual practices that Taoist initiates use to prolong life, enhance vitality and create an Immortal Spiritual Body which is not limited or bound to the physical realm.

- Yuan Qi – 元氣 - We may think of this as: Original Energy, Innate Energy, or the Primordial Energy.  Yuan Qi is that which we had before we were...

- Neigong - Inner Strength -

COMING SOON...! 

We now plan in the future to offer a class series detailing the practice of Neigong Training as found in the Taoist Internal Martial Arts of:  Hsing Yi Chuan, Pa Kua Zhang and Tai Chi Chuan.  These Neigong Lessons will be one part of the training curriculum of our Living Tao Live Online Training Program.  We will focus on training for health, longevity, strength development, flexibility, and mental focus.  We will at times also demonstrate the self defence and martial aspects of the systems when needed for learning and understanding of the practice methods.

Neigong, as a term, in the beginning refers to methods of Taoist Breath Training, and Training which transforms the Bone and Tendon Networks of the practitioner.  In the first stages of Neigong Training, the exercises are often very simple, repetitive movements, with a focus to Unify the Movement and the Breath together, in a...

Yin Yang is the Way of Heaven & Earth..

The Fundamental Principle of All Things...

The Father & Mother of all Change and Transformation...

The root of Birth & Death...

~Huangdi Neijing - Su Wen

Learning the application of the Law of Yin and Yang Energy Transformation is a deep secret and key to understanding the practice of Taoist Qigong and Inner Alchemy Meditation.

We may think that within our human body the general principle of the harmony of Yin and Yang Energy, is that Yang Energy should be kept strong and dense so that the Yin Energy can remain in a calm, peaceful and gentle state. Yin and Yang as a theory expresses itself in all aspects of life, form, transformation and change.

Yin produces form / Yang produces energy.

Yin grows / Yang generates.

Yin is matter / Yang is energy.

Yin descends / Yang rises.

Yin is the structure / Yang is the function.

Yin is the body, blood and body fluids / Yang is the 'Qi' Energy.

Yin is the right side /...

Learn the backward step
that turns your light inward
to illuminate your self. .

Body and mind of themselves
will drop away,
and your Original Face will be manifest.

Coming, going, the waterbirds
don't leave a trace,
don't follow a path.

- Dogen Zenji - 道元禅師 -

*Dogen Zenji  - was  known as Eihei Dogen - 永平道元 - and was a Japanese Buddhist priest, writer, poet, philosopher, and founder of the Soto school of Zen in Japan.  Dogen lived during the time of January 1200 – September 1253. 

Dogen was originally ordained as a monk in the Tendai School in Kyoto, he was ultimately dissatisfied with its teaching and traveled to China to seek out what he believed to be a more authentic Buddhism. He remained in China for five years, finally training under Tiantong Rujing - 天童如淨 - an eminent teacher of the Chinese Caodong lineage - 曹洞宗 - in Qingde Temple - 慶徳寺 - on Tiantong Mountain - 天童山 - in Zhejiang Province - 浙江 - .

Upon his return to Japan, Dogen began promoting...

That which is still and at rest is easily kept quiet...