The Human Potential method presents an approach developed by David Verdesi to integrate the comparative analyses of philosophies, religions and underlying mythological studies within the development of “systems of knowledge.” HPRD uses a flexible framework where effective methods of communication from comparative philosophy and mythological studies coupled with neurosciences and linguistic, psychology and phenomenology are used to map, describe and experience, the practices do develop fully the Human Potential.
HPRD is the key to decode and translate ancient languages and metaphors, allegory and symbolism which are outdated and highly ineffective in conveying actual meaning. The goal is to render effective practices which are otherwise deemed to be used only by those belonging to the cultural matrix of origin of such practices. To do this there is the need to change the paradigm and algorithm of function of such models, at times substituting the very axioms upon which old ineffective models are based, in order to render them potent, alive, effective and most of all faster to assimilate, reproduce, achieve and master. This priceless skill is what David has, the ability to bridge the gaps of space and time to thread together elements and change external forms withholding the essence in order to exponentially increase and improve the effectiveness and ending result. Why wasting 15 years when using and effective language and algorithms the same can be achieved in less then half the time?
This is done by following the evolving character of the perennial philosophy embedded in the anthropology of each culture, with the aim is to experience, through contextual analysis, our evolution as connected yet independent from similar yet different cultures.
The material presented herein serves the purpose to exemplify the fundamental steps in the evolution of the "system of knowledge" that embodies the spirit mankind and its quest for knowledge, emancipation from boundaries and egotisms suffering and unskillful mental states in order to fully develop our Human Potential.
The study of evolutionary methods demands an anthropological metamorphosis, without which it is impossible to bring to life a "pure experience."
The process of initiation and actual transformation of the individual must start with the necessary steps. This involves a process to not only assimilate a specific code, but also to be able to transcend the individual’s personal and cultural anthropological code in order to be initiated (in its semantic Latin meaning) into a new beginning as an insider.
"Entering the circle" represents the actual breakthrough that shifts the parameter of experience from the outer observer to the initiated insider. Without this, the necessary assimilation cannot occur. For the initiate, it is a transformation where even the code of language itself will begin to speak.
The Human potential principles, methods and techniques were inspired by the experiences of many kinds of phenomena and empirical observations that the humanity made through several millennia, within them, in nature around them, in society, and in the realms beyond the sensorial world.
It’s a system of knowledge that comprises at least 5,000 years of human evolution and covers all the fields of human interests. This ranges from ancient shamanism to modern applications in science; research in all medical fields including neurosciences, biology, genetics, chemistry, as well as physics, mathematics, philosophy and religion all with a global evolutionary and unitary, Holistic, dialectic perspective.
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Born in Rome, David Verdesi, or David Shen as he is widely known, has dedicated his life to the study of human potential, mainly through the Chinese, Hindu and Christian tradition; ranging from Shamanism to the mainstream schools of Daoism and Hinduism, Tantrism and Buddhism.
From an early age he became fascinated with cultures and their spiritual practice. Disenchanted with the limited potential of formal education, he began traveling throughout Asia in his early teens and quickly gained access to the inner most circles of the initiated communities.
Over 17 years of personal research as an anthropologist in China and Asia, including private involvement in collaborative research with major universities and hospitals in China and the United States, have culminated in unprecedented access to some of the most sought after teachers and Daoist schools in China.
David has met and studied with as many as 30 remarkable masters during the course of his almost two decade journey. Among his many teachers, David holds Sifu Ji, his Korean Miao Tong Dao Master, as his closest and most influential teacher along with the Indian saint of Shirdi.
Among the most notable of David’s masters, Da Zhen, an immortal hermit living deep in the mountains of Northern China, is one of David’s most influential teachers and the master that advised him to go to Sifu Ji. Da Zhen is known for his remarkable longevity and paranormal abilities or siddhas and is also one of the so called Sons of Reflected Light, the lineage believed to be the forefather of all Daoist practice he introduced David to the Lei Shan dao, the thunder and lightning path.
He is also a former student of many teachers who made it in the public eye such as Wang Liping, and John Chang.
Is with Shifu Jiang a young and open minded master of the Shaolin Yi Jing Jing line that David made a big step in his own achievement thanks to the relentless effort of the young master who made history by choosing to teach a westerner and bring his abilities in the open.
David accomplished and realized the methods he teaches to a high degree. In addition to his other notable accomplishments, David has been formally accepted into one of the few remaining functional lineages of the Lei Shan Dao (Thunder and Lightning Path) and has recently attained the stage leading to the completion of the so called "Yin Yang Gong" or Tai Ji. The significance of this accomplishment has many important implications; the practitioner possesses the ability to emit a special kind of Qi which feels like a continuous electrical current into anyone through physical contact by will alone. This is quite a rare achievement for a Buddhist or Tantrik which means the power to wake up Kundalini has been mastered and amongst Daoist is one of the 3 highest achievements. Till recently unheard of for a western practitioner. The greater implications for those who achieve this level is immortal life; the practitioner becomes what Daoists call a Xian or immortal.
For his own students, he has opened a door to a hidden world were magic and legend come to life through the practice he teaches in a practical and accessible way. Passed down from teacher to student for thousands of years, the practices David teaches comprise the very foundational methods and principles used by the some of the most successful, highly realized and enlightened sages in modern history, taught to him by living immortals, the master lineage-holders, embodiments of their respective traditions.
Teaching career and instructors:
David has been teaching as a hobby and passion always eager to share his latest research and insights in a ever evolving fashion, several people are nowadays teaching based on his work, and several schools were established inspired and guided by such teachings. He was the first to introduce the full inner training of Xing Shen Zhuang and Dao Yin, the set of Sexual practices missing from the commercial systems such as mantak chia and other tantric teachers and breath work of the Nei Gong derived from the teachings of the Lei Shan Dao and the magus of java and the methods of gathering the Shen, which are still largely unknown if not in partial form. Many people made their own schools and systems based on his teachings.
Intro to the practice
Human potential theory speaks of nine basic functions of the mind, of which the so called conscious mind that we develop from birth is but one.
Social mind means those faculties developed through social experience in response to the necessities of social interaction, this function of the mind we have to develop it in the course of our lives. It is the mind that operates in the limited realm of our conscious life unware of the super and subconscious, it takes shape in response to the requirements of our present society.
In contrast the natural mind is the mind we received before birth and that we were born with. It is encoded in the innate nature of who we truly are before we were born and after we die, a sort of Meta-blue print, or matrix. It belongs to Nature, the mind of Mother Nature identified within the individual, what in Christianity is the the divine spark, the Buddha-mind within being the Atman present in each individual for Hinduism.
As our social being forms itself, this mind begins receding, until we completely lose touch with it. It contains many capacities that have become dormant. It is in reality the root and origin of all our faculties and the goal of the practice is to reestablish our ability to embody this original mind function, this lead to the foundation for the achievement of stages described as Zen, Samadhi and Jhanas.
The foundation training consists of activating and using mind functions otherwise inaccessible, thus evolving and integrating the self to its fullest potential. This enables the practitioner to communicate with involuntary/subconscious mechanisms of mental, emotional and physical action/reaction. Reestablishing this ability to communicate at the organ and the cellular levels is the first step in bringing our basic metabolism under conscious control. In addition, practitioners who are subjected to a range of emotional stimuli of various degrees of intensity ranging from positive to negative are known to maintain a state of calmness and even traumatic experiences are metabolized without leaving a trace. This practice can be done standing, sitting, laying down or walking. Once the practice is established, this deep state of consciousness can be reached within a period of 20 minutes.
Physical training
The exercises that characterize the forms taught are found in the most disparate and seemingly far lineages of different cultures, both orthodox and otherwise there are several routines
The goals are:
1-To prepare the body mind vessel for cultivation and embody higher levels of energy to be stored and released at will.
The process begins using the body as the pole to connect the mind which is often separate alienating the self and consciousness.
This is an important achievement in order to progress in self cultivation. The true healing of the primordial neurosis and schizophrenia of separation of and from the source which is repeated at birth with the separation from the mother is a necessary step of reintegration. Once the self-mind is captured and bound to the body, the training becomes effective.
The constant sense of separation or unconsciousness, the wandering of the mind, the overpowering drive of the sense and desires, the unidirectional pull of the consciousness outward are all manifestations of one and the same condition. In traditional learning the student is told not to try any mental techniques before this attainment is reached to a degree in order to prevent falling in minor ways, leading toward, the ghostly or illusory Qi and unskillful mental states, a problem of the majority of practitioners in the west. The ability to create a form or vessel to contain the mind, spirit or Qi is a fundamental achievement Practitioners of visualization or imagination methods will greatly benefit from such a foundation.
2- to stimulate neuro plasticity, the eradication of old unskillful patters and creation of new elaborate and effective patterns of body mind communication, access the power the fascia and connective tissues and core system of the body
Each exercise will focus on a part of the spine, where through a series of internal manipulations each man segment of the spine is accessed connecting the central nervous system with outer limbs gaining new found power flexibility and resilience.
This will reawaken unsuspected faculties and, most importantly, will strengthen the internal organs, heal disease and clear obstructions, both subtle and physical, in the spine. There will be an actual rebirth to new sensitivity, strength, flexibility, lightness and suppleness that, starting from the spine, will extend to the limbs. All this, not with a strenuous kind of exercise that requires a well trained body but instead from a number of natural standing positions.
3-activation of the energy system of the body rewiring the inner circulation and open new networks of communication upgrading the ability to gather and circulate energy
Breathing methods
The focus is on the principles behind the breathing techniques at the base of all practices of human potential development in ever system across the world through, the innate endogenous (self-actualizing) breath; the extrapolation of this synthetic method is one of the great contributions of the HPRD system.
Breath is the link between body and mind. Control of the breath is essential for the actualization of the other practices and one of the keys to altering the metabolism and controlling internal and external energy.
Gradually proceeding from approximately 3 breaths per minute to embryonic breath, the state of the practice that considered the opening of the doors to higher accomplishment it corresponds to the level when the adept can breathe like a fetus in the womb without the intake of air without effort for prolonged periods of time, this naturally creates major changes in the mind body response starting many yet not fully understood processes leading to development of human potential.
This process will evolve within the practice till when the adept is able to breathe twice in a minute for one hour, extending this to completely stop the external breathing.
When this stage is reached the regenerative abilities are maximized, supported by the combination of internal and external Qi.
From this level is possible for some inclined individuals to eradicate ailments, slowing and reversing partially aging, reawakening latent natural powers.
The goal is to accumulate polarized energies and to create a core fusion not very different in concept with the fusion of helium and hydrogen happening in the sun releasing infinite potential energy reintegrated in to a state before separation occurs the configuration of the individual becomes like a Tai Ji. This process involves the generation of a spark. A very physical current, very much like electricity is experienced as the Yin Yang Qi reunites. Only at this level is it possible to actualize otherwise mythical powers, based on the possibility of reintegrating potential to an ideal state.
Mental Training
Training the mind and fostering life is the core training of HPRD, it is based on the recognition that the goal of all philosophies, religions and mysticism is the achievement of what has been differently described as Jhana, Samadhi, Jing Gong, Zhong Ding, Sahaja, Shanti, Atman and many other names turning around the possibility to experience the state of unity and oneness, of true lasting peace and finally liberation. The principles behind these many names are similar and a coherent system is offered to bring to reality this much sought after states to be used a base toward personal improvement, self knowledge, and in more theistic terms reunion with the divine or even base for enlightment and realization of emptiness.
Sexuality
Since the dawn of time, humanity has wondered at the marvel of Sex as the power that allows the continuation of our self and the species and thus the relation between it, death and immortality.
Through this process early civilization sought:
the improvement and diversification of the species
the effect on the mind emotion and health and the development of one own spirituality
the base for development of the very sense of religion that is to copulate to reunite.
Least but not last t's pleasure and leisure inspired the development of the art of enjoyment food and art romance and sad to say even war to understand sexuality and master it is a fundamental aspect of developing one’s own potential and mental emotional harmony
The transmission is divided into two sectors, one practiced as self-cultivation and the other as paired cultivation. The former involves a complex system of psycho-physical science, the latter an intricate system of interaction of the sexes and the use of sex and its components, among which are orgasm and altered states of consciousness. The base is in achieving a solid mastery over the body and its responses by learning to harness the power of creation and regeneration, the source of physical, mental and spiritual power your evolution will leap forward to a new level the preparatory physical training includes:
For Women
Prepare and strengthen the body core improving shaping
Strengthen and empower the vaginal muscles
Learn the movements of the uterus
Cure or improve gynecological problems
Intensify orgasmic power and mastering multiorgasm
For Men
Develop the muscles of the pelvic floor
Strengthen the erectile muscles
Achieve a longer-lasting and firmer erection
Maximize the natural size of the penis
Intensify and increase the volume of ejaculation
Prolong endurance and performance
Control ejaculation at will
Achieve multi-orgasm
Separate orgasm and ejaculation
Comparisons with previously known systems,
Hindu Tantrism and Buddhist Vajrayana, Chinese Tai Ji
A direct an unheard before explanation of the phenomena known in India and the west as “Kundalini” is offered by genuine masters how have completed the process of Fusion and created the real spark of life within
The iconography of the Tantras come to life as the Joining of the Yin Yang polarity is represented by the ascended Kundalini merged with the beloved Ardhanarashiva the androgynous, (symbol of the Tai Ji) rather then by different forms of the yab-yum and Buddhist Yogas of Naropa, the various Chod system aimed at joining the and melting the body mind substances.
So the joining of prana and apana talked about in tantric texts such as hata yoga pradipitika that when knotted can wake up kundalini is just another symbol of just different stages of the same practice, even if nowadays is all lost in allegorical images or psicological phenomenas of bliss when nearly everyone with some experience claim to have raised the Kundalini.
Within the same thesis is also offered an explanation of the Original Tai Ji Chuan as not choreography of movement only but as the achievement of the Tai Ji inside on which much could be written by specialists in the field of martiality.
Testimonials
1“When David zaps you, you feel it like holding on to a live wire. There is no mistake about his power. And then there is the field of energy he creates around the group. Everyone is elevated and the air is filled with unmistakable power and light. This kind of teacher is so rare and precious. Anyone can benefit from this infusion of life force.”
-Sean, USA
David caught me by surprise...While I was in complete awe and amazement he then proceeded to point his fingers directly at my Yin Tang or Tian Mu Xue (aka Third Eye).
This shock was a bit lighter somehow but still strong, the sensation was very interesting as my vision was enveloped in white light. My Yin Tang acupoint was tingling and buzzing for hours afterwards.
What many people in the Qigong community cannot understand about the Taiji Qi of the Yin Yang Gong is that it is not like… hm yes I think perhaps I might have felt something…. and the uuu yea there is maybe some qi flowing there… or the Im probably not sensitive enough but there was probably lots of prana… and my favorite I felt no subtle energies other than the masters great compassionate light blah blah
No. When a practitioner of the Yin Yang Gong lets you feel the Taiji Qi, you feel it and there’s no doubt about it. You feel it.
-Richard, USA
Hi there, here is a bit of my experience: The disappearing cough.
I remember having a cough for 2 weeks, nothing serious, going straight back to Holland had my hay fever allergies running wild…on the plane to Rome I was coughing like hell, great to be back…as I entered David’s house, everything stopped, my cough was gone, and training in the forest with David somehow suppressed the allergies. Other group members were noticing the same thing..
The first day of class..as David was explaining the theory, I couldn’t help notice that David was surrounded by a sphere of light, like the ones you see depicted in the images of Buddhas and Saints (Not sure if this was just an optical illusion, but haven;t seen it before and that often surrounding one person). While he was explaining and he moved his hands light flashes of different kinds appeared…after a while I asked David about it: “is this normal? I am continuously seeing light around you” David replied with a smiling yes…The whole, the lights, his teachings, his deep knowledge, his love, a Jesus-like presence..at least this is what I think, how it must have been when people met Jesus..this is the closest way I can describe it.
…David instructed me all the way, this is again one of the many reasons why you need a teacher. David saw how the energy flow was going, touched me at certain points, did some freaky sound instructions and instructed me accordingly with certain mudras. The day after, again my Shen was moving (again David instructed me accordingly, different this time).
the Yin/Yang gong experience
“I am sorry, I can’t control this very well”…this really scared me, especially when the finger approached my face…then he touched my Yintang TZZKKK..white flash in front of my eyes. The TZZKKK sound was very clear… thrilling experience, subtle yet very apparent...
I have always believed…but experiencing it for real, is just freaking awesome. 
I am grateful for meeting David and Anna and receiving this “new” transmission, very simple, very clear, no complicated stuff, no complicated terms, as a Chinese I wonder why the Chinese made it so damn difficult… 
-KJ Hong Kong
I met David in 2007 in China, and as he had promised he showed me things that I had never known were possible. This understandably changed my life, and I have never been the same since. In Denmark we were introduced to the Miao Tong Dao, and I was admittedly uncertain about it. It was interesting, but I was still fixated on the Lei Shan Dao. Still, things had begun to change in me...
-Jeva USA
There is a guy i owe my gratitude to and this is David; For his lifelong journey to the East and into the hidden secrets of the past has cast him to be a link, a gatekeeper if you like, between East & West, between this modern young mundane cynical world & a mystic ancient traditional one of a select few where anything is possible; where everything seems... Infinite.
Because of David i was able to find that Door and cross over on the other side, even if it was for a little while, and i was able to see and experience first hand the raw potential, the potential that Nature and the Universe have so abundantly given us, and realize the degree of separation from our source when this young and stupid species that is called Man decided it can do things better than Nature.
Because of that... He is a brother at heart.
I have often asked myself why is it that us people keep wanting more? More money, more cars, bigger houses, more food, more sex, more of anything we can get our hands around?
It dawned on me that, we can never get enough of what we don't really want! And the only reason we want more of anything is because we don't know what it is that's missing from our lives, what is missing to make us happy. And what we are missing is our connection to the Source, the feeling that we are one with Nature.
This realization has filled me with happiness and universal love, love that is not about attachment but about the supreme feeling of wonder and respect of all forms of life.
-Photis, Greece
