My guru Taoist Master Qing Zhen transmitted many precious esoteric practices to me, including the very secret Life Essence Burial (Sheng Ji) Practice. Master Qing Zhen transmitted this practice to Living Buddha Lian-sheng who then transmitted it to Master Lianhuo.

Life Essence Burial Practice is often called the Tomb of the Living. The practice is based on the principle that a human of indomitable spirit was born from the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind while earth, water, fire, and wind are also contained in the earth itself.

One does not just arbitrarily state that earth, water, fire, and wind are inherent in the earth. One can actually observe:
Earth - the land itself.
Water - water contained within the land and water flowing upon the land.
Fire - fire within land as terrestrial heat.
Wind - air within the land and as earth's atmosphere; wind blowing over land and water.

Life Essence Burial Practice is intended to enhance one's qi (vital energy) with the qi of the earth. In other words, one enhances the earth, water, fire, and wind elements of one's body with the help of water, fire, and wind elements of the land.

The amazing power of Life Essence Burial Practice is its ability to change one's fate derived from the infinite spiritual power and everlasting strength of the earth itself. Life Essence Burial Practice enhances one's health, vigor, success, smooth sailing, wealth and longevity. It can even fulfill one's wishes for male or female children.

By knowing, performing, and utilizing Life Essence Burial Practice, one is able to transform misfortune into good fortune, overcome black magic, repel disasters, and prevent evil spirits from coming near.

Life Essence Burial Practice can also be performed as a Substitution Practice. If one truly masters Life Essence Burial Practice and knows its proper performance and applications, the uses of the practice are endless.

Practitioners who gain enhancement from the vital energy of the land through Life Essence Burial Practice will be able to attain Buddhahood quickly and with only half the effort. These practitioners will unite with heaven and earth and directly advance to the supermundane state.

There are three essential principles in the Life Essence Burial Practice transmitted by Taoist Master Qing Zhen:

1. Identification of a nexus of dragon geomancy - in the mountains, a geomancy master must accurately recognize a real and active dragon geomancy where there exists significant vigorous spiritual energy with abundant qi that provides a beneficial influence on the living. The geomancy master then identifies the vital site where the energy of the dragon is collected. The method of identifying this vital nexus will be discussed in the later part of the book.
   The dragon and the nexus will only be effective if the direction of their magnetic field is compatible with the direction of the magnetic field of the owner of the Life Essence Burial. This is the major key formula.
2. Articles to be buried - As we know, burying the dead is the burying of a corpse. Burial of a living person, however, requires burial of the living person's life essence. What do we mean by the ''life essence'' of a living person? It means the clothing a person wears from head to toe. This clothing is sequentially: cap, scarf, jacket, pants (including belt), underwear, socks, shoes, handkerchiefs, as well as hair, nails, etc. It is of utmost importance that the articles of clothing have been worn, that is, they have been used. Because the clothing that has been worn and used has absorbed the qi of the living person. The older and more worn the clothing, the better.
   In addition to the above mentioned life essence articles, ''x'' spiritual essence may be added to make the Life Essence Burial Ritual more effective. (This ''x'' is a secret within a secret and can only be disclosed to proper disciples.)
3. Blessing method - draw a black talisman on a piece of red cloth and cover the life essence articles with the cloth. The following Chinese characters should be written on the black talisman: ''Tian shi qin feng tian, Jiu tian xuan nu chi ling, di ling dao ci, Bai shi ji chang, Yu jian yu liao chi ling gang.'' (「天師欽奉天，九天玄女敕令，地靈到此，百事吉昌，雨漸雨炓敕靈罡」)
   The name, date, and time of birth, etc. of the Life Essence Burial owner must be written at the side of the talisman.
   Supplication Practice must be carried out for seven days.
   One may perform the Nine-character Mantra Practice as follows:
   Form the mudra of the Nine-character Mantra.
   Chant the Nine-character Mantra three times: ''Lin, bing, dou, zhe, jie, zhen, lie, zai, qian.''
   Bless the life essence and the talisman.
   Lastly, supplicate celestial beings and buddhas.