Daoist Nei Gong by Damo Mitchell, is a wonderful glimpse into the practice and art of Nei Gong. The book takes you through both the philosophy, principle and practice of Nei Gong, giving you what you need to get started and how to get somewhere, what you look for on your journey, what to avoid, and what experiences you can expect. Written by someone who seems to have gone through the practice and the experiences himself, it gives a first hand account of this art.
When I first looked at this book, I wasn't terribly impressed. I got this and another book I've already reviewed at the same time. The other book was Opening the Dragon Gate, and after they arrived I thumbed through them, and upon a closer look, decided to save this one to read last. A good thing too, as I wasn't a fan of Opening the Dragon gate, and I needed another book after that one to wash the terrible taste out of my head.
This thankfully was much, much better. Short of maybe Taoist Sexual Meditation, this book is probably the best book to read for beginners. It's shorter, more condensed, less graphic, good flow and good information. If the graphic nature of the above book turns you off, this would be the best alternative. Much of the same information is presented in this book in a clean and concise way.
It starts by first introducing the reader to the philosophy and beliefs involved with Daoism, so the practices later will make more sense. The author does his best to break down the concepts into simple terms so you can relate them to your understanding. From there it begins to walk you through the exercises, both internal and external, with an explanation of what's going on, and why your doing these exercises. Certain exercises must be performed first and in an orderly manner as to best ensure a safe and smooth process in building a proper foundation for later work. Since each practice furthers your progress, and also lays the groundwork for the next one.
When it comes to the practices themselves, there are largely two types. Internal and External. Internal is mostly about cultivating the chi or energy needed for development. While external is about moving this energy around within and around the body. Although external is mostly to supplement the internal, for a beginner, it can be very important. And after you gained some significant progress, the external may be dropped altogether, and energy circulation can be done by the internal practice as well.
From the practices, it moves on to the results you'll cultivate, and the experiences you'll have from these practices. Ranging from changes in your physical structure, to your mental and energetic makeup. Through the practices outlined in the books, you will learn to relax in such a way that your bones, and particularly the spine, could realign itself. They become misaligned because of the habitual and residual tension we carry, often times unknowingly, which over time, slowly pull or twist bones and vertebrae out of place. These practices teach you to release this tension, and thereby allowing the body to relax and heal. You're body will feel very flexible and smooth, like it's light as air and well oiled.
Your mind will also go through a transformation as well. Probably the most valuable that I've found is my outlook on life and events therein change drastically. You could easily go from a pessimist to an optimist. Everything becomes more cheerful and joyous. The mind opens wide to possibilities, without losing it's footing. Horizons spread wide open. You become as interested in the journey, as you are about the destination. It's becomes difficult to get angry or upset. It's like you will just naturally see the brighter side of life. You also get rid of a lot of resistance within your own mind, which improves your intelligence, comprehension, reasoning and problem solving skills, memory, and just general efficiency.
Your energy body or system, will also transform. Although that's probably to be expected given the aim of the practices. Some of the first benefits you'll see are a sense of ever-growing excitement within. Slowly as it builds, it begins to turn into a gentle warmth that spreads throughout your whole body. It actually can help protect you from the cold. You begin to feel lighter and more free, almost like you fit into your own skin better. You feel more full on the inside, almost in a spiritual sense. You'll find that you won't run out of energy as quickly or easily. Strenuous activity becomes a lot easier to perform, as if you've become physically stronger without knowing it. You wont feel the need to eat as much, without losing any strength. Your immune system will strengthen, and you wont catch colds as easily. But maybe most importantly is, the more this energy builds, the more you'll actually feel this energy move within you, rather then just sensing it.
I could really go on and on about the benefits, but it would take up to much time and space. I will say though that this book was good. Lots of good information, good flow, good practices, not a lot of fluff, doesn't beat around the bush much. It was definitely worth the read, and it kept my attention the whole way. So in the end, I would have to recommend this book to anyone interested in meditation, energy work, self help or even just health in general.
Anyways, hope you enjoyed!
8/10
