Initiation
The objective of the 2-day initiation event is to introduce to participants the Taoist system of spiritual cultivation called Tao Yin Shu (导引术) or The Divine Guidance Art.
Why the need for initiation?
During an initiation ceremony (导引) - a practitioner will have his Yuan Shen (元神) or original mind activated by a Xiao Yao Pai master. The spiritual activation unlocks, enables and enhances the perceptual faculties of the student - allowing them the necessary means to establish a two-way communication with the Celestial branch of our school; whence our curriculum and teachings are passed down in a direct transmission.
The master then makes an official request to the head of our Celestial branch, the Elder Lord, Tai Shang Lao Jun (太上老君), with the purpose of formally submitting the disciple to be considered for an apprenticeship and to officialize their registration into Xiao Yao Pai (逍遥派). The candidate is screened on a soul level and If accepted, they are energetically enveloped with the golden aura of our school and appointed a personal Hu Fa Shen (护法神). The role of Hu Fa Shen (护法神) is to guide and mentor the student on the path of spiritual cultivation, at their own pace, in accordance with the Dao and the curriculum of our school, which every Hu Fa Shen (护法神) is authorized to disseminate within the area of their specialization. The golden aura of Xiao Yao Pai (逍遥派), bestowed upon the 'Dao You' (道友) or spirituality initiated disciple, while acting as a nurturing cocoon for the transmutation of the body's subtle energy, and as a repellent to malevolent entities, is also, functionally, an energetic signature of our school, similar to a uniform or a badge, which identifies us as disciples of Tai Shang Lao Jun (太上老君). Those whose faculties have been adequately tuned and refined to perceive it will recognize its authenticity - while remaining obscure to the untrained. In the realm of the non-physical and to the cultivated adept, the presence of the aura around the Dao You (道友) , is regarded as a symbol of the highest esteem, and garners respect from Immortals and other beings alike; signifying that you are under the wing of Tai Shang Lao Jun (太上老君); also known as, Dao De Tian Zun (道德天尊). Each disciple's Hu Fa Shen (护法神) is an ascended spiritual entity that exists in the non-physical dimension Wu Ji (无极). He, She or It, reside in a realm of being that exists beyond the duality of the physical universe Tai Ji (太极) - and are referred to as Xian Shen (仙神) or Tian Shen (天神); Spirit Immortals or Heavenly Immortals. Xian Shen (仙神) and Tian Shen (天神) categorize two different 'forms' of immortals - and are distinguished from one another in that; a Xian Shen (仙神) begins their 'internal alchemy' cultivation as a human being. By developing its awareness and subtle energies while residing within the physical body; the soul of the adept is trained to voluntarily leave the corporeal vessel and operate in its formless 'soul' state - giving the practitioner the choice to remain in the body and continue experiencing Tai Ji (太极), or abandon it to enter the emptiness of Wu Ji (无极), in the state of the fully conscious and awakened Yang Shen (阳神) body. On the other hand, a Tian Shen (天神) has always existed in its formless state. They are born with the original spark of the Dao (道) and some of them are as old as creation itself. Every immortal who wishes to take on the task of guiding a student in their spiritual cultivation must register with Tai Shang Lao Jun (太上老君), to become an official Hu Fa Shen of Xiao Yao Pai (逍遥派); and receive authorization to teach a Dao Yu. They are not a 'random' spirit but are assigned to duty as instructors and representatives of Tai Shang Lao Jun (太上老君). Each Hu Fa Shen (护法神) is thus fully recognized by the highest order to impart the authentic arts of Daoist spiritual cultivation. As part of their assignment to you; your mentor will personally instruct you on how to practice Shen Gong (神功), Qi Gong (气功) and Jing Zuo (静坐), in preparation for the advanced alchemical transformations of the spirit necessary to trigger the transmutation of Yin Shen (阴神) to Yang Shen (阳神), to unite the 3 Hun (三魂) or ethereal souls and 7 Po (七魄) or corporeal souls into one; and result in the complete purification of the acquired mundane conditioning, bringing about the birth of the radiant, original mind Yuan Shen (元神) and the progressive development of the indestructible immortal body of Yang Shen (阳神). After the initiation, some students depending on their talents, can immediately form a telepathic connection to their Hu Fa Shen (护法神) in order to advance their learning, and communicate with them unabridged from day one. These students can speak directly to Hu Fa Shen (护法神) in their mind and hear their teachers voice, or see images flash before their inner vision in succession to communicate part of a lesson. Others may take a little longer, due to the overwhelming acquired conceptual belief structures acting as resistance against the natural radiance of their original mind Yuan Shen (元神). The state of their mental constructs and illusions, such as they are formulated by the mundane mind since birth, will determine their current clarity and their immediate ability to receive and interpret direct communication from Hu Fa Shen (护法神). This means that, those Dao You (道友) whom are very open minded and have minor mental barriers, are likely to have a more fluent connection at the start of their practice, however, even those who present greater resistance due to former indoctrinations and dogmas, will eventually have those barriers gradually eroded as the Divine Energy enveloping them during Dao Yin Shu (导引术) practice will gently wash away negative belief patterns - enabling smoother operation of their higher faculties and increasing the "ways" in which they can communicate with their mentor. The clarity, awareness, wisdom, and openness of everyone's mind varies in unquantifiable degrees; and your mentor will adjust their approach to cater to your level, in order to assure smooth and continuous progress. All students are taught and guided by their Hu Fa Shen (护法神) in accordance with their personal needs; so that the goal of immortality may be achieved, one step at a time, for everyone who is willing to put in the work, be diligent and practice regularly. As you invite Hu Fa Shen (护法神) to train you every day and practice Dao Yin Shu (导引术), you will find that your mind becomes sharper and clearer. You will become more intuitive, your illnesses and ailments will gradually disappear. Your physical, energy and mind-bodies are transformed to manifest the dormant potential of your soul and support the continual functional development of your supernatural capacities. While many of today's Daoist schools pertain to the Hou Tian Xiu (后天修) tradition Post Heavenly Cultivation and emphasize work on the three treasures of the Tai Ji (太极)realm; Jing ( 精) body, Qi ( 气) energy, Shen (神 ) mind, by starting from the bottom and moving up - our school follows the way of the old art and instead. This unique advantage allows us to activate our soul energies directly from day one, opening our communication to the divine realm so that we can receive detailed instructions on our path. We can afford this "spring boarding" maneuver because we do not need to transform and move energy up the body from the root to the crown in order to shift our consciousness outside of the physical body - Dao Ying (导引) or spiritual initiation achieves this on the first day. Therefore, instead of having to meticulously focus on the physical body, which was prescribed out of a necessity to prolong life in order to guarantee the requisite time for the complete development of the spirit, we can bypass that arduous and lengthy process all together, and focus directly on the only thing that remains after the body dies; the soul. From day one, we push directly into the inter-dimensional envelope of the Taiji (太极) dimension, and raise our awareness and spirit higher and higher, until it penetrates the membrane of physicality and gradually streams our awareness into the non-physical dimension of Wuji. Here the unified, non-polar ultimateness of existence may be experienced - and the spiritual capacities of our innate nature can be developed to perfection, in resonance with the source of all things. Where others may take anywhere from decades to a lifetime, and often yield no result; we succeed with relative ease - thanks to the wisdom of our Hu Fa Shen (护法神), and the courteous grace of Tai Shang Lao Jun (太上老君), who allowed us to spread Dao Yin Shu (导引术). What to expect after initiation?
After being initiated, one should practice diligently on a daily basis and only then will you experience the benefits of Dao Yin Shu (导引术). Eventually, one will be able to communicate with your Hu Fa Shen (护法神). After 3 years of practice, any Dao You (道友) can apply for Yellow Coat Level 1 examination. The various attainment levels are as follows:
Friend in Tao (道友) - After Initiation Guard of Tao (道士) - Yellow Coat Level 1 (黄衣一级) Leader of Tao (道长) - Yellow Coat Level 2 (黄衣二级) - Yellow Coat Level 2A (黄衣二级A) - Yellow Coat Level 2B (黄衣二级B) - Yellow Coat Level 2C (黄衣二级C) Honor in Tao (道尊) - Yellow Coat Level 3 (黄衣三级) Taoist Master (宗师) - Yellow Coat Level 4 (黄衣四级) |
A peek into the initiation event.
Day 1Day 1 will consist of a short seminar lasting about two hours, which will explain the basic concepts of spiritual Taoism, followed by a Tao Ying (导引) initiation performed by a Taoist Master. During the Tao Ying (导引) initiation ceremony, the Master will leverage his cultivated spiritual energy and awaken your Yuan Shen (元神) or original mind, while simultaneously establishing a connection to your Hu Fa Shen (护法神); mentor god or: spiritual guide, immortal teacher, guardian angel. Your Hu Fa Shen (护法神) will fall under two categories:
1. An ascended immortal whom was previously in human form and achieved the ultimate goal of cultivation to become a Xian (仙) or immortal, during their life on earth. Some of these can be newly ascended immortals or hundreds of years old, even thousands. 2. An enlightened spiritual being which has always existed in it's non-physical form and did not cultivate from a human being to achieve this state. Some of these can be tens of thousands of years old and more, even spanning all the way back to the beginning of creation itself. Your spiritual mentor is not assigned to you randomly. A request is made directly to the highest being: Tai Shang Lao Jun (太上老君), who specifically assigns your teacher to you. They are matched, based on your personality and current level of development. Tai Shang Lao Jun (太上老君) is also known as the treasurer of spirits and is most prominently known for his physical incarnation as the teacher and founding father of Taoism; Lao Zi (老子). Once initiated, practitioners will be able to connect with other dimensions in a fully aware non-trance state and establish a connection with the divine realms to learn, study and develop their physical, energetic and spiritual bodies. Among many other things, these ability will allow you to connect and communicate with any immortal or holy spirit across any belief system, allow you to unravel the secrets of life and the after-life and lead you into the core understanding of Taoism, which is the fundamental origin of all Taoist skills and knowledge such as, medicine, feng shui (geomancy), meditation, talisman skills, qigong and shen skills, ceremonies and more. Your Hu Fa Shen (护法神), will guide you through your practice in a manner specific to your level of development and understanding. |
Day 2During day 2, you will be trained in how to perform Taoist exercises, including basic Qi Gong (气功) or Breathing exercises and Jing Zuo (静坐) or meditation.
After the seminar and initiation event. You can go back home and continue to safely practice the system under the guidance of your Hu Fa Shen (护法神), without the need for further assistance. All teaching will be administered by your Hu Fa Shen (护法神). Should you require any form of assistance, guidance or advice in regard to your practice you can contact a more senior member of the school and they will be more than happy to help you. We are one big family and we share a common passion for cultivation and making progress on the way, so don't be shy. This is a rare opportunity to be initiated by a Taoist Master from a rare Taoist school, which is currently the only known lineage holder of the authentic spiritual guidance art of the East. |