Pi Gu Chi Kung: Inner Alchemy Energy Fasting

by Mantak Chia, Christine Harkness-Giles

A step-by-step guide to the Taoist fasting practice of Pi Gu

• Explains how you do not stop eating with this fasting practice and details the simple pi gu diet

• Illustrates the chewing and chi kung practices to accompany pi gu, for natural chi energy production

• Reveals how Pi Gu Chi Kung activates the body’s natural healing abilities, accelerates the elimination of toxins, reduces appetite and cravings, and enables you to draw energies from the Earth and Universe

Pi gu is an ancient Taoist method of fasting for spiritual and healing purposes. Unlike traditional fasting, you do not need to stop eating when practicing pi gu. Used by ancient Taoist masters during their months or years of solitary retreat in pursuit of enlightenment, the practice centers on a simple diet of fruits, teas, nuts, and eggs paired with special chewing techniques and chi kung exercises.

During the pi gu state, the need for food decreases yet the body’s energy levels actually increase. The body gathers chi not from food but from chi kung and the “golden elixir” produced by the pi gu chewing practices. The chi produced through pi gu charges your internal organs, activating the body’s natural healing abilities and enabling you to draw energies from the Earth and Universe. In the pi gu state the body automatically balances itself, the mind is more relaxed, and sleep improves. The pause in normal eating makes the body’s cells more sensitive, accelerating the elimination of toxins. The stomach reduces in size, flattening the belly, eliminating cravings, decreasing appetite, and naturally producing weight loss. The body’s meridians stay open, making it easier to attune to meditation, chi kung, and energies from the cosmos.

Providing a step-by-step guide to Pi Gu Chi Kung, Master Mantak Chia and coauthor Christine Harkness-Giles explain the pi gu diet, provide immortality tea recipes, detail the pi gu chewing exercises, and illustrate the corresponding chi kung energy exercises. They also explain the use of pi gu during darkness retreats to enhance spiritual awareness and increase mental powers and wisdom.

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2016

About the author

Mantak Chia is a Taoist Master. He is best known for teaching his Taoist practices under the names of Healing Tao, Tao Yoga, Universal Healing Tao System and Chi Kung. Throughout decades of teaching, he has run numerous workshops, written a series of books, and published a number of training videos. For this reason, some people call him an author, a teacher or a healer. He views himself primarily as a teacher, "who helps his students empower themselves through cultivation of their chi energy." (-wiki)

Reviews

[Gustave Blåbær · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have nothing to say or critique about the practices, philosophies decrypted in the book: it's great, noble and interesting.

The overall style of the book is a bit irritating though, because what they really seem to do, before presenting and sharing the theory and practices, is making you taking part/buy their retreat programs.

Those goals are a bit too mixed up together for me to feel comfortable following up what is said.

[Susana Aikin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing gift Master Mantak Chia is for our Western world

Mantak Chia has opened up a new view of our bodies following the Taoist tradition, without prejudice, without shame, all directed towards healing and leading fuller and richer lives...

[Bimo Pratama · Rating 4 out of 5]

The traditional Taoist saying “drink your food and eat your liquid” is one of the simple principles behind Pi Gu