The Fourth Way and Esoteric Traditions
The Fourth Way is very clear in expressing the idea that man is, psychologically speaking, not one but many; he doesn’t have unity. How can unity be forged? “Man has no permanent and unchangeable I. Every thought, every mood, every desire, every sensation, says ‘I.’ And in each case, it seems to be taken for […]
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Pottery and Decoration Speaking of essential purity, Liu Yiming wrote these words. Pottery has a basic constitution, and is without artifice. Decorate it with colors, inlay it with gold and jade, and though it may be beautifully adorned, it has lost its basic constitution. What I realize as I observe this is the Tao of returning […]
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From Taoist master Liu Yiming (18th century), on the Phoenix and the Peacock, from Awakening the Tao A phoenix appears rarely, so it is an auspicious omen. Peacocks are always showing off their feathers, so they are taken captive. In this we observe the Tao of concealment and revelation, good and bad fortune. Those who are proud […]
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Zhang Boduan was an 11th century Taoist alchemist of the Complete Reality Taoist school. Taoist alchemy aims to create the gold elixir (also called the golden pill, or the pill of immortality) through what is called a firing process. Basically, because the teaching is hidden in symbols, one needs to be taught the inner meaning. […]
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