Tag: Contemporary

Leaving the Mountains

A Daoist Journey from Obscurity to Modernity by Jeffrey S. Reid Leaving the Mountains follows the story of a Daoist lineage from its Yuan and Ming dynasty origins, through the fall of imperial China and the chaos of the Cultural

A Daoist Journey from Obscurity to Modernity

by Jeffrey S. Reid

Leaving the Mountains follows the story of a Daoist lineage from its Yuan and Ming dynasty origins, through the fall of imperial China and the chaos of the Cultural Revolution, and right into the brackish waters of the present. Chronicling several generations in both biography and memoir, the narrative follows a historically secretive and obscure lineage’s descent from its misty mountain grottoes into the pulsating neon-glow of modernity. Focused as much on martial arts as meditation and mysticism, it is as brutally sober as it is humorous, thought-provoking, and inspirational. With evocative elucidations of esoteric Daoist concepts and startling questions about the nature of reality woven through its multifaceted narrative, the book deftly explores the profane and the sacred, the mundane and the profound, and that blurry line where they become indiscernible. Meticulously researched and enriched with unique personal insight, it is at once an historical chronicle, contemplative exploration, and deeply personal reflection. Leaving the Mountains is a refreshingly honest take on Daoist cultivation, the potency of lineage, and the indispensable value of tradition for our times.

Paperback $35.95 plus S & H; prepublication special: $28.50 plus S & H

PDF download $20.00, available mid-July

The Author

Jeffrey S. Reid is a dedicated practitioner of Daoist martial arts, inner cultivation, and meditation. He trained in the Wudang Mountains for seven immersive years and was initiated as a 16th-generation disciple of the Wudang Sanfeng Lineage. Today he runs Wudang Santa Cruz, a Daoist martial arts and cultivation school in California, and leads workshops around the world.

Endorsements

This generational story had me feeling like I was entering the Wudang Mountains all over again for the first time. It is not only a joy to read the history of San Feng Sect lineage, but also important to document this unique period of time, late 90’s to early 2000’s, of east meeting west on the frontier of Chinese Daoist Gong Fu, from individual perspectives of discipleship such as Jeff Reid’s.

—Lindsey Wei (Wei Shiling 魏世灵 ), 31st-generation Dragongate Daoist, director, Wudang White Horse Martial Arts Academy

This book is a needed addition to the story of the Daoist emergence from the rubble of the Cultural Revolution to the challenges of a global society in the 21st century. Clearly a work of love, Reid’s book is part history, part ethnography, and part spiritual memoir. It’s a must-read for anyone trying to understand how Daoism survived from the fall of the Qing in China to the spread of the Dao in the West today. 

—Bede Benjamin Bidlack, Saint Anselm College 

Beautifully written—an insightful personal account of life on Wudangshan, with a treasure trove of insights on Daoist teachings and practice. 

—David Palmer, Professor, University of Hong Kong

Monastic Daoism Transformed

The Fate of the Thunder Drum Lineage by Karine Martin This unique presentation by a fully trained and deeply immersed Western Daoist outlines the transformation of the monastic Quanzhen order after the Cultural Revolution, focusing on the Thunder Drum (Leigutai)

Human Body Fengshui

An Almanac of Inner Daoist Cosmology by Dr. Baolin Wu and Austin Lane Muhs, in cooperation with Kevin T. Hill, Jessica Eckstein, Michael McBride, Paulina Wierzbicka, and Brent Christopher Wulf Human Body Fengshui is a unique journey into the mindset

A Bright Light in the Darkness

A Modern Daoist Perspective on the Twelve Animal Zodiac A Bright Light in the Darkness presents the vast variety of Daoist perspectives on the twelve-animal zodiac together with its practical application. It introduced the concept of the inner and outer

Dog Mother

World Culture and Dog Qigong

Dog Mother explores the powerful relationship the dog has with humanity. From a Daoist perspective, it examines the pivotal role the dog has in world culture through studies of folklore, mythology, and religion. Opening new insights on the dog’s significance and ample cross-cultural connections. Dr. Baolin Wu reveals the spirit that connects dog and humanity in sharing for the first time the Chinese zodiac’s Dog Qigong from the White Cloud Temple in Beijing. A practice embodying the canine spirit to transform the practitioner, to increase the body’s ability to self-heal, and to establish a deep relationship with nature. In addition, he also offers Dog Neigong exercises, simple enough to perform throughout the day to increase the body’s natural senses (smelling, hearing, seeing) generating health and long life. The book is a cultural treasure-trove, a formidable cornucopia of dog lore, and a potent resource for self-healing and Daoist realization. A must-read for all interested in dogs, personal cultivation, and cultural exploration.

Contents and Introduction

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Shadows of Mawangdui

Animating the Silk Daoyintu

by Ronald C. Smith & Antonio M. Carmone

Shadows of Mawangdui offers a fresh perspective on a set of drawings on silk called Daoyintu (Exercise Chart), part of a medical library that was unearthed from a Chinese tomb, dated 168 BCE. Substantially damaged, the silk is arguably one of the most enigmatic medical manuscripts found. Its forty-four static images give an intriguing but incomplete view of an ancient health practice, developed at a time when magical and medical concepts coexisted. Daoyin is the ancient forerunner of modern qigong energy work, and many of the manuscript’s original movements can be connected to present-day practices.

Inspired by their taiji quan teachers and drawing on scholarly work on medical and Daoist exercises, the authors offer a highly creative and inspiring interpretation of the images. They show the images, give a detailed explanation, and offer a step-by-step movement guide, complete with descriptive photos. The work is insightful and inspiring, having grown from many years of practice, intuitive analysis, and teaching. Readers are encouraged to work with the exercises along the lines suggested, yet also allow their one unique creativity to unfold as they take their very own path, look within themselves, and find their own meaning in the age-old practice. A powerful guide and engaging presentation for anyone interested in healing, longevity, Chinese medicine, and Daoism.

Contents and Introduction

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Living with Taiji

Resilience through Inner Power

by Frieder Anders with Emanuel Seitz

Living with Taiji shows how to live optimally, following the principles of Daoism and nourishing life by practicing the traditional art of Taiji, which goes far beyond martial arts and offers access to a fully integrated and empowered way of life. The book is the product of decades of experience: Frieder Anders, the first European master of the 6th generation of the Yang style, has practiced or almost fifty years and served as a teacher for over forty. The book divides into two parts. First, “Taiji in Action” reprints sections of monthly blog posts on the concrete activation of the practice; it focuses on the breathing types and the growth of inner power. Second, “Fundamental Concepts” introduces key principles as well as the Daoist perspective (by Emanuel Seitz). The book is inspiring and easy to read; it offers an in-depth understanding of Taiji and gentle guidance toward the personal unfolding of optimal ways of being and resilience through inner power.

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Rousing the Rabbit

Qigong for Opening the Occipital Third Eye and Foreseeing Destiny Rousing the Rabbit provides an in-depth exploration of rabbit symbolism and lore from a Daoist perspective. Not only did the abundant fertility of the rabbit establish it as an ancient

The Way of Poetry

The Way of Poetry is a concise, potent essay that presents a first comprehensive theory of what “Daoist” poetry might involve. Beginning with the vision of the ancient classics and informed by Daoist practice, John Leonard searches through poetry from different cultures to find a class of putatively Daoist poetry outside the Chinese tradition. He then suggests ways to recognize its following of the Way and outlines basic principles and guidelines, also including a number of his own poems.

Contents and Introduction

Paperback: $16.95, plus S&H / PDF ebook: $8.00

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The Eight Immortals’ Revolving Sword of Pure Yang

First in a Western language, this offers a thorough account of the Daoist mindset as activated in the contemporary world. Its three parts cover Master Wu’s personal journey, a detailed and illustrated description of the lives and powers of each of the Eight Immortals as well as concrete practice instructions of the unique sword technique associated with them. It opens both the practice and the intricacies of contemporary Daoist worldview to the outside world, using a cheerful narrative style and an internally revolving mode of presentation in conjunction with numerous practical details and beautiful illustrations.

Contents and Introduction

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