The Four Dragons by the same author Heavenly Streams Meridan Theory in Nei Gong Damo Mitchell Foreword by Rob Aspell ISBN 978 1 84819 116 7 eISBN 978 0 85701 092 6 Daoist Nei Gong The Philosophical Art of Change Damo Mitchell Foreword by Dr Cindy Engel ISBN 978 1 84819 065 8 eISBN 978 0 85701 033 9 of related interest Chinese Shamanic Cosmic Orbit Qigong Esoteric Talismans, Mantras, and Mudras in Healing and Inner Cultivation Master Zhongxian Wu ISBN 978 1 84819 056 6 eISBN 978 0 85701 059 9 Tranquil Sitting A Taoist Journal on Meditation and Chinese Medical Qigong Yin Shi Zi Forewords by Master Zhongxian Wu and Glenn H. Mullin Translated by Shi Fu Hwang and Cheney Crow ISBN 978 1 84819 112 9 eISBN 978 0 85701 090 2 Chinese Medical Qigong Editor in Chief: Tianjun Liu, O.M.D. Associate Editor in Chief: Xiao Mei Qiang ISBN 978 1 84819 023 8 (hardback) ISBN 978 1 84819 096 2 (paperback) eISBN 978 0 85701 017 9 The Four Dragons Clearing the Meridians and Awakening the Spine in Nei Gong DAMO MITCHELL FOREWORD BY DR OLE SAETHER LONDON AND PHILADELPHIA First published in 2014 by Singing Dragon an imprint of Jesscia Kingsley Publishers 73 Collier Street London N1 9BE, UK and 400 Market Street, Suite 400 Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA www.singingdragon.com Copyright © Damien Mitchell 2014 Foreword copyright © Ole Saether 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Applications for the copyright owner’s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher. Warning: The doing of an unauthorized act in relation to a copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Mitchell, Damo. The four dragons : clearing the meridians and awakening the spine in nei gong / Damo Mitchell ; foreword by Dr. Ole Saether. pages cm Includes index. ISBN 978-1-84819-226-3 (alk. paper) 1. Dao yin. 2. Qi gong. 3. Back exercises. I. Title. RA781.85.M58 2014 613.7’1489--dc23 2014004432 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978 1 84819 226 3 eISBN 978 0 85701 173 2 To my parents and friends, Paul and Chris Contents Foreword by Dr Ole Saether . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Acknowledgements 11 Disclaimer 13 Notes on the Text 15 Preface 17 1. An Introduction to Dao Yin and Health . . . . . . . . 21 2. The Jing Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 3. The Nature of Pathogens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 4. Dao Yin Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 5. Beginning Dao Yin: The Four Walks . . . . . . . . . . 131 6. Intermediate Practice: The Four Sequences . . . . . . . 151 7. Advanced Practice: Enter the Dragon . . . . . . . . . 199 8. Moving into Nei Dan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 About the Author 239 Glossary of Pinyin Terms 241 Appendix: Meridian Points Referred to in the Book 247 Index 249