ON MAY 10TH, CELEBRATE LU TUNG PIN'S BIRTHDAY--1,229 YEARS AGO--BY LEARNING HIS TAOIST ELIXIR METHOD ("TAO TAN PAI") 31 MEDITATIONS QIGONG taught by Master Terence Dunn, May 8 - 10
May 10 is the 1,229th anniversary of the birth of Taoist Immortal Lu Tung Pin--patron saint of Tao Tan Pai, aka, Golden Elixir School, which evolved as the "QuanZhen" (Complete Reality) sect of Taoism
3-Day Residential Qigong Workshop: May 8 - 10, Han Chinese Culture Estate, 33 Tao Road, Catskill, NY 12414
Dear Friends and Students,
From May 8 to 10th, I will be teaching a 3-day, 14-hour immersive residential workshop in Tao Tan Pai (“Taoist Elixir Method“) Basic 31 Meditations and for my advanced students, the TTP 5 Animal Kung Fu forms—Monkey, Crane, Snake, Dragon, and Tiger. This workshop is in celebration of the birthday of Taoist Immortal (saint) Lu Tung Pin, the de factor leader of the 8 Taoist Immortals of Chinese religion, folklore, and culture.
The Tao Tan Pai 31 Basic Meditations (henceforth, “TTP-31”) is an authentic and miraculously intact and complete ancient Taoist monastic system of Qigong--based on moving meditation and breath control that utilizes a yogic methodology completely different than that of Flying Phoenix Qigong, but that imparts a wide range of salient health benefits and heightened sustainable energy levels and advanced body mechanics that enables and empowers Tao Tan Pai Kung Fu, other forms of Kung fu, and the Tao Tan Pai healing arts. Taoist Elixir Method 31 Meditations is a sophisticated Chinese holistic health practice—an alchemic formulation of “gymnastic medicine”—that opens the heart, clears and focuses the mind and profoundly strengthens the body. Regular practice of the TTP-31 series imparts a wide range of verifiable health benefits: improved circulation, respiratory power, metabolism, posture, bone strength, immunity, flexibility, agility, coordination, central and peripheral vision, sound-regular sleep, higher sustained energy levels, and increased resilience to stress and trauma.
The six levels of Tao Tan Pai Nei Kung—of which the TTP-31 Meditations is the first — serves as the secret yogic engine that empowers the Tao Tan Pai Kung Fu and the TTP healing arts (herbology, acupressure, and energy healing) to supernormal levels of effectiveness. In the world of Chinese martial arts, Taoist Elixir Method Kung Fu practitioners are known for their forte of bringing martial energy instantly to the hands—because the TTP Qigong is so highly Shen-driven. In Chinese medicine, Tao Tan Pai is recognized for its energy healing—both “hands-on” and at a distance.
The TTP-31 regimen that you will learn at this workshop consists of 15 standing moving meditations and 16 seated meditations (all of which involve upper-body movements except for three). Each exercise coordinates and focuses the functions of eyes, mind, movement, and breath in Lu Tung Pin’s unique alchemic formula that cultivates a superabundance of vital energy (Chi) and the mental ability to precisely control it—that activates and empowers the Tao Tan Pai Kung Fu and healing arts. Because TTP-31 Basic Meditations empowers Tao Tan Pai Kung Fu, it is the perfect complement and support for peak performance in any sports or athletic activity in addition to martial arts.
You will also learn in this workshop the Tao Tan Pai Short Form Power Yoga, consisting of five of the 31 meditations—a classical distillation created by the ancients to attain expansive rejuvenation in less than one hour of practice.
• In addition to the TTP-31 Meditations Series and the TTP Short Form Power Yoga at this workshop, I will be teaching for the first time ever The 11 Shen Exercises. This 2nd Level practice (built on the foundation of the TTP-31) specifically develops the Shen energy. “Shen,” within the context of Tao Tan Pai Nei Kung, means “the pure speculative aspect of action”—in the words of the ven. John Davidson.
• This video shows 8 key excerpts from the TTP-31 Meditations series that will give you an idea of the natural body mechanics that come with Tao Tan Pai Qigong and Kung fu. Plus, at the end you will see the Tao Tan Pai Cane Form, which I teach as a foundational practice in all my Qigong workshops over the years and in my acupuncture college courses.
Note: Most of the students seen in this video composed of scenes from my workshops are first-time beginners. As you can also tell from the nature of the exercises shown, the TTP-31 training in this workshop appropriate for absolute beginners without any experience in Asian yogic, meditative, or healing arts.
The complete six-level Tao Tan Pai Nei Kung system of which the TTP-31 Meditations is the first level, develops in the practitioner a structural sensitivity to all-encompassing Nature and the Cosmos. That is, TTP-31 practice restores and strengthens the organism and then refines the nervous system and all its sensory apparati to pristine non-verbal clarity.
Nurturing energy, forget words and guard it
Conquer your mind; do non-doing
In activity and stillness
Know the Source Progenitor
There is no thing
Whom else do you seek?
– Lu Tung-Pin, Taoist (796 - 1016), founder of Tao Tan Pai
The Taoist Elixir Method (“Tao Tan Pai”) tradition is a vast and sophisticated Taoist monastic school of hygienics, martial art and spiritual art that was created in the Tang Dynasty and is correctly attributed to Lu Tung Pin (Lü Dengbin, 796 CE – 1016 CE), the de facto leader of the 8 Taoist Immortals (saints) of Chinese religion and culture. This rare Taoist tradition was preserved for 23 generations—at the Ancient Temple of the Yellow Dragon ( 黃龍古殿 Huanglong Guguan ) near Mt. Luohu in China’s Guangdong province before Taoist priest Share Lew brought the art to America in 1948. I learned Tao Tan Pai Kung Fu and Nei Kung from Grandmaster Lew and his senior student, the ven. Master John Davidson, at the Taoist Sanctuary of Los Angeles from 1975 to 1983 (when I received black-sash certification), and then received occasional refinements from GM Lew in San Diego from 1984 to 1992. Along with Masters Hugh Morison, Todd Takeuchi, and Bill Helm of the Taoist Sanctuary of San Diego, I am one of the few certified and ordained 24th generation instructors of Tao Tan Pai martial, yogic, and healing arts. (See my other Qigong specialties in my online resume: http://www.taichimania.com/tdbio.html )
Through its yogic methodology and arcane formulas of perfecting the coordination of the focus of eyes, mind, movement and breath, the TTP-31 Basic Meditations, the Tao Tan Pai 5 Animals Kung Fu Forms (Tiger, Dragon, Snake, Crane, and Monkey) and Weapons forms (pole, sword, spear, bench, hoe, daggers, and others) systematically develop fine and extraordinary control over the subtle energy flows of the body (Ch’i), first enabling one to balance one’s own internal energy system for robust health and longevity, and then, after supervised training in the Tao Tan Pai healing arts and mastery of the 5 more advanced levels of the Tao Tan Pai Nei Kung, to preserve all life as a Taoist yogin and warrior. Upon mastering the final Qigong set of Tao Tan Pai called “The Five Dragons”, one comes to know the “Source Progenitor” that Lu Tung-Pin speaks of in his poetry and the actual meaning of his open secrets in Taoist alchemy:
”The cycle of the five elements follows the principles of reversal silently, the dragon and tiger copulate, and the yellow sprouts are born—this is the work of the Small Waterwheel.”
But just the first-level practice of the TTP-31 Basic Meditations can lead to the revelatory experiences of these yogic benefits described by Lu Tung Pin:
”When above and below work together, Yin and Yang are united, and the sound of thunder will be heard in the midst of stillness.”
“The Golden sparks fly from behind the navel to the head, the great medicine in the Yellow Chamber will be completed. Thrusting through the three gates, the medicine will enter the Internal Court. That which emerges at the back is harvested in front. Flowing upward, it repairs; flowing downwards, it refines. These are the signs that the Great Waterwheel is turning.”
> To more fully experience the transformative power of the TTP-31 Qigong system and to understand how the oral teachings of Lu Tung Pin advance its practice, I strongly recommend that workshop attendees read—or bring with you—this essential text of Chinese Yoga: Lu Tung Pin’s ”Secret of the Golden Flower”, translated by Richard Wilhelm with introduction by Carl Jung. And for supplementary information, read “The Tao of Health, Longevity, and Immortality – The teachings of Immortals Chang and Lu,” translated by Eva Wong (Shambala Press, 2000) <
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
The 3-day immersive workshop, May 8 to 10, consists of 7 two-hour sessions with 2 sessions on Thursday, 3 on Friday, and 2 on Saturday at these times (EST)—so that everyone can make it back home on time to celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday:
Thursday: 3pm - 5pm; 7:30pm - 9:30pm EST
Friday: 10am - noon; 2:30pm - 4:30pm; 7:30pm - 9:30pm EST
Saturday: 10am - noon; 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
TUITION
$450 early registration for 7 sessions—or $65 per each 2-hour session. •> Please make $150 deposit on or before April 25 <•
$525 day of workshop—or $75 for each of the seven 2-hour sessions
ZOOM PARTICIPATION
$60 per 2-hour session or $385 for all 7 sessions (Zoom log-on links will be emailed to registrants the day before the workshop begins)
• Please send payment via Paypal (to zenbearinc@gmail.com or scan the QR code above) or send payment via Zelle (to terencepdunn@gmail.com).
LODGING at the Tao Retreat
There are 4 types of indoor accommodations, plus camping outdoors:
One room with a private bath – $350/night
Two rooms sharing a common bathroom – $250/night
Floor bed on loft or on floor of main house – $80/night
Trailer with kitchen, breakfast nook, bunk beds (for 2-3 adults or children) – $250/night
(each of the above 4 room rates includes meals)
Camping fee: $25/night (does not include meals)
Please book your rooms directly with Han Chinese Culture Association:
Paypal: jl@hancca.org; http://www.paypal.me/taocca Zelle: jl@hancca.org Venmo: HanCCA Zelle, Venmo also: 9738969320
Please register early. The Tao Retreat’s “Main Tea House” has a limited number of spaces and rooms: two single bedrooms with queen size beds; two rooms with two twin side beds; seven twin dorm (floor) beds. Total accommodations: 13 - 15 people
Plus the 4 modern trailers that each sleeps 3 -4 persons.
• Lodging is also available at numerous motels and lodges in the town of Catskill, which is only an 8 minute drive away.
MEALS
2 excellent meals each day (authentic Xichuan cuisine for lunch and dinner) plus one smoothie or light soup before sleep. • Meals are included with room or floor bed rentals • Meal plan for non-residents: $50 per day.
BTW, the meals provided by the chef at Tao Retreat are authentic, super-fresh Sichuan cuisine—real Chinese “comfort food”—in which all the vegetables and mushrooms are home-grown. Most attendees agree that the food alone is worth going to Tao Retreat…because you can’t this quality of food even at good Chinese restaurants unless you know the chef. YUMMERS!
TO MAKE ROOM AND/OR MEAL PLAN RESERVATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT Yurong 豫容 Julia Li 李 at: jl@hancca.org or info@hancca.org Tel: (917) 828-0731
[For those not partial to Chinese food, there are many restaurants nearby in Catskill, ranging from nice Italian and seafood restaurants to fast food.]
If you have questions about the workshop or any special arrangements, please contact Sifu Terry at zenbearinc@gmail.com
[ workshop scenes at Tao Retreat, Catskill and Eastover Estate, Lenox. ]
See you at the workshop!
mitakuye oyasin,
(Lakota greeting and prayer that means “All are related,” “To all my relations,” and “Help and health to all my brothers and sisters.”)
Sifu Terry Dunn
P.S. **NOTE: As I posted many times over the 15 years of the Flying Phoenix Chi Kung forum on www.daobums.com, the TTP-31 Basic Meditations System—along with the entire Taoist Elixir Method Kung Fu/Nei Kung system—serves as a superb foundational catalyst that enhances and prolongs the tangible, visible and verifiable healing and restorative benefits of Flying Phoenix Qigong practice. Both are complete and transcendently powerful Taoist monastic Qigong systems. But I’ve had the great good karmic fortune to have inherited both arts—and then to have discovered that TTP-31 series further activates and accelerates the Flying Phoenix Qi cultivation because Tao Tan Pai is so (Yang) Shen-driven while FP Qigong is almost totally Yin in its Shen cultivation. I made this discovery in 2013 when I began teaching the Flying Phoenix Qigong and Tao Tan Pai 31 in separate NCCAOM-accredited courses at Emperors College in Santa Monica, which was soon confirmed by the experience of my students—and also by the yogin and medical clairvoyant Eric Isen of the Oneness Meditation Tradition of Sri Bhagavan.
From 2013 until 2022, I taught the Tao Tan Pai 31 Meditations as the NCCAOM-accredited OM351 Medical Qigong I course at Emperors College in Santa Monica, CA, a required course for students to obtain their acupuncture degrees. Emperors College is now the Number One-rated Chinese medical college in America—by vote of 66 peer colleges. I am still officially a senior member of its faculty.
Peace Out.
