Laojun’s Illustrated Scripture of Visualization 太上老君大存思图注诀

(Author unknown, likely from the Northern and Southern Dynasties period). The Manual for Transmitting Precepts and Rituals records: "One volume of Lord Lao's Visualization Deity Illustrations and Instructions," referring to this text. Originally consisting of eighteen chapters, the current The Daozang edition contains only the last ten surviving chapters, housed in the The Dongshen Section (Cavern-Spirit Section) under Methods. Additionally, Yunji Qiqian (Seven Bamboo Slips of the Cloudy Satchel), Volume 43, includes Lord Lao's Visualization Illustrations in Eighteen Chapters, whose textual content is more complete than the Daoist Canon version but lacks the images.

This text primarily explains visualization techniques rooted in Taoism. The preface states: "To cultivate the self and aid beings, the essential lies in visualization." If visualization is not precise, one cannot resonate with and connect to the divine. Therefore, this book lists depictions of deities and immortals, annotating methods for visualizing spirits along with incantations and formulas. The visualization topics listed include: visualizing the Three Treasures (Dao, Scripture, Master), visualizing the Celestial Worthy of the Ten Directions, visualizing the Three Palaces, visualizing the Four Luminaries, visualizing the Four Superiors, visualizing the Three Masters, visualizing the Five Viscera, Five Sacred Peaks, Five Planets, and Five Thearchs, visualization while seated in audience, visualization while reclining in audience, visualizing jade maidens, visualizing young maidens, visualizing cloud-Qi and spirit troops, visualizing the Three and the One (hun and po souls), visualizing reverence to the Three Venerables, visualizing attending guardians, visualizing the arrival of the cloud chariot, and so forth. During all visualization practices, one closes the eyes to look inward, either sitting or lying down, silently envisioning external deities entering one's body, or envisioning the deities within one's body guarding their positions. It is also necessary to recite scriptures and incantations, firmly grasp [the hands], swallow breath, perform prostrations, attend audience with the perfected, and so forth.

It is said that by practicing according to these methods, one can connect with the divine, resonate with the perfected, attain the The Dao, and ascend in flight.