《证道一贯真机易简录》Vol. 3

The sun emerges at Geng, and the Zhen hexagram stirs and receives its tokens of response. This refers to the harmonious movement of qi between heaven and earth. The inner huohou (fire timing) has slow and rapid phases, and it should be regulated steadily in a quiet chamber so that the yuanqi (original qi) within the body neither inclines nor strays. There is also the "fire of wondrous union through Ren," in which mercury is cast into lead, used for the first two fire phases in refining the medicinal substance. There is the "fire of raising water to extinguish fire," in which lead restrains mercury, used for the last four phases in obtaining the medicine. There is further the fire of Weiji (Before Completion): fire above and water below, the ordinary order of forward movement, used to seek the medicine. The fire of Jiji (After Completion), by contrast, has water above and fire below. This is the reverse method of alchemy, used to combine and refine the elixir. Here "fire" mainly refers to the huohou and the movement of qi in alchemical cultivation, not merely the flame of everyday speech.

The Maiwang says: "There is an outer huohou and an inner huohou. The 'the moon emerges at Geng on the third day' in the Cantong qi is the outer huohou, and Cui Gong's 'heaven responds with the stars, earth responds with the tides' is also the outer huohou. Lü Ancestor's 'one yang first stirs, the night deepens in the middle of the sky, the lead cauldron gently warms, and light passes through the curtains' also speaks of the outer huohou. Guangchengzi's 'the alchemical stove and river chariot need not toil endlessly; the crane's embryo and tortoise breathing continue without end' speaks of the inner huohou. Master Zhang's 'I vainly guard the medicine furnace and watch the fire timing; I merely settle the spirit and breath and let them follow nature' also speaks of the inner huohou.

Before the elixir is formed, the outer huohou is the most difficult to master. It belongs to deliberate arrangement and active practice, and it is the foundation of cultivation. The inner huohou, by contrast, comes after the elixir has been attained, when one need only follow what is natural. At that stage one may rest greatly, be at ease, and act as one pleases, and the work carried out is the effortless practice of wuwei (non-action).

The Maiwang says: "Fire and the timing of fire (huohou) were never separable to begin with. Working the fire must accord with the proper moment, and when the timing arrives, the fire comes with it. Still, one must distinguish between fire and timing. Speaking of timing alone, there is the fourteen-day timing, the annual timing, the monthly timing, the five-day timing, and the timing of a single moment or a half-hour. Speaking of fire alone, there are gentle fire (soft, slow fire), martial fire (fierce, rapid fire), fire within water, fire within mercury, Not-Yet-Complete fire, Already-Complete fire, and circuit fire, the fire that moves according to the cosmic circulation. All of these can be summed up by the two words 'inner' and 'outer.' As for why fire and timing are not explained separately, it is because there is a secret transmission within them."

"Outer fire is the Qi of the White Tiger, the external vital movement symbolized by the White Tiger, while inner fire is the Shen of the Azure Dragon, the internal spiritual mechanism symbolized by the Azure Dragon. Whether or not one has already refined the elixir, one cannot do without these two fires. When inner fire is unobstructed and outer fire responds to it, the two can transform into and penetrate one another."

Shangyang Zi said: "In gathering the fire-timing (huohou, the inner alchemy method of regulating intention, breath, and the timing of circulation), one gathers the changes of the seventy-two phases of the year into a single day, concentrates the three hundred and sixty lines of the changes into a single month, and then uses the thirty-six talismans to measure a full day and night. The day and night are divided into twelve double-hours, each containing six phases, and in refining the elixir only the fire of two of these phases is used. Each double-hour has one line, and in refining the elixir less than half a line's duration is used. Each double-hour has three talismans, and in refining the elixir only the duration of a single talisman is used. This is what is called 'a single talisman, a single formula,' and it is also the 'Yin Talisman' spoken of by the Yellow Emperor. Thus it is said that one who understands the subtle functioning can comprehend how the subtle arises, and that the reason subtle things arise from what does not display its subtlety is precisely the principle within it."

Practitioners of inner alchemy (neidan) must, within the brief span of this single talisman, gather three thousand six hundred portions of upright qi and lead them backward into the womb (the place where the inner elixir gestates). Then one can seize the transforming power of Heaven and Earth and draw in the essences of the sun and moon. The axis of the earth turns by the movement of the mind, and the Heavenly Gate seems to be held in the hand. The qi of the Dragon and Tiger's two halves is joined (Dragon and Tiger refer to the two complementary and mutually generating qi of yin and yang), and the true qi of the union of Metal and Water is refined. Turtle and Serpent coil and gather in the furnace, and the Sun-Crow and Moon-Hare (symbolizing the sun and moon respectively) meet and move together along the ecliptic. Black and white reflect each other, and hard and soft alternate. Auspicious vapors gather at the Jade Gate, and purple radiance shines forth. Yinghuo (Mars) keeps watch at the extreme western point, and the Vermilion Bird (a divine bird symbolizing the south and fire) burns in the sky. Drive the water to bring up the metal, lead the fire into the cauldron, and hide and steam the solar qi until it condenses into the Yellow Sprout elixir.

The Xianjian (Mirror of the Immortals) says: "The subtle functioning of the fire-timing must accord with the right moment, and only after long cultivation can it be employed with mastery."

Nini Zu (the Mud Pellet Ancestor) says: "The eight gates open and transform in accordance with the time, and their advance, retreat, and coming and going are determined by the rhythm of the metal qi."

He also says: "Among the twelve double-hours, one must recognize the Zi hour, when the Xun wind (symbolizing the power of wind and breath) stirs the lamp-flame in the water."

Xiao Zixu says: "Concentrate in stillness and preserve naturalness, and circulate the fire-timing accordingly, beginning the turning from the first line of the Fu hexagram (symbolizing the first arising of yang qi)."

He also says: "When the mind is clear, like the moon's reflection in a deep pool, lingering not even a hair's breadth, one can truly attain spontaneity."

The hidden "Dragon" (the term in neidan for yang-natured essence) is nourished with a gentle, sustained fire-timing (huohou). Zixu says: "Let the mind settle naturally and proceed according to the fire-timing, beginning from the first yang that the Return hexagram (Fu) symbolizes."

He also says: "When the mind is clear, like the moon reflected in a pool, unobstructed in the least, one becomes naturally at ease."

"Nourishing the hidden Dragon with gentle fire is likewise the practice when yang qi first appears in the Lower Dantian. Only when yang qi has grown and reached the image of the Three Yangs, corresponding to the Tai hexagram (Peace), is it appropriate to employ the methods of advancing the fire (jinhuo)."

Patriarch Niwan says: "On Mount Kunlun the sparks of fire fly; when Metal meets Wood, it is precisely the moment when Kan water races like lightning. When the medicinals ripen and the lunar image is full, one must gather them in full measure. At this time one should promptly advance the fire and not miss the moment."

The Shangyao Lingjing says: "The fire-wheel symbolized by the southern clouds must be turned by human effort; the river-chariot symbolized by the northern clouds must be carried by the body itself. 'River-chariot' is a metaphor in neidan for the conveyance of essence."

Patriarch Wang Chongyang says: "Shen does not leave qi, and qi does not leave shen. In the coming and going of the breath, the root is linked to two sources."

"Entrust the will to emptiness, stillness, and non-action (wuwei), quiet yet always keeping awareness. When body and mind do not deliberately stir, essence and qi will naturally circulate, just as Heaven and Earth do not intentionally act, yet the myriad things are naturally transformed and born."

"When qi and shen unite, the Five Phases and the Four Images naturally converge, and essence thereby congeals."

Patriarch Lü says: "Once the refining and nourishing are properly done, one should cook and refine carefully and diligently. Once the state of Water-Fire Completion (shuihuo jiji), the harmonization of Yin and Yang, is reached, one ceases further effort and holds on in silence."

The Ancient Record says: "There are six hundred essays on fire-timing, and every one of them speaks of gathering and refining the true lead (zhenqian)."

The Essentials of Gathering the True says: "First subdue the Tiger with the Dragon, then subdue the Dragon with the Tiger. When Dragon and Tiger couple, true qi will become abundant. This method must be transmitted orally, heart to heart, and diligently practiced."

In the Three Commentaries, Shangyangzi says: "The Golden Elixir is the ancestral qi of Yin and Yang. It precedes the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji) and is the root of the earth."

In the Three Commentaries, Lu Ziye says: "What is called fire is simply the qi of Yin and Yang. When the qi of Yin and Yang unite and circulate within the body, it is gentle and harmonizing, allowing the inner true mechanism to join. If Yin and Yang qi do not unite, it cannot be called fire. Only after Yin and Yang unite does one speak of employing fire-timing."

Daoguang Zu states in the Sanzhu (Three Annotations): "When the chong qi (the undifferentiated primordial vital energy in which yin and yang have not yet separated) is in harmony, it has not yet taken on form, and so it cannot be seen. Once it manifests, the clear qi becomes yang and the turbid qi becomes yin. When these two qi interfuse, Heaven, Earth, and Humanity come into being, and the Three Powers (sancai) are complete. The Yijing says: 'When the qi of Heaven and Earth interfuse, the myriad things are transformed and nourished; when man and woman unite, the myriad things are born and grow.' The sage, by investigating the subtle principles within these processes, understands the source of the myriad things, and by exhausting their marvelous transformations, comprehends how the myriad things come into being. Therefore they are able to return to the origin and restore the primordial, reversing the ordinary course of creation. They refine the fundamental mother qi of Heaven and Earth into the elixir and transform the essential qi of yin and yang into fire. Refining the form returns the body to the one qi; refining the qi returns that qi to emptiness. Thus body and Dao become one, reaching a state of subtlety and perfect pervasiveness, endless transformation, and manifestation and concealment beyond measure."

"The Tiger uses the fire within yin to illuminate and burn the dry Dragon, and the Dragon responds by giving rise to the Kunlun fire. When the two fires of Tiger and Dragon unite, the zhenyi zhi jing (the pure, unified essence) naturally condenses."

"When the two fires interact, lead and mercury (terms in neidan (internal alchemy) for the paired yin and yang substances) are likewise brought together."

"The fire spoken of here is not the ordinary fire of the world, but the yuanshi zuqi (the primordial ancestral qi, the originating root of the cosmos)."

Yin Qinghe says: "Refine the da fan zuqi (the great Brahman ancestral qi, the original qi), so that the jing (the essential qi refined in inner alchemy) rises up from behind the elbow."

The Maiwang states: "When the qi is stirred, one can gather the medicinal substances; when the qi is still, one can nourish the elixir. The huohou (the mastery of breath and the regulation of the practice's rhythm) has movement and stillness, waxing and waning, in unending cycles. I observe inwardly and listen inwardly, regulating the breath with few words, only to accord with the hongmeng zhenyi qi (the primordial, unified qi) and await its self-transformation."

The Qiaoyao Ge (Song of Striking the Lines) says: "When the qi moves, the true fire begins to refine; do not let the xuanzhu (the mysterious pearl, the symbol of essence in inner cultivation) leave the baodian (the inner palace where refinement takes place). When adding fire, be cautious and guard against error. While the hidden dragon of the first line of the Qian hexagram (chu jiu qianlong) has not yet appeared, do not hasten the refining."

He also said: "Fast and sit in quiet stillness, waiting for the first stirring of the single Yang (yi yang), then circulate according to the principles of the Zhoutian Cantong (Zhoutian Cantong)."

He also said: "Let the inner and the outer join together and respond to one another in harmony."

The Caizhen Jiyao (Caizhen Jiyao) says: "When applying the work of irrigation through the method of the three tigers facing the dragon, always take the two tigers as the hexagrams Zhun and Meng. The hexagrams Zhun and Meng correspond to the workings of day and night. Among them is one tiger, and one must guard against the 'red' sign that appears each month."

"The method of the elixir holds to a single word from beginning to end: ding (stillness). Gather the gaze, fix what the ear hears, close the breath of the tongue, and rectify the mind, making the heart sincere and the intention correct, so that the thoughts within do not scatter outward and the thoughts from outside do not enter. This is the oral formula for advancing the fire and performing the talismanic work. 'Advancing the fire and performing the talisman' (jinhuo xingfu) refers, in internal alchemy (neidan), to the regulation of the fire timing (huohou) and its coordination with the proper moment."

The Xianfo Hezong Lunyu (Xianfo Hezong Lunyu) says: "The most difficult thing to understand clearly is the true person (zhenren) and the true medicine (zhenyao). There are two ways of regulating the fire timing. One relies on the breath to grasp the fire timing; the other does not rely on the breath. Know this: when regulating by the breath, one should not cling to the visible form of the breath but should aim to make it seem as though it is absent. When not relying on the breath, one should also not forcibly pursue 'absence,' for this will only lead to clinging to 'presence.' One who forcibly seeks non-being, only to end up clinging to being, yet still claims to be regulating the breath, I condemn as 'suffocating and unbearable.' One who does not force any effort but regulates naturally by following the right moment, I call 'like empty space, as though nothing were there.' This is the secret transmission of the sages and perfected ones since antiquity, the key of the Way, and the prohibited formula that Heaven strictly guards, which is why it is so hard to comprehend. Students should cultivate virtue in accordance with these words, make vows before Heaven, and seek the guidance of an immortal master."

"Analects of the Union of Immortals and Buddhas" (Xianfo Hezong Lunyu) says: "In regulating the breath (tiaoxi), one must regulate it until it becomes truly natural. In refining the spirit (lian shen), one must refine it into a spirit that does not cling to discriminating thoughts. What is meant here is letting the mind-spirit and the breath accompany and follow each other, so that through regulating the breath, body and mind reach a state of peace and free flow. If this state is not reached, danger follows. 'He' (harmony) is peacefulness that does not fall into forced control. 'Chong' (fullness and free flow) accords with the meaning of 'empty without being empty': although one does not cling to emptiness, one can still reach a state of quiet void."

"When gathering medicine, one refines 'the spirit that is not spirit,' meaning a spirit that is not moved by scattered thoughts. Regulating the breath, bringing the mind and breath into mutual accord, and reaching chonghe (harmonious fullness) applies equally to gathering medicine, refining medicine, field battle, defending a city, forming the embryo, and nourishing the embryo. These expressions all use the vocabulary of Neidan (internal alchemy) to describe the different stages and efforts of cultivation. Perfected Liu of Changsheng said, 'Chonghe joins Kan and Li,' referring to the Hundred-Day Gate, the early stage of internal alchemy. He also said, 'Chonghe Qi nourishes the spirit,' referring to the Ten-Month Gate, a stage centered on long-term nurturing. Wang Chongyang said, 'To bring the breath into balance and settle the qi is in fact not difficult; to understand nourishing qi and regulating the spirit, and to reach chonghe, is also easy.' He further said, 'When spirit and Qi reach chonghe, the Great Elixir can be refined.' Shangyangzi said, 'The qi of chonghe is like the furnace in which Heaven and Earth transform all things.'"

"The same 'Analects' also says: "What is called chonghe is peacefulness that contains fullness and free flow, and fullness and free flow that return to Wuji (the Ultimate Void). It is like the phrase in the 'Ru Yao Jing' (Entering the Mirror of Medicine), 'always as if drunk,' that is, a state of seeming intoxication, at ease and absorbed. The 'Lingguang Ji' (Collection of Numinous Light) says, 'Turning and circling in reversal, like a man who is drunk.' Cuixu said, 'Bone and flesh blend together, so that one does not even notice it oneself.' This is the state that truly nurtures the qi of chonghe. Zhengyang Zu said, 'When the breath circulates through the cycle, the fire-qi rises, as if burning the whole body, filling Heaven and Earth, and steaming the entire frame.'

"Within the subtle principle of the Lesser Heavenly Cycle (xiao zhoutian) there is also something that links with the subtle attainment of the medicine in the Greater Heavenly Cycle (da zhoutian)."

The Analects of the Unity of Immortals and Buddhas (Xianfo Hezong Lunyu) asks: "What are the Major and Minor Heavenly Cycles?" The answer is: "The Minor Heavenly Cycle is the fire timing (huohou) applied when Kan (representing kidney water, yin) and Li (representing heart fire, yang) join together. Within the twelve double-hours of the day, wherever the mind's intention reaches, it can be practiced." In a single day it may be circulated countless times. Examining its subtle workings, it is like eating when hungry or sleeping when tired: when one notices, one applies the effort, and when one does not notice, one does not force it.

The Major Heavenly Cycle is the fire timing applied when Qian (Heaven, yang) and Kun (Earth, yin) unite and yin and yang merge into one. The Falun (wheel, a term for the movement of qi) turns slowly and without interruption, quiet and dim. Through the whole day one is hazy and abstracted, like a drunken man, steadily holding fast to "Spring in the Cavern" (dongzhong chun, a term in internal alchemy for the inner vitality of body and mind). Zǐyáng Zhēnrén said, "This is the Major Heavenly Cycle, and its circulation carries great danger." When Bai Yuchan spoke of "no coming and going, no advancing and retreating, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither drawing out nor adding in," he too was describing this state.

At first, one hour was counted as one cycle. Gradually the span extended to a day, a month, even ten months, and that too was counted as one cycle, so how could it not be called "major"? When the fire timing moves slowly and pervades everything, it is called "major." It naturally accords with slowness, and so it must be slow. When it moves swiftly and pervades everything, it is called "minor." It naturally accords with swiftness, and so it must be quick.

One should also understand that the Minor Heavenly Cycle has no actual "heaven" that needs to be circulated. The notion is only temporarily established within practice, and this is called "from non-being into being" (cong wu ru you). If the mind can follow the breath, the myriad thoughts return to a single place. When mind and breath are both settled, one enters nirvana (niepan, a state of stillness and liberation) and returns to non-being. The functions of these cycle practices differ in these ways, and therefore they are divided into Major and Minor Heavenly Cycles.

Patriarch Xu Jingyang also said, "This is called 'from non-being into being.' If the mind can follow the breath, the myriad thoughts return to one place. When mind and breath are settled, one enters nirvana and returns to non-being. The functions of the cycle practices differ, so there is a distinction between Major and Minor Heavenly Cycles."

Patriarch Xu Jingyang (Xu Xun, revered in Daoism as an immortal) said: "When the movement of shen (spirit) and the transformations of qi (vital energy) rise upward, they can penetrate the celestial phenomena; when they descend, they can spread across the earth." Yu Yuwu said: "If one can make the Heavenly Gate turn and the Earth Axis revolve, with ascent and descent answering each other, then within a single inhalation and exhalation one has completed one circuit of zhoutian (the cosmic cycle of circulation)." He further said: "The breath rises and falls, cycling back and forth, moving between the Zi position and the Wu position."

The Collection of the Transmission of the Dao (Chuandao ji) says: "The falun (the Dharma wheel, the circulatory cycle of qi within the body) must keep turning. It simply moves within the body, so others cannot see it." It also says: "The falun must not pause. Never let thought stray from it, and it will turn of its own accord."

The Analects of the Union of Immortals and Buddhas says: "Advancing the fire and retreating the talisman (adjusting the timing of fire and the movement of qi in cultivation) must proceed to the point where it should stop." The Yellow Court Scripture (Huangting jing) says: "In-breath and out-breath all return to the Dantian (the energy center in the body where qi is refined)." This is the place where the movement of qi should come to rest.

The Yellow Court Scripture also says: "It crosses the sky like a dragon banner, casts out fire bells, and commands all the various forces so that they return to the place where they should rest." The scripture continues: "In-breath and out-breath all return to the Dantian." This is the place where the movement of qi should come to rest.

The Yellow Court Scripture says: "Circulating above Kunlun (here, a cultivation site within the body) without losing one's way, with the Purple Palace (an image of a palatial hall within the body) as shelter, the elixir is refined into a tower. Let sun and moon join like strung pearls, rising and circulating, and I set foot upon the great Dao. Yuyi (the divine name of the sun) and Jielin (the divine name of the moon) protect each other, and so one is able to see the Void Lord Lao of Jade Clarity (Yuqing, the heaven where the supreme deities of Daoism dwell)."

"When the sun rises and the moon sets, hold the breath and join the primal qi, so that the constellations of the heavens each abide in their places. All of this lies within the heart and connects with the Dao that pierces heaven. Nourish it day and night, and one can attain longevity."

Master Chongxu said: "If you do not understand the timing of the fire, the Dao is difficult to accomplish. Let me tell you its root principle; believe it and practice accordingly. To obtain true transformation in the human world, one cannot be separated from the waxing and waning of the moon in the heavens. The drawing-off and supplementing (chou tian), the advancing and retreating, must be exact to the smallest measure, and advancing the fire and retreating the talisman must also accord with the methods transmitted by the sages. This is a ladder that reaches to heaven, and by relying on it, I am lifted up to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest heavens where the supreme deities of Daoism dwell)."

The Principles of the Heavenly Immortal (Tianxian zhengli) says: "True transformation cannot be separated from the waxing and waning of the moon in the heavens. The drawing-off and supplementing, the advancing and retreating, must be exact to the smallest measure, and advancing the fire and retreating the talisman must accord with the methods transmitted by the sages. This is a ladder that reaches to heaven, and by relying on it, I am lifted up to the Three Pure Ones."

The Correct Principles of the Celestial Immortal (Tianxian Zhengli) says: "Using the fire control (huohou) to refine the seed is called 'adding mercury' (tian gong). Here, 'mercury' (gong) refers to the primordial spirit (yuanshen) in the heart. To 'add' it, one must rely on the fire control of the greater circulation (da zhoutian). Once the fire control is set in motion, the primordial qi (yuan qi) can nourish the primordial spirit and help it grow in awareness, so that it does not separate from the two qi of yin and yang and fall into dull emptiness (wukong), losing its stability. Therefore it is said: 'Adding mercury and moving the fire depend entirely on spirit illumination' (tian gong xing huo, quan ping shenming)."

Bai Yuchan says: "Only when the heart-mind (xin shen) enters the realm of emptiness (xuwu) can one use the fire control. 'Entering emptiness' means that spirit and qi enter stillness without clinging to external forms. This is what Master Qiu (Qiu Zhenren) calls 'true emptiness' (zhenkong). Even while circulating the greater circuit, one should not cling to its various forms. Only then can one realize the wonder of emptiness."

Chen Chaoyuan says: "When refining the elixir, one should light the fire at the zi hour (zishi), when yang qi first arises, because only then is the fire complete. Lighting it at any other hour is ineffective and produces no medicinal potency."

Peng Helin says: "Fire and medicine (yao) are originally in one place. When one looks, they seem to be there, but when one seeks them, no trace can be found."

Lü Zu (Lü Dongbin) says: "Drinking the sea turtle's young, people do not understand. The incantations for refining the elixir, even ghosts and spirits cannot fully see." Such words use allegorical language to describe how subtle and hard to fathom the fire control of elixir refining is.

The Xian Fo Hezong Lunyu says: "Whatever can be explained in words is only the rough sign of the fire control. Its most mysterious aspect lies in following the natural pattern of heaven's mechanism (tianji). One must personally observe it while sitting still on a meditation cushion (futuan) to gain true understanding. Words alone can never fully exhaust its principle."

The Changdao Zhenyan says: "Ultimately, the fire control comes down to two words: 'concentrating the spirit' (ningshen). Where should the spirit concentrate? At the root where life is conceived and receives its primal destiny (yuanming). When should the spirit settle? When the true breath (zhenxi) returns to its primal root. When static cultivation reaches a real state, recording it in writing is no match for personal experience."

The Correct Principles of the Celestial Immortal further says: "Gathering the primordial spirit and unifying the primordial qi, the wonder lies in emptiness."

It also says: "Take the activation of numinous mechanism (linggi) as the guide for refining the medicine, and the harmonizing qi (chonghe zhi qi) as its root. The real state of static cultivation, when written down, is not as good as personally verifying it."

The Tianxian Zhengli (Correct Principles of the Celestial Immortal) says: "Gathering the jing (essence) and shen (spirit) and condensing the qi (vital breath) depends on settling the xin (mind-heart) into a state of empty stillness and wuwei (non-action)."

It also says: "Let the activation of linming (numinous awareness) lead the refining of the elixir, and let harmony and balance be its function." Here "refining the elixir" (lianyao) is the language of neidan (internal alchemy), which refers to cultivating and refining jing, qi, and shen within the body. The text continues: "If you wish to transform this qi into shen, you must practice by uniting the qi with the shen."

Chen Xiyi says: "The practices of the zi hour and the wu hour bear on the huohou (fire timing). These two periods must be handled flexibly, without distinction between day and night." Here huohou refers to mastering the pace and measure of the process during practice.

Xiao Zixu says: "One must guard against mishandling the huohou, and also avoid practicing in drowsy confusion."

The Tianxian Zhengli says: "Take the xiantian yuanshen (primordial spirit, free of thought) as the master. Through fanguan neizhao (turning the light inward and illuminating from within), gather the spirit and lead it into the movement of the qi."

An ancient song says: "When the shen returns to the body, the qi naturally turns back."

The Tianxian Zhengli says: "The true and wondrous essentials of practice lie in having one qi pass through the zhenqi (true qi) without ever dividing into two threads of thought. One shen should govern the two breaths, and the mind must not deviate by a hair or give rise to stray thoughts."

The Tianxian Zhengli says: "What is called 'one qi' here is the breath of respiration."

The Tianxian Zhengli says: "The true and wondrous essentials of practice lie in having one qi pass through the zhenqi (true qi) without ever dividing into two threads of thought. One shen should govern the two breaths, and the mind must not deviate by a hair or give rise to stray thoughts."

The Tianxian Zhengli further explains: "What is called 'one qi' refers to the breath of respiration running through the zhenqi. From the beginning of caiqu (gathering) and fenggu (sealing) until the stopping of the practice, it must never be broken. If it separates once and then reconnects, two threads form. This is caused by a mind that is drowsy and scattered. In severe cases the thoughts split into two or three threads, and such practice cannot succeed. One must be vigilant."

The Tianxian Zhengli says: "When the breath of respiration passes through the zhenqi, it must be governed by a single, focused shen, concentrating the spirit to hold it without leaving. If other thoughts arise in the heart, the shen will deviate. If attention is drawn away by external scenes, it will also deviate. Once shen and qi separate, the huohou cannot be established. Each breath must be kept this focused, and the same must hold for three hundred breaths in succession. Only then can one accord with the mysterious skill of the natural true huohou."

The Tianxian Zhengli says: "Qi huo (the ignition of fire) is starting the fire of the xiao zhoutian (minor cosmic orbit) after the stages of caiqu and fenggu. Zhi huo (the cessation of fire) is stopping once the huohou of the minor orbit has reached completion."

The Ru Yao Jing (Mirror for Entering the Medicine) says: "Once the huohou (fire timing) is sufficient, do not harm the elixir. The spiritual subtlety of Heaven and Earth and the mechanisms of creation are precious and rare."

Zhengyang Zu says: "When neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation reaches the point where the zhoutian (microcosmic cycle) has received sufficient fire, one should stop the fire."

The Ru Yao Jing further says: "Once the elixir has matured, there is no need to continue operating the fire timing. If one continues, it will certainly harm the elixir."

The Wuqi Pian (Chapter on Understanding Its Essence) says: "While the huandan (returning elixir) has not yet been completed, one must cultivate it promptly. Once it has been completed, one must also know when to stop. If the mind constantly wishes to preserve and further enhance what has been achieved, and refuses to let go, then sooner or later one will inevitably face danger and loss."

Xiao Liaozhen says: "Remember well: when the fire timing should no longer be operated, do not operate it. Failing to know when to stop will inevitably lead to danger."

The Tianxian Zhengli (Correct Principles of the Celestial Immortal) says: "When the fire is sufficient and the elixir is fully refined, it is time to stop the fire. When the moment comes, the elixir may be removed from one cauldron and placed into another. Jing (essence) transforms into Qi in the qixue (the site where essence and qi are refined), and Qi transforms into Shen (spirit) in the shenshi (the chamber where the primal spirit is refined). For this reason it is called 'changing cauldrons' (bieding)."

The Tianxian Zhengli further says: "When Qi is abundant, one must guard against the danger of overflow that comes from seeking fullness. My teacher instructed that when the fire should be stopped, one must not use fire again. Continuing to use fire will add nothing to the elixir already completed. The phrase 'fullness easily overflows' is a reminder that cultivators should treat abundant yuanjing (primal essence) with caution. It does not mean the primal essence has actually overflowed, for the cultivator has not yet transcended and so remains in a state where overflow is possible. This is precisely the critical point at which ordinary people and sages part ways."

Shi Xinglin says: "When the fire should no longer be operated, one must still guard against harming the infant. The 'infant' here refers to the elixir. Once the embryo has formed, the infant has taken shape; when it is about to appear outwardly, the fire is no longer used. If one still uses fire at this stage, it amounts to intervening again in an infant that is not yet complete. Would this not harm it?"

Zhu Yuanyu said: "The key to huohou (fire-timing) lies entirely in movement and stillness. When the Heavenly Sovereign (tianjun), the ruler of mind and spirit, dwells in its quiet inner chamber, it should remain serenely still, purify the heart, gather the thoughts, and conceal itself without showing. Once it stirs, it can respond to things and issue commands. The whole process must accord with the rhythm of the single Yin and the single Yang. The hours of Zi and Wu correspond to cold and heat, and the hours of Mao and You correspond to birth and killing. The boundary between Yin and Yang transformations must be clearly drawn, and not the slightest error is permitted. So long as one acts according to the standards set down in the classics, the inner fire-timing and the outer correspondences will naturally coincide."

Zhu Yuanyu said: "The movement and stillness of huohou (fire-timing) are as inviolable as law. The practitioner should follow the prescribed standards and clearly distinguish the great divisions of Yin and Yang, without the slightest deviation. So long as one conforms to what the classics record, the inner fire-timing and the outer correspondences will naturally coincide."

Zhu Yuanyu said: "The movement and stillness of huohou (fire-timing) are as inviolable as law. The practitioner should follow the prescribed standards and personally experience the changes within them. Observe the advance, retreat, coming, and going of Yin and Yang, and above all grasp the boundary markers of the winter solstice, summer solstice, spring equinox, and autumn equinox. In practice, one must be sincere, focused, cautious, and discreet. A slight departure from the usual measure will fall out of step with the times shown by the clepsydra. This may bring abnormal wind and rain, drought, or flood. In milder cases, borers and locusts will suddenly appear, and the fire within the jade furnace and golden cauldron will also become erratic and boil over. In severe cases, mountains and rivers will split apart, and the Golden Tiger and Wooden Dragon will bolt out of control. All of this arises because the mind and spirit are dissipated and the inner chamber has no master, and so calamities and anomalies are provoked."

Zhu Yuanyu said: "At the winter solstice, the single Yang first arises, and by the prescribed standard one should advance the fire, but one must nurture the vitality of the hidden dragon just beginning to stir, and the fire must not be made too strong. At the summer solstice, the single Yin first descends, and by the prescribed standard one should withdraw the fire, but one must guard against the Yin qi gradually accumulating like frost, and the fire must not be made too weak. When the weather should be mild but turns hot, the deep winter will instead feel like midsummer. When it should be mild but turns cold, midsummer will instead bring frost and snow. At the spring and autumn equinoxes, Yin and Yang are equal and water and fire are in balance. At this time one should bathe, that is, temporarily suspend the advance and retreat of the fire, regulate the breath and rest in stillness, cleanse the mind of thoughts and clear away distractions, so that the true qi (zhenqi, the primordial vital energy of cultivation) within the cauldron can gather and condense."

Zhu Yuanyu said: "The fierce, strong fire-timing is called martial fire; the gentle, mild fire-timing is called civil fire. Before body and mind have come into harmony, one must train with martial fire and must not lean even slightly toward softness; once spirit and qi have been brought into balance, one must consolidate and nourish with civil fire and must not lean even slightly toward hardness. The mutual support of water and fire depends entirely on the balance between emptiness-stillness and the subtle and the perilous. When one reaches the utmost in emptiness, stillness, and single-minded composure, spirit-illumination will naturally manifest; this is what is meant by 'in a single moment, it is as if one has passed through a whole lunar cycle' (huoshuo, the end and beginning of the month, is used here to describe the cycle of yin-yang change)."

Zhu Yuanyu said: "Civil fire warms and nourishes within the Shen Chamber (in cultivation, the inner place where spirit is tended and kept), while martial fire guards between the gates (in inner alchemy, the critical orifices)."

Zhu Yuanyu said: "The key to fire-timing lies in reaching the utmost of emptiness and stillness; spirit-illumination will then naturally manifest, and this is what is meant by 'in a single moment, it is as if one has passed through a whole lunar cycle.'"

Zhu Yuanyu said: "Civil fire warms within the Shen Chamber, while martial fire guards between the gates."

Zhu Yuanyu said: "Fire-timing divides into civil and martial fire. Martial fire is chiefly used for refining (pengian), and civil fire is chiefly used for bathing (muyu, nourishing and tending through gentle heat). The two uses differ greatly. At the beginning, one should be like a battle fought in open country; at the end, like defending a city. Both phases require martial fire. Know that martial-fire refining takes place where the South and North meet; civil-fire bathing depends entirely on holding the Central Palace (in inner alchemy, the central position), without arising thought and without scattering intent. The secret of fire-timing lies in the span of a moment."

Zhu Yuanyu said: "What is called bathing is to let all the myriad attachments return to emptiness and stillness, so that not the slightest hindrance remains in the mind. One guards the Gui-center (in inner alchemy, the central domain) with true intent (a focused intention that does not scatter), so that the qualities of metal and the nature of wood (the two inner dispositions symbolized by metal and wood) harmonize with one another. The two ends, head and tail, each separate Kan and Li (Kan and Li represent water and fire, or yin and yang); harmonize these two sides while never leaving the true earth in the middle (which symbolizes the power of central harmonization)."

Zhu Yuanyu said: "The subtle wonder of creation and transformation lies entirely in the period after noon and before the hour of Zi. One should patiently wait with true intent during this turning point; when the sun stands at the zenith, the ancients called this 'the pause at noon.'"

Zhu Yuanyu said: "In turning the fire-timing and stirring the divine mechanism, the key is nothing more than reversing the light (gathering the mind-spirit inward and observing the self)."

Zhu Yuanyu said: "What is called true fire—where else could it be? It is only letting the breath return to its root, breath by breath, and waiting for the true seed (in inner alchemy, the inner vitality and root essential qi) to change and grow of its own accord. Why would one need to nurture it with those dregs?"

Zhu Yuanyu said: "What other meaning could 'true fire' (zhenhuo) have? It is simply a matter of letting the breath return to its root, breath by breath, and waiting for the true seed to transform and grow on its own. Why would one need to rely on dregs and residues to supplement it, or to force and labor over it?"

Lü Zu's Jinyu Jing (Golden Jade Scripture) says: "To understand the Shen (spirit) of Prior Heaven (xiantian) in harmonious union, one must gather the Qi that has scattered into Posterior Heaven (houtian). If deluded thoughts or deviant cleverness are mixed in, the root is lost and one falls into a state with nothing to rely upon."

Lü Zu's Zhengdao Jing says: "When the Qi mechanism stirs, it extends without interruption; when it is still, it gathers in mutual cohesion, so that Yin and Yang respond to one another, and the point of transformation arises from this. Once one falls into the qualities of Posterior Heaven, the desires of the Qi-temperament, and the barriers of emotion, these become false things."

The Zhengdao Jing says: "The true mechanism turns of itself within the body, and clear Qi arises from the source. When the source is pure and still, that is the beginning of understanding the Dao. Although the operation of Heavenly Mandate (tianming) circulates without ceasing, there remain distinctions between passage and obstruction, opening and closing."

The Changdao Zhenyan (True Words for Proclaiming the Dao) says: "The method of conducting the fire timing (huohou) lies essentially in keeping the mind-heart pure and still; this is the beginning of understanding the principle. Although the operation of Heavenly Mandate never ceases, there remain distinctions between passage and obstruction, opening and closing."

The Changdao Zhenyan says: "The method of fire timing is nothing more than guarding stillness and turning the light inward, so that the true Qi keeps moving. What is called 'drawing lead and adding mercury' (chouqian tianhong) is simply letting true water constantly rise and true fire constantly descend."

The Changdao Zhenyan says: "When the fire timing is in operation, the process by which the true Qi warms, nourishes, and steams is called 'bathing' (muyu); its continuous circulation is called 'drawing and adding' (choutian)."

The Changdao Zhenyan says: "The workings of fire timing can only be described in this way: the flow of blood and Qi in the human body, circulating and rising and falling, naturally accords with the rhythm of the microcosmic orbit (zhoutian), though a person usually does not perceive it during activity. When one becomes still, the breath quietly rises through the channels and joints, then naturally descends, without a hair's breadth of error. It ascends in reverse from the Tail Gate (weilü, the lower end of the spine) and reaches Mud Pellet (niwan, the aperture within the head); then it descends in its natural order from Mud Pellet to the Crimson Palace (jianggong, the chest region), gathering in the Spirit Chamber (shenfang, where spirit is stored), and merges as one with the Qi of the Five Phases (wuxing)."

The Changdao Zhenyan (True Words on Chanting the Way) says: In applying huohou (fire timing, the regulation of fire and progress in cultivation), one must avoid haste and violence. Ten months of fire timing should be as steady as a single day, and a single day's fire timing should be as long and unbroken as a quarter-hour. Only this is pure fire timing. If lapses occur, if the mind is briefly interrupted, and one then deliberately intensifies the practice, then even when the body has sat until the breath has settled into calm, this is still hasty use of fire, because such practice is intermittent and driven by forced urging.

The Changdao Zhenyan says: Only by first recognizing that there is no fire timing one can deliberately manipulate can one truly apply fire timing. Only by first perceiving that there is no yang qi one can forcibly gather can one truly gather yang. Cultivation should be as clear and open as the sky, with no attachment held in the heart. It should also be natural and continuous, like the movement of the four seasons and the growth of the myriad things, never ceasing.

The Changdao Zhenyan says: After five or ten years of sustained cultivation, one nourishes, through fire timing, a supremely spiritual and holy immortal embryo (xiantai, the term for the result of neidan, or inner alchemy). In this way, the habitual tendencies left from past lives are almost entirely dissolved. This is called refining the elixir, but in essence it is the nurturing of one's nature and heart-mind.

The Changdao Zhenyan says: The body is warm as fire and the mind is cool as ice. The qi moves like flowing springwater, and the shen (spirit) rests steady as a mountain. The shen is full and luminous, and the qi is deep and still. Shen and qi depend on each other, so one must constantly look inward and continually reflect on oneself. In this way, it is as if the furnace fire fills heaven and earth, and gold appears everywhere.

Lü Zu (Lü Dongbin), in the Zhengdao Jing (Classic on Realizing the Dao), says: So long as one is utterly sincere and unceasing, the mysterious pivots will be penetrated, and the shen will become spiritually clear.

Sun Bu'er says: Within what seems empty and inward, there is something real. Within what exists, there seems to be nothing. One must constantly look inward and continually reflect on oneself, as if the furnace fire fills heaven and earth and gold appears everywhere.

Lü Zu, again in the Zhengdao Jing, says: So long as one is utterly sincere and unceasing, the mysterious pivots will be penetrated, and the shen will become spiritually clear.

Sun Bu'er again says: Within, what seems empty holds something real. In what exists, there is something like nothing.

The Xianfo Hezong Yulu (Records of the Union of Immortal and Buddhist Teachings) says: "Let the fire move naturally and never deliberately manipulate the fire-timing (huohou). Only then does it accord with the subtle mechanism of the fire-timing. In particular, one should enter a state of settled concentration and devote special effort to the function of the gaze. During the day, fix the gaze of both eyes steadily upon the Middle Field (zhongtian), the region of the Dantian in internal alchemy. At night, hold the gaze there with both eyes as well, without stirring or scattering. When gathering and refining in this way, the 'great medicine' (dayao), the key essence-qi of internal alchemy, will arise on its own. This is what the Yinfu Jing (Scripture of the Hidden Accord) means by 'the mechanism lies in the eyes.'"

The Changdao Zhenyan (True Words of Proclaiming the Way) says: "The four characters 'curb anger and restrain desire,' spoken by the ancient sages, are the essential secret of bathing (muyu) and of drawing and adding (choutian), the methods for regulating the fire-timing and adjusting the increase and decrease of the medicinal substances in internal alchemy. If anger is not restrained, the fire that should descend will instead rise. If desire is not checked, the water that should rise will instead leak away. Even if the work has reached nine parts in ten, or nine parts and nine hundredths, the cauldron may still 'fly and fail' (feiba), meaning that the alchemical work collapses and all previous efforts are lost, and the true yuan (zhenyuan), the root vital essence of the body, leaks away with it. Once such an accident occurs, the consequence is not merely that the work fails to be completed."

Xiao Zixu said: "The bellows of heaven and earth (qiankun tuoyue), a metaphor for heaven and earth as a bellows, are stirred a fixed number of times, and the medicinal substances of Li and Kan (the yin and yang medicines symbolized by the trigrams Li and Kan), the 'knife-point' (daogui), are gathered and refined at a fixed time." Chong Xuzi said: "The qi's circulation has a fixed number of cycles and should not be excessive. Its circulation also has a fixed timing and should not be prolonged. If it goes on too long or too often, it may obstruct the arising of the xiantian qi (the qi of primordial heaven), so it must be regulated by the count of the celestial circuit (zhoutian)."

My teacher Cao Yuanyang said: "The hours of zi, wu, mao, and you (four of the twelve double-hours) fix the true fire-timing. Reverse the yin and yang and circulate for three hundred breaths." The Perfected Yuding said: "If there is no clepsydra (keji, a measure of time) in the cauldron, the spiritual sprout (lingya), the medicine that first arises in internal alchemy, will not grow. The so-called clepsydra is simply the breath, its inhalation and exhalation." The Jingu Yeren (Hermit of the Valley of Gold) said: "The breaths of the celestial circuit should be counted lightly, like the cold sound of a jade clepsydra dripping drop by drop to record the hours." Chen Niwan said: "Heaven is clearly divided into twelve double-hours, and on earth these are taken as the stages of alchemical refinement. To say that the clepsydra has no basis is to fail to understand the mysterious principle, and the medicine cannot be refined either."

Chen Xiyi said: "The thirty-six and the twenty-four correspond to the degrees of the celestial circuit (zhoutian). At the mao hour and the you hour one must bathe. When the fire (huohou) has reached the required degree, one must stop and not continue at will."

Here the "Qian count" is 216 and the "Kun count" is 144. Subtracting the 36 used for the yang-qi bathing at the mao hour from the Qian count leaves 180 actually used for refining. Subtracting the 24 used for the yin-qi bathing at the you hour from the Kun count leaves 120 actually used for refining. Together the two sum to 300 breaths, corresponding to one celestial circuit. Remainder days from the intercalary cycle are not counted. By circulating the celestial circuit in this way, one gradually accumulates stirred qi (the qi that has been set in motion). Within no more than one hundred days, the essence and qi no longer leak away, and the jing (essence) is transformed back into qi.

At the mao and you hours one performs "bathing" (muyu) to nourish the body. Bathing means ceasing the fire and suspending the talismans, that is, temporarily halting the work of advancing the fire and circulating the talismans. At this time one no longer engages in active refinement and turns instead primarily to quiet nourishment.

Li Xu'an said: "When the one yang begins to stir, one starts advancing the fire, and by the mao and you hours one seals the furnace so that the fire remains equally gentle." He also said: "Bathing and the sloughing of the embryo (tuotai) take place at the mao and you hours respectively." Patriarch Lü (Lü Zu) said: "In advancing the fire and withdrawing the talismans, one must clearly understand these two thresholds, mao and you." If one does not understand how to bathe and nourish oneself at the mao and you hours, one falls into emptiness (kongwang), the fire loses its nourishing warmth, and the elixir cannot be completed. Bathing is itself an essential practice of alchemy. Advancing the fire and withdrawing the talismans serve only to regulate and assist the bathing.

Mao-You (mǎo-yǒu, the hours of Mao and You, which can also refer to the lunar months of Mao and You) divides into the Mao-You of the year and month and the Mao-You of the day and hour. Before one has refined the inner elixir, recognizing Mao-You in practice requires understanding the six stages of change within a single period, along with the pivotal points and turning moments among them.

Muyu (mù yù, bathing) in Neidan (nèi dān, internal alchemy) refers to regulating the breath and gathering the fire timing, or huohou (huǒ hòu). In the month of Mao, Wood qi is vigorous and Fire qi rises with it. At this stage one bathes, because Gengjin (gēng jīn, Metal in alchemical terminology) conceives its embryo, so yang fire is no longer advanced in order to nourish the metal embryo, or jintai (jīn tāi). In the month of You, Metal qi is vigorous and Water qi rises with it. At this stage one bathes, because Jiamu (jiǎ mù, Wood in alchemical terminology) conceives its embryo, so yin tally is no longer retreated into in order to nurture the wood embryo, or mutai (mù tāi). Across the ten months of the year, fire tallies are practiced, that is, the fire timing of Neidan is applied. Excluding the months of Mao and You, this is called the "one-year fire timing," or yi nian huohou (yī nián huǒ hòu). The Wuzhen Jing (wù zhēn jīng, Classic of Awakening to Reality) says: "Within a year, when bathing, guard against danger; over ten months of regulating the fire timing, one must be cautious and keep to discipline." Still, the timing of bathing at Mao and You should be grasped when the elixir substances, or yaowu (yào wù), and the fire timing reach the corresponding stage.

The quotation from the Maiwang (mài wàng) restates these points: the fire tallies are practiced over ten months, excluding the months of Mao and You, and this is called the one-year fire timing. Bathing requires guarding against danger, and regulating the fire timing requires caution and adherence to discipline. Mao-You should be recognized when the elixir and the fire timing reach their corresponding stages.

The Maiwang (Veins Gazing) states: "Xing-De linmen (Punishment and Virtue arriving at the gate), Mao-You muyu (bathing at the Mao and You hours): both chiefly concern the nourishment of the elixir. Yet the bathing performed at the time of forming the elixir has been passed over in silence by the ancients. Only my teacher, in the Huandan Huohou Ge (Song of Fire Timing for the Returning Elixir), clarified the subtle points of xinghuo (conducting the fire, the method of applying fire timing during the cultivation process). I now disclose the true meaning of this elixir method, hoping to resolve the confusion that has long troubled people."

The Huohou Ge (Song of Fire Timing) says: "Recalling the Dao (the Way) of the immortal elder, its essentials lie entirely within our own lineage. Originally there was no method of Ziwu chouti (adding and subtracting fire according to the double hours), so how could there be any Tu-Ji Xingde (the use of the Hare and Rooster hours, paired with Punishment and Virtue, to explain fire timing)? If you ask when the 'Zi' (midnight) moment occurs, it is when the medicinal substances begin to generate. If you ask when the 'Wu' (noon) moment occurs, it is simply when the substances turn toward the golden gate. What corresponds to the Mao hour? It is the fierce xianghuo (ministerial fire, the turbulent fire-nature within the body) blazing in the Fire Cloud Cave. Without the regulating power of a Guanyin who relieves suffering, the Great Medicine (dayao) will surely burst apart. This is the time for bathing. Once it has passed, it is like crossing the Yellow River and leaving the shore by boat. Again, what are Mao and You? They are the moment when the Conception Vessel (Renmai) and the Governing Vessel (Dumai) join. If there is no Huang Shang (the Yellow Skirt, a symbol of harmony that bears and sustains the medicine), how can the substances find stability and auspiciousness? When this situation arises, it is the Ku-Xu stage; look at the news contained in the storehouse. This is a mind-method handed down in an unbroken line, and the supreme Dao need not be sought anywhere else."

"Linmen" here refers to the medicine arriving at the Mysterious Gate (Xuanmen), the passage point of the body's inner circulation. The Dan classics call this place the "Nine-Layered Iron Drum" and the "Three-Legged Golden Toad." It is also the point where the Conception Vessel and Governing Vessel join in the lower body, the road along which the child separates from the mother in the embryo's formation. All these names point to the same location, which is why the Red Boy is used as a metaphor for the fierce xianghuo. "Guanyin who relieves suffering" refers to quietly collecting the mind and guarding it closely, so that the sweet dew-like fluids condense and descend.

Once I asked my teacher, "Stillness belongs to the Ku-Xu stage. Why is it described this way here?" My teacher replied, "The stillness meant here is not great stillness but the stillness that Guanyin represents. If it were great stillness, it would be the stillness of the Tathagata." Master Helin said, "Mao and You are the gates of entry and exit." From this we can see that the phrase "Xing-De linmen" simply means that the medicine has arrived before the Mysterious Gate and the Female Gate (the opening associated with the yin, the receptive and tranquil). The key lies only in recognizing the subtle workings of this passage.

Shangyangzi said: "Those who cultivate the Dao must first thoroughly understand the true meaning of the two kinds of Yin-Yang interaction, one within the body and one outside it. Only then will entering the quiet chamber and beginning the work be likely to succeed. The inner medicine (neiyao) is what one already possesses within oneself, while the outer medicine (waiyao) is obtained from the forms and appearances outside the self. The inner medicine does not leave the self, and the outer medicine does not leave the realm of perceptible form and phenomena (sense-perceivable bodies and appearances). The inner medicine is used to cultivate nature (xing), and the outer medicine is used to cultivate life (ming). The inner medicine is jing (essence) and the outer medicine is qi (vital energy). Since essence and qi depend on each other, they are called the 'true seed' (zhenzhong). The furnace fire of Neidan (internal alchemy) and Waidan (external alchemy) follows the same principles."

Xue Zixian said: "The Song of Breaking Delusion (Pomi Ge) says, 'The Dao comes from within the body, yet the furnace must be set up and the cauldron placed outside the body. The Dao comes from outside the body, yet Kan and Li (Water and Fire, that is, Yin and Yang) and lead and mercury (alchemical terms, here figuratively referring to the Yin-Yang essence and qi) lie within the body.' This explains the two kinds of medicine. The outer medicine is the Golden Elixir (jindan), whose transformation takes place in the 'two-eight furnace' and can be completed in less than an hour. The inner medicine is the Golden Liquor Returning Elixir (jinye huandan), whose transformation takes place within the self and requires ten months, after which one casts off the embryo and becomes a sage. The two have roughly the same function, but their cultivation methods and fire timing differ greatly."

"When we cultivate, as the outer medicine is being harmonized and the elixir head (dantou), the initial medicinal material of the process, is about to form, this is precisely when the Dragon and Tiger do battle (the interaction and union of the Yin and Yang qi) and Metal and Wood attract each other. Nothing may be off by a hair's breadth. A slight error, and the great medicine (dayao) cannot be completed. When the inner medicine is being harmonized and the elixir head is about to form, one must be especially cautious and guarded. Although the inner medicine has a natural true fire (zhenhuo) within the earthen cauldron (an analogy for the place of refinement within the body), whose flame is bright and enduring, it still requires the fine regulation of the outer furnace, adding and reducing, drawing and supplementing at the right moments, so that the fire timing is accurate and danger is avoided. Nevertheless, the transformations of the inner and outer true fire are inexhaustible, and the key lies in the marvelous use of the true lead (zhenqian), a term for the substance or power that can subdue and gather mercury qi. It holds the mercury so that it does not scatter. After long refinement, when the lead is spent and the mercury is dried out, there is neither fire nor metal left."

Master Yingchan said: "In general, the study of the Dao should begin with external elixir (waidan) and then advance to cultivating internal elixir (neidan). Internal elixir speaks of accordance with non-action (wuwei), and yet there is nothing it cannot accomplish. External elixir speaks of purposeful action and offers concrete methods of practice. Internal elixir has no form or substance, yet it truly exists; external elixir has form and function, yet what it actually achieves is illusory. External elixir is the cultivation of the physical body, while internal elixir is the cultivation of the Dharma body (fashen), the body that transcends the physical through practice. External elixir belongs to the Way of the Earthly Immortal (dixian), and internal elixir belongs to the Way of the Heavenly Immortal (tianxian). External elixir serves to preserve life, while internal elixir serves to perfect one's nature. The Dao is fundamentally concerned with Yin and Yang, and therefore the elixirs of practice are also divided into internal and external." The original text repeats the statements about internal and external elixir, the physical and Dharma bodies, and the Earthly and Heavenly Immortals in a later passage.

Tao Suxi said: "Although the source of the medicinal substances is attributed to the Kun position (symbolizing earth and Yin), Kun is pure Yin and cannot move on its own. Dui, the Youthful Daughter, shares a kind with Kun and can act on its behalf in cultivating the Dao, which is why the western Dui position is taken as the principal one; the Dui position is also the position of Metal among the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). When refining the Golden Elixir (jindan), one need not seek from Qian, Kun, or Kan, but should seek exclusively from Dui. Nevertheless, although the cultivation work forms one continuous lineage, the methods and procedures have a proper sequence. Only after the orifices are opened can one lay the foundation (zhuji, firmly establishing the groundwork of practice); only after the foundation is laid can one obtain the medicine; and only after the internal elixir has condensed can one undertake the return of the elixir (huandan, causing the substances to return to the Dantian and coalesce into the internal elixir). Everything used before the foundation is laid is the 'Primordial within the Postnatal' medicine; it is in the stage of return of the elixir that one employs the qi (breath) of the 'Primordial within the Primordial.' Once the qi enters the Danshe (the dwelling of the internal elixir), the practitioner becomes entranced and intoxicated, and at this point one depends entirely on the companion cultivator and the Yellow Matron (huangpo, the symbol in internal alchemy for mediating and harmonizing Yin and Yang) to guide the fire, that is, to circulate the practice according to the timing of the fire (huohou)."

Tao Suxi further said: "The Ren within the Gui is the 'Primordial within the Postnatal' medicine, used for laying the foundation; the Yang within the Lead is the 'Primordial within the Primordial' medicine, used for the return of the elixir."

The Maiwang says: "Gathering and refining the 'Primordial within the Postnatal' medicine can prolong life and extend years; but gathering and refining the 'Primordial within the Primordial' medicine first can lead to becoming a Buddha or an Immortal."

Zhang Sanfeng said: "Refining the Later Heaven essence and qi (houtian jingqi) lays the foundation for cultivation and tempers body and mind. Drawing on the Former Heaven qi (xiantian zhi qi) can bring one to the realm of sages or immortals. Regulating and transforming the Former Heaven qi can prolong life. One must first refine the more fundamental Former Heaven qi before one can attain Buddhahood or immortality."

Zhang Sanfeng further said: "Refining the Later Heaven essence and qi lays the foundation and tempers body and mind. Drawing on the Former Heaven qi can lead to sagehood and immortality. In cultivation, reversing Yin-Yang can bring about the mating of the Dragon and Tiger, with the Dragon swallowing the Tiger's marrow. Following the natural transformations of Yin-Yang gives rise to human life and forms the womb of pregnancy. Here 'Dragon' and 'Tiger' are terms of inner alchemy (neidan) that symbolize Yin-Yang and essence and qi, while 'marrow' and 'saliva' also refer to refined essences in practice, not to physical substances."

Tao Sushi said: "The Former Heaven gold and water (xiantian jin shui) serve as the mother of the elixir (dan mu), the fundamental condition for forming the Returning Elixir (huandan). The Later Heaven gold and water serve as the furnace medicine (lu yao), the auxiliary conditions for refining the self and nourishing the elixir."

Tao Sushi said: "The elixir is formed by the congealing of Yin, Yang, and harmonized qi. Breath circulates within the body; as the spirit (shen) condenses with the breath, the breath in turn clings to the spirit and settles. As the time of refinement approaches, one regulates the breath, gathers the external Zhenyi qi (the original qi of Former Heaven), and brings it into the Wuji Palace (wuji zhi gong), a place symbolizing the Earth phase and the harmonization of Yin and Yang in body and mind. One then nourishes it together with the Yin essence accumulated over a long time. In this way the true breath naturally steadies, the pulse comes to rest, and the inner elixir congeals."

"When a person conceives, once the Shaoyin qi (here referring to the initial stage of Yin qi) takes form, menstruation ceases. This shows that Earth qi is full and Water qi no longer rises. Those who refine the elixir join the Dragon and Tiger, grasp their balance, and regulate their waxing and waning. Then, with a fierce firing (huohou), they cook the medicine until fire steams the water and it boils, so that Metal rises together with the Water qi. Once the Water qi reaches its peak, the vigorous qi enters the Li Palace (li gong), a symbol of heart fire. The Li fire is then subdued and restrained by the Kan water (a symbol of the power of kidney water) and cannot scatter. Water is covered by Earth, and Fire is hidden by Earth. Lead and mercury both fear perishing, so they return together to the thick Earth. The 'meeting of the three families' (sanjia xiangjian) and the 'union of the three surnames' (sanxing huihe) refer to the gathering and fusion of essence, qi, and spirit in inner alchemy."

Tao Sushi said: "Why can Water generate Metal? When Yin and Yang first begin to join, Heaven's One generates Water. Water stands first among the Five Phases (wuxing) and is the pivot of the Dao and the starting point of Yin-Yang transformation. When Water is joined with Earth, whose number is five, it forms the complete number of Water. 'Xuan' corresponds to the number one and 'huang' to five. Their union, xuan and huang, presents the image of life stored within and sprouts gestating."

Kan (representing water, the moon, and yin) and Li (representing fire, the sun, and yang) correspond to the sun and moon. In the practice of the Dan (Elixir) method, there are the "inner sun and moon" and the "outer sun and moon." If one wishes the sun and moon qi within the body to interpenetrate, one must first bring the sun and moon outside the body into corresponding motion, shining upon one another. The radiance of the sun and moon flowing outward and merging with the transformations of Heaven and Earth is where the subtle mystery lies.

The sun and moon move along the ecliptic (the band of sky traversed by the sun's apparent motion), one rising and one setting, alternately showing waxing and waning, each gathering and expanding in its proper order. The lunar phases turn from shuo (new moon) to hui (the last day of the month), and again from hui back to shuo; from xian (half moon) to wang (full moon), and again from wang back to xian. They are like the spokes of a wheel converging on the hub, turning in endless cycles without pause. This is the coming and going of yin and yang, and the wondrous transformation of the sun and moon. From this one can quietly perceive that the body too has sun-and-moon-like changes, though in ordinary life we use them without knowing it.

Therefore, if a Daoist practitioner can grasp the subtleties of hui, shuo, xian, and wang, and understand how the coming and going of yin and yang converge like the spokes of a wheel, then they will know the right moment for gathering medicinal substances (selecting and concentrating jing and qi during refinement and cultivation). This is called exhausting the mysteries of the spirit. If one can hold to the timing of stillness and motion, morning and evening, and emergence and withdrawal, expansion and contraction, and recognize the measure of fire regulation (adjusting the flame during alchemical practice), this is called understanding transformation. These principles, too, must be sought and experienced within oneself.

When yin and yang unite into one body and transform in unfathomable ways, this is called shen (spirit). When they gradually advance and move onward, this is called hua (transformation). What is called shen is the governing force of yin-yang motion; what is called zaohua (creative transformation) is the alternating revolution of yin and yang. To exhaust their subtleties and comprehend their changes, the key lies in this: when yang qi appears, yin qi follows.

Tao Sousi said: The Golden Elixir Great Way is extremely simple. Advance and retreat have their methods, refinement and nourishment have their secret formulas, and all of these accord with the subtle principle of the natural transformations of creation, without forced arrangement. Yet "naturalness" as used here does not mean letting things go unattended or doing nothing. When the ancestral masters spoke of "following naturalness," they did not mean simply allowing things to develop on their own; there is refined principle within the act of following nature.

Refining the self (cultivating one's nature and mind) must continue for three years, and gentle nurturing (keeping the elixir-qi gradually stable) for ten months. The true elixir is attained, however, within a single double-hour. Lü Zu (Lü Dongbin) said, "Accumulate your work over three thousand days." He also said, "When the great work is nearly complete, it requires three thousand days, yet its subtle function appears only within the span of twelve double-hours." The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says, "Gather the essence and qi, and you will become a perfected person." The Way of long life and enduring vision depends on cultivation bit by bit, accumulated day after day. Because the practice is never interrupted, the body can be transformed and one becomes an immortal.

The Maiwang (Gazing at the Pulse) says that this true intention arises from within extreme stillness, which is the true earth. Shen (spirit) and qi respond to each other, and both are governed by the true intention. If the mind is not unified, the spirit scatters and cannot gather. Without gathering, even when the subtle function of the Dao appears, it will be lost in an instant. Therefore, one should nourish the spirit through tranquil emptiness, honor it as the sovereign of ten thousand chariots, and employ it as the North Star, which holds the center and receives the mandate, commanding the multitude of stars. One must also gather the three treasures of jing, qi, and shen. When the spirit is clear and bright, qi will respond, and only then can one practice fushi (taking medicinal substances or refining the jing and qi internally) and proceed to the practice of returning. Shen is the sovereign of the elixir, and qi is its mother; this is the essential outline of cultivation.

The Maiwang further says that the ancient perfected people knew that shen is mastered from within, while qi comes from without. Therefore one must use shen to drive qi (the life energy spoken of in Daoist teaching) in order to preserve long life. The whole body of a person should generally be governed by the primordial spirit (yuanshen, the original, innate true spirit). Through "taking Kan to fill Li" (using the trigrams Kan and Li, symbolizing water and fire, yin and yang, to harmonize yin and yang and restore the primal qi to its origin), qi can then be restored.

The four characters "having feeling, having faith" (youqing youxin) contain the essence of the Cantong qi (Kinship of the Three) and the Wuzhen pian (Awakening to Reality). "Feeling" is the moment of movement that arises after extreme stillness; "faith" is the verifiable sign that appears when movement occurs. The key teaching embodied in the character "faith" is one that all the sages and perfected beings have followed together.

Qi and jing respond to one another, and the Dao then returns to naturalness. The hun and po constrain each other, so their actions come in sequence, one before the other. One must carefully grasp the key that governs life, death, and transformation, and turn the mechanism of birth and killing. In acting, one takes wuwei (non-action) as the basis; even when something is done, it must ultimately return to non-action. The ordinary way of living is to follow the Dao, while the immortals reverse this ordinary course in their application. Overturning Heaven and Earth and inverting the Five Phases (the five basic forces that constitute the transformation of all things) means seizing the opportunity of creation at the moment when things are about to move but have not yet done so. One observes in secret and examines in fine detail, quietly drawing in what is needed without letting others notice. To turn the killing force into the force of life, and to conceal blessing within calamity, depends entirely on this one subtle key. How exquisitely profound it is!

The Maiwang (Mai Wang) says: "To refine the Golden Elixir (jindan) comes down, in the end, to one ingredient alone, mercury. To apply the fire timing (huohou) comes down, in the end, to one place alone, the Gate of the Mysterious Female (xuanpin zhi men), which refers to the orifice where Yin and Yang unite and creation arises. Though the steps are numerous, the essential principle is simple. If the fire timing circulates through the full celestial circuit (zhoutian), referring to the circulation of qi throughout the body, and metallic qi fills the body, then the fire timing has reached its full measure and the metallic qi is sufficient. After this, the Seven Returns and Nine Reversions (an internal alchemy term for the transformation and return of Yin and Yang essences during cultivation), and the True Person will naturally undergo marvelous and unfathomable transformations."

The Tianxian Zhengli (Principles of the Celestial Immortal) says: "The Celestial Immortal refers to the yuanshen (primordial spirit) within one's original nature, the spiritual nature that is inherent from before birth. If one does not cultivate the Golden Elixir, one cannot return to the state of original nature and thereby attain Celestial Immortality. The Golden Elixir is the true Yang primordial qi; if one does not know how to gather it, one cannot refine it into the elixir."

It also says: "The way of the immortals is simple, and in the end consists of only two things, shen and qi. From this we know that longevity depends on qi, and supernatural power depends on shen."

"If one does not understand the key of true movement and true stillness, one cannot obtain true qi. If one does not understand the sequence of cultivation and the work of gathering, how can one speak of subduing qi (fuqi, to restrain and bring the breath under control)?"

"The discussion begins with lianji (refining the self) because the nature (xing), within all the oppositions and distinctions, acts upon worldly affairs and worldly thoughts. What is called refining the self is to turn this nature back around. The discussion ends with huanxu (returning to emptiness), which refers to the nature's return to a state of void."

At the outset, the text speaks of "refining the self" (lianji) because nature (xing) moves among the many visible forms and appearances of the world and is also pulled along by worldly thoughts, so cultivation must turn the mind-nature that has scattered outward back toward its source. At the end, it speaks of "returning to emptiness" (huanxu), meaning that nature is no longer bound by oppositions and distinctions and rests alone in empty stillness. In truth, from beginning to end, everything spoken of is one and the same true nature. People of the world do not realize that the root of immortal Daoist cultivation is the cultivation of nature, which is no different from what Buddhist teachings describe. Hence everyone talks of becoming immortal, yet they do not understand what to study, and few succeed.

Shangyangzi said: "All things have a time of returning to their roots, and one who has attained the Dao understands the principle of long life."

The Qi (Tally) says: "Without understanding its principles, one should not speak of them carelessly. Some people exhaust their family fortunes and leave their wives and children hungry and impoverished, and still they never encounter a true opportunity. Few of such people succeed."

Shi Xianweng said: "Learning to become an immortal is in fact easy; what is difficult is that people cannot do it. Withdrawing from worldly dust is not hard; what is difficult is that people do not easily manage it. How truly saddening!"

The Baopuzi says: "Taking medicinal substances is the foundation of seeking long life, but if one also practices xingqi (the cultivation of breath and circulation of qi, a method of nourishing life), the effects come much faster. If medicine cannot be obtained, one who practices xingqi and grasps its principles may still live several hundred years. Yet one should also understand the fangzhong zhi shu (the arts of the bedchamber, ancient methods of regulating Yin-Yang between men and women for nourishing life). This is because, if one does not understand the regulation of Yin-Yang, one is often harmed by depletion, and then the practice of xingqi cannot take full effect. Humans may have a hundred-year lifespan, yet they cannot be separated from qi. People live within qi, and qi also exists within people. From Heaven and Earth down to the myriad things, nothing comes into being without relying on qi. One who is skilled at xingqi can nourish the body within and guard against evil influences without. Yet the common people use qi every day without knowing it."

Baopuzi said: "Loss is easy to notice, and it comes quickly. Gain is hard to notice, and it comes slowly. If a person has not yet grasped the losses that happen so easily, how could they recognize the gains that are so hard to perceive? Loss is like a lamp burning its oil. As the oil decreases little by little, it is hard to see, and by the time one notices, the oil is already gone. Gain is like sowing and planting crops. As the seed sprouts and grows, it is hard to notice, and then suddenly it has become lush. Therefore, in nourishing the body and cultivating the temperament, one must be careful with small things. One should not neglect protection and nurturing merely because a small benefit seems too slight to matter, nor should one ignore precautions merely because a small loss seems harmless. Only by accumulating small things can great achievements be made, and only through gradual accumulation can one reach abundance. If one can treasure and cultivate what is subtle, and in the end make the results manifest, then one has nearly understood the Dao."

Perfected Liu Changsheng said: "When worldly thoughts are completely eliminated, xing (nature, the innate disposition of the mind) can be preserved. When the mind's craving for desire is completely eliminated, ming (life, the root of vitality) can be preserved. When wuming (ignorance, the confused mind that does not understand the Dao) is exhausted, one can preserve inner peace."

Tao Susi said: "Once the primordial qi of heaven and earth circulates smoothly, the inner medicine transforms and the Golden Elixir (jindan) is completed. One must then proceed calmly and unhurriedly, forgetting external circumstances, and at the same time relinquish attachment to both people and methods, so that not a single thought arises and the myriad concerns subside. The Kao (referring to the alchemical classic Zhouyi Cantong Qi, The Kinship of the Three According with the Changes) says: 'Entrust the will to emptiness, and constantly maintain non-thought.' The method of alchemy, from beginning to end, takes non-thought as its constant state. Having thoughts is only an occasional, momentary condition, and this must not be overlooked."

Shangyangzi said: "The two characters wunian (non-thought) are the most beneficial for the practitioner. When the Perfected dives into the deep abyss, they respond with non-thought. When floating and guarding the guizhong (the central axis, a term in neidan practice for holding the body's center and regulating the inner qi), they wait with non-thought. When the breath nourishes one another, they accomplish it with non-thought. And once the three natures (the three fundamental elements that must be brought together in practice) are united, non-thought brings them back into oneness. The functions of non-thought are many, so it should rightly be the constant state. Wonderful!"

Without the notion of "no thought" in Daoism meaning the extinction of the mind into empty stillness, the aim is instead to unify the mind: only upright thoughts appear clearly, and other thoughts are not allowed to surge and fall into disorder. The Dingling Yang Xinxing Jue (Secret Formula of Ding Lingyang on Mind and Nature) states: "When the work of restraining distracting thoughts during quiet sitting has deepened, various realms will appear before the eyes, but do not be moved by them, nor give rise to fondness or aversion." Practitioners may perceive all kinds of visions during seated meditation. These are all manifestations produced by the transformations of their own shishen (consciousness-spirit, the activity of ordinary awareness), which arise precisely when the mind is calm and stir the heart from within. Only when one's intention is unified and remains unmoved, so that seeing these visions is as though one sees nothing, and body and mind are so empty that there is nowhere to cling, will they naturally dissipate. The Taishang says: "Bring the mind to utmost emptiness and stillness, and firmly hold to purity. The myriad things all grow and transform together, and through this I observe their return to the origin." Shangyang Zi said that between the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) and "Fu" (return to the origin), there are how many instances of Taiji and how many instances of return. Once this is understood, the Dao of the Nine Returns (the method of cultivation by which jing, qi, and shen are restored to their origin) is fully understood as well.

The Guizhong Zhinan (Guide to the Center of the Regulation) states: "Before a person is born, they dwell in a state of primordial chaos within the Great Void. When male and female unite, the signs of life begin to appear. A single point of life, just beginning to coalesce, consists purely of xingming (nature and life). After three months of chaotic gestation, the xuanpin (the dark and subtle gate of generation) takes form. Once the xuanpin is formed, the fetus is connected to the mother much as a melon is joined to its stem. Within the womb, the fetus secretly receives the mother's breath: when the mother exhales, the fetus exhales; when the mother inhales, the fetus inhales. All movements and stillness, all changes, arise from the mutual resonance between mother and child, within and without. At that time, what consciousness or knowledge is there? What understanding or awareness? The qi of Heaven is undifferentiated and chaotic, and the qi of Earth is not yet separated; there is only a single breath, silently persisting within the womb."

The Zhonghe Ji says that the yin and yang qi moving back and forth outside the body is called the External Elixir (waiyao), and that the qi of Kan and Li inside the body, the trigrams of the Yijing that stand for water and fire, gathering and joining, is called the Internal Elixir (neiyao). The External Elixir requires deliberate practice, while the Internal Elixir depends mainly on letting things follow their natural course.

Jing (essence), qi (vital energy), and shen (spirit) each have two levels in their application, but their substance is one. First nourish them through the External Elixir: the jing produced by sexual union should not be leaked, the breath should be fine and slow, and the shen, which neither goes out and in with the breath nor moves with thought, should be valued for its stillness.

As for the Internal Elixir, refining jing means cultivating the primordial jing (xiantian genben zhi jing), the root essence of one's pre-natal constitution, so that the primordial yang within Kan can be drawn out. When this primordial jing is firm, the jing produced by union will not leak. Refining qi means cultivating the primordial qi (yuan qi), the root qi of one's pre-natal constitution, to replenish the primordial yin within Li. When this primordial qi is stable, the breath no longer goes out and in. Refining shen means cultivating the primordial shen (yuan shen), the spirit originally present within one's nature, so that Kan and Li unite as one body, as if becoming the Qian hexagram. When the primordial shen is concentrated and settled, the shen of thought naturally becomes tranquil.

The Xingming Guizhi says that when feeling and nature join, this is called the union of metal and wood (jinmu bing), the two symbols of metal and wood brought together. When jing and shen join, this is called the mingling of water and fire (shuihuo jiao), the two symbols of water and fire blending. When intention becomes completely still, this is called the Five-Phase primordial shen (wuxing yuan shen), which is to say that Kan and Li unite in one body and form Qian. When the primordial shen is concentrated and settled, the shen of thought naturally becomes tranquil.

The Xingming Guizhi also says that when feeling and nature join, this is called the union of metal and wood; when jing and shen join, this is called the mingling of water and fire; and when intention becomes completely still, this is called the completeness of the Five Phases (wuxing quan), in which the Five Phases return to a whole and harmonious state.

When the primordial jing is firm, the jing produced by union naturally does not leak. When the primordial qi is stable, the breath naturally no longer goes out and in. When the primordial shen is concentrated and settled, the shen of thought naturally becomes tranquil.

Zhu Yuanyu said: "What is xing (nature)? Xing is the original nature, in which the numinous awareness is open, clear, and perfectly integrated. It is the same as the Great Void (the vast, boundless emptiness), and it is the Qian Yuan (the originating force represented by the Qian hexagram) that begins all things. What is ming (life-destiny)? Ming is a single vital qi (yuanqi) that interpenetrates and circulates, presiding over the transformations of all things. It is the Kun Yuan (the nurturing force represented by the Kun hexagram) that brings all things to growth.

"Xing has never come or gone and need not be cultivated; ming, however, can be accomplished through practice. The ming that a person receives belongs to acquired creation, and so it carries along emotional cognition (qingshi). This is because the true xing has become mixed with the arising and ceasing, and the non-arising and non-ceasing, of the root of karma that has existed since beginningless time. These two combine to form the Eight Consciousnesses (a Buddhist term referring to the eight kinds of mind that discern and cognize). Among these, the subtle and hard-to-detect mental activity is called xiang (thought-image), and the constantly flowing thoughts that pull at the human heart are called qing (emotion). When emotion arises, wisdom becomes obscured; when thought-images shift, the condition of body and mind changes accordingly. Having thus inverted the true xing, one is merely drawn into the cycle of rebirth."

The Changdao Zhenyan (True Words on Chanting the Dao) says: "Within the Great Void, that which receives qi forms a body, and that which receives li (principle) forms nature and emotion. The Void acts through wuwei (non-action), yet all things grow and develop of their own accord; the Void has no private intention, yet all things are nourished and flourish naturally.

"To nurture the spirit through stillness, to observe the nature through clarity, to contemplate the spirit through wisdom, to store the yuanqi through tranquility, to nourish the jing (essence) by reducing desire, and to establish the mind's intention through utmost stillness: these are the essential keys to cultivation."

Lü Zu's Zhengdao Jing (Scripture on Realizing the Dao) says: "When one understands the principle of having no mind, all things will naturally be nourished and grow.

"When one comprehends the origin of the Primordial Beginning (the original state from which all things arise), the regularities of the movement and stillness of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), and the moment at which Yin and Yang wax and wane, then, by understanding these three points, the root of cultivating the Dao is established and correct principle is preserved. This is the source of observing one's nature.

"The Daoxin (the mind that accords with the Way of Heaven and Earth) is the mind of Heaven and Earth. Though it is called a mind, it is not the mind commonly spoken of: it is luminous and unobstructed, without attachment. No principle fails to be contained within it, and no thing can cause it to cling. This is the numinous spirit in which the Five Phases are pure and unified."

The Chang Dao Zhen Yan (True Words on Chanting the Dao) says: "Beautiful forms and lascivious sounds are, at root, of the same nature as my own. External things are not different from me, and I am not different from external things. When there is no distinction between things and me, the shen (spirit) has no distinction of coming and going."

The Xing Ming Gui Zhi (Essential Principles of Nature and Life) says: "All things in the world are, originally, one and the same shen. The substance of shen is empty and formless, and the substance of Dao is void and still, and the principle of transformation lies within them. Heaven is above and earth is below. Humans and the myriad things dwell between heaven and earth, each blending and transforming, and qi is within them as well. When a person establishes himself between heaven and earth and settles his xing and ming (nature and life), the root lies in xuling (empty and numinous awareness). Xing is thereby formed, and xing and ming are thereby established, with shen within them. Ming relies on qi, and xing relies on shen. Let shen be settled in the heart and qi be settled in the body, and the Dao lies within them."

"When shen and qi unite, xing and ming become manifest. When xing and ming unite, the xing and ming that were originally undifferentiated become manifest. This xing and ming beyond distinction is our true xing and ming, which is also the true xing and ming of heaven and earth and of emptiness itself."

"Xing is the subtle principle of the primordial, original truth, a numinous nature that shines clearly without obscurity. Ming is the purest essence of the primordial heaven, a qi (primordial yuanqi) that circulates in a diffuse, vaporous flow. Xing cannot be established without ming, and ming cannot endure without xing. What heaven manifests is ming, and what humans possess is xing. In truth, the two issue from the same source."

"Pilu xinghai (the Vairocana Sea of Nature) refers to a vast and profound realm of the original nature. Qianyuan (the fundamental primordial qi) and the xiantian zhi jing (supreme primordial essence) are a single qi flowing in diffuse vapor. Xing cannot be established without ming, and ming cannot endure without xing. What heaven manifests is ming, and what humans possess is xing. In truth, the two issue from the same source."

Vairocana's Sea of Nature (Pilu xinghai), a metaphor for the vast and profound sea of original nature, and the Qian Yuan (Qianyuan), the fundamental power of creative vigor that gives life without ceasing, are both boundless and mysteriously unfathomable. They form a unified whole that abides in the center, neither leaning nor inclining. It is pure and supremely good, single and unmixed. It is originally complete, luminous, and penetrating without obstruction.

If we call it "existence," it cannot be seen or heard, so what form or trace could it have? If we call it "nonexistence," it is supremely numinous and spiritual, so it is not truly empty. It has no fixed direction and no beginning or end. Before heaven and earth and the myriad things appeared, it was already so, and after they appeared, it remained so. It is at once utterly nonexistent and utterly existent, and utterly existent and utterly nonexistent. It is the numinous substance of heaven, earth, and the Qian-Kun polarity, the mysterious pivot through which primordial qi (yuanqi) transforms and generates, and it is also the root of each person's life (xingming, nature and life) and the foundation of all things under heaven. The Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), the Four Images, and the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) described in the Yijing (Book of Changes) all arise from it. Emperor Shun called it "the Mean," and Confucius called it "the One." Rulers transmitted it to one another in this way, and sages passed it down among themselves in the same way. To understand it is to manifest lofty virtue (De), to recognize it is to comprehend the Yijing, and to see it directly is to perceive the Dao.

The numinous awareness of a person, whether turned inward or outward, is originally able to reach everywhere and to discern everything. That it fails to do so is due to the limitation of the physical form. Are the study of nature and the study of life (xingming zhi xue) one thing or two? If one can truly see the real substance of one's original nature, one can establish the true foundation of life. Through single-minded cultivation, when ten months of practice are complete and embryonic breathing (taixi) is perfected, the yang spirit (yangshen) can manifest fully through the crown. Although this is spoken of as the work of completing one's life-destiny (liaoming), in essence what is accomplished is still a matter within the original nature itself.

The Changdao Zhenyan says: "The Dao (the Way) returns to unity and is constant and unchanging. After the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate, the original state before heaven, earth, and the myriad things had differentiated), from beginning to end it is the same time and the same thing. From one world up to a hundred thousand worlds, it is so, never changing in the least or losing its constant nature. The substance of the human mind is likewise originally unchanging and constant. The reason it does change and lose its constancy is that delusions and worldly defilements mix into it, and these are not the nature of the mind. Observe the Dao of Heaven, and one can understand the human mind."

The same text says: "Within what seems empty, all things are in fact already complete. To say it lacks jing (essence) is, in truth, to have jing. To say it lacks qi (the vital energy that constitutes the human body and drives the operations of heaven and earth) is, in truth, to have qi. To say it lacks shen (spirit and numinous awareness) is, in truth, to have shen. It is like the remote antiquity when customs were pure and harmonious and the grace of De (Virtue/Power) filled every place, so that it could not be summed up in a single name or image. Yet the institutions of ritual, music, punishments, and government decrees were all complete and clearly distinct."

Shangyang Zi says: "People of the world cling to the wording of the Yi (Book of Changes) but do not understand the function of the hexagrams. Even one who understands the function of the hexagrams may not understand the Dao of the Yi. To understand the Dao of the Yi, one must recognize that the Dao lies within oneself and does not depend on the guaqi (the qi-patterns of cosmic change embodied in the hexagrams). One should always observe with numinous awareness in stillness, and take non-attachment to emptiness as the method of contemplation. Through this, one returns to the origin, restores the primordial, and comes back to the Taiji."

Zisi says: "The numinous spirit of the mind is called sheng (sage). Therefore, when the mind is settled, wisdom arises. When the mind is still, it can respond. When the mind is tranquil, it can discern clearly. When the mind is empty and spiritual, it can penetrate. When the intention is sincere, it becomes clear. When the mind is empty and quiet, it can perceive."

The Shurangama Sutra says: "If, within knowing and seeing, one further establishes an attachment to knowing and seeing, this is the root of ignorance (wuming). If one can know without clinging to what is known, this is nirvana (the state of liberation from the cycle of birth and death), and it is also the true realm of purity without outflows. How could this be like wood or stone, utterly without awareness?"

The Dingguan Jing says: "Only eliminate the agitated thoughts of the mind; do not eliminate the illuminating awareness."

The sage keeps the mind empty and still, so that its awareness is full and illuminating. Throughout the day it is clear and bright, yet does not cling to the notion that it knows anything.

Heze says: "When the mind is constantly still, this is the substance of one's self-nature (zixing); when the mind is constantly aware, this is the function of one's self-nature."

Ma Danyang says: "What is called no-mind does not mean being dull and ignorant like a cat or a dog. The essential point is to let the mind dwell in a state of purity and not give rise to deviant thoughts. Worldly people lack a pure and quiet mind; those who cultivate the Dao do not let dust and defilement stain the original mind. This does not mean that the mind has no awareness at all, like wood or stone."

Bai Ziqing says: "A person is born out of emptiness, and in the end must return to emptiness. Therefore one should return to the great beginning of one's original nature's source, and go back to the state before birth. Hide the mind within the mind and do not reveal it; hide the spirit (shen) within the spirit and do not let it run outward. Only then can one pass through past, present, and future, and let the myriad entanglements of thought become clear and still, the six roots (liugen: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind) pure, and the heart-mind empty and bright. Do not stop at 'emptiness' or 'non-being'; empty whatever can be emptied, and negate whatever can be negated, until even 'emptiness' has nothing more to empty and 'non-being' has nothing more to negate. At this point, one is clear and luminous, unbound, and the solitary numinous nature of the original self naturally appears."

Patriarch Ma Danyang says: "What is called emptying the body is to bring the thoughts in the mind-body to rest, leaving not a single trace of deliberation. Internally, one does not cling to what one knows; externally, one is not pulled by the movements of qi. Yet the activity of the mind is swift, like a galloping horse; only by becoming still can one master it. One should first remove external disturbance; even when among the crowd, one should be as if in a deep mountain valley. Only then is one truly a cultivator of the Dao. If one has not reached the state of no-mind, it is difficult to govern the mind."

Cultivating stillness and tranquility nourishes the Dao; dwelling calmly amid disgrace and humiliation nourishes De (Virtue). Removing anger and eliminating wuming (ignorance, the state of confusion and unclarity) nourishes one's original nature (benxing). Moderating food and reducing rich, flavorful dishes nourishes qi (the vital energy that governs the movement of life). When the original nature is settled, emotions fade; when the body is empty and still, qi flows freely; when thought comes to rest, the spirit becomes lively; when yang qi is abundant, yin qi naturally recedes. These are all natural principles.

Where romantic attachments are many, the pure, detached quality of the Daoist spirit diminishes. Those who are just beginning to study the Dao must, from now on, set aside worldly affairs, not hold them in mind, and devote themselves single-mindedly and constantly, without giving up halfway. Even if a trace of distracting thought remains unremoved, the foundation of cultivation will not be secure. Do not dwell on the past, do not worry about the future; grasp only the present moment, and then you can become a person untroubled by affairs.

In daily dealings with the world, the greatest taboos are picking faults in others, boasting of one's own virtue, envying the worthy and capable, and giving rise to confused worldly thoughts and all manner of desires. In everyday inner cultivation, one should practice genuinely, maintain purity, remain untainted by external things, and not cling to phenomena; nourish breath and spirit, living freely and at ease, quietly accumulating merit without seeking to be known by others, hoping only that Heaven sees clearly. The Odes say: "The Great Dao keeps people far from worldly desires, taking non-action (wuwei) as its foundation. Feeling no longing for the myriad things of the world, vexation will not follow."

Wine is a beverage that disturbs the original nature, and meat is food that harms life; it is best to abstain from both. Breaking the precepts against wine and meat may be treated somewhat lightly, but breaking the precept against sexual desire (se) is an unforgivable transgression. Because lust harms people more than wolves and tigers, it corrupts good virtue and damages virtuous deeds, depletes jing (essence) and shen (spirit), and may even injure the body; for this reason it is regarded as the gravest fault for one who cultivates the Dao.

Sensual desire, wealth, Qi (vital energy), right and wrong, the strife of self and other, along with worry and anxious thought, clinging to external conditions, and craving and attachment: once any of these arise in the mind, they must be swept away at once. Throughout the twelve periods of the day, one should often examine one's earlier thoughts and conduct, and at the first sign that the mind has become disordered or agitated, correct it without delay.

Throughout the twelve periods of the day, the Way of Heaven operates without pause, driving the transformations of the myriad things and never ceasing. Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) should model themselves on the Way of Heaven, and must also constantly and unremittingly regulate the transformations within their own bodies, keeping the heart-mind perpetually pure and tranquil, without allowing a single stray thought to arise. This is what true cultivation is.

Perfected Liu the Barefoot said: "A cultivator who restrains the body is like a jailer guarding a heavy prisoner, never daring to let it run wild. If one relaxes even slightly, it may break free of its bonds, and be impossible to recall." Ma Danyang said: "If the spirit is allowed to wander even a little, the Neidan (internal alchemy) will leak away; if one slackens self-restraint even slightly, the pure original nature will dry up."

When first resolving to cultivate, one must above all guard the inner numinous nature. When able to sit in quiet stillness, sit, and be as careful as one would be in cherishing the tender buds of spring or a floating bubble, for these are hard to preserve and easily dispersed, and must be guarded with attentive care. The affairs of the world, skills and arts, likes and dislikes, rise and fall, and gain and loss must all be set down together. One should be like a fool or an simpleton, unattached, and like withered wood or stone, unmoved by external things. Regard the body as no more than one of the four-legged beasts, content to dwell beneath all things, and gather in and conceal one's own radiance so that it does not show outwardly. If one is dissipated even a fraction amid the various external conditions and circumstances, one loses that much.

Those who cultivate the Dao should cultivate simplicity and sincerity, and avoid cleverness and calculation. They should not measure everything by worldly standards, nor act only for the sake of momentary satisfaction. If any doubt arises in the mind, they should refrain from acting. Where something goes against one's original heart-mind (benxin), they should not do it either. One should strive to let go of emotional attachment and the discriminating mind (fenbie xin, the mind that judges and grasps at things), and gradually return to the Great Dao (dadao). The discriminating mind is the root of the cycle of birth and death (lunhui). In daily life, when a practitioner encounters an opportunity to do good and accumulate merit (gongde), they should do it wholeheartedly, however small the merit may be. When they notice a fault, however slight, they should correct it at once. Through gradual practice in this way, karmic offenses (zuiye) diminish and blessings (fude) increase.

The text also says: among the sages above the Nine Heavens, none lack blessings, and among all the beings of the world, none are without karmic offenses.

Master Qiu Changchun said: "In cultivating the True Way and studying the Dao, one must rely on the steady accumulation of good deeds and merit. If one cannot firm up one's resolve and apply oneself with sincerity, it will be hard to rise above the mundane and reach the realm of sages and worthies. Some people exert themselves within the teaching gate (jiaomen), the Daoist path of cultivation and instruction, busy with all manner of affairs. Others work within the heart and set aside worldly matters altogether. So long as one restrains selfish desire and acts in accordance with the Dao-mind (daoxin), this is the foundation for cultivating blessings.

The Dao embraces heaven and earth, and its vastness is beyond words. Therefore, small acts of goodness and merit often show no visible effect in the short term. What is called "awakening to the Dao in an instant" (chana wudao) still requires long refinement of the mind and subduing of demons. Even when one suddenly apprehends the original mind, that insight must be consolidated through complete and sustained cultivation. Those who awaken to the Dao in this life are people who accumulated merit in past lives. People do not know the karmic conditions of their former lives. Seeing that years of arduous practice bring no notable results, they conclude that all the toil was wasted, and a mind of retreat arises. This is truly a pity. In fact, whether sitting, lying, or walking, as long as the mind constantly dwells on the Dao, one is accumulating at every moment, even if one's state of mind has not yet awakened. If the merit is not yet sufficient, the Dao will not manifest.

This is like a great jewel worth a million, which one wishes to buy but has not yet saved enough money to purchase. One can only work day and night, live frugally, and gradually accumulate wealth. Even when one has saved three or five thousand, or thirty or fifty thousand, it is still not enough, and the jewel remains out of reach. Yet the money saved can still be used in an emergency, and compared with someone who is utterly destitute, the difference is like that between heaven and earth. Accumulating merit and good deeds is also like this. Though one has not yet attained the Dao, one's roots of goodness (shangen), the foundation for cultivating good, obtaining blessings, and awakening to the Dao, are already deep. In this life or the next, one may receive the support and guidance of sages. Compared with those who lack good roots from past lives, is the gap not very great indeed?

Throughout the twelve periods of the day, one must constantly examine one's faults so that shen (spirit) and qi (vital energy) may settle. When shen and qi are settled, this is true practice. Refraining from finding fault with others is true De (virtue). Patriarch Xu (Xu Zu), the Daoist-revered Xu Xun, said: "Doing good in secret and accumulating virtue brings peace to the myriad spirits."

Perfected Hao Taigu (Zhenren) said: "In everyday life, cultivate qi (vital energy) when at rest and shen (spirit) when busy. Walking, standing, sitting, and lying down are all cultivation of the Dao (the Way). Whether by day or by night, keep the mind and spirit clear and unclouded. If one falls into a stupor for a stretch of time, it is as though one were dead for that time. Practice diligently every day without slackening for a thousand consecutive days, and the skill will be achieved. Do not listen to those who speak of innate aptitude."

"Ordinary people cultivate shenyi (spirit-intention). Walking, standing, sitting, and lying down are all cultivation of the Dao. Whether by day or by night, keep the mind and spirit clear and unclouded. If one falls into a stupor for a stretch of time, it is as though one were dead for that time. Practice diligently every day without slackening for a thousand consecutive days, and the skill will be achieved. Do not listen to those who speak of innate aptitude."

"Ordinary people rejoice at success and grieve at failure. One who can regard these two circumstances as the same, and is not moved by gain or loss, is one whose cultivation of the heart has been accomplished."

Master Qiyun said: "Accumulating three thousand merits is easy; completing eight hundred good deeds is difficult. Purifying the inner heart and settling the intention is true merit; strictly demanding of oneself and leniently treating others is true good conduct."

The Xishan Zhi (Gazetteer of Xishan) explains: "Take purity and stillness as the foundation, non-action (Wuwei) as one's bearing, the preservation of sincerity as one's function, gentleness and humility as one's holding fast, firm endurance as one's practice, diligent advancement as one's aspiration, resolute fortitude as one's ambition, and breadth as one's standard. Looking at Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things, there is nothing that is not within my nature; looking again at Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things, there is not one matter that can obstruct my nature. With the sincerity and purity of my heart, I dissolve the greed and defilement of the world. With the clarity of my inner discernment, I dissolve the world's ignorance. With my unwavering vow of loyalty, I dissolve the world's bewilderment. With my tireless strength, I spread the boundless teaching of Daoism.

"Do not single-mindedly seek visible rewards, do not deliberately invite hidden faults, do not let external things entangle one's emotions, and do not fear the ridicule of others' words. Within deep silence there is a natural master, and flourishing and decline have their fixed measures. The principle here truly cannot be produced, forced, measured, or distinguished by human effort. Yet people of the world, who do not understand this profound and subtle principle, insist on using deluded thoughts to surpass the Way of Heaven and using desire to contend for fate. Therefore, whatever they do, they inevitably incur faults."

Intensely blazing qi should not be left to run unchecked, and surging emotions should not be allowed to overwhelm oneself. My qi (the vital energy spoken of in Daoism) should be nourished so that it circulates among all things. My emotions should be gathered in and stored away, so that I meet all beings with an abundant heart. How could innate, original nature be governed by external things? How could a conscience unclouded by private desire be held captive by passion?

Wherever the mind goes, the qi follows, and whatever situation the body is in, the emotions are drawn along with it. If a person can place themselves in Taixu (the great void, a boundless state of clarity free from attachment), and regard the myriad things as though they all return to non-being, then they can experience events without lingering in the heart. They remain steady even while acting, and they engage with others without being burdened or stirred into turmoil. In such a state, how could anger and desire arise?

Zhuangzi said, "The zhiren (the perfected person, one whose cultivation has reached a high level) can walk through water without drowning, pass through fire without feeling heat, and walk upon the myriad things without trembling. May I ask how one can attain such a state?" Guan Yinzi replied, "It is because one has preserved the pure and undivided qi."

The Changdao Zhenyan (True Words for Proclaiming the Way) says, "Refining the elixir must begin with refining the mind. When the mind-ground is clear and bright, the spirit becomes lucid. When the spirit is lucid, the qi condenses. When the qi condenses, the jing (essence) can be held secure. What the elixir manuals call zhuji (foundation-building, establishing the basis of cultivation), medicinal materials, furnace and cauldron, lead and mercury, dragon and tiger, sun and moon, and kan and li (symbols of the cultivation elements of water and fire, and of yin and yang) are all named from the standpoint of refining the mind. As for the union of yin and yang, the interplay of water and fire, the rise and fall of qi, and the methods of refining and cooking, these are merely the subsequent work.

If the mind is not yet clear and one is still entangled by desire, then even a foundation that is temporarily firm will surely collapse again, and even complete medicinal materials will inevitably be deficient. The furnace will be ruined and the cauldron damaged. The dragon will contend, the tiger will roar, the sun will be eclipsed, and the moon will grow dim. The water of kan will be weak and the fire of li agitated. The union of yin and yang will fall into disorder, the water and fire will fail to join, and qi that wants to rise will instead sink. The Sanshi (Three Corpses, the evil and impure spirits said in Daoism to dwell within the body) will harm it, and the Liuzei (Six Thieves, the six sensory desires that disturb the mind and spirit) will cause trouble from within. A single cup of water can hardly extinguish a great fire fed by an entire cartload of firewood. Therefore, refining the mind is the essential path that must be followed from beginning to end on the way to becoming an immortal."

Volume Five: Refining the Self and Building the Foundation (lianji zhuji).

Chapter 5: Refining the Self and Laying the Foundation

Shangyangzi said: "In cultivating the Golden Elixir (Jindan), one must first refine the self (lianji), making the spirit complete and the primordial qi abundant. The seven emotions (joy, anger, sorrow, worry, grief, fear, and fright) must not be stirred by external things. The five thieves must not rise in rebellion, and the six roots (the senses of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body, together with the mind) must be settled. Only when the essence (jing) and qi are no longer easily disturbed may one begin to practice the Dao of alchemy."

By the "five thieves" are meant the sense organs and the mind, the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and intention, which are the terms for inner perception. Form, sound, scent, taste, and touch are the temptations that external things present to a person. Love, desire, greed, anger, and delusion are the attachments that arise within the heart. If one does not carefully restrain inner perception, the heart's clinging and attachments will rise in turn. If one does not shut out external temptation, the senses will be drawn outward and find no stillness.

Thus, when the eyes behold beauty, love arises easily and wastes the essence and qi. When the ears hear sounds, desire is easily kindled and the essence and qi are stirred. When the nose smells fragrance, craving easily takes root and consumes the essence and qi. When the mouth tastes flavors, anger easily arises and the essence and qi leak away. When the body and mind meet external objects, delusion easily forms and injures the essence and qi. These causes wear down the body day and night, and how much essence and qi can remain? Once the essence and qi are spent, the spirit (shen) and primordial qi weaken with them, and the body decays.

Cultivators compare the body to a state and the essence and qi to its people. When the essence and qi are undisturbed, the people are at peace. When the spirit and primordial qi are full, the state is prosperous. To seek the Golden Elixir is likened to meeting an enemy in battle. Only by accomplishing these things can one defeat the enemy and obtain the primordial qi (xiantian zhi qi), the original vital energy of heaven and earth.

The Tianxian Zhengli (Correct Principles of the Celestial Immortal) says: "Refining the self (lianji) means diligently practicing what should be practiced until it becomes skillful, and resolutely forbidding what should not be done. It requires one to rouse the spirit and firm the resolve, striving in cultivation until something is accomplished; to cut off greed and attachment to affection, leaving no lingering concerns; and to discard old habits so that one is no longer tainted by them."

The "self" (ji) here refers to one's true nature when quiet and the true intent in action, and is also another name for the Primordial Spirit (yuanshen). The ancients said: "Before refining the Returning Elixir (huandan), one must first cultivate the mind-nature (xinxing); before cultivating the Great Medicine (dayao), one must first nourish the heart-mind within."

Refining the elixir should begin with cultivating oneself, but "refining the self" (lianji) and "nourishing the self" (yangji) are not the same. Treasuring jing (essence) and qi (vital energy) and replenishing one's original qi is nourishing the self. Remaining undisturbed by emotions when confronted with external things is refining the self. The two differ in their states of movement and stillness, and refining the self must rest on the foundation of nourishing the self. Although all methods of cultivation point to the same root, their teachings divide into sudden awakening (dunwu) and gradual cultivation (jianxiu).

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch says that if one can immediately contemplate with prajna wisdom, false thoughts vanish in an instant, and if one recognizes one's own nature, one attains Buddhahood in a single awakening. This is the teaching of sudden awakening. What is discussed here is gradual cultivation. The Celestial Master (Tianshi) Xujing said: "To keep the shen (spirit) within the body from going outward, let no attachment remain in the mind." In other words, one eliminates desire and clarifies the heart so that right mindfulness remains constant. No disorder arises within, the mind is not stained by external things, and external circumstances are not drawn into the heart. In this way one grows still and gradually enters great stillness (dading), a deep and steady state of samadhi.

When a person's temperament and disposition no longer depend on or cling to anything, the heart becomes like the Great Void (taixu), vast and luminous. At this point the true emptiness and true form (zhenkong shixiang), the real substance that appears once false thoughts are transcended, naturally reveals itself. This is what is meant by using stillness to realize emptiness, and it also shows that the primordial spirit (yuanshen) is the master of Neidan (internal alchemy) practice. But this is not dead emptiness. As the Platform Sutra says, if one regards everything as void and forcibly cuts off thoughts, one will instead be bound by the method itself and fall into bias.

One should, at the root where the body receives its endowed qi, use the Mysterious Gate (xuanguan), the key point in internal cultivation where the foundation of body and mind is observed, to gather the gaze and turn the light inward. Among the six dusts (liuchen), the objects of sensation (form, sound, scent, taste, touch, and mental phenomena), one does not become attached to external things, and one turns the light back to illuminate the interior. With long practice and mature skill, the various thoughts naturally return to emptiness and stillness, and the primordial spirit shines clear and aware on its own.

The Wuzhen Pian says: "If you wish to achieve the nine transformations, you must first refine the self and hold the heart." Refining the self is not empty, deliberate practice. (Jiyizi explains: "Let true qi steam and infuse body and mind, and gradually grow familiar with it as one meets things.")

The Jindan Zhenzhuan says: "If you ask how to refine the self, the cauldron, the qin, and the sword can all be used to refine the self."

Baiyu Chan said, "Cultivating immortality is not itself difficult. What is difficult is to break free from the entanglements of the mundane world and let go of desire." Master Yuyang said, "If one is led by passion and drifts with circumstance, one will ultimately fall into emptiness, gaining nothing. In that case the Dao (the Way) will be hard to attain, the work hard to accomplish, and the karma one has created hard to bear."

The Taishang Huming Jing (Scripture of the Most High for Protecting Life) says, "Form is emptiness, and emptiness does not depart from form. If one understands that emptiness is not nothingness, and that form is not substantially real, this is called zhaoliao (clear illumination and penetrating insight). Only then has one truly grasped the miaoyin (wondrous sound), the subtle principle or the voice of the Dao."

The Taishang Wuchu Jing (Scripture of the Most High on the Five Kitchens) says, "When the single qi (vital breath) is harmonized with taihe (Supreme Harmony), the Dao attained brings peace to all things. True harmony is not achieved by deliberately seeking a particular harmony; the profound principle and the deep realm are connected. Do not use thought to force thought, nor strive deliberately to think of nothing. When the mind responds to things without clinging to them in thought, this is how one should hold to and cultivate it. This is the wondrous sound."

The same Taishang Wuchu Jing further says, "When the single qi is harmonized with taihe (Supreme Harmony), the Dao attained brings peace to all things. True harmony is not achieved by deliberately seeking a particular harmony; the profound principle and the deep realm are connected. Do not use thought to force thought, nor strive deliberately to think of nothing. When the mind responds to things without clinging to them in thought, this is how one should hold to and cultivate it. This is the wondrous sound."

The Qiaoyang Jing (Scripture of Qiaoyang) says, "At the entrance to cultivation, one must first let emotional attachments and external entanglements gradually cease and sweep away all distracting thoughts, and only then begin to apply effort. The removal of distracting thoughts is the first step of zhuji lianji (laying the foundation and refining the self), that is, establishing the base of practice and nurturing and ordering body and mind."

The Changdao Zhenyan (True Words on Chanting the Dao) says, "One must first possess the character of a sage, and only afterward may one carry out the deeds of a sage."

The First Patriarch said, "When external entanglements cease, the inner mind also does not stir. Make the mind as steady as a wall, and only then may one enter the gate of the Dao."

An old song says, "Before refining the huandan (returned elixir), the attainment of neidan (internal alchemy), one must first cultivate xinxing (mind and nature). Before refining the dayao (great medicine), the central object of internal alchemy, one must first nourish the heart-mind."

The Xinyin Jing (Scripture of the Heart Seal) says, "When jing (essence) and shen (spirit) unite, shen and qi (vital energy) unite, and qi unites with the True (zhen). Let the breath circulate and harmonize until it becomes one. After a hundred days, the effects will appear."

Changdao Zhenyan (Authentic Words for Proclaiming the Way) says: Guard the mind through inner stillness, and unite with the Dao (the Way) in a state of emptiness and tranquility. Use intention to operate, but do not deliberately force it; comprehend with the heart, but do not cling to the heart. In motion, follow the vigorous course of Heaven's Dao, yet let this motion arise from stillness. In rest, be like the earth firmly settled, yet let this stillness contain motion. The key to cultivation lies in the "Mysterious Gate, the single aperture" (xuanguan yi qiao, regarded in internal alchemy as the pivotal point of body and mind).

Wugen Shu (The Rootless Tree) says: An old tree can be grafted with young shoots; a plum can be grafted onto a willow, and a mulberry onto a pear. The principle of these transformations through grafting is passed on to those who cultivate the Perfected Way as a point of comparison. Since antiquity, the immortals have had methods of cultivating and grafting, and when a person grows old, there has always been medicine to heal them.

Shangyang Zi says: Remove sensual desire, sever attachment to those one loves dearly, regard wealth lightly, and cultivate virtue (De) with care. These four are the essentials of lianji (refining the self, disciplining one's mind-nature and conduct). Removing sensual desire preserves jing (essence) and qi (vital energy), and thereby one can subdue the dragon and tame the tiger (a metaphor in internal alchemy for taming body and mind). It is not enough merely to keep away from these desires; one must also stop holding them in the mind. In the past, Perfected Liu of Changsheng practiced for three years in Luoyang, and this was refining the self. Ni Wan Weng once indulged in pleasure-seeking amid taverns and brothels, and this too was a means of refining the self. As refinement continues over time, emotions and natural dispositions are gradually winnowed and purified, until one naturally reaches a state beyond which nothing remains to forget, and even "forgetting" is forgotten. Severing attachment to love is necessary because love arises from external circumstances: when one clings to external objects, affection is born, and once affection arises, passionate attachment follows. If one can face external circumstances without clinging, the Six Thieves (the six sense desires that disturb body and mind) will not stir chaos, and the Sovereign Lord (the primordial shen, or spirit, that governs body and mind) can take charge. Only when the mind has been cultivated to this degree may one begin brief periods of practice, entering the state of huanghu yaoming (a subtle, dim state of consciousness that is hard to grasp) and seeking the True Unity of Primordial Qi (an internal alchemy term for the qi innately formed before birth). Otherwise, there is danger.

Maiwang says: The essentials of refining the self are, first, to no longer cling to thoughts of sensual desire, letting them cease naturally; and second, to seek the True Unity of Primordial Qi, for otherwise there is danger.

The Maiwang says: "In cultivating one's nature and mind, the first and most essential step is to let go of attachment to external things, so that one can cut off craving for beauty and sensual pleasure. Second, one must subdue the movements of the heart-mind so as not to be entangled by affection. Third, one must bring Fa (method) and wealth into mutual harmony, and only then can one hope to attain inner joy. Fourth, one must diligently cultivate De (Virtue), and only then will the shenming (spirit powers) grant their protection. Once these four aspects are complete, one must continue to practice without slackening, morning and evening. After three years, when one's skill has matured, one can face external circumstances without the heart being shaken, and the spirit is full and steady, only then may one close oneself in a chamber to cultivate Neidan (internal alchemy) and gather the Xiantian Yiqi (the primordial qi, the vital energy born before heaven)."

If false thoughts are not removed, essence and qi will inevitably be depleted, and the effort to cultivate nature and mind will be hard to make effective. Qi is the essential root of refining the elixir, and it must be harmonized and tamed so that it follows the proper course of circulation. If emotions and temperament are perverse and out of balance, one cannot "play the qin and strike the bamboo" (a metaphor for using internal practice to harmonize body and mind). If the timing and measure of Yin-Yang circulation are disordered, how can one attract the phoenix and the turtle (images in Neidan that symbolize the Yin and Yang essences)? This shows that emotions have not yet returned to their original nature. This naturally disturbs the huohou (the regulation of progress and rhythm in internal alchemy), like a warrior who underestimates the enemy in battle and invites danger and error. How could a Daoist practitioner not rectify the heart, act with sincerity and reverence, and seek the Way with caution?

One's yuanshen (the true spirit of a person) is the master of Dandao (the Way of the elixir). One need only concentrate the spirit and gather the breath, so that the heart-mind and the breath rest together. With the mind both alert and tranquil, one rests at ease and lets things follow their natural course. In this way, the ruler and the minister (metaphors for the yuanshen and the breath as elements of practice) are in accord, and when one applies adjustment at the Mingtang (the central hub of bodily and mental transformation in internal alchemy), the jinqi (metal qi) returns to its original nature, and the cultivation process suffers no harm, whether great or small.

Master Shangyang said: "The gentleman first settles his body and mind, and only then acts; first calms his heart, and only then speaks; first secures his relationships, and only then asks others for something. The sage plans deeply and looks far ahead. For one who cultivates, to be careful in action, speech, and seeking is precisely the important principle the sage has revealed, and the key admonition for self-cultivation. To treasure jing (essence) and nourish qi (vital energy) is to cultivate oneself; to remain unmoved when confronted with external things is to temper oneself; to keep the heart quiet while responding to myriad affairs is to temper oneself; to accumulate virtue and achieve merit is also to temper oneself. One who cultivates neidan (internal alchemy) must first temper the nature of the heart-mind: restraining anger and desire, enduring hardship, and bearing humiliation with humility. Only then, when one enters the quiet chamber to begin the formal practice, can the six sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) and the thoughts of the heart settle. Once the tempering of the heart-mind has become skillful, one must even set down the thoughts that could be forgotten, and only then truly begin the practice. Ordinary people do not understand the importance of tempering the heart-mind, yet they presume that success can be won through a moment's effort alone, and as a result they often fail just short of completion."

Master Shangyang said: "The Tathagata (the Buddha) said that the matter the World-Honored One discussed is very difficult, and indeed it is extremely arduous. If one is even slightly careless and fails to guard against any one of the seven emotions (joy, anger, sorrow, thought, grief, fear, and fright) or the six thieves (the six sensory desires that disturb the spirit and mind), the most pure and precious jing will be lost. How could one dare to take this lightly?"

"When beginning the work, one must first remove the three corpses (sanshi, spirits in Daoist belief that give rise to desires and harm body and mind) and the six thieves. Only after tempering the heart until it is like the vast void, and the six roots (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) are pure, may one enter the quiet chamber to cultivate the great elixir (the condensed state of jing, qi, and shen sought in neidan practice)."

"As for the method of cultivating the returning elixir (the process in neidan practice by which jing, qi, and shen condense and return to their origin), the actual practice is not in fact very difficult. The most difficult part is tempering the heart-mind."

"The sage was concerned that later people would not temper themselves well. Therefore, when the moment arrives and one stands at the furnace to refine the elixir, although only a brief effort is needed, one may fail to obtain a single grain of the precious treasure and instead fall into danger and distress. Those who practice should first thoroughly study and put into practice the work of tempering the heart-mind."

"Let stray thoughts and desires gradually recede, and let the will be invigorated; work diligently while not being drawn along by external circumstances."

Bai Yuchan, in his Commentary on the Zhixuan Piān (Zhixuan Pian Zhu), said: "When refining the medicine, keep every thought fixed on the work of cultivation, hold to a Dao-heart as firm as iron, do not be moved by worldly circumstances, and do not be clouded by lust."

Lu Ziye said: "If one acts merely on a passing whim, once the enthusiasm fades, one will forget the hardships endured in the past and delay the great matter of one's whole life."

Patriarch Chongyang said: "The body is still, the heart is at leisure and settled, not drawn along by external things, and not clouded by lust."

Master Lu Ziye said, "If one acts only on a passing impulse, and in the height of enthusiasm forgets the daily hardship of practice, one will in the end squander the great matter of a lifetime."

Patriarch Chongyang (Wang Chongyang) said, "Only when the body and mind are still and the heart is at ease can one perceive the subtle wonders within."

Patriarch Chongyang also said, "Set the cauldron and furnace in order without delay, and pure yang qi will naturally begin to rise. When the Earth Gate (dihu, the orifice in the lower body) closes, the bones and body settle with it. The Heavenly Pass (tianguan, the orifice in the upper body) gradually gathers strength and opens of its own accord."

Shao Yong (Master Shao) said, "Moonlight enters the embrace, and the shadows of the paulownia leaves sway; the wind between the willows reaches the face." He also said, "When the moon climbs to the center of the heavens and a clear breeze passes over the water, such quiet, secluded flavor is, I suppose, understood by very few."

The Jindan Jiyao (Essentials of the Golden Elixir) says, "Gather the mind into Guizhong (the centered state in internal alchemy, or neidan, in which the spirit returns to equilibrium), and set down all worldly attachments. Close the four gates (the portals through which the senses and the mind scatter outward), and turn the two eyes inward to observe."

The Maiwang says, "To nurture the nature and settle the spirit, one must rely on the Xuanpin (the mysterious female, the Daoist term for the profound source from which all things are born) to establish the foundation. To cherish jing (essence) and qi, one must rely on the medicinals (the internal alchemy term for the objects of cultivation such as jing and qi) to consolidate the root. In laying the foundation, one must continually take in qi, gather the medicine and refine the self (collecting essence and qi and tempering the mind), and then one can cook mercury and form cinnabar. In this way the root is full, body and mind are settled, and inside and outside are still and unmoving. The key to refining the self lies in making emotion and intent the master. Govern the self within and without so that firmness and yielding complement each other. Sustain this for three years without interruption, and the bone-qi transforms into golden essence, while the skin becomes warm and jade-like. Only then has the inner medicine congealed, and one may join with qian and kun (heaven and earth, yin and yang), obtain jinqing (the pure, unified true feeling spoken of in internal alchemy), and carry out the work of the returning elixir. This is what the Wuzhen Pian (Understanding Reality) means by 'When the people are at peace and the state is wealthy, only then seek battle.'"

Entering the chamber to lay the foundation is the great karmic occasion of the cultivator. One honors the master as one would a ruler of ten thousand chariots, likens the practice chamber to the nine-tiered palace gates, and likens the fire-timing formulas and tokens to commands, so that every detail is handled with care and precision. Entering the chamber to gather the medicine calls for restraint in speech, yet in cultivation what responds in one place resonates in another. Without oral transmission from a teacher, how could one obtain the true method of the great medicine? The crux lies only in whether the words are spoken appropriately.

Why must one first refine one's mind-nature to perfect purity before gathering the medicinal substances (yao)? Because when the mind (xin) stirs, shen (Spirit) cannot enter into Qi (vital energy), and when the body moves, Qi cannot return to shen. For this reason, Master Qiu taught that cultivation must begin with inner work, fully setting aside worldly affairs so that shen and Qi can be unified.

The "chanting of the dragon and roaring of the tiger" (longyin huxiao) appears when the yin and yang lines move and the "elixir head" (dantou, the root of the medicinal substances in internal alchemy, neidan) come together. These sounds already arise before the Golden Elixir (jindan) is formed; they do not wait until its completion. Thus the Awakening to Reality (Wuzhen Pian) says: "When the moon has just shown half its brightness at the edge of the sky, the chanting of the dragon and roaring of the tiger have already begun." The wonder lies in the single character "already" (zao).

Shangyangzi said: "The method of laying the foundation (zhuji) is to first prepare the altar ground (tanshan, the site used for sacrifice or practice) and first gather the medicinal substances. Once they are obtained, let their coming and going be connected, and only then begin the work of refining the self (lianji), which means disciplining one's nature and gathering one's thoughts."

"The first stage of the initial pass is when a gentle, warm Qi spreads and circulates, and a faint warmth penetrates throughout; this is the initial sign. The second stage of the middle pass is when the breath circulates around the dan furnace (danlu, the site of refinement in internal alchemy), regulated by intention to open the passages and paths. It is neither hurried nor indulgent, so that the breath is distributed in harmony and its light turns inward. It gradually sinks deeper and lengthens day by day; this is the sign of the second stage."

"The third stage of the lower pass is explained through the changes of the Influence hexagram (Xian, Hexagram 31). On the second day, the yielding Qi rises and the firm Qi descends, and the two Qi respond to and unite with each other. Stillness brings joy: yang moves and rests below, yin is still and rests above, and therefore there is penetration and it is beneficial to remain upright. The metal Qi (jin qi, the essence condensed during cultivation) join one another; the small departs and the great arrives, and yin and yang thereby interchange. This is the sign of the third stage."

The Three Corpses (sanshi, the inner desires and turbid Qi said to dwell in the body and obstruct cultivation) all arise from the transformation of the physical nature (qizhi zhi xing). Refining the self can only subdue and restrain them. To eliminate them completely, one must obtain the medicinal substances, for only when the original nature returns fully to purity will the Three Corpses all be destroyed.

Peng Helin said: "Before one reaches the cultivation of neidan (internal alchemy) and attains immortality, it is indeed possible to prolong life by first working to strengthen the body. As for whether anyone can ascend to heaven and become an immortal, soaring like a white crane into the clouds, that is hard to predict. Those who study the Dao first follow the methods of houtian (acquired cultivation), circulating qi and gathering medicinal substances so that the body grows strong and life is extended. The results are real and immediate, responding like an echo when one calls out in a valley. Afterward, one gathers the great medicine of xiantian (prenatal, or primordial, cultivation). Because it begins with what is closest to oneself, it is comparatively easy to verify. One need only prepare the conditions the practice requires and wait for the right moment."

The Maiwang said: "When one first closes the door and enters the chamber to practice, the work is youwei gongfu (purposive effort). The Cantong Qi (Kinship of the Three Chapters) says, "kǎi shū bù bǎo." Kai means delight, shu means ease and smoothness, and bu bao means not begrudging one's possessions. Only by following one's own inclinations can emotion return to nature. Among the essentials of practice, the most vital is the handle of the Dipper, which the Cantong Qi calls the "essential handle of the Dao" (yaodao kuibing). Wherever the handle of the Northern Dipper points, the qi stirs in response. The regulation of fire and the retreat of the talisman (jinhuo tuifu, the methods of adjusting fire timing and the advance and retreat of breath in internal alchemy) must follow the zi and wu positions of the doujian (the seasonal orientation fixed by the direction of the Dipper's handle). This governs the movement of yin and yang throughout the body and directs the transformations of the whole person, just as a net needs its cords and a garment needs its buttons. When the signs of the hexagrams and lines stir within the body, one must act at once. At this moment good fortune and misfortune, regret and error may arise in the most subtle details, so one must be reverent and cautious."

In neidan practice, using metal to fell wood and water to subdue fire are both ways of borrowing natural transformations and applying the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) in reverse. The saying "wǔ wěi cuò shùn, bù xiāng kè ér xiāng liàn" means that the movements of the Five Phases sometimes cross and sometimes run in sequence, so that they no longer overcome one another but instead cling to one another.

Alas! A person's body is like a tree without roots, sustained only by breath. A hundred years pass in the blink of an eye, like a dream. The breath one exhales may not be drawn in again, and no one can guarantee that tomorrow will come. If we squander our years and suddenly grow old and die, the body's parts will scatter, and the four elements that make up the body (earth, water, fire, and wind, or "si da") will separate as well. The spirit and soul will be lost, drifting to various places, not knowing what kind of body it will receive in its next life. Thus one turns through birth and death again and again without end, yet people remain deluded, unawakened, and lazy about practice. Since we have now arrived at the precious mountain of Dao cultivation, we must not leave empty-handed. If we reach old age, sickness, and death with nothing gained, we will have wasted our journey through this world. Everyone should strive with all their strength and resolve to cultivate. An old saying goes: "Work hard and diligently cultivate for two or three years, and you may rest at ease for thousands upon thousands of kalpas (jie)."

From now on, gather in body and mind and focus on cultivation without letting thoughts wander. Keep your eyes from looking outward and your ears from listening outward. Moderate your diet, reduce sleep, stop idle talk, and calm stray thoughts. Build a simple hut of thatch and do not seek comfort. Cook rice to satisfy hunger and do not be particular about its quality. Like the cicada that drinks dew, let the body become naturally light and clear. Like the tortoise that absorbs sunlight, let your lifespan be extended. If you can eat pine seeds and cypress seeds, wear a bamboo hat and a straw cloak, and sleep beneath cliffs among the clouds and drink water before caves, this too is life within a Daoist practitioner's home. If you do not yet have the capacity for such practice, you may at least, for the time being, emulate the worthy ancients. If you neglect even this, then you lack this blessing.

Morning and evening, gather and refine. Train daily and nurture constantly. Like a dragon guarding its pearl, or a hen warming her eggs, keep working without interruption so that the fire timing (huohou) links into one unbroken whole. In this way, until "zi mu" meet, a term in Neidan (internal alchemy) for the corresponding inner states that arise during the cultivation process, how could one not be delighted?

The Baopuzi (by Ge Hong) says: "Life is worth cherishing, and death is to be feared. To extend one's years and nourish body and mind, diligent effort is the beginning, and only sustained persistence brings results. Once one has succeeded in cultivating the Dao (the Way), there is nothing particular left to do; until then, effort is required everywhere. In refining the important elixirs, one must at first spend money, and the necessary expenses cannot all be gathered at once. When beginning the refinement, one should observe purification, quiet body and mind, cut off worldly affairs, visualize the spirits and concentrate on a single thought, and keep away from evil and protect oneself. Such practice should be as focused as a ruler governing a state or a general meeting an enemy army, and only then is success to be hoped for."

The Baopuzi also says: "One should keep the essential qi (jing qi) stable and the spirit (shen) settled, preserving and guarding the primordial qi (yuanqi), the root vital breath of the body. One should often inhale through the nose when the vital energy is at its fullest. When people swallow their breath and the throat makes a sound, this is not embryonic breathing (taixi, a Daoist breath-regulation method characterized by breath so subtle that it seems to resemble a fetus breathing in its mother's womb)."

The Baopuzi says: When one practices daoyin (guiding and pulling, the stretching of limbs and loosening of joints to nourish the body), the joints of the bones make sounds. When the movements are large, the sounds are loud; when they are small, the sounds are soft. This is because the sinews and bones are being stretched and the breath flows smoothly. Daoyin can treat illnesses before they manifest and clear breath that has become obstructed. When the body moves, the breath circulates through all the joints; when it remains still for a long time, the qi and blood within the body easily congeal. Therefore, daoyin is an essential principle of nourishing life and a profound method for dispelling illness.

The Baopuzi says: When circulating qi, one should choose the hours when qi is abundant and avoid practicing during the hours when qi is weak.

The Baopuzi says: The essentials of circulating qi are to eat little raw vegetables and rich, greasy, or savory foods. Otherwise the qi within the body becomes too strong and difficult to gather and store. One should also refrain from anger, since frequent rage disturbs the qi-breath so that it cannot bring benefit and may even provoke coughing.

The Patriarch Lü (Lü Zu) says in his "Song of Gathering Gold" (Caijin Ge): Reduce sour and salty flavors and, in ordinary times, eat light, plain foods. Also attend carefully to regulation so that the huangpo (the "Yellow Matron," a symbolic term in inner alchemy for harmonizing and mediating yin and yang) can take effect.

The Tianxian Zhengli (Principles of the Celestial Immortal) says: Diet should favor clean, tender tea and simple, light meals. Regulating one's diet so that body and breath become settled is something easily accomplished.

A Daoist text says: Those who wish to live long should keep their intestines and stomach clean. Those who wish to live forever should not allow filth and stagnation to remain in the intestines and stomach.

The Baopuzi says: Grass-eating animals are swift runners but dull-witted; meat-eating animals are powerful but fierce by nature; grain-eating people are clever but find it difficult to live long. Those who ingest qi-breath, however, can penetrate the realm of spirits and live forever.

Patriarch Danyang says: A light diet nourishes qi, and removing anger nourishes nature. When a single thought arises, the qi scatters along with the mind's intent. Essence (jing) is also depleted along with the qi, and the spirit (shen) disperses with it. Therefore, one must first restrain anger before speaking of moderating desire.

The Correct Principles of the Celestial Immortal (Tianxian Zhengli) teaches that one should give up craving rich flavors, meat, and pungent foods, and devote oneself wholeheartedly to a vegetarian diet, following the instructions of Yuanshi Tianzun (Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning) in the Forty-Nine Chapter Scripture. Purification fasting is the foundation of cultivating the Dao and the bridge to Daoist methods. Those who wish to cultivate the Dao should keep their diet pure and observe the precepts with reverence. If beings abandon pure fasting, indulge in meat and strong-smelling foods, and break the precepts, they are like hungry ghosts devouring corpses.

Zhang Sanfeng's poem says that when qi and blood decline, one should seek to nourish and restore them. An enlightened teacher personally transmits the oral formula: constantly swallow the Huachi Yuye (Jade Liquor of the Flowery Pool), the Daoist internal alchemy term for the saliva in the mouth, and let it descend slowly, like the nectar of a peach orchard. Dispel anxious thoughts and forget distracting notions, keeping a heart as pure as an infant's. Reduce desire and private intention so that a resolute cultivation becomes evident. Warming the essence and qi in the Dantian (energy center), one can restore a youthful complexion, so that even an old person with white hair seems to return to childhood.

Although the body and spirit seem separate, the spirit can still communicate with the body, and the principle behind this is very subtle. When the mind and body are upright and one follows the proper method, form and spirit respond to each other. Set up the furnace and cauldron (a metaphor in internal alchemy for the conditions within body and mind that refine essence and qi), and search for the true seed. Facing external things without being swayed by desire, one recognizes one's original home. Hold the dragon's head, gather the purple mist, and suddenly open the tiger's tail so that golden light appears. Swallow a single point of true lead (an internal alchemy term for the essence obtained through refinement) into the abdomen, and all things will be brightened and life will be lengthened.

Firmly guarding the yin essence (the essence of the human body in internal alchemy) is the building of the foundation (zhuji, establishing the groundwork of practice), and the true spirit always accompanies qi. When body and mind are untouched by external things, they become especially tranquil. When all myriad thoughts are set down, only the original mind remains clear and bright. Evil thoughts and outside disturbances cannot enter the inner realm, and the one who cultivates remains cautious all day, as if facing a stern teacher. When thirsty, drink the Changsheng Jiu (Elixir of Long Life, a metaphor for the inner fluids or nourishing drink of cultivation), and each day feel content and intoxicated, as if drunk.

Since the chaotic opening was pierced, one has recognized the furnace of Heaven and Earth's creation. There is no need to deliberately apply effort to harmonize the water and fire (internal alchemy terms for regulating the yin and yang within the body), and spiritual qi naturally enters the skin. In the morning, the yellow crane hides in the golden cave; at night, the silver toad enters the jade vase. These images of sun and moon describe the movement of yin and yang within the body. To understand where the Golden Elixir (jindan) truly lies, one should begin cultivating from the source that existed before birth.

The Yellow Matron (Huangpo), the mediator who harmonizes and connects Yin and Yang in internal alchemy (neidan), is asked to arrange the match, so that the work of creation can begin from nothing and be refined through steady effort. The Maiden (Chanü), representing the Yin side, waits patiently and draws in the Lord (Langjun), representing the Yang side, who has been away. The two sites they indicate are connected without obstruction, yet the Yellow Matron must still remain in the middle to harmonize them, so that they meet without separating. Yin and Yang blend in accord, life flows without end, and the result is a completed internal alchemical achievement called the Sacred Embryo (Shengtai).

The Zhixuan pian (Essay on Pointing to the Mysterious) says: the Heavenly Secret is not lightly revealed, and ordinary people find it hard to know; gathering these secrets, I have written them into verse. Like joins with like to forge a sword as sharp as a ghost or spirit; it is also like two people sharing a bed, raising a ladder to the heavens. Cultivation must be guided by a teacher before one can rise above the mundane, and the "Dragon" must also couple with the "Dragon" before it can leave behind defilement. Do not be surprised that I explain the Heavenly Secret so plainly; I only wish to lead people out of their confusion.

The Dingqi ge (Song of the Cauldron and Vessel) says: when the mind is pure, still, and empty like space, one may approach the furnace for practice without going astray. Without error, the furnace may be set in place; when harmonizing the breath within the cauldron, one must not be careless or hasty. Here the "furnace" and "cauldron" are symbolic expressions of internal alchemical practice.

The Huanghe fu (Rhapsody of the Yellow Crane) says: the beginning of the Dao's arts may appear to enter a crooked path, yet in truth it accords with the Right Way. The use of the fire timing (huohou) is like the military principle of winning by surprise.

Patriarch Ma's Huandan ge (Song of the Returning Elixir) says: cut off desire and craving, and harmonize the "Dragon and Tiger," the two forces of Yin and Yang in internal alchemy; dispel distracting thoughts and forget cleverness, and the "Phoenix-Unicorn" (fenglin), a symbol of the marvelous thing produced by internal cultivation, will be conceived.

The Shangyao lingjing (Realm of the Superior Medicine) says: when the new moon is seen, the Jade Field (a symbol of the body's region where essence and qi are nurtured) begins to stir; when the Supreme Harmony of the Primal Qi surges, it reaches straight to the sea.

The Dadao ge (Song of the Great Dao) says: the fire timing of refining the elixir must be carefully discerned; first gather the Postnatal Qi, so that the period of practice may be prolonged.

The Shangyao lingjing also says: when the new moon is seen, the Jade Field begins to stir; when the Supreme Harmony of the Primal Qi surges, it reaches straight to the sea.

The Dadao ge also says: the fire timing of refining the elixir must be carefully discerned; first gather the Postnatal Qi, so that the period of practice may be prolonged.

It also says: build a firm foundation for practice, refine and nourish the mind-nature, and only then gather the Postnatal Qi.

The Zhonghe ji (Collection of Centrality and Harmony) says: it is as if one sees the stirring of spring in a cold valley, and a kindly face appears before one's eyes.

Patriarch Xu's Zuisixian ge (Song of Drunken Contemplation of the Immortals) says: morning and evening, one longs for the Great Dao and the Perfected Immortals, secretly accumulates good deeds and virtue so that the myriad spirits are at peace; by matching the true qi within with the breath, natural transformation can restore youthfulness to one's countenance.

Patriarch Xu, in the Songsha Ji (Record of Songsha), says: "Since I began cultivating the Dao, I have come to understand that qi arts (qishu) are the foundation of practice and that accumulating yin virtue (yin de) is the first priority. At the outset one should give widely in charity and accumulate merit, first practice the method of circulating Qi (xingqi), and only then cultivate the Neidan (Internal Alchemy) methods that seek longevity through inward observation. Once qigong has been perfected, one may proceed further to refine the Great Medicine (dayao)."

In the Zhonghuang Bazhu Jing (Scripture of the Eight Pillars of the Central Yellow), Patriarch Xu says: "When movement returns to stillness, Qi (the pre-heaven Qi) gathers, and the spirit and intention settle until they seem utterly silent. When stillness gives rise to movement, 'shi' (a character that appears garbled in the source) embraces the Qi and appears empty and free of attachment. Returning to the Sanwu zhi she (the Dwelling of the Three Non-Things, the state of pure stillness and non-action), the Yuanshen (Primal Spirit) can become transparent and clear. Returning to the Jiuhou (the Nine Afterwards), one then cultivates the Great Medicine."

The same scripture says again: "When movement returns to stillness, Qi gathers, and the spirit and intention settle until they seem utterly silent. When stillness gives rise to movement, 'shi' embraces the Qi and appears empty and free of attachment. Returning to the Dwelling of the Three Non-Things, the Primal Spirit becomes transparent and clear. Returning to the Jiuyou zhi xu (the Realm of the Nine Existences, the place where all myriad things return to their source), the zhenxi (the true breath, the subtle and natural breathing spoken of in inner alchemy) becomes profound and subtle."

Patriarch Xu's Jingming Sigui Mingjian Jing (Scripture of the Four Precepts of Jingming) says: "Gather the mind and intention so that they return to oneself; gather one's thoughts so that they return to the right path. Qi rises and circulates, the spirit and intention open and grow bright, and the visions seen are light and drifting. Spirit meets spirit, and the spirit naturally appears; Qi leads Qi, and the Qi then emerges from the vast void (taikong). Dwelling within the great void, one's blessings appear clearly and do not waver. Not wavering means the nature is settled. Once the nature is harmonized, talismans (fulu) and elixirs are merely tools of cultivation and may be set aside."

The commentary in the Xiaoyao Shan Zhi (Gazetteer of Xiaoyao Mountain) says: "Grasping the essence of the sun, one can cause the yang Qi to arise anew and accord with the mysterious workings of all things. Grasping the essence of the moon, one can cause the yin Qi within the primal Qi (yuanqi) to gradually grow and accord with the subtle essence of all things. Grasping the essence of the Northern Dipper, one can cause the mysterious Qi (xuanqi) to spread and transform, unite the light of sun and moon, and accord with the Qi of all things."

The Qi (the Tally) says: "Investigate emotion and nature, and cause them to transform and join one another." It also says: "Where metal and water meet, wood and fire keep each other company. The four merge into one and are arranged as the image of dragon and tiger joined together."

The Qi says again: "Investigate emotion and nature, and cause them to transform and join one another." It also says: "Where metal and water meet, wood and fire keep each other company. The four merge into one and are arranged as dragon and tiger."

The Qi (The Pact) says: "When the qi of Li (the trigram symbolizing the fire of the heart) is drawn into the yingwei (the qi and blood that circulate within and without the body), Kan (the trigram symbolizing the water of the kidneys) no longer relies on the keenness of the ears and eyes. Dui (the trigram) unites in harmony without relying on speech. Speak little and accord with the primordial, undifferentiated qi of Hongmeng. Once these three essentials are grasped, relax the body and dwell in an empty, quiet chamber. Entrust the mind to emptiness and often be free of arising thoughts."

The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: "Why not take in the Taihe (Supreme Harmony) essence? In this way one can live long without dying and enter a realm of stillness and peace.

"When the two spirits of Yin and Yang meet, they transform into jade fluid. It is pale and tasteless, yet it is the most refined substance that celestial beings consume.

"Even after one hundred and twenty years, there is still a chance to restore vitality. Beyond that limit, it is indeed very difficult to keep to the Dao. Only after refining the Nine-Turn Eight-Jade Elixir (an elixir refined through repeated cycles) can one draw on the essence of sun and moon to rescue a body worn down by age and frailty.

"Regulate the six fu (the six kinds of visceral organs in the body) so that they are as clean as undyed silk. Emptiness and naturalness are the root of the Dao. When all things follow their own nature, affairs need not be troublesome. Hanging the robes and folding the hands, ruling through wuwei (non-action), the body also finds peace. The place of emptiness and stillness lies within the curtains."

"Discard excessive desires and focus on guarding the jing (essence). In this way one can nourish body and mind and govern the cuntian chichen (the 'inch-field, foot-dwelling,' a Daoist metaphor for the site of cultivation within the body)."

"Seal the passages through which jing leaks out, and one can prolong life."

"The essentials of longevity depend critically on the practice of the bedchamber." Shangyang Zi said: "Although this method is related to the bedchamber, it is not a technique for controlling women."

Lü Zu said: "Preserve the jing to nourish the root, and cultivate the yuanqi (original qi) to nurture the shen (spirit). The true method lies in this, and there is no other true method beyond it."

The Maiwang (Pulse Gazing) says: "At the very beginning, when first setting the foundation for cultivation, one must first stay far from all kinds of deluded thoughts and from the techniques of intercourse with women."