Life Cultivating is founded by Dariusz Pesta, a long term practitioner of Daoist Arts.

Dariusz studied at the Five Immortals Temple in the Wudang Mountains in China under his teacher Li Xing De Shifu since the year 2015. In total he lived at the temple for 5 years studying and practicing internal and martial arts such as Qigong, Taiji (Tai Chi), Yang Sheng Gong, Ba Bu (old form of Ba Gua Zhang), Swordsmanship, and Meditation, as well as Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM), Yi Jing, Feng Shui, Scriptures, and most importantly Internal Alchemy.

Dariusz is within the 24^th generation of the Dragon Gate Pure Yang lineage of the Complete Reality Daoism under Li Xing De Shifu (Daojiao Quanzhen Longmen Chunyang Pai 道教全真龍門純陽派). His Daoist name is Cheng Da 誠達.

Where does the story begin and where does it end?

For many years I navigated through the meanders of life, searching for knowledge beyond the ordinary. Along the way I encountered real treasures paramount in the process of cultivation of myself which helped me to firmly walk the path. My teacher Li Xing De Shifu helped me to open the doors to grater understanding and equipped with many methods for self-cultivation and healing. Through him and through Daoism with it’s multitude of arts and methods I set a new direction for life. There is also Vipassana meditation, which in the early time of my spiritual journey allowed me greater clarity, many insights, and purification of the mind and body in the moment when I needed it dearly.

It is more than 20 years since I started learning and practicing life nourishing arts and methods. After initial exploration of some of the other East Asian traditions I started learning Tai Chi. I was interested in the smoothness, harmony, flow, grace, and longevity aspects of Tai Chi. Fighting, competing, and self-defence were not of my interest. Inner harmony and exploration of the body, vital energy, spirit, and mind was attracting me more than the martial aspect. Over time, what fascinated me even more was what lies beyond the workings of the body, qi, spirit, and mind.

Eventually I started practicing Vipassana meditation. By now I completed many 10-day long retreats around the world. At majority of these retreats I sat and practised the Vipassana meditation technique for around 12 hours a day. I worked on developing awareness and equanimity, and through that on removing deep rooted mental complexes. Working on staying unstirred by the cravings and aversions is a way towards greater understanding of suffering and its cessation. Doing it for extended length of time helps to purify the mind and to develop mental clarity and deeper insights into the nature of reality.

I also served at a few of these retreats. Through service I worked on integrating the sitting meditation practice with the meditative action. It helps to develop the qualities flowing from service to others, ideally being it selfless service to others, along with the benefits of sitting meditation. It is a way to improve oneself through generosity, patience, and strong determination. It also develops mindfulness, helps to dissolve the ego, deepens compassion and loving-kindness, as well as allows harmonious relationships.

For years I sincerely wanted to deeply delve into Tai Chi and Meditation practice, yet I still had to earn the living, therefore I followed the regular path of career and social norms while simultaneously practicing. Nevertheless, the inner calling to look for alternatives and change my life was very strong. This led me to travel from Poland, my birth-land, to the other side of the world as far away as I could get. I got to New Zealand where I lived a few years. New Zealand is an island nation which is very remote from the rest of the world and that suited me very well. First I followed my old career path which is engineering, energy efficiency and sustainable development. At work I was helping to optimise energy efficiency on sites while again I became dysregulated and burned out. I was practicing tai chi and meditation but the extent of practice was not enough to keep me balanced. Eventually I realised that optimising energy efficiency on sites has a great benefit in the society, however more important is regulation of oneself and of the inner microcosm. After a few years of transitioning from the old way of living towards what seems to be my destiny calling I went to China. I have redirected my life and not engaged in my prior professions ever since.

Beyond the obvious certainly there must be destiny!

In China I arrived to the Five Immortals Temple where I met my greatest teacher Li Xing De Shifu. Shifu helped me to get equipped in methods and build resistance, and to acquire knowledge and develop wisdom. He taught me about virtue and benevolence through his teachings and every day’s demeanour. He is a person who is embodying sacred teachings and acts out of them. Accessible to those who seek help or a way to improve life, he wisely guides and abundantly nourishes spirits of those who have destiny to meet him.

Through his teachings it got clear to me that refining oneself, doing meritorious deeds, supporting family, friends, and close ones is far more important then career, position, fame and wealth.

Li Shifu accepted me as his student and gave me a name within the 24^th generation Dragon Gate Pure Yang Lineage of Complete Reality Daoism (Daojiao Quanzhen Longmen Chunyang Pai 道教全真龍門純陽派). My Daoist name is Cheng Da 誠達. Cheng is the name of all those within the 24^th generation and it means Sincere. Da is my personal name and implies extension and accessibility, reaching and attainment, expression and transmission, eminence and communication.

During the 5 years of living at the temple I studied Daoism, practised internal arts such as Qigong, Yang Sheng Gong and Meditation, as well as internal martial arts such as Tai Chi, Swordsmanship, and Ba Bu (ancient form of Ba Gua Zhang). I also studied and put into practice Daoist Medicine which encompasses Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM), Yi Jing (The Book of Changes), Feng Shui, and Scripture Ceremonies.

The first time at the temple, I was studying and practicing as a course participant. I spent half a year at the mountain undertaking several courses. It was a time of strict and intense practice and study. In that time I learnt many methods and established foundation which I built upon since then.

The second and the longest time I spent at the temple was from November 2019 until January 2022. There is no need to remind what happened at that time. For over 3 years, from the very beginning until the very end of that crazy time, I lived on the top of the mountain witnessing madness of the society as well as goodheartedness and goodwill of the common people. During that time my activities and responsibilities largely changed. After the borders were closed, there were no courses for foreigners. For the first one and a half year there were up to four foreign students including me. Big part of that time we practised intensely in the mornings and evening, focusing on the Qigong and meditation practices. In the day, for a few months, we dug the mountain in the rocky ground, in preparation for the construction of the new classroom. Almost the entire time we used pickaxes, shovels, and a wheelbarrow to remove the dirt and rocks. Such work is a great way to make one realise the hardships which some people need to undergo nearly on a daily basis. It is also a great way to develop strength and gong (skill). Working with hand-tools rather than a pneumatic drill was a way to work on refining ourselves through grinding, sweat, and hardship. Among all the many jobs I did at the mountain, this one was one of the hardest. So was the entire period as we also followed strict practice regime.

In the mornings and evening we practised inner observation and cultivated energy. Work gave us physical strength, while the practice inner strength. It cleansed, harmonised and expanded our energy fields, as well as sharpened and broadened the mind.

For the second one and a half year of my time at the temple during the second stay, I was the only foreigner living on the mountain, and one of the very few living in the whole Wudang area. Actually I am aware of only one more foreigner in Wudang. That gave me a unique chance to learn the ways of my teacher and understand Chinese culture.

Another crucial and lengthy work at the mountain was collecting, cutting, chopping and stacking tones of firewood. Preparing firewood is critical for survival as without firewood normal human is not able to live at the mountain. This is also one of the big and hard jobs. Wood in the winter is used to stay warm. It is also used for cooking throughout the whole year.

This leads me to another big responsibility of mine. For around two and a half years I was cooking at the temple. I had to learn the Chinese style of cooking. The main method was using a wood-fired wok to prepare food for up to around 20 people. I learned from Li Shifu and occasionally from the guests coming for a visit and taking over the kitchen. At the temple, day to day may look very different thus I cooked for the usual residents of the temple as well as all sorts of guests. Some of them were family and friends. Some were officials which we cared for like family. If there were no guests the meals were simple, consisting of one or two main dishes and a few side dishes made up of fermented tofu, salty preserved vegetables, peanuts, sauces, and so on. Some were delicacies brought by the guests from other provinces, especially Li Shifu’s hometown. When we had guests I cooked up to around 10 main dishes. With several side dishes on the table it looked colourful, beautiful, and appetising. Even though living at the temple is simple in some sense, it was to host the guests the best we could.

Moreover, I was engaged in all sorts of tasks and responsibilities. It is worthwhile to mention that one of them was bringing all the necessities for daily living which either need to be collected on the mountain or brought from the village. It must be more than a hundred times when I walked down to the village at the base of the mountain and back up carrying foodstuffs, tools, building materials, massive lightening rod, and much more. It was not merely carrying stuff. It was strengthening the body, toughening the character, and refining the thoughts. Through sweat and hardship it purified the body and mind, and allowed deeper introspections.

Another utmost important responsibility was to look after the guests and worshippers coming up to pay respect and pray for health, good luck, smooth family and business affairs, protection, and so on. This is one of the most important responsibilities as the temple is a place of worship potentially open to everyone.

With so much going on I was assisting Li Shifu in whatever else was needed of me whether it was instructing, teaching, translating, writing articles, fixing, cooking, picking medicinal plants and wild vegetables, growing food and medicinal plants, making natural medicine and giving therapies. In some of these I excelled and in some I lacked.

My speciality was looking for and collecting plant medicine, as well as making it into decoctions, tinctures, oils, pills, powders, capsules, moxa sticks, and even medicinal food. For hours I could explore the mountain looking for the plants I knew and identifying the ones I did not yet know. I have learnt many species growing on the mountain. Many of them very scrupulously planted over the years by my teacher and his teachers and friends.

Besides all the jobs, I tried to maintain daily practice. If I skipped it, it usually was due to the responsibilities which in general have priority over practice. Practice is the foundation and is of utmost importance to me. During the courses it could be 8 hours of practice a day. However, outside of the courses the priority was to fulfil daily tasks. The temple is a bridge to the higher dimensions. It is not a school or academy where one can pay the fee and dedicate to practice. It works as a link between the people, Earth, and Heaven. Therefore temple affairs need to be smooth.

The third time at the temple was again much different. I spent there another one and a half year. This time it was full of courses with foreigners from around the world coming to learn precious lessons and teachings transmitted by my teacher. Master Li Xing De is very charismatic, skilled, knowledgeable, and wise, which he developed through many years of practice, study, sincerity, dedication, and bitterness. Moreover, he has a great destiny by which he has learned from other great Masters and transmits his knowledge and acquired methods to so many people.

During the third time of living at the temple I mainly supported Li Shifu in instructing the practical classes of Qigong, Taiji, Taihequan, Yangshenggong, and Meditation, as well as the etiquette of living at the temple. I also supported the students in resolving issues whether it was communicating their matters, reviewing practice, or finding, picking, and making natural medicine.

Along this journey I learnt a great deal, established deep practice, broadened understanding, witnessed diverse situations, met multitude of people from China and around the world, and watched breathtaking views. I ate bitter and sipped the dew of hard work and effort.

There are numerous stories to tell, profound conclusions, vast knowledge, many skills, and outstanding achievements. There are also failures, frustration, and shortfalls. All those experiences served and still serve as the means to refine myself and cultivate life and Dao. In Daoism, refinement is crucial in cultivating life. The word for spiritual refinement is “xiulian (修炼)” and “xiuxing (修行)”. “Xiu” means to repair, build and cultivate. “Lian” means to refine, smelt, and distil. “Xing” means behaviour and conduct. Therefore, “Xiulian” and “xiuxing” means to repair and refine, to correct one’s conduct, and to cultivate oneself with upright practices.

Living at the Five Immortals Temple allowed me a multitude of chances to work on refining myself and to learn precious lessons of life.

However, the merits should be shared in the society. And this is where the story continues...