Case of Witch’s Hat

The Symbolic Meaning behind the 108 moves in Taoist Tai Chi:
Taoist Tai Chi is built on a rich heritage of Taoist beliefs which
traces its source
back to Chang San Feng, the 11th Century Taoist monk who systematized Tai Chi
Chuan. The Taoist Tai Chi set has 108 moves because the number 108 represents
the 36 Celestial Deities and 72 Terrestrial Deities. This number was divined by
Chang San Feng himself.
There are six major yang channels in the body, each controlling six minor yang
channels, totaling thirty-six. These are the thirty-six Celestial
Deities. The six
main yang channels are associated with the Six Bowels: large intestine, small
intestine, gall bladder, stomach, and the three burning spaces. (The
“three burning
spaces” refer to three regions in the body: the lower region, from the
sexual organs
to the navel; the middle region, from the navel to the diaphragm; the
upper region,
from the diaphragm to the neck. The “three burning places” are responsible for
regulating nutrients and wastes in the body.) The 36 Celestial Deities
refer to the
yang elements in our body. The 72 Terrestrial Deities refer to the yin
elements in
our body. There are six major yin channels in the body, each controlling twelve
minor yin channels, totaling seventy-two. The six main yin channels are
associated with the Five Viscera: the heart, with two channels, liver,
spleen, lungs,
and kidneys. Together, the 36 yang channels and 72 yin channels complete the
number 108.
The number 108 represents the yin and yang essences in our body. Performing the
108 move set symbolizes the union of the 36 yang(Celestial) and the 72 yin
(Terrestrial) elements in our body. 108 represent completeness. Any number less
than 108 means the imbalance of yin and yang and the lack of completeness. On
the contrary, the full 108 symbolizes the harmonious balance of yin and yang and
therefore leads to health. The union of all yin and yang elements represents the
return to the holistic and undifferentiated state of the Tao.
-miami.florida.usa.taoist.org/tyt/tyt-200904.pdf

Tai Chi, often called a “moving meditation,” is based in Taoism. One
of the purposes of Tai Chi is to facilitate “the flow of qi through
the body,” (Harper’s Encyclopedia of Mystical & Paranormal Experience,
Rosemary Ellen Guiley, p. 599). The qi (also spelled chi, ki or ji) is
an Eastern name for the universal energy supposedly flowing through
the body. A fact sheet on the meaning of the 108 moves in Tai Chi, put
out by the Taoist Tai Chi Society in the U.S., states that the 36
major and minor yang channels in the body are the “Celestial Deities”
while the yin elements in the body are the “72 Terrestrial Deities.”
The combined total is 108, a “number divined by Chang San Feng
himself” (Chang, an 11th century Taoist monk, is considered the
founder of Tai Chi). The statement goes on to say that “the full 108
symbolizes the harmonious balance of yin and yang and therefore lead
to health. The union of all yin and yang elements represent the return
to the holistic and undifferentiated state of the Tao.” The term
undifferentiated means there are no distinctions; all is one.
-http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Other%20Pagan%20Mumbo-Jumbo/acupuncture.htm

My question was meant to be completely lineage neutral and mainly pointed for Ribosome in friendly spirit, because there are some problems in my opinion with such religions as Christianity and Islam and on the other side body-centered-practice whether Taoist, Buddhist, Castanedian or whatever.

Dragon part of practice can be very dangerous, IMO, but necessarily not, but because it is dangerous first of all, earlier it has been important to have all kinds of ethical and disciplinary prequisities (why I cannot find this word from Merriam Webster Dictionary?) like for example yama & niyama (in Patanjali’s Astanga Yoga). My impression is that Healing Tao is some healthy way commercial, so that it doesn’t attract some of the harmfull influences. But there are also some other things connected to this.

HOWDY