Taoist Shaman: Practices from the Wheel of Life

86 Pages·2011·1.51 MB·English

by  Mantak Chia

Acknowledgments
The Universal Tao Publications staff involved in the preparation and production
of Taoist Shaman extend our gratitude to the many generations of Taoist masters
who have passed on their special lineage, in the form of an unbroken oral
transmission, over thousands of years. We thank Taoist Master Yi Eng for his
openness in transmitting the formulas of Taoist Inner Alchemy. We also wish to
thank the thousands of unknown men and women of the Chinese healing arts
who developed many of the methods and ideas presented in this book.
We offer our eternal gratitude to our parents and teachers for their many gifts
to us. Remembering them brings joy and satisfaction to our continued efforts in
presenting the Universal Tao System. For their gifts, we offer our eternal
gratitude and love. As always, their contribution has been crucial in presenting
the concepts and techniques of the Universal Tao.
For their efforts to clarify the text and produce this handsome new edition of
the book, we thank the editorial and production staff at Inner Traditions/Destiny
Books. We also thank Nancy Yeilding for her line edit of the new edition.
We wish to thank the following people for their assistance in producing the
original edition of this book: Vinod Solluna for his editorial work, Hirunyathorn
Punsan for his graphic design work, Anamarta for photography, Juan Li for his
color illustrations, and Kris Deva North for the shamanic diagrams.
A special thanks goes to our Thai production team: Raruen Keawapadung,
computer graphics, and Saniem Chaisarn, production designer.
Kris Deva North wishes to thank his shamanic teachers, the Wakamba,
especially Mwala Ibuti and Nethenge Ngube, Wakan of the Banjalong,
Kumbahadur Gurung, Rowan Saille, Samara Hawthorn; Wa-Na-Ne-Che of the
Lakota; Howard Wills; Rene Navarro for the original reading list.
To Alexander West for Amazonian insights; Matt Lewis and adepts of the
London Universal Healing Tao Center for allowing themselves to be guinea pigs
in testing arcane techniques of Taoist ecstasy; the Grimstone Community 1999
to 2007 for their annual tolerance of the Din of Death.
To Guillaume Bouteloup for permission to excerpt his thesis “Uses of the I
Ching;” John Mark Eggerton for permission to use “Calling the Directions”; Dr.
Sandra Goodman of Positive Health magazine for permission to excerpt
“Calabash of Light”; Esther Jantzen for her notes on Howard Wills; Vinod
Solluna for his contribution on the Western Dragon Tradition; and Anamarta for
her love, support, patience, and inspiration.
Contents
Cover Image
Title Page
Acknowledgments
Putting Taoist Shamanic Techniques into Practice
Chapter 1 Taoist Shamanic Tradition—from Mystery to History
Today’s Shaman
Chapter 2 The Taoist Medicine Wheel
The Medicine Wheel in Daily Life
Chapter 3 The Five Elements
Elemental Correspondences
Beyond Elements
Chapter 4 The Eight Forces
Eight Trigrams Symbolize the Eight Forces
The Forces of Nature as the Eight Immortals
Meditating on the Eight Forces
Chapter 5 The Twelve Animals
Birth Years
Layers upon Layers
Chapter 6 The I Ching Hexagrams and Daily Life
Gaining Insight into Our Phases of Life
Problem-Solving with the I Ching
Chapter 7 Shamanic Practice
Role of the Shaman
Expanding the World
Rituals and Practices
Secret Knowledge
Initiation
Meditation upon Death
Chapter 8 Spirit Guides
Using the Medicine Wheel to Access Spirit Guides
Finding Guides in the Mundane Dimension
Mapping the Way to Spirit
Journeying to Meet New Spirit Guides
World of Spirit
Chapter 9 Comparison with Other Traditions
The Medicine Wheel Around the World
Calling the Directions
Chapter 10 Creating Power Fields
The Nature of Power Fields
Using Medicine Wheel and Spirit Guides to Create Power Fields
Respecting the Spirits of Place
Chapter 11 The Wheel of Healing
The Healing Circle
Shamanic Guided Meditations
Awakening Healing Light
Chapter 12 Turning the Wheel of Love
Preparation for the Wheel of Love
Resources
The Universal Tao Training Center
Zen Shiatsu and Healing Tao
Footnotes
Bibliography
The Universal Tao System
About the Authors
Mantak Chia
Kris Deva North
About Inner Traditions • Bear & Company
Books of Related Interest
Copyright & Permissions
Putting Taoist Shamanic Techniques into
Practice
The practices described in this book have been used successfully for thousands
of years by Taoists trained by personal instruction. Readers should not undertake
the practice without receiving personal transmission and training from a certified
instructor of the Universal Tao, since certain of these practices, if done
improperly, may cause injury or result in health problems. This book is intended
to supplement individual training by the Universal Tao and to serve as a
reference guide for these practices. Anyone who undertakes these practices on
the basis of this book alone does so entirely at his or her own risk.
The meditations, practices, and techniques described herein are not intended
to be used as an alternative or substitute for professional medical treatment and
care. Any reader suffering from illnesses based on psychological or emotional
disorders should consult an appropriate professional health care practitioner or
therapist. Such problems should be corrected before you start training.
This book does not attempt to give any medical diagnosis, treatment,
prescription, or remedial recommendation in relation to any human disease,
ailment, suffering, or physical condition whatsoever.
The Universal Tao cannot be responsible for the consequences of any
practice or misuse of the information in this book. If the reader undertakes any
exercise without strictly following the instructions, notes, and warnings, the
responsibility must lie solely with the reader.