Posts by Purple Cloud Admin
Foreword to Wang Fengyi’s ‘Discourse on Transforming Inner Nature’
Foreword to Wang Fengyi’s ‘Discourse on Transforming Inner Nature’ by Catherine Despeux (author of ‘Women in Daoism’ and ‘Taoism and Self Knowledge’) __________________________________________________________ The text translated here, Discourse on Transforming Inner Nature [hua xing tan 化性談], introduces the reader into the heart of Neo-Confucian thought. The author Wang Fengyi [王凤仪1864–1937] was a Mongol from a…
Read More打坐炼静 Sitting Meditation and Stillness Cultivation [excerpt 1]
打坐炼静 Sitting Meditation and Stillness Cultivation [excerpt] [1] ______________________ by Xing De If there is any disturbance externally, the door to the Heavens will not open. In the Heavens there are three doors, which are very narrow. It is three, not only one as in the bible. Soaring up, there is a last door, the…
Read More7th April 2020 财神 – The Deity of Wealth
7th April 2020 财神 The Deity of Wealth _________________________________________________ The birthday of the Deity of Wealth [cai shen 财神] is celebrated on the 15th day of the third lunar month, corresponding to the 7th April 2020 in the Gregorian calendar [1]. The Deity of Wealth is considered a mythological figure in Daoism and folklore worship.He…
Read MoreAlchemical Classics III: 大成捷要 [柳華陽] The Essentials of the Shortcut to the Great Achievement by Liu Hua Yang
Alchemical Classics III: 大成捷要 [柳華陽] The Essentials of the Shortcut to the Great Achievement by Liu Hua Yang —————————————————————————— Liu Hua Yang together with Wu Shou Yang [伍守阳] make up the so-called Wu-Liu School with its main focus on Internal Alchemy [nei dan 內丹]. The former is also the author of the Scripture of Wisdom…
Read MoreExplanations of Channels and Points Vol.1 – Point Explanations III
Explanations of Channels and Points Vol.1 – Point Explanations III _________________________________________________ The following post is an excerpt from《Explanations of Channels and Points Vol. 1》 [经穴解] translated by Michael Brown and edited by Allen Tsaur. It explicates the origin of point names from a new perspective and viewpoint. Spleen ________________________________________________ Fourth Point of the Spleen Channel…
Read MoreChinese Herbs: Mistaken Identity: 降真香 Jiang Zhen Xiang
Chinese Herbs: Mistaken Identity: 降真香 Jiang Zhen Xiang Acronychia pedunculata ( NOT Dalbergia Odorifera) ___________________________________________ Left: Acronychia pedunculata Right: Dalbergia Odorifera There are no coincidences. I never considered this event worthy of sharing or making it known to the public. In…
Read More修道四十九関 The 49 Barriers of Cultivating the Dao: 後語 Postface
修道四十九関 The 49 Barriers of Cultivating the Dao _________________________________________________ 後語 Postface _____________________________ By Xing De (Li Shi Fu) 羅列以上四十多條，皆是學人要命關口，擋路大魔，須要關關打通，方好進步，事如考試，若有一關考不過，即被一關擋住，雖不能遂然皆通，須漸次著力，終有考過之日，修眞之道，乃上天之道，天下第一大事，天下第一難事，非大志願，大苦行、大功德方能為。 修道之事，非寥寥數語所能盡知，非平常之人所能明，所能行。譬如上學，一年有一年的課程。幼兒、小學、高中、大學豈可一室而教。學知有長短，悟性有快慢，縱是老耶釋呂在世誰敢一刀切之。 如今大化之時，物資豐富，垂手可得，科技發達，信息無阻。足不出戶，丹經史書一覽無遺，有明理助道之益。 須知有利就有弊，有得就有失，易流于安逸而喪志，起私欲而逐外，失内守而亂真。在‘時間就是金錢’‘效益就是生命’張揚自我，人人逐利的今日，連在世為人都難，更不用說修道了。修道之人能不被物牽，不被欲纏，處污泥而能拔節不染者更是九牛一毛，有意修道者敢不三思而慎之！觀此瘋言瘋語，同者自同，異者自異，欲海無邊，法度有緣。咦，佛祖道祖歷代得道仙師豈非俱是瘋子，師言；不知不瘋，不瘋不成！ 【 完 】 【武當山天馬峰杜興德於凌晨5：45分】 The treatise above contains more than 40 sections, which are crucial barriers for students [of the Dao]. They are great demons obstructing the path, and only when they have…
Read More真武上帝 [玄武大帝] The True Warrior Sovereign (the Mysterious Warrior Sovereign)
真武上帝 [玄武大帝] The True Warrior Sovereign (the Mysterious Warrior Sovereign) _________________________________________________ The third day of the third lunar month in the Chinese calendar (26th March 2020 in the Gregorian) marks the divine birthday of the True Warrior [Zhen Wu], who is also called ‘the Deity of Martiality’. He is a deity known for his powers…
Read More真身 The True Body [Excerpt]
真身 The True Body [Excerpt] ____________________________________ 然阳神之出也，主乎动。动则宜暂不宜久，宜途不宜退。而阳神之入也，主乎静。静则贵久不贵暂，贵遐不贵迩。其功必由暂而至久，其效必因途以及退。 But when the Yang-Spirit exits, it is principally stirring and moving. Movement is, in that case, appropriate in the short term, but inappropriate in the long term. It is appropriate to [follow] the path, [yet] not appropriate to withdraw. Furthermore, [when] the Yang-Spirit enters, it is principally tranquil…
Read More誠舟 Pedro Solana – The Path of the Spiritual Warrior
誠舟 Pedro Solana – The Path of the Spiritual Warrior ___________________________________________________________ Pedro Solana, also called Kru Pedro, was born in Madrid, Spain, on 7 December, 1971. He has been studying martial arts for almost all his life, having entered the martial arts when he was only eight years old. In the 1980s, Pedro was introduced…
Read More