《靈寶無量度人上經大法》Vol. 24

The Chapter on Exhaling and Inhaling the Pure Qi

The scripture says, “Draw in Qi thirty-two times.” It also says, “With the jade-toned sound, gather and draw in the breath of Qi, so that the wondrous wind of the spirit converges and auspicious signs flourish amid the Purple Void, assisting and protecting the myriad immortals.”

The Mysterious Master says: The pure Qi of Lingbao is the Dao Qi that is genuinely pure among the thirty-two heavens. If one does not gather this Qi for cultivation, internal practice has no foundation on which to succeed. And when one performs arts outwardly, they will bring neither resonance nor results. In that case, cultivating the Dao becomes an empty undertaking, and reciting the sacred writings of Lingbao is merely a futile act.

Here, “exhaling and inhaling” means breathing out the old and drawing in the new. “Gathering Qi” means gathering the breaths of Qi from Heaven and Earth according to a method, for the purpose of cultivation.

The Qi of the Eight Eastern Heavens

The Qi of Taihuang Huangzeng Heaven is yellow; that of Taiming Yuwan Heaven is green; that of Qingming Hetong Heaven is blue; that of Xuantai Pingyu Heaven is red; that of Yuanming Wenju Heaven is azure; that of Shangming Qiyao Moyi Heaven is black; that of Xuwu Yueheng Heaven is black; and that of Taiji Mengyi Heaven is purple.

The Mysterious Master says: Perform the Dipper Steps corresponding to the seven lunar mansions Dou, Niu, Nü, Xu, Wei, Shi, and Bi—the steps traced according to the positions of the stars—and gather Qi according to the color of each heaven. Then the Lords of the Eight Heavens will send perfected immortals to guard the practitioner, enabling them to perceive the affairs of the Eight Heavens and travel without obstruction wherever they go.

The Qi of the Eight Southern Heavens

The Qi of Chiming Heyang Heaven is white; that of Xuanming Gonghua Heaven is green; that of Yaoming Zongpiao Heaven is yellow; that of Zhuluo Huangjia Heaven is blue; that of Xuming Tangyao Heaven is red; that of Gu anming Duanjing Heaven is azure; that of Xuanming Gongqing Heaven is black; and that of Taihuan Jiyao Heaven is jade green.

The Mysterious Master says: Perform the Dipper Steps corresponding to the seven lunar mansions Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, and Ji, and gather Qi according to the color of each heaven. Then the Lords of the Eight Heavens will send perfected immortals to guard the practitioner, enabling them to perceive the affairs of the Eight Heavens and travel without obstruction wherever they go.

The Qi of the Eight Western Heavens

The Qi of Yuanzai Kongsheng Heaven is purple; that of Tai’an Huangya Heaven is white; that of Xianding Jifeng Heaven is yellow; that of Shihuang Xiaomang Heaven is green; that of Taihuang Wengzhong Fuyong Heaven is blue; that of Wusi Jiangyou Heaven is red; that of Shangdie Ruanle Heaven is azure; and that of Wuji Tanshi Heaven is black.

The Mysterious Master says: Perform the Dipper Steps corresponding to the seven lunar mansions Jing, Gui, Liu, Xing, Zhang, Yi, and Zhen, and gather Qi according to the color of each heaven. Then the Lords of the Eight Heavens will send perfected immortals to guard the practitioner, enabling them to perceive the affairs of the Eight Heavens and travel without obstruction wherever they go.

The Qi of the Eight Northern Heavens

The Qi of Haoting Xiaodu Heaven is jade green; that of Yuantong Yuandong Heaven is purple; that of Taiwen Han…

The Heavenly Realm of Chongmiao Cheng presents qi of white; the Heaven of Taisu Xiule Jin presents qi of yellow; the Heaven of Taixu Wushang Changrong presents qi of green; the Heaven of Taishi Yulong Tengsheng presents qi of blue-green; the Heaven of Longbian Fandu presents qi of red; and the Heaven of Taiji Pingyu Jiayi presents qi of blue-gray.

The Master of Mystery said: Perform the star-stepping patterns corresponding to Kui, Lou, Wei, Mao, Bi, Zui, and Shen—the steps follow the positions of these stars—and select the corresponding qi according to the color of each heaven. The lords of the Eight Heavens will then send Perfected Immortals to attend and protect you, enabling you to discern affairs within the Eight Heavens and travel without obstruction.

The Master of Mystery said: First click your teeth nine times, then enter through the Gate of Heaven. Guide the qi of the Upper Origin along the celestial pathways, extending it to the position of the corresponding star, and then perform the steps in sequence. Visualize the First Heaven as a golden tower and jade palace, with the Heavenly Emperor seated within, dressed in the color of that heaven. The emperor exhales the qi of that heaven from his mouth; it flows like fine threads and spreads densely through the practitioner’s mouth. In each instance, follow the number prescribed for that place. Whenever you have a petition to present, silently speak it within the qi governed by the emperor, then wait quietly for a response and communion.

The Dipper’s star-stepping patterns in the Four-Directional Brahma Heavens must also be selected according to the dates governed by the stars. When absorbing qi, perform as well the diagrams and star-stepping patterns of the Four Heavens. The relevant diagrams and star-stepping patterns are described later.

[Diagram missing]

The scripture says: Within the true Dao are spirits named the Great Lord of Longevity, the Young Master Wuying, the Venerable Spirit Baiyuan, Taiyi the Director of Destiny, Taokang, and Heyan.

The Master of Mystery said: These two chapters explain the Dao of the Great Cavern. The Nine Perfected Ones Central Scripture in the Prohibited Scriptures of the Highest Dao says that the Great Lord of Longevity can transform into the myriad spirits. When a person is born, qi descends from Taiwei, and the person begins to take shape. After birth, the body contains thirty-six thousand spirits. When a person’s lifespan reaches thirty-six thousand days, the spirits return to Taiwei. This is called “ghost”; “ghost” means “return.”

Those who, through wrongdoing, deplete their qi and cast away their spirits bring death upon themselves. They die prematurely, before completing their natural lifespan. Infants die young because their spirits are incomplete; when the spirits are incomplete, the body is not firmly established. A minor offense takes away one count, and the Northern Dipper reclaims three days’ worth of spirit. A major evil act shortens one’s life by a year and removes three hundred and sixty portions of spirit qi. A small good deed adds one count, extending life by three days and increasing spirit qi. A great achievement adds a year of life, prolonging one’s lifespan and bringing blessings. This is why lifespan and spirit qi may increase or diminish.

The seven spirits mentioned above are the Northern Dipper’s Yin spirits, also called “Xuandan Taiyi,” and are described in the prohibited scriptures of the Highest Dao. Whoever understands these principles can increase spirit qi, prolong life, and endure through myriad kalpas.

The Venerable Origin’s Hymn of Longevity says:

In the center of Heaven, the celestial realm, is the Northern Dipper, which governs people’s souls and the Mysterious Elixir, the subtle elixir within the body. The Seven Yin Spirits of Taiyi hold sacred banners that summon and gather spirits. They command the hundred spirits, judge good and evil, and increase or reduce a person’s lifespan: each good deed adds one count of life; each evil deed subtracts three days. Removing one count subtracts a year. Three hundred and sixty counts make one stop, though the precise meaning of “stop” here is unclear.

If someone understands this way of transformation, the Seven Spirits will ascend to the Mysterious Heaven and open the seven gates. The three souls dance joyfully and unite as one; the hundred spirits rejoice, each returning to its proper place. How can one attain this Way? When the fire of the Primordial Valley, the body’s fundamental valley, rises, the Seven Spirits enter the Dipper directly and open the Mysterious Pass. Bowing and striking the ground again and again, one connects with Heaven and Earth. The primordial Qi turns back, evil and disorder are removed, one’s name is erased from the register of the dead, and lifespan is extended so that life is preserved.

At this level of cultivation, one can multiply into countless forms, or revive a withered and decayed body to become a celestial immortal. Inwardly and outwardly, all is still; all things are forgotten. The monkey mind and restless horse come to rest, and Yin Qi returns to Yang Qi. This Daoist method is secret and not to be passed on lightly. Guard it through countless eons, and you can endure forever. If this method is engraved on a golden tablet and your name is presented in a memorial to the Three Heavens, the three celestial realms of Daoism, then to disclose it recklessly is to be confined forever at the source of the River. Simply keep your mind steadfast as stone. After a hundred days, spirit and Qi will be complete, and the root of life will awaken anew.

The Chapter on Flying Mysterious Purple Qi

The Mysterious Master said: At the foundation of the Thirty-Two Heavens lies the Western Primordial Tortoise Mountain’s Primordial Register. It records the cinnabar-yellow Flying Mysterious Purple Writ, also known as the Numinous Chapters of the Empty Cavern. The Demon King of the Realm of Form said, “I possess the Cavern Chapters,” referring precisely to this scripture.

Flying Mysterious Purple Qi gathers spirit and Qi and forms the fundamental order. It binds together the Jade Numinous and commands all the spirits. The air is thick with numinous Qi, which gathers of itself. Above it are twelve tiers of ascending terraces; jade towers rise high, gleaming as clouds drift by. Purple palaces connect to the golden Xuanyuan, while halls of jade shine brilliantly and encircle the eight directions.

Within them is the Ninefold Numinous Elixir of Green Gold. The True Mother of the Cinnabar Emperor is named Jingyan. She wears a flying blue-green feather robe and a crown of Morning Infants, holds a jade tablet, and grips a sacred banner. The Demons of the Five Colors of Fate stand in attendance before the Emperor. She administers the talisman registers and guards the Gate of Life. The cultivator chews the essence of the sun, swallows the radiance of the moon, and absorbs sweet dew. Scattered in ordered array, they then emit radiance to refine and nourish the five souls. The inner body becomes full and the outer Qi abundant; the Crimson Palace, the body’s palace of spirit and Qi, rejoices. Golden light shines, and the body becomes upright and complete.

Begin cultivating on the first day of the month, and the golden color will gradually become pure. Only those who understand these words can, when the essences of the sun, moon, and Five Phases unite with the original source, see the Flower Canopy and receive the command of the Immortal Lord. Purple Qi circles to the left and joins the Northern Dipper. After four sevens, twenty-eight days, it enters the Golden Gate. This is the moment when the Cinnabar Emperor reviews the registers of all the immortals.

If you understand this secret method, you should cultivate with twice the diligence: drape your robe around you, sit quietly, and focus your mind in silent contemplation, allowing spirit and Qi to continually transform. Through communion with the wondrous vision, you can obtain the essential instructions. Guard this practice for three years, and you can preserve the Dao body and endure for a long time. After nine years, you can ride through the air and receive a feathered robe. The phoenix robe flutters lightly as you rise to Dragon Mountain; in a moment, you pay homage to the Nine Numinous Ones and bow before Yuchen, a revered deity of Heaven.

To practice this method, reckon the year as twelve months. On the third, fifth, ninth, fifteenth, and twenty-fifth day of each month, observe a purification fast once—purifying body and mind and abstaining from meat and other foods—and recite the Mysterious Text once. After midnight, face the place in the west where the Golden Gate, a celestial portal mentioned in the scripture, is said to be, and gaze upward. If the sky is overcast and no light is visible, sit indoors and recite silently, visualizing the scene according to the method: purple clouds rise to the left of the Golden Gate, pass through the lunar mansions of the Basket and the Dipper, circle the Northern Dipper, and return above the Golden Gate. Make the visualization vivid and distinct.

When you have finished, bow four times toward the purple clouds, click your teeth three times, then lie on your back and pray:

“The sky is clear and bright; the deep, empty heavens open to the true Dao. True Qi flows, and golden radiance spreads in every direction. The Elixir Emperor, a Daoist divine title, scatters his light; spirit officials ride cloud chariots through the sky. Tonight I set out the ritual offerings and, with azure gold—a precious substance symbolizing the immortals in Daoist ritual—receive the immortal Dao and fulfill my highest aspiration. May my body accord with nature, my life join with the light of the moon, and my primordial Qi be firmly rooted like the sun. May the three spiritual powers within me unite and appear, and may the radiant vision remain on Dragon Mountain. In the stillness of deep night, I respectfully offer this prayer.”

After the prayer, inhale the purple Qi through the nose and swallow it twenty-eight times. Practice in this way for three years, and an immortal will come to the practitioner’s sleeping chamber. Purple clouds and radiance will shine upon and surround the practitioner, whose name will also be entered in the registers of the Nine Heavens. Persevere for nine years, and you will surely become an immortal.

The Mysterious Master said: “The purple-cloud Qi in heaven corresponds to the sun and moon, the five forms of radiance, and the Northern Dipper. In every direction and land there are people who have attained the Dao and rulers who have become immortals. When practitioners understand these signs, they will naturally see the corresponding visions. Once they see the purple clouds, they should perform the bows and prayers described in the scripture, without being bound to the prescribed dates. If they devote themselves to diligent practice, they will eventually evoke the descent of the purple clouds and gain the opportunity to ascend and become immortals.

“Moreover, purple clouds and yellow Qi sometimes linger among mountain valleys, spreading out like mats of grass or canopies. They may also appear in shades of red, white, yellow, green, purple, or deep crimson, or in a mixture of colors, shining in all directions with rosy clouds around them. These are signs that the Heavenly Venerables and supreme emperors are traveling through the valleys; they also indicate that people who have attained the Dao live there. Such places are also suitable for practitioners to go and cultivate. If, while looking down or up, you are fortunate enough to see a Heavenly Venerable or a Perfected One, immediately burn incense, bow twice, and state your wish. With diligent practice, you are sure to see the face of an Imperial Venerable and quickly attain flight and ascent.

“These matters should be kept in the heart and not disclosed lightly to others. If heavenly secrets are revealed, the efficacy of the spiritual Qi will dissipate, and becoming an immortal will no longer be possible. Take as your model Master Wen Shi, Lord Yin, Yin Xi, who served the Sage Lord of the Golden Palace. Practitioners should observe these instructions carefully and carry them out with diligence.”

The passage above comes from the Mysterious Subtlety of the Three-One.

The Lord of the Nine Heavens said: “The Three-in-One—the three divine presences united within the body—is the key to the workings of creation in Heaven and Earth. It exists not only within the Supreme Elixir; each person also possesses it within their own body. If you cultivate the Three-in-One within yourself, child and mother will not be separated. Shen and Qi will naturally protect one another, bringing peace, warmth, brightness, and clarity.

“It is like the month of the spring solstice: by day the weather is calm and fair, no clouds gather, and even the finest gauze-like mists do not drift. The blue sky is clear, with nothing to obscure it. The human body can reach the same condition. If you harmonize the Three-in-One, the mind’s myriad distracting thoughts will cease to arise. You will merge with the Qi of the blue sky; brightness will fill both inside and out, and body and emptiness will become one. Then you can rise aloft.

“Sometimes people hear of this Daoist method and assume it means swallowing Qi: inhaling through the nose, exhaling through the mouth, then puffing out the cheeks and forcing the breath down. This could bring instant death, like mistakenly taking a poisonous pill from an elixir and suffering irreversible consequences. The Three-in-One within the body is no different from the Supreme Elixir, and its secret must not be taught lightly.”

The Perfected Master said: “The Nine-Heavens Lord of the Upper Origin is named Xuantian, styled Sanyuan, and also called Bowu. The Upper Earl is also called Boshihua. He holds the divine tiger tally and resides in a green-jade casket. To his right is the Imperial Minister, named Zhaoqinjing, styled Zhongxuansheng, and also called Qifei; some say he is also called Changfu. He resides in the purple-jade casket of the Scripture of the Great Cavern. He commands twelve thousand celestial soldiers and horses.

“The Lord of the Upper Origin is nine inches and nine tenths tall. He wears a purple embroidered mantle edged in gold and a dark jeweled crown, and sits on a seven-treasure throne. At times he rides a chariot drawn by nine dragons, touring the Three Realms. In his hand he holds the Heavenly Treasure Censer, and he governs and transforms the Jade Clarity realm. Beside the Supreme Lord of the Upper Origin stand two ministers, making three in all. The minister on the left is called the Dao Lord of the Profound Unity; he has blue hair and wears blue robes. The minister on the right is called Laozi of Great Harmony; he has white hair and wears white robes. These two divine beings are the soul and spirit of the Dao.

“The Lord of the Upper Origin resides in the Niwan Palace—the inner palace in the head—of the practitioner. There is a radiant image there, like a disk of the sun, nine inches across, sending out red light and purple rays that surge ten thousand yards into the sky. Above it is a cover shaped like the Dipper, its handle pointing forward. The image is shaped like an infant dressed in red brocade. The invocation is:

‘Unite Shen and Qi; nourish my bones and marrow.

Fill me with the essence of my Jing and Shen;

let Shen and Qi fill my whole body

and let my form shine with a clear, bright radiance.’

“This is the Talisman of the Upper Origin’s True Unity.”

The Perfected Master continued: “The Central Origin’s Imperial One, the True Sovereign, is named Shenyunzhu and styled Zinandan. The Central Origin’s One is also called Shengshangbo, and also Shiyunju; he holds authority over the Fire Star Talisman…”

In the Jade Casket (a casket made of jade or a symbolic container for scriptures), on the right is Assistant Minister Zhongguang Jian, whose courtesy name is Sihua Ling. He is also known as Youche Bo and Zhongshi Hua. He holds a luminous moon pearl and commands ten thousand divine troops and horses. Among his attendants is one who stands six cun and six fen tall, wears a flowing crimson brocade sash, and a crown adorned with nine phoenixes. He sits on a seven-treasure throne and sometimes rides a nine-qilin carriage, touring the ten directions. Holding a golden incense burner, he presides over instruction and transformation.

In the Upper Clarity, the Central One Primordial Venerable has two senior ministers: the one on the left is called the Perfected One, and the one on the right, Guangjian. In visualization, contemplate Guangjian three cun below the Jiuwei point, near the lower end of the sternum. At its center is an image of a lotus; within the lotus is the sun, with red flames rising straight into the sky. The Lord wears a crimson brocade robe and sits within the image of the sun. The invocation says:

“Let the radiance spread. Red Child, restore the hun and po souls; make the aged young again, lengthen life and turn back the years. Preserve life without end.”

This is the Central Primordial True One Talisman, a talismanic formula used in Central Primordial cultivation.

The Mystic Master says: The Lower Primordial Emperor One, Primordial King, is named Shiming Jing, with the courtesy name Guxia Xuan. He is also known as One Called Infant Embryo and Boshiyuan, and holds a golden star. In the Yellow Jade Casket of the Great Abundance Scripture, he is positioned on the right, accompanied by the Assistant Minister, the Perfected One, named Guishang Ming, with the courtesy name Guxia Xuan. He is also known as Fengshen Bo and Chengguang Sheng, and holds a luminous moon pearl, commanding eleven thousand terrestrial immortal troops and horses.

Among his attendants is one who stands five cun and five fen tall, wears a flowing yellow brocade sash, and a nine-dragon traveling crown. He sits on a seven-treasure throne and sometimes rides a five-colored lion carriage, traveling among the Five Sacred Peaks. He holds a precious incense burner and presides over instruction and transformation.

In the Great Clarity, the Lower Primordial One Primordial King has two ministers: Youjing on the left and Diqing on the right. In visualization, contemplate him three cun below the navel, in what is called the Lower Dantian (energy center). Within the Lower Dantian is an image of the moon, whose yellow radiance fills the Dantian. The Primordial King wears yellow brocade robes, has the appearance of an infant, and sits within the image of the moon, chanting:

“White essence gathers in the jade stalk and transforms into the White Spirit, which nourishes and protects the body. The Five Elders Talisman can erase one’s name from the registers and change one’s fate; the Emperor One Axis and the Gate of Life must not be disturbed, and the golden liquid must not be lost. Turn back the vital energy so that whiteness fills and seals it, preventing the jade-water spring from flowing away. Life and death both arise from this: guard it, and you can become an immortal.”

The invocation says:

“Clear away filth and turbid energy; remove the old and take in the new. Transform my body into the Five Elders and Imperial Perfected Ones. Let transformation spread through my marrow, bones, and viscera, turning them into sinews. Make my bones like gold and my marrow like jade; unite them with the Dao and bring them into accord with the True. May transformation occur naturally, and may life, longevity, and blessings be without limit. May the Three Treasures forever protect the root of life.”

This is the Lower Primordial True One Talisman, a talismanic formula used in Lower Primordial cultivation.

From midnight until the hour of Si (about nine to eleven in the morning), visualize the True One of the Upper Origin. From noon until dusk, visualize the True One of the Middle Origin. From twilight until midnight, visualize the True One of the Lower Origin. If you maintain this visualization over a long period, the True Ones will manifest in bodily form, communicate and converse with you, help you examine petitions submitted to the spirits, and teach you the arts of penetrating the mysteries.

These three True Ones belong to the Highest Way. In cultivation, do not become impatient or angry, and do not indulge in sexual desire: anger will drive the Three Ones away, while sexual indulgence makes success in cultivation difficult. Do not hold a newborn baby, either, because the impure qi on the infant has not yet dissipated, and this may offend the Way of the Three Ones. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, you should keep the Three Ones in mind.

The Mysterious and Subtle Meaning of the Three Ones

The Mysterious Master said: “To understand the profound and mysterious principles, you should cultivate in stillness. At midnight on the day of the spring equinox, rise and sit facing east. Close your eyes and visualize the Three Ones within your body as your lords. Including yourself, there are seven people. Visualize yourself in the center, with all seven of you riding together on purple cloud-like vapors and ascending to the Northern Dipper.

“The spirit to the east of the Northern Dipper is called Yangming. At this time, visualize yourself entering the center of the Yangming star and sitting there, swallowing purple qi thirty times. If you cultivate this for a long time, you will see with your own eyes the Palace of the Supreme One of the Eastern Origin in Yangming. The Azure Mysterious Youth in the palace will bestow true qi upon you.

“When beginning the practice, first visualize a stream of purple qi beneath the Northern Dipper, as thick as a bowstring. It rises straight up from the stars, then descends straight down before you. Next, visualize the seven people surrounding the Three Ones—namely, the seven spirits of the Northern Dipper—ascending together to the Yangming star in a formation like flying geese, with you in the center. The Kui star, the first three stars of the Dipper, covers your head, and the Dipper’s handle points forward. Then swallow the purple qi thirty times, visualizing it entering your body. At the same time, visualize the Three Ones swallowing it with you. When you have finished, visualize the seven people descending from the palace along the same stream of purple qi and returning to their dwelling place within you.

“After a while, silently recite:

The Three Venerable Ones, the High Gods of Great Mystery;
Yangming governs spring, and the myriad youths open the way;
Danyuan governs summer, and red and purple mingle with the clouds;
Yinjing governs autumn, and the Heavenly Might arrays its six ranks;
The North Pole governs winter, and blocks the way of myriad evils and treachery;
The Five Earths hold Ren, Wu, and Ji, which bring down the Heavenly Gate;
All things will be destroyed, and no one dares offend wherever I go.
Refine my seven Po souls and harmonize my three Hun souls;
Bring life to my five organs and raise my Yang True One to Shangqing;
Let me ride the drifting radiance and ascend to the Seven Origins,
Long-lived and deathless, secure and enduring;
Let me summon a thousand spirits.”

“Practitioners may also perform the visualization while lying down. This invocation may be recited during cultivation in any of the four seasons.”

Precious Writ of the Taiji

The Most High—an honorific Daoist title for the supreme deity—passed this treasured scripture to the Great Emperor Lord. The Great Emperor Lord passed it on to the Heavenly Emperor Lord, who in turn passed it to the Heavenly Emperor Lord of Taiwei. The Heavenly Emperor Lord of Taiwei gave it to the Emperor Lord of the Golden Tower, who then passed it to the Azure Youth Lord of the Eastern Sea.

This treasured scripture is used to seal and govern mountains and rivers, and to summon and dispatch the spirits of the Five Sacred Peaks. Write the talisman in cinnabar on white silk and wear it at the left elbow, keeping it free from defilement. After wearing it for eight years, the Three Ones—the three true deities said to dwell within the body—will appear together. On the morning of the first day of the first month, write a talisman in blue, face north, bow twice, and swallow it. After the Three Ones appear, make a plaque of gold, nine inches long, four inches wide, and six fen thick, and engrave the talisman on it. It can be used to seal and subdue the evil spirits of mountains and rivers, and to govern the true numinous beings of the Five Sacred Peaks. When performing the rite, the Lord of the Three Origins and the True One will understand your intention. The rite must be carried out in accordance with the laws of the divine and perfected.

After ingesting the talisman, face north and click your teeth thirty-six times. Then raise your head and recite the incantation:

“The Three Perfected guard the inner chamber; the Primordial Elder keeps the essence and Qi secure. Heaven and Earth unite, and the three Qi mingle. The Emperor Lord issues commands with authority; by means of the written register and talisman, he summons their numinous power. Summon the mountain spirits and drive the sea spirits; destroy the gathered essences. Summon the Northern Emperor at once, set out the register of demon names, inspect and govern them, and allow them no freedom to run amok. Command them to return to the ghost encampments.”

Then recite:

“Emperor Lord of the Taiji, True One of the Three Origins, Azure Youth of the Eastern Sea: make manifest the spirit that guides people across. Wear and receive this talisman, and swallow it, and you will see through ghosts and spirits. The mountains, rivers, and Five Sacred Peaks all fall under my command. Wear this talisman for a long time, and you will ascend with the written register and talisman.”

The Treasured Taiji Register: True Talisman of the Three Ones

(Press the middle finger of the left hand into the palm, and form the zi sign with the thumb.)

Wearing this talisman enables you to seal mountains, summon the seas, command the myriad numinous beings, and make birds and beasts obey. It can also mobilize the Celestial Army and allow you to travel across the Five Sacred Peaks. Before performing the rite, always click your teeth thirty-six times and visualize the Big Dipper covering your body. A red Qi radiates outward from the crown of your head, enveloping the entire city and spreading in all directions, burning everything within and without until nothing remains. Visualize yourself standing amid the flames. After a short while, the divine officials of the Five Sacred Peaks, along with the birds and beasts of the mountains and wilderness, will come to pay homage.

Then recite the incantation:

“The Primordial Beginning issues his command and proclaims it to the myriad numinous beings. The Heavenly Perfected Emperor Lord was born together with primordial Qi. From the lower realms, he governs all things, which return in their entirety to Shangqing. If any have not been gathered in and do not reveal their true forms, then use the method of sealing mountains and summoning seas to subdue them as commanded. Come and submit at once; do not delay. Hasten to obey the true law, and do not transgress the prohibitions of the netherworld.”

After reciting, swallow your breath thirty-six times and await the divine decree.

The Oracle of the Three Ones and the Primordial Spirit

The three bodies merge into one; all are manifestations of me. (Note: The divine spirit of the Three-in-One is real from the outset, transformed from one’s own Original Spirit.) If one departs from the true original and fabricates a twofold transformation, it becomes false. Nor is there any need to deliberately visualize the so-called “Primordial King of the Three-in-One.” (Note: The divine spirit of the Three-in-One naturally manifests within the human body and is already present in everyone; deliberate visualization only makes it unreal.) If one insists on visualizing, one will be like a wild horse of wandering thoughts, falling into delusion. Relying only on thought to hold an image in mind can easily conjure a spirit in a single thought. The scripture says, “Each time you visualize, a spirit goes out.” This means that even within a single day, one may suffer a loss.

Those who cultivate the way of the Celestial Immortals and practice the Orthodox Method of Jade Clarity (a cultivation method from the Shangqing lineage of Daoism) should choose days of the Six Jia or Six Ding (specific days calculated using the Daoist system of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches), and the Zi, Wu, Mao, or You hours (around midnight, noon, sunrise, or sunset). They should calm the mind and settle the spirit, enter a quiet chamber, and burn incense. Write the talismans and registers for that day in cinnabar, visualize that day’s divine generals and Jade Maidens facing north, and then swallow the talisman. Set the thoughts in order, sit upright with eyes closed, and form the firm grip (clasping the hands tightly to gather the mind and spirit).

Visualize the five-colored True Qi of the Five Directions’ Dongyang Great Spirit descending from the vast heavens and passing straight through the whole body. It enters through the Niwan Palace (the upper Dantian within the crown of the head), circulates and spirals nine times, then enters the Crimson Palace (the region of the heart), where its movement joins with the Qi of the Imperial Abode. It then enters Kunlun (here, the navel), where it merges with the True Spirits of one’s own Three-in-One and Three Qi (the blue, yellow, and white Qi). After a short while, the True Qi naturally rises and descends. After cultivating in this way for a year, the Three Qi and the myriad spirits will manifest within you, transforming in response to every call and reaching everywhere.

Next, perform the astral steps of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (a ritual walk following the stars’ positions) and summon the Qi of the Thirty-Two Heavens into the Dantian, where it condenses into thirty-two jade characters before rising to the Niwan. The Qi of the heavens thereby transforms into the myriad spirits. The practitioner can use the “Edict for Summoning the Myriad Spirits” to summon the spirits, and the “Edict of the Three Qi of Flying Mystery” to submit a petition to the heavenly court. One may also visualize the memorial and its written petition, bow and stand, seeking the spirits’ descent and response; none will fail to grant the request.

Those who cultivate the way of the Celestial Immortals and practice the Orthodox Method of Jade Clarity should also choose their own natal day or a day corresponding to their birth signs (a day whose stems and branches accord with their birth date). Sit upright and regulate the breath, breathing evenly. With the mouth closed, as you exhale, guide the True Qi with the mind and spirit, leading the breath toward the root and directly to the source of life. As you inhale, draw it to the base, then guide it upward along the spine toward the Niwan. Let the breath continue without interruption, seeming to be there and not there. Do not force it in practice; wait until the breath is even and settled, then let it enter and leave naturally.

According to the scripture, after three days of cultivation, a bright light will appear between the eyebrows; after seven days, the spirit and thoughts will become still, as if motionless in a daze; after ten days, the mind and spirit will become penetrating, and one may suddenly see oneself face to face, or hear immortal music, wind, and rain within the ears. At this time, strike the Mysterious Pass (the vital aperture spoken of in cultivation) to open the upper, middle, and lower palaces. After a long time, treasures will gestate in the Three Fields (the upper, middle, and lower Dantian), and one can then proceed to refine the spirit.

Those who cultivate the Way of the Celestial Immortals and practice the orthodox methods of Jade Clarity should each day visualize themselves within a great mirror in their mind and spirit. At the hours of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You, they should close their mouths and focus their spirit in contemplation, in that order, without error.

On the Zi hour of a Jiazi day, face south, knock the teeth together and beat the Heavenly Drum thirty-eight times each. Then fold the hands, sit upright, and regulate the breath until it is even. Next, visualize as described above: your body enters the lower Dantian (the energy center below the navel), surrounded by white Qi about one cun and two fen in extent. Within the white Qi, a baby seems to appear. Gradually it rises past the spleen, the Canopy of Florescence (the area of the chest), and the Tower of Layers (the throat), then passes through the two Golden Chamber points and enters the Muddy Pellet (the upper Dantian within the head), emerging through the crown of the head. Then visualize purple Qi and yellow mist swirling around and covering it.

Next, focus your spirit and visualize the baby stepping down from the crown of the head to stand before you, facing you. Imagine it as a child of one or two years old. If you visualize it as your own son, do not look around or attend to other matters, lest your mind and spirit be disturbed by external things. Then visualize the child rising swiftly through the crown of the head into the Muddy Pellet, passing through the two points below and the Tower of Layers, and returning to the Dantian. This completes one cycle of the practice.

In daily activities—walking, standing, sitting, or lying down—use the mind and spirit to guide the breath, and visualize the Three-One Perfect Lords, the divine beings who dwell in three places within the body. After practicing this for a month, visualize them emerging and moving about at the hours of Zi and Wu. After another month, gradually imagine them growing until they are as tall as you, able to come and go and walk about, and even to practice speaking with others. Add breath retention and the method of abiding in embryonic breathing, and results will come more quickly. After a hundred days of visualization, you will be able to imagine yourself clad in feathered robes, rising into the air to pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning.

Those who cultivate the Way of the Celestial Immortals should make their physical form and breath complete and full within the body, allowing them to circulate in and out without obstruction. They can then pay homage above to the Great Void and travel below through the Five Sacred Peaks; at a single movement of the mind, they will pass through without hindrance. Whenever they wish to present a petition to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the Nine Heavens, or the realms of the Celestial Immortals, they should summon and gather the perfected immortal officials, Dingjia generals, Jade Maidens and Golden Youths, Merit Officers and Envoys, and the righteous spirits of the Three Qi within the body, all of whom are listed in the Fulu (talismans and registers) received during initiation. At such a time, the mind and spirit should be settled and enter a state of deep stillness, joining with the Void. Ascend to the Nine Heavens; let spirit unite with the Dao, and let Qi transform in accordance with the true realm.

On each day when performing the rite, first write the talisman in seal script and swallow it. Then follow its instructions to summon and gather the spirits, concentrating the mind and keeping it still until physical form and breath merge as one. The assembled gods unite with the practitioner, while the righteous spirits of the body’s Three Palaces mingle in wondrous transformation. The mind joins with the Great Void, and all the spirits are complete within one body. In a single thought, one can thus pass through without hindrance and pay homage above in the Three Realms of Heaven. Whatever is asked for in accordance with the mind’s intention will be fulfilled.

First swallow the talisman, then summon and gather the gods according to its instructions: the Golden High Minister, the High Steward, the High Assistant, the High Protector, the Perfected Earl, the Immortal Earl, the Marquis Minister, and others. Visualize them wearing hooded headgear and marten-tail cicada crowns, dressed in crimson robes, wearing shoes, and adorned with jade. Next, visualize the Perfected Officials and Immortals …

When visualizing the divine officials and generals, picture the officials bowing in salute and then standing upright. They wear blue caps and blue robes, hold jade tablets, and have shoes on their feet. Next, visualize the great generals of the Six Jia and Six Ding in golden armor and helmets, holding brocade banners. Then visualize the jade maidens of the Six Ding and Six Jia wearing phoenix crowns and feather robes, each holding a mirror. Visualize the golden youths of the Six Jia and Six Ding wearing blue garments, their hair tied in two knots, and carrying documents. Next, visualize the Merit Officers who Transport the Spirit and Join with the Dao wearing black crowns with side flaps, dressed in crimson, and holding documents against their chests. Then visualize the emissaries, the Merit Officers who Transport the Spirit and Fly in the Mysterious, wearing headwraps and sashes, with ornaments on their foreheads, garments of blue, yellow, and red brocade, and fish-tail swords at their waists. There are twelve of each of these divine beings.

Then gather the mind and spirit and silently recite, allowing body and breath to merge. Regulate the breath, dispel distracting thoughts, and enter a state of deep stillness and calm. Next, summon and draw in the assembled deities. Beginning at the lower Dantian, visualize your own spirit entering it and joining with it. Then proceed to the middle Dantian and unite with the True Cinnabar. Finally, proceed to the upper Dantian and unite with the Emperor Lord.

According to the ritual, among the Three Qi, the corresponding celestial officials in the upper region emerge from the Upper Origin and stand attending on either side above. The generals, jade maidens, and golden youths in the blue Qi appear in the Middle Origin and take their places on either side of the middle region. The Merit Officers and emissaries in the yellow Qi appear in the Lower Origin and take their places on either side below. In the white Qi, your own self appears. Then visualize yourself leaving through the Purple Gate, forgetting your body and merging silently with the Great Void.

After this, with only a single thought, you may ascend to pay court in the Three Realms of Heaven. Whatever you wish to state, you may state freely. You may also travel below through the Five Sacred Peaks and offer prayers according to your heart’s desire, without obstruction; nothing will fail to respond. In this way, you can transport the spirit, unite with the radiance, fly in the mysterious, and join with the Dao, then ascend by the Nine Spirits’ Flying Steps to submit memorials and petitions. This is the secret essential of the memorial-submission ritual.