Learn the backward step
that turns your light inward
to illuminate your self. .

Body and mind of themselves
will drop away,
and your Original Face will be manifest.

Coming, going, the waterbirds
don't leave a trace,
don't follow a path.

- Dōgen Zenji - 道元禅師 -

*Dōgen Zenji  - was  known as Eihei Dōgen - 永平道元 - and was a Japanese Buddhist priest, writer, poet, philosopher, and founder of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan.  Dōgen lived during the time of January 1200 – September 1253. 

Dōgen was originally ordained as a monk in the Tendai School in Kyoto, he was ultimately dissatisfied with its teaching and traveled to China to seek out what he believed to be a more authentic Buddhism. He remained in China for five years, finally training under Tiantong Rujing - 天童如淨 - an eminent teacher of the Chinese Caodong lineage - 曹洞宗 - in Qìngdé Temple - 慶徳寺 - on Tiāntóng Mountain - 天童山 - in Zhejiang Province - 浙江 - .

Upon his return to Japan, Dōgen began promoting the practice of Zazen - silent...

Immortal Arts - Stages in Development

The Immortal Arts Method - a modern day approach to Taoist Neigong and the Art of Inner Alchemy - bringing one to greater health, healing, harmony and leading one to the Discovery of True Self.

During the Practice of Taoist Inner Alchemy - we use three aspects of Self -

Our Body, Mind and Breath.

The Mind is something that becomes clear, sharp and more focused the longer we continue the practice - this means that our ability in Focus or the ability to Concentrate our Intention and keeping to the Center of our Dantian improves.

If we look at the process of learning the Art of Taoist Inner Alchemy - we may see that there are forms, postures, shapes and combinations of movements that we practice.

The movements and shapes follow a unique pattern - they are circular -

Circular movement and physical shapes aid in the development and smooth flow of Healing Energy. To create these shapes and movement patterns in our practice - we must use the mind a...

Too many steps have been taken returning,
to the Root and the Source.
Better to have been blind and deaf from the beginning..!
Dwelling in One's True Abode,
unconcerned with that without --
The river flows tranquilly on and the flowers are red...

From the beginning, truth is clear. Poised in silence, I observe the forms of integration and disintegration. One who is not attached to 'form' need not be 'reformed'. The water is emerald, the mountain is indigo, and I see that which is creating and that which is destroying...

- Kaku-an

* Kaku-an was a 12th Century Zen Master from China. Kaku-an is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese Zen Master's name which is - Kuòān Shīyuǎn (廓庵師遠). He produced a famous series and commentary on the 10 Ox herding pictures - which describe the stages one progresses through on the Path to Enlightenment, Transformation of the Heart, and Awakening to One's True Nature.

I was originally like a Seed from pure emptiness…

delicate and free , traveling across the times…

Tired of being entangled by fame and fortune…

I shall rest myself for a while in dirt and dust... 

~ Li Qing Temple

Emptiness.... 

Emptiness is a theme of Taoist thought and also practice - it is often said that Emptiness is what gives things their value and usefulness - the value of a cup, lies in it's empty space - but perhaps in our modern world, we focus more on materiality, form, and the gaining of objects with obvious form..  

Yet Emptiness is also a thing, or a state, is it not...?

When Emptiness is contrasted with form, the opposite of Form is the Formless or the Empty State.

what is Emptiness exactly...?

It is nothing....!

What is No Thing...?

In Taoist thought we often refer to the 'Mind' as the "Heart, or sometimes we refer to the Heart/Mind...  

The Heart is something that may accommodate both Being and Non-Being.  We may understand that we identify wi...