Neidan sounds like a comprehensive system. Indeed, wu xing is the cosmologic element of what is ultimately an integrated body of wisdom. Everything that occurs in the body is thought to reflect everything that can occur outside of the body and to resolve itself in the same way. So rather than there being a difference between a storm and scattered chi, the two are considered literally the same thing, and you can predict upcoming issues in your body and mind based on your daily experiences like a theory of contagion, but more holistic, and one that is proving true even to western scientific thinkers even if they are dragging their feet in acknowledging this understanding. Likewise if you learn to cure conditions in yourself, you also develop the ability to resolve the same issues in your environment as well.

Another thing proving true is meditators are less prone to stress and display better general judgment. They have shown that states of mind and emotion do have a contagious effect, so a meditator can spread the effect of their meditation to other people even without making any conscious effort to do so.

Yes…moods are contagious.

Likewise, if you have neglected to eat, you will not only compromise your jing, your bodily constitution, you will imbalance your shen, and people will detect the change in your blood sugar level as if it were an attitude change and react to you more negatively.

Yea, and you get grouchy.

Another thing that has been proven in labs recently shows up even without overt behaviour, is that changes in subtle things like your body stance and posture contribute to the effect, as well as your alertness and degree of responsiveness. Strong healthy shen is observed through a strong sense of presence. It’s what we describe in the west as being “bright eyed and bushy tailed”, even down to the actual description of the bright eyed trait in old Chinese medical texts.

I’ve started doing yoga before breakfast and I find I am more awake during the day. It’s an excellent practice, and the time when your body is most receptive to any intentional change.

I’ve read about a number of people moving to someplace like the Caribbean and curing themselves of disease. I thought it curious but it’s influence on these factors would make the most sense to explain it. Indeed, and well, those islands would be a situation where you live by water as a rule.

Much like the placebo effect…your attitude affects your health. Attitude is shen. The attitude is seen as literally being in your blood, and they will suggest dietary change to change it. This is why having a bad attitude can be so persistent. Shen is thought to dwell in the blood.

The western/industrialized society is just depleting in many ways. It’s a downward spiral. Oh yes, in western industrial society your jing is just fuel for their machine. Your essence means nothing unless it can be consumed to do their work, and that essence gets consumed in many ways. It is rather visibly obvious in the case of many celebrities, Miley Cyrus being one example.

It’s a vamp thing: stuff draws energy from other stuff. Indeed, but even in the case of parasitism, well there is a fine line between a parasite and a symbiont. A small step can make an energy loss into a balanced energy exchange and greatly diminish harm to either party.

I like this system. It makes sense. Very interesting that wind disperses chi and water collects it. That really explains the mood of various landscapes. And earth dragon lines circulate it as well.

Oh? Like ley lines? Related concept perhaps.

There are vortices of chi in places? Indeed, there are vortices of chi that form, as well as points of static chi called shar. Side note, chi is said to pool in the liver and jing is said to be stored in the kidneys. From my reading, I have learned that the two of these govern directly or indirectly almost every biological process in your body, so ancient thinking isn’t so far off the mark is it?

Oh, is static chi bad? Yes, static chi is destructive. It actually causes decay of other systems.

So a little wind is good? Indeed, a little wind is good, just not a lot. Try telling someone in a hurricane that wind is good and see how they respond.

Interesting that a storm brings both wind and water. Indeed, naturally balanced weather fronts are ultimately good for life. Of course lately our weather patterns haven’t been so natural, or balanced.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~