This is the continuation of a six-part video series I’m doing on Taoist and Buddhist Mysticism as it has been practiced historically and culturally among the Han. Video 1 released earlier was the Introduction to Buddhist-Taoist Esotericism. We are now on to Video 2.

2. History of Taoist and Buddhist Mysticism in China

In this video lecture, we are going to cover over 4,000 years of history, going through the dynasties, beginning with the Xia, Shang, and Zhou, until we reach modern China. Our coverage will span beyond 4,000 years, preceding the Xia, to talk about shamanism in the Neolithic Era.

Works cited for everything covered in this lecture are in the end notes of The Tao of Craft (North Atlantic Books, 2016).

Next Lecture: Taoist Sorcery and Its Cultural Practice

All videos in this series are closed-captioned for the deaf, hard of hearing, or those whose native tongue isn’t English. I’ve also made my best attempt at accommodating for the blind. If there is room for improvement in these regards, I’m open to friendly critique. Thank you!

For the full playlist, go here:

tinyurl.com/chineseoccultism

Related Videos From My Channel

In Video 2, I make reference to a few topics I’ve covered in greater depth on my channel already.

What is a Book of Methods?

Among the related video links I shared for Video 1 was a flip-through of my personal Book of Methods. This one posted earlier, however, addresses what a Book of Methods or Fang Shu is within its cultural context.

Book Trailer for The Tao of Craft

Everything discussed in this video come from my research for The Tao of Craft and is covered in greater detail in that book. This is a book trailer I made for the book’s release.

Thunder Rites

This Tinkering Bell practicum gives an example of working with Zhang Daoling in Fu talisman crafting, though this practicum instructs on methods within a technique called thunder rites, or Taoist thunder magic.

ABOUT THE VIDEO SERIES

Taoism is a nature-based religion, philosophy, and a 2,000 year old tradition of sorcery native to China since the Zhou Dynasty. In that same time, Buddhism enters China and a modality of it–esoteric Buddhism–is blended in with Taoist magic. Yet the roots of Taoist magic trace back even further than the dynasties of antiquity, back to Neolithic shamanism.

This introductory six-video lecture series will cover the ontology, theory, history, and cultural practice of sorcery at the intersection of esoteric Buddhism and Taoism. You’re on Video #2: History of Taoist and Buddhist Mysticism in China

1: Introduction to Buddhist-Taoist Esotericism

2: History of Taoist and Buddhist Mysticism in China

3: Taoist Sorcery and Its Cultural Practice

4: Taoist Metaphysics

5: Chinese Occultism as a Syncretic Practice

6: Taoist Magic in Contemporary Times

I’m creating this lecture series as an invitation to you to learn more about the occult traditions I practice. I hope you find within these offerings bits of insight, knowledge, and methods that you can integrate, syncretize, adopt into your own Path.

You Donation Helps Keep this Series Free for All

You wouldn’t even believe how time-consuming and labor-intensive it is to create these educational videos. I sacrifice personal resources and time to produce these for the public. Your donation to help with the costs goes a very long way. To donate, click on the PayPal link below.

https://www.paypal.me/benebell

Or donate by sending me an Amazon gift card to my e-mail address abelldelivers@gmail.com. Click on the link below to donate. All Amazon gift cards are given to Mom and Dad. They won’t accept money from me, but I can con them into accepting Amazon account dollars.

Send an Amazon Gift Card to abelldelivers@gmail.com

I Ching and the Practitioner

Understanding the I Ching for its occult and divinatory values will expand your capabilities in both Chinese ceremonial magic and traditional witchcraft.

Considered one of the oldest divination systems in world history, the I Ching is, at its core, a sacred text that empowers a practitioner. When you understand the I Ching as philosophy, you attain wisdom both of your inner self and of the cosmos. When you understand the I Ching as an expression of the Divine, you attain access to an incredible tool for communing with that Divinity.

Click on the banner below to read more about the online course I offer, “I Ching and the Practitioner” and how to enroll. The objective of this course is to impart a heightened level of proficiency with I Ching both as a divinatory system and as a magical system, so that a practitioner will be able to use the I Ching to divine for the self, for others, and integrate components of the I Ching into spell-crafting.

As a package, you get a video lecture and workshop series, a copy of my translations and annotations of the I Ching Book of Changes, an I Ching Oracle Deck, and dozens of additional handouts and reference materials. 

This course teaches the following divination methods: (1) two forms of the yarrow stalk divination method, one of which will be applied later in spell-crafting instructions per traditional Taiwanese witchcraft, (2) rice grains divination, and (3) coin toss. The course takes decidedly occult leanings and includes a five-part “Occult I Ching” series. There is also a Facebook study and resource group set up to bring you an I Ching social collective.

If you find the History of Taoist and Buddhist Mysticism in China of personal interest to you, then you’ll enjoy the I Ching and the Practitioner online course, which will offer practical instruction into Chinese divination and magic.