The Steps of Yu and Pacing the Big Dipper, Nathan Brine

Translation by Nathan Brine

The two diagrams that accompanied the original post are not reproduced here.

Synopsis

When I was young and cultivating the Dao, my masters explained two things. First, the Steps of Yu (yubu 禹步) are actually not Pacing the Big Dipper (bugang tadou 步罡踏斗). Second, Pacing the Big Dipper must never be used with Sorcery Stepping (wubu 巫步). Humans and the Big Dipper are closely interrelated. This article shares the complex relationship between the Steps of Yu and Pacing the Big Dipper. It also presents two methods of “Seven Star Revealed Pacing” for Pacing the Big Dipper. Cultivating these methods reduces desire and attachments, calms and stabilizes the shen 神 (spirit), makes us strong and energized, and gives us wisdom and long life!

Article

When I was young and my masters were teaching me the method of Pacing the Big Dipper, they would always say, “Steps of Yu is the foundation” and “Steps of Yu is very important!” Here is the traditional origin story of the Steps of Yu:

“The Steps of Yu came to be when Yu the Great was living on the shores of the South Sea. He saw a great bird that knew how to do breath incantations (jinzhou shu 禁咒術). When the bird did an incantation, it was accompanied by a special stepping technique that allowed the bird to flip over big stones. Yu the Great learnt the technique by following the stepping, found it extremely effective, and incorporated it into his own method. This is how he created the Steps of Yu.”

The Steps of Yu we normally practice include:

1-9 Single Step
1-3 Step
3-9 Step
13 Image Form Stepping (13 Form: Powerful Eagle, Nimble Swallow, Awakened Lion, Agile Leopard, Ferocious Tiger, Angry Ape, Playful Bear, Swimming Snake, Erect Crane, Pheasant, Celestial Horse, Night Pearl, and Skillful Person)
Seven Star Stepping
Yin Yang Taiji Stepping
Nine Palace Bagua Stepping

My master said there are dozens of ways to do the Steps of Yu. I only learnt a few. Now I regret not learning more.

When I was young, I followed my masters to Wudang Mountain to visit my Master-Uncle Wang Jiaohua. Master-Uncle Jiaohua instructed me: “The body method and footwork of 13 Image Form are the same as 13 Form Taiji, and if you take the body method and footwork and put them into Nine Palace Bagua, it’s even more effective.” Master-Uncle also clearly stated, “When training the Steps of Yu, do not use it with Sorcery Stepping. Never do Sorcery Stepping to Pace the Big Dipper.”

The Steps of Yu is not yet Pacing the Big Dipper, although the two are closely connected. To understand this connection, we need to first talk about the Big Dipper.

The Big Dipper is made up of seven stars. It is a major constellation in the northern hemisphere. Because the winding arrangement of the seven stars forms a spoon shape in the northern sky, in the old days it was called the Northern Dipper.

The text Chun qiu yun dou shu gives the stars’ names as follows:

1st is Tianshu
2nd is Tianxuan
3rd is Tianji
4th is Tianquan
5th is Tianheng
6th is Kaiyang
7th is Yaoguang

The first to fourth are the most eminent stars and make up the dipper’s cup. The fifth to seventh make up the handle. Together they form the dipper.

The ancients say: “Every star is a palace, and every palace has a lord.”

The lord of Tianshu palace is Tanlang
The lord of Tianxuan palace is Jumen
The lord of Tianji palace is Lucun
The lord of Tianquan palace is Wenqu
The lord of Tianheng palace is Lianzhen
The lord of Kaiyang palace is Wuqu
The lord of Yaoguang palace is Pojun

The ancients say: “The Big Dipper is north of the Supreme Palace enclosure, in the centre of the sky, and therefore it is the utmost virtuous manifestation of Heaven and Earth. The Big Dipper is the True Qi and the Orthodox Way. It contains Original Qi in its fixed interactions with celestial phenomena as it revolves around the sky’s centre. The Big Dipper establishes the four seasons. It balances the five phases. It allows the 10,000 things to flourish. Therefore, it is the lord over our shen. It has the ability to resurrect and fill with life, and the power to ward off calamity and pass over difficulties. It governs what lives and dies. It rules over Heaven and Earth. It observes and records the righteous and the wicked. There is nothing that is not governed by it.”

Humans exist in a close relationship with the Big Dipper. We could even call it a relationship of resonance and response between Heaven and Human (tian ren gan ying 天人感應)!

Pacing the Big Dipper uses the Steps of Yu to coordinate with the position of the Big Dipper and auxiliary stars, and to pace through their many twists and turns. Just as if one was pacing on the Celestial Mansion of the Big Dipper itself. In the old days this was called Pacing the Big Dipper. It was also called gangfa 罡法 (Dipper Method).

Pacing the Big Dipper has many different methods. Here is a sampling. Once again, I regret not learning more when I had the chance.

Pre-Heaven Bagua Gangfa
Post-Heaven Bagua Gangfa
Supreme Oneness Gangfa
Seven Star Gangfa
Flying Dipper Gangfa
Five Thunder Gangfa

Make sure to remember that there are two kinds of Pacing the Big Dipper. One is called Revealed Pacing (mingta 明踏) and the other is called Hidden Pacing (mingta 冥踏). In Chinese these words sound the same, but they are written with different characters. Not only are the words different, but the method of cultivation, what we get, and how they are used are all different too. (Below we will introduce two methods of Revealed Pacing for Pacing the Big Dipper.)

Why did the ancients Pace the Big Dipper?

When the ancients observed celestial phenomena in the night sky, they noticed that the position of the Pole Star was unchanging, and the seven stars of the Big Dipper revolved around it. As a result, the Pole Star was believed to be the centre of the universe. Because of this, the sky was split into the Three Walls (sanyuan 三垣): Taiwei, Ziwei, and Tianshi. Ziwei is the centre of the centre. The Pole Star is the palace of Ziwei, and is the abode of the Celestial Emperor.

The ancients say, “The Big Dipper revolves around Ziwei Palace, creating an enclosure. Within this enclosed space are Nine Palaces altogether. Within the Nine Palaces are the Nine True Qi.” The ancients also say, “Heaven contains the Nine Palaces of Extreme Emptiness. Within formlessness and lack of substance lies the Nine True [Qi], which mobilizes the changes of the 10,000 things.”

Outside of the Big Dipper are the Nine Continents. The Nine Continents are the space where life happens. It is where we experience the hardship and pain of people, affairs, and things. The ancients called this, “Earth contains the Nine Continents and 10,000 things. Within form and substance, the transmutations of the Five Phases create and sustain the 10,000 things.”

The ancients have this ideal:

All we need is to leave the realm of form and substance, wipe away the hardship and pain of people, affairs, and things, ascend into the Heavens, acquire the Nine True Qi and transform into empty nothingness, without form or substance, become a xian, and attain the Dao.

The sages and fangshi 方士 of yore used the Steps of Yu to derive the method of Pacing the Big Dipper. They used this method of training to actualize the goal of becoming a xian and obtaining the Dao.

Let’s introduce two methods of Pacing the Big Dipper:

Method #1: Pacing the Big Dipper—Seven Star Stepping

The practitioner first finds a clean and quiet area to practise in. Mountains, fields, forest, public square, or inside at home are all fine.

Stand naturally, close eyes and regulate breathing. Calm our heart-mind and stabilize our shen. With eyes closed (ming mu 冥目) use Outer Observation to see the constellation in front of us. Use our yishi 意識 (if unsure what this is, just use a field of intention) to make the seven stars of the Big Dipper appear right in front of us. Just like in the diagram below:

Stand where it shows “Me” on the diagram. Open our eyes, and pace the Big Dipper.

Use the Steps of Yu to first do the Bear Form Three Step: the left foot enters the Dipper first, using the Steps of Yu to step on the seven stars, and then when exiting the Dipper, again do the Bear Form Three Step. While doing the Bear Form stepping, rotate the body 180 degrees and enter the Dipper. Once again do the Steps of Yu to step on the seven stars. Exit and do the Bear Form Three Step. In this way, repeat three, six, or nine times.

Once finished, use the Bear Form Three Step to exit the Dipper, and return to our original position. Stand still and natural. Check how we feel. Notice any changes in our mind or body and remember them in our heart. Finish off practice.

Do not forget! When Pacing the Big Dipper do not use sorcery or Sorcery Stepping.

With this Pacing the Big Dipper training method, outside the Dipper has form, but inside the Dipper has no form. This allows us to check the changes in our shen, qi, desire, and power.

Either desire decreases, shen stabilizes, qi fills and power increases, leading to wisdom and longevity, or desire increases, shen scatters, qi and power lessen, leading to a loss of wisdom and life.

Method #2: Pacing the Big Dipper—Yin Yang Dipper

The practitioner first finds a quiet and clean area to practise in. Mountains, fields, forest, public square, or inside at home are all fine.

Stand naturally, close eyes and regulate breathing. Calm our heart-mind and stabilize our shen. With eyes closed (ming mu 冥目) use Outer Observation to see the constellation in front of us. Use our yishi to make the seven stars of the Big Dipper appear right in front of us. Just like in the diagram below:

Stand between the two Dippers, where it shows “Me” on the diagram. With eyes open, clearly see and think about Pacing the Big Dipper. First rotate the body to the right and step out with the left foot. Enter the Dipper using the Steps of Yu. Exit using the Bear Form Three Step. When doing the Bear Form, rotate the body, and again enter the Dipper with the Steps of Yu. After exiting, stand with both feet on the space marked “Me” on the diagram. Then again enter the Dipper using the Steps of Yu. Repeat until finishing three full counterclockwise circuits.

Now, after reaching “Me,” rotate the body to the left and enter with the right foot first. Enter the Dipper with the Steps of Yu. Exit the Dipper with the Bear Form Three Step. When doing the Bear Form, rotate the body, and again enter the Dipper with the Steps of Yu. After exiting, stand with both feet on the space marked “Me” on the diagram. Then again enter the Dipper using the Steps of Yu. Repeat until finishing three clockwise circuits.

Three times counterclockwise and three times clockwise equals one full round of practice. When standing on “Me” between the two Dippers, check the changes of empty and full between right and left, and check whether the two sides are balanced. Then finish off practice.

This kind of Pacing the Big Dipper training method is best done during the festive holiday season of Chinese New Year and the Spring Festival. For example:

The 8th day of the first lunar month is ideal. In the old days they had a saying about New Year: “Celebrating the New Year is like forgetting the self.” Both lords and peasants alike are happy. The line between great and small is erased. Every family is full of joy. Social hierarchy is forgotten. Officials sit idle, and there is no tax to pay…

From New Year’s Eve to the 7th day of the New Year, everyone forgets themselves. They eat, drink, and be merry. Everyone fulfills their lusts and indulges to the brink. The self is abandoned. The 8th day of the New Year is the Shun Deng Festival (also called Shun Xing Festival). This is when we should find ourselves again!

From the 8th to the 14th day of the New Year, the sages and fangshi restore themselves using the Yin Yang Dipper and Seven Star Stepping Pacing the Big Dipper training methods. They use these methods to check the changes of left and right, empty and full, desire and lust, blessings and luck. From right to left. From left to right. They Pace the Big Dipper to help the practitioner find the self with form and substance, and make sure the changes of body and mind, left and right, empty and full, are balanced.

Do not forget! When Pacing the Big Dipper do not use sorcery or Sorcery Stepping.

Practitioners can place a bright lamp beside each of the seven stars of the Big Dipper. If no lamps are available, then something else can be used to represent a lamp. In the old days, when using lamps to pace the Yin Yang Dipper there was a rhyme that was said out loud:

First lamp flows
Second lamp goes
Third lamp welcomes the Zhenren
Fourth lamp sees the Wenqu
Fifth lamp the Five Blessings are born
Sixth lamp worships the Wuqu
Seventh lamp the Celestial Pass purifies our wisdom and shen

Following this sequence to pray for blessings, we ward off misfortune and dissolve difficulties.

When the lamps are arranged on the 8th, then by the 15th day of the New Year everything is whole and complete! I hope that everyone can return to the natural way of being and find happiness and joy in our daily lives!

Chinese belief in the Big Dipper has lasted thousands of years. Today, modern people still hold onto this belief. Maybe this is because of the close connection the Big Dipper has to our lives!

Wang Liping, February 2021, Dalian China