Great Nature Path

Life Cultivation is to not only to achieve a general state of conserving and enhancing health, prevent disease and prolong life, but to nourish the mind and essential energy, Qi, within, in order to develop control of the mind and emotions. When the mind and emotions are at ease, clear, and unobstructed by the 6 senses, the body is at ease, and thus the general states listed above are attained. However, when the mind and emotions are at ease, turned inwards, one illuminates within, and realizes inherent wisdom.

Applying Tai Ji Yin-Yang Mapping

The Tai Ji symbol, or Yin-Yang, is a map of the Sun's rays on our planet. It displays the highs and lows of seasonal changes, representing a time frame of how to live in accordance with the astronomical influences of the Sun on living things. We can utilize this map for our own personal development towards controlling our mind and emotions with the following instructions:

First 3 days, for the first 3 hours of the day, from the time you wake up, write down 3 states of mind/emotion you are feeling. 3 words is all you need.
When you are washing up, recognize what thoughts you are entertaining. Write down up to 3 of them. One word for each is all.
When you arrive at a destination, office, cafe’, social gathering, write down 3 words to describe our state.

On the fourth day you must purposefully do that which equates the positive words you have written down. Make it a habit in thinking and action. Body, Mouth, and Mind are interlinked! Think, Say, and Do what you want to experience in order to make it a real, tangible thing. This allows you to realize the ebbs - Yin, and the flows - Yang of your 6 senses and their cycles according to your mind and the influences thereof.

Daoist Yi Jin Method

Mind-Body Cultivation "Flexing"

A practice set of 25 postures combining posture, movement, breath, body and Qi awareness methods to oxygenate and revitalize the internal energy of the organs, and body systems, but also the mind, and bio-energy of the entire body. Presented below is a video of the first 8 postures, and basic steps to begin this dynamic, and amazing practice.

The Teacher

Daoist Yi Jin Xiu Fa: Mind-Body Cultivation "Flexing"

Stage 1

Stand upright, and practice each posture without tension, meaning do not contract your muscles. Learn to time your breath by inhaling and moving to the next posture, and exhaling once you are in position.

Follow pictures for posture

Step 2

Work each section of your body individually beginning with your feet. Contract your muscles from your feet to your knees on your exhalation lightly. Do not use all your strength. Once you have exhaled fully, slowly relax your contracted muscle, and slowly inhale and bring focus from your feet to your hips. Repeat this method of piece by piece contraction till you reach your full body, feet to shoulders, arms, and hands.

Step 3

Inhale and move to your posture, and on exhale, slowly contract (flex) your muscles from your feet to your shoulders and hands, do not contract your neck, face and head. When you exhaled fully, slowly release the contracted muscles, and inhale, moving to the next posture. Repeat this method for the remaining postures, fulfilling 8 full body contractions (flexes) completing one set of 8 repetitions.

Wu Zong Method

Cultivate Qi, single minded focus, and clarity of the 6 senses

Upper Lock

Make sure the tongue is rolled up touching the roof of your mouth, gently. You don't have to suck the tongue back and hold it really tight. Just a light little pull back and let it touch right above the bulge of skin behind your teeth. You don't need anything more than that for now.
Close your eyes for now. There are practices where you don’t close your eyes, and that can be done with this method, but go slow. Leaving the eyes slightly open, comfortably, requires a teeny bit more skill so you don’t feel as though you are squinting.

Dan Tian Compression: Natural Breathing

Inhale and exhale through your nose and keep your attention at your belly button the whole time. Your abdomen should expand from the front, the sides, as well as the lower back. It should be like a balloon expanding and contracting on all sides. You'll develop that skill in time. Stay doing that until you have that skill. Nice and comfortable inhalations. When you've controlled your breath cycle, inhale/exhale, it will no longer feel like a mechanized act. Get comfortable with that process, and when that's comfortable, your mind is steady. You will have added more strength to single-minded concentration. You need that in order to meditate. Now you can move on to the next second part of the practice.

Upper Dan Tian: Still and Focus

When you inhale, bring your attention straight up the body to the brain, particularly to your pineal gland. Imagine a pillar, or pathway going from your belly button all the way up to your brain. It would be good to find a picture of where the pineal gland is. When you are clear on where the pineal gland is, put your attention there directly. Go right to the source.

Full Notes

Full Notes:

On the inhalation, bring your attention to your pineal gland.
Exhale, keep it there. Do that for as long as you can in one sitting. When you are ready, bring your attention down to the belly button, stay there for 3 breath cycles, and finish your practice.

Recap the full technique.

Inhalation to the abdomen. Focus on the belly button for 3 breath cycles (inhale/exhale is one cycle)

On the 4th breath cycle, bring your attention up to your pineal gland. Maintain focus there.

You keep your focus when you inhale and exhale. If your focus is at the belly button, keep it there throughout your breath cycle, and if it is at the brain, pineal gland, keep it at the brain, pineal gland.

Maintain your focus at the brain, pineal gland, as long as you can. When you feel to stop, bring your attention back to the belly button for 3 breath cycles, and you are done.