The Supreme Inner Alchemy Scripture of Guarding the One in True Stillness

The “Supreme Inner Alchemy Scripture of Guarding the One in True Stillness” is a Daoist inner alchemy classic included in the Dongshen section, Benwen category, of the Orthodox Daoist Canon.

The following are the effects of the True Stillness Scripture:

1. The body: preserving life and nourishing form, green intestines and cinnabar marrow (ultimate anti-aging)

Scriptural correspondence:“The Dao and its methods give rise to all things, preserving life and nourishing form... green intestines and cinnabar marrow, enduring for all ages.”
Modern paraphrase: Through the breathing and meditation methods in the scripture, one can guide the body’s microcirculation and endocrine glands (such as the adrenal glands, gonads, pineal gland, etc.) to readjust. In Daoist terms, this can nourish the bone marrow and internal organ cells (green intestines and cinnabar marrow), achieving the effects of strengthening the body, delaying aging, and preserving life.

2. Breathing: true breath, continuous and unbroken (enhancing the heart, lungs, and qi and blood)

Scriptural correspondence：“Stabilize the spirit and govern qi; true breath flows on and on. Preserve it continuously; this is the mystery within the mystery.”
Modern paraphrase：It teaches how to train rapid breathing into an extremely fine, even, barely perceptible state of “embryonic breathing.” This can greatly reduce oxygen consumption, stabilize the heartbeat, calm the central nervous system，and make the body’s qi and blood circulation extremely smooth.

3. Emotions: guarding true stillness and becoming one with the Dao (emotion management and stress relief)

Scriptural correspondence：“Guard this true stillness, and naturally body and spirit will both become wondrous, becoming one with the Dao.”
Modern paraphrase：This is what modern people need most. Through the concentration training of “guarding the One,” the brain can cut off external anxiety, desire, and distracting thoughts (eliminating the harm caused by people’s greed and desire, which shortens life). Your state of mind will become “truly still” like motionless water, reaching an elevated state of stress resistance, anxiety relief, and mastery over your own emotions.

4. Ultimate: yin departs and yang becomes pure, ascending in broad daylight (the transformation of the level of life)

Scriptural correspondence：“When yin departs and yang becomes pure, one ascends in broad daylight... and attains the True Dao.”
Modern paraphrase：This is the highest pursuit of Daoist belief. It completely refines all the negative, aging, and heavy energies within the body (yin), transforming them into pure, vibrant energy (pure yang), ultimately bringing soul and body into the most perfect harmony (wondrously united body and spirit), and even transcending material constraints to attain the Dao and become an immortal.

The original text is as follows:

Transmission of the Purple Light Heavenly Mother by the Seven Golden Treasures Mountain of Southern Yue

I humbly hear of the Great Dao: when chaos first divided, heaven and earth were established, the sun and moon traced their courses, and the primal qi and the essences of yin and yang intermingled. The Dao and its methods give rise to all things, preserving life and nourishing form. People of the world are dim and ignorant, greedy and desirous, and so they cut life short. Now I transmit the sacred meaning; all of you should respectfully practice it.

The Primordial Supreme Emperor said to all the newly learned true ones: I possess a wondrous Dao, long concealed and rarely spoken. Movement in twos is called yin; stillness in oneness is called yang. Duality brings change; oneness preserves constancy. Know constancy and awaken to clarity; embrace the One and become lucid and numinous. If you wish to see far and long, you should ingest the golden essence. Stabilize the spirit and govern qi; true breath flows on and on. Preserve it continuously; this is the mystery within the mystery. In the middle field, fire flows; the yin soul rises to meet it. Kan and Li join and solidify; transformation occurs naturally. Stillness alone is the root; this is called the spiritual root. Radiant and brilliant, it illumines heaven and earth by itself. Green intestines and cinnabar marrow, enduring for all ages. Yin departs and yang becomes pure; one ascends in broad daylight.

Then the Jade Pure Great Dao Lord said: This is the treasure of the whole body, the mother of all qi. If you obtain the mother, the six offspring will arise. You should carefully contemplate its meaning and guard its true stillness; then naturally body and spirit will both become wondrous, becoming one with the Dao, becoming companions of Heaven, and nothing could be greater. At that time, all the newly learned true ones who heard this wondrous Dao withdrew to quiet chambers, focused their minds in stillness, returned to the Great Beginning, and attained the True Dao.