Blog
The session begins with an introduction to Tim Burkett and the launch of a new seven-month talk series on The Secret of the Golden Flower.
Connections are drawn between Taoism and Zen, and between Tim’s background and the legacy of Stuart Alve Olson. The series is described as an exploration of “tu...
In conjunction with Tim Burkett’s current talks on The Secret of the Golden Flower, we are also making available on the blog a rare archival audio series by Stuart Alve Olson recorded in 2014. These recordings have long been part of our Internal Alchemy Membership library, and we wanted to make them...
In this second session on The Secret of the Golden Flower, Stuart Alve Olson explores the distinction between “original spirit” and “conscious spirit,” clarifying how the upper, middle, and lower dantians function within Taoist internal alchemy practice. Stuart discusses emotional regulation, the ro...
In this third session on The Secret of the Golden Flower, Stuart Alve Olson explores the practice of “returning the light” and clarifies important translation issues surrounding Chapter Three. Stuart explains the meditation posture involving the third-eye region, the alignment of the eyes and breath...
In this fourth session on The Secret of the Golden Flower, Stuart Alve Olson explores the practice of “returning the light” and “regulating the breath,” while clarifying several important translation issues in the Wilhelm edition. Stuart focuses on the two major obstacles to meditation—dullness and ...
In this seventh session on The Secret of the Golden Flower, Stuart Alve Olson explores one of the central themes of Taoist cultivation: learning how to practice within ordinary life rather than escaping from it. Stuart discusses the meaning of the “invisible light,” the relationship between occupati...
We hope our newsletter finds you well as we welcome the Water Dragon, the ruler for the month, which comes soaring in on April 17th. The Dragon marks pivot or transition points. They store energy, and the specific element combination can determine how that stored energy expresses. Dragon months tend...
The hexagram for the month is #43 Decision. This hexagram is intense. The image suggests that something must be declared decisively or cut away. It represents a buildup that has reached a breaking point, the need to take a clear stand, and either exposing or confronting what can no longer be hidden....
Xi Wangmu (also known as the Queen Mother of the West) is a profoundly important figure in Taoist philosophy and Taoism, and actually predates Lao Tzu and organized Taoism itself. Xi Wangmu is a remnant of an earlier matrilineal society in ancient China. Before the big three teachings (Taoism, Buddh...
The third day of the third lunar month is the Immortals’ Peach Celebration Day, known as the Pántáo HuĂ, or Feast of Peaches. Peaches are symbolic of immortality—i.e., the peach of immortality as presented in the legends of the Western Royal Mother (Xi Wang Mu), which became her most famous attribu...
In this monthly blog series, we offer Taoist perspectives on how to live in rhythm with the seasonal changes unfolding over the coming weeks.
The first thing to understand is that rather than treating Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter as single blocks of time, the Chinese system tracks the year in s...
