On physical level Valley Spirit lies in the Life Gate on the spinal column

[Guest guest]

" The Tao is called the Great Mother

empty yet inexhaustible,

it gives birth to infinite worlds.

 

It is always present within you.

You can use it any way you want.

- Translated by Stephen Mitchell, Chapter 6

 

 

" The wu-chi diagram describes the process of transformation through

internal alchemy, or the return to the Tao. The [empty] circle at the

bottom is the Mysterious Gate [Mysterious Entrance] or the Valley

Spirit. Gate means " opening, " and Valley referes to " Emptiness "

or " Void. " On the physical level the Valley Spirit lies in the Life

Gate (ming-men) on the spinal column (an area on the spine between the

kidneys). The ming-men controls movement of generative energy in the

lower tan-t'ien (the area near the navel). On the spiritual level,

the Valley Spirit is consciousness emptied of sensations, emotions,

and thoughts. "

 

- Cultivating Stillness: A Taoist Manual for Transforming Body and

Mind, p. xvii Translated by Eva Wong, 1992.

 

 

 

" The Mysterious Gate has many names. In Confucianism, it is called

the altar of wisdom. It embodies limitless compassion. It is a

consciousness without thoughts and it reflects the way of heaven. It

is intuitive knowledge and reflects the way of earth. In Buddhism,

the Mysterious Gate is the spirit mountain, the empty consciousness

of original mind, or nirvana, the realm of the Amitabha Buddha.

In Taoism, it is the Golden Palace, the realm of t'ai-chi, the domain

of the Three Pure Realms, the root of existence of all things.

Althought it is given different names by the three religions, it is

nonetheless the same thing. In Confucianism, when this gate is

opened, the sage emerges. In Buddhism, when this gate is opened,

the Buddha emerges. In Taoism, when this gate is opened, the immortal

emerges. "

 

Cultivating Stillness: A Taoist Manual for Transforming Body and

Mind, p. 18 Translated by Eva Wong, 1992.

 

 

" Departing from the Mysterious, entering the Female.

It appears to have perished, yet appears to exist.

Unmovable, its origin is mysterious. "

 

- The Jade Emperor's Mind Seal Classic

 

 

" In the Recorded Sayings of Master Ta Ma it is said, " The Mysterious

[hsuan] represents heaven, ching [essence], and the nose. The Female

[p'in] represents earth, blood [qi], and the abdomen. Hsuan is the

father of ching [jing], and p'in is the mother of qi. So that which

departs from the father is ching, and that which enters the female is

qi. Within each person there is the Mysterious Female. Everyone can

create a spiritual embryo. The Valley Spirit refers to yang shen

[pure spirit]; with just one drop of yang shen uniting with the ching

and qi, the Spirit Embryo is born. "

 

- The Jade Emperor's Mind Seal Classic. The Taoist Guide to

Health, Longevity, and Immortality.

Translated with commentary by Stuart Alve Olson. Rochester, Vermont,

2003. Index, bibliography, 216 pages. ISBN: 0892811358. Reference, p.

139.