Vital Breath of the Dao

by Zhongxian Wu, Chungliang Al Al Huang (Foreword by)

Overview

Vital Breath of the Dao is a fully illustrated guide to the historical background, practical application, underlying principles and techniques of Qigong, a way of physical and spiritual cultivation, and a way of life. Chinese Shamanic Tiger Qigong is a uniquely potent practice designed to bolster health and deepen spiritual connection to universal energy. Lineage holder Master Zhongxian Wu uses story-telling and a wealth of practical examples to introduce this powerful 24-movement Qigong form, which combines the traditions of ancient shamanism, Confucianism, Daoism, classical Chinese medicine, and the martial arts.

An excellent introduction for Qigong beginners, the book will also be of interest to experienced practitioners, students of classical Chinese Medicine and anyone interested in Classical Chinese culture and anthropology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780857011107
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	11/08/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Master Zhongxian Wu has been teaching Qigong since 1988. He is the lineage holder of four different schools of Qigong and martial arts. He was Director of the Shaanxi Province Association for Somatic Science and the Shaanxi Association for the Research of Daoist Nourishing Life Practices, and has written five books and numerous articles on the philosophical and historical foundations of China's ancient life sciences.
Master Zhongxian Wu, a lifelong Daoist practitioner, is the lineage holder of four different schools of Qigong and martial arts. Since 1988, Master Wu has instructed thousands of students, both Eastern and Western, in his unique and professionally designed courses and training programs. He has authored 12 books (five in Chinese) on Chinese wisdom traditions. Along with his wife, Dr. Karin Taylor Wu, he founded Blue Willow World Healing Center and QinJian Akademin to preserve and promote the classical Chinese arts throughout Europe, North America and China.
Chungliang Al Huang is the founder of Living Tao Foundation, an international cultural-arts network for lifelong learning, and the director of the Lan Ting Institute, a cross-cultural study and conference center at the sacred and historic Wu Yi Mountain, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the People's Republic of China, and at Gold Beach on the Oregon Coast in the USA. He has written many classic books including Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain: The Essense of Tai Ji; Essential Tai Ji; and The Chinese Book of Animal Powers, all of which are now brought back into print by Singing Dragon.

Table of Contents

Introduction. Part I. Pin Ming Lun Dao - Tea and the Dao. 1. Dao Fa Zi Ran - The Dao Models Itself on the Way of Nature. 2. Tian Want Hui Hui - The Universal Network. 3. Don Xi Yuan Tong - The Pathway of Yin Yang. Part II. Han San He Yi - Holding Three in One: The Fundamentals of Chinese Shamanic Qigong. 4. Xiang - Symbolism. 5. Shu - Numerology. 6. Li - Theory. Part III Laohu Gong - Chinese Shamanic Tiger Qigong Form. 7. Men (Doorway) - Learn the Name. 8. Gen (Root) - The Background. 9. Dou (Shaking) - The Ritual of Heart. 10. Fa (The Way) - Shamanic Tiger Qigong Movements. Afterword. Index.

Editorial Reviews

The first edition of The Vital Breath of the Dao, providing as it did a much richer and more rounded view of the Daoist way than anything hitherto published, was the inspiration for the launch of Singing Dragon. This new edition, refined and expanded, speaks even more clearly of the way in which the Daoist arts of cosmology, language, nature, philosophy, poetry, calligraphy, the way of tea, and shamanic Qigong practice are the ingredients in a way of life accessible to all of us seeking a deeper reality. From both an intellectual and a practical point of view, this book can change your life - it certainly changed mine. These practices improve health, temper the mind and the emotions, and deepen one's spiritual life.

Jessica Kingsley

Provides a fascinating glimpse into the correlative and symbolic thinking of a traditionally trained Qigong master. The book weaves a fabric rich in traditional stories, concepts, and terms, applied in a variegated pattern to the complexities of modern life.

Livia Kohn

A remarkable blend of interesting scholarship, valuable healing practices, and a gateway into the deep authentic tradition of Chinese Shamanism and the internal martial arts. It would take the journey of a lifetime in China to find such teachings and sincerity.

Michael Mayer

In this beautiful book, Master Zhongxian Wu communicates to us his great understanding of and experience with Qigong - not as a mere technique but as a perspective on life itself. He presents this material in a timeless way that engenders open awareness and ease of being in the reader. I recommend this book to all practitioners who have a serious interest in the deeper traditions of Chinese Medicine.

Lonny S. Jarrett

This lovely book explores the symbolism, numerology, and theory of Chinese Shamanic Qigong in a way that will expand the horizons of both Qigong beginners and long-time practitioners alike.

Dennis Lewis