The Mysterious Pass

Some so-called teachers of Dao, masters of yoga or meditation, even those who perform Dao ceremonies, highly knowledgeable and highly regarded in the hierarchies of temples and systems of temples, do not understand the mysterious pass. They call it wishful thinking; a shortcut to attainment that doesn’t exist. By saying this they reveal their lack of understanding. Others say it is found in the body, in one organ or another, the navel, or in the forehead. This is not so. The mysterious pass is no place. It cannot be described because it is no thing. Chang Po-tuan says, “It has no edges or sides, no inside or outside.” Li Daoqun says, “The innermost self activates the mysterious pass.”
Those who put it down as imagination or wishful thinking and dismiss it are fearful because they don’t understand. They don’t wish to be seen as not knowing. The ancient masters were pointing to something you can discover. It can’t be found by following instructions, not by analyzing readings, and not through the practice of ceremonies or by talk. It can only be discovered by the solitary explorer. It is neither a chakra nor a gate, though it is similar. Unlike the chakras associated with places in the body, the heart, the throat, the top of the head and so, it is a place with no location, a subtle shift in consciousness. Though it is wonderful and true, it is not surprising; its mystery lies in being ordinary. Being ordinary yet hidden makes it special. It is a great treasure. As such, it is shrouded in secrecy. When it reveals itself to you, you become its guardian.
If you are sincere and thorough, you may happen upon it, but you will not be able to tell how you found it. Like the Dao it cannot be told. Keep it well and it will keep you well. It is not the watchful eye of original nature. It is not enlightenment. It is like a deep breath. It is the connection between two nothings. What happens when you find the mysterious pass? You will say it is simple. And you will wonder how it came to be. The valley spirit enters there.