8. Taoist texts distinguish several levels of refinement according to sound,
but soundless breathing is considered best of all. Six audible breaths are
used for healing, while silent breathing is used for quiet meditation. Since
mental silence is considered the best hygiene as well as the best curative,
soundlessly subtle breathing is generally considered very important for both
mental and physical aspects of Taoist practice.
9. The term true breathing is variously defined in Taoist literature;
sometimes it is represented as respiration that is so subtle that it is
completely unnoticeable, sometimes it is
1.
represented as the inner rhythm of awareness ordinarily obscured by the
coarseness of thinking.
10. This passage makes it clear that practice of resting mind and breathing
on each other is just a starting point. Such concentration exercises are only
temporary expedients, but cultists sometimes perform them routinely for
years on end. A famous Chan poem says, "When the wine is always sweet,
it lays out the guests," meaning that overindulgence in concentration and
consequent addiction to calmness can actually incapacitate the individual
for further development.
11. The Book of Balance and Harmony says, "By keeping energy complete
you can nurture the mind. To keep energy complete first requires that the
