A Comprehensive Guide to Daoist Nei Gong

Not as much practical teaching as I would have liked, but the book lays a rock solid foundation of knowledge that should be compulsory for every student of Tai Chi and Chi Kung.

This book delivers on its title--it is COMPREHENSIVE! It had everything I was looking for on the topic and more. The book is well-written in a way that the layperson can understand this complex subject. Damo Mitchell's writing style flows and it reads easily throughout the book, and the material is presented in a progressive order. It helped me because it explained several things that I had experienced in my own practice, as well as giving me new material that advanced my practice in ways for which I am grateful. Recommend!

I believe this to be the best practical guide to the internal arts written in the English language to date. What Damo Mitchell has accomplished here is to take complex and esoteric information and make it practical. A discerning reader will see that Damo covers many small (and important) details that other guides leave out. Those people lucky enough to encounter this book early in their practices will save themselves from many frustrating and potentially even dangerous mistakes. In addition, Damo writes in an accessible, conversational style, giving concrete, practical tools on a subject that often seems abstract and inaccessible. This book is a true gift to any practitioner of the internal arts, whether advanced or beginner.

In Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell she says that "there are books about magic and there are books of magic ... and ... the value of the latter is above rubies". This is definitely a book of magic. It is, simply put, the most clear and the most practical book on the subject I have ever read. The author manages to keep text very readable without making compromises and oversimplifications. Such clarity, in my opinion, can come only from a really profound understanding of the subject. A gem of a book!

Having read several books on Qigong and eastern energetic practices, I can honestly say that Damo's latest book on Neigong (the internal art of change) is hands down my favorite book on the topic. It’s certainly an extraordinary gift to the internal arts community, but an even greater boon to students in the Lotus Neigong community. To especially the latter, this is a book to be savored, and I cannot recommend it more highly. So very many questions are answered on topics that a student would be curious about, or should be curious about. Happy reading!

This is a breakdown of the Nei Gong process in a way that hasn't been elucidated before for the western world. I would argue that it is quite rare to find material written by an adept and inner door initiate of authentic Daoist lineages, which really makes this book a treasure. The specificity and nuanced information on the Nei Gong process as well as the ethos of the traditions it was born out of is incredibly helpful. If you are interested in these arts, do yourself a favor and read this definitive work.

This is a truly excellent book on the subject of Nei Gong. Damo Mitchell has a depth and breadth of knowledge, based on many years of high quality experience in the Daoist Arts, that is profound. He makes an appropriate amount of that accessible to us in this book. If you have a practice, especially in Qi Gong/Nei Gong, this book will be a real boon to you. If not, it may help lead you to a valid instructor. At the least, it will give you an insight into why those of us with a practice do so.

Rarely you find books on this subject that are so clear and well written. I found that every page was a treasure of knowledge, I would highly recommend it to anyone who is in the qi-gong, nei-gong or any internal martial art. It is comprehensive of many details and shows the depth of the knowledge Mr. Mitchell acquired in his training. Excellent job!

The false narrative that arts like Taijiquan and Qi Gong, which rightly have a reputation for being very relaxing and good for your health, should be simple and easy to practice and not take much effort, is so far from the truth. As a result these historic arts with their profound depth of knowledge have been consistently ‘dumbed down’ over the years. So how refreshing to have a book that elevates these traditions to the highest level and explains how you can bring about real transformation, all be it with the caveat - are you prepared to put the effort in? Successful change is only possible by firstly developing the foundation, the physical body. Many want to jump to the more ethereal aspects before they can even stand properly! This book explains why we must spend a great deal of time building the foundations and going through the various stages before we move on to more intangible aspects of study. You can not rise above something you cannot do. To often, many modern books on the internal arts seem to just regurgitate what has been written before and taken for ‘gospel’, without really considering the accurate translation of these traditions. Because the author has spent much of his life studying and moving through the Daoist tradition, he has developed not just an incredible knowledge of theory across many disciplines but it’s also backed up with personal experiential understanding. The result is a clear, concise study of an otherwise impenetrable art. Without clear instructions and an understanding of what you are doing and where you are on the path it is so easy to get it wrong, and even cause yourself some harm. What is also impressive is the honesty in which the author recognises that he is still only ‘scratching the surface of these arts’! There are many miss-understood aspects of studying an art like Qi Gong or Nei Gong, one is the lack of understanding on how the Lower Dan Tian is awakened and when you know it is. Following the principles in the book you will experience a definite sign that the Dan Tian is awakened, there’s no mistaking it. Another one is using visualisation to ‘guide the Qi’ around the body. The author explains why this is incorrect, and has been added in modern systems. As long as you are visualising you are using the acquired mind and this can lead to delusion and even the potential for creating stagnation or blockages in the energetic body. To have trust in the teacher and the lineage is everything as far as i’m concerned. You can waste a lot of life searching for an authentic way, Damo Mitchell’s School, Lotus Nei Gong, is such an authentic way, and is concerned with keeping the lineage alive to the highest standard. This book is a modern classic on an ancient tradition, it’s my bible for all things Nei Gong, and indeed any of the internal arts. If you are serious about the study of these arts, then this is a must read!

Essential book to give an overview of the subject with enough details to keep even experienced people occupied. Damo’s style is approachable with an in-depth understanding of Western mind and Eastern approach and enough gentle humour to explain how to get from one to the other by avoiding pitfalls. I believe this book to be essential reading for practitioners of Qi Gong and Nei Gong.

Very good. Only read a fraction, but already learned a LOT that other schools don't teach.

È il libro più completo e chiaro che abbia finora letto sul Nei Gong! Sinceramente posso dire che contiene una panoramica estremamente completa e chiara sul lavoro interno taoista. Spiega molto chiaramente le fondamenta teoriche e spirituali ma senza cadere nella logorrea. Dopo la prima, interessante parte teorica, si affrontano approfonditamente le tecniche pratiche e gli effetti che esse sviluppano. Viene offerto un percorso molto pratico e verificabile, spiegando le pratiche e descrivendo ciò che a seguito di esse si produce in termini di sensazioni ed effetti, al fine di capire se si sta procedendo bene. Si passa poi alle tecniche più raffinate e spirituali. L'autore è molto chiaro nello spiegare, approfondisce molto le tematiche e descrive le proprie esperienze in maniera onesta, specificando se le ha provate in prima persona oppure se ne ha solo sentito riferire. È un testo di primario riferimento, da leggere e rileggere e da cui farsi accompagnare negli anni di pratica.

Damo Mitchell zeigt erneut in einer einfachen und verständlichen Weise die Essenz der inneren Künste auf. Bisher habe ich noch kein Buch gefunden, das so detailliert auf die diese Themen eingeht.