Taoist Internal Alchemy
Taoist Internal Alchemy, or Nei Dan, has been practiced for centuries, and possibly millennia, in remote hideaways in the sacred mountains of China.
A living philosophy based on the laws of Nature, Taoism offers an age-old tradition of methods and well proven practices in the science of nourishing life and nurturing spirit.
It teaches that the body has ‘Three Treasures’, or primary storehouses of energy:
- Shen, or spirit, which is stored in the upper dantien
- Qi, the Vital Energy/Breath, stored in the middle dantien
- Jing, the life force essence, stored in the lower dantien
How Every Day life weakens our body and spirit
As we move through life, the original life force essence (Jing) that fills us at birth steadily diminishes, while we are steadily ‘filled up’ with acquired ways of doing, thinking, being and living our life that remove us further and further from our original Source.
Slowly but surely, the experiences of daily living cause stress and tensions to become ‘mapped’ into the organs, muscles tendons and energy meridians of our body, and the pathways of our mind. Our body weakens, Qi /internal energy goes out of balance, we sense a dislocation from our inner Self.
These energetic, physical, emotional and mental, blockages lead to diminished wellbeing, tiredness, ill health, stress and an unquiet, restless mind.
Aim of Internal Alchemy
The aim of Internal Alchemy is to reverse this process through the cultivation, refinement, circulation and transformation of the life force essence (Jing), vital energy/breath (Qi) and the spirit (Shen).
Our body is seen as the embodiment of universal principles. As such, it becomes the central tool - or the alchemical cauldron - for replenishing, cultivating, and transmuting the three treasures - Jing, into Qi, and Qi into Shen – enabling us to attain the initial goal of health, longevity, inner tranquillity and peacefulness.
As we progress, this transmutation opens the Way to transform our mind or consciousness, and returns us to the unified potential of our True Self, and, ultimately, to union with Tao and Nature – which is the Taoist concept of Immortality.
Self Healing on all levels
Physical, Mental and Emotional
- Promotes Health and Longevity
- Fosters Inner Tranquillity, Peacefulness & Harmony
- Elevates Spiritual Vitality