Nei-yeh: Verses & Chapters

Chinese Inner Cultivation Manual

This collection of articles on the Nei-yeh has become a book:

"Techniques of the Heart-Mind: Chinese wisdom for Modern Times

As filtered through the Nei-yeh and other Chinese Texts"

Four parts:

1) Historical context

2) Nei-yeh: Text & Commentary

3) Nei-yeh in relation to other Chinese Texts

4) Nei-yeh's enduring Influence

Click here to buy this book.

Introduction

Historical Context

Text: Ambiguities, Overview & Recontextualization

Part I: Text & Commentary

1. Sages have Life Force (Jing) in their Core (Zhöng)

2. Inner Power (Te) & Intention (Yi) to attract & stabilize Ch’i

3. Emotions & Desires disrupt Mind’s natural Vitality.

4. Tests of Tao: Daily use of Te & Surging Vitality

5. Tranquil Mind & Regular Ch'i Flow to attain the Tao

6. The Tao of cultivating Mind & Body leads to Success

7. Heaven, Earth & Humans: Ruling Principles & Features

8. Guiding Ch’i’ results in Vitality; Excess Knowledge harms Vitality

9. The Benefits of Holding Fast to the One

10. A Well-ordered Mind results in a Well-ordered Community

11. Aligning Body develops Inner Power (Te)

12. Shên, the source of understanding, repulsed by Mental Turbulence.

13. Stabilizing Jing results in Shên, which aligns Hsin (Mind)

Inherent Problems of Translating Chinese into English

14. Awareness (yi) to calm the mind (hsin) & tap into the Tao

15. Preserve Life Force (jing) for Natural Vitality

16. Cultivating Tranquility & Alignment renews Te (Power) & Vitality

17. Practicing Coiling/Uncoiling develops the Tao’s Power (Te)

18. Ch’i Flow of Unimpaired Mind influences Community naturally

19. Self-Cultivation results in Insight, not Thinking

20. Over-thinking & Overeating drives away Vitality

21. Human Life: Harmonizing Jing & Body => Vitality & Longevity

22. Vitality: Poetry & Music temper excessive Emotions

23. The Tao of Eating

24. Meditation results in Thoughts & Deeds from Heaven.

25. Reliable Vitality comes from Peace of Mind

26. Regarding Ch’i within Hsin, the Heart-Mind

Part II: Great Learning & the Nei-yeh

Great Learning: Historical Context & Content

Great Learning & Nei-yeh: Complementary Texts

Great Learning & Nei-yeh: Importance of Stopping in Perfection

Cengzi’s Commentaries on the Great Learning & the Nei-yeh

Part III: Innate Nature

Nei-yeh’s Enduring Influence

Innate Nature: a Human Universal?

Chinese Texts on Innate Nature

Huai-nan Tzu: 4 Principles of Action & Innate Nature

 

Chapters followed by Sections

Historical Context

Introduction

Nei-yeh, Lao Tzu & Chuang Tzu: the same Self-Cultivation Tradition

The Chia-hsia Academy

Nei-yeh: ‘Lost’ for Millennia, then ‘Found’

The Tao: Differing Perspectives

Text: Ambiguities, Overview & Recontextualization

Inherent Ambiguity of Ancient Chinese Texts

Nei-yeh Overview

An Attempt to Re-contextualize the Nei-yeh for the 21st century

1. Sages have Life Force (Jing) in their Core (Zhöng)

Zhöng (the middle or core): Ideogram

The Ideogram for Sage (sheng)

Jing: Ideogram & Definitions

Jing as Generative Life Force

2. Inner Power (Te) & Intention (Yi) to attract & stabilize Ch’i

Ideogram for Ch’i

‘Developing Te’

Welcomed by Awareness (Yi)

3. Emotions & Desires disrupt Mind’s natural Vitality.

'Acting Naturally’ vs. Guiding Natural Developmental States

Hsin: the Ideogram

Hsin, the heart-mind: Brain/Emotion Synergy

4. Tests of Tao: Daily use of Te & Surging Vitality

Tao: Ideogram

The Tao as Energy

Te: Ideogram

Tao: Both Ideal Practices & Mystical State

Te & Contemporary Science

5. Tranquil Mind & Regular Ch'i Flow to attain the Tao

Yi: the Mentation Complex

I Ching: Applying will to thoughts, like applying discipline in a Family

Journey to the West: Making the Will Tranquil

Yi: the Ideogram

6. The Tao of cultivating Mind & Body leads to Success

Interactive Feedback Loop between Tao & Self-Cultivation

7. Heaven, Earth & Humans: Ruling Principles & Features

Correspondence Logic

8. Guiding Ch’i’ results in Vitality; Excess Knowledge harms Vitality

Guiding Ch’i = Tao-yin

Shêng (Vitality): Ideogram

Spirit House Metaphor: Create a tranquil internal space to attract cosmic energies

9. The Benefits of Holding Fast to the One

Master Ni on 'the One'

10. A Well-ordered Mind results in a Well-ordered Community

Natural, i.e. effortless, for Conservation of Mental Energy

11. Aligning Body develops Inner Power (Te)

Te: Ancient History

12. Shên, the source of understanding, repulsed by Mental Turbulence.

Shên: Modern Definition & Ideogram

13. Stabilizing Jing results in Shên, which aligns Hsin (Mind)

Hsin: our behavior patterns, not a cosmic energy source

Inherent Problems of Translating Chinese into English

14. Awareness (yi) to calm the mind (hsin) & tap into the Tao

Yi (Intent) between Wuji and Taiji

Mind within Mind?

15. Preserve Life Force (jing) for Natural Vitality

Nurturing Jing, Ch’i & Shên: a Millennia-long Practice

Jing (Life Force) & Shêng (Vitality)

16. Cultivating Tranquility & Alignment renews Te (Power) & Vitality

17. Practicing Coiling/Uncoiling develops the Tao’s Power (Te)

18. Ch’i Flow of Unimpaired Mind influences Community naturally

Encouraging Yi: Pre-verbal Intentionality

19. Self-Cultivation results in Insight, not Thinking

20. Over-thinking & Overeating drives away Vitality

21. Human Life: Harmonizing Jing & Body => Vitality & Longevity

22. Vitality: Poetry & Music temper excessive Emotions

23. The Tao of Eating

24. Meditation results in Thoughts & Deeds from Heaven.

25. Reliable Vitality comes from Peace of Mind

26. Regarding Ch’i within Hsin, the Heart-Mind

Master Ni on Ch'i, Mind and Desire

Great Learning: Historical Context & Content

Great Learning: Historical Significance for Chinese Culture

Great Learning: Logical structure & Content

Great Learning & Nei-yeh: Complementary Texts

Target Audience & Overall Intent

Self-cultivation: Hsin (heart-mind) vs. Shen (body-mind)

Common Word-Concepts treated in Complementary Fashion

Nei-yeh + Great Learning = Chinese wisdom

Great Learning & Nei-yeh: Importance of Stopping in Perfection

Stopping in Tranquility attracts the Tao’s Vitality

Stopping Accumulating Knowledge & Endless Mental Loops for Vitality

Stopping Cravings & Obsessions

Stopping Destructive Behavioral Momentum

Stopping in the Perfection of the Moment to develop Presence

Cengzi’s Commentaries on the Great Learning & the Nei-yeh

Great Learning & Nei-yeh: Interaction between Will & Mind – Yi & Hsin

Cengzi: Sincere Will (Yi) = No Self-Deception

Emotional Consequences of Self-Deception

Master Ni on Sincerity & Hypocrisy

Cengzi: Mental Alignment basis of Self-Cultivation

Cengzi: Self-Cultivation basis of Harmonizing Family

Nei-yeh’s Enduring Influence