The Master of Zongxuan's Treatise on the Profound Principles: Chapter 16 - Clarity of Spirit and Calmness of Will

 For the advanced practitioner, there are times when high spirits are projected far and wide, and one is joyfully immersed in the realm of self-sufficiency, feeling that one can connect with true immortals and ascend to the heavens. This is the state of the king of spirit. Although it is called the 'king of spirit,' one must still fear that the harmonious yang energy will be dissipated, allowing yin and evil energies to take advantage. One should enter a quiet room, calm the mind, suppress arising disturbances, and maintain silent, focused unity. In this way, the spirit will not scatter, and the yang spirit will remain whole. Be cautious not to indulge in feelings of joy and comfort, lest they invite yin and evil energies. As the ancients said, when joy passes, sorrow comes; when yang declines, yin prevails. If there are times of restlessness, competition, and vexation, this is because the various souls within the form are being refined by the qi of the yang spirit, and the accumulated stagnation of the yin corpse is about to dissipate, thus disturbing the truth in the Crimson Palace. One should enter a room to contemplate quietly, maintain unity and grasp firmly, stir up the turbid dregs, wait until the spirit is clear and the qi is calm, then reflect on oneself, repent of faults, and strive for self-renewal. In this way, one turns toward the path of emptiness and stillness. This is also one method of cleansing the heart.

 Reason: Practitioners of the Dao often experience excitement, feeling good about themselves, joyfully and contentedly, perceiving progress in their cultivation. This is a manifestation of vigorous spirit. However, even though the spirit is vigorous, one must be careful that the harmonious yang energy is not dissipated, allowing yin and evil energies to invade. In such situations, one should quickly enter a quiet room, calm one's mindset, and maintain silent, focused unity. Thus, the spirit will not scatter, and the yang spirit will remain whole. One must be cautious not to unrestrainedly release feelings of joy, which would lead to an invasion by yin and evil energies. The ancient saying that 'when joy passes, sorrow comes; when yang declines, yin prevails' illustrates this principle.

 If one feels occasionally irritable, depressed, and rebellious, this is because the various souls within the form are being refined by yang qi, and the stagnant qi of the yin corpse is about to dissipate, thus disturbing the Crimson Palace and causing mental agitation. At this time, one should sit quietly in a room, maintain unity and grasp firmly, disperse the yin energy, wait until the spirit is clear and the qi is refreshing, then reflect on oneself, repent of faults, and reflect on one's behavior. This allows one to turn toward the path of emptiness and stillness, which is called the art of cleansing the heart.

 Analysis: It is important to note that when feeling happy, one should know how to avoid becoming too excited, which would cause yang energy to scatter. When feeling nameless frustration, one should pay attention to dispelling it. Moreover, when encountering frustration, one must combine self-reflection and introspection to truly achieve the goal of cleansing the heart. These two operations are different and require attention.