Daoist Esoteric Discourse: The Spirit Emerging from the Body
The essential formula of this method is “tune, subdue, release, and play” (diao, fu, fang, nong). One begins by tuning the spirit (tiao shen); next, through great concentration, subdues the qi (fu qi); then one releases the spirit to go out and come in (fang shen), allowing its yang to grow strong; finally one gathers the spirit back, bringing it to full ripeness—this is the body beyond the body (shen wai you shen).
Volume 245 of the Daofa Huiyuan (Compendium of Daoist Methods) records:
Once the spirit has been stabilized through visualization of the Red Heaven (chi tian cun shen), one may—in walking, standing, sitting, or lying—simply settle in stillness in a darkened room, the eyes opened a mere slit, gazing toward the nose, until gradually a light appears, rising to the Dongfang (Cavern Chamber) point between the brows—the place through which the spirit enters and exits, also known as the Magpie Bridge (que qiao). Enter there and ascend to the Mud Pellet Palace (ni wan gong) at the crown; settle in profound concentration; gather at the gate of stillness. Enter the Mysterious Pass (xuan guan) and stop. After a short while, practice again, simply proceeding according to the former method. This is what is called tuning.
When eighty-one days of tuning the spirit are complete, and one sees the spirit-light shining brilliantly, one then settles in profound concentration until the entire body—the whole Mud Pellet—is filled with light. This is what is called subduing: mindful of this, present to this.
By the second nine, eighteen days—or the full hundred and eighty-two days—the spirit-light resembles the light of sun and moon, faintly taking form, or felt as an infant, moving or leaping, emerging from the crown. One must only remain in profound concentration; the spirit-light envelops one like yellow cloud, and suddenly the spirit blooms forth. Suddenly it is outside the body, and one sees one's own form as though dead. Sensing the spirit outside the body, one quickly visualizes a great cavern of red light, which naturally pours back into the body. After a short while it is done; then again one sends it out as before, outside the body; again one draws it in; again one lets it out briefly; again one draws it in. Thus, without counting the number of repetitions, one simply continues releasing in this way until it is familiar. This is what is called releasing.
By the ninth nine, eighty-one days, one makes it thoroughly habitual. Then choose a jiazi day at the midnight zi hour, recite the Spell for Sending Forth the Spirit (chu shen zhou)—an auspicious day also serves. The spell runs: “I command the spirits of zi and wu, the spirits of the three hundred and sixty bone-joints, the thousand and two hundred form-and-shadow spirits, the twelve thousand essence-and-light spirits. I have one numinous true nature that follows me in going out and entering; it may not violate my dwelling.” Having recited it once, simply send the spirit forth by the former method. As though cavern-light shone everywhere, it naturally appears before one. Quickly draw it back and return it to the body; or let it travel one or two steps, five or ten steps, a hundred steps—but go, then quickly gather it in, from near to far, until it is familiar. This is what is called playing. Through these four words, practiced over a long time until skillful and familiar, one becomes habitually able to go out and come in.
Then each morning put it into practice: test it by sending forth the original destiny (yuan ming) to wander, observing various matters, and seeing that nothing is amiss. This is what is called the body beyond the body. Only then may one summon the Heavenly Youths, Jade Maidens, and military officers to escort one everywhere. One may ascend to Heaven; they support and protect. With closed eyes one travels upward until one hears the sound of tidal waves—that is, one's body has entered the world of the Gang Wind. One senses the radiance of stars and constellations netted all around, and sees sun and moon on either side; both sun and moon travel within the Red Path (chi dao). One's own spirit must not trespass upon the Red Path, but must climb only along the curved way of the Yellow Path (huang dao) straight ahead. In a moment one reaches mid-heaven; only by oral transmission may one arrive at the holy grace of the Celestial Mandate. Then one rises, bows in thanks, and returns to the star realm. As before, with closed eyes one descends; dimly one beholds the dwelling of one's own body, leaps back in, and at once awakens—one must not be startled in alarm.
If startled into sudden awareness, fire flares up; settle it in the Mud Pellet (ni wan), and gather it carefully down into the Mysterious Pass (xuan guan) and stop.