It strikes me that the veneration of bodhisattva is similar to how Catholics feel about Saints. We have a Greek term to help distinguish between veneration and worship. Dulia, or veneration, is reserved for Saints. Hyperdulia is focused on the Virgin Mary, basically veneration x 1000. Finally, Latria, the Greek word for adoration, is shown to God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. It seems to be a difficult concept for protestants to understand, but there's a very distinct difference.
HI. Here in Brazil there is a religion called Umbanda. Mediums of this religion also receive spirits from children, known as "Erês". Even the images of the medium with a pacifier and a bottle are very common in Umbanda's "Terreiros" around here. I loved learning more about Chinese occultism!
When you think you’re a little whacky for getting into occultism, only to find out your ancestors were conducting astrally projected spiritual warfare against each other. Amazing. Thank you so much for going over all these topics
My father always bowed to certain people also, he would never shake hands with anyone so I learned that as a child so I never shake hands either. Yes I tune into the animal, plant kingdom when I do my gardening to find out through the devas what to plant in each raised bed in my garden and what stone to put in each bed, fertilizer etc. I definitely believe in the dream world and going to different realms to talk to ancestors, I do this almost on a regular basis at night. My dreams are so vivid I keep a journal of them since I've done since the 1970's I say the vinegar is sweet. I drink it with water sometimes because I love the flavor. My husband has a relationship with the wind, the wind plays with him, there will be no wind but if he says he's going to go burn the trash the wind will pick up. When he's outside and it's too windy he will talk to the wind and ask the wind to let up and it will. I've seen him work with the wind and it's amazing. The natures spirits as I said I work with on a daily basis but especially during gardening season, but I also work with animal spirits talking to them, asking them to not eat up my garden and lets share instead. It's been working for many years for me. I'm looking forward to the next video.. Thank you for sharing. by the way i ordered your 2nd edition of Spirit Keepers last night. so excited.
That's so beautiful, and in that little inquiry, I had chosen vinegar as sweet, too! :-D I bet your garden is beautiful and the flora living there are happy.
@@BenebellWen I know I will love the Spirit Keeper's tarot, I've been already studying the PDF that I downloaded so when the deck comes I will be already familiar with it. Yes my garden is happy, I take photos every year and post on my Facebook page and I will be posting in Simon's The Hermit's Cave Facebook group. So if you are in Simon's group you will see the garden in progress.
I could listen to you for hours, days or more you make learning this subject so easy and simple. I just watched all of this series in one go, I could not put my phone down. I can’t wait to read your book and start practicing.
A rare and profound teaching from an unexpected source. Salute. Such clarity between esoteric Buddhism and Taoism has cleared up questions I've had for many years.
I can’t explain how I could understand every single word you said. I love your work, you have put into words a lot of the things that I always find myself pondering all the time. Keep doing what you do, this is your gift to the world.
Yes, it's here, another installment. Is it too nerdy to take notes of these videos? Because that's what I'm doing! I feel so much of what you're saying really hits home for me, perhaps it's the way that so many paths seem synched. .
It is amazing, isn't it, how many paths seem to synch up or connect into a grander collective pattern once we start learning about other cultures and traditions? No matter how different the trimmings of occult practices around the world look from the outside, once you get to the heart of these practices, the similarity is rather astounding.
i am so happy to come across your channel! i have deep interest in Islam & Hinduism but i love Daoist medicine cause a family member is an active tcm practisioner. i think it is the closets way to unite body and mind with ancient knowlegde. my ''wake up'' moment was in an accpunture session. After that i was somehow more aware of my self destructieve behavior(s) in life. The combination of Yoga, Daoist medicine & Quanric texts really made every aspect of my life worth living!
these similar practices happen all over the world because it is simply a phenomenon of the spiritual field, which religion names, that's all. I read your book, it's great, now I'm the only one in Brazil who practices it.
As someone who identifies as a witch and who studied East Asian Art History, Culture and Languages in university I find this to be a really well explained introduction that I sureley needed. No course in my institution ever explained the occult and we only stayed on the philosophical plains. As someone who also plans to study about inner cultivation and shamanism this will act as my main guide. Thank you so much for sharing and I will also look into your book too!✨
Benebell, thank you. I've been doing research for a fiction piece with roots in Chinese esotericism, and your channel has been a perfect balance between accessibility and informativity (which I suppose is very Taoist in its own way!). Thank you so much for producing this content! 🙏
WOW! What a video!!! OK, Benebell - I'm subscribing to your channel! When it comes to Taoism and Chinese magic, divination and metaphysics, it seems like there are a lot of scheisters and charlatans hanging out on the internet - but you are knowledgable, personable and articulate in communicating your knowledge. Bravo! I grew up in the Far East, and now that I have watched your video, I can begin to place some of the occult stuff that I saw when I was growing up. The fire dancers I saw in the park by the Tamshui River in Taipei, Taiwan? Oh yeah, they were the folk shamans, the servants of the diviners that you told us about. But still, even growing up in Taiwan and Japan, and absorbing a lot of the spirit by osmosis, it seems, I realize that Chinese occultism is a very vast and strange world, and that I have only begun to skim the surface. I remember that I was walking the streets of San Gabriel, California last year, I stumbled upon what seemed to be a Chinese magician / exorcist's shop, where there were statues of hundreds of different deities or Bodhisattvas lining the walls, all vigilant. The magician proprietor was very gracious in that he didn't shoo me away, but let me hang out silently in his store for a while, in total awe of everything. By the way - could you recommend a good introductory book that covers the fascinating field of Chinese occultism? And a final question: Are you related to King Wen of I Ching fame? And what is your personal spiritual orientation in relation to all you have presented in this video?
33:48 As you said about teachers not wanting to teach to outsiders or non-Chinese etc… I’ve experienced it, and know many stories, from Chinese martial arts. At times the teacher is not even Chinese but he’s simply not going to tell you. They’ll openly say they will but are just egging you on. I once had a shaolin monk (Chinese all the way) wouldn’t even tell me what the color of the belt he just gave me meant. Later he’s telling a beautiful woman what all the colors mean. Another dynamic is that the master doesn’t know (maybe then he’s not truly a master??) but he’s just parroting what his master said. He’s never reached that height, or mislabeled it with a lower state, eventually leading to a broken lineage. Or, as in the Vipassana tradition of U Ba Khin taught by SN Goenka, it is actually documented Goenka yelling at a senior meditator (AT) because he was attempting to go all the way to reach enlightenment. Goenka yelled ‘we are not here to reach enlightenment, we are here to serve.’
Great video, can't wait to check out the rest of your videos! I'd like to mention, in Chaos Magick theory by folks like Carroll or Hine, excitation is one of the main tools for magickal work. Therefore, self-harm correlates with the goal of ecstatic frenzy for the purpose of invocation. Your example of shamanic invocation makes perfect sense in many Western theories of transcendental union!
Thank you for your fantastic and very interesting videos. I am a european leaving in Asia and while having health issues that doctors couldn' t help, I asked the help of a Taoist sifu who resolved totally my problem. I have been very interested by Taoism since that and I try to learn more. Your videos are full of resources.
I've been training in Neijia Martial Arts, Qigong, and meditation for like 25 years now and I have to say these videos, and I'm inferring your books (I will find out shortly), are a great link from what I've been able to learn and understand through practice and things that haven't been translated or passed down etc. Thank you
I love this series, and this video is an excellent addition! Chinese Witch Wars? Yes! You're doing a great service by explaining these concepts. I keep finding things that resonate with my own work, and new ideas to expand on what I do. Thank you so much for the time and effort you sacrifice to provide these gifts!
Been searching all over TH-cam for videos on onmyodo and this is the closest I could find. Since much of Japanese occultism was influenced by Chinese occultism, this should be a good place to start.
I had my first astral projection experience in 2004 and got into Qigong around 2006, but never really bothered to go much further with Chinese esotericism -- their analogies and symbolism are so foreign to western ways of thinking that it's incredibly hard to grasp and work with, and my Christian upbringing made me EXTREMELY hesitant to go beyond anything "new age" and into things with the word "occult" attached directly to them... But years of mind-bending synchronicities eventually unravelled a lot of knots in my personal beliefs, and I got deeply into studying the Qabalah and the western concept of pathworking... And now that I've got a good grasp on that, it's fascinating to go back to Chinese philosophies and see how all of these different syncretic / esoteric practices have so much in common, and the parallels between them make a lot of otherwise strange terms and concepts much easier to understand.
Benebell when you comment on the "Mandate of Heaven" and the Chinese Imperial Bureaucracy, it makes perfect sense. And this is true with the Chinese nobles who were ennobled by the Chinese Emperors (Son of Heaven) to be also privy and educated into the Ceremonial magicks of the Chinese Buddhist Taoist Mystery Schools as the Chinese Emperors were believed to be in the threshold between spirit and the mortal mundane. Therefore, the Chinese Nobles (Dukes, Marquis, Counts, Earls, Viscounts, and Barons) are thoroughly trained into tapping the secrets of Heaven and Earth and were authorized by their ennoblement and grandeur thereof. I concur.
Haha I know right? But I *am* glad for the incredible esoteric practices that arise from the common classes, evening out that so-called playing field. ;-)
Major text wall warning. I've been a Buddhist for about 6 years now so I could easily understand when you explained the working of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the first part. It's, as you mentioned, a little complicated to explain their working, why they are venerated, and how Mantra, Nianfo, and Sutra recitation can bestow blessings to people who are not familiar with these concepts. I would also add that the recitation of these scriptures and mantras work better the more purified your mind is, the more compassionate your aims are, and the more good karma you have (or white karma as I've noticed some monks friends of mine call it). That's why it's believed that a lay who upholds correctly the 5 precepts (No killing, no stealing, no wrongful speech, no sexual misconduct, no ingesting of intoxicants) can channel these powers more effectively; a monk or nun who upholds all his precepts more, and a tantra practitioner who upholds all of his precepts even more so. I'd like to share a story a monk told me about this relationship between discipline and the power of mantras/Sutra recitation/Nianfo. There was a house haunted by Hungry Spirits (¨E gui¨ in chinese). The owners had to move out and called for exorcists renowned for their knowledge of the occult arts to do something but their efforts were of no avail; they resigned to the situation. One day, a Buddhist monk who was on a pilgrimage was passing through their village. This monk didn't knew anything about tantra, occultism, nor any special mantra; he was only known due to his rigorous adherence to the precepts and his spotless discipline. The house owners, being desperate, halfheartedly asked the monk to recite a Sutra in the house (Sutras are usually seen by most people as less effective than mantras in these situations.) and he agreed. He didn't made any complicated ritual, as the other exorcists had done, he just sat there and respectfully recited the Sutra while asking the spirits to depart peacefully; as per Buddhist custom, he dedicated to them the merit of the recitation so they could find a home where they wouldn't bother anyone. Surprisingly for everyone, the spirits left that day and never came back. A little cool fact about the precepts. For each precept you keep, there's 5 Dharma protecting deities accompanying you. Keep the precepts and they'll help you a lot, break them and they'll scold you (They won't harm you, just cause some minor misfortunes until you recapacitate. They want you to become a better person after all.). My friend, who has been a monk for 21 years, told me that his master gave a sermon on this on one occasion but that he couldn't remember the name of the Sutra where this is mentioned.
Thank you for this lovely course! I bought your book, the tao of craft. I was raised in a Thai buddhist and Irish-American Catholic household but have always been drawn to the occult. Also, interesting what you said in the end about animism. Even Krishna held a similar wisdom as a child.
"We don't bow in submission or in idolatry. We bow to show respect, to show that we hold who we're bowing to in high esteem" as a Descendant of Flame and Yellow Emperors, I didn't know this either!
Hi Benebell, I just finished your Taoist series, and I think it's one of the most amazing works on the internet for this topic. You should definitely expand on the fundamentals of these principles -- especially since Chinese New Year is coming up! I'm going to share your channel with my friends.
Benebell, at 21:57 you posit that there is something similar about all of these practices. Yes, you are correct. There are glaring similarities between all of them. I say this as one who has studied Korean shamanism, African Vodou and Indian Native practices(Kali worship). I encourage you to use your platform to interview practitioners from other traditions, in order to tease out the similarities between their practices and that of Chinese occultic practices.
As someone that has had many ghost/spirit encounters, along with having a soul entity attach to me for 10 years, then having it removed with the help of hypnotherapy (to discover what the issue was initially). I can ensure you that exorcisms are very real and a big problem. A lot are plasma parasites that are attracted to empaths. I truly hope you get to encounter some of these entities, beings and lost souls for your own personal growth in your practice.
I've been a bit "checked out" in terms of my video consumption for the last 7-8 months, but I had seen previously when you posted this series and had it on my to do list. However, today this particular video popped up in my recommended list and so I settled in to watch. (I can never refuse a good "thought tour.") I have to say, something that you said in this video helped me to resolve a specific issue that I had personally with a conflict in my intellectual understanding of my own personal spiritual practice, and for that I am extremely thankful. Now I'm going to be good and go back to watch the rest of the videos in order. :) Thank you, Benebell. Your generous gifting of your knowledge is very much appreciated.
I'm writing a story in an Asian-inspired world, so I need more information on exorcism and how one is to combat demons and hostile spirits. Rituals, chants, mantras, materials needed, how different elements are supposed to react with spirits, spells, ect.
This is a perfect video, and triggers my spirit. So much, of course, resonates with me because of the shamanic energy in the tradition and the culture. I'm definitely trying to learn more about Daoist methods to amplify my odd shamanic connection with Hoodoo and Onmyodo, and of course it all blends perfectly. Thank you for providing a strong basis for my practice.
Thank you - this video is much appreciated. I lived in China for a year and wanted to learn Chinese esotericism. Unfortunately I was unable to find a way to learn Chinese Buddhism or Taoism. I’m interested in Philosophy of Mind and Metaphysics. I recommend looking up “open individualism” for more. I thought this was an excellent video.
I think we are connected without words. The way we embody ourselves, perform physical actions, our stances, postures and gaits, the actions we choose to perform, all have an extraordinary bandwidth and power, and fit within a framework of the communal sublime. The architecture around you affects the social game you play. Next to a cathedral, people might be primed with fear of the Lord and this might affect how they play the pavement-usage game. In the town centre, there is a particular style of dasein (Heidegger concept) by why other persons are stood in front of; there is a know-how to relating to persons, shops, benches, parts of pavement, beauty in building, ugliness in advertisement, etc. In the library, depending on the architecture, one might relate to others as atomized individuals to be respected through the norm of quiet, or members of a sublime communal structure busily buzzing about our business in a puritan luminous yearning towards Heaven, in a kind of collective apotheosis. Essentially, it boils down to Dasein: the mode of being (which can be expressed in different styles of being) that humans/communities take that relates to other things as equipment, with readiness-to-hand or un-readiness-to-hand, or as substances, which we stand upon and just are, with their properties.
Fascinating video, the confusious master student part reminded me of the master in the kill bill movie, that actually made it make sense why he was so hard on her
Thank you so much for all the work and heart you have put into this series. It is really helping understand what lies behind years of practicing Tai Chi has been teaching my body and heart-mind. Looking forward to watching all of them and the arrival of your "I Ching, the Oracle" arriving tomorrow.
...just discovered your channel...very nice, and informative. I didn't see this topic specifically addressed on your playlists, so I'd like to suggest maybe you could do a vid. on occult (esoteric) practices within Chinese martial arts.
Aah thank you so much for this series. As a chinese immigrant living abroad, I feel very disconnected from my own culture and really struggle to learn more about chinese spiritual work.
Shalom from Israel 🇮🇱, the birthplace of Abrahamic Religions. Even though I am an Israelite and our Theology is vastly different, I acknowledge the cultural richness and spiritual depths and wisdom of the Chinese People. Blessings 🙏💙
Thank you for finishing this video and posting it :) I was very happy to see it at the top of my feed this morning. Your first section about bodhisattva, buddha, and collective consciousness is really similar to the lines of thought of how I've been thinking that existence works. I agree that this topic doesn't seem to be something that should be reserved and saved until after much education. Whenever someone asks me about my beliefs, I start right here! Because, yes... Everything else I believe in has its foundation here, how this part of existence theoretically works. All of my subsequent beliefs evolve from this foundation. I am utterly fascinated by similarities of beliefs that have spread throughout all the world of human culture. It does really make me wonder if there is a truth within the common denominators. I am also just blown away how sophisticated humanity has been for thousands of years, even 10,000+ years. Our capabilities aren't that different, just our base education. The advent of writing and promotion of universal mandatory education are really the the biggest differences between humanity today, and humanity 10,000 years ago.
I recently purchased your book, and I love it. I first heard of you from the interview with Mr. White on Rune Soup. As a child I was in love with Chinese Culture, language, and the Beauty of the country!! Then as I got older, about 10/11 I became interested in Mysticism, of any kind, and so my focus changed. I remember my mom buying me a book, around 14 it was all about culture and beliefs of China, and I loved this book so much! I remember it having a Feng Shui chart to map your room. It had small chapters but I couldn’t get enough! There were chapters on Face reading and palmistry. There was also an instructional, for Prophetic Dreams, and I can’t remember exactly what all it entailed. I remember I had to Hang a Picture Of One Of the Eight Immortals above your head where you sleep. Then you had to sleep on one side and have one hand of one ear(don’t remember specifics) and have the other resting softly on the bed, or something like that. I’m totally Butchering this lmao. Anyway, before bed you were to burn Sandalwood incense to this One of the Eight Immortals and of you did everything it said you would have a prophetic dream. So, I followed the Directions perfectly and I fell asleep in whatever the position it is. Lol. I dreamt that night a very short dream.. It was a beautiful Tiger prowling through Bamboo.... I always assumed it was about my brother, and I don’t know why, it never connected to him. But now at almost thirty, I don’t know what this dream meant...
The worst part is that I can not for the life of me remember the Books Name, or the Immortal it was, OR the proper technique! This makes me sad every day. Lmao
Detachment of ego is similar to what happens when under mushroom. If you try to fight it, the more aggressive the experience becomes as it strips you of your ego by making you confront any baggage you may have buried.
Thank you so much for the series. I left my religious belief almost 2 years ago and have been wanting to delve deeper into other belief systems. Your videos are helping me to do that.
Just want to point out that Taoism, much like Shintoism, also derive from ancient Asian Shamanism that were mixed with Buddhism Btw I really liked your video, I currently an a psychic practitioner with no dogma applied to it, I much more believe that growing our empathic abilities are similar to growing a mental ability so we can able to see things in different perspectives But I'm not much found of the Buddhism Religious say that you must give up your individualism to raise your psychic powers, because If anything I feel more individual than before. So it was nice to see that there were other perspectives too.
Hey! This is absolutely, bloody Fantastic!!! Currently Studying NeiGong and really wanting to delve into Taoist magic and Folk Shamanism and this video series has been Hugely Rewarding (the Tao of Craft is on my list of books to get next :) ) Also, wondering if you have any ideas about transfiguring the 10 Heavenly stems and 12 Earthly Branches and relating them to the 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot... ? Sort of trying to grapple with the GanZhi in relation to Western Alchemy and occultism. Ha! All the Blessed. Peace!
I ordered your book on my Kindle this afternoon, and I'm reading it already the Tao of Craft, and it reminded me of something that have in a frame on my desk. Tao produced the One The One produced the two The two produced the three And the three produced the ten thousand things The ten thousand things carry the Yin and embrace the Yang and through the blending of the Qi they achieve harmony
What you mentioned with paper poppets in Japan is part of what is called 'Onmyodo' which also takes a lot from Chinese magic practices and thus is often called 'Yin/Yang Magick'.
I first found out about cultivation by reading xianxia novels and watching TV dramas, and because all stories have an essence of truth to them, I decided to research more. I've had a connection to Kuan Yin since childhood and thus first watched your bell chimes in video about her and lightworkers when I received an affirmation from Source Energy that watching it would be beneficial to me. Now here I am, deeply engrossed in Taoist and Buddhist occultism! One thing leads to another on the Dao of life 😄. Thank you for your forthright and deeply researched videos. They are truly phenomenal!
In the light be the darkness that gives it meaning, in the darkness be the light that guides the way., to walk a path that though well lit is not too bright. The secret that is not a secret is to be here now, and in that you will know the Tao. ❤
I like the way you put it of consciousness existing beyond the body as other occult ideas specifically talk about consciousness surviving the body's death...this would also be the same but being able to conceptualize and use this language is good to keep in the consciousness and program the subconscious
I’m only 8 minutes into your video and I’m totally loving it! I practiced meditation with a Hindu teacher for 13 years so this makes total sense to me - and from your other video I’m *starting* to have an inkling as to the Buddhist/Taoist influence in Asia. I’m not familiar with the bodhisattvas of Asia-rather more the ‘gods and goddesses’ of the Hindu culture. At any rate after practicing meditation for 13 years I can safely say I’m not even close to an enlightened consciousness. It ain’t easy, right?? All I can do now is try to petition to ideals (Buddha, Kwan Yin) for guidance and assistance.
Your background and study in Hindu meditation sounds amazing and definitely provides a solid foundation for, well, building pretty much anything! You're lucky!
14:41 This reminds me of: "When faced with an impossible choice between two ways, the best course to take is always the third." super curious if there are any traditions which focus that part? I have seen many which are one vs the other as you described instead of both.
I'm enjoying your Holistic Tarot book, I decided in December when I bought it, that I would read it all the way through first, then use it as a reference, so far that's working out great and I'm learing a lot. Now I think it's time that I go over to amazon and order your other book The Tao of Craft, which I'm going to go do now.. I've always been interested in anything Chinese, anything Indian ( India) and African..my three favorite subjects. I wonder if it's because it's all in my DNA..lol lol
Oh that's so cool (your three cultural interests)! I tend to believe there's a much deeper reason for why we're interested in what we're interested in. =)
I love your work Benebell! Your Holistic Tarot has really mentored me. I have always wanted to know more about the Eastern esoteric tradition. Thank you!
What an amazing and wonderfully put together video! I came across this while searching for information on "Onmyōdō" and was completely enthralled by this highly informative video! It answered many questions I had relating to Onmyōdō, which was derived from esoteric Chinese occultism anyway (as I am sure you already know :-) I am very much looking forward to watching more of your videos, but this one was spot on for me. A plethora of information I had hoped to find and more! Very entertaining! I loved hearing about the various underlying factors such as animism and shamanism! Many heartfelt thanks for this wonderful and intelligently put together video!
this is better than a lot of overpriced university courses i took. you are doing something really valuable by sharing this wisdom. thank you. 🙏
It strikes me that the veneration of bodhisattva is similar to how Catholics feel about Saints. We have a Greek term to help distinguish between veneration and worship. Dulia, or veneration, is reserved for Saints. Hyperdulia is focused on the Virgin Mary, basically veneration x 1000. Finally, Latria, the Greek word for adoration, is shown to God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. It seems to be a difficult concept for protestants to understand, but there's a very distinct difference.
Oh I like that!
@Scorpion Moon, this is true, very true!
@@BenebellWen magus academy 👹😉
Everything is difficult for Protestants to understand.
Very poorly educated.
Jesus Christ never advocated it. What was the mission of the Christian church ?
HI. Here in Brazil there is a religion called Umbanda. Mediums of this religion also receive spirits from children, known as "Erês". Even the images of the medium with a pacifier and a bottle are very common in Umbanda's "Terreiros" around here. I loved learning more about Chinese occultism!
Wow, finding all this and learning about it really makes me feel like most Eastern spirituality is really all connected by this central thread.
When you think you’re a little whacky for getting into occultism, only to find out your ancestors were conducting astrally projected spiritual warfare against each other. Amazing.
Thank you so much for going over all these topics
My father always bowed to certain people also, he would never shake hands with anyone so I learned that as a child so I never shake hands either. Yes I tune into the animal, plant kingdom when I do my gardening to find out through the devas what to plant in each raised bed in my garden and what stone to put in each bed, fertilizer etc. I definitely believe in the dream world and going to different realms to talk to ancestors, I do this almost on a regular basis at night. My dreams are so vivid I keep a journal of them since I've done since the 1970's
I say the vinegar is sweet. I drink it with water sometimes because I love the flavor.
My husband has a relationship with the wind, the wind plays with him, there will be no wind but if he says he's going to go burn the trash the wind will pick up. When he's outside and it's too windy he will talk to the wind and ask the wind to let up and it will. I've seen him work with the wind and it's amazing.
The natures spirits as I said I work with on a daily basis but especially during gardening season, but I also work with animal spirits talking to them, asking them to not eat up my garden and lets share instead. It's been working for many years for me.
I'm looking forward to the next video.. Thank you for sharing. by the way i ordered your 2nd edition of Spirit Keepers last night. so excited.
That's so beautiful, and in that little inquiry, I had chosen vinegar as sweet, too! :-D
I bet your garden is beautiful and the flora living there are happy.
@@BenebellWen I know I will love the Spirit Keeper's tarot, I've been already studying the PDF that I downloaded so when the deck comes I will be already familiar with it. Yes my garden is happy, I take photos every year and post on my Facebook page and I will be posting in Simon's The Hermit's Cave Facebook group. So if you are in Simon's group you will see the garden in progress.
I could listen to you for hours, days or more you make learning this subject so easy and simple. I just watched all of this series in one go, I could not put my phone down. I can’t wait to read your book and start practicing.
A rare and profound teaching from an unexpected source. Salute. Such clarity between esoteric Buddhism and Taoism has cleared up questions I've had for many years.
I am so glad I found this channel. Beautiful, spiritual work!
You are a wonderful teacher.
I can’t explain how I could understand every single word you said. I love your work, you have put into words a lot of the things that I always find myself pondering all the time. Keep doing what you do, this is your gift to the world.
Yes, it's here, another installment. Is it too nerdy to take notes of these videos? Because that's what I'm doing! I feel so much of what you're saying really hits home for me, perhaps it's the way that so many paths seem synched. .
It is amazing, isn't it, how many paths seem to synch up or connect into a grander collective pattern once we start learning about other cultures and traditions? No matter how different the trimmings of occult practices around the world look from the outside, once you get to the heart of these practices, the similarity is rather astounding.
@@BenebellWen indeed! it reinforces the fact for me that everything is interconnected.
@@BenebellWen we are after all the same "species"
i am so happy to come across your channel! i have deep interest in Islam & Hinduism but i love Daoist medicine cause a family member is an active tcm practisioner. i think it is the closets way to unite body and mind with ancient knowlegde. my ''wake up'' moment was in an accpunture session. After that i was somehow more aware of my self destructieve behavior(s) in life. The combination of Yoga, Daoist medicine & Quanric texts really made every aspect of my life worth living!
Wow I'm lost for words, this is amazing. Will binge your videos when I can ! This is great
these similar practices happen all over the world because it is simply a phenomenon of the spiritual field, which religion names, that's all.
I read your book, it's great, now I'm the only one in Brazil who practices it.
You're a jewel. Thank you for sharing your knowledge 🙏
As someone who identifies as a witch and who studied East Asian Art History, Culture and Languages in university I find this to be a really well explained introduction that I sureley needed. No course in my institution ever explained the occult and we only stayed on the philosophical plains. As someone who also plans to study about inner cultivation and shamanism this will act as my main guide. Thank you so much for sharing and I will also look into your book too!✨
I really love your energy and how you explain things with clarity and enthusiasm!
Benebell, thank you. I've been doing research for a fiction piece with roots in Chinese esotericism, and your channel has been a perfect balance between accessibility and informativity (which I suppose is very Taoist in its own way!). Thank you so much for producing this content! 🙏
WOW! What a video!!! OK, Benebell - I'm subscribing to your channel! When it comes to Taoism and Chinese magic, divination and metaphysics, it seems like there are a lot of scheisters and charlatans hanging out on the internet - but you are knowledgable, personable and articulate in communicating your knowledge. Bravo! I grew up in the Far East, and now that I have watched your video, I can begin to place some of the occult stuff that I saw when I was growing up. The fire dancers I saw in the park by the Tamshui River in Taipei, Taiwan? Oh yeah, they were the folk shamans, the servants of the diviners that you told us about. But still, even growing up in Taiwan and Japan, and absorbing a lot of the spirit by osmosis, it seems, I realize that Chinese occultism is a very vast and strange world, and that I have only begun to skim the surface. I remember that I was walking the streets of San Gabriel, California last year, I stumbled upon what seemed to be a Chinese magician / exorcist's shop, where there were statues of hundreds of different deities or Bodhisattvas lining the walls, all vigilant. The magician proprietor was very gracious in that he didn't shoo me away, but let me hang out silently in his store for a while, in total awe of everything. By the way - could you recommend a good introductory book that covers the fascinating field of Chinese occultism? And a final question: Are you related to King Wen of I Ching fame? And what is your personal spiritual orientation in relation to all you have presented in this video?
33:48 As you said about teachers not wanting to teach to outsiders or non-Chinese etc… I’ve experienced it, and know many stories, from Chinese martial arts. At times the teacher is not even Chinese but he’s simply not going to tell you. They’ll openly say they will but are just egging you on. I once had a shaolin monk (Chinese all the way) wouldn’t even tell me what the color of the belt he just gave me meant. Later he’s telling a beautiful woman what all the colors mean.
Another dynamic is that the master doesn’t know (maybe then he’s not truly a master??) but he’s just parroting what his master said. He’s never reached that height, or mislabeled it with a lower state, eventually leading to a broken lineage.
Or, as in the Vipassana tradition of U Ba Khin taught by SN Goenka, it is actually documented Goenka yelling at a senior meditator (AT) because he was attempting to go all the way to reach enlightenment. Goenka yelled ‘we are not here to reach enlightenment, we are here to serve.’
Great video, can't wait to check out the rest of your videos! I'd like to mention, in Chaos Magick theory by folks like Carroll or Hine, excitation is one of the main tools for magickal work. Therefore, self-harm correlates with the goal of ecstatic frenzy for the purpose of invocation. Your example of shamanic invocation makes perfect sense in many Western theories of transcendental union!
I can not get enough of your Taoism Buddhism Esoteric series. Thank you so much for this.
Outstanding presentation
Thank you for your fantastic and very interesting videos. I am a european leaving in Asia and while having health issues that doctors couldn' t help, I asked the help of a Taoist sifu who resolved totally my problem. I have been very interested by Taoism since that and I try to learn more. Your videos are full of resources.
ive been in Taiwan for 15 years now.
only just discovered your teaching.
i am so happy you made these.
really thank you so much dear lady
I visited around 6 years ago. Been dreaming of going back ever since...
Hello, i can't find the sixth and last video of the series, Video 6: Taoist Magic in Contemporary Times, is it with a diferent name?
Thank you for making these difficult concepts so clear!
I've been training in Neijia Martial Arts, Qigong, and meditation for like 25 years now and I have to say these videos, and I'm inferring your books (I will find out shortly), are a great link from what I've been able to learn and understand through practice and things that haven't been translated or passed down etc.
Thank you
This is fantastic. Sharing the truth of oneness in such comprehensible terms. I'm grateful. Light be upon you.
I love your videos. Thank you for sharing!!
I love this series, and this video is an excellent addition! Chinese Witch Wars? Yes! You're doing a great service by explaining these concepts. I keep finding things that resonate with my own work, and new ideas to expand on what I do. Thank you so much for the time and effort you sacrifice to provide these gifts!
Been searching all over TH-cam for videos on onmyodo and this is the closest I could find. Since much of Japanese occultism was influenced by Chinese occultism, this should be a good place to start.
I had my first astral projection experience in 2004 and got into Qigong around 2006, but never really bothered to go much further with Chinese esotericism -- their analogies and symbolism are so foreign to western ways of thinking that it's incredibly hard to grasp and work with, and my Christian upbringing made me EXTREMELY hesitant to go beyond anything "new age" and into things with the word "occult" attached directly to them... But years of mind-bending synchronicities eventually unravelled a lot of knots in my personal beliefs, and I got deeply into studying the Qabalah and the western concept of pathworking... And now that I've got a good grasp on that, it's fascinating to go back to Chinese philosophies and see how all of these different syncretic / esoteric practices have so much in common, and the parallels between them make a lot of otherwise strange terms and concepts much easier to understand.
Just bought your book on fu talismans and sigils the tao of craft.Loving it thanks for sharing the knowledge!
This channel is amazing ❤
Thanks for this amazing video and sharing your knowledge and voice
Your description of Taoism vs Legalism was... oh so colorful 😆 great video
Benebell when you comment on the "Mandate of Heaven" and the Chinese Imperial Bureaucracy, it makes perfect sense. And this is true with the Chinese nobles who were ennobled by the Chinese Emperors (Son of Heaven) to be also privy and educated into the Ceremonial magicks of the Chinese Buddhist Taoist Mystery Schools as the Chinese Emperors were believed to be in the threshold between spirit and the mortal mundane. Therefore, the Chinese Nobles (Dukes, Marquis, Counts, Earls, Viscounts, and Barons) are thoroughly trained into tapping the secrets of Heaven and Earth and were authorized by their ennoblement and grandeur thereof. I concur.
Haha I know right? But I *am* glad for the incredible esoteric practices that arise from the common classes, evening out that so-called playing field. ;-)
Major text wall warning.
I've been a Buddhist for about 6 years now so I could easily understand when you explained the working of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the first part. It's, as you mentioned, a little complicated to explain their working, why they are venerated, and how Mantra, Nianfo, and Sutra recitation can bestow blessings to people who are not familiar with these concepts. I would also add that the recitation of these scriptures and mantras work better the more purified your mind is, the more compassionate your aims are, and the more good karma you have (or white karma as I've noticed some monks friends of mine call it). That's why it's believed that a lay who upholds correctly the 5 precepts (No killing, no stealing, no wrongful speech, no sexual misconduct, no ingesting of intoxicants) can channel these powers more effectively; a monk or nun who upholds all his precepts more, and a tantra practitioner who upholds all of his precepts even more so.
I'd like to share a story a monk told me about this relationship between discipline and the power of mantras/Sutra recitation/Nianfo.
There was a house haunted by Hungry Spirits (¨E gui¨ in chinese). The owners had to move out and called for exorcists renowned for their knowledge of the occult arts to do something but their efforts were of no avail; they resigned to the situation. One day, a Buddhist monk who was on a pilgrimage was passing through their village. This monk didn't knew anything about tantra, occultism, nor any special mantra; he was only known due to his rigorous adherence to the precepts and his spotless discipline. The house owners, being desperate, halfheartedly asked the monk to recite a Sutra in the house (Sutras are usually seen by most people as less effective than mantras in these situations.) and he agreed.
He didn't made any complicated ritual, as the other exorcists had done, he just sat there and respectfully recited the Sutra while asking the spirits to depart peacefully; as per Buddhist custom, he dedicated to them the merit of the recitation so they could find a home where they wouldn't bother anyone.
Surprisingly for everyone, the spirits left that day and never came back.
A little cool fact about the precepts. For each precept you keep, there's 5 Dharma protecting deities accompanying you. Keep the precepts and they'll help you a lot, break them and they'll scold you (They won't harm you, just cause some minor misfortunes until you recapacitate. They want you to become a better person after all.). My friend, who has been a monk for 21 years, told me that his master gave a sermon on this on one occasion but that he couldn't remember the name of the Sutra where this is mentioned.
I've been searching for Chinese occultism info and glad I found this!
Thank you for this lovely course! I bought your book, the tao of craft. I was raised in a Thai buddhist and Irish-American Catholic household but have always been drawn to the occult. Also, interesting what you said in the end about animism. Even Krishna held a similar wisdom as a child.
love this acc. didnt want to get into this stuff at first bc it was filled with toxic positivity and repressed emotions but ty for this gem
"We don't bow in submission or in idolatry. We bow to show respect, to show that we hold who we're bowing to in high esteem" as a Descendant of Flame and Yellow Emperors, I didn't know this either!
Hi Benebell, I just finished your Taoist series, and I think it's one of the most amazing works on the internet for this topic. You should definitely expand on the fundamentals of these principles -- especially since Chinese New Year is coming up! I'm going to share your channel with my friends.
I have a complete course on the subject matter in the works! =) [It'll be released after the launch of my Western Witchcraft series.]
omg, this series is making me fall in love with you
Benebell, at 21:57 you posit that there is something similar about all of these practices. Yes, you are correct. There are glaring similarities between all of them. I say this as one who has studied Korean shamanism, African Vodou and Indian Native practices(Kali worship). I encourage you to use your platform to interview practitioners from other traditions, in order to tease out the similarities between their practices and that of Chinese occultic practices.
Would you have some reading or channel recommondations for your named topics?
As someone that has had many ghost/spirit encounters, along with having a soul entity attach to me for 10 years, then having it removed with the help of hypnotherapy (to discover what the issue was initially). I can ensure you that exorcisms are very real and a big problem. A lot are plasma parasites that are attracted to empaths. I truly hope you get to encounter some of these entities, beings and lost souls for your own personal growth in your practice.
I've been a bit "checked out" in terms of my video consumption for the last 7-8 months, but I had seen previously when you posted this series and had it on my to do list. However, today this particular video popped up in my recommended list and so I settled in to watch. (I can never refuse a good "thought tour.") I have to say, something that you said in this video helped me to resolve a specific issue that I had personally with a conflict in my intellectual understanding of my own personal spiritual practice, and for that I am extremely thankful. Now I'm going to be good and go back to watch the rest of the videos in order. :) Thank you, Benebell. Your generous gifting of your knowledge is very much appreciated.
Thanks for sharing your amazing work
I'm writing a story in an Asian-inspired world, so I need more information on exorcism and how one is to combat demons and hostile spirits. Rituals, chants, mantras, materials needed, how different elements are supposed to react with spirits, spells, ect.
This is a perfect video, and triggers my spirit. So much, of course, resonates with me because of the shamanic energy in the tradition and the culture. I'm definitely trying to learn more about Daoist methods to amplify my odd shamanic connection with Hoodoo and Onmyodo, and of course it all blends perfectly. Thank you for providing a strong basis for my practice.
That's a really powerful nexus point of practices! Your Path sounds amazing!
Thank you - this video is much appreciated. I lived in China for a year and wanted to learn Chinese esotericism. Unfortunately I was unable to find a way to learn Chinese Buddhism or Taoism. I’m interested in Philosophy of Mind and Metaphysics. I recommend looking up “open individualism” for more. I thought this was an excellent video.
4 years later! Thank you 💜
I am so glad you’re here with this information.
I think we are connected without words. The way we embody ourselves, perform physical actions, our stances, postures and gaits, the actions we choose to perform, all have an extraordinary bandwidth and power, and fit within a framework of the communal sublime. The architecture around you affects the social game you play. Next to a cathedral, people might be primed with fear of the Lord and this might affect how they play the pavement-usage game. In the town centre, there is a particular style of dasein (Heidegger concept) by why other persons are stood in front of; there is a know-how to relating to persons, shops, benches, parts of pavement, beauty in building, ugliness in advertisement, etc. In the library, depending on the architecture, one might relate to others as atomized individuals to be respected through the norm of quiet, or members of a sublime communal structure busily buzzing about our business in a puritan luminous yearning towards Heaven, in a kind of collective apotheosis.
Essentially, it boils down to Dasein: the mode of being (which can be expressed in different styles of being) that humans/communities take that relates to other things as equipment, with readiness-to-hand or un-readiness-to-hand, or as substances, which we stand upon and just are, with their properties.
Fluid ,intelligent , intuitive,knowledgeable, charismatic.
You will be interested in The Center of Inter- Religious Peace
Happy Lunar/Chinese New year. Another very informative and great Video.
Fascinating video, the confusious master student part reminded me of the master in the kill bill movie, that actually made it make sense why he was so hard on her
These words are extremely beneficial. Thank you
Thank you so much for all the work and heart you have put into this series. It is really helping understand what lies behind years of practicing Tai Chi has been teaching my body and heart-mind. Looking forward to watching all of them and the arrival of your "I Ching, the Oracle" arriving tomorrow.
Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
...just discovered your channel...very nice, and informative. I didn't see this topic specifically addressed on your playlists, so I'd like to suggest maybe you could do a vid. on occult (esoteric) practices within Chinese martial arts.
Aah thank you so much for this series. As a chinese immigrant living abroad, I feel very disconnected from my own culture and really struggle to learn more about chinese spiritual work.
Shalom from Israel 🇮🇱, the birthplace of Abrahamic Religions. Even though I am an Israelite and our Theology is vastly different, I acknowledge the cultural richness and spiritual depths and wisdom of the Chinese People. Blessings 🙏💙
Thank you for finishing this video and posting it :) I was very happy to see it at the top of my feed this morning.
Your first section about bodhisattva, buddha, and collective consciousness is really similar to the lines of thought of how I've been thinking that existence works. I agree that this topic doesn't seem to be something that should be reserved and saved until after much education. Whenever someone asks me about my beliefs, I start right here! Because, yes... Everything else I believe in has its foundation here, how this part of existence theoretically works. All of my subsequent beliefs evolve from this foundation.
I am utterly fascinated by similarities of beliefs that have spread throughout all the world of human culture. It does really make me wonder if there is a truth within the common denominators. I am also just blown away how sophisticated humanity has been for thousands of years, even 10,000+ years. Our capabilities aren't that different, just our base education. The advent of writing and promotion of universal mandatory education are really the the biggest differences between humanity today, and humanity 10,000 years ago.
Definitely!
I recently purchased your book, and I love it.
I first heard of you from the interview with Mr. White on Rune Soup.
As a child I was in love with Chinese Culture, language, and the Beauty of the country!!
Then as I got older, about 10/11 I became interested in Mysticism, of any kind, and so my focus changed. I remember my mom buying me a book, around 14 it was all about culture and beliefs of China, and I loved this book so much!
I remember it having a Feng Shui chart to map your room.
It had small chapters but I couldn’t get enough!
There were chapters on Face reading and palmistry.
There was also an instructional, for Prophetic Dreams, and I can’t remember exactly what all it entailed.
I remember I had to Hang a Picture Of One Of the Eight Immortals above your head where you sleep. Then you had to sleep on one side and have one hand of one ear(don’t remember specifics) and have the other resting softly on the bed, or something like that. I’m totally Butchering this lmao.
Anyway, before bed you were to burn Sandalwood incense to this One of the Eight Immortals and of you did everything it said you would have a prophetic dream.
So, I followed the Directions perfectly and I fell asleep in whatever the position it is. Lol.
I dreamt that night a very short dream..
It was a beautiful Tiger prowling through Bamboo....
I always assumed it was about my brother, and I don’t know why, it never connected to him.
But now at almost thirty, I don’t know what this dream meant...
The worst part is that I can not for the life of me remember the Books Name, or the Immortal it was, OR the proper technique!
This makes me sad every day. Lmao
very interesting material, especially in light and contrast of western philosophies
Detachment of ego is similar to what happens when under mushroom. If you try to fight it, the more aggressive the experience becomes as it strips you of your ego by making you confront any baggage you may have buried.
The part about the teacher student relationship was very well stated
Fascinating.
holy crap!!! I can't believe this exists!! so many things I've wondered about for so long being connected! Thank you!
Your presentation was amazing except for audio volume in certain parts. I love your scholarship, humor and insight... I have the books👍
Benebelle thank u for being u
I have learned soo much from u
Thank you so much for the series. I left my religious belief almost 2 years ago and have been wanting to delve deeper into other belief systems. Your videos are helping me to do that.
im procrastinating studying for my exam by watching this lol. very informative video, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge 🤍
True, we bow to show respect! ❤
Just want to point out that Taoism, much like Shintoism, also derive from ancient Asian Shamanism that were mixed with Buddhism
Btw I really liked your video, I currently an a psychic practitioner with no dogma applied to it, I much more believe that growing our empathic abilities are similar to growing a mental ability so we can able to see things in different perspectives
But I'm not much found of the Buddhism Religious say that you must give up your individualism to raise your psychic powers, because If anything I feel more individual than before. So it was nice to see that there were other perspectives too.
Hey! This is absolutely, bloody Fantastic!!! Currently Studying NeiGong and really wanting to delve into Taoist magic and Folk Shamanism and this video series has been Hugely Rewarding (the Tao of Craft is on my list of books to get next :) )
Also, wondering if you have any ideas about transfiguring the 10 Heavenly stems and 12 Earthly Branches and relating them to the 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot... ? Sort of trying to grapple with the GanZhi in relation to Western Alchemy and occultism. Ha! All the Blessed. Peace!
Haha yes I did that with my tarot deck and talk about the correspondences in the guidebook to my deck. 😁😊
Haha! Cooool :)
Dang! Thanks for sharing your clarity. ✨️🤯✨️
The Tong Ji remind me a lot of the pentecostal tradition I was raised in. I'm thrilled you made the connection as well
The "knowing mind" is a good way to define that what you describe there
I ordered your book on my Kindle this afternoon, and I'm reading it already the Tao of Craft, and it reminded me of something that have in a frame on my desk.
Tao produced the One
The One produced the two
The two produced the three
And the three produced the ten thousand things
The ten thousand things carry the Yin and embrace the Yang and through the
blending of the Qi they achieve harmony
haha ahh-- the tao te ching.
What you mentioned with paper poppets in Japan is part of what is called 'Onmyodo' which also takes a lot from Chinese magic practices and thus is often called 'Yin/Yang Magick'.
I first found out about cultivation by reading xianxia novels and watching TV dramas, and because all stories have an essence of truth to them, I decided to research more. I've had a connection to Kuan Yin since childhood and thus first watched your bell chimes in video about her and lightworkers when I received an affirmation from Source Energy that watching it would be beneficial to me. Now here I am, deeply engrossed in Taoist and Buddhist occultism! One thing leads to another on the Dao of life 😄. Thank you for your forthright and deeply researched videos. They are truly phenomenal!
In the light be the darkness that gives it meaning, in the darkness be the light that guides the way., to walk a path that though well lit is not too bright. The secret that is not a secret is to be here now, and in that you will know the Tao. ❤
Amazing Wenebell. Do continue the good work. I will surely share your work and message with others. 😊
I like the way you put it of consciousness existing beyond the body as other occult ideas specifically talk about consciousness surviving the body's death...this would also be the same but being able to conceptualize and use this language is good to keep in the consciousness and program the subconscious
Looking forward to the next instalment!
I’m only 8 minutes into your video and I’m totally loving it! I practiced meditation with a Hindu teacher for 13 years so this makes total sense to me - and from your other video I’m *starting* to have an inkling as to the Buddhist/Taoist influence in Asia. I’m not familiar with the bodhisattvas of Asia-rather more the ‘gods and goddesses’ of the Hindu culture. At any rate after practicing meditation for 13 years I can safely say I’m not even close to an enlightened consciousness. It ain’t easy, right?? All I can do now is try to petition to ideals (Buddha, Kwan Yin) for guidance and assistance.
Your background and study in Hindu meditation sounds amazing and definitely provides a solid foundation for, well, building pretty much anything! You're lucky!
Benebell Wen
14:41 This reminds me of: "When faced with an impossible choice between two ways, the best course to take is always the third." super curious if there are any traditions which focus that part? I have seen many which are one vs the other as you described instead of both.
Crazy info - buying your books and the decks for sure! Thank u
Thank you so much Benebell - truly loving this series!
I'm enjoying your Holistic Tarot book, I decided in December when I bought it, that I would read it all the way through first, then use it as a reference, so far that's working out great and I'm learing a lot. Now I think it's time that I go over to amazon and order your other book The Tao of Craft, which I'm going to go do now.. I've always been interested in anything Chinese, anything Indian ( India) and African..my three favorite subjects. I wonder if it's because it's all in my DNA..lol lol
Oh that's so cool (your three cultural interests)! I tend to believe there's a much deeper reason for why we're interested in what we're interested in. =)
This was fascinating. I can’t wait to read your book.
Do you think you might do video 6? I would love to hear and learn more. Thank you for these informative videos.
Wonderful videos explaining the taoism!!.....is the 6th video coming soon??.....thank you!!
I love your work Benebell! Your Holistic Tarot has really mentored me. I have always wanted to know more about the Eastern esoteric tradition. Thank you!
Bought The Tao of Craft and can’t wait for part 6 😬😬😬😄 Thanks for making all this info available, and in one place. Awesome!
What an amazing and wonderfully put together video! I came across this while searching for information on "Onmyōdō" and was completely enthralled by this highly informative video! It answered many questions I had relating to Onmyōdō, which was derived from esoteric Chinese occultism anyway (as I am sure you already know :-) I am very much looking forward to watching more of your videos, but this one was spot on for me. A plethora of information I had hoped to find and more! Very entertaining! I loved hearing about the various underlying factors such as animism and shamanism! Many heartfelt thanks for this wonderful and intelligently put together video!