1) The male element of metal is the sun and the female
element of wood is the moon....‘Fire kindled by breathing
transforms the generative
fluid derived from the digestion of food, into generative
force [luminous yang jing]. Fire [yin qi, wood] derived from
spirit
transforms the generative force [yang jing] into vitality
[yang qi, metal]....the psychic strength to develop, expand
and unite into one whole reaching the core of the brain where
it transmutes the (microcosmic) outer alchemical agent
(generative force already gathered there) into life-preserving
true vitality [yuan qi]; this is (eternal) life [yang qi] returning
to (essential) nature [yin qi] to become one whole....If the
generative
force is not purified prenatal vitality will not develop....The
method
consists of concentrating on the lower abdomen under the
navel thereby directing the element of fire [yin qi, wood] in
spirit down to
the northern sea (the lower tan t’ien) wherein the element
of water, being scorched, will evaporate and become
steam that soars up.... When fire is
immersed in water it [yin qi] stops soaring up thereby causing
the heart to be empty, and when water is scorched by fire it
becomes steam [yang qi] and stops flowing down...Positive
vitality [yang qi] is male vitality that
soars up and negative vitality [yin qi] is female vitality that
goes down....
2) With inner fire soaring up in his body, his (essential)
nature is replaced by his heart so that desires and passions
fill his being....The left eye stands for the East
whose element is wood [yin qi] and the right eye for the West
whose element is metal [yang qi]....Thus the essences of all
five viscera are in the eyes whereas
original spirit [prenatal spirit], although seated in the brain,
also manifests
through the organs of seeing....Therefore, when the outer
alchemical agent has been gathered, it is necessary to roll the
eyes to unite the positive with the negative principles in order
to develop spirit in the bright light that emerges from the
original cavity of spirit between and behind the eyes....
3) The sun stands for the heart and the moon for the lower
tan t’ien cavity (under the navel), respectively symbolised
by the dragon (the female or negative vitality [yin qi]) and the
tiger (the male or positive vitality)....(5) the yang yu or
positive arm channels in the outer sides of both arms
link both shoulders with the centres of the palms after
passing through the middle fingers; (6) the yin yu or
negative arm channels in the inner sides of both arms
link the centres of the palms with the chest; ...prenatal vitality
coming from the heart passes
through the wrist and carries blood to the centre of the left
palm, which is the dragon cavity....since the heart is linked
with the two eyes, this exercise in four phases of nine complete turns each
causes vitality in the heart to restrain vitality in the tiger
cavity [right palm] while you look up to turn the eyes, and to
shut the genital duct while you look up to lift the vital breath.
3) Sun: The left eye which stands for the positive yang
[yang shen]; it also stands for the heart.... dragon stands
for prenatal
spirit....Prenatal vitality is pro¬
duced and stored up by this (breathing) process while
(fire in) the heart and (water in the) lower abdomen mingle
4) The left and right eyes stand respectively for the sun
and the moon, i.e. the positive yang [yang shen] and
negative yin.
5) However, if he can unite the element of metal (male)
with that of wood (female) and the sun with the moon
in one place by drawing his pupils closely together in
a squint and if he then concentrates them and looks
within, he will see the light of true vitality appearing
(between his eyes) in front of his original cavity of spirit
6) When passion and nature unite this is called the union
of the elements of metal (chin) and wood (mu)....Prenatal
spirit
in the heart is nature....the prenatal spirit derives
from the union of nature and life vitalities
7) Divisions of One vitality [yuan qi or positive fire]. The two:
The positive yang [yang qi] and negative yin [yin qi]
as represented by the sun and the moon....Unexpectedly
a spark of real positive (principle) [prenatal yuan qi] appears
revealing the mysterious gate (hsuan kuan)....Prenatal and
postnatal fires are respectively spiritual or positive fire
that existed before birth and its corrupt counterpart or
negative fire after birth....hence vitality should
join the generative force to become [positive] fire.
8) By laying the foundation of positive spirit is meant stopping
the positive generative force [yuan qi] from draining away,...
This is prenatal vitality in the prenatal state which in fact is
wholly positive vitality, or positive spirit created by the five
kinds of eyes (see below) and six transcendental powers, which is
visible to others, can speak to them, can pick up objects and
has the same features as his own body.... The true Tao is
prenatal
spirit-vitality.
9) This is the manifestation of positive spirit (yang shen)
which will take form when it gathers in one place or will
become pure vitality [yuan qi] when it scatters to fill the great
emptiness which will be its boundless body.
10) The union of (positive) with (negative) spirit is achieved
by uniting (or drawing together in a squint) the pupil of
the left eye which stands for positive spirit [yang shen] with
that of the right one which stands for negative spirit [yin shen] for
concentration on the upper tan t’ien centre (in the brain).
11)
When the sun and the
moon without unite (i.e. when the pupils of both eyes are
drawn close to each other in a squint for pointed
concentration)....the element of
water in the pupils of the eyes which are linked with the
kidneys;
12)
negative vitality is female vitality [yin qi] that goes down. ...
When
vitality is full and descends to unite with eternal life,...This one
true vitality [yuan qi] is the positive vitality [yuan qi] of
(essential) nature [wood as moon light] which will unite with
the negative vitality [yin qi] of (eternal) life
[metal as golden sun light]...Since the light of (essential)
nature in the original cavity of spirit (tsu ch’iao, between and
behind the eyes) is now concentrated below the navel,
the positive light of vitality [yuan qi]
in the latter centre will soar up to manifest before the eyes,
thereby causing both lights to unite and remain constant
13)
The fullness of the
generative force manifests as the white light of vitality and
the fullness of the immortal seed as a golden light which
reveals negative vitality
[yin qi] within the generative force....The golden light in
the eyes
reveals the light of (essential)
nature which illumines the lower tan t’ien (under the
navel),...when vitality is full and descends to the
lower tan t’ien to unite with eternal life, the
golden light of the immortal seed manifests.
14)
To deal with the golden light that shrinks, the practiser
should suck it in while rolling his eyes to drive it into the
sea of (essential) nature (in the heart)* which will unite
with it. After a serenity lasting for seven days, this light
will shine and the negative principle will change into
true spirit which will manifest in front of the practiser, with
its features identical with his; this is the undying self....
15) If the five vitalities are full a golden light will soar up to
unite with the light of (essential) nature to become a
single light which is the union of the radiant vitality of the
positive principle (yang) in the head and the bright light
of the negative principle (yin) in the abdomen into one
single light which will result in the egress from the immortal
foetus....where the golden light of the true negative principle
meets the moonlight of the true positive principle in order
to beget the immortal foetus in the centre (where both
lights meet).
16) The inferior realm of desire: The generative force
sublimated into vitality [yuan qi] —the positive extracted
from the negative.
The medium realm of form: Vitality sublimated
into spirit—developing the positive to eliminate
the negative gradually.
The superior realm beyond form: Full development of
the positive to eradicate the negative completely
—spirit returned to nothingness.
word searching Taoist Yoga: Alchemy and Immortality
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