《女丹合編》Vol. 11

This passage explains the Neidan (internal alchemy) practice for women, as transmitted by Lü Dongbin (Chunyangzi) and recorded by Fu Jinquan (Jiyizi). The "Taiyin Lianxing Method" for female cultivation shares fundamental principles with male practice but differs in certain details.

In the initial stage, practitioners should close their eyes, let go of distracting thoughts, and settle the Shen (spirit) into complete stillness. Once the breath becomes steady, focus the mind on the Qi point (located in the chest between the breasts). Cross the hands to cup the breasts and gently massage them twenty times, then inhale softly from the lower Dantian (lower abdomen) thirty-six times. Continue holding the breasts while internally observing and regulating the breath. With prolonged practice, the body’s true Qi will flow naturally, expanding and contracting rhythmically, gradually forming an energetic core.

When Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) become abundant, a woman’s menstrual blood will cease, and the breasts will flatten like a man’s—this is called "beheading the red dragon." Upon reaching this stage, practitioners no longer need to cup the breasts or perform the breathing technique; instead, they simply concentrate their intention on the Qi point and turn their gaze inward, entering what is known as the "gate of the mysterious feminine" (the source of life).

As cultivation deepens, the breath grows long and natural, leading to a state of profound stillness. Yang Qi rises within, circulating along the Governing and Conception Vessels. At this point, the body may feel enveloped in purple mist, with Qi and blood ascending to the Muddy Pellet Palace (upper Dantian) at the crown of the head. A spark of spiritual light becomes perceptible—neither entirely inside nor outside—rising from the lower Dantian to the middle Dantian (Crimson Palace), then further ascending to the crown before descending along the Conception Vessel back to the golden embryo chamber in the lower Dantian.

When both intention and breath stabilize within the "cauldron and furnace" of the middle Dantian, the practitioner attains the state of "Shen entering the Qi cavity," marking the formation of the "embryonic immortal." At this stage, energy naturally settles into the Yellow Court (middle Dantian). After continuing practice for about ten months, the Yang Shen (spiritual body) emerges, ultimately reaching the realm of "shattering the void." From this point onward, the path of cultivation becomes identical for men and women, with no further distinctions.