Understanding Taoist Alchemy
Interpreting the ancient codes shrouding the esoteric Chinese arts is one of the great challenges facing any serious student of Taoist Nei Dan.
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By Shawn Cartwright Q: I’ve read some books on Sexual Alchemy. They say the Chinese Southern School of Taoist Nei Dan is based on Sex. How can I learn these techniques?
A: Penetrating the secrets of the Chinese Sexual Nei Dan (內丹, Internal Alchemy) methods is of rising interest to many. There are a number of classical and [...]
By Shawn Cartwright “Studying the classic Taoist texts is important for every serious student of Nei Dan. Our teachers transmit the methods of cultivating Ming (命) or Life, but it is up to us to cultivate our own Xing (性) or Nature. The classics not only connect us to our lineage, their richly layered imagery, symbolism, and seeming [...]
By Shawn Cartwright Fabrizio Pregadio, one of the foremost translators of Taoist Alchemy classics, answers several question about his work translating some of the most important texts of Nei Dan. Here is a selection of questions and his answers from the interview. The full interview can be found in the paper Interpreting the Ancient Codes available as a [...]
By Shawn Cartwright The Zhou Yi Can Tong Qi is one of the most important texts in the practice of Nei Dan, or Internal Alchemy. It correlates the three major classics of ancient China: The Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic), Yi Jing (I Ching or Book of Changes), and the Dao De Jing. This short [...]
By Shawn Cartwright Question: What is Zhao Bi Chen’s system of Internal Alchemy? Where did it come from?
Reply:
Zhao Bi Chen (趙避塵, 赵避尘) is famous primarily because he is one of the first practitioners to write a comprehensive book (Xing Ming Fa Jue Ming Zhi, 性命法訣明指, 性命法诀明指) describing in detail the methods and practices of Internal Alchemy. [...]
By Shawn Cartwright Twenty people joined us over Easter weekend in Michigan to start their own practice of inner alchemy transformation. Internal Alchemy, or Nei Dan has its roots in the ancient Chinese tradition of self-cultivation. It is one of the gems of Chinese civilization.
TCCII Internal Alchemy Class in Michigan April 2011
Many of [...]
By Shawn Cartwright Question: Could you tell us a little more about your Chinese Internal Alchemy teachers?
Reply:
Here is a partial list of our Chinese teachers.
They have all made important contributions in some way but in terms Taoism and Nei Dan, the following are most relevant to your question:
Li Laoshi: Technically from the southern Zhong-Lu [...]
By Shawn Cartwright Question: Why are there so many different schools and techniques in Internal Alchemy? Which one is best?
Reply:
The Taoist say there are 3600 doors and 72 more side doors, but only one Elixir.
The Buddhists say there are 84,000 methods.
This is because each person is different and will have affinity for different types [...]
By Shawn Cartwright Question: I’ve read the theory of Internal Alchemy and Immortality. How can anyone prove it?
Reply:
Internal Alchemy does not rely on the theory-proof model as it is commonly understood in the West. It is accepted by its serious practitioners that the methods and practices of Nei Dan were empirically validated by previous masters. For [...]
By Shawn Cartwright Question: How can I start practicing Nei Dan? I am very interested in the foundation building practices.
Reply:
I understand that you are inquiring about the specific techniques of the Building the Foundation stage. I appreciate that you limited your question to that part of the practice. It is probably the stage of the practice [...]
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Internal Alchemy Meditation
Build the foundation for Internal Alchemy (內丹, Nei Dan) with this guided meditation for harmonizing Yin and Yang Qi.
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