Pedram will be returning from Africa and Europe on Nov 6th and we have arranged to have him teach a seminar on “Energy Economics” on Nov 20-21 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Newport Beach, CA.

Please click on the following link for more details: Nov 20-21 Newport Beach Seminar

Topics include:

Qi Gong

Meditation

Mental and Emotional Purification Practices

Diet

Exercise

Stretching

Time / Energy Management

Developing Will Power

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Taoist Path Team

I have personally met with each guest (so far- we’re still filming…) and can only say that I am VERY proud of what this movie is and what message it carries.  Here is the list of guests in the movie:

Bruce Lipton, MD, PhD – Author- “The Biology of Belief”

Hyla Cass, MD – Author- “Natural Highs”

Eric Pearl, DC – Author – “The Reconnection”

Leonard Orr – Author – “Breaking the Death Habit”

Don Campbell – Author- “The Mozart Effect”

Roger Callahan, PhD – Author – “Tapping the Healer Within”

Skip Atwater – President – The Monroe Institute

Paul Rademacher – Author – “A Spiritual Hitchhiker’s Guide”

Shiva Rea – Master Yoga Teacher

Scott Stoney, MD – Esteemed Pain Management Doctor

Mari Windsor – Director – Windsor Pilates

Datis Khorazzian, DC – Author – “Why do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms?”

Justin Frandson – Director – Athleticism

Benjamin Rubin, MD – Esteemed Orthopedic Surgeon

Carl Totton, PhD – Director – The Taoist Institute of Los Angeles – Grandmaster in Kung Fu/Tai Chi

Master Yo Hoon – Zen Meditation Master

Joe Pizzorno, ND – Author – “Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine”

Marylin Tam – Author- “How to use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want”

Jason Deyo – Esteemed Holistic Nutritionist

Jon Rose – Pro Surfer – Director of Waves for Water Charity

You can google each of these people to see what they’ve done/written.  It has been an honor to work with them.

In the next few weeks, I’ll be posting some exclusive footage from the interviews and bringing you more details on the project.  The movie is set to release in Spring 2011.  Please subscribe to this blog to be kept in the loop on details.

Yours in health,

Pedram Shojai

It is somewhat reminiscent of the ideologies of the founding fathers of this country in my opinion.  We started off with some serious Enlightenment-era thinking and created a country based on inalienable human rights.  Two hundred years later, corruption and graft have tainted that image and many long for the ideals of an America which we all believe in.  In meditation, the early adopters really took off and ran with the teachings- getting tremendous benefits and finding peace and enlightenment in many ways.  Of course, many lost their way and got into drugs and delusion but the gold standard was there to grasp.

Now, looking back from the vantage point of 2010, it seems that we lost much of that momentum in the 1980′s and we have gotten more confused and materialistic in our nature.  We have lost what the essence of those teachings were about and have trivialized meditation to another “technique” in the battery of self help tools we have acquired over the years.

“Maybe I’ll meditate or how about a massage?  Oooh, Jane knows of this great hot spring place in the desert- we can get our nails done, relax, drink smoothies and just hang out!  That’ll be PERFECT!- I’ll call the girls and we’ll make a day of it…”

Does this dialogue sound familiar?  It happens every day.  Even people who have taken the discipline a bit more seriously have relegated the term to a simple (or rather complex) technique.  They either count their breath, see white light, chant some guy’s name, sit cross legged, stand on one leg, dress like a mummy, or some combination of the above.  Maybe their wear a turban or dress like a china man so they can fit in.

None of this is meditation.  True, there are numerous techniques out there that are quite helpful and can be a tremendous resource to people.  You can concentrate on your breath to eliminate pain perception, calm the mind, fight insomnia, lower blood pressure, and much much more.  My intention is not to take anything away from these techniques.  They are quite useful and I often teach them to patients who are in need.  As far as dressing up to play a “spiritual” character goes, well, that’s part of our animal mind- needing to belong and fit in with the pack.  An example would be Doug Smith, the Presbyterian accountant who is bored to death with his life and just divorced his wife and changes his name to “Jin Shu Shen”, the neo-spiritual pseudo-Buddhist guy who dresses like he’s from Bangkok but acts like he’s Chinese.  This is all animal brain stuff- needing to belong and needing to fit in, and needing to feel comfort with a group of like-minded people.  That’s all fine as well but let’s see it for what it is.  Tending to our primitive neuro-anatomy is an important way of transcending it and evolving our consciousness.  Ignoring it and pretending not to be human is a sure-fire way to fail and fall to the Ego.

So what then is meditation?

Meditation is the awareness of where we are at and what we are doing in the present moment.  There is nothing to DO- simply observe.  The really tough paradox for the Western mind when it comes to meditation is that there is nothing to do- period.  We don’t DO meditation.  We sit and we observe the nature of Reality as referenced from our own consciousness.  The more we get out of the way and the more we learn to not react to the sensations/thoughts that arise, the clearer we get and the more aware we become of our essential nature.  We learn by shutting up and observing.

How does one do that?  Simple!  Actually, it is simple in theory but painstakingly hard because of the bad habits we’ve developed.  What we do is nothing.  The ONLY action that is even marginally OK in this type of self analysis is posing a single question to oneself: “What am I doing right now?”.  Whatever it is- STOP IT and return back to observing the mind.  Keep asking that question and you’ll find how incredibly busy you are ALL OF THE TIME.  In fact, we are perpetually either grasping onto thoughts/feelings we want more of or running from thoughts/feelings that make us uncomfortable.  We spend all of our energy in this vicious mental cycle of aversions and cravings- leaking our Vitality daily.  No wonder we are so tired!

True meditation is self analysis and watching of the mind.  Everything else is technique.  Again, there is nothing wrong with that.  Techniques are great tools to sharpen the mind & senses but to actually WAKE UP, we need to delve into the depths of Who we are and that analysis can only come from you.  Delving deep within, all the answers await.

In this brief video clip, Skip talks me through the journey I am about to take at the Institute.  He sets me up with multiple wires that monitor my biometrics and I am placed in sensory-deprivation type chamber where the binaural beats take me away to far off lands in consciousness.  How was it?  Pretty amazing actually.  I had played with the technology a while back and liked it but this was something else.  It was an incredible experience of piercing through layers of consciousness and working through mental taboo lines.  He asked if I was ready to move into a different realm in this meditation-like process- why not?  He pulled me into a pattern where time and space stand still, and, lo and behold- he was right!

The words of my Zen master came to mind when I realized in that space that, when outside of time, all the power is the Universe is right here right now.  Really- I mean viscerally, cognitively, all of it.  In that space, it was like drinking from the fountain of Eternity.  Once we stop time, there is peace, energy, clarity, and potential right there at your fingertips.  I’ve been exploring this subject for quite some time and I’ve planning on writing my third book on this subject.  (My first book comes out later this year and I’m currently working on the second one already…).

Skip and Paul were both really evolved individuals and it was great to hang out with them.  I also met Dr. Hillary Webb who is the research director at the institute. She was involved in some very interesting work and I look forward to interacting with her and following her research.  All in all- excellent experience!  I highly recommend going there and checking it out for yourself.

http://www.monroeinstitute.org/

Check out this clip from the interview…

Just 10-20 minutes a day can lead to profound effects in a few short weeks.

Check out this article that just came out on the subject:

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/aging/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100261021

Start some form of practice today!  Of course, you can never go wrong with a solid meditation practice either!

A Fireside Chat with Pedram Shojai

Pedram Shojai speaks about Taoism (Daoism), meditation, enlightenment, Chinese medicine, and alchemy on this radio show.

Reprinted from Original Article in New Dawn Magazine

Qi Gong has become popular in the Western world over the past decade mostly because of the steady stream of positive health studies that have emerged.  Numerous studies and confirmed what several celebrity doctors have touted- Qi Gong works and it is excellent for your health.  So what is this practice and where did it come from?

The literal translation of Qi Gong is “Energy Work”.  It is the ancient practice of personal cultivation and transcendence that stems from the contemplative traditions of China.  The early Taoists (pronounced Daoists) developed their understanding of the energy flow of the human body by observing the internal dynamics of their own life force and studying the patterns of energy movement in nature.  This “Qi” or vital energy was found to circulate through specific pathways called Meridians which cover the human body.  The free flow of energy is our natural state.  Stagnation, blockages, excess, or deficiencies are a result of problems in the flow of this energy.  The impedance, or blockages in this flow lead to illness, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and simply, bad fortune.

In the West, like many other things, our notions of capitalism and consumerism have managed to cross-infect our understanding of Qi Gong.  Somehow it has become a game of acquiring MORE energy…more power, more reserves, more time to do more.  Indian Yoga has also been hit with this.  Somehow, Yoga has become a practice of Asanas.  The practice of Yoga is one of union.  There are deep contemplative aspects that include meditation, Mantra, Yantra, and the practice of Tantra.  All of these serve as aspects of a whole practice that is designed to help the practitioner attain Self-realization.  Now, the power yoga classes are full and few people meditate.  Students get their “yoga pill” which helps them relax or maybe sculpt their behinds and they go about their daily lives.  Obviously, this doesn’t apply to all but enough to cause concern.

In Qi Gong, we have prescriptions that tell us to it our practice for say heart disease or diabetes.  We are told to take our Qi Gong pill daily so that we can carry on with our lives…so that we carry on being who we think we are.  This reductionist dilution of ancient esoteric practices is a mark of the Kali Yuga.  When we have fallen into the depths of materialism and confusion, we grasp onto whatever we can in order to find our way out of the dark.  That’s ok.  It’s fantastic that these practices have re-surfaced and are making their way into the public eye.  Now, it is time to activate them.  It is now time to bring back the Alchemical origins of these practices and speak of the real transformation that these yogic practices are designed to spark.

The ancient science of Alchemy is symbolized by the transformation of lead into gold.  Many have taken this to be literal.  Although there are many traditions that do attempt it this way, it is considered the lower vehicle.  The higher and more wholesome practice of Alchemy is that of personal transformation.  It represents the conversion of the “lead” of our personal experience into the “gold” of spiritual attainment.  Alchemy is the refinement of our incomplete understanding of who we truly are and is, in essence, the spiritual science of waking up to our true selves.  Now, the esoteric lineage of Taoist Alchemists of my tradition have used Qi Gong as an effective vehicle for Alchemical transformation for thousands of years.  It is the union of the polarized forces of yin and yang and the consolidation of energy in the dantiens (or reservoirs of Qi) that allows for the refinement of the practitioner’s energy.  The goal of the initiate is to take the light of their attention and turn it inward  in order to become Self-realized.  Sure, along the way there is the gift of excellent health, clarity, and more stamina, but those are not ends.  They are simple acknowledgements of a state of being that is our birthright.

The more we wake up to ourselves, the sooner we return to the notion of Unity Consciousness which is the non-polarized state of being from which we have all come.  The essence of Qi Gong is not to run off to some far-away notion of “Heaven Above”, but, in a very real sense, imbue our material bodies with Heaven.  It is to fuse Spirit and Matter into a unified field which becomes what we call our Light Body.

The notion of the Light Body is certainly not unique to the Taoists.  The Egyptians, Tibetans, Inca, Maya, and Hindus (among many others) have well-articulated Light Body traditions.  Initiates used to dedicate their entire lives to these practices and there was a time when incredible masters roamed freely across the planet.  As the Earth slowly began to descend into its current cycle, these traditions slowly exited the public sphere and went underground.  According to the ancient Vedic scholars, this is a very natural process and we are exactly where we need to be right now.  That being said, a great deal of information has recently been released back into the public sphere.  People are free to study what they choose and look into whatever information is interesting to them.  This does create a problem, however.

The release of this information is a wonderful thing but it is not enough.  I routinely meet people who can spout off about esoteric philosophy and the books that they’ve read.  There are thousands of people who talk about  energy flow who are stagnant and unhealthy.  The problem is that it is not enough to know about these practices in theory.  We MUST do the work.

Any well articulated system of Qi Gong and yoga should have a solid trajectory and discipline.  The roots of this knowledge are founded on ancient traditions.  These traditions help the student develop from the “ground up” and help solidify and consolidate the body-mind of the practitioner.  Rooting one’s energy into the earth and allowing for the liberation of blockages is critical.  Mental abstractions and philosophical meanderings are wonderful at a cocktail party but the true student is always doing the work.  The true student has woken up to the cultural trance of superficiality and has jumped right into the essence of their esoteric practice.  This is where true transformation occurs.  This is where the magic of Alchemy happens.  When we surrender ourselves to a path of liberation, we commit ourselves to a life of cleaning and clearing of karma.  We are constantly engaged in the release and transformation of disharmonious energies as we become more and more aware of the living force all around us.  When we become actively aware of the energetic matrix all around us, we wake up to who we truly are in the grand scheme of things.

Does this mean that we are to become very serious and not enjoy life ever?  Absolutely not!  The human experience is precious and we need to savor every moment we have with our families, friends, pets, and our environment.  As the Kali Yuga comes to an end, it heralds the end of the need for monastic isolation and seclusion.  We are here to share our experiences together and to share this world together.  It is now a time to wake up to our own essential nature and to enhance ourselves through community.  We can help each-other wake up by opening up dialogue that enriches and challenges.  We all have so many painful memories and hurtful demons lodged inside of us that we are afraid of even looking inside.

Qi Gong is a tried and true vehicle that will help liberate stagnant energies and allow the student to find the personal power needed to unlock their own potential.  When we can face ourselves, we can love ourselves.  When we can love ourselves, we can love others.  This is the essence of community and it is the mark of Dawn of the next Golden Age.  Using a tried-and-true esoteric practice to unlock our personal energetic blockages becomes the baseline.  From there, we continue to examine our own internal universe.  It leads to a profound understanding of Reality.  As the old Hermetic Axiom goes, “As Above, So Below”.  Our ability to probe deeply within ourselves can unlock the greatest secrets of the Universe.  Think of it this way: if you were to look up into the night sky and extend your vision as far as you can, what would you see?  More stars.  It just keeps going!  Now, on the other end, we used to think of the atom as the smallest constituent piece of material reality.  Since then, we have identified protons, neutron, electrons, quarks, neutrinos, and so on.  It seems that the deeper we look, the more space we find.  It also keeps going.  So what is one to make of this?  If I look either out or in, all I find is more space…an infinite extension in either direction.  That suddenly puts us in a very interesting position.

As it turns out, you are the center of your entire universe.  It goes up and down to infinity in both directions.  Now, how does a finite mind understand this?  It can’t!  We must learn to find that aspect of us which is also infinite.  From this perspective, everything begins to make sense.  From the standpoint of infinity, we can join in the dance of Creation and understand Who we truly are.  It is from this perspective that we become liberated and free.  This is our essential state once we learn to stop reacting to the noise and once we balance the flow of our energy.  How do we do this?  Do the work!

Qi Gong exercises require physical exertion, breath coordination, mental focus, and determination on the part of the student.  We need to work to clear our karmic patterns and stagnant energy so that we can perceive the infinite.  Now this does not only apply to the designated times we have allocated to our physical practice.  The true Alchemist is always turning lead to gold.  The true Alchemist is always clearing the veil of stagnation in whatever they see around them.  The practice of Qi Gong then becomes the practice of constantly being aware of the energy around you and clearing and cleaning it.  The energy work becomes second nature.  You are soothing flow, condensing Qi , and gaining deeper perspective in everything that you do.  This then becomes the Great Work.  No-matter the profession, the Alchemist is always bringing more Light into the world and illuminating the environment around them.  As more people wake up to this principle, we can stop talking and start acting.  When enough people wake up to this, we will rapidly see the world begin to change.  As our community emerges, individual “stars” of coherent light will emerge around the planet and light up the grid.  Then, we can all rejoice in the Dawn of the Next Golden Age.

Let’s get to work!

Pedram Shojai is an acclaimed Qi Gong Master and Doctor of Oriental Medicine.  He is an ordained Taoist Priest from the Tao Tan Pai Lineage of Alchemy.  He has studied various Alchemical traditions around the world and is an avid student of Kung Fu and Tai Chi.  He lives in Southern California and has been teaching Qi Gong to students for years.  He has currently produced a comprehensive 3 DVD set through Sacred Mysteries Productions (www.sacredmysteries.com).  His book titled “Rise and Shine: Taoist Alchemy, Qi Gong, and the Spiritual Science of Waking Up” will be published later in 2010.  Please visit www.taoistpath.com for information on upcoming seminars and retreats.

A book by Pedram Shojai- set to be published by Process Media, Inc.

We are pleased to announce the signing of a book deal with Process Media- an excellent publisher which specializes in books on esoteric principles.  We should have a limited amount of copies available for Pedram’s students by the Fall of 2010 and the book will be available in major bookstores and Amazon.com by the Spring of 2011.

The book’s main focus is to explain the nature of energy flow in the human body and to illustrate how that flow becomes stagnant and blocked through lifestyle issues and mental suffering.  It helps create a balanced practice for the reader (who can come from any discipline) and gives many useful tools that will help dispel stagnant energy.  The goal is to liberate one’s energy flow and refine one’s awareness- expanding their consciousness.

The central theme of the book is that of Transmutation- turning the “lead” of our daily experience to the “gold” of spiritual and mental liberation.  This central tenet of Alchemy is the basis of this work.  In later chapters, Pedram segues into the nature of the Light Body and lays out a clear plan for any student to begin this powerful work.

Please subscribe to the newsletter (right hand column) on this page so that we can alert you when the book is available.  Pedram will reserve the early-release copies for his students and subscribers of this site.

We are excited about this development and look forward to sharing this book with you!

The Taoist Path School of Alchemy

http://www.davidandlilatresemer.blogspot.com/

Interesting points made. I still feel that the overall value of the film was good and that it serves as a wake up call for humanity. That being said, the use of such a medium for horror movies and the like remains to be evaluated. We must be very careful with our simulations of reality. I nice walk in the forest still trumps all of this CGI in my opinion.