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>”Yi is yi, something separate. It is yuan shen.””Just ask yourself this, what was my original face before I was born? Did it look any different from anyone else’s? It is formless, we all looked the same.”<
If this is the case, then why do all humans have different personalities and emotional strengths? Are you saying that when humans pass into the formless state, they are an undifferentiated mass of consciousness?
understanding and experiencing polarization is a method of finding the middle way: how can one experience and integrate neutrality into one’s dynamic process if one is unconscious of their polarized nature?
Hi SO,
I was supposed to take a break but I’ll reply to any last second replies still.
>>so, in your view, is the yi separate from the xin? it seems that you are separating all the functions of the organs’ consciousness, and that some function here in later heaven, while others are part of the wuji or something?<>If this is the case, then why do all humans have different personalities and emotional strengths? Are you saying that when humans pass into the formless state, they are an undifferentiated mass of consciousness?<<
*People have different personalities and emotional minds because they have xin. Our original nature is not to be all dead-like people, but be COMPLETELY one-pointed and by that, we are all non-grasping, non-abiding, etc. It allows us to experience life at its fullest beyond the scope of what xin prevents us from. It is not unconscious, but superconscious.
Fajin
But that’s the major thing. That it is not that you are unconscious, but are superconscious, ie. more conscious. I just finished a post with Trunk about what people’s minds are like through Zen training and he even said that people’s minds are more like a clear sky, not a rock.
Remember, the stillness lies within the movement and the neutrality is within all of life’s dynamic processes and experiences. In the neutral state, we are much more aware of these processes when we are in deep subconscious mode, using yuan shen.
Fajin
The way I experience it, the Yi (intention) in the body is manifested in its outward function through the stomach spirit, and its internal function through the spleen/pancreas; the “monkey mind” of the yi is the earth element’s (stomach/spleen) function of mediating the other vital organ spirits. Yuan shen is the unified oversoul aspect of all the individuated personality aspects.
The Zhi (will) is simply the outer function of the bladder spirit, and manifests internally through the consciousness of the kidneys.
From my experience, daoist alchemy cultivates a permanent though dynamic state of substantial neutrality (“stillness” or yuan shen) from which the practitioner operates.
Again, why not integrate the xin with the yuan shen and have the best of both worlds?
Hi Singing Ocean,
You have made a good point. You are basically saying that the vital organ spirits function is manifested through their partner (yang) organ. I agree with this.
So, spleen houses the yi, and stomach carries it out. But why carry it out? Why make the yi move from one place to another?
Daoists have learned alot from the fetus. One of the dynamic processes of life is breathing. In our mother’s womb, breathing was not dynamic, ie. it didn’t go in and out the nose. It was constant, through the navel.
So was yi, it was also constant on a single point, which was nothing. Much like sitting in forgetfulness, we make this yi still, fixed on a point, whether void itself (by doing nothing), or on a dynamic process like watching the breath go in and out.
I like how Daoist Master Ziyang said that the original spirit sinks into the thinking spirit when we are born into this world. Our primordial nature of non-thought is what stillness meditation helps us to return to.
When we allow our deep subconscious to do the work, all subtle layers of the microcosm are sunk back into their primordial nature including breathing itself, which returns to an embryonic state in very deep states of stillness.
The microcosmic orbit flows freely opening central channel, the combustion of kidney yin and kidney yang occurs to produce vita-vapour (steam), etc. All of these dynamic processes return to their non-dual state.
It is as you say, that yuan shen unifies all individual aspects of our personality, which is why I strongly detest the idea that when we are using this subconscious, or yuan shen, the individual personality aspects are destroyed. Not so, they are unfied like you say.
Xin is brought back to its primordial nature of doing nothing just like the healthy fetus. Why is a cup useful? Because it is empty, it may be filled much like the infant’s mind. We continue to make the mind useful by maintaining this emptiness, or this openess.
If Daoist nei dan alone can take one to that level, then that’s excellent. It is the shen to wu stage. I haven’t progressed through any such formulas yet, so can’t say from experience what state of mind the alchemy can bring about.
If people practiced Zen, they would know that that’s the state of mind that alchemy should bring, they would know what to expect. At the very least, they can bring this state of mind in daily life when doing things, and in meditation, they practice nei dan.
Smiles,
Fajinso, does your experience of superconsciousness progress in stages or gradations, or do you feel you have reached a spontaneous state of ultimate unity?
do you feel you have you reached “THE state of mind that alchemy should bring?” (i.e. “superconsciousness”)?
how do you know what alchemy can bring if it is an everchanging process, and more concretely, if you have never practiced alchemical formulas?
On a more practical level, do you feel that your practice produces a feeling of neutrality with substance that continues when you are not meditating?
You keep getting better and better at it. As you go deeper and deeper, the mind becomes more and more still.
Scientists measured brain waves of Zen monks and some, who have been meditating for 20 or more years, can reach very low delta wave states. These states only occur through deep dreamless sleep or coma, yet the meditator is complelely awake and fully conscious of the object of meditation, whatever it may be.
While living life, things seem more effortless each time, you are just much more aware of the moment and what’s going on around you. Probably because you don’t get caught up in thoughts from everything your senses perceive and you react to whatever is going on instantaneously.
It’s kind of like how water reacts when something touches it, it just does it. Of course, there is some effort but through practice, it becomes easier and easier. It is a state of wu-wei.
You can always make the choice to become fully aware of an object of concentration, something that you are doing.
Example: You are painting a picture. You just put your yi on the rythmical movements of the brush going back and forth, up and down, being one with the strokes. You become absorbed in it.
Or it can be anything like being mindful of the steps that you are taking when walking in the park, or being mindful of the swim strokes of the arms in the pool. It is about being aware of that what is already there, what is already happening. You have no free will to change the moment, the moment is flying by faster than the speed of light, it is timeless, you can only be aware of it. As Bagua says, attuning to what exists.
So it is not a sacrifice of yi as some people think, it more of using it at its fullest. This yi gets stronger and stronger, as it does, xin remains still. We use yi in daily life in everything that we are doing, but Zen is about maintaining this state of concentration and strengthening it. As a result, we are more conscious of whatever the yi is on.
In aclchemy, we use yi to visualize, to actualize, to pulse, etc. When we strengthen our yi, our ability to visualize, actualize, etc. is made more effective. So Zen is within Dao and Dao within Zen, they are one leading to the same goal.
Master Nan Huai Chin says that Ch’an is about controlling the mind and Daoism is about controlling qi. The mind controls the qi. So when we control the mind, the qi is controlled. It can go vice-versa too.
All the Best to B.C.,
FajinSinging Ocean,
>>do you feel you have you reached “THE state of mind that alchemy should bring?” (i.e. “superconsciousness”)?<>how do you know what alchemy can bring if it is an everchanging process, and more concretely, if you have never practiced alchemical formulas?<>On a more practical level, do you feel that your practice produces a feeling of neutrality with substance that continues when you are not meditating?<<
*Meditation allows us to go deeper into that state of neutrality or stillness of the mind with each session. When we get out of meditating, our mind is less apt to get fixated on things and we maintain some of that stillness. If we don't keep up with consistent daily practice, we return to square one.
It's like building your lower dantian when you first get started in qigong. When you put your yi there, you feel it. But when we are doing other things, like watching TV, or whatever, we don't feel the qi.
Overtime, our dantian gets stronger and stronger and even when we don't do any qigong in the dantian, we still maintain that feeling of the dantian 24/7. The same works with the stillness of the mind, it is a constant process of becoming who you really are, it's not something fixed, it's keeping up with consistency.
Fajin
You are still here.
So yes, i meant both.
I noticed that Lam Sai Wing fully extends his elbows.
That is close to Japanese approach and not so Kumar approach. So is my impression of Yang ChengFu. Yet Wu tai chi founder photos show him with elbows again fully extended.
Such acts seem dangerous to health. One explanation would be an extreme workout, all the while not tensing at the end of fajin to protect one’s integrity.
I am interested in your comment. 🙂Hi SO:
Neutrality is not the end result, it is the space that allows us to experience life as it is, it allows one to see life in all its variety. Neutral is a consciousness or awareness that reveals both the macro and micro aspects of life. It allows us to experience the full range of life.
bagua
Hi Jernej,
Ya, still here finishing up some last posts.
What’s wrong with extending elbows, keeping them unbent. It is a more flexible movement that way and provides easier circulation of qi across the tendons where hard jins are built.
It is kept consolidated across the whole arm. The elbows should be bent for fajin so as not to tear any ligaments cause such potential injuries. I would suggest that the elbows be kept bent in Taiji, for Iron Thread, keep them extended.
Hope that Helps,
FajinBagua,
>>Neutrality is not the end result<<
*Is there a level of consciousness higher than the non-dual state of awareness? If no, then neutrality is the end goal.
Fajin
Dual, websters dictionary
1. of, pertaining to, or noting two.
2. composed or consisting of two people, items, parts, etc., together; twofold; double: dual ownership; dual controls on a plane.
3. having a twofold, or double, character or nature.
4. Grammar. being or pertaining to a member of the category of number, as in Old English, Old Russian, or Arabic, that denotes two of the things in question.
noun Grammar 5. the dual number.
6. a form in the dual, as Old English git you two, as contrasted with ge you referring to three or more.
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Yes there are others levels of conscousness besides non-dual.Neautrality does not negate dual, it allows one to see it for what it is, two forces that have mutliple relationships.
Lao Zi does not deny the myriad things in life, he undersands they all exist, he exeriences all things which includes duality and oness, Tai Ji (IMHO).
bagua
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