Originally Posted by
Scott R. Brown
This is most likely not true. They may or may not have popularized the concepts of “internal principles” in highly populated areas, such as Beijing where Dong taught, but neither of them coined the term, originated the principles, and mostly likely were NOT the first to apply the principles to MA.
Reportedly Dong, Hai Chuan learned “something” from a Taoist monk or Taoist monks. These principles and/or exercises by definition then were of Taoist origins. His Inner or Internal principles spring from Taoist teaching that go back millennia. As of the latest scholarship that I am presently aware of, the first mention of “Inner Practice” is found in the mid-fourth century B.C. work entitled Nei-yeh, (Inward Training). This work is considered the oldest presently known written record of Taoist teachings/principles antedating the first known copy of the Tao Te Ching by about 100-200 years. Its purpose is to address the principles and practices that allow one to accommodate themselves to Tao. The poetical structure of Nei-yeh indicates its origins come from an even earlier oral tradition. Within the Nei-yeh, Internal, refers to Mental practices and principles that bring one into accord with Tao.
Nearly universally, early tribal cultures practiced some form of shamanism. The basis and origins of shamanism may be found within human psychology. Shamanism involves the mental or introspective investigation into the landscapes of the mind; the workings and patterns of thought that occur within the human mind and learning how these principles may relate to, interact with, and affect the External world. So shamanism applies psychological (Internal) principles in order to affect the outer (External) world. Taoist Internal practices originated from shamanistic practices and have no origination in Buddhism. However, that is not to say that Buddhist Internal practices did not influence Taoist Internal practices later in history.
Introspection into the mind reveals that all External activities and phenomena originate from within the mind. Once we understand this we may choose to follow the principles of Tao and practice Internal/Mental exercises that allow for the efficient use of our bodies and environment. These principles and practices, when understood and applied effectively, allows one to perform External actions with a minimum of effort. Using a minimum of effort preserves energy. One of the principles of Tao is the conservation of energy. Energy is to be cultivated, stored and used in a manner that limits useless and inefficient expenditures. The Internal/Mental, principles of Tao are the Internal/Mental principles that are the foundation of Internal MA.
So Internal training is training that springs from an understanding that all External actions and phenomena originate within the mind. Internal training has as its basis, the principles of Tao, and the training of the mind first and the application of External, physical, techniques second. Mind BEFORE body. When we apply Internal principles to any External activity we are practicing an Internal Art as Chuang-tzu illustrates in his story of the butcher who artfully carves with a minimum of effort.
