Daoist Nei Gong: The Philosophical Art of Change [Paperback]

This book provides a comprehensive account of Nei Gong - a very little known subject in the West. Relying on his lifetime experience in the martial, medical and spiritual arts of Asia, Damo Mitchell breaks down the various stages of the Nei Gong process. The book benefits from the author's compelling grasp of Daoist literature, which stretches from quintessential texts such as Laozi's 'Dao De Jing' through the more recent writings of Daniel Reid.

Damo Mitchell's 'Daoist Nei Gong' offers a concise overview of the Daoist theory of creation and then goes on to look at the different aspects of the physical, energy and consciousness bodies and how they interact. The author demonstrates how, through simple Qi Gong exercises, it is possible to awaken your energy system, with particular emphasis on the lower Dan Tien - the energy centre that sits in the lower abdomen. Crucially in my opinion, the book provides practical information on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle (Yang Shen Fa), an essential aspect of Daoism that any internal artist should consider seriously.

The book also addresses more advanced practitioners of the internal arts as it investigates further stages of spiritual development, following the awakening of the energy system, such as the conversions of Jing to Qi and Qi to Shen and the complex topic of Internal Alchemy. Damo Mitchell is a rare writer in that he manages to combine both practical and academic skills, thus providing an invaluable blend of first and second-hand information on Nei Gong.

It is rare to find a book about this subject that has so much detailed information and theory about Nei Gong and Daoism. I think any person who studies the Internal Martial Arts, Meditation or Qi Gong will find the book useful. He talks in depth about information which very often just is mentioned.

What Damo Mitchel has achieved with this work is an excellent overview of the process of nei gong as used in Daoism as a part of the process of internal 'alchemical' change, ideal for readers at a entry level cultivation. Mitchel focus's on the process of nei gong from begin to end explaining each stage in spiritual progression. The effect of this is to help tire together the large mix of energy and meditative practices and put them into perspective in the larger scheme of cultivation (although this book excludes wujia (external arts), diet, ritualization etc).

The books starts with a fairly detailed and imo honest summary of Daoist philosophy with respect to neijia (internal arts) provided alongside some dubious translations of the Dao De Jing, then he talks through various practices included 'sung breathing' and provides a entry Qi gong set to help open your energy gates and correct body alinement. He then discusses the various 'teaks' that should be applied to Qi gong to move it from medical only to energetic and meditative. He finishes the book with a discussion of qi gong meditation and basic Neidan sitting meditation.

Throughout the book there are plenty of diagrams to help explain points, some are rather superfluous but they don't detract from the flow of the book. The Qi gong set is well illustrated with photo's and arrows and a good description of each exercise. He provides key markers throughout the book to gauge your progress and provides examples of what not to do as well as do.

However I do have some strong criticism's of this book, even though it is a 5 start buy it could be improved. First off is the total lack of a diagram of the meridians and acupuncture points yet Mitchel refers to them continually (by number and name) throughout the book but only describes them at there first mention. He provides a flow chart of the movement of acquired qi in the body in the appendix but no Diagram of the energy network.

Next the much boasted 'sung breathing' is described in no detail at all. The philosophical idea behind it is, the benefits and key markers are but the process itself is not. This is especially bad considering 'sung breathing' is the proposed mode to connect to your energetic body and consequently is vital to the rest of the progression. Just a few pages extra here would have improved the book massively, instead you get the token 'watch your breathing' and 'observe your bodily tension' instruction.

Unfortunately this sets the benchmark for much of the rest of the book (with the exception of the qi gong set)as often what should occur is explained without how to get it to occur. This becomes especially self evident in the final chapters which refer to the sitting mediation.I would have also like to have seen each of the Qi gong exercises broken down into simpler forms to assist learning, although only a couple are complex enough to warrant this.

However I would stress in saying this that you could (and indeed people have) write whole books on each stage in the process. What Mitchel has done with this book that is rather helpful and unique ( in the west at least) is provide the reader with a nei gong road map, a starting point to do further reading and an overall course syllabus.

I would recommend this book to anybody interested in Daoist cultivation and is new to the combined practices of qi gong and meditation, especially if it was to be combined with some of the excellent works by Bruce Fantzis, Denis lewis, Mantak Chia, Yang Jwing-Ming and Lan Kam Chuen. For those that have perhaps read or experienced more advanced practices this book will be less useful although I dare say there will still be the odd thing you will learn from it.