I have read passages like
"Taoist medition makes extensive use of visualization, whereas Zen meditation avoids it and focuses on the void. According to the Zen teaching on meditation, which will be explained in more detail later, although visualization can lead to very high spiritual levels, it does not lead directly to the highest, ultimate reality. But since many Taoists aim not at the realization of ultimate reality or, in Taoist terms, unity with the Cosmos, but at becoming immortals or even just at longevity in this life, meditation using visualization serves their purposes very well." (pg. 187 of The Art Of Shaolin Kung Fu)
in many of Sifu Wong Kiew Kit's writings, including other books and parts of his QA series, I had always thought in the manner that it isn't being implied that Taoism simply does not have such visualization methods with the specific aim of attaining the highest attainment. But some pieces of the "That was Zen, this is Tao!" I just read, such as
and
,
gave me the implication that it is thought that Taoism does not have specific methods utilizing visualization that bring one to the transcendental, unconditioned reality, state. So I wanted to write this post for any looking to find information about Taoism, so that such a marvelous portion of it is not thought of to not exist.
In my private qigong lessons with my Master, he has many times lead me to the the state utilizing Taoist visualization techniques and his ability to mentally bond with me in a way that he can know exactly what I am thinking, how I am thinking, and therefore how to lead my mind to go and see what it is he wants me to see. For instance, one time he started leading me by saying "Go to the place where you were before you were born...". Before this, I had already obtained the ability of traveling time in that I could go to events in the past or events in the future through my previous qigong training with him. But this time this ability manifested differently as his lead had caused me to realize past lives. At the appropriate time, he said (he didn't literally say it out loud, as I was in a state very disconnected from our prescences in the room where we were in, but rather he was able to "say it into my mind" like he usually does when I am in such a state for our practice) "...Go to where after you die". Because of our understanding and relationship, Master and student, he knows precisely how I think and thus he knew exactly what to say to make me think not literally of before I was born or after I die but instead of the intersection, the thing in common of both. This immediately brought me to the transcendental state, the view of reality without eyes to see it through. Because I had experiences of awakenings before this, even while during his public classes or practicing by myself, I knew this was completely different. This was even higher than an awakening. He lead me to this state many other times after this through different visualizations, so that I could have the "knack", or essence, or fundamental skill of inducing it myself, as if it were a basic skill like generating energy flow. My teacher's lineage is Taoist, and so he uses Taoist techniques in his teaching.
It was not my wish to detail the various visualizations from Taoist qigong that can be used for this, as that would have been silly, as noone could have benefitted from my written instruction, but I wanted to write this because it made me sad to think a part of the tradition that has benefitted me so much would be lost, or that people would not have any evidence to suggest Taoism has such visualization methods.
"Taoist medition makes extensive use of visualization, whereas Zen meditation avoids it and focuses on the void. According to the Zen teaching on meditation, which will be explained in more detail later, although visualization can lead to very high spiritual levels, it does not lead directly to the highest, ultimate reality. But since many Taoists aim not at the realization of ultimate reality or, in Taoist terms, unity with the Cosmos, but at becoming immortals or even just at longevity in this life, meditation using visualization serves their purposes very well." (pg. 187 of The Art Of Shaolin Kung Fu)
in many of Sifu Wong Kiew Kit's writings, including other books and parts of his QA series, I had always thought in the manner that it isn't being implied that Taoism simply does not have such visualization methods with the specific aim of attaining the highest attainment. But some pieces of the "That was Zen, this is Tao!" I just read, such as
I remember Sifu talking about his beloved master, Sigung Ho Fatt Nam. He said that Sigung Ho eventually turned to Zen because of the paradox of Taoist visualization.
Zen meditation on the void leads outside of the phenomenal realm to the trancendental realm. This is why Sigung Ho switched from Taoism to Zen.
gave me the implication that it is thought that Taoism does not have specific methods utilizing visualization that bring one to the transcendental, unconditioned reality, state. So I wanted to write this post for any looking to find information about Taoism, so that such a marvelous portion of it is not thought of to not exist.
In my private qigong lessons with my Master, he has many times lead me to the the state utilizing Taoist visualization techniques and his ability to mentally bond with me in a way that he can know exactly what I am thinking, how I am thinking, and therefore how to lead my mind to go and see what it is he wants me to see. For instance, one time he started leading me by saying "Go to the place where you were before you were born...". Before this, I had already obtained the ability of traveling time in that I could go to events in the past or events in the future through my previous qigong training with him. But this time this ability manifested differently as his lead had caused me to realize past lives. At the appropriate time, he said (he didn't literally say it out loud, as I was in a state very disconnected from our prescences in the room where we were in, but rather he was able to "say it into my mind" like he usually does when I am in such a state for our practice) "...Go to where after you die". Because of our understanding and relationship, Master and student, he knows precisely how I think and thus he knew exactly what to say to make me think not literally of before I was born or after I die but instead of the intersection, the thing in common of both. This immediately brought me to the transcendental state, the view of reality without eyes to see it through. Because I had experiences of awakenings before this, even while during his public classes or practicing by myself, I knew this was completely different. This was even higher than an awakening. He lead me to this state many other times after this through different visualizations, so that I could have the "knack", or essence, or fundamental skill of inducing it myself, as if it were a basic skill like generating energy flow. My teacher's lineage is Taoist, and so he uses Taoist techniques in his teaching.
It was not my wish to detail the various visualizations from Taoist qigong that can be used for this, as that would have been silly, as noone could have benefitted from my written instruction, but I wanted to write this because it made me sad to think a part of the tradition that has benefitted me so much would be lost, or that people would not have any evidence to suggest Taoism has such visualization methods.
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