Zhen Dao School has certain features distinguishing it from other systems of self-development.
First, is mentioned above completeness of a system. In Zhen Dao it includes a set of ancient Daoist methods, which allow one to achieve physical and spiritual perfection, by developing simultaneously and in an optimal way ones body, energy, mind and spirit.
In this respect all the methods of the School put together comprise an integral system of self-development, and, as a result, even corporal practices include a deep internal work with energy and consciousness/spirit. This means that a situation when a person, having chosen a certain system of corporal development, may realize one day that it lacks deepness, that ones soul is searching for something bigger than just stretching and breathing exercises, will not appear.
While moving to the higher levels of mastership, a practitioner receives an opportunity to acquire more and more various practices for self-development in the most diverse spheres:
- Qigong in walk;
- work with trees;
- medical Qigong and curing people;
- female alchemy methods;
- practices of smelting warmth and cold (for immunity to thermal effects);
- art of inner calmness (work with Jing, Qi and Shen in sexual life);
- and many others.
Second important particularity of Zhen Dao School is its authenticity. When starting practices in different methods of self-development, people often do not even pause to think where does that knowledge that they wish to use to become better internally and externally come from. This can be dangerous; as method’s impropriety may not be obvious from the very beginning, however, empowered by regular frequency, it may revel itself in the form of irretrievable health problems. And what if this is the case of incorrect methods of work with consciousness? Consciousness is a more delicate thing, which means that there are more chances for one to stand in own light with unreliable practices. The most dangerous thing is that possibility not even to fix, but to realize the problem becomes hardly achievable for a person.
That is why we appeal to your being cautious regarding the background of the methods, which you are practicing, and always asking your instructors about it. Methods of Zhen Dao School, as well as of any other traditional system, have been being honed by many generations of Masters who achieved the highest level of mastership. One of the things of a great importance is that the methods of the School at the moment are shared in a traditional way, without adapting and cutting, just in the way they were created by the greatest Masters of the past. We do not consider ourselves to be entitled to risk with health and psychology of students, and to compete with Masters’ wisdom, adapting and adjusting something in order to “sell” the methods better.
This is the way, which many creators of modern “self-development” systems follow, by gathering their methods from isolated fragments of different systems and traditions, and altering the context in line with own assumptions. We do not try to simplify ancient methods in order to make a result achievement faster, as we recognize that this would lead either to drying up of a method, or to quick reaching of a short time result that would consequently give birth to serious deviations.
How is it connected with Qigong?
The art of Qigong (translated from Chinese as “the art of controlling the vitality force”) is a part of Daoism Tradition; whereas vitality force (in Chinese 氣 “Qi”) is conceived as completely certain phenomenon, without any esoteric undertone. When making simple practices correctly, one may at the beginning learn how to feel Qi, and later on also to work with it: to clean channels through which it circulates, gather natural Qi, collect Qi into special body centers (Dantian). Occurrence of special abilities is also possible.
At the moment Qigong methods are used on a large scale for health promotion, as reasons for most of ailments have their roots in energy circulation distortion in a human body, which appears due to sedentary lifestyle, stresses, negative environmental impact etc.
First. As Zhen Dao School presents a complete system of Daoist methods of nourishing of life, it uses the whole suite of methods available:Knowledge structure in Zhen Dao School includes a variety of health-improving Qigong exercises. In this respect two key points should be emphasized.
- abovementioned Qigong practices;
- body work in form of corporal practices (Dao Yin, Taiji quan, and Xinyi quan). Indeed, how can one suggest health if ones body is inflexible, with deep inner clips that block normal energy circulation?
- and – what is not insignificant but often for some reason forgotten – methods of work with the heart-mind and Inner Nature (Xing Gong).
It has been well said that all illnesses come from being nervous and inaccurate mind. Surely, unavoidable negative emotions, stresses, anxiety about future, fears, dissatisfaction – all of this creates pathogenic Qi and, as a result, illnesses.
Only proper combination of all these methods will allow one to achieve desired results the most effectively and in the shortest time.
Second very important moment. Methods of Qigong in Zhen Dao School are only methods of the initial level, which serve to revitalize body and mind, and to prepare a practitioner for practices of a higher level. Among these methods is Inner Alchemy (Neidan). Until recently methods of Inner Alchemy were all of others that had been kept under great wraps, in contrast to familiar methods of Qigong that are quite widespread in the world. Inner Alchemy is the heart, the core of Daoist tradition; and in Zhen Dao School the main attention is given to this section.
How is it connected with religious Daoism?
Initially Daoism presents a pure teaching about human development, perception of the Universe and overcoming margins of human capacity. In this case not a principle of belief but a principle of personal experience importance is ruling.
However, as the millenniums passed, a large number of schools and directions have appeared. The majority of them indeed have acquired religious character, as ceremonial practices were the closest and most understandable for ordinary people; whereas higher methods of Inner Alchemy were too difficult for them.
Unfortunately, very often in any of religious directions recession into formalism may be observed, when true meaning of a method becomes forgotten, and practice is exercised “because it is customary to”. The situation with Daoist Schools in modern China is about that: the majority of them have religious character, and Daoism is one of official religions, furthermore, controlled by the government.
Meantime, a part of the schools have saved higher methods, videlicet methods of Internal Alchemy, and Zhen Dao School is one of them. To emphasize this particularity we use the phrase “Practical Daoism”, which means adherence to the higher practice methods, and not to religious rituals.
For whom is it all?
It is for you 🙂
In earlier days these practices were secret and were spread only via direct knowledge transfer from a Master to a disciple. Notably, not every disciple could be honored to receive them. He should have certain potential on the body level (e.g., could sit in a Lotus pose for a couple of hours), and, before everything else, on the level of mind and inner nature. However, now it is the Time of Path Widening, when basic knowledge, previously available to chosen only, can be opened to the world in order to bring a great benefit to all who is ready to receive it.
Our purpose is to bring the Knowledge to ordinary people, who probably do not obtain distinct potential for spiritual practices, without cutting and “adapting” the Tradition. This should help them to receive the ultimate benefit.
By doing so, each person will get as much as one is able to, accordingly to own abilities, strength of fortitude, and efforts expended. Some may achieve a great Mastership, and cure other people, and later may even go to live into the mountains. Some will simply become a little bit healthier and wiser, clean mind from patterns and limitations, see new opportunities in business, repair relations with beloved ones, and will simply live a long and happy life. This is one of the prime advantages of the True Teaching: your achievements in improvement path depend on yourselves only.
