ABSTRACT
The highest goal in Taoism is to reach a state of consciousness which transcends the bonds of mortality that cramp ordinary existence. This state is the Tao. The achievement of the Tao can be realized only after a long process of insight and concentration. The subtle process of Taoist meditation is exceedingly complex and varies from one master to another. Accuracy and resultant progress depend on the degree of enlightenment of the master who supervises the process. Taoist meditation can be thought of as an alchemical procedure. It involves the refinement of one psychic substance into another. The process begins with ching, or sexual energy. Ching is converted into another substance, chi, when it is combined with the breath in a certain way. The heating process is repeated several times. Then the purified substance is passed to another flask where it is transformed in a new way.
