Vast Righteous Qi

"Uncle Shun, you be the judge! Does being a good boyfriend mean you can't tell the truth? Her cooking really was terrible! But it tastes good now."

Su Ziyang Ren Qushun and said with a smile.

Ren Qushun, a man of great humor, nodded with feigned seriousness. "To tell the truth is correct. But this Xiao Su has already repented. Look, he's praising your cooking now."

"Tch." Fairy Li looked at the two standing to one side, pretended to be angry, crossed her arms, and turned her head away without saying a word.

"Xiao Su, you see? This is resentment, and this won't do."

Hahahaha

The three of them burst into laughter.

After chatting for a while, Ren Qushun continued to talk about the method of treating illness, "Use benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness (the five yang principles) to counteract hatred, resentment, annoyance, anger, and vexation (the five yin principles)."

People always think they are right. If you can recognize that you are wrong, all your ailments will disappear.

How do you do it? You have to put in the effort. It's hard work, you have to put in the effort, you have to do it. If you don't put in the effort, if you don't suffer, how can you have good fortune? Being healthy is a blessing.

Where do illnesses come from? Mostly from deficiencies in family ethics and morality.

How can one recover from an illness? Identify the source of the illness, find the root cause, look at the bigger picture, find the good in others, and acknowledge your own faults. Don't be afraid of being sick, as long as you bring out your conscience and let your conscience awaken.

Turn your conscience over, you must turn your conscience over. How do you turn your conscience over? Things are afraid of being reversed, reason is afraid of being overturned. Compare people's hearts to your own, and you'll find they're all equally heavy. People are me, and I am a person. When people grow old, I feel old; when people are poor, I feel poor.

People often fall ill because of their relatives and close friends. Therefore, keep your distance from those close to you, and keep your distance from those far away. Keeping your distance means not being attached to them. Being attached to them is a sin.

The more you try to control someone, the more they'll resent you.

After Ren Qushun speaking, Su Ziyang suddenly recalled a line from the Great Physician's Sincerity ": "When you see others suffering, feel it as if it were your own; be deeply saddened and do not avoid danger and hardship."

Su Ziyang suddenly realized that this statement was very useful for both himself and others.

Su Ziyang spoke of the Great Physician's Sincerity, which prompted Ren Qushun to nod repeatedly and praise Su Ziyang's insights.

Ren Qushun continued.

In the morning, ask yourself if you were a good person today; in the evening, reflect on whether you did a good job, and be sure to correct any shortcomings.

When others insult you, it's like listening to a song; when others hit you, it's like banging your head against a doorframe. Being able to do this not only won't make you sick, but it will also make you successful.

Don't let the elderly worry, follow their wishes, respect their wishes, make them feel at ease, and don't let them worry (take good care of your health).

If your parents have a bad sex life, you should do many good deeds to influence them.

You must address the concerns, worries, and concerns of the elderly, so they can feel at ease and at peace.

The Way is inseparable from home; everything is at home.

As long as the old man is happy, it doesn't matter who he gives the things to.

Why travel far to burn incense when you can be filial to your parents at home?

Avoid: contention, greed, resentment, regret, blaming others, impatience, anger, and irritability.

On the journey of life, I've had conflicts with many people, I've been angry with many people, I've resented many people, I've hated many people. I keep these words—hatred, resentment, annoyance, and annoyance—in my heart. Identify them, understand them, and speak them out. This ailment will surely be cured. Start with filial piety; this is the root.

Find the strengths and good qualities in others, sincerely acknowledge your own shortcomings, repent, admit your mistakes, and correct them. Some people, even when their illness isn't serious, refuse to admit they're angry or upset; this is closing the door to recovery.

Many people feel that things don't go smoothly, and one reason is that they have too much lust.

Once lust arises, one will act recklessly.

Licentiousness corrupts ancestral virtues, leads to moral decay, and violates human ethics. Remaining unmoved by beauty is the mark of a hero. No matter how beautiful a woman is, one should not covet her husband or wife.

Greed is a sin, a transgression, a wicked act. Of all evils, lust is the worst; of all virtues, filial piety is the foremost. Filial piety alone can lead to sainthood and sagehood.

To fail in filial piety is to fail in accordance with natural law, to forget one's roots, to lose virtue, and to rot one's very foundation.

Ren Qushun, integrity, and righteousness are based on ethical norms. It's about being a good person with moral principles.

"Uncle Shun, after all that, and having witnessed your treatment process, I think that even if an ordinary person learned this, they could only reflect on their own actions at most. Treating others like you do... that would be quite difficult."

Su Ziyang's words hit the nail on the head, let alone ordinary people.

Even with Su Ziyang's current level of cultivation and expertise, he probably couldn't achieve the same effect Ren Qushun.

"Hmm..." Ren Qushun pondered for a moment, "What you said makes sense. However, my main goal is to enable people to be their own doctors, not to train a doctor, but today is an exception for you."

"I know that old man in the Daoist temple on the mountain. You are his friends, and this Xiao Su is a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, which is why I talked to him more."

Ren Qushun said.

"If you want to make someone repent and listen to you on your own, and to heal others, you need to cultivate your inner strength. You must first be upright and have integrity. If you yourself are crooked and distorted, how can you expect others to stand straight, right?"

After Ren Qushun finished speaking, Su Ziyang remained silent.

He simply held his tea quietly, looking down at the water.

Recalling everything Ren Qushun had just said, Su Ziyang had a sudden realization.

All that Ren Qushun said was actually two passages he was speaking to himself, which were the two verses by Shenxiu and Master Huineng.

Ren Qushun said that there are two ways to reach his level.

The first is sudden enlightenment, instant Buddhahood. Then one can see through everything in the world, naturally understand cause and effect, and comprehend worldly affairs, which means one can directly see the laws governing them.

The second method is gradual cultivation, progressing from low to high, from bottom to top, through gradual practice.

"Since I have no affinity for the sudden enlightenment method, could I perhaps ask Uncle Shun for guidance on the gradual method?"

Su Ziyang put down the tea and very respectfully performed a disciple's salute for Ren Qushun.

"Oh dear, I wouldn't dare." Ren Qushun his hand, telling Su Ziyang not to perform such a grand gesture.

"You're quite perceptive, kid. You've grasped the key points after all that. There is a gradual method you can use as a reference."

Ren Qushun's method of gradual cultivation is called "Nurturing Vast Righteous Qi."

The term "Vast Righteous Qi" originates from the book Mencius.

There is a record of this in Mencius, Book 1, Part 1, by Gongsun Chou.

"I am good at cultivating my Vast Righteous Qi."

"May I ask what this Vast Righteous Qi is?"

"It is difficult to describe. Its nature is extremely vast and strong; if it is nourished by uprightness without causing harm, it will fill the space between heaven and earth."

This passage can be considered the origin of Confucianism's approach to cultivating qi and refining qi.

Mencius believed that the Vast Righteous Qi is the foundation of all things in the universe.

Actually, this doesn't conflict with other theories, all of which believe that the root of the universe is Qi.

The Great Learning states. "Knowing where to stop, one can then be resolute; being resolute, one can then be calm; being calm, one can then be at peace; being at peace, one can then deliberate; deliberating, one can then attain."

Therefore, later generations developed, organized, and improved it into the Confucian method of cultivating qi.

This includes six steps: stopping, settling, calming, settling, contemplating, and attaining.

Confucianism's cultivation of qi requires sitting upright and maintaining a proper posture, cultivating one's "vast Vast Righteous Qi" through breathing exercises, and emphasizing that only by always "upholding righteousness" can one achieve "utmost greatness and strength." Only by rectifying one's mind and cultivating oneself can one "cultivate oneself directly without harm, thus filling the space between heaven and earth."

When Su Ziyang meditates, he usually sits cross-legged, adopting a double lotus position.

The upright sitting posture that Ren Qushun mentioned is actually basically the same as Su Ziyang's meditation posture.

However, Ren Qushun mentioned three types: single lotus, double lotus, and natural lotus.

The "double lotus position" involves placing both legs crossed on top of each other.

"Single lotus position" refers to placing one foot on top of the other thigh (if the foot is below the knee and above the calf, it is called "half single lotus position").

In Buddhist "Seven-Point Posture," the single lotus position has different names: the right leg over the left is called the "Vajra Lotus," and the left leg over the right is called the "Wish-Fulfilling Lotus."

The "natural cross-legged" posture, also known as the "casual cross-legged" posture, involves crossing one leg and placing the other leg under the other.

Regarding the cross-legged sitting posture, the ancients believed that the tighter the cross-legged position, the greater the effect of gathering and accumulating energy. Therefore, Daoists believed that the single lotus position was three times more effective than the loose lotus position, and the double lotus position was three times more effective than the single lotus position.

The key to sitting cross-legged is "vertical center," meaning that the central channel (Chong Mai) is the center (from Baihui to Huiyin) and the body should always be vertical. All parts of the body should be relaxed, and the whole body should be in a cone shape, which is what Buddhism calls sitting like a bell.

It is said that when Zhu Xi taught his disciples meditation, he required that the stool be level with the lower legs, the sitting posture be with the feet shoulder-width apart, the waist tucked in, and the coccyx suspended in the air (note that whether sitting cross-legged or upright, the coccyx must be suspended in the air and not pressed down), and also required that the center of the body be kept vertical with the central meridian as the center, and the main body part be in a cone shape, still sitting like a bell.

In short, all sorts of Linlin boil down to sitting upright and straight.

Ren Qushun said that cultivating Vast Righteous Qi requires restraining twelve behaviors in daily life, namely, "Those who are good at cultivating their vital energy should always have fewer thoughts, fewer desires, fewer affairs, fewer words, fewer laughs, fewer worries, fewer joys, fewer angers, fewer likes, and fewer dislikes. Practicing these twelve 'lesses' is the key to cultivating one's vital energy."

Confucianism believes that practicing these twelve modesty rules in daily life is essential to "entering a state of tranquility" when sitting upright and solemn.

Upon hearing this, Su Ziyang nodded and said, "There are similar statements in 'Essential Prescriptions Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold: Nourishing Nature'."

The saying goes, "Excessive thinking depletes the spirit, excessive contemplation scatters the will, excessive desires cloud the mind, excessive activity exhausts the body, excessive talking weakens the vital energy, excessive laughter injures the internal organs, excessive sorrow terrifies the heart, excessive joy overflows the mind, excessive happiness leads to forgetfulness and confusion, excessive anger disrupts the flow of energy, excessive fondness leads to obsession and neglect of principles, and excessive aversion leads to emaciation and unhappiness. If these twelve excesses are not eliminated, the balance of vital energy and blood will be disrupted, leading to the loss of life."

A true friend is someone who understands immediately upon hearing a word, someone who gets it right away. If someone else heard Ren Qushun speak like this, they probably wouldn't have given such a good response.

Su Ziyang could always draw upon classical allusions and engage in meaningful conversations with him, which made Ren Qushun even happier.

Once you've achieved that, you can incorporate breathing exercises.

Breathing, in essence, is the process of exhaling air (exhalation) and inhaling air (inhalation).

When we incorporate the concepts of giving and taking, exhaling becomes "exhaling" and inhaling becomes "taking in."

The Zhuangzi, in the chapter "Carving Intentions," states, "Blowing and breathing, exhaling the old and inhaling the new, like a bear stretching and a bird extending its wings, this is all for the sake of longevity."

When Su Ziyang was practicing his exercises, he always breathed naturally and freely. Mr. Mengfei did not allow him to give any guidance on his breathing.

Ren Qushun's explanation was quite different; he explained in great detail how to breathe.

The first person to practice reverse abdominal breathing eventually reaches a state known as "body breathing".

Normal, natural breathing involves the lower abdomen slightly rising and filling with air when inhaling; and the lower abdomen naturally retracting when exhaling.

Reverse abdominal breathing refers to the breathing pattern where, during inhalation, the breath rises and fills the chest, while the lower abdomen contracts; during exhalation, the breath descends and the lower abdomen returns to its original position. Because it is the opposite of normal natural breathing, it is called reverse abdominal breathing.

Ren Qushun's concept of body breathing refers to spreading one's mind to all the pores of the body. When inhaling, one imagines inhaling through all the pores of the body, and when exhaling, one imagines exhaling through all the pores of the body.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the lungs are connected to the skin and hair. By practicing breathing exercises over a long period of time, one will eventually feel the flow of breath through the pores of the skin.

There was a physician in the Ming Dynasty named Leng Qian. He wrote a book on health preservation and internal cultivation called "Essentials of Longevity," which contained the following mantra. "Inhale and lift, lift and swallow, let the Qi return to below the navel, and let water and fire meet."

This sentence can be used as a sixteen-character mantra for breathing exercises.

According to Confucianism, practicing in this way can have several benefits.

First, calm down.

Second, appease grievances.

Third, calm your mind.

Fourth, alleviate worries.

After practicing breathing in this way, you can proceed to the next step, which is called Sleeping Exercise.

There are many sleeping techniques circulating online, such as the Returning to the Origin Reclining Posture Sleeping Position) and Primordial Reclining Posture), but this article will only discuss Confucian sleeping techniques.

The Confucian sleeping posture is described as follows. "Sleep with your head facing east, on your side, like a dog curled up or a dragon coiled, one hand bent on the pillow, the other hand supporting your bent leg; first calm your mind, then your eyes, so that your spirit does not wander, your Qi naturally becomes peaceful, and you gather your spirit to the lower dantian."

When practicing, one should "first calm the mind, then close the eyes," meaning to first calm the mind and cultivate stillness, then close the eyes and fall asleep. The spirit and qi will naturally return to their root and enter the dantian.

Then breathe naturally and slowly, letting your breath flow gently and naturally, returning to your primordial sea.

At this time, there is no need to consciously adjust your breathing; your breathing will naturally stabilize.

There is no need to consciously guide the body's Qi; the Qi will naturally subdue itself.

Entering a state of tranquility through this is the practice of sleeping.

When you wake up, you should first wake your eyes, then your mind, and then slowly move your body around. At this point, you can get out of bed.

Chen Tuan, a Daoist priest from Mount Hua in the early Song Dynasty, passed down a sleeping technique called "The Hibernating Dragon Method".

At the same time, he left behind a secret of thirty-two characters.

"The dragon returns to the primordial sea, the yang hidden within the yin; people call it a hibernating dragon, I call it a hibernating heart. Silently concealing its function, resting deeply; lying atop the white clouds, with no one in the world who understands."

In fact, the two methods are similar, both emphasizing the importance of calming the mind. Once a person is calm, everything in the world returns to its natural state.

By cultivating and practicing in this way over time, one will naturally experience a response.

The book "The Great Learning" proposes "three guiding principles," "eight items," and "seven proofs."

The "Three Cardinal Principles" are. "The way of great learning consists in manifesting one's bright virtue, in loving the people, and in abiding in perfect goodness."

The "Eight Items" are. "Investigating things, extending knowledge, making one's will sincere, rectifying one's mind, cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world";

The "Seven Proofs" refer to. "Knowledge, Stopping, Concentration, Tranquility, Peace, Contemplation, and Attainment."

The Confucian school believes that "virtue" is the essential characteristic of the spirit of heaven and earth, and cultivating virtue is cultivating the mind, nature, and thoughts.

Cultivating one's vital energy primarily involves cultivating virtue, and cultivating virtue itself has the effect of nourishing and refining vital energy. The so-called "virtue and wisdom in sync" or "virtue and skill in sync" means that one's virtuous power, wisdom power, and skill power are equal. A person who lacks virtue cannot obtain great wisdom and high skill power.

Therefore, Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, and other schools of thought all emphasize cultivating virtue.