Several Forms of Psychic Inheritance

Throughout history, every religion has had certain secret forms of inheritance. These forms often violate common sense in reality, yet they exist in reality. Ordinary people find it difficult to access them, perceiving them as mysterious and ethereal. However, when they are right before one's eyes, beyond being inconceivable, they are difficult to explain. In many schools, apart from the orthodox method of master-to-apprentice transmission, there is also the method of psychic inheritance. Suddenly, one understands everything and knows everything, such as suddenly being able to speak other languages. Or, as reported by television stations, an elderly person in Hunan suddenly became a master of Traditional Chinese Medicine overnight, wrote several books on medical skills, and suddenly learned how to draw talismans. Or, someone who previously did not understand medicine suddenly became an experienced old TCM doctor. Similarly, shamans of some ethnic groups, after dreaming of a very large tree in a dream, wake up and suddenly become shamans. Also, witch doctors among some ethnic minorities in Sichuan are often ordinary people who suddenly fall ill with a fever for several days or half a year. After recovering, they suddenly become very knowledgeable and familiar with the characteristics of various herbs. I have had contact with various forms of psychic inheritance. Based on the records in the Daoist Yin Fu scriptures, they can be summarized into the following main types. 1. Through Dreams This type is mostly achieved through dreams. For example, occasionally having a strange dream, or encountering someone teaching skills in a dream. Some people do not dream for several days. For instance, among ethnic minorities in Sichuan, witch doctors are often like this. They suddenly have a fever, fall into a coma, dream every day, and upon waking, their wisdom suddenly opens up, becoming either very knowledgeable or feeling as if helped by gods. 2. Revelation through Signs This type often occurs due to a契机 (turning point), suddenly feeling a mysterious connection. After this connection, one suddenly understands everything. This type is often accompanied by special knowledge. In the East, it is called "Heaven descends and shows it," while in the West, it is called divine revelation. It is mostly a special opportunity, a sudden enlightenment, suddenly understanding everything. In other words, it is awakening. 3. Through Divination This type generally appears easily in diviners. They occasionally enter a peculiar state where whatever they say is correct, down to the smallest detail. And in this state, without looking at the hexagrams, they can speak freely based on their heart's intent, yet remain accurate. Furthermore, in this state, they have a certain degree of control ability. The results of their predictions often affect the next steps of the querent. However, the strength of this control ability is unstable, and when a diviner can enter this state is also unstable. More skilled diviners have more opportunities to enter this state, while generally, few enter this state. 4. Possession and Cultivation This type is relatively common. Folk spirit mediums, male or female, who have skills basically belong to this type. They are also known as Chu Ma Xian (exiting horse immortals). A typical example is a woman in Northeast China with low education who claims to be helped by aliens. She treats people by giving a number, specializing in treating vasculitis. Feedback from those treated is good. This is actually a form of possession. This typical case is possessed by the Huang (yellow weasel) spirit. Generally, possession involves Hu (weasel), Huang (yellow weasel), She (snake), Mang (snake), Qing (wind), and Mang (grass/snake) spirits. Some with inheritance systems have developed specific halls (Tang Kou), which are more common in Northeast China. Others are more scattered, such as an old lady in Guizhou who occasionally picked up a Guanyin statue and suddenly became possessed, becoming very famous locally, often reading incense and asking about matters for people. The main characteristics of this type are low education and limited vision and realm. Therefore, handling small matters or personal affairs is okay, but relying on them for big matters is difficult. Some possessions are combined with religious cultivation, which are relatively higher in level. However, in any case, if one is a person of true faith, knowing about this phenomenon and treating it reasonably is sufficient. One must not be superstitious. 5. Hearing and Knowing This type is relatively rare, but not uncommon. Often, a person, because of a sentence, or seeing a scripture, or hearing someone say something, suddenly has the ability to infer ten from one. There are many typical examples in religions where a practitioner hears a fragment of a scripture and suddenly awakens. This is further subdivided into Scripture Transmission and Object Transmission. For example, obtaining a scripture, reading it, feeling a connection, and receiving inheritance. Or obtaining an object left behind previously, playing with it, suddenly receiving a connection, and instantly awakening. However, everyone's opportunities are different. This scripture may have this sudden awakening effect for this person, but not necessarily for another. The same applies to objects. For example, some secret practitioners in Tibet use bone ritual implements taken from the bodies of past high monks. They often have this special ability, but it also requires fate. Some people have the fate to possess it, but not necessarily the fate to receive its inheritance. 6. Through Cultivation Cultivation is a relatively universal method. Some people, during the process of cultivation, suddenly encounter some connections, then understand or realize some things, thus opening their wisdom, which can change fundamental aspects of a person. For example, an originally irritable person becomes gentle in temperament; an originally somewhat foolish person becomes smart and clever; or someone with a weak body gradually becomes strong. All these are too numerous to mention. There are many cultivation methods. Common ones include Daoist Internal Alchemy, which is steady and secure, not pursuing supernatural powers, but placing all cultivation power into self-transformation. Or Buddhist sutra recitation, continuously cultivating mental power, replacing ten thousand thoughts with one thought, returning to unity over time until emptiness, connecting with the Great Dao, bringing changes in spirit and body. These belong to methods that do not require high wisdom, as long as the mind is firm, one can cultivate. In other orthodox methods, there are different cultivation ways for people with different qualifications. For example, those good at music, who are very sensitive to感应 (connections), have the Yuyin (Jade Sound) school, starting with listening to the sounds of heaven, earth, and nature, eventually hearing through the three realms, finally breaking out of the three realms, where all things in the world, real or illusory, are replaced by one sound, finally passing the Nirvana gate, crossing over by the sound of the Great Dao. Theories are rigorous and good at logical reasoning can cultivate Push Bu Shu (calculating arts), pushing step by step, pushing through all worldly matters, finally pushing through the Great Dao of the world,证 (realizing) oneself and breaking out of emptiness. Those naturally sensitive can cultivate spiritual connection with nature, heaven, earth, and all things. After deepening, they can speak with animals, communicate with animals, finally connecting with plants, deities, and nature. Those who love self-cultivation can cultivate virtue externally and body internally, such as eating clouds and drinking qi, gradually becoming stronger and stronger, returning to the Dao. Additionally, there are unique and orthodox cultivation methods that are not novel, such as Shangqing School cultivation: "The Great Dao is not complicated; preserve the true; all hundred joints of the Niwan have spirits." Taking oneself as the universe, cultivating ten thousand spirits within the body, far superior to methods that only cultivate one spirit to merge with oneself. The preliminary classification is as above. There are many others too small to classify. Apart from cultivation gradually improving, or directly entering a very high state through psychic inheritance, other psychic inheritances have some negative effects. Generally, achievements obtained directly through psychic inheritance become very difficult to improve further. This difficulty is the bottleneck, hard to break through, requiring many opportunities and luck. So a very interesting phenomenon forms: People with good talent are generally one step ahead of ordinary cultivators. However, looking at the end, those who reach extremely high cultivation levels are almost never those who were once extremely talented. But looking at the whole picture, in most cases, people with good talent have an average achievement level far higher than the average level of ordinary cultivators. This is also a kind of balance.