|
Sept. 2008 Study Tour
New location is Holy Mt. Wudang
Yuan Ming Temple on Mt. QingCheng
|
|
Please help the people and places destroyed in the May 2008 China quake.
|
|
Taoist Journey
Sept. 1 - 17, 2008
If you are a member of this study tour, click here to read more. The terrible earthquake in May this year impacts our tour. |
|
 QINGCHENG MOUNTAIN.
New location is Holy Mt. Wudang
QingCheng Shan is the place where the ancient life science of Tao came into being. Many generations of Taoist hermits, shamans and wizards lived, trained and practiced on this most sacred of mountains. They observed the beautiful nature, fasted and meditated -- uncovering their true heart and inner nature, cultivating the Tao and bringing their self into a profound state of harmony and balance, becoming one with heaven and earth. QingCheng Shan lies in Guanxian County near Dujiangyan City. It commands the vast expanse of Chuanxi (Chengdu) Plain, and is considered one of China's most secluded mountains. Among Taoists, the mountain is known as the "Fifth Dwelling Place of Immortals." It is thus a perfect place for learning the ancient arts of Taoist Internal Alchemy and Qigong in these modern times.
The great Yellow Emperor, Huang Di, came to QingCheng Shan to study Taoism with the Master Ning Fengzhi. Zhang Daoling -- the Heavenly Teacher -- pursued his Tao in these mountains, and gave many sacred teachings to his disciples in the forests and sacred groves of QingCheng Shan. The great immortal Lu Dongbin came and practiced his self cultivation in the QingCheng Mountains and resided and practiced in the Yuan Ming Temple. The great immortal Zhang San Feng of the Ming dynasty lived and developed his inner arts on QingCheng Shan through his great efforts in self cultivation in his early years of practice as a Taoist adept.
QingCheng Shan is viewed by many as the wellspring, the very root, of the ancient Taoist arts of self-cultivation, Qigong, and Taoist Internal Alchemy.
 The training sessions on QingCheng Shan (one in June and one in September 2008) represent very special opportunities to study under Teacher Hu Xuezhi, who will be sharing all of his experience and knowledge in the art of Taoist Internal Alchemy during these courses, teaching the practical training methods and also giving lectures explaining hidden Taoist theory and the inner or hidden meaning of many Ancient Taoist Classics, such as the Tao Te Ching, the Chuang Tzu, Understanding Reality, Secret of the Golden Flower, and many others. This will be the last public teaching offered by Teacher Hu, as he plans to retire from public teaching and concentrate his efforts on the publication of Taoist books for the English readership at large.
Teacher Hu Xuezhi has reached a very high level of mastery in the art of Taoist Internal Alchemy and Qigong through his lifelong study and research into the Taoist Arts. He has traveled to many of the sacred mountains in China seeking out authentic elder teachers of Taoist Internal Alchemy. He has also spent much time in solitary training deep in the holy mountains of China. He has studied the Taoist and Buddhist classics extensively, and will explain many of these sacred texts and hidden theories during this special event. The training course he teaches is a complete system of practice and development in the Internal Alchemy Arts as found in the Dragon Gate Sect of the Northern Taoist Complete Perfection Tradition. These arts are a very rare treasure in this modern world.
This journey to QingCheng Mountain will also include daily lessons and lectures with 15th Generation Dragon Gate Taoist Teacher Shao Tianze in Taoist Taiji and Qigong. Teacher Shao will also give demonstrations on Taoist calligraphy and perform mystical music performances playing the ancient Taoist Guqin (7 String Zither). Teacher Shao is a very experienced and accomplished modern day Taoist Adept, bringing a very special spirit and experience to our lessons at Yuan Ming Temple.
During our stay in QingCheng Shan we are very fortunate to be able to reside and practice in the sacred Yuan Ming Taoist Temple. Yuan Ming Temple has a very long history in the QingCheng Mountains, and many famous Taoists past and present have lived and cultivated their Inner Nature behind its walls. It is with this spirit of history, and the pursuit of self cultivation, that we will journey to the Yuan Ming temple to take part in our training and study of Taoism and Internal Alchemy this June and September 2008.
Our 2007 student group on arrival in Beijing
with Jesse, Teacher Shao, and our Taoist practitioners
This tour will be lead and organized by Jesse Lee Parker. Jesse has a wealth of experience studying the Qigong and Taoist arts in China. His studies include Taoist Internal Martial Arts, Qigong, Tao Yin, Tui-Na Massage, and Meditation. He is a graduate of the Traditional Taoist Therapy Association of Taiwan, and currently a close student of Teacher Hu Xuezhi in the art of Taoist Internal Alchemy, and the Taoist Classics. He has led many study groups and tours to China and also has helped many international groups in their Qigong and Kung Fu study in China through his work with Eternal Spring Tours. Jesse has a true love of the Taoist tradition and an even greater love to share these wonderful life enhancing arts with others; it is with this spirit that he organizes and leads students on their journey to seek the Tao in the land of the Middle Kingdom.
 |
The Arts of Taoist Internal Alchemy and Qigong are wonderful treasures for human kind. Taoist Internal Alchemy is termed "Nei Tan" in Chinese -- literally Inner Elixir -- or more commonly termed Cultivation of the Golden Elixir.
The Art of Taoist Internal Alchemy (Nei Tan) is rarely taught to the public in a complete, systematic form as it will be presented during this special event; as it is a very secret art that is rarely taught outside of the inner circle of Taoist Sects, and is usually only passed on from Master to Disciple. The Art of Taoist Internal Alchemy is an art to open access to, store, purify, naturally circulate, and transform our Vital Essence into Vital Energy – then this Vital Energy is transformed into a rarified substance – an Internal Medicine or Golden Elixir of Immortality. This rare practice can bring one vital health, inner peace, and spiritual growth.
The practice of what is commonly referred to as "Qigong" -- Mastery of Vital Energy -- is the first stage of practice in Taoist Internal Alchemy training. Qigong can be thought of as an art of discovering and mastering the Qi or Vital Energy -- Qigong seeks to open the Energy Meridian System in the body, purify the Qi, store the Qi and bring our energy system back into a state of harmony – Giving one greater health and balance in life. This is a very important first step in the Art of Taoist Internal Alchemy.
In higher levels in the practice of Nei Tan (Taoist Internal Alchemy), we are able to uncover an "Inner Medicine". This "Inner Medicine" is able to uproot the direct cause of all disease and will give the student a wonderful sense of happiness and vital health. Yet, people are always making great efforts in searching for medicine externally, rather than searching within. The art of Taoist Internal Alchemy is a journey within -- discovering the Original Nature and Essence of our True Self – Gaining Health, Vitality, and Harmony. We hope that people who have given up hope with their chronic disease will join us in this special course and training. The art of Taoist Internal Alchemy has successfully helped many cure chronic conditions such as HIV, Cancer, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Hepatitis-C; this self healing takes place through the patients own self effort, self discipline and self practice of these ancient Taoist methods of Internal Alchemy Meditation.
There are many wonderful benefits derived from practicing Taoist Internal Alchemy and Qigong, and they may be generalized into the following five categories:
- Overcoming illness / self healing / obtaining vital health.
- Gaining youthfulness / longevity / enhanced immunity.
- Enhancing vitality / internal force / inner strength.
- Expanding the mind and intellect / balancing the emotions / developing wisdom.
- Spiritual cultivation / Development of the True Heart / Liberation of Self.
A white lotus blooms in a green pond,
with a beautiful Buddha-image amid the petals.
Buddha-nature is like the lotus -
so clear and bright not even the thickest mud can stain it.
By a green jade lake – what a wonderful site:
an old hermit fathoming Tao.
Aren't they the lucky ones; humble and still,
quietly humming the melodies of heaven?
A skilled sailor travels many seas;
a good field changes hands many times.
Chasing glamour and riches, we find clouds and smoke.
Instead, sit gracefully with a single stick of incense;
drift among the white clouds
wild as a river heron.
~ The Book of the Heart ~
Loy Ching-Yuen
|
