Daoist Meditation

Inner Cultivation

The meditation system practiced within Lotus Nei Gong is a form of Daoist alchemy which aims to work directly with the various energetic substances of the body and the consciousness. many Daoist practices are buried under a great deal of confusing and metaphorical language which consequently means that it has often been misunderstood.

Calm Amidst the Chaos

Modern living is chaotic and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find even a moment of stillness for the majority of most people. Our work is stressful, family life is difficult and then to ‘unwind’ we bombard our senses with television and music which may take us away from our daily troubles but still does not allow our minds to find stillness. If the mind is unable to rest then the physical body is effected and we begin to grow increasingly tense and unwell. As a tool for preventing this, meditation is unrivalled. Through consistent practice we are able to still the centre of our mind and so allow the natural rejuvinating effects of our true consciousness to flow through our physical body.

A Calling

It is difficult to truly sum up the nature of meditation in writing. It is not necessaruly a study which people make a conscious choice to partake in. Some people are simply drawn to meditation study and so seek out a system which suits them. Within Lotus Nei Gong, many of our students progress into meditation practice naturally from their martial arts practices. In this way their training is progressing from the physical to the energetic and then finally the realm of pure consciousness. Daoists called this process the transformation from Jing to Qi to Shen and within the environment of our body this is reflected by the various energetic substances of our body. 

Mental Debris

Throughout the course of our lives we are constantly accumulating subconscious information which registers within the matrix of our energetic field. Over time this information begins to effect who we are and so distort our nature, thoughts and actions. In this way we gradually become a product of our environment and forget the inner truth which sits at the very centre of who we are. We move out of touch with the real world and instead fixate upon the temporary pleasures which the material world bring us. Pleasures which are ultimately unsatisfying. The vicious circle of mental distortion is ongoing and we term this the change from a ‘congenital’ to an ‘acquired’ state of being. If we are able to find this stillness within the mind then we will begin to shed this mental debris. Like watching a slowly unfolding movie, the layers are stripped down and drift away until we are finally able to comprehened our true self. Buddhists called this change the process of cleaning the mirror and Daoists noted that this change was accompanied by an increase in mental energy we simply call Shen.

A Link to the Divine

The nature of the cosmos which surrounds us is truly divine. Life is brought forth, matures and then ends in a cycle which is both natural and profound. The cycle of energy which took place within nature was labelled Taiji by the Daoists and it was this energy which we gradually disconnected from as society developed. If we are able to reconnect to this energy along with the great power which almost every spiritual tradition named ‘Heaven’ then we will find true happiness and ultimately enlightenment. This power which surrounds us vibrates at a particular frequency. A frequency which usually differs from the vibration to be found within both our energetic field and our consciousness. Through transformation of our Qi into Shen we are altering the vibration of our mind to bring it closer to the frequency of ‘Heaven’. This in turn allows us to connect with this great power and so be at one with our surroundings. Christians named this a connection to God, Buddhists called this enlightenment and Daoists said that you were becoming immortal. Whatever terminology you use, the end goal is the same. This is the eventual goal of all of the internal and martial arts.