We will talk about Eastern practices. There are 2 main prejudices regarding these cases. One is when they think that Eastern techniques are so ancient that they are not suitable for modern people. But! Agree, our body has not changed that much over the past few centuries: let’s say, we haven’t grown new limbs. And stress has always accompanied people. Deadlines, coffee, nightclubs and traffic jams are not so bad compared to tigers, floods and wars.

Someone is also stopped by the fact that 2 main systems came to us ready-made from Asia: yoga - from India, qigong - from China. And therefore, supposedly, they cannot influence us, Europeans. At the same time, for some reason, we all cannot refuse Asian food. Moreover, it is in traditional oriental medicine that not only body types are taken into account, but also the different mentality and character of patients, which allows each individual to be prescribed individual means of healing. Let's risk expanding our horizons?

They helped us:

Andrey Eremin
Taijiquan and Qigong instructor, AnXingDao Center

Olga Zimova
Certified Bikram Yoga Teacher

Qigong

This system of healing and self-development originated in Ancient China, of unknown age - some believe that it is only a few centuries old, some researchers count thousands of years. Qi (or “chi”, as they say in English) is our life energy, qigong is its management. Diseases and all health problems arise due to disruption of energy circulation in the body, but special exercises with concentration on breathing allow you to restore its natural course. Everything is clear, right?

When it’s useful: If you want to relax, relieve stress, improve attention and concentration, restore strength after injury or illness.

What it looks like: Like many other ancient practices, qigong has several styles and directions. But what they have in common is deep, natural breathing and a defined, healthy spinal alignment. If you have seen people in parks standing motionless with their arms outstretched, as if they were holding a ball (but in reality they are not), this is (most likely) qigong. To the static exercises, soft and repetitive dynamic exercises are added: circular movements of the arms, bending, turning, moving. This can be done either on the edge of a pine forest or in a closet that is not suitable for active exercises. Special clothing is also not required. In general, it's convenient.

What happens: Physical activity is minimal - practically absent. But the consequences for the nervous system are the same as from meditation (in fact, this is one of its forms). Breathing is controlled by both consciousness and subconsciousness, that is, it is the focus on the natural respiratory process that unites them. The mind gets rid of restless thoughts, movements are performed relaxed, in a comfortable rhythm and range. Having accumulated qi, you can direct it to organs that require healing and to certain energy points, which is similar to acupuncture, but without injections.

Suitable for: Although qigong also has harsh techniques - they turn the adept’s body into stone, you can sleep peacefully on nails - “soft” directions are widespread, for which it is difficult to come up with contraindications. Qigong can be practiced by people young and not so young, with physical limitations and those who are not suitable for conventional types of fitness for some reason. Focusing on natural breathing relaxes and strengthens the lungs, in particular, studies say it helps with asthma. And practice also saves citizens who are provided with plenty of physical activity, but are exhausted from stress and urgently need to restore peace of mind.

Bikram yoga

This direction was created in the second half of the last century by the Indian Bikram Choudhury. At first he achieved great success in classical yoga, but for some reason he also did weightlifting - he received a serious knee injury and was told by doctors that he would no longer be able to walk. But Bikram did not give up and decided to invent his own recovery method: judging sensibly that the body stretches better in a warm state, and warming up is beneficial for the joints for certain diseases, he began to practice in a room with elevated temperatures. So I got rid of the consequences of the injury, and then began to help my neighbors. His students include President Nixon and Madonna.

When it’s useful: You want to seriously work on your flexibility, relieve pain in muscles and joints, lose weight, try an unusual type of yoga, warm up in a winter city.

What it looks like: The complex consists of 26 classical asanas and two breathing exercises at the beginning and end of the lesson. Each pose is repeated twice, with the first part of the lesson consisting of asanas in a standing position (warm-up and working with muscles), and the second (working with the back and spine) is all done lying down and sitting on the floor.

But the main feature is the room temperature is slightly higher than body temperature, about 40 degrees with a humidity of 40%. When you enter the hall, it seems that it’s just warm there and it’s pleasant to breathe. It becomes hot only during the process of performing asanas. And you leave the class completely wet (although the moisture mainly comes from the air). However, in any studio you will be given 2 towels - for class and for shower, so there is nothing to be shy about.

What happens: Sweating increases (the body excretes water to cool down), but body temperature remains within normal limits, the pulse rate can rise to 160 - this is the maximum. Thermoregulation works actively, but not in stress mode, but like on a hot summer day. In addition to the beneficial effects of classical yoga (general health, relaxation, improved concentration and tone), Bikram perfectly develops flexibility without leading to muscle strain, which happens when performing asanas in cool rooms. Blood circulates faster and, enriched with oxygen, intensively washes all internal organs.

And, of course, joint pain is relieved, which manifests itself and worsens during hypothermia. Warming up is also useful for certain types of injuries and for muscle recovery after impact force load. And - dammit! – Bikram yoga burns more calories, although it requires a lot of effort in return.

Who is it suitable for: Bikram yoga can be practiced by everyone, except citizens under 15 years of age (children hardly sweat, so their body temperature risks jumping). Of course, special conditions add spice: in the first lessons you may feel dizzy and a little nauseous, but this goes away when you leave the hall. Contraindications include chronic diseases in the acute stage, epilepsy and mental disorders of various kinds. And you can’t go to yoga with a fever. In general, healthy people can exercise - only carefully, listening carefully to the teacher. Individual contraindications also include some skin and joint diseases that worsen when heated. So be sure to consult your doctor.

Taijiquan

It is also known as taichichuan (in the English manner), or, modestly, tai chi. Also from China. Initially, it was the art of hand-to-hand combat (“Taijiquan” is translated as “fist of the Great Limit”). But the ancient masters noticed that graceful and smooth training of combat ligaments has a beneficial effect on the body. This is how a separate practice arose to improve overall physical fitness, strengthen the body and develop, let’s not be afraid of this word, grace. The basic principles of tai chi are similar to qigong, but have the main difference: here internal relaxation and peace turn into continuous movement, and the choreography is much more varied and interesting.

When is it useful: If you want to add loads to the body, improve coordination and mobility, improve and develop joints.

What it looks like: Tai chi is a complex of strikes, defensive blocks and movements from martial arts, but they are performed slowly, under complete control, simply beautiful. Outwardly it looks like a slow dance of dozens of sequences, in which one technique leads to another. Although there are accelerations and decelerations in different forms, the overall prevailing idea is fluidity of movement, without loss of fluidity, without unplanned jerks and jerks. To fully perform the complex with movements and wide and low stands, you will already need free space and clothing.

What happens: Tai chi, as a more mobile form of technique, improves blood circulation in all parts of the body and organs. Smooth circular movements gently work out the joints, restoring their functionality. The principle of load comfort remains the same: you do everything as your body allows at the moment. The intensity can be increased gradually by working at a minimum speed (which is not easy at all) and lowering into deeper and wider stances. This way, muscles, ligaments and joints are trained even better. At the same time, the mind, as in qigong, is immersed in the actions of the body, that is, the nervous system is also not at a loss. And finally, when you strive to do it beautifully (and you should strive), stretching, coordination and balance improve.

Suitable for: Tai chi is a step from relaxation to physical activity and strengthening of the body, but a gentle, comfortable performance is suitable for many. Particularly useful for those who are deprived of normal physical activity and have joint problems: Studies have shown that such exercises provide relief even for arthritis. Practice also helps in particularly troubled cases: when an individual vitally needs to relax, but is unable to plunge into a trance, humbly sitting still. Tai chi is meditation in motion.

Each of us has our own special secrets that we use to fill our body with energy.

Someone does exercises, someone takes a contrast shower, someone drinks tonic tinctures and elixirs, special vitamins.

This oriental technique is based on one of the exercises of the ancient Chinese gymnastics Qigong.

It’s very easy to remember, even easier to do, and all this will take you only 1-2 minutes.

Patting - a Chinese energy practice

This is called patting and it can restore your vitality in a short time, tone all your muscles, and prevent various diseases.

Moreover, by doing it every day for a long period, you will always look 10 years younger.

During this practice, on a physical level, blood circulation in your body will increase, which means that all your clogged muscles, stiff joints, weakened internal organs will receive additional nutrition and begin to tone, bones and tendons will become stronger, joints will become more mobile, and accumulated toxins will begin to leave the body, metabolism will increase, and the condition of the skin and hair will improve.

On an energetic level, with this practice we will improve the flow of Qi energy (life energy) in our body.

This is very important for all those who move little, eat poorly, and are constantly in stressful situations, thereby contributing to stagnation or uneven flow of Qi energy in the body.

Blocking the circulation of this energy causes inflammatory processes in various organs and tissues, and also leads to disruption of the functioning of entire body systems.

Chinese self-massage - rules

So, all you need to do is every day, at a time convenient for you (it’s better to do this in the morning), tap your entire body with your hands from top to bottom for 1 to 3 minutes.

When performing the exercises, you can stand or sit (it is better to stand)

Patting is performed with rounded palms or knuckles gathered into fists.

Rules:

• Start with the head and face, tap from the forehead to the back of the head, then to the neck, separately the right side, separately the left side about 50 times. With your right palm, very gently pat the left side of the face and neck, and with your left palm, on the right. Rub your ears.
• Then pat your neck from the back and front, go down to your shoulders and pat them very carefully too. With your left hand pat your right shoulder, with your right hand on your left
• Stretch your left hand forward and pat it with your right hand on all sides 25 times, do the same on your right hand.
• Clench your palms into fists and pat the entire right side of your back with your left hand, trying to reach the furthest places, then pat the left side of your back with your right hand.
• From bottom to top, pat your chest about 50 times
• Pat your entire stomach with your palms, lightly walk your lower back with your fists. About 50 times.
• Pat your buttocks and legs with your palms. Pat each leg individually, from bottom to top, from shins to thighs, on all sides. Also 50 times
• Finish this self-massage by patting your feet.

This simplest exercise is performed in a fairly fast rhythm; you need to knock lightly, without fanaticism, and despite the fact that each exercise is performed 50 times, it is done very quickly and will take you less than five minutes.

You can perform the practice several times a day; it works especially effectively when you feel very tired or drowsy.

We got up in the morning, quickly patted ourselves and went to make the world a better place)

While doing these exercises, I always mentally imagine that by patting the body, I am slamming good energy deep into the body, and expelling bad, stagnant, and dirty energy from every cell of mine, like dust from a carpet.

After such a three-minute self-massage, you feel cheerful, light, filled with energy, all bad thoughts disappear somewhere, and the body simply comes to life and breathes.

The law of small doses is the basic law of Chinese medicine.

Throughout your life you need to do simple things that do not take much time, but they must be done regularly.

And then there is a high probability of living, living without illness and always looking 10 years younger, being filled with energy and the strength of life.

Try it right now and see for yourself what a “buzz” your body will experience, how gratefully it will respond to you in response to this simple but magical exercise!

One of the similar options for such self-massage can be seen in this video. It’s a little different from the technique I described, but essentially it’s the same.

Try it and share your feedback and feelings :-)

Alena Yasneva was with you, good luck and universal health!!!

In this article I want to look at the types of Taoist practices and their features. The fact is that we know Qigong most of all, but not many people know that this is an artificial name invented for the West in the 60s of the 20th century during the active promotion of ancient Taoist healing methods to the masses. Moreover, under the name Qigong, not only Taoist cultivation methods are often presented, but also Buddhist, Indian, or some other methods.

In addition to Qigong, there are also other methods of self-development, which often few people know about. The difficulty of classifying all Taoist methods is that the Taoists themselves did not bother much about classification and they have many practices for all occasions without established names. But in this article I will still try to outline groups of practices that I know about myself, so that you can gain a general idea of ​​the possibilities that a person begins to study Taoist methods have.

We will start with Taoist methods, which are united under the general term “Qigong”.

Qigong

The term Qigong consists of two words: Qi (life force) - energy and information and Gong - work and improvement. That is, Qigong is a practice of working with ordinary Qi for the purpose of improving a person’s health. In ancient times, all these methods were called “Methods of cultivating life.” Such a name is difficult to promote, so they came up with a shorter one, just as they used the word “Kung Fu” to promote martial arts.

There are a lot of Qigong exercises and they are very different! It is useless to try to learn all the Qigong exercises; it is better to take some that resonate with you and practice them, improving your skill and sensitivity.

There are varieties of Qigong on the Internet, about which it is worth saying a few words:

• Soft Qigong is actually ordinary Qigong :) It is called soft, as opposed to Hard Qigong, and because usually the movements in Qigong exercises are smooth and leisurely. It is worth understanding that ordinary Qigong exercises are aimed primarily at preventing diseases and promoting health, and not at treatment. Although, of course, prevention is the best treatment option :)
• Hard Qigong is an exercise used in martial arts primarily to strengthen the body so that it does not feel pain and is less likely to be injured when it is hit. Often this type of Qigong is served as a healing one. In my opinion, this is complete nonsense! For example, one of the Hard Qigong complexes - I Jin Jing - is designed to train and strengthen ligaments and tendons, so that in battle you can use not only muscle strength, but also tendon strength. At the same time, with the help of a special breathing technique, the human muscular frame is saturated with Qi, which provides the body with special resistance to damage. But such a clever trick is harmful to health! Keeping Qi condensed in the muscles and tendons is harmful - it interferes with the healthy circulation of Qi. That’s why they do this kind of thing before competitions, and then restore the normal state of the energy system. Hard Qigong, of course, teaches a person to control his Qi, but in fact, it does not improve him spiritually and is not directly related to health.
• Medical Qigong - contains all kinds of exercises to cure diseases and improve the health of specific human internal organs or individual parts of the body. It also includes methods for treating other people, including methods for diagnosing with the palms, removing harmful Qi, and emitting Qi to fill the body of another person. These methods are intended to improve a person’s health when the disease has already manifested itself. And this area organically connects with alternative Chinese medicine (in China, this medicine is, on the contrary, traditional), so it is simply endless.
• Tai Chi Qigong - These exercises are part of the training methods of Tai Chi Chuan. Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art and is not actually a Taoist practice. But for the sake of fairness, it is worth saying that many Taoist masters practiced martial arts, including Tai Chi Chuan. Therefore, in this form of Wushu there are methods for working with internal Qi. For example, there are exercises in which a person learns to direct Qi into the palm or fist during a strike. In combat use, this allows you to harm the enemy not only on the physical level, but also on the energy level. Also, such training improves the circulation of Qi in the body and allows you to get to know yourself better. I myself began my acquaintance with the world of Taoist practices with Tai Chi Chuan, and I can say that for the first time I felt my Qi precisely during these trainings.
• Spontaneous Qigong is a method of working with Qi that does not have pre-designed exercises. You simply tune in and listen to yourself and your Qi, allowing it to guide you. The first time I felt a similar phenomenon was while doing the Pillar exercise. I had been standing for over an hour and my Qi was activated. At some point, I felt that there was pressure in my hand, which made me move my hand. I began to slowly release control and my hand began to move on its own until it took a completely different position than the one that is supposed to be held in this exercise. After this movement, I felt that Qi began to actively move in my hand, that is, this spontaneous movement removed the clamp that was preventing Qi from restoring the health of my body. Qi is actually alive and, to some extent, has its own awareness. Spontaneous Qigong uses this to improve Qi circulation and allow the body to repair itself. But this type of Qigong is not recommended for beginners! It's easy to start fooling yourself into thinking you're feeling something, and you'll end up just flailing your legs and arms :)

Tao Yin

Tao Yin is a set of exercises that is aimed at improving three layers of human reality at once: body, Qi (life force) and spirit (heart nature). Tao Yin is translated from Chinese as “lead-guide and pull-stretch.” The peculiarity of Tao Yin is that thanks to stretching movements you not only knead the body, but also squeeze and pull out the cloudy disease-causing Qi from your energy system. Also, while performing Tao Yin exercises, the practitioner performs certain internal work to improve his heart nature.

Dao Yin differs from Qigong primarily in that its exercises are more active and provide a certain load on the physical body. In addition, we can say that Qigong prepares a person’s energy structure for deeper Taoist practices, and Tao Yin prepares, first of all, the body - it allows the ligaments and tendons to be stretched so that the body is able to remain motionless for a long time during meditation.

There is very little information about Tao Yin on the Internet. You can often find completely incorrect information about this art. Thus, one may come across the opinion that there is Tao Yin and Tao Yang, which is a complete misconception! Since in the name Tao Yin the word Yin does not mean Yin energy at all and therefore there cannot be any Tao Yang.

Often, as Tao Yin exercises, certain exercises are shown that are performed sitting and lying down. I admit the possibility that there are adaptations of exercises for bedridden patients. But I certainly recommend doing full-fledged exercises with internal work.

People who have previously practiced yoga often reduce the effectiveness of Tao Yin by ignoring the internal work, turning the exercises into simple exercises. This, of course, still brings benefits, but they still do it in vain :)

Xingun

Laying the foundation for profound transformation of a person's body, Qi and spirit consists of three arts: Tao Yin, Qigong and Xing Gong. Xingun is a method of improving the heart nature of a person. Shingun is the basis of spiritual development. Without Xingun, you will not achieve great results in energy practices!

To change the tone of your whole day and even your whole life, you should smile immediately after waking up and find a reason to be happy. This will allow you to learn to see the good in the bad, to be grateful for what we have and, in the end, will help restore Harmony in the heart and mind.

The whole point is that if you simply heal the body and accumulate Qi by doing Qigong exercises, then you will hit the ceiling of your development because of the ego. As a result of practicing Tao Yin and Qigong, you will have more energy, it will be more powerful and will begin to actively nourish both your virtuous qualities and your negative selfish qualities. This practice will lead to sudden changes in mood, all sorts of distortions in the psycho-emotional sphere and, ultimately, will ruin both your life and your health!

Singun methods are primarily about self-improvement in everyday life, but there are also a number of exercises for more active work with the heart nature. For example, the basis for purifying the heart nature is abdominal breathing, since calm, slow and deep breathing allows you to control emotions. There are also a number of methods for working with the middle dantian, which is responsible for the heart nature of a person. And of course, there are methods for working with consciousness, primarily of a meditative nature.

Very often in ancient China, a student was given only Xing Gong methods for the first few years. And when the student’s heart and consciousness were sufficiently purified, only then did the teacher begin to give Taoist practices for the accumulation of Qi and internal transformation.

Nei Dan or Inner Alchemy

If Tao Yin, Qigong and Xingong are the foundation that lays the foundation for future development (prepares the body, energy system and calms the heart-consciousness), then Nei Dan or Internal Alchemy is the heart of the Taoist Tradition, without which great results and cardinal internal transformation are simply impossible. It is Nei Dan that makes it possible to fully realize your spiritual potential!

All the miracles that are written and spoken about when Taoist masters are mentioned are possible precisely thanks to Nei Dan. Practice Qigong and Tao Yin for even a thousand years, you will not be able to heal other people, make your body light, gain the experience of the soul leaving the body, begin to replenish your Original Qi to significantly prolong your life, and ultimately know your Original nature. But don’t make the common mistake that I made in my time, ignoring the importance of the process of laying the foundation!

Many people, having become acquainted with the first level of Nei Dan, give up their studies of Qigong, Tao Yin, and even more so Xing Gong, and are strenuously trying to fuse the energy pill in the lower Dan Tian in order to quickly begin to work miracles and gain unusual experiences that go beyond everyday reality. Without laying the foundation, you will simply waste time! I do not deny that there are talented people who have probably already advanced in their spiritual development in a past life, and the initial Nei Dan practices come easily to them. But such people may face more serious obstacles if their heart nature is not ready for the level of Qi and the opportunities that the implementation of the first levels of Nei Dan provides.

To be honest, Tao Yin, Qigong and Xing Gong give little results compared to Nei Dan. And if you also naturally have good health, an open and kind heart, and are also very sensitive to Qi, then your achievements in basic Taoist practices may be almost invisible to outsiders and even to yourself. But don't be fooled by this!

Maintaining your health without allowing it to deteriorate is already a good result! Learning to replenish your ordinary (not the Original) Qi and feel your connection with the external forces of Heaven and Earth is already an excellent result! Not allowing your heart to be darkened and remaining compassionate and humane despite the chaos that sometimes reigns around you is already a magnificent result! And even if you never start practicing Nei Dan or for some reason do not succeed in it, then by living a righteous life, you will remain true to your virtuous nature and your time will not be wasted!

The Principle of Non-Doing teaches that one should NOT strive for gain, but should try to avoid harm!

Only at the very end can you truly appreciate the beginning. Only when you approach death can you truly appreciate your life! Therefore, value not what will amuse and delight you now, but what will not darken your heart later...

Sleep Mastery

Many are ready to prove with foam at the mouth that there is no mastery of sleep in the Taoist tradition and never has been :) I won’t argue, but in our Zhen Dao school it exists. This section includes two types of practices:

1. Techniques for improving yourself during lucid dreaming. First of all, this can help us realize the illusory nature of our reality, and therefore help us advance in improving our heart nature.
2. Meditation practices that are performed while lying down. These practices play a supporting role, but can be very useful when your body is tired and can no longer sit still for a long time.

At one time there was a craze on the Internet for lucid dreaming. It should be understood that as one moves along the Path of spiritual development, a person becomes more and more conscious and he actually has fewer and fewer dreams. A person becomes more and more empty and his heart and consciousness are purified and no longer need any illusions.

Therefore, I personally consider methods of improvement during lucid dreaming to be the initial stage.

But the methods of meditation while lying down can be very useful until the very end.

The Taoists were very practical people and came up with hundreds of practices for all occasions! There are methods for cultivation while walking, while sleeping, while eating, during sex, when you are standing, lying down, when there is wind or when you are near water, etc. But it should also be understood that these are auxiliary methods that cannot replace the basis: Tao Yin, Qigong, Xingong and Nei Dan.

Types of Taoist practices without established names

As I already wrote, the Taoists did not bother much with the categorization of practices. And therefore, many practices do not have established short names. In the Taoist Tradition, in addition to the basics, there are also the following types of Taoist practices:

• practices for working with trees, which allow you to gain experience communicating with another form of life and use the power of trees for your own improvement;
• practices for working with wind Qi, natural Qi or water wave Qi;
• practice while walking;
• women's Taoist practices - exercises that are designed to improve the health of the mammary glands and female genital organs;
• breathing practices for faster collection of Qi, which can then be used for treatment, improvement or demonstration of miracles;
• practices during sex that enable both partners to improve their energy structure and enrich their internal Qi thanks to the partner’s Qi;
• practices for preserving the Original Qi - for women this is the practice of stopping menstruation, for men - the practice of preventing ejaculation and directing sexual energy to nourish the spirit;
• a practice that helps you give up food in order to be able to live in the mountains for a long time and practice without being distracted by anything;
• practices for protection from the cold, again primarily for long-term living in nature;
• the practice of correct death, which helps to provide yourself with the most favorable conditions for self-improvement in the next life (although it is still more likely to be included in Nei Dan and I added it here because it is more of a reserve parachute than a method of improvement, in case you fail achieve complete spiritual self-realization in this life).

I'm sure there's a lot more that I don't know about. I’m not very keen on collecting practices, as it’s better to focus on the basics. I think that at a higher level of development, additional practices can come in a dream or spontaneously emerge in consciousness if the practitioner needs them.

Five principles of Taoism and mistakes in practice

In conclusion, I want to consider how the basic five principles of practical Taoism are implemented in practices and what mistakes practitioners sometimes make in this regard. Let me remind you that, unlike religious Taoism, in practical Taoism there are no religious rituals, but only practical methods of improvement.

So, the first principle is Unity. When doing the exercises, it is often necessary to open up to the external Qi in order to allow the internal and external Qi to interchange. This is how we gradually realize the principle of Unity, first in practice, and at higher levels the Taoist master is constantly open to the outside and becomes a magnet that constantly accumulates Qi without making conscious efforts to do so.

It would be a mistake to ignore this part of the inner workings. For example, when standing in a column or doing breathing exercises, it is easy to get distracted by extraneous thoughts or perform the exercise mechanically, staying more in the physical layer of reality, where the physical body exists. Therefore, from the very beginning, even when performing the simplest exercise of cleansing the channels of the arms and legs, it is worth paying great attention to subtle sensations at the Qi level.

But the most difficult thing is to combine Qi and heart-consciousness, to throw a bridge of awareness and sensations from the energy level of reality to the spiritual. For example, in the practice of Tao Yin it is very difficult to remember the third aspect of inner work, which is associated with the heart nature. The brain simply melts from trying to be aware of not only the movements of the physical body, but also the circulation of Qi and the connection with the Higher Primordial. But this is a very useful workout!

In Tao Yin, working with the heart nature seems insignificant, since such practice is unnoticeable. After stretching, the body hurts and we feel a certain result. After active work with Qi, we can also feel a fairly vivid result - we feel warm, light, feeling puffed up, as if we were a wrinkled balloon, and after the session our body seems to be bursting with internal Qi. But it is most difficult to feel changes at the level of the heart and consciousness. Therefore, perfecting the heart nature takes a very long time.

But it is the connection of the body and Qi with the spirit that lays the foundation for subsequent active spiritual development! Therefore, do not neglect the aspects of cultivating the heart nature even in the simplest entry-level exercises!

We practice unity as the unity of internal and external, as well as the unity of our body, Qi and heart nature. Both aspects of training are important! And in my opinion, it is much easier to feel the unity of the internal and external than the unity within oneself 🙂 How often do our thoughts, feelings and actions are completely different and tear us apart? If your practice is successful, then this chaos will dissolve and your life will become happier.

The second principle of Taoist thinking is Non-Action. It manifests itself in all Taoist practices primarily in the fact that in the beginning you launch the practice and guide it, and then your task is to let go of control and allow the practice to guide you. For example, doing simple cumulative breathing, when you inhale Qi and direct it to the lower dantian, as your consciousness calms down, your breathing becomes slow and barely noticeable, everything happens on its own. At a certain stage, it begins to seem that it is not you who are breathing, but Qi itself entering you, inflating your lungs and filling your energy structure.

To achieve this effect, you need to learn to empty your mind and heart. Don’t try to control the process, but don’t lose awareness either! Just follow. In those exercises where there is body movement, as you master the exercise, you will feel that the body begins to move on its own and, moreover, sometimes you may feel that Qi is forcing you to make movements that were not originally included in the exercise. It is important here not to fall into self-deception. Try to follow this spontaneous movement and watch what happens. If after such a movement you feel somewhere a flow of Qi that has suddenly turned on or some changes in consciousness occur, then most likely you did the right thing, following an inner impulse. But to be more sure, of course you should consult your teacher.

To embody Non-Doing at the level of the heart nature, you will have to get rid of pride and dissolve your ego. This will take many years, but this does not make the implementation of non-action in everyday life any less significant.

I think one of the main mistakes of practitioners, in which they contradict the principle of Non-Doing, is setting goals and creating plans in their practice. Of course, you need to have a general direction. But setting a goal like I will practice every day for a month for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening is stupid! Even if you have the willpower and energy reserves to do it, you can go too far and exhaust yourself so much that you will then recover for a long period of time without practicing.

It is better to practice for 30 minutes every day than for a month for 2 hours and then not practice for a month. Many processes that are launched by Taoist practices require a large amount of time. When you stop your practice, you put out the stove and you will have to start cooking the soup again when you resume your practice!

So I recommend cultivating modesty in yourself and not chasing results. Listen to yourself and respond to the current situation. For example, yesterday I didn’t sleep until 3 am. Then I went to bed and I couldn’t sleep. At this time it started snowing and I literally physically felt the silence and fabulousness of what was happening on the street. I wanted internal renewal and I stood up. With great pleasure and without any strain, I stood in the post for about an hour, without even noting the time, and when it began to get light outside I went to bed.

Learn to feel yourself, synchronize yourself with yourself and with what is happening in the outside world. Even if you think that you have weak intuition, that you are not a sensitive person, listen anyway! Awareness and sensitivity develop and you will succeed!

The third principle of Taoist thinking is Harmony. Heaven takes where there is a lot and gives where there is little. You should do the same as Heaven in everything!

When performing energy practices, we constantly use this principle when we remove cloudy Qi and create an emptiness that is independently filled with external Qi. Harmony should be restored in the body, balancing movement and rest, food and hunger, heat and cold, rest and work.

And at the level of the heart and consciousness, one should dissolve one’s delusions and delusions, cultivate non-attachment and modesty, and cultivate virtuous qualities.

The principle of Harmony is violated by everyone 🙁 Under the influence of selfish desires, we constantly create problems for ourselves by continuing to accumulate Yin and waste Yang. Therefore, to implement the principle of Harmony, it is worth actively using two other principles - Cultivating Yang and Depleting Yin.

I would also like to add that despite the types of Taoist practices that you practice, pay attention to the following:

• When you engage in Taoist practices for the sake of magic, to learn how to perform any miracles, heal people, gain experience of the soul leaving the body, walking on water, flying, etc. , instead of cultivating Yang, you accumulate Yin. And this leads to a violation of the principle of Harmony, which means you create difficulties for yourself, which sooner or later will become an obstacle for you on the Path.
• If you are attached to results and are engaged only for the sake of them, then you are attached to gains and losses. This means you accumulate Yin and violate Harmony. What else can you do for? At the initial stage, it is quite normal to use your desires for motivation in classes, but it is worth gradually dissolving them and improving for the sake of curiosity and the process itself, to realize that this is our Original nature.
• If you tend to visualize and control your practice, then you are violating the principle of Non-Doing. And an attempt to control is nothing more than a rejection of reality and passion for one’s selfish desires (which also violates Harmony).
• If you like to compare your experience of practice with other people, like to learn new practices, chase after teachings and novelty, then you are at the mercy of the mechanical mind. This is the same when people travel to many countries, go to many restaurants, buy a bunch of new clothes, etc. All this superficial craving for consumerism takes you away from the real and deep, and it is in simplicity. More attention should be paid to Yin Devastation.
• If you often mix the practices of different systems of self-development, love experiments, love logic and the rational mind, on the one hand, there seems to be nothing wrong :) Children are also curious and also constantly experiment and explore the outside world and themselves. But to be carried away by the external means not to improve in the internal. Simplicity and purification of the mind from defilements can help you advance on the Path.
• If you think that practice, work, life must be hard, it is because you are afraid to live in your own way, according to your nature. When you live “your life,” there is nothing difficult about it. But you need to decide on this, find the courage to let go of rational rules and control and begin to follow circumstances and your own nature, and not your ego, your fears, patterns and obscurations.

Many, seduced by will, fall into the trap of fear of giving it up, letting go of control, and stopping managing the world around them. Manipulation is mastered by the manipulator himself - having learned to trick the world, in the end, a person falls into self-deception, because he does not see himself. His focus is outward, and he loses vision of himself and his contact with others. It becomes almost impossible for him to allow himself to become vulnerable, to succumb to the influence of the surrounding world in order to connect with it and engage in cooperation, gradually returning to Oneness.

As Einstein said, most problems are unsolvable at the level of thinking at which they were created. If the tree dries out, you need to water the root, not wipe the leaves! That is, it is necessary to move towards the Source. The solution to all problems should be sought at a more subtle, stronger, abstract and fundamental level, which is simpler and more unified - then the solution will be faster, easier, safer and more elegant.

The world is co-existent (coexistence leads to the fact that everything that happens is connected with each other, since the world is one) and in order to correspond to things, you must not make the world the object of your thoughts, but open your heart, sympathizing with all the changes from the middle . The sage does not control external events and does not passively go with the flow, but follows the beginnings of change, what has not yet manifested itself! Creativity is manifested in the process of manifesting what has not yet been manifested, but it does not contradict the natural course of things, but only gives them form.

To follow things, it is necessary to abandon the division of the world into object and subject. It is worth starting from the unity of all Being; in addition, it is absolutely necessary to influence the unmanifested (that which forms the future form), anticipating events (returning to the Source) and emptying oneself so as not to become dependent on subsequent born things and events.

The path is the road back to the unity of things, between which there are no boundaries, which are like a web of connections and correspondences. Any event on the Path is a co-existence (the joint existence of things), which ultimately embraces all that exists. The path is the spearhead of change between Being and Non-Being (the highest middle ground), it is not a person’s choice, but his acceptance and unconditional adherence to internal changes, which are reflected with a delay in the outside world.

And finally, a good quote about the principle of Unity:

Wenzi asked: Why are humanity, justice and courtesy considered less significant than the virtues of Tao?

Lao Tzu replied: Those who intentionally practice humanity always view it in terms of sorrow and happiness, and those who intentionally practice justice always perceive it in terms of loss and gain. Someone's sadness or someone's happiness cannot extend to everyone living within the four seas; material wealth and money in depleted treasuries are not enough to provide for all people.

Therefore, we know that it is better to practice the Tao and put its virtues into action. Based on the true nature of heaven and earth, all living beings correct themselves and the world achieves perfection. Humanity and justice are dependent and secondary. Therefore, great people live by what is deep and not by what is superficial.

Treatise of Wen Tzu, passage 155

To realize Unity in your life, look not for a compromise, but for a comprehensive idea that will unite opposites! Follow the unity of things and you will be happy. After all, any event means that you co-exist, live together with the whole world. And by trying to fight events, you thereby separate yourself from them, depriving yourself of Unity. Don't fight, change what hasn't shown itself yet.

Recently I was thinking about the idea of ​​​​how to lose weight the Taoist way :) According to the principle of Non-Action, one should strive not for benefit, but to avoid harm. Thus, you do not fight with what already exists, but change what does not yet exist. That is, you should not try to lose weight, but try not to gain even more weight. It is much easier to get rid of the weight that you have not yet gained than the weight that you have already gained (manifested). This means that you should perform those actions that will prevent weight gain, and the principle of Harmony will do the rest. I will experiment with this and when the result appears, I will definitely write an article about it :)

Taoist health system

The Taoist health system was created by more than one generation of sages who carefully selected movements and their trajectories, purposefully forcing energy to move in the field form of human life, which normalizes and stimulates the corresponding physiological functions.

Having mastered this system of exercises, you will feel the beauty of the internal movement of energies, strengthen your body and delay the aging process. Doing them correctly will give you extraordinary satisfaction and joy. Women, performing them, will feel slim, flexible, playful. Men will regain their extinguished ardor and establish themselves in their own beginnings in life.

All proposed exercises are based on knowledge of the interaction of the human energy body, consisting of plasma and magnetic field, with the Earth’s magnetic field and energy flows coming from the surface of the earth and vice versa. As a result of such interaction, with the help of simple movements, it is possible not only to store and replenish the energy of the field form of life of the organism, but also to improve circulation in it. All this leads to excellent therapeutic and health results.

Master the exercises slowly. The difficulty of performing them is only apparent and lies in mastering coordination. Over time, the body itself, the circulation of energy itself, will tell you how to correctly perform the form of the exercise. They are performed easily and freely, you just need to develop the correct movement in yourself, which indicates that there is proper circulation of energy in the body, and you will immediately become satisfied and joyful. Remember, this or that movement affects the internal circulation of energy in such a way that it ultimately strengthens the corresponding organ, group of organs, part of the body, etc.

During exercise, breathing is slow, smooth and deep. You should understand this where simply “deep breathing” is described. All exercises are performed slowly, smoothly and roundly. Imagine yourself as flowing water, and it doesn’t make sharp turns, everything is streamlined. In addition, always try to enter the image, feel the movement from within, at its energy level. And then everything will start to work out for you and you will feel their great benefits.

From the book How to Stay Healthy author Gennady Petrovich Malakhov

Health-improving work with trees Health-improving practice shows that in the spring, when trees awaken to life, you can conduct an energy exchange with them, giving away bad energy and in return receiving powerful healing energy. Go to the park, choose a large beautiful tree,

From the book Spinal Diseases. Complete guide author Author unknown

HEALTH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

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Healthy walking and hypertension

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Healthy walking with endarteritis The situation with endarteritis is even more complicated, since in this case, along with large arteries, the smallest blood vessels - arterioles - are also affected. However, in the initial stage of the disease, even here positive effects can be expected.

From the book Joint gymnastics author Lyudmila Rudnitskaya

Health-improving qigong gymnastics The centuries-old experience of Chinese traditional medicine is embodied in a simple but effective system of qigong health-improving gymnastics. Health-improving qigong gymnastics is based on the ancient Chinese teaching about the harmonious relationship between man and

From the book 365 golden breathing exercises author Natalya Olshevskaya

Taoist gymnastics for joint rejuvenation One of the most important achievements of China today is Chinese health practices. Not only have they not lost their significance, but, on the contrary, they are only now beginning to receive recognition throughout the world. I want

From the book The best methods for healing the heart and blood vessels author Yulia Sergeevna Popova

Health-improving qigong gymnastics The centuries-old experience of Chinese traditional medicine is embodied in a simple but effective system of qigong health-improving gymnastics, which is a set of elementary methods of controlling breathing and body movement. Back in III

From the book Headaches. How to win? author Nikolai Grigorievich Mesnik

Eastern health-improving gymnastics Eastern gymnastics pa-tuan-chin originated in ancient times and is recommended for people with disorders of the cardiovascular system. Classes should be carried out in the morning with the window open, and in the summer - in the fresh air,

From the book Treatment of eye diseases + course of therapeutic exercises author Sergei Pavlovich Kashin

Taoist method for relieving headaches Wave vibration, or energy, is omnipresent. Everything is charged with it: from a roadside stone to you and me, dear readers. It circulates everywhere: in the surrounding space, in the person himself: bad energy leaves him, good energy,

From the book Eye Exercises author Elena Anatolyevna Boyko

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Health system of Tao The ancient Chinese system of Tao is aimed at the overall health of the body and the preservation of youth. Exercises to strengthen vision and treat various eye diseases included in this system are recommended to be performed for any anomalies

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From the book Formula for Absolute Health. Breathing according to Buteyko + “Baby” by Porfiry Ivanov: two methods against all diseases author Fedor Grigorievich Kolobov

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From the book Healing Cold: Home Cryotherapy author Gennady Mikhailovich Kibardin

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8. Bathing as a health procedure Swimming in water is the most common health procedure available to a wide range of people if there is a river, lake, sea or at least an artificial pool nearby. Swimming in cool water is usually

A person ruins his body so much that even at a very mature age, he already experiences many problems. As for men, many of them already suffer from impotence at the age of 35-45. There can be many reasons for this. These include cardiovascular diseases, pathologies of genitourinary diseases, and mental disorders. As a result, his potency suffers, his beloved woman becomes dissatisfied, which is followed by a break in relationships and twisted destinies. One symptom, and what devastating consequences it has.

You should not think that only those who have difficulties with potency need to think about their libido. Men who believe that sex for 5-15 minutes can fully satisfy their companion are mistaken. In order to fully satisfy a woman, more time is needed. In addition, a special culture and abilities in intimate relationships are required, which Europeans, for example, do not have. This issue was given full attention in the East, which resulted in some practices. Many people know the Indian Kama Sutra, but few people know that all the psychophysical practices of the peoples of the East are aimed, among other things, at increasing male libido. In addition to the well-known yoga, ancient civilizations left their descendants with Taoist exercises for men.

What unexpected things can you get from practicing Taoist exercises?

What special things can men achieve by practicing Taoist exercises? It should be noted that these are not just exercises. This is a whole system of psychophysical exercises that allow you to heal the male body not only physically, but also mentally. The health aspect is considered here in the context that a truly healthy person has enormous potential. He can sleep for several hours, and sometimes minutes, a day, while getting complete sleep. He is unaffected by any illness, and his physical capabilities, even in old age, amaze young people. Such a person is able to remember very quickly large amounts of information, etc.

Sexually, a man who practices this system can experience full orgasm multiple times in one sexual act. As surprising as this may sound, it is exactly so. Sex therapists believe that only a woman can experience multiple orgasms. Few representatives of the fairer sex know about this, and even fewer experience such an orgasm. For men, this is considered unattainable without any hyperactive manifestations associated with mental and genitourinary disorders. But the fact of the matter is that in the traditions of Eastern practices, multiple orgasms in men are considered quite normal.

The bottom line is that Europeans equate the moment of ejaculation with the moment of orgasm in a man. For this reason, the limited amount of seminal fluid and the relatively low rate of its reproduction after ejaculation limit the number of possible orgasms in men. To achieve orgasm, women do not require the release of any fluid, which, like men, is in limited quantities. But it will be surprising to learn that Taoists do not identify these concepts. They develop the ability to experience orgasm without ejaculation, which gives them inexhaustible opportunities for obtaining voluptuous sensations.

How to develop superpowers and gain true masculine strength

Looking at the above, we can state that Taoist exercises develop a man’s superpowers in all respects. He not only becomes healthier, stronger, smarter, but also gets the opportunity to fulfill any desires of women in the intimate sphere. Although for many European women it is considered happiness if sexual intercourse lasts more than 10-15 minutes. If her partner is capable of longer duration of sexual intercourse, then this is perceived as a miracle. In fact, this is the least that can be expected when applying Taoist practices. But this does not mean that after completing a couple of exercises, you will immediately acquire the abilities of the world famous Casanova. We are talking about a system that needs to be built into your life, practicing it regularly.

In the intimate sphere, a man will have to discover and reveal his full potential of sexuality, which will lead him to the desired multiple orgasm.

Regular practice of Taoist exercises will allow you to feel your body more acutely, feel its processes, and also make it possible to influence and control them. This is the tool with which a man will be able to separate orgasm from ejaculation, since these are completely different physiological processes. Ultimately, instead of short-term pleasure, a man receives a series of orgasms, which also retain pleasant sensations longer than with ordinary orgasms.

The technique of multiple orgasms not only allows you to satisfy a woman to the extent she needs, but also leads to less fatigue and exhaustion that follows ejaculation. This leads to increased life expectancy in men, while maintaining their vitality. But in order to achieve such an effect, it is necessary to integrate this system into your life. There is little benefit if, while performing sets of exercises from time to time, a man abuses alcohol, smokes, and is indiscriminate in food. All of the above capabilities are already inherent in a person from birth.

Nature created him perfect. However, the person wanted to go some other unnatural way. As a result, human life expectancy is relatively short. Biologically, he is capable of living much longer than modern man lives. The average life expectancy of 65-79 years, which is demonstrated by the inhabitants of planet Earth, is at least two times lower than what they should have. And the abilities they possess are significantly lower than those of which the human body is capable. But this does not mean that these abilities cannot be developed in oneself, as yogis, Taoists, and martial arts adherents demonstrate.

What are the benefits for men's health

But if life expectancy and superpowers develop in all people who practice Taoist exercises, including women, then for men there are some features that need to be considered in more detail. That is, we are talking specifically about increasing opportunities in intimate life. The very first thing a man will get is multiple orgasms, which he will be able to experience without losing an erection. All these orgasms will become longer lasting, and pleasant sensations will cover the whole body.

Sexual energy can be used not only in intimate terms. By practicing Taoist exercises, a man will be able to use this energy for general health, thereby increasing his vitality and life expectancy. A keen sense of a partner will arise, whose desires will begin to be predicted. And if the woman of such a man does not know how to get multiple orgasms, then he will be able to help her achieve them. He will have the opportunity to use a more advanced technique for inserting the penis, which will allow him to fully satisfy his partner.

These exercises prevent impotence, relieve premature ejaculation, can increase the strength and size of the penis, allow you to control the volume of sperm released, improve the functioning of the prostate gland, and prevent its diseases, including cancer. The Taoist system for men's health allows you to remain sexually active into old age and use your sexuality to deepen your spirituality.

One of life examples

So that all of the above does not seem unfounded to you, let us turn to cases from real life. After all, if these practices have existed for several millennia, there could not have been people who lived for a long time and remained sexually active. The fact is that adherents of Taoism are special people with special behavior. They do not calculate their age in calendar years, but measure life by counting the number of heartbeats, breathing cycles, and the number of ejaculations. According to their worldview, each person has his own number of heartbeats and respiratory cycles intended for him. As soon as they end, death occurs. Many European explorers and travelers who find themselves in villages inhabited by Tao adherents find it hard to believe that they are surrounded by people who are 100-120 or more years old and who look no more than 50 years old.

But there is an example that has become known to the world community, which is striking and difficult to believe. In the first half of the twentieth century, namely in 1933, it became known about the death of the Chinese herbalist Li Ching-yuen. He died shortly after he brought his 24th wife into the house. Having many wives in one's life can be explained in many ways, but the Chinese government has recorded the historical fact that this man was born in 1677 and was 256 years old at the time of his death. It is curious that at the time of his death, Li Ching-yuen retained his teeth, he was not bald, and throughout his life he had enormous youthful strength, excellent health and sexual potency. According to eyewitnesses, even at more than 200 years old, he looked no older than a 50-year-old man.

The famous Chinese herbalist, who practiced Taoist exercises, made no secret of how he reached his age and how he managed to stay in such good shape. Anyone who wanted to follow his example could hear many useful recommendations from him, but there were three basic rules. His first advice was that you need to live your life without haste. He believed that one should strive to do everything in a measured manner, not allow chaos into one’s daily life and avoid nervous shocks. You need to meet any joys and sorrows with a calm mind. In this, in his words, inner self-confidence helps, to prevent heart palpitations and to remain in what you are doing right now. If you sit, do it motionless, like a turtle. If you move, then do it as quickly as a bird in the sky, and if you sleep, then follow the example of a dog who has a very light sleep.

His second piece of advice was that men should not allow excessive emotions into their lives. This, in his opinion, is especially true for older men. He considered strong emotions to be the greatest source of loss of vital energy, as well as the destroyer of the stable functioning of human internal systems and organs. During emotional arousal, stagnation occurs in organs such as the liver, kidneys and lungs. It is these organs that are the main centers of detoxification of the body, and disruption of their work leads to a reduction in human vitality.

And the third piece of advice he gave was to do Taoist exercises every day. They noted that the duration of these exercises and the intensity of their implementation are less important than their constant, daily performance, so you need to not just do the exercises, but integrate the training into your life. Exercise should be as natural and necessary as brushing your teeth and eating. The famous Chinese herbalist considered the exercises “deer” for men, “turtle” and “crane” to be the most effective exercises for general use. But there are many other exercises for men.

The general recommendation for the “deer” exercise for men is to do it while standing. You need to place your feet firmly on the floor, mentally feel how they are pressed down, as if growing into it. Keep your back and head straight during the exercise. Press your middle fingers into the depression located at the base of the skull. In this cavity there is an acupuncture point that must be massaged 49 times. Such massage movements activate both hemispheres of the brain at the point where the nerve endings enter it. Next, you need to take a deep breath through your nose, touching your tongue to your gums and holding it in this position for the entire period of holding your breath. When exhaling, the tongue should touch the lower row of teeth.

Next, while continuing to stand straight, with your feet shoulder-width apart, tighten your lower pelvis with a quick and energetic upward movement. This movement is accompanied by a deep breath, which lasts for 12-15 seconds. In this position, you need to remain in a tense state for 10-12 seconds, after which you exhale for 4-6 seconds, reaching the moment of relaxation. When performing this movement, energy is directed along the spine into the brain. Perform the exercise early in the morning, immediately after getting out of bed, for 21 repetitions.