Stage Three. True-energy Practice

As practitioners of the tuna technique, we know that the subject matter of true-energy has been debated for years without a conclusion. The way we look at it, it depends on how we interpret the Chinese words zhen-qi. Here we present what we consider to be an academic definition of true-energy, because we have never known anyone who has mastered the practice of true-energy technique, although many people claim to teach the true method of practice.

At the advanced stage of practicing the tuna technique, we rely on the concept of the ruding practice. When we reach the advanced stage of the practice of the tuna technique, the vital-energy will rise to our head and go into heaven, and true-energy is hereby generated. This true-energy has other names such as the True Yuan-qi, or the Xiantian Yi-qi in Taoism. We do not have to know these terms. They merely try to explain the nature of this vital-energy being the true and natural energy.

As practitioners of the tuna technique, all we want to know is whether we can practice true-energy like superficial-energy, and if so, how we can practice it. Unfortunately, we cannot practice to improve our true-energy. As soon as we think about it, the true-energy will start to disappear.

Now, if true-energy cannot be practiced, can we adjust it like we adjust nutrient-energy? The answer is surprising. It doesn’t matter whether the true-energy is in tune or not, because true-energy does not circulate in our body, but refers to the function of the noumenon that creates all things in the universe.

To be able to unify and control the heavens is of course innate and a single energy that precedes the creation of heavens. To be able to begin with the beginning of all things, produce them in shape, and create all things is of course incessant birth. Thus true-energy refers to the kinetic energy of the body’s creation and is the beginning of everything.

Philosophically, true-energy is naturally the nameless in the beginning of the heaven and earth creation without a name, and the mother of all things with a name. The ancients reluctantly called it The One. However, this One is not the Way.

That is to say, it is not the noumenon of the universe itself, but the function of The Way, the function of the noumenon. Therefore, we may say that The Way gives birth to One, One gives rise to Two, Two gives rise to Three, and Three gives rise to all things.

Thus, as practitioners of the tuna technique, at this stage we try to attain The Way instead of trying to adjust the true-energy. Once we reach this goal, we will be able to take advantage of the righteousness of heaven and earth and control all forms of vital-energy so that we can travel endlessly and freely in this universe.

We like the end result, but the trouble is, we cannot practice or train ourselves to attain it. We also cannot tune ourselves to attain it. Then, how can we reach this stage?

It turns out that we cannot find true-energy. We can only wait for it to visit us. We will diligently practice the tuna technique, the jingzuo technique, and the ruding technique. We will enter into true concentration in our practice without thinking about it. When it is time, true-energy will appear and flush through our head and flood into heaven. When we perceive it for an instant, it will disappear because we have used our conscious mind again.

Then, if we are still in meditation, it will return to the center, and the place where it returns is called the One Orifice of the Profound Entrance, or simply The Hole. If we maintain concentration, it will nurture in The Hole. Then we will use our spiritual will (not our mind, but the will of the gods) to further nurture it. Eventually and hopefully an elixir will be formed.

However, this is only the entry-level skill of the practice. Why? Because it is only the understanding and application of the One, not the Way. It is only the function of the noumenon, not the noumenon itself.

Therefore, just for the sake of representing true-energy, we need to stop and do away with delusional thoughts and not have a single thought, not to mention those things like me, you, love, and hate.

“The best man has no self, the gods and men have no merit, and the sages have no name.”—–Zhuangzi

Most of the practitioners of life cultivation like us do practice the tuna technique (deep breathing) and the jingzuo technique (meditation) daily. Very few of us try to practice the ruding technique and the vital-energy technique because they are hard to learn and practice.