Tag Archives: Spirit

Neijia

JingQiShen (精氣神)

JingQiShen are the three treasures in Daoist internal arts that one must constant nurture, cultivate, and balance for a long and healthy life. These three compliment and rely on eachother–if one is weak, the others will suffer, advancing age and increasing the likelihood of disease and sickness.

Jing (精):  In English this Chinese term is known as essence.  It’s a physical matter that is believed to be stored in the kidneys (yin in nature, apart of the water cycle).  It flows throughout your body to keep it strong, healthy and young.  It’s the primordial energy given to you by your mother and father.  It helps create marrow and semen and aids in the development of bones, hair and teeth.  As you age you “use up” your jing.  It is important to understand the seven desires and six emotions as these will hasten the loss of Jing resulting in physical decay (i.e. hair loss/greying; weak bones/connective tissue; teeth issues; dull mind; etc).  If you Jing completely depletes your body dies.

Qi (氣):  In this reference Qi is defined as the life force that enables your body to move and focus. When your body is strong (strong jing) your Qi will be abundant and circulate freely.  Qi is connected to the blood  and air and thus thought to be the result of lungs and spleen.  Qi is also associated with Yang and Fire cycle.  It circulates through your 12 meridians and 100 vessels.    If there is an imbalance, blockage or disruption then one can get sick, injured, or die.  When Qi strongly circulates a person’s fu organs will be nourished and healthy, they will move energetically and their si shou will be fully developed and strong.

Shen (神)  can de defined as spirit.  It is the energy behind mental functions and spiritual awareness.  To develop a strong shen one must have  strong qi and solid jing. Shen is housed in the heart and is another reason a person must conquer their emotions and desires, becoming centered and balanced.  To be centered and calm a person gains the ability to convert and consolidate shen in their Upper Dan Tian.   Shen will primarily be observed through the eyes (yangshen 眼神), through a strong and radiant gaze.

Overall the three treasures nourish eachother and are developed or used mutually.   A strong JingQiShen creates a strong and healthy ming (life).  If a person develops and cultivates these treasures they will slow aging (cellular decay is slowed), will have a tranquil peace of mind, and have abundant vitality.  Through Daoist concepts they may be able to develop a connection back to the void and expanded consciousness.  Now this is easily written but to truly have a strong JingQiShen  one must live a regimented lifestyle often antagonist to work and relationships.

Can I not have a strong JingQiShen then?  Yes, not as strong as the monks and martial artists of old but still strong enough to live a healthy, mobile, and happy life.  You must guard your treasures, nourish them, and cultivate them.  Do not let your desires scrape your bones, your procrastination strip away your youthfulness, and your idleness rob you of your mind.

Consistent (Daily) and focused practice will allow gains to slowly and surely be made.  Over time, this compounds, and resulting in real and recognizable gains in strength, health, and mental clarity.   Again, the ideals are easy to discuss and understand but true discipleship in this method takes dedication and patience.

8 Methods, Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba Fa 8 Methods — 1st Method: Qi

Daoist Immortal Chen Tuan – Sleeping Qi Gong and Spirit Traveling

The first method is qi(气 ).  It is written Circulate qi, collect spirit –xing qi ji shen  (行气集神).  In Chinese culture Qi is a foundational substrate to all living things.    It circulates the whole body.  In very simple terms within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), if there is a blockage, imbalance or disruption this is how you get sick, injured or die.  A person must keep their Qi circulating freely to keep healthy and strong.  Within internal martial arts the person looks to guard and improve their Qi.  They look to gather their pre-heavenly (essence from parents) and post-heavenly (food, water, air)–note this is an oversimplification of Qi and many books have been written about this deep subject.

This first method looks wants the person to learn to use their intention to circulate the Qi (beginning with the Ren and Du meridians), to build the dan tian (via water and fire cycle), and make the Qi abundant throughout their bodies; especially their 5 zang organs, 6 fu organs, and 100 meridians.   Once your Qi is abundant your Si Shou (4 extremities) will be naturally filled and expressed via hair, nails, teeth, and flesh.

Once your Qi is in abundance you can then start to work on the Shen (spirit).  The Shen is nurtured and supported by the Qi (relighting the cauldron) and vice versa.  This mutually beneficial relationship will strengthen the body, resist illness, and increase longevity.

The Shen will follow Qi.  It will follow it up into the spirit valley and with consistent practice it can be filled and opened.  It must also follow the Qi into every pour of a person’s body, every fiber and hair.  There it can be used to radiate outward and connect with the greater world.  Once it connects with the void, wondrous things become possible and viable.

6 Harmonies, Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba Fa 6 Harmonies: 6th Harmony– Combine Your Movement (Action) and the Void (Emptiness)

The 6th Harmony is:  Combine Movement (Action) and Emptiness (Void)

dong he yu kong 动合于空

The final harmony in Liu He Ba Fa.  Also the most abstract and esoteric.  Now that your shen reaches every fiber and hair of your body, expand beyond it.  Work to feel your surroundings, to become aware on a different level.  You will look as calm, poised, you will radiate energy but every movement you make, feeling you have, will be subconsciously occurring based on the environment around you.  You will not have to think it, you will just do.  The expansion you experience will be great, possibly even frightening.  You will be like a baby again, in a whole new world of details and feelings but once you learn to control it, you can become part of a greater whole.

This harmony starts when a person grows around them as they do the form.  The energy radiates around the person and expands their movements into the surrounding environment.  They may be small in stature but they exponentially grow as they conduct the form.  A person watching them will “feel” them in a way they cannot explain and wonder how the person got so “big.”

You must remember this form is a means to the end.  Once you have reached this level in the form it must be spread and developed in all facets of life.   There are also levels within levels of this harmony; expansion, consistency, then concealment — i.e. you must contain everything yet appear empty working towards a true wuji state.

Few ever reach this level.  You must find the right instructor to lead you through the harmonies ontop of the daily dedication and resolve.  It becomes a way of life as all facets drive towards this goal: sleep, nutrition, activity, recovery…everything.  The form was the beginning– the gateway drug to a greater path.  You will find peace, harmony, health, and happiness that spreads to everything but allowing that to happen is up to you and your mindset.  The form will give you health and strength but the harmonies will give you true fulfillment and happiness in life, a goal worthy of chasing.

6 Harmonies, Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba Fa 6 Harmonies: 5th Harmony — Combine Your Shen and Your Movement (Action)

The 5th Harmony is Combine  Shen and Movement (Action)

shen he yu dong神合于动

Have you ever had the hairs on the back of your neck stand-up?  Did you feel uncomfortable or anxious.  It’s a reflex within the body that few can explain.  One explanation Daoist like to use is its an experience with Shen or spirit.  You perceive something or feel something is bad or good yet there are no verbal or visual stimuli to truly backup this feeling.  Now if one can develop this action and harmonize with it, it can truly expand your mindfulness of the world.

You have re-ignited that fire and have raised your spirit to your upper dan tian.  The Shen follows the qi and spreads throughout your body, raising awareness and vitality.  You become…different.

What does one do with this? They must begin to focus back outward.  This whole time your have closed your senses inward and felt what was going on inside your body.  Your spirit radiates through you and shows through your eyes.  This is where internal martial arts becomes something even greater.  You send your spirit to every fiber of your body.  You combine it with every movement, every thought; coordinating action with detail with awareness.  The movements will become your own and become instantaneous.    You will begin to perceive things differently.  Your form will be look powerful as your movements begin to radiate feelings and energy yet be soft and have the ability to adapt at will.  It becomes instant and instinctive.

Li Nengran, the famous Xing Yi master, was called “Magic Fist Li” was able to develop his Shen to this level.  He defeated all challengers and his opponents often said they could not see when his hands struck outward.  Li had developed his Gong Fu to a level where he perceived on a different level.  He could instantaneously feel his opponents intention and move his hands to counter or strike, overcoming the will of his opponents every time.  It was said he could close his eyes and understand exactly where people and things were at.  He was truly gifted and his gong fu was special amongst even the greatest.  Why?  Because he systematically built to this level, not skipping or rushing anything.  He had constant dedication and focused effort and a true understanding of the Dao and his body.   He dedicated every effort, every thought, and every move to get to this level–something few can truly fathom and achieve in this day and age.

16 Principles of Tai Chi

[3] Spirit courses through your spine.

Oh the spirit!  A level many enjoy talking about but few actually reach.  Shen or Spirit is a more esoteric level and dives into the stranger side of internal martial arts.  Some discuss Shen as your vigor, emotions, or hormones, but I believe they miss the mark.   The classics talk of very few people attaining such a great feat,  Masters like Li Nang Ren (Xing Yi), Dong Hai Chuan (Ba Gua), and Yang Lu Chuan (Tai Chi) were said to obtain such a level through diligent practice, concentrated effort, and humble ability.    Shen must be produced and nourished through our intention of raising Qi into the Upper Dan Tian.  This is where the magic will happen.  Now to accomplish such a feat a person needs to follow the protocol and work first to convert essence (jing) into Qi and store their Qi.  Once they have accumulated Qi in your lower Dan Tian and 5 organs (throughout your body); you can work towards developing your Qi into Shen and bringing it into your Upper Dan Tian through the Du meridian (GV vessel).

Now a person might ask me, “Sifu, can’t I just go right to Shen development?”

“NO!”  Without the proper buildup and accumulation of resources your Shen will be weak and frail, incapable of the abilities an internal martial artist truly desires.

Once your Shen is strong and vibrant your eyes will shine and your mind will be clear.  From here the deeper levels of joining the void can be explored in which you will know and see all things, thus allowing your movement to become without  intention and demonstrating uncanny abilities.

I will leave you with this final excerpt from Sun Lu Tang’s book “AUTHENTIC EXPLANATIONS OF MARTIAL ARTS CONCEPTS” (Translated by Paul Brennan in 2013) about Li Nang Ren:

“In the same county was a certain man who came top in the imperial military exams. His body was strong and he was an extraordinary man, also an expert in boxing arts. With Li he was simple and friendly, but of Li’s martial art he was secretly unconvinced. He always wanted to challenge others, but when he was on such friendly terms, he was too shy to say so. One day they were conversing in a room, talking and laughing like everything was normal. But he began to decide to test Li after all, and with the intention of catching him totally unprepared.

When he acted, he took advantage of the unexpectedness of it, sneaking up behind Li to clutch him and forcefully lift him up. And as he extended a hand, his body was already soaring diagonally upward, his head went into the ceiling, and then he fell back down with both feet standing on the ground rather than falling down.

He suspected Li of sorcery, but Li informed him: “It’s not sorcery, it’s just that at the highest level the boxing art is a spiritual skill. As it is unperceived, it seems miraculous and beyond your comprehension.” From that point, his contemporaries dubbed him “Magic Boxing” Li Nengran.”