Daoist Meditation: A Comprehensive Guide to Its Practices and Philosophy

Daoist meditation is the practice of the teachings of Dao—a philosophy of harmony and balance in the world. Dao is the principle of the universe, the Way. It is a central concept in Chinese culture. Xiu Dao is the Chinese equivalent of the term 'meditation'.

• 'Xiu' means 'to cultivate, to practice'.
• 'Xiu Dao' means 'to cultivate Dao,' 'to unite with Dao'.

Dao is the underlying natural order of the Universe.

Lao-tzu

When any phenomenon follows its purpose, its inherent existential meaning or idea, it is in accordance with Dao. The Dao of the sun is to shine. The Dao of a flower is to bloom. The state of this correspondence to the design is called 'De'—'power, virtue, integrity'.

Daoist meditation is part of a set of methods that are practiced simultaneously, perfecting one's entire way of life:

• regulated diet: fasting and periods of food abstinence;
• special concoctions;
• breathing exercises;
• physical exercises;
• internal alchemy;
• meditation.

The purpose of Daoist meditation methods and other practices:

1. Longevity and immortality.
2. Achieving a higher level of spiritual development, 'becoming one with Dao'.

Longevity is a key idea associated with Daoism.

A long life means more time.

More time allows one to accomplish more. Depending on a person's consciousness, this 'more' will have different substance.

Spiritual practice and meditation are ways of being in a state that allows one to objectively see what is worth dedicating life's time to.

Unity with Dao, in other words, is unity with the Whole, which contains all the individual elements of the Universe.

According to the philosophy of Daoist teachings, higher powers observing humans 'record' their names in one of two books. These two books are: 'The Book of Death' and 'The Book of Life'. The first book is extremely voluminous, containing many names. The second book is small. It contains the names of those worthy of immortality. For a person's name to appear in the second book, a spiritual life, of which meditation is an essential part, is important.

Daoist meditation methods have an ancient history; they were not open to everyone. For a person interested in self-improvement to be able to learn, they had to possess a certain character, evidenced by good deeds.

In Daoist teachings, there are a number of practices aimed at cultivating such readiness for learning and perceiving knowledge—Xingong, where 'xin' means 'heart,' 'gong' means 'effort' or 'work,' and 'xingong' means 'moral foundation'.

No one knew where Huang Tai came fr om. His clothes and shoes were worn out. Zhou Yishan, seeing him in the market, thought, "They say that the pupils of immortals are square." Looking at Huang Tai, he found that his pupils were indeed so. With joy, Zhou Yishan gifted Huang Tai new clothes. Huang Tai approached him and said, "I understood that you love Dao, so I came to see you. I am an immortal from the Central Peak...".

From Maspero's "Daoism," the story of Zhou Yishan

Thus, according to Daoist philosophy, immortals live on Earth, revealing themselves to those they deem worthy and teaching them. Learning is also possible through the benevolence of sky dwellers, called gods. In Daoism, they are called 'Tian-zun'—'Heavenly Worthies' or 'Honored Ones in Heaven'—and are analogous to Bodhisattvas in Buddhism.

Following the example of the Great Elder Lao Tzu, other deities also descended to this world to teach people; those who did not descend to Earth delivered sermons to gods and immortals, who in turn revealed knowledge of higher gods to lower gods and humans. Thus, 'important recipes' and 'powerful formulas' through which immortality can be achieved come into our world.

The function of these gods is to be teachers. They reside in celestial palaces. One who has reached a certain stage in practice is able to 'ascend' to these palaces. On Earth, these beings manifest primarily in mountains and caves. There is a specific hierarchy. Depending on who seeks knowledge and what qualities they possess, a being with corresponding knowledge will manifest. The Honored Ones in Heaven never refuse to help those seeking knowledge on their path and manifest in various forms.

According to Daoist teachings, to find these gods, one must seek them within oneself.

Meditation in Daoism is often called 'zuo wang,' which means 'sitting in oblivion' or 'sitting in forgetfulness'. Oblivion, in this case, implies non-involvement with the perception of external objects in the world during practice. This is what in yoga is usually correlated with the 'pratyahara' stage in meditation, when meditative concentration is accompanied by abstraction from the sensations of the sense organs: sight, hearing, smell, etc. That is, there is a complete turning of attention inward. Thus, the description of this phenomenon is common to Patanjali's 'Yoga Sutras' and Daoist treatises.

Let the openings be blocked, let the gates be closed. Let the gaze be dulled and the knots untied. Temper your light, become like a particle. All this is Profound Union.

"Zhuangzi," Closing the Gates

'Blocked openings' means the calming of the senses at the level of the chakras. Contemplation is difficult to develop if the senses are active. This can be understood and felt if one regularly practices yoga and works with the external and internal energies that come into a person's life.

'Closing the gates' creates the condition for concentration, which leads to unity with Dao. Types of concentration in Daoist meditation:

1. Guarding the One.
2. Guan.

The Chinese word 'guan' is a translation of the Buddhist term 'Vipashyana'.

Contemplation of the Three Deities

Energy centers (chakras in yoga) in Daoist treatises are called cinnabar fields (from the word 'cinnabar'—a red pigment used in alchemy).

Daoist practice identifies three main 'cinnabar fields':

1. Upper—the head region.
2. Middle—the chest, heart region.
3. Lower—the abdominal region.

In this practice, three meticulously described deities are visualized in the three 'cinnabar fields,' in the three energy centers. These three centers in the human body, like other areas of the body in Daoism, are commonly called palaces. These palaces are identical to the three palaces that, according to Daoism, are located on the stars of the Big Dipper. This practice is based on the idea of the identity between the human body and the cosmos. Its purpose is to experience unity with Dao and to transform the practitioner's personality into a manifestation of Dao.

Concentration on the Constellation

In Daoist teachings, there are also specialized practices of concentrating on the Big Dipper constellation, which, according to this philosophy, is the abode of immortals and gods. Daoists believe that the constellation's energy possesses healing and enlightening power. The place wh ere the constellation's energy manifests in the human body as a microcosm is the upper centers. Methods of concentration include: visualizing the constellation above the head or enveloping the entire body, and mentally journeying to this constellation.

In Daoism, a number of practices are called 'internal alchemy.' Some methods of these practices are common to Daoism and Buddhist meditative techniques. Specifically, this includes directing energy along the body's internal orbit. Such methods traditionally require training with competent instructors.

'Guarding the One' also refers to the complex practice of cultivating an 'immortal body,' which consists of the substance of Dao.

One of the auxiliary methods for preparing the body for internal practices in the Daoist tradition is Daoyin gymnastics. The purpose of these gymnastics is to remove obstacles to the flow of Qi energy in the human body. The concept of Qi is key to traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts. The practice of Qigong, which traces its origins to Daoyin, has become widespread globally.

Qigong practice usually combines slow movements, deep diaphragmatic breathing that promotes a calm state of mind, and visualization of Qi flowing through the body. Qigong is also intended for the conscious control and balancing of subtle energy.

'...in the sea, on an island, there is a mountain—there, on its summit, lives a holy maiden; she inhales the wind and drinks the dew, does not eat the five types of grain, her heart is like a gushing spring, and in appearance, she resembles a young girl...' (Classic of Mountains and Seas, Shan Hai Jing).

This fragment mentions the practice of 'abstaining fr om the five grains'—Bigu. This method is interpreted in various ways: from abstaining from cereals to reducing the consumption of any solid food, and observing a regimen of cleansing fasts. Reducing food intake, according to Daoist teachings, allows one to purify the inner world and gradually transform the body. It is accompanied by the consumption of certain concoctions, for example, 'pine fruits, needles, and resin'; drinking a liter of water that has been 'informationally charged' in a specific way during sunrise; and the practice of 'assimilating Qi'—nourishment by prana.

Daoism details methods of 'assimilating prana' through breathing exercises and visualization. For your meditation practice to proceed more harmoniously, it is important to adjust your diet; and the Daoist tradition, wh ere diet plays a significant role, confirms this. Nowadays, a detailed explanation of what constitutes a balanced diet can be found in nutrition science.

To better understand the philosophy of Dao, let us recall the principle upon which its spiritual practice is based—the balance of opposites, Yin and Yang.

Perhaps you have encountered the well-known symbol of a circle with two parts, white and black, rotating and interpenetrating. This circle symbolizes the Yin-Yang balance, manifested both in the practitioner's body and throughout the universe. A characteristic example of this principle is natural cycles.

Summer. In the plant kingdom, the nature of Yang is fully manifested—the nature of light, sun, warmth, growth, and movement. At this time, flowering plants, in which seeds are forming—a concentrate of future life—embody Yang.

Autumn. Flowering ends, leaves fall, and the nature of Yin begins to prevail—decay, dampness, cold, fewer daylight hours.

Winter—the time of Yin.

Spring—the awakening of branches, freed from last year's foliage, with new buds; the time when Yang begins to predominate. The cycle repeats.

Each stage is a natural succession to the previous one: creation and destruction, warmth and cold. Leaves will fall and become earth, only to rise again as green grass.

This cycle is a clear example of the philosophy of Dao, in which two phenomena of opposite properties complement and succeed each other, existing in equilibrium.

Existing in equilibrium, understanding life, a calmer and wiser perspective on reality—all these are the fruits of spiritual practice. Studying different world traditions, despite apparent differences, one can see commonalities. The spiritual path in different lands shares common features: inner purification, physical discipline, and a transformation in which the Whole becomes increasingly manifest within a single part.

1. Lao Tzu, "Tao Te Ching"

   The primary source, a fundamental text of Daoism, written around 400 BCE. One translation of the title is "The Perfect Scripture of the Way and its Power."

   "That which can be named is not the beginning of everything.
   That which is nameless—that is the beginning of everything."
   

   Much in this text can provide impetus for reflection and awareness. There are many translations of this text; one of them was created by Leo Tolstoy: "Sayings of the Chinese Sage Lao-Tse, Selected by L. N. Tolstoy."

2. "Zhuangzi"—a book containing stories and parables describing the path of a sage who embodies the principle of Dao.
3. "Qingjing Jing"—Treatise on Purity and Tranquility.

In the Daoist tradition, there are various methods of internal practices that can be classified as meditation. This article has presented only a small part; remember that before mastering any method, it is worthwhile to study the teachings from which it originates, communicate with those who practice these methods, and understand their purpose.