Glossary

stabilize the furnace and set up the cauldron.

Calm Shen in Ancestral Opening. Practice for collecting the External Medicine.

Eight Trigram Palm, an internal martial art.

highest area in the physical body. Highest point on top of the head. To find, draw two lines straight up from the ears to the top of the head.

Pathogenic qi. Qi that makes us sick.

Preparing the field. Preparing the energy field around us during a session.

Collect and Refine. Internal alchemy term for any method that collects and refines the medicine.

harvesting the medicine for the alchemical work. Five Phase Organ Practice is a good example.

• Shàng shān cǎi yào 上山採藥 – enter the mountains to collect the various herbs necessary to make medicine.

produce the medicine.

to sink.

the shen intentionally exits the body. Shen chu 神出 means the shen has unintentionally been scattered outside the body. Practitioners want the first one, not the second.

protective layer between skin and muscle in the body.

literally means “way.”

extremely fine breath called Practice of a Knife’s Edge. In the old days, Knife’s Edge referred to a fine measure of medicine given out at the pharmacist.

Taoism.

Taoism.

the traditional term for Chinese health and qi exercises.

guided instructions.

the art of using guided instructions. Dragon Gate alchemy is passed on using daoyin shu.

alchemical vessel.

• Shén rù qì zhōng 神入器中 – shen enters the alchemical vessel. Compare with Shén rù qì zhōng 神入炁中 – shen enters the qi.

subtle and stable breathing.

The Two Things. Refers to the interaction of two contrasting energetic substances, usually yin and yang, and kan and li practice.

to sense, but not through our physical senses.

practice (n); the acquired development of embodied skill.

• gōng fu 功夫 – kungfu, but really any high level of embodied skill developed through practice.

consolidating and strengthening jing and blood.

A barrier, like a mountain pass, is something through which we must find passage. The Chinese character for barrier is a picture of a gate being held shut with a cord. To pass the barrier, we need to untie and open the gate. The opposite of a barrier is an opening (qiao 竅). Once the barrier is open, we have an opening. Once we have an opening, we have access.

• See mysterious pass (xuanguan 玄關)

depletion of jing.

River Chariot. Practice to open the Microcosmic Orbit.

postcelestial, later heaven, after creation of phenomenal world; postnatal (Chinese med.)

breathing.

• Zì rān hū xī 自然呼吸 – Natural Breathing. Also called normal breath fanxi 凡息, the opposite of True Breath (zhenxi 真息). There is regulated and unregulated.
• Nèi xíng hū xī 內行呼吸 – Inner Breathing. Breathing that is focused inside the body.
• Máo kǒng hū xī 毛孔呼吸 – Pore Breathing. Called Personal Universe Breathing (zishen yuzhou huxi 自身宇宙呼吸) in the old days.
• Sàn huǒ hū xī 散火呼吸 – Disperse Fire Breathing. Used to close a session.

change. Transformation.

• Wù huà 物化 – material transformation. Transformation of a substance.
• Qì huà 氣化 – qi transformation.
• Jīng huà 精化 – jing transformation

Return Jing to Repair Brain. The second part of Flying the Golden Crystals Behind the Elbows (Microcosmic Orbit).

the Yellow Court. Describes a central area used when bringing together yin and yang during the alchemical process. The term does not refer to a single location; it changes depending on what we are doing.

• Huáng tíng gōng 黃庭宮 – The Palace of the Yellow Court. Often refers to the Middle Field.

repentance training. Used to purify turbid qi.

Lowest area in the torso, between the anus and genitals. One of the Three Lower Yin Gates. Medical term. Equivalent alchemical term: Gate of Life and Death.

• Huì yīn xuè 會陰穴 – The acupoint in the middle of the Huiyin.

Fire Phasing; this is a cooking term that describes how much heat is needed to cook something. In alchemy, it refers to how strong to make our intention, shen, and our breath, in order to cook the elixir.

• Wén huǒ 文火 – Civil Fire; gentle fire phasing
• Wǔ huǒ 武火 – Martial Fire; strong fire phasing
• Wén wǔ huǒ 文武火 – breath starts gentle and increases in strength
• Wǔ wén huǒ 武文火 – breath starts strong and becomes gentle

foundation training.

a temple lineage of Taoist practice. Contrast with Shandao.

Barrier of the Spinal Handle. The Barrier of the Spinal Handle is also called the Double Barrier and the Middle Barrier. The acupoint is just under the eleventh thoracic vertebra.

form an Elixir.

twenty-four solar terms of the Chinese calendar.

a specific force developed and used in martial arts training.

method for opening Microcosmic Orbit.

the energy of our physical essence; jing – qi – shen (the Three Treasures of the body); a kind of lower frequency energy found in the body, which, through internal alchemy practice, is transformed into higher frequency energy. This is the alchemical ingredient used for forming elixirs in the Lower Dantian.

• jīng qì 精氣 – jing and qi together. This term is used when working with jing and qi together. Often used with lower level alchemy techniques.

Longer entry: Jing, qi and shen.

stillness (foundation of Taoist practice)

• Jìng gōng 靜功 – stillness practice
• liàn jìng 練靜 – practice stillness

empty

• Fàng kōng 放空 – to empty, to make something empty.

Oral information. Secret instructions passed on within a lineage.

the kua includes all the tendons and muscles that run through the groin area (inguinal crease). We have a kua on both left and right sides.

Palace of Kun (Earth); another of the many terms for the Lower Field (Lower Dantian.)

from where we hold the nian and yi. Li literally means force or strength and is short for anchor point (zhuo li dian 著力點).

spirit; our eternal spirit that merges with our shen at conception (shen is the spirit of our body). Ling exists before and after our physical body’s existence.

Numinous Nature. Also xingling 性靈. Related to information received through practice.

Numinous Medicine; another term for the External Medicine.

a rare internal martial art. Literally Six Harmonies and Eight Methods; also known as water boxing.

lineages.

the Maoyou Cosmic Orbit. The energy circuit throughout our internal organs.

life force; life; destiny.

Life Force Practice. Works with the more material aspects of the self, such as the physical body, jing and qi. Usually works with the Lower and Middle Fields. Contrast with Xinggong.

Gate of Life. The Mingmen area is an energetic gate surrounding the Mingmen Acupoint on the lumbar spine.

sense organs in the head.

our Hidden Teacher, found inside the body.

bathing and cleansing. An important stage in forming the Elixir and the Embryo.

internal alchemy (literally internal cinnabar). Other words for internal alchemy:

• Liàn dān 煉丹 – practice alchemy (literally refine the elixir)
• Dān dào 丹道 – Way of Alchemy
• Jīn dān 金丹 – Golden Elixir
• Jīn dān zhī dào 金丹之道 – Way of the Golden Elixir

Longer entry: What is internal alchemy (neidan)?.

internal work, internal art, or internal skill (a broad term used to encapsulate a wide variety of internal practices, generally not a specific practice).

Longer entry: Qigong, neigong and neidan.

inner qi. Stuff we create in our bodies.

Inner Cavity. When the abdominal cavity, chest cavity, and head cavity are sealed and connected, they form the Inner Cavity. The Inner Cavity is an internal energetic space used for advanced alchemical practices.

literally Internal Medicine. I translate this as Internal Alchemical Ingredients. Also called the Small Pill.

Interior illumination. A state of practice when qi stabilizes inside the torso and brightens up.

Muddy Pellet. Another term for the Upper Field.

• Niwan gong 泥丸宮 – Palace of the Muddy Pellet. Another term for the Upper Field.

power of awareness-attention. A field of power that practitioners build up through practice.

energy, life-force. Original literal meaning was the steam coming off a bowl of rice.

• Qì 炁 – Pre-Heaven original energy, the qi we refine in our bodies.

Longer entry: Jing, qi and shen.

energy field.

energy work or energy practice (note this is a modern term used to encapsulate a wide variety of Chinese practices, generally not a specific practice).

Longer entry: Qigong, neigong and neidan.

qi transformation (it’s a good thing, means stuff is going on during your session).

the Firing Process.

• Jiǔ cì qǐ huǒ 九次起火 – the Nine Times Firing Process

Gather Qi in Lower Field.

seven emotions and six desires.

Cavity of Qi; Cavity of Qi is a technical term used in Taoist alchemy, which basically refers to an area of qi where alchemical work is done. Body pores are usually the first Cavity of Qi that we encounter in a session.

Palace of Qian (heaven); another of the many terms for the Upper Field (Upper Dantian).

(literally Front Yin) where the genitals attach to the torso, one of the three Lower Yin gates.

opening.

Purifying the furnace (cleaning out energetic and emotional sludge from the body).

Magpie Bridge. Spaces along the microcosmic orbit that need to be bridged.

• Shàng què qiáo 上鵲橋 – Upper Magpie Bridge: mouth.
• Xià què qiáo 下鵲橋 – Lower Magpie Bridge: anus.

depositing the Medicine into the cauldron.

The Three Treasures:

• Internal Three Treasures are jing, qi, and shen energy.
• External Three Treasures are sun, moon, and stars.

Longer entry: Jing, qi and shen.

The Three Spaces

Internal Three Spaces:

1. Lower-abdominal cavity
2. Chest cavity
3. Head cavity

External Three Spaces:

1. Personal space (arms length from body)
2. Social space (human society)
3. Natural cosmic space

the Three Fields: Upper Field, Middle Field, and Lower Field.

Longer entry: The dantian.

Practice of the Three Transcendents. The internal alchemy curriculum of the Dragon Gate Lineage.

Longer entry: Who is Wang Liping?.

The Three Heart-Minds

• Rén xīn 人心 – physical heart. This is the level of our physical body. Heart of Human has the largest area. If we hear our heart beating, this is the Heart of Human.
• Dào xīn 道心 – Post-Heaven Qi moving in the body. This is the level of the Mysterious Opening, which is moving jing. It is smaller in scope than the Heart of Human.
• Tiān xīn 天心 – Pre-Heaven Qi. This is the level of the Ancestral Opening (zuqiao 祖竅). Volume Two explored the Ancestral Opening in the Celestial Eye. Ancestral Openings can be found in other areas too. It is smaller in scope than the other two Hearts and hardest to find.

Mountain lineage of Taoist practice. Contrast with Jiadao.

The Upper Seven Openings. Two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and one mouth. Places where our Sensory Shen easily leaks out. Need to be sealed.

the Upper Field, commonly referred to as the Upper Dantian. This energy centre is in the middle of the head on the level of the eyebrows, usually just behind the temples.

Longer entry: The dantian.

spirit. The high frequency energy of conscious awareness.

• Yuán shén 元神 – original spirit; our Pre-Heaven Shen; it’s found inside our body and good to get to know. Original Shen splits into yin shen and yang shen. It is also master of our Sensory Shen.
• Shí shén 識神 – spirit of recognition; our Post-Heaven Shen, given birth through our senses, gives birth to the seven feelings; our ego this-world self.

Longer entry: Jing, qi and shen.

literally body method. The specific manner of using the body in martial arts training.

practice that works with our shen or spirit, common in Taoist alchemy practice.

light of our spirit or Shen Light; spiritual illumination; it’s also wisdom and a good way to work with our nature (xing 性).

• Shén guāng zhī qì 神光之炁 – light energy.
• Shén guāng zhī shēn 神光之身 – the light body.

tired spirit. Happens after too much shen work.

spirit.

• Also, Líng shén 靈神. Both mean spirit but are different.

spirit and intention together, often used in higher level alchemy techniques.

Life and death.

• Shēng sǐ xuè 生死穴 – Cavity of Life and Death. Alchemical term for the perineum often called the huiyin (huiyin is the medical term).
• Shēng sǐ qiào 生死竅 – Opening of Life and death. A valve in the front part of the perineum to open and close the seminal duct.
• Shēng sǐ mén 生死門 – Gate of Life and Death. A channel leading downwards from the perineum.

sacred embryo.

spirit and qi together, often used in mid-level alchemy techniques.

to see.

1. Yuǎn shì 遠視 – See Afar
2. Fǎn guān 反觀 – To Turn Around Observation
3. Nèi shì 內視 – Inner Seeing
4. Nèi guān 內觀 – Inner Observation

lost transmission.

Once we find the Mysterious Barrier (or Mysterious Opening) we hold fast to it. This is called Guarding the Barrier.

Guard Emptiness. Hold fast to emptiness.

Sleep Practice. Also known as shuixian gong 睡仙功 (Sleeping Immortal Practice).

a state when tension is released; relaxed.

• Fàng sōng 放鬆 – to release tension.

literally “extreme poles.” A state where there is difference and therefore perspective and relationship. Contrast wuji.

tai chi, an internal martial art often practiced for its health benefits.

energetic opening on the top of the head where shen can exit the body. In front of the Baihui but above the forehead, top of the Broken Line (vertical axis for the Three Fields). When closed, it is called the dingmen.

Celestial Eye (Third Eye). Used throughout the alchemical process to work with the Light of our Spirit.

The Celestial Eye Point. The area between the eyebrows where the Celestial Eye looks outwards from the body. Also called the Upper Opening of the Mysterious Pass. This is an opening where shen can enter and exit the body, also where celestial and personal energies meet. Ling also gathers here. The scope of this area is larger than just the acupuncture point.

Heavenly vase. Esoteric Buddhist term for Inner Cavity.

Harmonize with heaven.

• Rén tiān hé yī 人天合一 – Heaven Harmonize with Us.

Acupoint of Celestial Origin; another name for the navel.

Iron Ox Plows the Field. Using yinian to develop the Lower Field through consistent practice.

hearing

1. Yuǎn tīng 遠聽 – Far Hearing
2. Jìn tīng 近聽 – Near Hearing
3. Fǎn tīng 反聽 – Return Hearing
4. Nèi tīng 內聽 – Inner Hearing

The Earthen Pot. Refers to the Middle Field.

external alchemy.

external medicine, which is often the Spirit Light.

Barrier of the Caudal Funnel. The Barrier of the Caudal Funnel includes the lumbar spine, sacrum, and coccyx. It includes seven joints and seven acupoints, and where the two kidneys store jing.

literally “no poles.” A state where there is no differentiation. Contrast taiji.

The Five Arts. Often called the Five Taoist Arts. They include: fate calculation, appearance discernment, divination, practices, and medicine.

allowing things and processes to happen on their own accord. The opposite of youwei 有為.

The Five Phases (also translated as “five elements” or “five agents”) is a conceptual model used to understand the world.

The Lower Three Yin Gates. These need to be energetically sealed during the alchemical process.

• Qián yīn 前陰 – (literally Front Yin) where the genitals attach to the torso.
• Huì yīn 會陰 – Bottom of the torso, between the anus and genitals (perineum).
• Hòu yīn 後陰 – Anus. Also known as the Lower Magpie Bridge.

the Lower Field, commonly referred to as the Lower Dantian. An important energy centre, a main focal point of practice.

Longer entry: The dantian.

Precelestial, earlier heaven, before creation of phenomenal world; prenatal (Chinese med.). Opposite of Houtian.

lower abdomen (below the belly button); inside this area is the Lower Space, xiakong 下空.

Lesser Medicine, Small Pill. Also called Internal Medicine 內藥.

Deviant or pathogenic qi. Qi that we do not harmonize with.

Literally heart. Heart, mind, or centre (depending on context).

stillness of mind. First major benchmark of Taoist cultivation.

Heart liquid. Jing that descends from heart in alchemical practice. This jing is “The True Yin-Within-Yang” (The Li Trigram).

Innate Nature. The unchanging eternal part of us.

Inner Nature Practice. Work that focuses on the more insubstantial and unchanging aspects of the self. Usually involves the Upper Field or Celestial Eye. Contrast with Minggong.

• Xiū xìng 修性 – another term for cultivating our inner nature.

practice that works the sinews and bones.

an internal martial art.

Cultivate the Tao

• Xiū xíng dà dào 修行大道 – cultivate the Tao
• Xiū liàn 修煉 – practice; any practice that transforms the self
• Xiū liàn zhě 修煉者 – practitioner
• Zì xiū 自修 – self-cultivation

to energetically seal the body. Part of building foundation and preparation for internal alchemy.

various mental, physical, and energetic processes in the body.

Mysterious Pass.

• Shàng xuán guān yī qiào 上玄關一竅 – The Upper Opening of the Mysterious Pass. Refers to the Celestial Eye.
• Shǒu guān 守關 – once we find the Mysterious Barrier (or Mysterious Opening) we hold fast to it. This is called Guarding the Barrier.

Mysterious opening. An energetic opening in the body. Where to? That’s for us to find out.

a powerful manifestation of our shen that is developed through practice.

• Yáng shén chū qiào 陽神出竅 – The Yang Shen Exits the Opening. Spirit travel par excellence.

Yang Embryo. Meaning depends on training context but often refers to the energy being cultivated in the Lower Field.

Essential information. Secret oral instructions passed on within a lineage.

wild nature. Part of us controlled by our senses and desires.

awareness and intention together.

• Niàn 念 – passive field of awareness; consciousness. Yin.
• Yì 意 – awareness with direction and movement; intention. Yang.
• Lì 力 (Nianli 念力) – power of our awareness. Also short for anchor point of awareness (zhuoli dian 著力點).

passive field of awareness. It is used in conjunction with yinian, which is active. It is also used with our shenyi. Yishi is used after we have gone through the elixir training and are working on the sacred embryo and the Five Arts.

Guard our Awareness. Holding yinian on a specific place, such as the Lower Field. Overuse can lead to qi leakage or even qi deviation.

the state of yin wrapping yang, getting the yang qi inside the yin energetic space.

Yin breath. Exhaling to expel Post-heaven Qi from the body.

literally Attracting Immortality Methods. Dragon Gate preparatory methods used throughout Taoist alchemy.

Longer entry: Who is Wang Liping?.

the intentional doing of something to reach a goal. Opposite of wuwei 無為.

Self with Form But No Substance. Subtle energetic body along with auric field. Also called the Empty-Nothing Self (xuwu de wo 虛無的我).

• Yǒu xíng yǒu zhì de wǒ 有形有質的我 – Physical body.
• Wú xíng wú zhì de wǒ 無形無質的我 – Beyond words to describe.

Barrier of the Jade Pillow. The Barrier of the Jade Pillow is also called the Barrier of Impenetrable Defence 鐵壁. It is behind the brain and the Lingfeng Acupoint area, just below the Jade Pillow Acupoint.

Cloud Wandering.

random thoughts.

standing post practice.

True Qi. The Heart’s Liquid contains fire. This fire is the True Qi.

a practitioner who has completely reconciled their past, including their past lives. A fully realized person, one of the goals of Taoist cultivation.

True Water. The Kidneys’ Qi contains water (shui 水). This water is refined jing. It is the True Water.

the True Self.

True Yang. The Heart’s Liquid contains fire. This fire is qi. Within yin there is yet another layer of yang. This is True Yang. Also called True Qi.

True Yin. The Kidneys’ Qi contains water. This water is refined jing. It is yin within yang. This is True Yin. Also called True Water.

the Middle Field, commonly referred to as the Middle Dantian. This energy centre is in the middle of the chest cavity on the level of the physical heart.

Longer entry: The dantian.

external centreline of body. Running from nose to navel on outside of body.

internal centreline in body.

Flying the Golden Crystals Behind the Elbows. Formal name for Microcosmic Orbit practice. Colloquially we call it Advance Yang Fire (jin yang huo 進陽火), Retreat Yin Talisman (tui yin fu 退陰符).

• Second part of this practice is called Return Jing to Repair Brain (huan jing bu nao 還精補腦).

Micro, Macro, and Maoyou Cosmic Orbit practice.

• Qì lù zhōu tiān 炁路周天 – Opening the circuit. Creating a pathway along for which qi to move. The road.
• Yè tǐ zhōu tiān 液體周天 – Circulating different types of qi along the pathway. The car on the road.
• Dān dào zhōu tiān 丹道周天 – Circulating an elixir along the pathway.

building foundation. Preparatory work for internal alchemy practice.

reincarnation energy. Nasty karmic stuff that we want to clear out through our practice.

turbid qi. It needs to be purified out of the body for success with internal alchemy methods.

Spinning Zi Practice. Another name for Microcosmic Orbit.

Ancestral Opening. A kind of Mysterious Opening that connects to our origin. Often used with the practice Calm Shen in Ancestral Opening (ān shén zǔ qiào 安神祖竅).

Barrier of Sitting. First major challenge of internal alchemy practice.