The Rebel's Guide to Cultivating Vitality: Who Says Illumination Can't Be Achieved in One Lifetime?

May 19

07:23

2005

Edward Orem

Many Taoists recluses and Buddhists monks dwelled in mountains and forests to observe, listen, and meditate in order to gather deeper understanding and greater knowledge of nature than is possible when living in the milieu of human society.

Often in search of extraordinary longevity and treasures of life, these extraordinary men (and a few women) moved from observation of nature to experimentation and development of the body. The goal of longevity necessitated that the body be prepared by a lifetime of practices. Thus preparation of a strong, healthy body led to the development of these breathing exercises. For thousands of years men have practiced and developed these breath control techniques to improve health, correct problems and heal illnesses of various parts of the vital organs. You can experience the benefits for yourself.

The breathing exercises are grouped into three areas, performing unique (yet integrated) functions. The first concern is immediate triage for the sufferer, with focus on illness prevention, and elimination of sickness. The second level aims at rejuvenation and methods for prolonging a healthful life. The upper level exercises help calm the mind, harmonize the will, cultivate spirit. Each movement is in rhythm with deep breathing technique. Full concentration and daily practice are required.

The quality of vitality is the foundation of human health & longevity, the basis of immunity and resistance. As vitality depends on nutrition, breath energy, and nourishment of spirit, we able to significantly affect how much vitality we have.

We’re going to address the work of cultivating vitality directly on the level of energy. The most efficient method of generating vitality is through breath work/chi kung.

Chi indicates relationship between different aspects of animate-inanimate-spiritual life. Healing with chi is the study and application of this relationship.

Chi kung helps us to see how fundamental forces of the cosmos mirror within ourselves. It enables us to live consciously in direct relationship to cosmic forces. It enables us to extract everything we can from the human experience.

This is what is promised to us from this work:

Balance and harmony between body-mind-emotions, electro-magnetic forces, and our internal universals of yin-yang;
Conscious engagement of endocrine system to produce hormones, enzymes, neurochemicals to boost our immune system;
PH balance of the blood;
Better circulation of blood and energy, nourishing and energizing all organs and glands, detoxifying tissues by carrying away metabolic wastes and dissolving accumulated toxins, damaged cells, undesirable microbes and parasites.
Improvement in cerebral function: the training of the mind to take conscious command of energy for healing and spiritual growth.
Improvement in relationships between others/Nature/Cosmos.
I studied many of these techniques at the Chi Kung Institute in San Francisco. The instructor was Chiu Lim Chan, age 54 at the time (1975), who looked 35 and had a belly as hard as a stone. He got the teachings on Wu Tang Mountain from a 180 year-old man; that was in 1940.

Tao Ga Chi Kung/Taoist School Energy Work