Frequently asked questions

How Do I Begin Inner Alchemy If I’m Healthy, Celibate, and Have No Partner

 
Q&A: How Do I Begin Inner Alchemy If I’m Healthy, Celibate, and Have No Partner?
Q:
I’m in good health, retired, and practice basic seated abdominal breathing. I have no partner and live a celibate life. I’ve read some of your books and want to begin inner alchemy now. Where should I start?

A:
Celibacy is not a disadvantage in Daoist inner alchemy — it simply channels all energy inward toward refinement and return. In fact, it often makes the foundational stages cleaner and more focused.

Below is a simple, safe 10–15 minute daily routine. It requires no partner, no special equipment, and is entirely compatible with good health and stillness of life.

 
1. Seated Abdominal Breathing (3–5 minutes)
Sit comfortably with spine upright, feet flat if in a chair.
Place hands over the lower abdomen (Dantian).
In Daoist practice, inhale and exhale are not deliberate actions — they happen on their own, like the universe breathing through you.
Keep your attention on the breath as if watching from outside yourself. No adding, no subtracting, no effort to deepen or lengthen.
Over time, your breath will slow naturally, eventually becoming so fine it almost disappears.
2. Dantian Awareness (2–3 minutes)
Continue effortless breathing.
Rest awareness in the lower abdomen, about three finger-widths below the navel and slightly inside.
Feel for warmth, gentle expansion, or a quiet pulse — without trying to create them.
3. Light Spinal Circulation (3–4 minutes)
On the natural inhale, notice energy drifting up the spine to the crown.
On the natural exhale, notice it returning down the front midline to the lower abdomen.
Keep it light and unforced, like mist moving in the breeze.
4. Closing / Sealing (2–3 minutes)
Place both palms over the lower abdomen.
Witness three unforced breaths as the Dantian gathers and settles.
Let the energy “seal” naturally, like water resting in a still bowl.
 
Guidelines:

Practice once daily at a quiet time.
If you feel lightheaded or restless, pause and rest — then shorten the next session.
Keep a small notebook to note sensations, changes, or insights.
This routine builds the right base for later stages of inner alchemy. Once your foundation is steady, you can progress safely to deeper breath work, sealing methods, and advanced circulation practices.

For more on advanced Daoist training and details of the upcoming 21-Day Fasting Camp, visit:
👉 https://laingzmatthews.com/

Should I eat extra to “build up reserves” before starting a fast?

A: No. In fact, that’s one of the fastest ways to make the first days of your fast harder, not easier.
Here’s why:

Your body already has reserves.
Unless you’re severely underweight or malnourished, you’re carrying plenty of stored fuel in the form of fat and glycogen. That’s what fasting is designed to tap. Eating extra before you start doesn’t add useful energy—it just delays the switch to burning your own stores.
Overeating spikes insulin.
A big pre-fast feast ramps up blood sugar and insulin. When you stop eating, insulin takes time to drop, so your body is slow to start fat-burning (lipolysis). That means more hunger pangs, more fatigue, and a rougher adaptation period.
Fasting is a metabolic shift, not a starvation contest.
The goal is to slide gracefully into a low-insulin, fat-burning state. A clean, balanced meal before you begin is better than a “last supper.”
Psychology matters.
Eating to “store up” sends your brain the message that fasting is dangerous and deprivation is coming. Entering a fast calmly, with a sense of sufficiency, keeps the nervous system more stable.
Best practice:

Eat normally the day before.
Avoid heavy sugar and starch in your last meal.
Make your final meal light, nutrient-rich, and easy to digest—think vegetables, moderate protein, and healthy fat.
Hydrate well.
Bottom line:
Don’t load the pantry before locking the door—you want to walk in with a calm system, not a sugar crash waiting to happen.