One of the most crucial concepts in Daoist magic is the lore and practice of the Big Dipper.

The Big Dipper is known as Beidou in the Chinese tradition, that can be roughly translated as the Northern Ladle.

It is tied to various ideas such as fate and destiny and thus naturally a very important source of inspiration and power in Chinese magic.

For the Daoist the Big Dipper is a literal stairway to Heaven, a cosmic and seasonal clock, a source of intense spiritual power through which primal Qi pours into manifestation in not only the universe but into men and women.

In the esoteric anatomy of the Chinese magical tradition there are certain points or xue which serve as connecting vortices with the powers of the seven dipper stars.

Thus many of the rituals and practices of our tradition incorporate the imagery of the Northern Dipper. Whether it is in talismans, Big Dipper Stepping, or Big Dipper neigong the source is the Dipper.

Often when our luck is down, or when we are ill we turn to the Big Dipper for help, and quite often there is a dramatic turn around. One such ceremony is known as Pressing the Lamp. An important and primary ceremony learned at quite an early stage in the career of the trainee.