This collection of fascinating short reads on Daoist thought, including Chinese medicine brings together some of the most popular articles from the Scholar Sage online magazine, alongside new material from Damo Mitchell. It includes: · How the teaching of the 'three worms' (Sanchong) demonstrates the way Daoism pulls together models of the physical, energetic, spiritual and psychological · A translation of and commentary on the Classic of Breath and Qi Consolidation, an important Daoist classical poem that discusses the relationship of Jing and Qi in the body · The importance of the pineal gland in Daoist alchemical thought · The internal alchemy of Fire, Water, Dragon and Tiger · The meaning behind the pairs of Fu Dogs often seen guarding the entrances of Chinese temples, government buildings and restaurants · How Fa Jin works · How increasing your 'excitement threshold' can help you to find contentment in states of perpetual centeredness · Understanding and using food energetics · And much more. Helping you to think about your practice in new ways, the book features contributions from senior students at the Lotus Nei Gong School of Daoist Arts, including Roni Edlund, Lauren Faithfull, Tino Faithfull, Donna Pinker and Dr Seb Smith.

Nei Gong has been a well-kept secret within the Daoist sects of China for centuries. Based upon the original teachings of the great sage Laozi, it has only ever been taught to close students of the masters chosen as the heads of the ancient orders. This book provides a breakdown of the entire Nei Gong process, and explains in plain English the philosophy which underpins Nei Gong practice, and which is based on the original teachings of the ancient Daoist priests. The methodology of Sung breathing, an advanced meditative practice which has until now been reserved for 'inner-door' students is described, and the book contains an entire set of Qigong exercises accompanied by instructional photographs and drawings. This book will be of interest to all practitioners of Qi Gong, martial arts and meditation, and will be a rewarding read for anyone interested in Eastern philosophy.

Challenges standard views of the origins of the Daodejing, revealing the work’s roots in a tradition of physical cultivation. Thomas Michael’s study of the early history of the Daodejing reveals that the work is grounded in a unique tradition of early Daoism, one unrelated to other early Chinese schools of thought and practice. The text is associated with a tradition of hermits committed to yangsheng, a particular practice of physical cultivation involving techniques of breath circulation in combination with specific bodily movements leading to a physical union with the Dao. Michael explores the ways in which the text systematically anchored these techniques to a Dao-centered worldview. Including a new translation of the Daodejing, In the Shadows of the Dao opens new approaches to understanding the early history of one of the world’s great religious texts and great religious traditions. Thomas Michael specializes in early Chinese religion, philosophy, and shamanism, and is the author of The Pristine Dao: Metaphysics in Early Daoist Discourse, also published by SUNY Press.

A complete and detailed explanation of the Nei Gong process. Explaining the philosophy at the core of Daoist Nei Gong, and illustrated with detailed figures throughout, this fascinating text will be of interest to practitioners of Qi Gong, martial arts and practitioners, and to anyone interested in Eastern philosophy.

This practical, down-to-earth guide offers the means for you to awaken your healing hands. Focussing on the use of hand sensitivity and energy in healing, the guide introduces methods to rapidly sharpen your latent skills and increase your confidence when feeling and working with Qi. Based on a combination of clinical examples, Daoist philosophy, and detailed 'how-to' instructions, the author shows you how to develop your ability to work energetically with your hands, providing an invaluable, powerful tool for subtle diagnosis and healing work that can supplement other methods.

This book focuses on a key aspect of Nei Gong and Qi Gong which is often ignored in practice; this is the practice of connecting with, feeling and adjusting the energy body directly, using the consciousness. The practice sits somewhere between Qi Gong, meditation and the lesser-known art of Shen Gong, and although it is known in China it has never before been written about in an accessible way in the West. The book contains step-by-step instructions on how to experience the various elements which make up a person's energy body, learning to identify and feel the meridians, and to diagnose imbalances and restore harmony through them. The book contains step-by-step instructions on how to experience the various elements which make up a person's energy body, learning to identify and feel the meridians, and to diagnose imbalances and restore harmony through them. This essential aspect of intermediate and advanced practice will be of interest to Qi Gong and martial arts practitioners as well as to practitioners of Chinese medicine.

Tui Na is one of the 'Four Pillars' of Chinese medicine (alongside Acupuncture, herbal medicine and Qi Gong) and is a form of bodywork that includes acupressure, massage techniques, assisted stretching, and joint mobilisations or adjustments that are all based on the key medical principles and diagnostics of the Classics of Chinese medicine. This book is an accessible clinical handbook of Tui Na principles and practice. Tui Na can be used as much more than a musculoskeletal therapy, but in order to use it to its full potential as a medical intervention, it is essential to understand its uses on the Sinew channel system as opposed to the other channel systems commonly used within acupuncture. Tui Na requires an understanding of the principles and pathways of the Sinew channels as a standalone system of the body, as well as its relationship to the other channel and organ systems, and this book provides an accessible introduction to these channels before moving onto Tui Na practice. There are Sections on Diagnosis and Assessment, Techniques and Treatments with hand and joint manipulation techniques covered in detail, along with instruction on developing a Tui Na prescription and protocols for the treatment of common conditions. This book can be used by beginners studying on a hands-on practical course in Tui Na, in addition to qualified Chinese medicine and Tui Na practitioners.