Emotional Alchemy And Spiritual Transformation

The ancient Daoists used the esoteric properties of the Body (via its Form and Sensations), the Breath (via Energy and Thought Words), and the Mind (via Imagination and Images) in magical alchemy in order to initiate deep physical, energetic, and spiritual transformations. These important levels of awakening and transformation were essential in order to free the disciple’s Three Bodies from the energetic chains that were attached to his acquired nature.
In Daoist Alchemy, when you work with the Physical Body – you become aware of the Energy Body. When you work with the Energy Body – you become aware of the Spirit Body. When you work with the Spirit Body – you become aware of the Infinite Space of the Wuji, the Eternal Soul, and the divine realm of the True Dao.
What you are as a spirit of light is creative, intelligent, and perceptive. However, when the acquired personality begins to identify with “what we are” as opposed to “who we are,” we begin to energetically feed our false identity, and manifest various toxic energetic states into existence. This is because, whenever you over-identify with any type of emotion, you automatically attract the same kind of psychic energy to you. The more that you identify with these programed identities and the “trophies” that you keep in order to support the old energetic patterns, the harder it is to let go of these identities.
It is important to remember, that the energy of “what was” is always destroyed by the energy of “what’s next?” Therefore, if you can destroy the internal demon that maintains the “old story,” and causes you to immediately react out of anger and fear, you can free yourself from the energetic shackles that are connected to the ghosts of your personal past.
According to ancient Daoist teachings, Virtues (De) are composed of a subtle spiritual substance known as Ling Qi (Spiritual Energy); additionally, your higher Spirit Body is also created from Ling Qi and Ling Shen (Spiritual Mind). Whenever you become emotional, you energetically waste your cultivated Ling Qi and Ling Shen, and sabotage your alchemical training.
Each time you criticize and complain, you energetically consume the Qi of your cultivated Virtues. This is because, all of the “Thought-Words” that you use to describe the perceived aggravated situation, originated from the learned language of the acquired personalities “survival identity.” Additionally, every time that you become upset, your consciousness implodes, and you lose your lucid spiritual perceptions.
The following teaching is designed in order to help expose the deep seated toxic emotional states that undermine and sabotage Qi cultivation and spiritual growth. This awareness is traditionally used by Daoist Priests in order to transform their Postnatal (Acquired) Emotional Energies into Prenatal (Congenital) Spiritual States.

The Body’s 3 Core Channels

One important teaching that my teacher first introduced me to at the beginning of my Magical Apprenticeship, was the secret teaching of the body’s three internal core channels. As a priest, it is essential that you understand and completely comprehend the various spiritual applications of this special teaching, as it represents three levels of learning internal and external spiritual knowledge.
To begin with, the spiritual energy resonating within the center core Taiji Pole can be divided into three important internal channels (The Center Core Taiji Pole, The Right Thrusting Vessel, and the Left Thrusting Vessel). In Daoist Alchemy, these special Thrusting Vessels differ in energetic function than the ones described in Traditional Chinese Medicine. For example, when the Yuan Shen (Original Spirit/Mind) is connected to the Celestial Mind/Spirit of Heaven, the radiant light of the Divine is manifested within the disciple’s Eternal Soul. When this special celestial light energetically manifests itself inside the body, the disciple will experience deep states of spiritual bliss. The natural spiritual manifestation of this type of Divine energy is attributed to the following awareness and feelings for self and others:

• Center Channel (Taiji Pole): Feelings of Unconditional Love
• Right Channel (Right Thrusting Vessel): Feelings of Great Joy and Happiness
• Left Channel (Left Thrusting Vessel): Feelings of Great Gratitude and Privilege

In Daoist discipleship training, the Apprentice is taught that this blissful spiritual state is the true, original state of his or her prenatal manifestation (while in-utero). This divine internal state can be awakened and re-activated through the external interaction of the spiritual Three Treasures (defined as the disciple’s Teacher, the Teachings, and the students spiritually training within the sect), described as follows:

• The Teacher (Taiji Pole): The disciple’s teacher should be the embodiment of “Unconditional Love.” The word “love” is defined as wanting to see something “thrive” physically, energetically, and spiritually. Unconditional Love is “I love you because I can.” Conditional Love is “I love you because of what you are.” By not trusting, and allowing the Teacher to become a source of unconditional spiritual support, the disciple will develop an internal “Need for Security,” which subconsciously gives birth to fear, ignorance, and pride. This is why the ancient Daoist saying states: “Who ever dishonors his teacher – dishonors himself.”

• The Teachings (Left Thrusting Vessel): The teachings of the Sacred Scriptures should bring the disciple feelings of “Great Joy and Happiness.” Without these important feelings, the disciple will subconsciously develop an internal “Need for Approval,” which gives birth to “Lust Filled Desires.” The word “lust” is defined as looking for something outside of yourself (i.e., your original divine core-self) in order to fulfill your needs. This occurs when we act or do not act on our own behalf because of fear.

• The Disciples (Right Thrusting Vessel): The other disciples of the Daoist sect should bring the apprentice feelings of “Great Gratitude and Privilege.” Without these important feelings, the disciple will subconsciously develop an internal “Need for Control,” which gives birth to “Hate Filled Guilt and Blame.” In Guilt, they hate themselves for their problems; in Blame, they hate others for their problems.

The energetic light and sound of the Taiji Pole can be divided into three core channels, the energies of which combine in order to manifest a divine blissful state (when consistently “fed” with divine spiritual influences)

Energetic Blockages Located Within the 3 Core Channels

Sometimes the mind becomes upset by disturbing mental images and emotional “stories” that have become blocked and energetically charged inside the heart. In chronic cases, these unsettling images and toxic stories form energetic knots. Whenever there is any type of energetic blockage located within any one of these three internal channels, there will be certain attitude manifestations observed within the training disciples. These toxic manifestations are usually due to one of three core knots that can sometimes be located deep within the disciple’s heart, and are described as follows:

• Manifestations of an Energetic Blockage within the Core Channel (Taiji Pole): When the energetic blockage is located inside the Core Channel, the disciple will like the teaching and the other students, but will not like the teacher.
• Manifestations of an Energetic Blockage Within the Left Channel: When the energetic blockage is located inside the Left Channel, the disciple will like the teaching and the teacher, but will not train.
• Manifestations of an Energetic Blockage Within the Right Channel: When the energetic blockage is located inside the Right Channel, the disciple will like the teaching and the teacher, but will not like the other students.

According to my Dragon’s Gate Daoist teacher, these energetic core knots will emotionally send any disciple into spiritual mayhem, manifesting as one of the Six Realms of Suffering, defined as follows:

• God Realm: The Entitled Realm of Intoxicating Self-Infatuation
• Demigod (Titan) Realm: The Jealous Realm of Envious Self-Defensiveness
• Human Realm: The Competitive Realm of Self-Indulgent Justification
• Animal Realm: The Over-protective Realm of Endless Boundaries, constructed from Fear and maintained by Ignorance
• Hungry Ghost Realm: The Needy Realm of Chronic Self-Pity and Ceaseless Craving
• Hell Realm: The Angry Realm of Self-Righteous Hate-filled Victims

Questions used to Remove Qi Blockages in the 3 Channels

The following are nine questions traditionally used to free the disciple’s heart of these energetic knots, and are applied to elicit emotional freedom.

• Removing An Energetic Blockage Located Within the Center Core Channel (Taiji Pole): The disciple should be asked the following questions:

1. What is the insecurity about this?
2. Who’s are these feelings and sensations?
3. Who could let them go?

• Removing An Energetic Blockage Located Within the Left Channel: The disciple should be asked the following questions:

1. Is there anything here in terms of approval or disapproval?
2. Is there anything I need to prove or disapprove?
3. Would you belong to a “special” club because of this (e.g., the “Lonely Hearts” Club, or the Unforgivable” Club, etc.)?

• Removing An Energetic Blockage Located Within the Right Channel: The disciple should be asked the following questions:

1. Do you feel out of control, controlled by others, or the need to fight for control?
2. What if this was to never change; and what if it gets worse?
3. What if you completely lost your capacity to have this experience?

If after asking and processing these nine simple questions the disciple still feels energetically trapped and spiritually bound to the experience, then have the disciple ask the following two questions:

1. What about my approach is blinding Me?
2. What am I taking for granted?

Self Destructive Transformation

In modern society, many times, because of feelings of low self-esteem or a sense of privileged “entitlement,” a student does not really understand why it is so important to honor his or her teacher, their lineage teachings, or their fellow disciples.

The teacher, being the spiritual root for lineage transmission, is traditionally honored above all things on Earth. The ancient Chinese have a saying “Whoever honors his teacher – honors himself;”  “Whoever dishonors his teacher – dishonors himself.” This is because, as priests and spiritual instructors, the teacher is required to continually pray for his students and disciples, to always watch over them, energetically protect them, and oversee their personal spiritual growth.

The teacher must also continually challenge his students and disciples to take responsibility and accountability for their spiritual Walk. They are also called to personally “intercede” when their own actions and attitudes are hurting others or themselves (its like raising children – with the teacher as the father and the student as the child).

Once a student leaves his or her teacher’s spiritual covering, if they do not find another spiritual instructor to intercede for them and challenge them to grow – then they personally take on the full responsibility of their “own” spiritual walk.
Many times, when this happens – the suppressed, unhealed feelings that originally removed the student from the master gives birth to “psychotic states.” Unable to free themselves from the cycle of “guilt and blame” that keeps their unhealed stories alive – the student succumbs to their own projected delusional fantasies, and suffer alone from spiritual heartbreak.

Part of maturing in any type of spiritual Work, is accepting the responsibility for all of our actions – this is the first law of esoteric spiritual teachings – sometimes known as “Intercepting Karma.”

All spiritual teachers’ answer to a “Higher Court” for the choises made in their personal lives, as well as in their Ministry. Therefore, when things go “wrong,” the teacher is required to surrender to the higher will of the Celestial Court, and allow the Celestial Realm to handle the situation the best way that they see fit.

Each spiritual teacher has a number of Celestial Guardians that are assigned to protect him or her and their lineage teachings. Therefore, whenever a student secretly decides to deceive others, conspires, or makes disparaging remarks against the teacher or his/her fellow disciples – they immediately incur the wrath and punishment of the Lineage Guardians.

Traditionally, when an individual refuses to change their course of action, and continually harms themselves and others, the Spirit World reveals their activities to their teacher. The teacher is then required to confront the individual. If the offense is severe enough, the individual is dismissed; or, if their guilt is too great – they usually dismiss themselves…

I always feel sorry for what happens to these individuals. In all energetic practices, you bring about what you thing about (i.e., hate attracts hate – love attracts love, etc.), its all about the energy seeking balance.

Self Induced Psychic Attacks

All people, especially those practitioners of any form of magic or spiritual training, are susceptible to the Laws of “Blocking, Returning, and Scattering.” These three important energetic states are described as follows:

• Blocking: This occurs when an individual energetically crystallizes (i.e., becomes stuck) around “being right,” and his or her arrogance and extreme vanity stops their spiritual growth;
• Returning: This energetically brings the individual’s projected “intentions towards others” back onto themselves. This type of energy can sometimes appear as a “demonic entity” or “evil force,” especially if the projected desires towards others were originally hateful in design.
• Scattering: This occurs when the individual attacks and fights against their own “Returning” energy. Depending on they type of energetic defense, the “Returning” energy can respond by dividing itself into energetic fragments, which immediately scatter and attack those things closest to the antagonist (i.e., attacking the individual’s personal family, lovers, friends, business, etc.).

When dealing with a spiritual teacher and his or her disciples, the Celestial Guardians and Protectors are traditionally summoned in order to help “balance the scales.” In other words, what is magically created and energetically enacted towards a teacher is immediately returned and energetically done to the attacker. If the disgruntled individual continues to attack the teacher or his disciples, the antagonist will continue to feel the rebounding effects of his or her own energetic actions.

According to all magical traditions, any evil or harmful action that an individual has done towards another is always returned back to the antagonist (in this realm or in the Underworld) according to energetic balance. This retributive action is not about punishment or revenge; it is about energetically balancing Yin and Yang, and learning the consequences of all actions, both good and bad.

In the Spirit World, being “sorry” does not excuse you from receiving Karmic Retribution; no matter how long, how many times, or how many regrets you experience. This is not a punishment; it is merely a cause and effect of all your actions, both good and bad. Simple put, this is the natural energetic law of power and balance, and not the result of your teacher seeking revenge for your offenses by misusing his spiritual position and magical abilities to “even the score.” The “Protection of the Saints” is by Divine Law, the Divine will balance the scales and not the teacher. A good teacher will always continue to pray for the student’s highest good.

Each person is capable of living a life full of Great Joy, Great Appreciation, and Divine Unconditional Love. Or, they can choose to be overcome with the grief of unmet expectations, and live a life of great sadness, with a continual need for survival-based control. It all depends on what their priority is, and which side they energetically feed.

Understanding The Probation Period

All Daoist alchemical training begins with purification. When a potential student approaches a Daoist master, he is first evaluated according to his moral conduct and personal values. His physical, energetic, and spiritual attributes are all taken into consideration, scrutinized, and then a particular training routine is introduced to the new disciple. This training routine is traditionally established according to where the new student has spiritually evolved at that particular moment in time.

During the “adjustment period,” the new student is continually tested, and his integrity, honor, and faith in the teacher, the lineage, and the teaching are continually challenged. This may seem like an extremely “harsh” approach to teaching, especially to students who approach learning from a master of Eastern Occult Mysticism from a Western sense of “entitlement” attitude. However, I can assure you that this strict approach is essential, and for several good reasons.

1. First, in Daoist Alchemy, we begin training the student’s Physical Body in order to eliminate toxic poisons that have stored themselves within the disciple’s tissues, and also strengthen his various internal organs and organ systems. At the same time, we train the disciple’s Energy Body in order to remove the toxic energetic states existing within his body as shadow organs and shadow channels. Then, we train the student’s Spirit Body by increasing the disciple’s divine energy field, and using this subtle spiritual energy to increase the divine heat, light, and vibration currently resonating within the disciple’s Three Bodies. As we train the new disciple to internally connect with the spiritual energy currently existing inside his body, his Original Spirit will begin to “awaken.” He must then go through the process of “intercepting Karma,” needed in order to recognize and eventually eliminate the dominating negative influences of his Acquired Personality. All of these various changes and experiences are essential in order for the new disciple to master the magical teaching of the “Dao of the Right.” Without this type of “imposed purification,” the new student’s lust for control and his competitive need for power based security, will internally create his own personal self-destruction.
2. Second, what allows a “senior” disciple to become successful in his alchemical practice is his ability to trust the master, and his willingness to follow instructions. Many times, because of a lack of trust or low self-esteem, a new student will subconsciously sabotage his own progress. When such toxic internal thinking exists inside a new student, in order to prevent him from hurting himself and others, the master will sometimes dismiss the student in order to purposely limit his access to more advanced training. In all spiritual transformation training, the more that you are taught, the greater the responsibility and accountability you will have for all of your actions. In the divine realm, it’s not “what you know” that matters, its “what have you done with what you have been taught.”
3. Third, each true Daoist magical lineage has Celestial Guardians” who are assigned by the Heavenly Realm to oversee the esoteric teachings of that specific spiritual lineage. These powerful Spirit Entities are responsible for maintaining the spiritual integrity of the sacred teachings of that particular Daoist sect. In advanced alchemical teaching, when certain information has been “down-loaded” from the master to the disciple through magical initiation, it is the responsibility of these Celestial Guardians to open certain energetic portals in order to facilitate the successful manifestation of that particular magical teaching. If the sacred information is not “legitimately” passed on through sacred transmission, the Celestial Guardian will not manifest in order to assist the disciple in completing the spiritual transformation. Sometimes, if the sacred information is misused according to “evil” intention, the Celestial Guardians may choose to suddenly manifest in order to distribute “punishments.”

 

 

 

“Transference of Power” (“Magical Initiation”)

In Daoist Alchemy, an energetic “transference of power” normally occurs from master to disciple during the various levels of spiritual transmission. These special “power transferences” are part of the disciple’s “Magical Initiation,” and are used to spiritually enable the disciple to “awaken” and produce the various energetic manifestations that naturally occur during his alchemical practice.

Traditionally, there are a total of 27 levels of “Transmission of Power” (3 groups of 9), that occur during the special heart to heart exchange between a master and his disciple during alchemical practice. Each time this special Transference of Power occurs, it is traditionally used to awaken the disciple’s deeper understanding of the secret esoteric teachings of his particular magical sect and their sacred scriptures. This special spiritual transformation process is considered to be a meeting of the hearts, and the true transmission of the disciple’s internal realization of his Yuan Shen (Original Spirit).

During this special spiritual transmission, the new disciple is being energetically “worked” in order to continue his spiritual awakening and unfolding process. The more he awakens and returns back to his Original Nature (Yuan Xing), the stronger his energetic influence will be on others, especially when the disciple works as a conscious spiritual being and a servant of the Dao.

The 27 levels of Transmission of Power can range from either a contagious overflow of Ling Qi (Spiritual Energy) that quickens the life-force inside the disciple, sometimes manifesting as various forms of internal healing; to the awakening of the disciple’s Inner Fire, used to spiritually empower the disciple with the ability to energetically transform the subtle energetic fields of his Three Bodies.

In all schools of esoteric Daoist Alchemy, aside from the master’s religious affiliation, outer appearance, spiritual pedigree, and ability to recite the lineage of various masters they are personally connected to, there are three important things that a master is supposed to be able to do for his personal disciples:

1. Introduce the Disciple to his True Nature (Yuan Xing). This special teaching helps to spiritually awaken the disciple, and allows him to realize the distinction between “who” he is in the Dao, and “what” he is in terms of being an instrument of divine service (i.e., the way he uses the energy of his body, speech, mind, and the quality and activity of his actions).

2. Elicit the Disciple’s Zhen Ming (True Name). This special name is sometimes known as the disciple’s secret Fa Ming (Law Name) or his Zui Mimi De Mingzi (Most Secret Name). This is not the Lineage Name traditionally given to the disciple by the master during his formal initiation as a “Tudi” (Apprentice). Instead, these special words of power are considered to be “Zui Mimi” (“Most Secret”), and therefore must spiritually arise from deep within the disciple’s core self. The disciple’s Most Secret Name is never to be shared with other individuals, it is a magical password used to represent the disciple’s core connection to the infinite power of the Dao.

When teaching a disciple how to access his Zhen Ming, the master may only assist him by personally eliciting, but never giving him, his Most Secret Name. This extremely important internal discovery is essential to the disciple’s spiritual growth and alchemical development. The sacred spiritual tones and magical sounds that manifest through this special name are considered to be the true magical keys that are required in order to perform any form of internal or external Deity Magic. Without this vital key, many advanced alchemical applications simply end up becoming the projected delusional fantasies of the disciple’s creative imagination.

3. Quicken the Disciple’s Spiritual Evolution through the Transmission of Power. This special alchemical transformation occurs as an overflow of Ling Qi (Spiritual Energy) originating from the master’s current energetic level of being (i.e., his cultivated Ling Shen). In this special type of “overshadowing” transmission, the master’s Ling Shen energetically flows from his Three Bodies into the open heart of a disciple that truly honors, listens, and trusts the master, loves his spiritual “brothers and sisters,” and is dedicated to following the sacred teachings of the spiritual practice. When there is true devotion active within the heart of the disciple, this energetic transference occurs quickly. Many times, this special energetic transference feels like “electrical water” or “radiant light” pouring from one holy vessel (i.e., the master) into another (the disciple).

In order for this powerful spiritual transformation to occur, the disciple must first trust that the master loves him, and that his desires are for the disciple’s highest good. In this “father and son relationship,” the disciple (son) must believe and know that the master (father) wants him to energetically thrive, spiritually awaken, and grow in the sacred knowledge of the Divine. Within a short time period, others will eventually notice the disciple’s spiritual growth and maturation. As the disciple’s true personality continues to emotionally and spiritually mature, his Divine Original Nature (Yuan Xing) will continually surface, and begin to act as the primary active force directing the disciple’s personal and social life.

However, if a master gives the Transference of Power to an disciple with a confused “Poisoned Mind” (defined as an individual who is obsessed with the continual need for ego-based control, approval, and security), and it energetically activates their Inner Fire, the transferred spiritual energy (Ling Qi) will internally burn through the disciple, and begin destroying all of his various acquired “ego personalities” and “false identities.” If the disciple has not been properly trained or prepared for these sudden spiritual changes, he can mistake these energetic shifts for being suddenly possessed or oppressed by harmful spirits.

The intended goal of the quickening of the disciple’s spiritual evolution through the Transmission of Power, is suppose to be “to energetically feed his spiritual walk and empower his personal relationship with the Divine.” However, as the newly awakened “creative energy” rushes through the disciple’s Three Bodies, it also naturally “feeds” whatever the disciple considers to be the “most important” internal priority. Therefore, this suddenly awakened “creative energy” can either seem like a blessing, especially if the internal priority is placed on Divine Transformation; or can manifest as a form of psychotic-delusion, especially if the internal priority placed on empowering themselves. When psychotic-delusions begin to manifest, the disciple suddenly considers himself “extra special,” and “God’s Gift to Mankind;” or he is suddenly convinced that he is a god himself. This is why it is important to find a qualified teacher whenever pursuing any form of Daoist Magic and Alchemical teaching. It is also the reason why maintaining a humble and grateful heart rooted in divine service is essential for spiritual growth, especially when following any authentic magical path to Enlightenment and Immortality.