Mind, body and spirit

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There is another way not openly taught in Western society traditionally created and nurtured in philosophical and spiritual traditions of the East, namely Chinese Taoism which emphasizes on three different aspects: jing (essence), chi (life force) and shen (spirit). By manipulating these factors we will enjoy health and psychic levels never experienced before. Trust me, 5,000 years of Taoist knowledge and practice can't be wrong.

In Taoism they are also called the "The Three Treasures" (or San Bao) and they need be considered if one has to succeed in Chi Kung (or Qigong using pinyin nomenclature). Buddhists do not pay too much attention to this topic since they indirectly work on them through the mind, which is also an effective way of training the body-mind-spirit concept.

Taoists on the other hand, pay the utmost attention to these components since they are directly related. In here a practitioner learns how to firm his "Jing" and how to convert it into "Chi" (Qi in pinyin). Then the final process would be directing "Chi" to the head and convert it into "Shen" (spirit). Converting is more a process of nourishing or "feeding" the spirit in order for it to grow strong; that is, refining the spirit to end human (emotional) nature.

If you take a look around the world where you live you will realize that this world is emotional, ridden with passion and attachments (delusional) which lastly deviate our true nature from the ultimate reality (Nirvana, Moksha, returning to the source, etc.), which is indeed a state where the mind is stripped leading the spirit to that final state.

This process is tedious and lengthy but according to a famous Taoist saying "The journey is the reward". If you think to much of the outcome or any goal for that matter you will give up no matter how hard you try. Just sit down, relax and enjoy the hard (but of course discipline and effort is required if we are to succeed).

If you keep these three elements strong and healthy, you will live a long and healthy life. If you neglect or abuse them, you will be sick frequently and will age fast.

Jing in Taoist practice is considered the "essence" that is the primal substance from which things are made. When this concept is used in reference to animals or humans, it translates as the very original and essential source of life. When you are born the "original jing" is the root of your life and it is what allows you to grown stronger and bigger. After your birth you start to absorb "jing" through the food and air, converting it into "chi" which supplies your body's requirements.

Taoists believe that the quality of the "jing" you receive depends on your parents' health and living habits before you were born, and therefore it will vary from person to person according to that. If you take a look around you, you can easily detect differences between humans due to the quality of the "jing" received before birth. However, Taoists also believe that you cannot alter the quality of the "jing" you received but Chi Kung training will allow you to improve its quality.

I will discuss in the next post the concept of "chi" (Qi). Read more on this article...

Weight loss

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There are tons of information online about this topic and most are misleading because they lead nowhere, only frustration and pain. The best way to lose weight is to train the mind, plain and simple. If you adopt a healthy lifestyle you will lose weight, I can guarantee you that. If you sit on your bum the whole day you won't lose an ounce of fat.

All those crash diets, pills, and guru-like programs are plain marketing. They just want to make money out of you. The information I provide in my page is 100% free and it will remain like that. The only thing that will ever change this ethos is if I either die or decide to put the page down (following anicca).

Anyway, start exercising and following a sensible diet eating as much fresh food as possible (and organic if you can afford it) and make it part of your lifestyle. Weight-loss is achievable if you are able to follow it consistently and the maintain your achievements over a long period of time.

Fasting is excellent way of losing weight but only when combined with a meditative practice, otherwise you will only crash and burn. I will discuss this method in a separate entry.

Activities that will help you to lose weight without undergoing too much stress are the following:

1. Swimming
2. Hiking
3. Walking for long distances
4. Cycling
5. Cross-country skiing is also great it you happen to live in a mountainous area.

I never advice running due to the excessive stress that it places on the spine and the lower body (knees and ankle joints and ligaments). Same goes with rowing due to lower back strain. Read more on this article...

Yin and Yang diet

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In order to achieve good health and well-being, one must follow the universal principle of Yin and Yang. Hot and spicy foods are typical yang qualities, whereas cool and soft foods represent yin. There are also neutral foods like white rice, in which yin and yang are balanced. In addition, yin and yang will combine if five specific ways resulting in what Taoism calls the 5 Elements: wood (the resulting energy is expansive); water (the resulting energy is sinking); fire (energy will raise); metal (energy is compact); and finally, earth or balancing energy. Different foods will show some of those qualities:


Wood...wheat, chicken, yogurt.
Fire...lamb, melon, ginger.
Earth...rye, beef, milk, green tea.
Metal...rice, tofu, mandarin orange.
Water...fish, lemon, olive.

Therefore our diet needs to bear in mind correct food combinations according to our blood type as well as the season and the day/night factor.

Mantak Chia (a follower of the southern school of Complete Reality Taoism) has elaborated a very good menu outlining most of the foods found today in a Western supermarket and their application using the Five Elements Theory:

5 Elements Menu

One must keep in mind that a yin & yang diet should be tailored to each individual's constitution. An excess of either yin or yang will result in the individual becoming overweight; whereas, a deficiency of either yin or yang leads to becoming underweight. People with an excess of yin tend to have shortness of breath, move slower, are heavy sleepers and retain fluids. Those with an excess of yang tend to sweat excessively, feel hot, are hyperactive, and tend to overeat and drink excessively. These people should eat more yin foods and less yang foods. Read more on this article...