NEI DAN: INTERNAL ALCHEMY
Original price was: £85.00.£65.00Current price is: £65.00.
ANCIENT WISDOM AND MODERN UNDERSTANDING
What is internal alchemy, how has it been understood through traditional practice, and what can it teach us about ourselves today?
This live online course explores Nei Dan through traditional philosophy and modern understanding, investigating the relationship between body, breath, mind, awareness and the process of internal development. Through guided teaching, practical exploration and reflection, you will have the opportunity to question established ideas, develop your understanding and consider how the principles of internal alchemy can be applied to everyday life.
COURSE DATE
Sunday, 20 December 2026
DURATION
3–4 hours
TIME
09:30–13:30pm (UK Time)
LOCATION
Zoom Online Virtual Classroom
ABOUT THIS COURSE
What does it mean to transform ourselves from within, and how might the ancient practice of internal alchemy help us better understand the human experience?
Nei Dan, commonly translated as Internal Alchemy, is a traditional practice rooted in Daoist philosophy and the internal arts. Historically, it has involved methods of cultivation concerned with the relationship between body, breath, Chi, mind and consciousness. But what do these traditional principles mean, how were they understood by earlier practitioners, and how might we investigate their relevance in the modern world?
This course explores internal alchemy from both traditional and contemporary perspectives. Rather than approaching Nei Dan simply as a collection of techniques or accepting traditional explanations without investigation, we will examine its underlying principles and consider how they relate to our experience of being human.
Through guided teaching, practical exploration and reflection, we will investigate the role of physical organisation, breathing, attention, stillness and awareness in internal development. We will also consider where traditional explanations and modern scientific understanding offer useful points of comparison, while recognising that they arise from different frameworks and should not automatically be treated as equivalent.
The aim is to develop a deeper understanding of what internal alchemy represents, how it has been approached through traditional practice, and how its principles might inform the way we understand ourselves and engage with everyday life.
INFORMATION
This course is suitable for people interested in Nei Dan, Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung, Nei Kung, Daoist philosophy and the wider exploration of human development.
It is intended for practitioners who wish to deepen their understanding of internal practice, as well as those who are curious about the relationship between traditional knowledge and modern perspectives on the human body, mind and experience.
No previous experience of Nei Dan is required, although experience of the internal arts may provide a useful foundation.
The course is delivered live through an online virtual classroom, with opportunities for guided practice, questions, discussion and reflection.
COURSE CONTENT
The course explores several interconnected aspects of internal alchemy.
Understanding Nei Dan: Investigating the origins, traditional philosophy and central principles of internal alchemy, including what the term means within the context of Daoist cultivation.
The Body as the Foundation: Exploring posture, structural organisation, physical relaxation and the relationship between the body and internal practice.
Breath, Mind and Awareness: Investigating the role of breathing, attention and stillness in traditional approaches to internal cultivation, alongside relevant aspects of modern understanding.
The Principles of Internal Alchemy: Exploring traditional concepts of refinement, transformation and the relationship between the Three Treasures of Jing, Chi and Shen.
Ancient Teachings and Modern Understanding: Examining how traditional explanations of internal development can be considered alongside contemporary knowledge of human physiology, psychology and the mind-body relationship, while distinguishing established scientific findings from traditional interpretations.
Applying Nei Dan to Everyday Life: Considering how the principles explored through the course may inform daily habits, self-observation, personal development and ongoing internal practice.
The session combines traditional teaching, investigation and practical experience. The emphasis is not simply on learning what to practise, but on developing an understanding of why the practice matters, what we can learn from it and how we might apply that understanding in our lives.
LOCATION
Online Virtual Classroom.
Joining information will be provided following booking.
BOOK THIS COURSE
Booking Status: Open for booking
Early Booking Price: £65.00
Standard Price: £85.00
This is a live online course delivered on Sunday, 20 December 2026, with a duration of approximately three to four hours.
BOOK NOW
Join Ptah Khi Academy to investigate Nei Dan: Internal Alchemy, exploring the relationship between ancient teachings, modern understanding, and the practical process of human development.
