Ba Gua Nei Gong Vol. 2: Qi Cultivation Exercises & Standing Meditation

At its heart, Daoist meditation is a simple and practical method of establishing unity between our internal environment and the external world so that we can engage with life in a clear and present way. Decoding the Dao: Nine Lessons in Daoist Meditation, by Tom Bisio, is a complete and comprehensive guide to Daoist meditation. In Decoding the Dao: Nine Lessons in Daoist Meditation, author Tom Bisio introduces the reader to the poetry and pragmatism of Daoist meditation and the practice of Internal Alchemy. The first half this unique book consists of nine progressive lessons that guide the reader step by step through the practice of Daoist meditation, ending with an introduction to Daoist Internal Alchemy. The nine lessons teach the reader how to observe and transform their own internal landscape, in order to rejuvenate and replenish the body’s innate energies, thereby promoting health and nourishing life and spirit. The lessons can be practiced in sequence or individually, providing the reader with a veritable toolbox of meditative practices that can be used flexibly to address different situations and circumstances. Each lesson contains both practice exercises and discussions of relevant topics to flesh out the reasoning behind the various methods of meditation and help the reader more deeply understand the principles and theories that underlie the practice. Beyond the nine lessons, additional chapters introduce advanced practices like the Greater Heavenly Orbit Meditation and other traditional Daoist methods of promoting health and longevity. This is followed by a unique discussion of Daoist symbolism and imagery and its relationship to meditation and internal alchemy. Daoist symbols and images act as a kind of code that, when decoded and understood, aid the meditator, giving him or her an alternative and imagery-rich language which bypasses habitual mental constructs and perceptual habits, facilitating the perception of subtle movements and changes within the body. This book “cracks the code,” enabling the reader to fully engage with this ancient and powerful tradition of transformation and transcendence. Chapters Include: An introduction to Daoist Meditation, PART I: The Nine Lessons - Lesson 1: The Breath, Lesson 2: Kidney Breathing, Qi & Dantian, Lesson 3: Quieting the Mind & Gathering the Qi, Lesson 4: Returning to Emptiness - Wu Ji, Lesson 5: Wu Ji and Song (Relaxation), Lesson 6: Dissolving & Clearing Blockages, Lesson 7: The Three Treasures and The Circulation of Water & Fire, Lesson 8: Golden Fluid & The Micro-Cosmic Orbit, Lesson 9: Golden Fluid Returning to Dantian Meditation, Beyond the Nine Lessons - The Macro-Cosmic Orbit, Taoist Nourishing Life & Longevity Methods, PART II: Cracking the Code - Understanding Daoist Meditation - Dao De Jing on Daoist Meditation: Hidden Messages Within the Text, Diagram of the Inner Circulation of Qi/Breath: Nei Jing Tu, Keys to the Code: Understanding Daoist Symbolism, Daoist Meditation and the Image of the Gen Diagram, Conclusion: The Message in the Code, Appendices: Appendix I: Reactions to Meditation and Qi Gong, Appendix II: Body Configurations for Daoist Meditation & Nei Gong, Appendix III: Extract on Daoist Meditation from Sun Xi Kun’s Ba Ga Quan Zhen Chuan Read more