Mo Pai, Level 1 training:

Sit comfortably in a lotus position. If this is too difficult, then cross your legs as you
would normally, but one leg is pulled on top of the other. A full lotus is putting one leg
on top of the other and then pulling the other leg on top. Usually, the way we develop in
America isn’t conducive for a full lotus, as we train the wrong muscles. But if you can sit
in a full lotus you do not need to touch your fingers, rather just place your hands on your
legs in a comfortable manner.
Most of us will never attain a full lotus…but this doesn’t matter in the slightest. We can
have exactly the same results by sitting in a half lotus.
If using a half lotus, you must touch the first finger with your thumb while placing them
upon your legs in a comfortable manner.
From building your newly developed chi during level 1, it will then be condensed in level
2, this is important.
Now to begin, close your eyes and think “relax”. Quiet your mind by watching the lights
that flash when your eyes are closed.
Rub your hands together to warm them. Use a finger or place your hand exactly on your
dan tien…this tells your mind where your breath must go. But when you begin your
practice move your hands back to your legs.
As you begin to breathe…it will slow down automatically as you progress into your
session.

Now this is very important: you must sit on the ground! You must be connected to the
earth. You can not sit on any man made material, but you can sit on cement. If this is
difficult or you are unable to do this, then you can do this: connect a wire to a metal plate
and the other end to metal water pipes, or out the window to a metal stake driven into the
ground. I know this may sound strange, but my teacher suggested this to me as a means
of overcoming the problem.
I used a small two man tent to practice in because I lived in a state that rains a lot. I cut
out a two by two foot section on the floor and "duck taped" around the edges a Cotton
cloth to cover the hole. For comfort, I dug a small hole in the ground and placed sand in
it. This kept my ankles from some of the pain.
Let me know if you have a hard time sitting in an upright position for long periods. I can
let you know what to do if this is a problem.

Breathe in through your nose slowly in a rhythmical manner while imagining your breath
going down to your dan tien. Don’t hold your breath at any point. Then visually imagine
it coming back up and out your mouth. But do this progressively slowly. Not now, you
will eventually working down to eight breaths a minute, then seven, six, five, and 4 if you
want. But this isn’t all that necessary to go to 4 or less, just doing slow breathing is
perfectly fine.
Once you complete one cycle (breathe in through the nose and out of your lungs through
your mouth), you start over and repeat it for the time you’ve allotted for training.
Important: your breathing must be illustrated only by your stomach expanding and
contracting. There should be nothing else moving. In the beginning make sure your
shoulders don’t move, as this indicates your breathing is too high and your newly
cultivated chi will stay high and not make it into your dan tien. So keep shoulders still
and only move stomach to accommodate the chi in that area.
It is good to have someone observe you to make sure you are not moving your shoulders
when you do your meditative breathing.
All this may take some time, but as usual, don’t push your self. Just relax and enjoy the
experience trusting that all is done for a specific reason and things will happen as they
should.
This training is mechanical, and by doing all this you “will” attain the same desired
affects as all others have attained in Mo Pai by doing this exact same training.
While concentrating during your meditation you must work on emptying your mind of all
thoughts. This is very difficult and literally takes years to develop…so don’t be in a hurry
as nothing will happen any sooner than it is supposed to. Some people, by virtue of their
physiology, psyche and innate abilities allow them to develop sooner than others, but all
who train “will” develop no matter what. Just accept how you are created and appreciate
the transition into another mindset.
Helpful hint: when concentrating, focusing only on your dan tien, or your breath, or try
and blank everything out your mind; any one works for your development. All are
designed for pointed “concentration.”
You should start out gradually; I started out doing meditation for five minutes, then I
quickly advanced to ten. This may not sound like much, but you have to remember you
will be doing this literally for years. So, to start off slowly almost guarantees your
longevity. If you start too fast you will most certainly quit early and likely never achieve
your goal. Buy starting slowly to train yourself allows your mind and body to become
adjusted…and then your mind and body will actually tell you that it can take more when
it is ready. When this happens you must accommodate this by adding either a minute or a
few minutes at a time. Just as long as you take your time, and not be in a hurry…this way
you will find it is easier to increase your time.
In Mo Pai, there is no specific time each day to meditate. However, one hour is usual
for most people because most of us work and have family responsibilities. But, if you are
single you can take more time to train. Either way, you can do more if it is possible,
which may increase your development.
If you have families don’t take away quality time from them. This is for you as much as it
is for them.
I worked up to one hour over a period of two years. When I reached one hour I started a
second session for the day with another hour. I would do one hour and stop and do some
other things, then I would return and do another session of one hour. After a while I
started trying to do more than an hour at a time and occasionally did 2 hours straight. But
mostly I would only do one hour each session per day.
So, I would highly recommend that you take your time so you can withstand all the
issues that will come up and be able to adjust to them. It is similar to working out with
weights, you don’t just start bench pressing over two-hundred pounds…you’ve got to
work up to it. If you tried you most likely would rip tendons, and or tear muscles and this
would force you to stop.
Important: after two months of constant, daily training, your breathing mechanics
will change if you feel you are ready. The normal breathing in which you started was for
getting used to your meditative training. You still benefited from the normal way of
breathing, but now the Mo Pai method of breathing can begin if you are able to do it
comfortably and still "concentrate".
To do the "reverse breathing" technique: Instead of expanding your stomach with
your breathing-in, you must “pull-in” your stomach as you breathe-in. This may sound
strange and hard at first, but it can be done…and eventually it becomes second nature.
Then, you must “expand” your stomach as you “breathe-out.”
Your stomach is doing just the opposite from the normal way we breathe (And remember
your stomach is the only part of your body that moves). At first this will greatly impair
your ability to lengthen your breathing. However, it will improve over time; just work on
it and be patient, as this is an entirely different mode of training from ancient knowledge.
Sex: this is another issue that must be addressed. It is simple and straight forward; if
you expel your semen (in any manner) you must “STOP” for three days (72 hours). If
you do train during that time, you will tear your dan tien…and that would “end” your
training, because you can’t fill a torn container. So, you must strictly adhere to the “time-
off” period before you return to Mo Pai training. This also applies if you expel your
semen during sleep. However, if you are married, you must accommodate your wife as
she needs your attention in many areas. My teacher had seven children while he
trained…so what does that tell you?
During meditation there are differences: You must understand the difference between
meditation and “concentration”. One can meditate upon anything or any subject in a
relaxed state. Meditating causes you to think more clearly. You can think better in
meditation on many issues and make better decisions…you allow your inner mind to
move upward into your conscience thinking.
Concentration on the other hand is when you totally focus your thoughts without any
distractions or interruptions whatsoever on either nothing or a single point/aspect…it is
where your mind is totally free of thought, as there is no wavering or moving thoughts
going through your mind, it is still and fixed. This is however only achieved in
increments, and it also depends upon your desire to totally focus!
If thoughts arise, there is a method that helps to dissipate them: when any thought comes
simply look in your mind to where the thought originated…and it will dissolve away.
Concentration and breathing (Mo Pai’s method) combined is actually what develops your
chi to build up in your dan tien. Just meditating and regular breathing will not cause you
to attain the desired effects necessary for Mo Pai’s levels.
It takes much training to achieve stillness of mind, so don’t think you can do it
quickly…you can’t. It is estimated that in one hour of meditation you may achieve a total
of one minute of concentration (empty mind)…it is that difficult. This will improve over
time of course.
In Mo Pai training you must develop 81 hours of total “concentration” to attain “certain”
markers to show you’ve reached a specific level. So, it doesn’t matter how focused you
are, it will still take a long time to attain this amount of concentration…so you need to be
very patient and understand that you “concentrate” during meditation.
I will know where you stand by the signs you will eventually attain. You need to tell me
when they happen as well.
I will give you a clue, it took me around fifteen months to achieve the “heat” in my dan
tien. This is the first sign that your chi development is going along perfectly. The heat
will also increase in its intensity to the point you might feel you are going to burn
up…you will not, it is the chi throughout your body accumulating in your dan tien. Some
people will gain this later and some sooner, don’t be discouraged, as it will come no
matter what.
The next feeling will most certainly come as did the fist; everyone gets it, but the only
difference is it reacts differently on everyone; it is the same thing for everyone but affects
different parts of your body. It is a wonderful confirmation of your development, as well
as a surprising one; you will enjoy it!
End your meditation session with slow movements. It is best to bring your mind slowly
back to reality. Once you’ve stopped, just sit a moment and slowly open your eyes. Don’t
react to issues by jumping up quickly. Take your time. Massage your legs if they have
some pain and slowly get up.