How to Live Forever: No Fountain Required
This story might sound like science-fiction to most people, but many believe it can be obtained by nothing more than practice. No magical…
This story might sound like science-fiction to most people, but many believe it can be obtained by nothing more than practice. No magical fountain of youth water required.
Internal Alchemy
Have you ever practiced yoga or tai-chi? Have you ever meditated? If both of these questions are yes then you’ll be somewhat familiar with what the kind of practice. Instead of just being used for flexibility and mental health, Taoists believe that through movement and energy cultivation you can feed off of the Tao (universe) directly.
Since the universe is eternal and never ending, so too can you be eternal and never ending. As if you could plug yourself into the fabric of the universe- as long as the universe exists, you exist. This practice is commonly referred to in English as internal alchemy, although in Chinese its name is Neidan.
Taoists believe there are three treasures used to accomplish this feat. Jing (reproductive energy), Qi (life energy), and Shen (spiritual energy). By transmuting one into the other and vise versa, you will begin to feed off of the Tao.
How does it work?
When I was raised in America, I was taught your body is like a car. You fill up on energy while you sleep and then you use that energy throughout the day. When you run out, you get tired and need to sleep again to refuel. But, in reality, your body is an energy factory. You can’t make energy by sitting there and doing nothing.
Have you ever sat around all day and still felt tired? That’s because you didn’t move around- your factory was turned off. Turn your factory on (move around, exercise, work) and you’ll notice you have more energy for your daily activities. People who enjoy exercise know this feeling and describe it as “feeling alive.”
Can I Do This?
Absolutely, you can. Through movements of the body, cultivating your mind, and focusing your energy, you can live much longer than normal and, if you’re dedicated, many believe you can live forever.
To describe this in a little more detail, here is Nathan Brine and his explanation of internal alchemy.
Conclusion
I hope you’ve enjoyed this foundational introduction to internal alchemy. I’ll be writing more about this practice as we move forward, so make sure you follow me and The Taoist Online to find out more!
