"Age Quod Agis"

" Since this is so, we must take more seriously the lessons we have received 

to be trained not to drift. "

Whether one's research is on the Breath, the "energy" or the spirit, Whether one's Way is global or not, the foremost quality at the center of every religions as well as of movements of spiritual evolution is Attention, focus.

Attention to God and his work in the religions of devotion, to nature and its manifestations in the animist ones and a "presence to the Attention " to the ways of non-duality.

In the Taoism of the origins, away from the popular and picturesque beliefs of modern China, we go toward the "Return" or the "One."

This research of Unity, of the union of the human functioning towards a full understanding, this research requires a view of the practice of the different aspects of our humanity : body, breath and mind.

But whatever the facet that we want to develop, there are three essential qualities for a practitioner 's: the attention, the understanding and the study.

The mind, the tool of the perception and the assimilation of the advice and teachings, is at the center of the required qualities: if the teaching is not understood, it is impossible to follow it.

The search for the balance of the facets of the mind (planning, action, intuitive and instinctive), is one of the  "returns" that guides us back to the global Return.

The more the mind is "centered", clear and active, the more it is possible to perceive clearly, understand clearly .

The mind is the gripping tool of the world, it must be reliable: it is the quality of Understanding.

When questions and practices are set for the mind, it is imperative to keep it active and to the limits of its possibilities: it must always be in an intellectual challenge that requires it to "run" after knowledge, to always be little late ...

Thus, in our tradition, we talk of keeping the mind in the state of youth of the child. The latest brain research tends to support this attitude.

This does not mean doing nothing: it means having too much to do: It is the quality of Study.

But above all, more important than the Understanding and Study, there is the source of all this, the Attention . There is nothing more important than Attention/Focus.

The Study correspond to the Jing (the Yin aspect), the Understanding to the Qi (energy) and the Attention to the Shen (the Yang aspect) .

Through continuous Attention ( :-)) we can render Yang , spiritual, all the aspects of our lives.

But what are the components of Attention ?

The Attention is the first quality of the  Zhen Ren, "the true human being" and that's what leads to the Zi Ran (the natural) .

It requires three things: a strong body, a boundless vitality and a focused mind.

But it is this attention that is supposed to give us these benefits ... how do we do then?

The work on Attention demands primarily three things that we all have :

• The power of our effort
• The repetition of the action
• A sense of humor

We need to understand what it is to be Attentive, by experiencing it, then repeat this action until the Attention is stable.

And what about the sense of humor?

This is what helps us the most, knowing that we will not succeed right away ...

Being Attentive, it is searching for the state of mindfulness, this state is a moment that escapes the space-time and reconnects us to the infinite, the divine.

This state of full consciousness, escapes the mental mind, it has no memory (space) no conscious length. It isa moment of ecstasy, a beneficial time that connects us to the Source, which bathes us in light .

It can happen naturally in front of a landscape that speaks to us, that has a particular presence, in front of a work of art ... Or through a conscious practice.

It is not possible to live well in this excessive state : it is a particular time of connection to something greater than ourselves, tied to a moment of practice, it is also a state of grace.

To go towards this saving state, we have to search for one foremost quality: Attention .

Attention is having in mind what we are doing, what we are perceiving, without (or with minimal) comments from the egotic mind : it is to be anchored in the present moment , living life fully.

For this, it suffices to make conscious our action in the present, our perceptions of the instant... without commenting, of course!

I eat a fruit and all my attention is on the taste, the texture and the chewing, without judging, without commenting ... Can you do that?

Surely for a few seconds, but then we try to comment on what we are doing, comparing it to similar experiences, drifting on wakeful memories that are stimulated by the senses... Basically,  we disappear from our present moment to get bogged down in the filthy intricacies of our viscous mind.

It suffices, and this kind of sentence where "it suffices" are always treacherous, it suffices then to be there without leaving one's mind.

Do you understand the problem?

Do you see your internal comment when I say "Do you understand the problem?"

Do you see your internal comment when I say "Do you see your internal comment?"

Now you see what will be a problem.

Our mind does not like what is of the order of the natural free perception, because it is beyond the control of the egotic mind: he therefore has to appropriate the experience by attaching a superfluous comment to the moment.

To go towards the absolute, we must cut the ropes with the limits of our ego, we must bathe him in the Attention and the moment until it overflows with consciousness, enabling us to enjoy the infinite.

Repetition gives us access to Freedom !

It is therefore necessary to understand all this, to test these simple moments of awareness of the instant and to try to repeat the experience as often as possible : you're set in the most extreme trip you will undertake in your life, a gateway to the stars.

Attention is what is most lacking in a practitioner and among people in general, it requires  a laborious and not very rewarding work, but it is the key point of contact, towards a complete Way.

Fortunately, there are a number of practices, of lessons and secrets that will grow this attention, and deliver us from the chains of the ego .

For those who have had the chance to make their initiation into the secrets of the External Taoist Alchemy, you know what I mean ... if not, start Wai Dan Today !

Paying attention

For those who have a daily practice, 

it is useful to think about refining their time spent on the Way

In concentration, which is useful early on to avoid distractions, a "tunnel" type of focus is created, nothing else exists except the object of our concentration, even though it only lasts two or three seconds.

This "confinement" over our action automatically reduces our other perceptions: for example, a motion will be the focused center of all our perceptions, and of our compulsive thinking, during the time of our effort.

This works fairly well, but in general, the concentration can not hold for a long time ... and when it stops, everything disappears. The explosion of distractions can even make us forget the original object of our concentration.

Although it is important, concentration is a "tension", a way of doing by "strength." No way of doing by duress has sustainability, it is impossible to live in these conditions because it is not "natural."

When we learn a physical movement, without having gone through the acquisition of the "gong fu", we need to focus not to forget. We also need to repeat the gesture often enough to make it "enter" in us. For most people, a movement done with a certain amount of tension will be felt more easily: the tension gives a stronger feeling.

In general, an unknown movement will create a tension and ask us an effort that is not really related to the required physical demand: we push to successfully copy the gesture, in resistance against our problems of flexibility and of coordination. When the motion is acquired, we should normally use the right "amount" of strength for the required effort.

If we keep the same physical tension at each execution of the learned movement, we hurt ourselves, we tense ourselves. But it will never actually happen because the physical pain calls us to order and we fear it enough to avoid it and not to push ourselves too far.

For the mental, emotional and intellectual part of learning, we use a form of "tension" to acquire the gesture: it is concentration.

Moreover, it is easier to stay "focused" throughout our practices, throughout our lives, while injuring ourselves, as internal difficulty creates another form of pain than physical pain. It's a pain that we are able to keep and accumulate precisely because it is less physical and at the same time seemingly less serious.

Concentration, while useful for the entry into a practice, can become a source of tension and stiffness in the Shen (mind) and even be harmful for the health (at least it can prevent from reaping the benefits of a practice oriented towards health...).

A practice that requires too many details at the same time, that seeks the perfection of the gesture, can not bring relaxation. In the learning phase, it is very important to make progress slowly but constantly. If the research is that of perfection, that does not exist, we work in a vacuum: it never bring anything, except a certain morbid rigidity.

On the other hand, unable to focus, feel and reproduce a movement, the tendency is to seek  a mental satisfaction for compensation: we watch videos, we search for the "advanced levels" and the secrets of the hidden arts... forgetting at the same time the most important: distinguishing right from left.

This text is not an encouragement to say that you just have to relax (do nothing!) And that "it" will come by itself (well of course!) ... This is not the case. No confusion possible with the beginning of this text "For those who have a daily practice, it is useful to think about refining their time spent in the Way."

"Attention" is relaxed concentration

We find in "attention" the benefits of concentration, but in a more open way than in a "tunnel vision". It is obvious that in the beginning the problem lies in this opening which is likely distracting.

In a daily practice, the learned gesture requires a minimum effort. It requires concentration to "understand" and a certain amount of tension for the first executions. By contrast, it must quickly take less effort, and to enjoy our practice we have to stay in this economy.

We must do the same for our practice: it must be integrated into our daily lives, but must reside in the usual attentive than in the concentration. And we reduce the adding of tensions to gain relaxation.

It's easy to wallow in tension, because it allows to better feel. It is a form of laziness of the senses that develops easily. Strong feelings, strong emotions, buggy jumping, weight lifting ... all these ways to "feel alive" can prevent us from enjoying the simple perceptions of everyday life.

In our Taoist approach, relaxation in practice leads to a kind of mental silence and physical relaxation that allows us to really enjoy our life. The simplest perceptions amaze us, the constant attention is growing and we really live.

Training in concentration, in an overall stiffness, annihilates the benefits of our physical practice and condemns us to flatter our ego to receive an intellectual satisfaction: but we are here in a illusory and harmful practice.

Attentive to what we have learned and accepting the need for concentration necessary for our growth, we must move towards relaxation and the simple: body and mind can not remain under tension under penalty of increased suffering. We have to accept the structured letting go of the Way and practice.

If we can not resonate with the Practice, 

isn't there most likely a chance that the problem 

comes from our understanding of the Way

rather than from the Way itself?

The importance of Reality in the Immorality of the Mundane

The Practice is the search for self, in the world, in relation to others.

Wether it is religious, mystical, philosophical or atheist, the process of introspection, observation and interaction is based on a work on the self. 

In observing oneself in action, in our daily lives, it is possible to improve our behavior every day.

It is too rare to question the value and importance of this type of teaching and research. 

The Practice we are talking about here is a Way of Life, adapted to humans of yesterday as well as today, a Way that finds its place in the world by living as close as possible to the ideal we have of ourselves.

This conscious approach must be done daily, it is a work of every second.

Many people find it boring, oppressive, to have  to practice every day, they want more freedom and flexibility.

They want to do what they want, when they want, without pressure.These "free" practitioners are often those who complain of the way, those who criticize the effectiveness of the tradition, such as the ignoramuses with a piece of technology that surpasses them.

And there are those who work and are silent, those who do: they do not complain, they practice.

The Sacred you give to the Practice, the importance that you attach to it, is the source of what you will reap.

The more you treat this research with serious and discipline, the more you'll get back. Let's be honest: you'll get what you put into it.

In case you are engaged in a way that does not suit you, a tradition that is not what you want, be strong:

STOP EVERYTHING! 

 If you are not really honest with yourself and with your choice of practice what do you believe that this Way will offer you?

You  must also see that you should not look at the teacher as an example of the practice, he is the vector of it: the more he practices himself, the more you see the Way through him. 

The experience of the teacher only concern him, his experiences are his own and copying them will be of no use to you.Your search is on yourself, on the profound discovery of your reality and the observation of your life: what do think you'll learn by mimicking and pretending?

Be engaged in a personal and sincere research with other members of your group, move without worrying about others and without comparing to each other.

The discipline you put in the withholding of judgment; in personal commitment, and in managing the priorities of your life, will give you the result you'll get from your Way.

Obviously this is difficult, of course it is not easy, and fortunately it requires a genuine effort: what do you learn without effort? 

What is results of nothing...? Not much! 

In this time of change and upheaval, in this time of questioning and questioning of values, only introspection and healthy interaction with each other can bring lasting happiness.

You know what does not work, you can try lying to yourself, but you know.

Let's clarify our attitude, rectify our actions, agree to be responsible for them and let's walk on a Way that changes our lives.

Again, if we pretend, mimic or lie, practice will only bring frustration and wasted time. 

This search for understanding of self, others and the world is a natural tendency of our nature, a desire to go further for an invigorating conscience of living. 

Again, you'll get from your practice what you put in, you will change depending on your efforts, there's no magic for the couch potato, no transformation for the tourist.

Choose, but apply your choice: it is not advisable to complain if we are behind our deficiencies, behind our ills. 

There is something transcendent in the Practice, it can profoundly change who you are and how you live your life, but it must be given a place of choice. 

It's like a mover who is not allowed space to work or who is not allow access to all the rooms: he'll clean and clear only that which is available.

Involvement in a Way is a choice, but also an opportunity: serious Practices are rare.

If you are in a personal quest to know yourself and allow yourself to better interact with others and the world, are you aware of the importance of it?

In this new year, it is time to realize the importance that one wants to give his path, his life, not by ad hoc research of ephemeral pleasures, but the attempt to live better by building a better world.

However, it is possible to do nothing and be led by the worldly, to seek the bright, without going any further ... 

But then we must accept what life sends us.

Well … What do we do, then?

The path we try to follow demands to pass by precise stages if we want to be able to evolve, without being stopped in our run-up by blockings from diverse origins.

We have three big stages, which can be decomposed into five small ones:

•   It is necessary to regulate and to make the body work, this with the aim of strengthening     it, relaxing it and grounding it.

•   It is necessary to regulate and to calm the spirit so that its tendency to scatter is transformed into a tendency to concentrate.

•   It is necessary to identify and to regulate the energy, allowing it to circulate freely, to be unlimited.

Regulate the body demands to unify two groups of practices: the work on the body and the one on the breath:

Work on the body

Strengthening the body

The strengthening of the body is made by methods of chi kung (dao yin) or by the arts of fight. There are the same movements which will serve in any levels of practice.

Relaxing the body

The same exercises of strengthening allow, done differently, to relax the body. This relaxation is at first superficial, then it settles down in the everyday life.

Grounding the body

By the practice of the static postures, holding the tree, we are going to be able to verify its relaxation and its strength in an unequalled method of grounding.

Work on the breath

Identify the breath

Before going further into the breath work and because of our crazy city-dweller's life, it is necessary for us to look at our breath before being able to play with. Most of us live in half an apnea as soon as we go out in the street.

Conscious abdominal breath

By this abdominal, natural and original movement, we find little by little young the usage of our lungs. The exchange with the universe finds itself slowly and an incredible energy brushes us.

Conscious inverted abdominal breath

It is the breath of the action, the active movements and the exercises yang. It is a natural way to exchange and to generate more energy with the outside of the body.

Work on the spirit

In the work of regulation of the mind we shall include the listening, emotion and the 

intention:

Observing the functioning of the mind

To calm the mind it is necessary to go out of our capacity to produce thoughts in chain, for that it is necessary to observe it before being able to regulate it.

Regulation of the emotion by internal alchemy

It is the exercises which allow to take and to understand the emotions as a demonstration of the energy and to sublimate them.

Work on the intention

After regulating the spirit and being able to understand our emotional functioning, we feed our intention of this energy "recycled".

Work on the energy

The energy exercises bring a free circulation of the energy in the body, but also offer a possibility of a free exchange between the inside and the outside.

Opening of the small energetic circulation

The usage of the energy is exhausting if it does not circulate freely in the whole body. Thanks to the small circulation, our energy becomes fluid, but we are Limited to play only with our own energy.

Opening of the big energetic circulation

By this practice, we establish the communication between the outside energy and the energy of our complex body/spirit. It is an inexhaustible source of energy, usable or to store.

Return has a global and free energetic circulation

After having practicing the previous exercises, and by internal processes, we are going to allow this exchange without the intervention of the will, but naturally.

The spiritual practices

The continuation of the training concerns spiritual practices which all use what we studied before. But we shall see that somewhere else …

Three Doors to Scrutinize the Frame of Existence

In traditional Taoism, Luck is a complex issue, which may require a study.

We talk of a luck that is given to us, one that we need to understand and a last one to be cultivated.

The fact is that all this can be a deep work to understanding the world and it's existence.

Why "work" on our luck chance when in our glittering West says "you have it, or not"?

The Taoist vision of the human being between heaven and earth is clear, it asks us  to look at the Heaven, the Earth and Ourselves, the filling of the "Cosmic Sandwich".

We will see that even if the vision of luck may seem uneven or frozen, every aspect that we understand can be used to better live one's life: once again, we are responsible for our lives.

There is no need to hide or lie, shirk or sulk, pretend or cheat... Our life and its complexity remains the same, our work to be happy too.

The only way to be truly happy comes from within, from our gaze and our perceptions of the world, but it is possible to give a sense to it all, to use Luck in its three aspects.

The concept of Luck in Taoism is threefold:

•     The Luck of Heaven
•     The Luck of Man
•     The Luck of the Earth

The Luck of Heaven is what we have been given, a subtle mixture of a forgotten choices, of family mixtures and of an heavenly destiny.

This luck we can understand through being delivered one's Celestial Mandate and through understanding it.

Learning how to computing one's Celestial Mandate allows us to see the mechanisms of what was given to us, and the means to interact with this given.

From this work, it is possible to attain a better coordination with the Universe and a better timing for our actions... The calculation of beneficial dates, the Forecasts and other practical work.

This is the ultimate understanding of non-resistance, Wu Wei, the ability to work actively with the fluidity of one's existence in the world changes.

What is our responsibility through our family, everything you wear without having chosen it, is one aspect of our Luck of Heaven: indeed, we only deserve an incarnation by accepting to carry it's weight.

It is often difficult to accept what is forced on us, but it is the fairest and most perfect way for our lives. That does not mean it's a party every day ...

Exceeding our innate family burden is the base of a work on the Celestial Mandate: how can I pretend to understand the Way of Heaven if I can not even overcome its earthly manifestations?

The delivery of the Mandate of Heaven is an important moment, which can be done several times, and that requires much thought and a good deal of acceptance.

It is then possible to calculate or ask for Rectification of it, a series of very specific traditional councils, depending on the structure of one's personality, to go directly confront the disappointments of one's incarnation.

Rectifying this is a provisional draft of what the Judge of Feng Du will present us before the Mirror of Contemplation: a precise work to do now or later in the workshops planned for this purpose...

The forgotten choice does not really concern us here

The Luck of the Earth is the Feng Shui and the complex attributes of the "dragon veins".

In understanding the flow of energy, the harmony of forms and the relationship of certain individuals with certain places, we can learn to live in places that suit us and adjust those that annoy us.

The classic appearance and meticulous science of Xuan Kan Yu, the classical Feng Shui, will allow us to study the four aspects of traditional geomancy

•     The compass and its advice
•     Time and space according to one's mandate
•     Adaptation to natural forms
•     The flow of Qi according to the other three aspects.

This will explain why we always train in the same place, why we always fight in some places and why people should avoid living together.

Accepting our life imperfections, the Luck of the Earth, merges us in the "post natal" world changes, but tries to teach us about unification.

This work on the world around us is by far the most complex, but also the most systematic and the most structured: by just applying the rules, it is surprisingly feasible.

But what remains within our reach, is obviously the Luck of Man, it is our practice, our search of knowledge of ourselves.

This practice must be global and be perfectly aligned with the other two Lucks, Heavenly and Earthly.

The full vision of our presence in the world, of the facets of our incarnation, of the world around us, of the complexity of the changes of the world and the shadow of our immortality, all this is the subject of our study.

It is a breath of sustainability that leads us in this daunting task, a desire to overcome our worldly simplicity and to aspire to something else than what is bright and sweet.

This work is the encounter with what is Greater, with what makes the world works, with the origin of our willpower.

This traditional view is really suited to today's world,  it just asks to remain open and available to the teachings and to searching.

As my understanding of my various Lucks is assimilated, the more I know what I need to do, the more my corrections are active in this life, the more my days are fluid: I consciously go toward my own happiness and it is possible for me to irradiate that on my loved ones.

These Lucks are potentials, it is possible for me to unlock, exceed and enjoy

Again, responsible for my happiness and the happiness of my family, it is possible to shape one's world: brighter and more free.

    "Act as free men, not as men who make freedom as a pretext for evil"
    Epistle of St. Peter