What are some books, techniques, and other resources that one could use to unlock their inner dantian, generate qi from jing, restore jing, etc., and other "entry level" neidan practices? What are some signs that one is making progress in these areas?
origami - occular fields / fields of consciousness
look at a cigarette + commit the filter's spot pattern to memory - a lens of attention ~1cm diameter
Personally I just stared past the light of a cat toy laser pointer until I saw like the battery or something.
>martial arts.
>purifying the body
>mantra reciting
>ingesting medicines of different kinds.
>semen retention for a couple of years.
>developing meditation for astral travel to receive further guidance there.
pick one.
or more.
are you familiar with anapanasati and vipassana meditation? how do they work with daoist cultivation practices?
A few observations/nitpicks:
>martial arts
Good, though depends on the kind. Some, especially the ones made to be practiced for combat scenarios funnily enough will be more effective for a fight, but due to eschewing spiritual aspect and perfection of single moves etc a bit less effective for anything else
>purifying the body
If one means general keeping and holding good health without taking in stuff that will mess you up - sure, but easier said than done.
>mantra reciting
Reciting won't do much on its own, it has to be with awareness and intent and that is what the mantra will hone.
>ingesting medicines of different kinds.
Just stuffing yourself with medicines is a good way to fuck yourself up and contrary to xianxia novels, one will be hard-pressed to find generic elixirs and pills to actually develop a'la neidan
>semen retention for a couple of years.
Semen retention is a practice questionable - it may be vital in the first steps, but later on it shouldn't be and on /x/ it is in general far overhyped.
>developing meditation for astral travel to receive further guidance there.
Sure, if one manages it but it'sa bit like putting horses before carriage and developing siddhi before developing any subtle body to handle those well
Not him but IIRC, meditating and doing breathing exercises in different locale and at a different time of the day affect how much of either you will work with. Some foods also stimulate one over the other. I am uncertain though whether one should judge traits you've mentioned as particularly ying or yang - while some may be encouraged more than the others, one's behavior is hugely dependent on raising and experiences rather than just natural inclination.
carriage before horses*
Horses before carriage would be the good way to do it
>Not him but IIRC, meditating and doing breathing exercises in different locale and at a different time of the day affect how much of either you will work with. Some foods also stimulate one over the other. I am uncertain though whether one should judge traits you've mentioned as particularly ying or yang - while some may be encouraged more than the others, one's behavior is hugely dependent on raising and experiences rather than just natural inclination.
I guess I'm more concerned about whether the beginning of the qi cultivation process, which is often described as moving from a yang-centric to a yin-centric balance, would be right for me in particular, if it's a one-size-fits-all thing. I could always figure out if I am actually yin-heavy through practice later.
Sit in full lotus for 2 hours a day with a silent mind.
That's all it takes, and after a few days or weeks, depending on your previous cultivation experience, you will start feeling pleasurable electric heat sensations in your lower dantien area.
That simple practice, of simple silent sitting in lotus, can actually take you most of the way, as the energy and energy system is intelligently designed, so they will automatically refine the energy and do their thing if you let them, by sitting in silence.
Most people end up burning out on these practices, because too much yang chi and not enough yin (water + earth element), and because too much energy in the microcosmic orbit while neglecting other energy circuits. Which is where tai chi steps in.
The other very important entry level neidan practice is to learn non-ejaculative orgasms, which is taught in taoist and hindu yoga.
Mental celibacy is far superior for energy cultivation, but the physical celibacy that non-ejaculative orgasms allows goes a long way after many years of retention.
Are you certain of it? I've heard of a different practice:
The Four-fold breath is inhale-hold-exhale-hold.
Do not close the throat to hold the breath.
For convinience I'll greentext.
>locate Qi Hai, Huiyin, Mingmen
>calm breathing, gather and quiet your mind in your head.
>inhale, exhale and hold should be even
>inhale, slowly breath reaches the Huiyin at the perineum, lower back expands slightly at Mingmen, diaphragm moves out a bit in front, Huiyin moves in slightly
>hold for equal amount of time
>exhale, belly moves out slightly at Qi Hai, Huiyin drops back down
>hold for equal amount of time
>mind follows the movement of the breath in the lower abdomen, just pay attention to it, no need to focus intensely
All of this should be as subtle as possible, breathing should be quiet and as thin as a needle.
The first thing that happens is you feel the water(jing) flowing from the Mingmen down the Sacral bone.
The second thing that happens is the Huiyin starts to vibrate slightly.
Third, QiHai gets warm or hot.
Take both hands and rub them together, when all three phenomena are present put both palms on the navel, right over left. Continue to breathe until the Dan tian awakens, it's the size of an orange or a large apple and very dense, you can't miss it.
This requires no imagination, visualization or any other stimulation, breath is enough.
>inb4 some actual chinese cultivator with an access to some teacher warns us all we're about to fuck ourselves up by trying to get at this without said teacher correcting us as we go
what if you are already too much yin and not enough yang? that's what my mom says anyway, because I'm lazy and a little bit feminine (not gay, just passive, quiet, introspective, a tad sophisticated, etc.).
Not real. There made to control the population.
Given that both daoism and related spiritual practices (qigong, neidan) predate most of the really totalitarian chinese governments and that the modern government was somewhat adamant in fighting off certain sects (harassment and outlawing of Falun Gong), I am somewhat reluctant to believe you, anon.
What are your reasons and intentions for learning all of this? Do you have a physically fit, healthy body. Do you mostly eat a vegetarian diet? If you’re a basement dweller and you start doing this stuff based on YouTube videos you could get very sick.
I am a soldier in good athletic condition who will be undergoing rigorous physical and mental training over the next two years. My intentions are to grow as a person. I'm too sheltered and cerebral, and I didn't think I was ready to continue on in academia, so I enlisted to gain wisdom in the areas that I was lacking. I don't regret it one bit. My intentions are to make a positive difference in the world, especially after I finish my contract.
what? if one is sick of sickness, then he cannot be sick. the Tao was pretty clear on this. Verse71
Ideal state one is to aspire to doesn't mean they cannot and haven't deviated from it. And want it or not, most people aren't even aware of principles of daoism, yet alone following them. If merely disagreement with state of the world or self would mean the reason for it doesn't exist anymore, this world had little to no suffering.
Also, verse 71 of which work?
>Also, verse 71 of which work?
Daodejing
True dantian and energy work despite being only a beginning of neigong is too advanced for most people. What I got from Daoist stuff is that things are done step by step without skiping or trying to force or rushing things that are not ready because certain conditions need to be met before you move on the next level. I am not a Daoist and I don't want to pretend like I understand what it's all about but my understanding is that we are called to be shallow like water. To go back to the basics, learn how to live, how to manage our resources and to accumulate life experience. Slow and steady wins the race. If you don't have your shit together these practices are not going to help but are only going to destroy your life even more. If you are not healthy, lack social and financial stability and you don't have discipline it's retarded to talk about energy work when you didn't even set the foundation with a few years of basic stretching, breathing and posture correction exercises. Start from the body and basic necessities.
Flow like water.
Steady in rhythm;
Balanced in body;
Stable in mind;
Sturdy in soul;
fixed, affirmed... and then forgotten.
This is the Way that lasts forever.