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Ron's Story

Ron Teeguarden’s Brief Biography

Ron Teeguarden Meets Daoist Master
Sung Jin Park

Ron Teeguarden’s Brief Biography

Ron Teeguarden has been a professional practitioner of Asian health care since 1971 and has been a practicing herbalist since 1974. Although he is not genetically of Asian decent, he has been a powerful translator of Eastern philosophy and health care techniques to ten’s of thousands of Westerners for nearly three decades.

Ron was born February 8, 1947 in Saint Augustine, Florida. He was raised in California, and eventually attended the University of Michigan. In 1969, Ron founded a health food company in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which eventually became known as Eden Organic Foods, and which soon became one of the largest natural foods companies in America. Ron started studying Chinese herbalism in 1969.

In addition to his herbal studies, Ron studied a wide range of traditional Asian health care techniques, and became renowned throughout America for his work with acupressure. He studied with numerous Oriental masters and doctors until, in 1974, he met his greatest teacher, Daoist Master Sung Jin Park. From Master Park, Ron learned the principles, theories and practices of the Oriental Art of Radiant Health that he employs today.

Ron founded and operated the Acupressure Workshops in Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Berkeley from 1975 through 1982. At the time, these were the largest acupressure centers in America. Ron co-developed an acupressure technique known as Jin Shin Do Acupressure, which is now practiced by many thousand’s of practitioners around the world.

In 1976, Ron spent five months studying various Asian health care techniques in Japan, including acupressure and herbalism. During this stay in Japan, Ron came up with the idea of the 'elixir bar.' However, it was eight more years before the first elixir bar was to manifested in America.

His first book, Chinese Tonic Herbs, written in 1984 (Japan Publications), has become a classic in the field, and is required reading by anyone interested in Chinese herbalism. In 1988 Ron opened the Tea Garden Herbal Emporium in Venice, California. The Emporium eventually became one of the most exciting 'boutiques' in Los Angeles and Ron gained recognition as an herbal master. Ron had developed a broad proprietary line of herbal products the likes of which had never been seen before in America. The line included numerous exotic products that had been used in Asia for centuries but had never been seen in America. Ron single-handedly propelled Reishi mushrooms into the national spotlight by promoting them in numerous publications. He was featured in articles in Time Magazine, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and in numerous news stories on television, including features on CNN, VH1 and NBC. He was on the cover of the L.A. Reader holding a Reishi mushroom.

Ron spent most of 1993 through 1995 living in China, exploring the herbal culture and building a network. Ron left the Tea Garden Herbal Emporiums in January of 1996. Ron opened the new Ron Teeguarden’s Herb Garden, in Brentwood California in 1997.

Ron had met Yan Lin in Shanghai in 1992, who eventually became his wife. Together, they built the network that today distinguishes their enterprise. Ron has built very close ties to a number of very senior phyto-pharmaceutical scientists in mainland China. These scientists provide Ron with current information and provide him with resources not available to most other westerners. Ron and Yanlin still spend several months a year in China searching for the ultimate herbs and contacting the great scientists that fuel Dragon Herbs development.

From 1995 through 1998 Ron worked on a book for Warner Books. That book, entitled Radiant Health was published in the summer of 1998. It has been available in hard back, but will be released in paperback under the new title The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs in the Spring of 2000. This book provides information on everything Ron has learned in his 30 years of study, but features the latest information available on the Chinese tonic herbs, as well as Ron's insights into the whole system. The book has received very favorable reviews in both America and China.

Ron believes that the time has arrived when the whole world can share in the great treasure chest that is Chinese tonic herbalism, the core tool of the Oriental art of radiant health. Dragon Herbs features an extraordinary selection of premium quality Chinese tonic herbs, numerous products produced in mainland China under the supervision of Ron’s in-laws, who are top level scientists, as well as certain unique herbs from other locations from around the world. This web site provides detailed guidelines that can help anyone develop a superior herbal program for themselves. Ron and his herbal associates also give private herbal consultations by appointment.

The Fourth Daoist Exercise
Ron Teeguarden Meets Daoist Master
Sung Jin Park

By Ron Teeguarden

It was twenty seven years ago that a series of remarkable events transformed my life forever. For several years I had been suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. Due to the excesses of my college years, I had burned myself out pretty badly and couldn’t seem to recover. Though I had gained a lot on the psychic level during my explorations of the ‘60’s, my body had broken down. One day I woke up with no energy, and that was it --- the condition stuck with me for years. The lack of energy was actually quite dramatic, because until then I had been a very energetic person. Out of my deep exhaustion, a large variety of symptoms arose that became cumulatively hellish. Headaches, joint pains, the lack of any kind of energy, the loss of focus, digestive problems, and lots more. I went from healer to doctor to healer, but couldn’t find a way out of the overall problem.

I got very much into things Oriental at that time. I had become strictly macrobiotic and therefore spent a lot of time studying Japanese culture and in particular, Japanese health care techniques. I also became interested in Zen meditation. But to my constant chagrin, I had a great deal of trouble making any headway with Zen. First, you had to sit on your knees to meditate, sometimes for long periods of time, and my knees couldn’t handle that for even a few minutes at a time. Sitting on my knees was agony. Secondly, even if I tried meditating on a chair, I just couldn’t get my mind to quiet down. I worked with a number of instructors and read plenty of books, but I knew that I was getting nowhere.

Then one day I was exploring the Los Angeles Korea town area and I entered a small variety store. I came across a book that really attracted my attention. It was entitled Altong – A Mystic Healthway by an obviously adept master named Sung Hak Park. On the cover of this oversized but thin book was a painting of some Korean deity, clearly a benevolent and powerful being. Later, I learned that it was the likeness of San Shin, the Mountain Spirit, truly the king of the gods in old Korean mysticism. As I opened the book, I read the introductory story. It read:

'Tokkebis like the one shown here belong to Korean myth. According to Korean mythology, the universe was given form by tokkebis, who possess mighty and magical strength. Korea's national founder, Hwanoong, descended from heaven to White Head Mountain with 3,000 tokkebis. Among them were Pung Baek, the wind master; Rae Kong, the master of thunder; Woo Sa, the rain master; and Woon Sa, the cloud master. Countless tokkebi stories appear in Korean folklore, and we find tokkebis in painting, sculpture, and handcrafts.

But tokkebis do not only appear in folklore: their power can be gained through the mystical exercise called Altong. Altong developed independent of and beyond physical science, and dates from the Tangun era of old Korea (2333 BC). Called 'the method of harmonizing breaths,' it is a way of cultivating the spirit and the body. Since the year 372 AD, Altong self-cultivation has been practiced in Korean mountain retreats, and the method has been passed down to us today via the oral traditions of mountain hermits.'

After a few more pages of introduction, the remainder of the book consisted of pictures of the author doing the Altong exercises. The book really struck me --- it had so much power. So I purchased it and took it home. Immediately I ran through the first set of exercises and then attempted to do the meditation techniques illustrated. To my incredible surprise, I found them to be very easy and that my mind became at complete peace. I was able to successfully meditate for the first time in my life. I was exhilarated and felt that, at least temporarily, I had elevated my consciousness to a very pleasurable altered state.

I began practicing Altong meditation every day. It was great. My endurance grew and my physical energy improved. I felt a happiness that I knew had been lacking in my being previously. But their was still one great problem. Master Park had presented four meditation postures. For the fourth one, he was laying on his side, on the ground with his head resting on his hand and with his other hand between his legs, hidden from view. It was not clear what either hand was doing. Unlike the other postures, where he gave clear instructions along with an illustration, for this posture he only had the caption 'This is a special exercise. See your instructor for details.'

Well, of course, that drove me nuts. I had to know what this 'special exercise' was all about, so I decided that I had to find Master Park and receive the special instruction. Sadly, the book had been printed in Korea and had no address in it to contact the author, who had apparently published the book himself. I tried writing letters to different Korean societies, but no one could help me. I asked several Korean people if they knew what I could do, but nobody knew, so my search ended with a thud. I continued to do the Altong meditation exercises, but determined to someday get my answer to the riddle of the fourth Altong 'exercise.'

A year went by. I had come up with the idea of starting a local sports newspaper. I decided to go around Los Angeles and pick up all the free local newspapers so that I could find out who is advertising. I was planning on calling these advertisers to see if they would advertise in my new monthly. I picked up about a half dozen free papers, none of which I had ever read before (and most of which I have never read again). Leafing through one, I came upon a strange little ad. It did not mention a name, tokkebis or anything like that. But it was promoting a class on Oriental inner alchemy and instantly I just knew – it was Park.

The next week I went to the class and sure enough it was him. He had changed his name to Sung Jin Park, but I wasn’t even surprised. For no good reason, I just expected the instructor to be Park. Only one other man showed up for the class. When it was time to begin, Master Park had us stand on our heads against a wall. As we did this he left through the front door. After about twenty minutes, my classmate began cursing and a few minutes later got down and left. A minute later Sung Jin Park returned through the front door and told me I could get down.

My head was spinning and I had a headache. But he said to me 'I have been looking for one sincere student. Now, if you are willing to be my apprentice, you are the one.' I new instantly that this was going to be a changing point in my life. He told me that, were I to accept the role of apprentice, my responsibility would be to teach what I learn from him to ten other people, and that each of these ten would pass the knowledge on to ten others…and so on. I accepted and he began to teach me.

The very first thing that Sung Jin Park did with me was to put me on an herbal program. Just by looking at me and listening to a short version of my history, he came to the conclusion that I was deficient in an energy he called 'Jing.' He said that all my problems stemmed from this one profound deficiency. However, he said, I was not really in need of healing. Instead, I needed a kind of 'recharging and re-balancing.' He also said that I needed 'protection.' The herbal program he put me on consisted of no medicinal herbs. It consisted only of 'tonic' herbs from China and Korea. All of the herbs in the concoction, which I had to cook daily, were herbs that he said would build up my 'Jing' energy and would protect me. At the time, I didn’t even know what I was protecting myself against, but I felt I had to surrender to his wisdom. I just knew it would lead me to a better life.

Weeks and months went by and I began to learn the principles of daoist health practice, or what he called 'the art of radiant health.' Several times I asked him to explain the fourth Altong exercise to me, but each time he said that I needed to know a little bit more before he would show me the precise technique. Then one day Master Park explained the fundamentals of human energy to me. He said that this knowledge is difficult for many people to grasp and therefore the masters of the East teach it only to students who are ready to develop their psychic abilities in a way that they could then master both their life and their destiny. He said that with power comes responsibility, and now he felt I was ready. I recorded the conversation. Here is what he said:

'The fluctuating movement of Yin and Yang vital force takes place while the breath is ascending and descending through the whole body. There are eight special vital force channels known as the Psychic Channels. These are linked from the soles of the feet to the top of the head. These eight Psychic Channels also are linked with twelve Organ Meridians which flow through the body (these are the twelve energy paths used in acupuncture and acupressure). The role of the eight Psychic Channels is to control the twelve Organ Meridians in cases when these Organ Meridians become unbalanced—in other words, when the yin and yang vital force in the twelve Organ Meridians becomes excessive or deficient.

These eight Psychic Channels are not only linked with the twelve Organ Meridians, but are also linked to the deepest inner organs in the body. When a person purifies the eight Psychic Channels and they flow freely, the result is that the twelve meridians will automatically be purified and balanced, and this will result in radiant health and great psychic power.

The eight Psychic Channels store vital force and accumulate it. They absorb the overflow of this vital force from the twelve meridians and supply vital force into the twelve Organ Meridians when they have a shortage of vital force in them. This happens automatically.

But these eight Psychic Channels cannot be purified by themselves. It is the process of breathing in and out, consciously and under the direction of the mind that these Psychic Channels can be purified. This then is the purpose of our Altong breathing exercises.

In other word, the daoists believe that it is possible to control the balance and health of our inner organs with our minds. However, they believe that it is not simply a matter of positive thinking and the like. There is an art to controlling our body with our minds and they believe that the eight Psychic Channels provide the link between the mind and body.

Though there are eight Psychic Channels, there is one pair of channels that are most well known. These are known as the Governing and Conception Channels and they run along the mid-line of the body. The Governing Channel flows from the tip of the tail bone, up along the spine, over the head and into the upper palate of the mouth. The Conception Channel flows from the tip of the tongue along the mid-line of the neck, chest and abdomen, directly through the genitals and to a point between the legs between the genitals and anus. This very special point is known as the Um-kyo point. It is really the beginning and end of human energy circuitry. Master Park explained:

'The role of these two channels is to produce, purify, circulate and discharge Jing, or regenerative force. If these channels are impure and blocked, Jing cannot be produced and cannot flow smoothly, and the body gradually grows older prematurely. Finally, he was about to answer my question as to the special instructions for the fourth Altong exercise. While laying on my side, one hand supports the head, but in fact the middle finger is pressing against an acu-point at the base of the scull where it meets the spine --- a major point on the Governing Channel. The other hand, the one hidden between the legs, is in fact pressing the Um-kyo point. The pressure on these points is both firm and gentle.
Here is how this exercise works. By holding, and gently stimulating, these two acu-points simultaneously, while in a state of relaxation, the Governing and Conception Channels begin to flow, which allows them to become uncongested and to do their job of regulating the other Meridians and Channels. As a whole, these two Channels form a complete circuit, known as the Microcosmic Orbit. The Microcosmic Orbit is in fact the master energy channel of the entire body. Furthermore, by breathing abdominally, according to the instructions provided in the Altong book, and many other books on Taoist meditation and Qi Gong, Jing energy is generated, providing that the raw material is present in the body.

The Three Treasures---Jing (Essence), Qi (Vitality) and Shen (Spirit).

In the daoist tradition, which forms the foundation of all the traditional Oriental healing and health-promoting arts, there are said to be Three Treasures that in effect constitute our life. These are known as Jing, Qi (pronounced chee) and Shen. The ultimate goal of all of the Oriental healing and health-promoting arts is to cultivate, balance and expand the Three Treasures. At the highest level of the Oriental healing arts, the practitioner is attempting to harmonize all aspects of one's being. This is accomplished by focusing one's attention on the Three Treasures. There are no exact translations for the terms Jing, Qi and Shen into English. They are generally translated, though, as Essence, Vitality and Spirit.

My great teacher, daoist Master Park, used to describe the Three Treasures by comparing them to a burning candle. Jing is like the wax and wick, which are the substantial parts of the candle. They are made of material, which is essentially condensed energy. The flame of the lit candle is likened to Qi, for this is the energetic activity of the candle, which eventually results in the burning out of the candle. The radiance given off by the flaming candle is Shen. The larger the candle and the better the quality of the wax and wick, the steadier will be its flame and the longer the candle will last. The greater and steadier the flame, the steadier the light given off and the greater the light. Master Park described it like this:

'There are three treasures in the human body. These are known as Jing, Qi and Shen. Of these three, only Qi has received some recognition in the West so far. Qi is but one of the Three Treasures---the other two are equally wondrous.

Jing has been called the 'supreme ultimate' treasure, even though even in a healthy, glowing body, the quantity is small. Jing existed before the body existed, and this Jing enters the body tissues and becomes the root of our body. When we keep Jing within our body, our body can be vigorous. If a person cares for the Cavity of Jing, and does not hurt it recklessly, it is very easy to enjoy a life of great longevity. Without Jing Energy, we cannot live.

Qi is the invisible life force which enables the body to think and perform voluntary movement. The power of Qi can be seen in the power that enables a person to move and live. It can be seen in the movement of energy in the cosmos and in all other movements and changes. Coming from heaven into the body through the nose (Yang Gate), it circulates through the twelve meridians to nourish and preserve the inner organs.

Shen is similar to the English meaning of the words 'Mind' and 'Spirit.' It is developed by the combination of Jing and Qi energy. When these two treasures are in balance, the mind is strong, the spirit is great, the emotions are under control, one will have psychic powers and the body is strong and healthy. But it is very difficult to expect a sound mind to be cultivated without sound Jing and Qi. An old proverb says that 'a sound mind lives in a sound body.' When cultivated, Shen will bring peace of mind.

When we develop Jing, we get a large amount of Qi automatically. When we have a large amount of Qi, we will also have strong Shen, and we will become bright and glowing as a holy man.'

Jing, then, is the first Treasure and may be translated as 'regenerative energy,' or simply as 'Essence.' Jing is the refined energy of the body. It provides the foundation for all activity and is said to be the 'root' of our vitality. Jing is the primal energy of life and is closely associated with our genetic potential, and is associated with the aging process. Jing is stored energy and provides the reserves required to adapt to all the various stresses encountered in life. Since Jing is concentrated energy, it manifests materially. Jing also is said to control a number of primary human functions: the reproductive organs and their various substances and functions; the power and clarity of the mind; and the integrity of one's physical structure. Jing, which is a blend of Yin and Yang energy, is said to be stored in the 'Kidney.' Jing is generally associated these days with the hormones of the reproductive and adrenal glands, and Jing is the vital essence concentrated in the sperm and ova.

When Jing is strong, vitality and youthfulness remain. Strong Jing energy in the Kidneys, so the Chinese say, will lead to a long and vigorous life, while a loss of Jing will result in physical and mental degeneration and a shortening of one's life. Jing is essential to life and when it runs low our life force is severely diminished and thus we lose all power to adapt. The quantity of Essence determines both our life span and the ultimate vitality of our life. Jing is burned up in the body by life itself, but most especially by chronic and acute stress and excessive behavior, including overwork, excessive emotionalism, substance abuse, chronic pain or illness, and sexual excess (especially in men). Excessive menstrual patterns, pregnancy and childbirth can result in a dramatic drain on the Jing of a woman, especially in middle aged women. When Jing is depleted below a level required to survive, we die. Eventually everyone runs out of Jing and thus everyone dies (at least physically).

So-Long, Chronic Fatigue!

As I mentioned earlier, Master Park did not give me any medicinal herbs in an attempt to heal each of my many symptoms. He recognized my Jing deficiency, which I perceived as burn-out syndrome. He felt, and it has turned out that he was perfectly correct, that most of my problems would resolve themselves if I replenished my three treasures, and in particular Jing. For the first six months of my apprenticeship with Master Park, he had me consume Jing tonic formulations daily. The fact is, he rotated my formulas; and, in all, I took three different formulas. The three formulas are described below. Each formula had a different main herb and a different effect on my body and psyche.

Also, Master Park had me consume a separate formulation daily. This was his 'protective' formula. He felt that every one needs protection on many different levels. He provided me with herbs that protected me physically, immunologically, psychically and psychologically. There are a number of astounding herbs in the Asian pharmacopeia that have been used by sages, holy men and women and spiritual seekers for over three thousand years just for the purpose of protection. The most famous of these are Reishi, Astragalus, Cordyceps and Schizandra. These may be blended or taken separately. I have continued to take these herbs every day of my life for the past twenty-four years.

As the months went by, quite miraculously, most of my symptoms disappeared. I am still in awe. Headaches, cracking, loose joints, skin problems, ringing in my ears, very low libido, poor mental energy, weak digestion, all reversed themselves --- without the use of drugs. The combination of the Altong (Qi Gong) exercises and the tonic herbs completely transformed my life. Within two years all of my symptoms had disappeared. I had fully regained my energy, my weight and my lust for life. My spirit was flying and I never forget for a day that the blessings of my life are all a result of this exquisite metamorphosis.

To this day, I do my exercises and take a Jing tonic and a protective tonic daily. These herbs are readily available. They are incredible.

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