Dedicated community members have the opportunity

to make formal commitments, receive the precepts,

and be initiated in the lineages that flow through Li XingHui.

The Dragon Gate Secret Lineage is unusual, if not unique, in the Daoist tradition for strictness with which it guards it’s heart transmission. In order to protect the strength and purity of the stream, the right to ordain is held only by the Abbot of the Dragon Gate Caves Ancestral Temple. The way I have come to manage this from so far away is to initiate my students into the hermit lineages I am empowered to transmit, and look for opportunities to take these initiates to the temple for ordination into this lineage. The energy of the lineage comes through me always, but even so this additional ceremonial seal on the developing adept has proven to be deeply meaningful and supportive. My teacher, Grandmaster Zhu, is in his 90’s now, but the last time I saw him he had more strength and vitality than I did, so I think he will be around to welcome my students for a long time to come.

When one is ready to establish a formal relationship to Daoism,

there are three main steps to take.

1- Study and Follow the precepts

2- Find a teacher and or temple

3- Establish a practice that includes both stillness meditation and study of the View.

1 –

The precepts are guidelines for bringing the body and mind into alignment with the natural patterns of what is.

The 10 Precepts

I will not kill, but rather cultivate compassion for life in all it forms.

I will not become intoxicated, but rather cultivate courage and restraint.

I will not lie, but rather cultivate honesty in my speech and thought.

I will not be lascivious, but rather cultivate discernment and non-attachment.

I will not steal, but rather cultivate wisdom and generosity.

I will maintain harmony with my ancestors and family, and never disregard my kin.

When I see someone do a good deed, I will support him with joy and delight.

When I see someone unfortunate, I will support him with dignity to recover good fortune.

When someone comes to do me harm, I will not harbor thoughts of revenge.

I will be diligent in my practice in service of the realization of all sentient beings.

2-

It is important to have a resonance with your teacher and to trust them. 

In the west it is usually possible to study and practice with them to confirm this. Most of my students have a depth of resonance with me that suggests a past life connection to me and others in the group, so I have come to think this more the rule than the exception.

Next, express your interest in committing to the Dao, the lineage, and the teacher.

If the teacher is following the traditional path

then there is an extended period of time in which one demonstrates ones commitment

through daily practice and engagement with the community and the subject matter.

During this time one simplifies one’s life as much as possible,

narrowing the focus to Dao, family, Dao Family, and perhaps broader community. 

One let’s the hair grow long, practicing non-intervention and emphasizing tradition over self-expression.

One establishes the Five Regulations:

- Regulate the Body

- Regulate the Mind

- Regulate the Breath

- Regulate the Sleep

- Regulate Consumption

To regulate, or ‘tame’, the body we use the physical practices.

In this way the posture is rectified, and strength, flexibility, and vitality are restored.

We also consider the consider the arc or of one’s life,

the shape and character of this spatiotemporal iteration of one’s being,

to be the ‘body’ of an individual life.

To regulate this body, we let go, give up and give over,

eliminating the push and pull of desires

and establish the natural alignment

with the unfolding transformations of the wondrous pattern of reality.

To regulate the mind we develop stability in concentration and clarity of insight through meditation.

This is supported by following the precepts to prevent accumulating new disturbances and entanglements.

To regulate the breath we breathe through the nose,

working toward a persistent quality of “slow, smooth, deep, and even”.

‘Breath’ here is the physical breath, not Qi, but the effect is also to harmonize the Qi in the body,

rectifying deficiencies and excesses, and moving toward balance and the Great Harmony of Center.

Regulating the sleep is to sleep at the same time each day, aiming for 7-8 hours while it is dark.

At more advanced stages this includes replacing sleep with meditation.

Regulating consumption is drink and eat well,

and primarily in the first half of the day, before 1pm.

One drinks water and tea, no alcohol.

Vegetables and nuts and fruits and fungi. No meat.  Low or no grains.

This is also limiting consumption through the eyes and ears to wholesome, nutritional content.

This phase traditionally lasts 3 years. 

3-

The basic underlying practice is a self-propelled transformative alchemy

that is initiated and maintained by the practice of stillness and the study of the View

as described in the QingJing Jing and the LaoZi (DaoDe Jing).

In order to practice stillness effectively

there are many proactive forms for purification and harmonization

of one’s current and karmic energetic state. 

In our community these practices currently include:

-Inner Dancing and Drumming

-TuGu NaXin

-Three Sources

-Five Dragons (seated)

-Five Dragons (standing)

-Fire Dragon

-Xinyi (a martial art)

-TaiJi

The expectation in our community is that one is practicing at least 90 minutes per day,

first thing in the morning and last thing before bed.

The first few years of my practice I practiced 6-8 hours a day

with sessions at dawn, noon, dusk, and sometimes midnight.

While I did not have a family to care for at that time,

I did have a somewhat normal and productive creative and work life.

It is possible for you too.

It is also important to establish an altar with the elements of:

-Diety (LaoZi or ZhenWu or BeiDi) - these can be had on ebay.

Also in the files of the telegram group there is an image of ZhenWu that may be printed and framed and used in this way.

-Incense bowl with salt and/or sand (aloeswood is the traditional incense.)

-Two (red if possible) candles