Mantak Chia
Encyclopedia
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Mantak Chia is a Taoist Master. He is best known for his teaching Taoist practices under the names of Healing Tao, Tao Yoga, Universal Healing Tao System and Qigong
Qigong
Qigong or chi kung is a practice of aligning breath, movement, and awareness for exercise, healing, and meditation...

. Throughout decades of teaching, he has run numerous workshops, written a series of books, and published a number of training videos. For this reason, some people call him an author, a teacher or a healer. He views himself primarily as a teacher, "who helps his students empower themselves through cultivation of their qi
Qi
In traditional Chinese culture, qì is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as life energy, lifeforce, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts...

 (Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

: 气,Wade-Giles
Wade-Giles
Wade–Giles , sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a romanization system for the Mandarin Chinese language. It developed from a system produced by Thomas Wade during the mid-19th century , and was given completed form with Herbert Giles' Chinese–English dictionary of 1892.Wade–Giles was the most...

: ch'i) energy." His students include Michael Winn
Michael Winn
.Michael Winn is an author and teacher most notable for his work with Mantak Chia. He is also known for his occult writings focused on Western mysticism and Kabbalah, especially for his attempts to harmonize Taoist and Kabbalistic practices....

 and Dennis Lewis
Dennis Lewis
Dennis Lewis is a non-fiction writer and teacher in the areas of breathing, qigong, meditation, and self-enquiry.In the book The Complete Idiot's Guide to Taoism Lewis is recommended as a source of instruction in Taoism for people who don't have much time for study and practice...

.

Biography

Mantak Chia was born to a Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....

 family in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

 in 1944. He began studying Buddhist method of "still the mind" at the age of six, and later he studied Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...

 boxing, T'ai chi ch'uan, Kung Fu and Taoist and Buddhist practices, including Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...

, from several masters. Of all his masters, the most influential one was Yi Eng (White Cloud), an eremitic member of the Dragon's Gate
Dragon Gate Taoism
The Dragon Gate sect of the Complete Reality School of Taoism incorporates elements of Buddhism and Confucianism into a comprehensive new form of Taoism....

 sect of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Taoism (Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

: 道家全真龙门派), who taught Mantak Chia a complete Taoist training system and authorized him to teach and heal.

Later, he studied Western anatomy and medical science for two years to better understand the physiological mechanisms behind healing energy.

He established his first Universal Healing Tao school in Thailand in 1974, after systematizing his knowledge of Taoism. He founded the Universal Healing Tao Center (originally named the Taoist Esoteric Yoga Center) in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 in 1979. The center attracted a broad variety of European and American students, and some of them greatly helped him in teaching Taoist practices to western students. He returned to Thailand in 1994 and began to build the Universal Tao Training Center—Tao Garden—in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...

. His primary teaching programs are held in the Tao Garden, but he tours to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

 annually to teach and promote the Healing Tao practices.

He has closely worked with his students with background in Western esoteric studies, such as Michael Winn, Eric Yudelove and Dennis Lewis, to successfully convey the Taoist theories and practices to Western audiences. His ex-wife Maneewan Chia has also co-authored some teaching books.

Spiritual Core

Chia's teaching system develops integrated physical, mental and spiritual (energy) bodies internal to human beings. The focus is on developing human life energy — qi
Qi
In traditional Chinese culture, qì is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as life energy, lifeforce, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts...

 — for self-healing and life enhancement. For a simple interpretation, Chia describes qi as human primordial life force, a part of the primordial force of the whole universe.

Lineage

Chia describes his lineage as "Inner-Alchemy-Just-Practice Taoist." It emphasizes any knowledge and any method that are effective to refine the states of inner experience and consciousness that are the birthright of all humans and that are accessible by all, without unnecessary rituals. After having inherited the complete Taoist internal spiritual cultivation system from his master, Yi Eng, Chia followed the master's instruction to teach it to others.

Formula 1: Primordial Force Activation

This formula has a variety of practices. Mantak Chia puts them roughly into three categories:
  • Basic Practices I.
    Name Book Video Short Description
    Inner Smile Cosmic Inner Smile Yes
    Six Healing Sounds Cosmic Healing Sounds Yes
    Microcosmic Orbit Yes Circulate chi in the governor and functional channels. Fundamental to more advanced practices.
    Chi Self-Massage Chi Self-Massage: The Taoist Way of Rejuvenation Yes

  • Basic Practices II. This set is also called "chi kung for healing" for their strong chi development.

Name Book Video Short Description
Deep Abdominal Breathing Deep Abdominal Breathing, Energizer and Empty Force Breath.
Laughing Chi Kung
Activating the Stem Cells Yes
Elixir Chi Kung Yes
Tan Tien Chi Kung
Iron Shirt Chi Kung I, II, and III Iron Shirt Chi Kung, Bone Marrow Nei Kung Yes Develop chi, align body structure, strengthen tendon and bone, and rejuvenate bone marrow.
Tai Chi Chi Kung I and II Yes
Tao Yin Yes

  • Medical Chi Kung. This set has its values in certain treatments.
    Name Book Video Short Description
    Chi Nei Tsang I and II Yes
    Cosmic Healing Chi Kung I and II Yes
    Karsai Nei Tsang Yes

Formula 2: Basic Sexual Alchemy Practices

Taoists believe that sexual organs and kidneys store Jing (Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

: 精), and Jing can be transformed into Chi and Shen (Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

: 神) by inner alchemical practices.
Name Book Video Short Description
Male Sexual Alchemy Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energy, The Multi-orgasmic Man Yes Control ejaculation (avoid semen loss) and transform the sexual energy up into chi and spiritual forces.
Female Sexual Alchemy Healing Love through the Tao: Cultivating Female Sexual Energy, The Multi-orgasmic Woman Yes Control menstruation (avoid blood loss) and transform the sexual energy up into chi and spiritual forces.
Dual-Cultivation The Multi-orgasmic Couple Yes Exchange Yin and Yang in whole body orgasms or valley orgasms.

Formula 3: Fusion of Five Elements and Eight Pakua (Chinese: 八卦) Forces

Name Book Video Short Description
Fusion I, II and III Fusion of the Five Elements, Cosmic Fusion, Fusion of Eight Psychic Channels Yes Refine organs' energy and open more chi channels.

Formula 4: Lesser Enlightenment of Kan and Li

Name Book Video Short Description
Inner Sexual Alchemy Lesser Kan and Li Fuse chi from the heart with sexual energy.

Formula 5: Greater Enlightenment of Kan and Li

Name Book Video Short Description
Sun, Moon and Planets Alchemy Greater Kan and Li

Formula 6: Greatest Enlightenment of Kan and Li

Name Book Video Short Description
Planets, Star and Soul Alchemy Greatest Kan and Li

Formula 7: Sealing Five Senses

Name Book Video Short Description
Star and Galaxy Alchemy Sealing of the Five Senses

Formula 8: Congress of Heaven and Earth

Name Book Video Short Description
Heaven and Earth Alchemy

Formula 9: Union of Human and Tao

Name Book Video Short Description

Basic Explanation of the Nine Formulas

The practices in the first two formulas are probably the most famous parts of Mantak Chia's teaching. However, they are not the core of the system. The purpose of the two formulas is to invoke one's awareness of chi, to strengthen it, and to open important chi channels in one's body, such as the governor and functional channels. These practices lay a solid foundation for further practices in later formulas, if one wishes to advance.

Sexual energy plays very important roles in chi cultivation. Taoism believes that sexual energy accounts for a large part of the energy that a human body generates or absorbs; a person cannot achieve spiritual fulfillment without conserving and leveraging the power of sexual energy. The first step of traditional inner alchemy (Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

: 内丹
Neidan
Neidan, or internal alchemy, spiritual alchemy is a concept in Taoist Chinese alchemy. It is a series of physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines intended to prolong the life of the body and create an immortal spiritual body that would survive after death.In Neidan the human body becomes a...

) is transmuting the material carrier of sexual energy (Jing) into Chi. The basic sexual practices in the second formula can lay a solid foundation for the transmutation. However, because sex is a "hot" topic in a society, teaching sexual practices might be controversial. Nevertheless, besides being indispensable for spiritual development, sexual practices are beneficial to both good relationship and health if they are done right.

The third formula, Fusion, really starts inner alchemy practices. Inner alchemy traditionally has three stages: transmuting Jing to Chi, transmuting Chi to Shen, returning Shen to void. Chi and Shen are inner life energies with Shen at a more refined level, and both originate from the same original universe force, which can only be reached by completely removing one's own consciousness. In Kan Li practices, one should have developed strong chi and strong mental power so that intercourses of polarities of life energies take place inside one's own body, analogous to intercourses of a female and a male which leads to a birth of a child. The intensive activities of internal life energy create an inner energy body which becomes the center of further practices, and eventually the inner body leads to immortality, reaching Tao. Cultivating the inner body and merging into immortality are the central training practices of inner alchemy, which require great dedication and determination. It is hard to describe the effects of Chi, Shen, and Tao without experiencing or being aware of them. These practices are beyond mundane description and imagination (existing sciences cannot explain), and a person has to be seriously trained in order to be aware of or experience these effects.

However, a practitioner does not have to worry about the inner alchemy practices, if his or her goal is not pursuing the Tao but seeking life enhancement techniques or overall health. One can simply keep practicing the first two or three formulas without any harm.

Relationship to Religions

Chia states that the system is not religious and that practitioners "can be Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim and still enjoy the benefits in the framework of [their] own belief system." In an interview, Chia stated that he teaches "how to control and harness the sexual energy".

Different Views

Miller thinks that Mantak Chia's teachings of qi and cosmology is similar to the Taoist instructor Hua-ching Ni, but Chia's books lack discussion of philosophy, ethics or everyday practical advice. The system Chia presents is a narrowly focused system of qigong
Qigong
Qigong or chi kung is a practice of aligning breath, movement, and awareness for exercise, healing, and meditation...

 rooted firmly in neidan
Neidan
Neidan, or internal alchemy, spiritual alchemy is a concept in Taoist Chinese alchemy. It is a series of physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines intended to prolong the life of the body and create an immortal spiritual body that would survive after death.In Neidan the human body becomes a...

.
Machacek and Wilcox think that Chia's study of Taoist sexuality has the trend in Taoist writings intended for a Western audience, a combination of theoretical knowledge and personal experience, which leads to a proliferation of subjective and modern "love manuals" and expositions on the Taoist way of love.

King's College
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...

 scholar Peter Bernard Clarke thinks that Chia's Healing Tao is one of the few Thai new religious movements to have achieved an international following.

Further reading

  • Chia, Mantak & Maneewan. Fusion of the Five Elements I: Basic and Advanced Meditations for Transforming Negative Emotions (Taoist Inner Alchemy Series). Healing Tao Books, 1991 (Reissue edition). ISBN 0935621180
  • Chia, Mantak. Cosmic Healing I: Cosmic Chi Kung. Universal Tao Publications, 2001. ISBN 9748767256.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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