Taoist meditation techniques - starting the practice

A good reference book for Taoist meditation techniques is Gateway to Wisdom by John Blofeld.

Blofeld's book describes the main Taoist meditation techniques, which can be practiced alone without the aid of a teacher. He stresses that there is no substitute for a teacher in the later stages but that the journey can be begun by the novice using the methods described by him.

In some 90 concise pages Blofeld describes such essentials as Taoist concepts, attitude, mode of living and basic meditative techniques. He also describes the more advanced Taoist meditation techniques of intimate communion with nature, Cherishing the One, Conservation of the three treasures, Healing yoga and supportive practices. All these techniques may be practiced safely, without supervision by a beginner though in later stages of your journey along the path a qualified teacher is essential.

Finding a qualified teacher is a little difficult in today's world. Taoism is not a major religion and is not organized in any way. There are some 30,000 adherents of Taoism in North America and also Taoism is practiced in the country of Taiwan. But such teachers as do exist are likely to lead very ordinary lives and even their neighbors will be unaware that they are living in the company of a sage. If you do find a teacher, ask to see his lineage. By lineage is meant the names of the teacher's teacher, his teacher's teacher and so on back for perhaps many generations. In China, discovering a teacher's spiritual lineage was one of the ways of ascertaining that he had something worthwhile to teach. But an eagerness to be proclaimed a guru has no place in the Taoist attitude to life. If you find someone making extravagant claims, take a long walk in the opposite direction for he is sure to be a fraud.

I will describe here briefly one of the main Taoist meditation techniques, the Pao I yoga (Cherishing the One), which transforms the mind and body so effectively that youthful vigor is prolonged and longevity assured. It is said by some authorities that physical deathlessness (meaning life as a Taoist immortal) can also be achieved by practicing this yoga.

According to Taoist teaching there exists a drop of unsullied yang-shen (yang spirit) within the complicated yin yang structure that one mistakes for self. This is the divine link with the ineffable and in the Pao I yoga the adept attempts to become ever more conscious of its presence. In addition to longevity, regular practice of this yoga helps attain inner stillness and lead to the dawning of intuitive realization of our true nature.

The yoga is to be done very early in the morning in a quiet place suited to meditation. The adept concentrates for a while on the sensation of breath (and Chi) passing smoothly through his nostrils. Having attained some degree of stillness he embarks on a preliminary meditation, which forms a good preparation for the main practice.

He visualizes his whole body as transformed into a beautiful bronze vessel. Two long robed heavenly beings appear, the male astride a white tiger (symbol of yang) and the lady immortal mounted on a green dragon. From the mouths of their steeds pour forth streams of dazzling light, which mingle in the vessel. The heavenly being vanish and the elixir in the vessel condenses into a pearl shaped object. The bronze vessel regains its human form with the pearl lodged in the psychic center parallel to the navel. By concentrating the mind and breathing deeply the adept causes the pearl to rise to the apex of the skull.

Then comes the main part of the practice. The adept visualizes – as far as possible – in mental picture and not in words the following:

Her am I, a being bounded by the confines of the body. Within my head is a shining drop of spirit, a drop of yang-shen, which is an integral part of me, yet it springs from the very fount of being. Herein lies the essence of my selfness, which is not mine at all but the self of the immeasurable Tao. I shall guard full recognition of this treasure by night and day, waking or sleeping, never allowing it to be far from the surface of my consciousness, never acting in a manner unworthy of it.

The above is a very brief summary of the account of the meditation practice described in John Blofeld's book – Gateway to Wisdom . I urge all persons interested to pick up a copy of this book. This book would be a good starting point to your meditation practice of Taoist meditation techniques in the absence of a teacher.

Prior to undertaking the meditation practice please read the page Taoist meditations in which I describe the attitude to be cultivated by Taoist adepts and the basic Taoist concepts that are a way of life for followers of Taoism. Please click here to learn about Taoist Meditations

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