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-1- Awaken Healing Energy through the Tao Taoist Secret of Circulating Internal Energy Mantak Chia Edited by: Sam Langberg -2- Copy Editor: Sam Langberg Editorial Assistance: Micheal Winn, Robin Winn, Contributing Writers: Dr. Lawrence Young, Dr. C.Y. Hsu, Gunther Weil, Ph.D Illustrations: Susan MacKay Final Revised Editing: Jean Chilton © Mantak Chia First published in 1983 by: Aurora Press ISBN: 974-85392-0-2 Library of Congress Catalog Number: 83-71473 Manufactured in Thailand Tenth Printing, 2002 Universal Tao Publications 274/1 Moo 7, Luang Nua, Doi Saket, Chiang Mai, 50220 Thailand Tel (66)(53) 495-596 Fax: 495-853 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Web Site: www.universal-tao.com All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission from the author except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. -3- Contents Contents Contents................................................................................ About the Author .................................................................... Acknowledgements............................................................... Word of Caution .................................................................... Foreward ............................................................................... Introduction............................................................................ Commentary .......................................................................... i viii xii xiii xiv xvi xix Chapter I Awaken the "Chi" Life Energy .......................................... Primary Energy Channels................................................. Proper wiring of the Etheric Body ................................... What does it mean to "Open The Routes"? ..................... Lessen Side Effects by Careful Preparation..................... Acupuncture and Microcosmic Orbit ................................ Summary.............................; .............................................. 2 4 5 5 6 7 7 Chapter II Prepare to Circulate the Chi Energy .............................. Create a Relaxed Environment......................................... Clothes.............................................................................. Room................................................................................. Diet.................................................................................... Stimulating the Flow of Chi ............................................. How to Sit ......................................................................... How to Breathe ................................................................. Mental Attitude................................................................... Position of the Tongue ...................................................... First Position................................................................. Second Position ........................................................... Third Position................................................................ 9 9 9 9 9 10 11 13 14 14 15 15 16 Chapter III Secret of the Inner Smile ................................................. Healing Power of a Smile.................................................. Smile Love into your Vital Organs..................................... How to Smile Down with the Inner Smile ....................... 17 17 19 21 -4- Contents Start with the Eyes ..................................................... Front Line ................................................................. Jaws......................................................................... Tongue to Palate ...................................................... Neck and Throat....................................................... Loving Heart ............................................................. Lungs........................................................................ Abdomen.................................................................. Middle Line: Swallow Saliva into Lower Abdomen....................... Back Line: Spine ...................................................... End By Collecting the Energy at the Navel ............ Practice The Inner Smile in Daily Life...................... Summary........................................................................... Chapter IV Begin the Orbit: Open the Front Channel, The Functional................................................................ Awaken the Individual Healing Points .............................. Choosing your First Point: The Navel ............................... Use a Finger to help Concentrate ................................... Heart and Chest Problems ............................................... Nervous Tension, Old Age, Physical Weakness .............. High Blood Pressure ....................................................... Low Blood Pressure ......................................................... Gastro-Intestinal Problems ............................................... Second Energy Center: For Men Jing Gong (Sperm Palace) ................................ Women, Kuan-Yuan (Ovarian Palace) ............................. For Unmarried and Young Men ......................................... For Middle-Aged and Old Men ........................................ Third Energy Center: Hui-Yin or Perineum ...................... Chapter V Points of the Microcosmic Orbit ....................................... Fourth Energy Center: Chang-Chiang/(Coccyx)............... Fifth Energy Center: Ming-Men (Opposite Navel Point on Spine) ..................... Back Pain while Concentrating ........................................ -5- 21 24 24 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 28 28 30 30 32 32 34 34 34 35 36 38 38 38 38 39 41 41 43 44 Contents Sixth Energy Center: Chi-Chung (Opposite the Solar Plexus on the Spine) ...................... Stimulate the Pancreas ................................................... Seventh Energy Center: Yu-Chen/Back of the Neck ............................................... Shoulder and Upper Back Pain......................................... Eighth Energy Center: Pai-hui/Crown of the Head ............................................... Ninth Energy Center: Yin-Tang/Brow Point Between Eyes.................................. Chapter VI Opening the Basic Microcosmic Orbit ............................. Beginners: Reverse the Chi Flow .................................... Tenth Energy Center:Tongue to the Palate ..................... Eleventh Energy Center: Hsuan-Chi (Throat) ........................................................... Twelfth Energy Center:Shun-Chung (Heart)..................... Thirteenth Energy Center: Chun-Kung (Solar Plexus)................................................ Collect the Energy when finished .................................. Rubbing the Face ............................................................. 45 45 45 46 46 47 51 51 53 55 56 56 56 57 Chapter VII Open the Arm and Leg Routes: The Large Heavenly Cycle................................................. 59 Chapter VIII Set a Training Schedule..................................................... Review: Major Points of Microcosmic Orbit...................... Circulate Chi Power Continuously in the Orbit ................ Automatic Circulation of Chi.............................................. 64 65 69 70 Chapter IX Safety Valves: How to prevent Side Effects ................... Cleansing Process: Belching and Diarrhea ..................... Sexual Life During Practice .............................................. Appetite and Stomach Ailments........................................ Throat Center: Coughing .................................................. 72 72 73 73 74 -6- Contents Cleansing of the Esophagus, Stomach and Intestines .................................................... Illusions and Mental Illness................................................ When to see a Doctor ...................................................... Proper Practice will prevent Side Effects ........................ Chapter X Commonly Asked Questions and Answers on the Microcosmic ................................................................. What is Chi?...................................................................... Do you have to sit in a Chair? ......................................... What to do when Erection or Vaginal Expansion Occurs During Practice? ................... Will circulating the Microcosmic help my Sexual Problems?........................................................ Is Taoist Practice suitable for Everyone? ........................ Can Women practice during Menstruation?..................... Should I concentrate on the "Third Eye" between the Eyebrows? ............................... Why do some Practitioners develop Back or Shoulder Pain?..................................................... Back Pain for Older and Weaker People.......................... Can People that have had Surgery Practice?................... Why do some People Experience Ringing In the Ears during Practice?.............................................. What to do for Loss of Appetite after Practice?................ Why do Some People Shift about, Shake their Legs, Or make Sounds during Practice? .................................. How does Chi affect the Sick Body? ............................... How do you remedy Blockage in the Chest? .............. What is the Proper Time to Practice? ............................. Do You need to change your diet?................................... Does Practicing the Microcosmic affect your Interests in Social Life?............................................. Can Practicing cut down on the Number of Hours you Sleep? ......................................................... Should you Practice when Angry, Sad, or Disappointed? .............................................................. -7- 74 74 75 76 78 78 79 80 80 81 82 82 82 83 83 83 84 84 86 87 87 88 88 89 89 Contents Does Rhythmic Breathing or Chanting help to circulate the Microcosmic Orbit? ................................. Does Master Chia pass Energy to his Students to help open the Routes? ................................................ Are there any Side Effects with your Method? ............... Why do I feel Tired after Meditating? ............................... What is the Benefit of Completing the Microcosmic Orbit? .................................................... 90 91 91 93 94 Chapter XI Medical Science looks at the Microcosmic ..................... 96 A Medical Opinion on the Benefit of Taoist Chi circulation by C.Y. Hsu, M.D ............................ 97 A brief History of Taoism and Healing Arts by Stephen Pan, Ph.D....................................................... 97 A Doctor's Search for the Taoist Healing Energy by Lawrence Young, M.D......................... 100 Chapter XII Personal Experiences with the Microcosmic ................. 105 Tape Recorded in Workshops with Mantak Chia and Gunther Weil .............................................................. 105 Chapter XIII An M.D. interviews Three Practitioners of Taoist Yoga by Lawrence Young, M.D. ................................ An Interview with "S" ......................................................... An Interview with Dan ...................................................... An Interview with Bill ........................................................ 115 115 119 123 Chapter XIV Observations on Higher Taoist Practices ....................... 129 Taoist Yoga and the Kundalini by Michael Winn.................. 130 Chapter XV Summary of Seven Stages of Taoist Esoteric Yoga ....... Small Heavenly Cycle (Microcosmic Orbit)...................... Tongue is a Switch of the Circuit ...................................... Seven Formulas of the Seven Books of the Tao............... First Formula: Fusion of the Five Elements................. -8- 138 138 139 140 140 Contents Second Formula: Lesser Enlightenment of Kan and Li............................ Third Formula: Greater Enlightenment of Kan and Li........................... Fourth Formula: Greatest Enlightenment of Kan and Li......................... Fifth Formula: Sealing of the Five Sense Organs ............................. Sixth Formula: Congress of Heaven and Earth Immortality ................ Seventh Formula: Reunion of Man and Heaven True Immortal Man ....................................................... Chapter XVI Taoist Esoteric Yoga Course Offerings ........................... Six Healing Sounds........................................................... Chi Massage — Taoist Rejuvenation................................ Iron Shirt Chi Kung The Highest Form of Chi Kung ........................................ Tai Chi Chi Kung Foundation of Tai Chi Chuan ................ Dah Uh Gong Nei Kung Five Finger Kung Fu.......................................................... Seminal and Ovarian Kung Fu ......................................... Tai Chi Chuan - Long and Short Forms............................ Seminal Kung Fu:Taoist Secret of Energy........................ Iron Shirt Chi Kung............................................................ Healing Hand..................................................................... Transmitting the Power to Help Open the Channels............................................... 143 145 145 146 147 147 150 151 151 152 152 153 153 154 154 156 157 157 Appendix I: Table of Energy Centers..................................................... 158 Appendix II: How Taoist Yoga affects your Hormonal System............. Endocrine Glands and Taoist Energy Centers ................. Adrenals ............................................................................ Kidney................................................................................ Testes................................................................................ Ovaries.............................................................................. -9- 164 164 164 167 167 168 Contents Spleen ............................................................................... Thymus Gland................................................................... Hypothalamus ................................................................... Thyroid Gland: Gland of Energy ....................................... Pituitary Gland.................................................................... Tongue Touches The Palate.............................................. Pineal Gland...................................................................... 168 169 170 170 172 172 173 Universal Tao System ........................................Overview 1-35 - 10 - About the Author About the Author Mantak Chia Master Mantak Chia Master Mantak Chia is the creator of the Universal Tao System and is the director of the Universal Tao Center and Tao Garden Health Resort and Training Center in the beautiful northern countryside of Thailand. Since childhood he has been studying the Taoist approach to life. His mastery of this ancient knowledge, enhanced by his study of other disciplines, has resulted in the development of the Universal Tao System which is now being taught throughout the world. - 11 - About the Author Mantak Chia was born in Thailand to Chinese parents in 1944. When he was six years old, Buddhist monks taught him how to sit and "still the mind." While still a grammar school student, he learned traditional Thai boxing. He was then taught Tai Chi Chuan by Master Lu, who soon introduced him to Aikido, Yoga and broader levels of Tai Chi. Years later, when he was a student in Hong Kong excelling in track and field events, a senior classmate named Cheng Sue-Sue introduced him to his first esoteric teacher and Taoist Master, Master Yi Eng (I Yun). At this point, Master Chia began his studies of the Taoist way of life in earnest. He learned how to circulate energy through the Microcosmic Orbit and, through the practice of Fusion of the Five Elements, how to open the other Six Special Channels. As he studied Inner Alchemy further, he learned the Enlightenment of the Kan and Li, Sealing of the Five Senses, Congress of Heaven and Earth and Reunion of Heaven and Man. It was Master Yi Eng who authorized Master Chia to teach and heal. When Mantak Chia was in his early twenties he studied with Master Meugi in Singapore, who taught him Kundalini, Taoist Yoga and the Buddha Palm. He was soon able to clear blockages to the flow of energy within his own body. He learned to pass the life force energy through his hands also, so that he could heal Master Meugi's patients. He then learned Chi Nei Tsang from Dr. Mui Yimwattana in Thailand. A while later, he studied with Master Cheng Yao-Lun who taught him the Shao-Lin Method of Internal Power. He learned the closely guarded secret of the organs, glands and bone marrow exercise known as Bone Marrow Nei Kung and the exercise known as Strengthening and Renewal of the Tendons. Master Cheng YaoLun's system combined Thai boxing and Kung Fu. Master Chia also studied at this time with Master Pan Yu, whose system combined Taoist, Buddhist and Zen teachings. Master Pan Yu also taught him about the exchange of Yin and Yang power between men and women, and how to develop the Steel Body. To understand the mechanisms behind healing energy better, Master Chia studied Western anatomy and medical science for two years. While pursuing his studies, he managed the Gestetner Company, a manufacturer of office equipment and became well acquainted with the technology of offset printing and copying machines. - 12 - About the Author Using his knowledge of Taoism, combined with the other disciplines, Master Chia began teaching the Universal Tao System. He eventually trained other Instructors to communicate this knowledge and he established the Natural Healing Center in Thailand. Five years later, he decided to move to New York, where in 1979, he opened the Universal Tao Center. During his years in America, Master Chia continued his studies in the Wu system of Tai Chi with Edward Yee in New York. Since then, Master Chia has taught tens of thousands of students throughout the world. He has trained and certified over 1,200 instructors and practitioners from all over the world. Universal Tao Centers and Chi Nei Tsang Institutes have opened in many locations in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In 1994, Master Chia moved back to Thailand, where he had begun construction of Tao Garden, the Universal Tao Training Center in Chiang Mai. Master Chia is a warm, friendly and helpful man who views himself primarily as a teacher. He presents the Universal Tao System in a straightforward and practical manner, while always expanding his knowledge and approach to teaching. He uses a laptop computer for writing and is totally at ease with the latest computer technology. Master Chia estimates that it will take thirty five books to convey the full Universal Tao System. In June 1990, at a dinner in San Francisco, Master Chia was honored by the International Congress of Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong (Chi Kung), who named him the Qi gong Master of the Year. He is the first recipient of this annual award. In December 2000, the Tao Garden Health Resort and Universal Tao Training Center was completed with two Meditation Halls, two open air Simple Chi Kung Pavilions, indoor Tai Chi, Tao Tao Yin and Chi Nei Tsang Hall, Tai Chi Natural Swimming Pool, Pakua Communications Center with a complete Taoist Library, Internal World Class Weight Lifting Hall and complete 8 Court Recreational Facilities. In February 2002, the Immortal Tao practices will be held at Tao Garden for the first time using the Dark Room technology creating a complete environment for the higher level Taoist practices. - 13 - About the Author He has previously written and published these Universal Tao books: Awaken Healing Energy of the Tao - 1983 Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energy co-authored with Michael Winn - 1984. Taoist Ways to Transform Stress into Vitality -1985 Chi Self-Massage: the Tao of Rejuvenation - 1986 Iron Shirt Chi Kung I - 1986 Healing Love Through the Tao: Cultivating Female Sexual Energy - 1986 Bone Marrow Nei Kung - 1989 Fusion of the Five Elements I - 1990 Chi Nei Tsang: Internal Organ Chi Massage - 1990 Awaken Healing Light of the Tao - 1993 The Inner Structure of Tai Chi co-authored with Juan Li 1996 Multi-Orgasmic Man co-authored with Douglas Abrams 1996 - published by Harper/Collins Tao Yin - 1999 Chi Nei Tsang II - 2000 Multi-Orgasmic Couple co-authored with Douglas Abrams 2000 - published by Harper/Collins Cosmic Healing I - 2001 Cosmic Healing II co-authored with Dirk Oellibrandt - 2001 Door of All Wonders co-authored with Tao Haung - 2001 Sexual Reflexology co-authored with W. U. Wei - 2002 Elixir Chi Kung - 2002 Tan Tien Chi Kung - 2002 Many of the books above are available in the following foreign languages: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Malaysian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Slovenian, Spanish, & Turkish editions are available from the Foreign Publishers listed in the Universal Tao Center Overview in the back of this book. - 14 - Acknowledgements Acknowledgements I wish to express my gratitude to my many students, who so willingly devoted their time and effort in practice. I wish also to thank them for consenting to be interviewed so that others might know what they experienced and how they were helped through this practice. I want to thank Dr. Lawrence Young, attending physician at New York Infirmary-Beekman Downtown Hospital and a private internist, Dr. C. Y. Hsu, physician-in-charge of the Acupuncture and Nerve Block Clinic at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Stephen Pan, Ph.D, Director of East Asian Research Institute, and K. Reid Shaw attorney, who are actively engaged in presenting my work to the medical community. I wish to offer my appreciation to Sam Langberg, for his understanding and untiring work in editing the first edition. Sam Langberg is a freelance writer and a Taoist Esoteric Yoga instructor living in the New York area. He has been practicing Yoga for over 10 years, and currently works with the Taoist Esoteric Yoga Center writing classbooks and other materials. Many thanks go to Michael Winn and Robin Winn for long months spent revising and expanding the second edition. I thank Susan MacKay who revised our Taoist Esoteric Yoga sitting figure, and my secretary Joann for her patience in typing and retyping the manuscript. Finally, I am grateful to my son, Max, whose suggestions and encouragement in this, as in all matters, have always been valuable to me. -15- Words of Caution Words of Caution The practices described in this book have been used successfully for thousands of years by Taoists trained by personal instruction. Readers should not undertake the practice without receiving personal transmission and training from a certified instructor of the Universal Tao, since certain of these practices, if done improperly, may cause injury or result in health problems. This book is intended to supplement individual training by the Universal Tao and to serve as a reference guide for these practices. Anyone who undertakes these practices on the basis of this book alone, does so entirely at his or her own risk. The meditations, practices and techniques described herein are not intended to be used as an alternative or substitute for professional medical treatment and care. If any readers are suffering from illnesses based on mental or emotional disorders, an appropriate professional health care practitioner or therapist should be consulted. Such problems should be corrected before you start training. Neither the Universal Tao nor its staff and instructors can be responsible for the consequences of any practice or misuse of the information contained in this book. If the reader undertakes any exercise without strictly following the instructions, notes and warnings, the responsibility must lie solely with the reader. This book does not attempt to give any medical diagnosis, treatment, prescription, or remedial recommendation in relation to any human disease, ailment, suffering or physical condition whatsoever. The Universal Tao is not and cannot be responsible for the consequences of any practice or misuse of the information in this book. If the reader undertakes any exercise without strictly following the instructions, notes, and warnings, the responsibility must lie solely with the reader. -16- Foreword Foreword During the last twenty-five years the United States and Western Europe has witnessed an amazing growth of popular interest in a multitude of personal growth and wholistically based health disciplines. The West once again has become a "melting pot" but this time the cauldron contains a mixture of the sacred traditions of the East as well as some of the emerging internal technologies of the body, mind and spirit. This movement, known generally as the "New Age", is characterized by popular magazines and a sizable growing literature, a large number of spiritually oriented groups and a rapidly growing consumer market for wholistically based medicine and other "appropriate technologies". We are clearly seeing a major shift in attitudes and values in our relationships to our inner lives and our responsibilities for the future of the planet Earth. Parallel with these developments we can also see emerging a scientific picture of the universe that resembles the classic world view of the major oriental religions. The scientific picture that is developing at the end of the 20th century is less linear, less deterministic and less reductionistic in the frontier sciences of physics and biology. This picture becomes increasingly similar to the intuitive, phenomenological and process/interactive model of man-in the-universe that has characterized Chinese philosophy and science for thousands of years. These two trends, the growth of "New Age" consciousness and the shift in our scientific paradigms are beginning to converge in some practical ways in the field of holistically inspired medicine. Perhaps the best example of this is the therapeutic modality of Acupuncture, one of the most powerful techniques in the classical Chinese medical system. A little known fact about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine is the enormous debt these systems owe to Taoist Esoteric Yoga. In fact, Taoist Esoteric Yoga is the mother of Chinese medicine as well as many other systems of healing and self-development. For many Westerners Taoism has seemed an elusive and inscrutable path, best exemplified by the oracular mysteries of the I- -17- Foreword Ching and the wisdom of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tsu, the nature philosophers of "The Way". For those interested in the Oriental healing or martial arts there are disciplines as Macrobiotics or Tai Chi Chuan, but the nature of this relationship is far from clear. To suggest a connection between these and other practices and an esoteric core of Taoism is to confuse matters even further. In fact, the concept of an esoteric or inner core of Taoism is itself a new idea for New Age audiences. What sense are we to make of an esoteric foundation for a tradition that already seems so difficult to comprehend, especially in its practical ramifications? By contrast, we are reasonably comfortable with the major concepts and methods of the various Indian meditation and yoga systems which began to find a place in our society in the 1920's. We have also come to appreciate the powerful systems of Buddhist thought and practice, especially Zen and Tibetan Buddhism which began to emerge into popular consciousness in the 1960's. But what about Taoism? What do we really know about this tradition other than a few fragments of the wisdom of the I-Ching, the Tao Teh Ching and a few other pieces of disconnected fragments of practical knowledge contained in the systems of Chinese medicine and martial arts? How can we begin to understand the contemporary practical applications of this ancient system of healing and spiritual development? What form must this knowledge take in order to enter the mainstream of our technological society at this time in our evolutionary transition? The book by Master Mantak Chia addresses these questions and represents, to the best of my knowledge, the first opportunity for a Western audience to really grasp and digest the essential and practical aspects of Taoist Esoteric Yoga. Master Chia has performed an invaluable service through his efforts to present these ancient psychophysical methods in a form and sequence that corresponds to our contemporary scientific and technological world view. The information in the book, the first in a forthcoming series on Taoist Esoteric Yoga principles and methods, clearly describes the theory and practice of the Microcosmic Orbit, the foundation teaching of the entire Taoist system. Through their meditation experience and accumulated wisdom the ancient Taoist masters learned the importance of the free circulation of Chi energy in the body, both as a therapeutic technique for self-healing as well as a -18- Foreword safety valve for preventing the side effects that often accompany the powerful experiences of Kundalini energy release. Master Chia, a true heir to the ancient Taoist system, has taken this information and broken it down into a systematic form of instruction that anyone can easily grasp and apply. I believe that this book is an historically important contribution to the introduction of practical Taoism to the West. "Awaken Healing Energy Through The Tao" will help to evolve our under standing of the mind/body relationship in our healing practices as well as our scientific models of the energy structure of the human body. By Gunther Weil, Ph.D - 19 - Introduction Introduction: What is the Healing Energy of the Tao? In the sixth century B.C., Lao-Tse began his classic essay, the Tao Te Ching, with this admonition: "The Tao which can be spoken of is not the Tao." Loosely translated, "Tao" means "the way" or "the power". In early Chinese writings the Tao implied an understanding of life which stressed individual harmony with the forces of nature. The Taoist sages often became hermits that lived in the mountains and disdained offers of power from admiring emperors, saying they preferred the "Ruler of Nature" to the transitory "Ruler of Society." In the same tradition, "Awaken Healing Energy Through The Tao" is rooted in the process of nature, our bodily nature. This healing energy works independent of any particular belief or current scientific concepts. It differs from the Taoist religions which grew up around the original philosophy. In a nutshell, it is a subtle but verifiable experience of life energy, of "chi" flowing through the body in a specific pattern. It was discovered by practical minded Chinese sages, and is available to to any person of any age who cares to train themselves to observe and use it. That this healing power is compatible with different individual beliefs or religions is apparent in the fact that the author Mantak Chia is himself a Christian, but has used the traditional Taoist methods to help thousands of people heal or improve themselves. A person could study hundreds of volumes of the Taoist Encyclopedia in Chinese and commentaries on the Tao Te Ching or IChing in a dozen languages without ever learning how to awaken the much poeticized healing power of the Tao. It would be far more useful for such a seeker to spend their time practicing the circulation of the healing life force in the "small heavenly cycle" or "microcosmic orbit" as described in this book. Mantak Chia has read those hundreds of esoteric volumes, in addition to receiving the highest oral teaching from Taoist Masters. He believes the oral teachings are too important to be practiced by - 20 - Introduction a lucky few only, hidden from other seekers by vague poetry or the arcane symbols of ancient writings. Master Chia sees that the age has come when the public needs and deserves a clear teaching of this healing power, which was shrouded in China by the same secrecy that surrounded medieval alchemy in Europe. This historical similarity is no accident, as the Taoist "Microcosmic Orbit" is a process of human alchemy, the first step towards transformation of human energy into its purest form. This distillation of a healing energy was perfected by generations of sages who spent their entire lives refining its many applications. These applications to daily life are indeed enormous. It is not an exaggeration to say the circulation of human energy or "chi" throughout the body is also the key principal functioning behind much Chinese genius. It is responsible for Chinese achievements in medicine (acupuncture), the martial and meditative arts (Kung Fu, Tai Chi Chuan, Pa Kua Palm, Hsing I Chuan, Inner Alchemy),inspiration for a vast treasure of poetry and philosophy (I Ching, Tao Te Ching). It could be argued that the increased health and creative intelligence of the Taoist practitioners helped stimulate the impressive early Chinese advances in technology and government. Confucius was well versed in Taoist philosophy and expressed great admiration for it; he may well have been a practitioner of the art as well. Since publication of the first edition of "Awaken Healing Energy through the Tao", students of various Chinese arts have come to Mantak Chia and confessed they were shocked to see his book sold in a store. Its information was taught to them only after years of dedication and discipline in their practice, be it Tai Chi, meditation, or martial arts. They were told circulation of the microcosmic orbit was the "highest secret" to gaining internal power in the mind and body, and not to be revealed to those outside the "inner circle". Having mastered many different systems of esoteric Chinese knowledge. Master Chia's perspective is different from most other teachers. For Master Chia, education begins with the awakening of this healing energy. It is the most important building block. If you master the circulation of your energy, growth in other disciplines proceeds more quickly. Opening the main channel of energy circulation in the body (referred to as the "Microcosmic Orbit" in this book) is analagous to a first grader learning to write the letters of the alphabet. - 21 - Introduction Without first learning how to write the alphabet, one cannot create words, sentences, paragraphs, or the simple and complex ideas taught up to the university level. It is the same with the healing power of the Tao. Without "getting" the flow of energy taught in this book, the practitioner will find it difficult to advance quickly to higher levels in related disciplines. Or, you may spend years with less direct methods in order to achieve the same end, e.g. repeat certain physical movements until the flow one day "arrives", sit facing a wall for 20 years, or repeat a mantra for a lifetime. Later volumes of Master Mantak Chia's "Taoist Esoteric Yoga Encyclopedia" will elucidate some of the more advanced forms of Taoist practice in healing, meditation, and self-defense, and their application in balancing the forces which daily buffet us about. Seminal Kung Fu (a sexual practice for man) and Ovarian Kung Fu (a sexual practice for woman) reveal the Taoist secrets of transforming raw sexual energy into creative energy. Iron Shirt Chi Kung strengthens the whole body fascia, organs, tendons and bones and shows how to "root" the human energy in the earth. Fusion of the Five Elements" teaches how to transmute emotions, heal damaged organs and gain greater balance and insight into oneself. Tai Chi Chi Kung, Pa Kua Chi Kung and Palm, Hsing I Chi Kung, Death Touch Dan Mu, and Five Finger Kung Fu, build internal power, improve body alignment, and enable one to more quickly master the longer forms of Tai Chi Chuan, Pa Kua Palm, and Hsing I Chuan. "Awaken Healing Energy through the Tao" is scientific in that it demystifies some of the principles on which the miracle of selfhealing and other feats of energy are based. At the same time it is deeply rooted in an ancient tradition of spiritual self-mastery that, step by step, leads the practitioner to experiencing the full mystery of the Tao. By Michael Winn who is general editor of the Taoist Esoteric Yoga Encyclopedia. March 31,1983 New York City - 22 - Chapter I Part I: Practical Steps to Awaken your own Healing Energy - 23 - Awaken the "Chi" Life Energy Chapter I Awaken the "Chi" Life Energy Meditation, properly speaking, is the stilling of the mind. Most of the meditation techniques taught today still the mind using one of two basic approaches. The first is the Zen approach of "silent sitting", facing a blank wall until the mind becomes blank. You sit until the moment of pure awareness arrives, even if it takes twenty years. The second is the Mantra approach, in which the mind is rhythmically lulled to sleep with sounds or images. After thousands of repetitions the body begins to vibrate at a higher frequency, and the meditator becomes aware of the higher energies operating beyond the sensory process functions of our daily mind. The Esoteric Taoist approach is different. It does not depend on total absence of the flux of thought. Instead, this system stresses the circulation of energy called "chi" along certain pathways inside the body. These pathways help direct the "chi" — also known as prana, sperm or ovarian power, the warm current, or kundalini power — to successively higher power centers (chakras) of the body. The secret of circulating this "chi" has been transmitted for thousands of years in China, where it brought extraordinary improvements in health and life. But what is this "chi", and where does it come from? The chi is the primordial life force itself. It begins in human life with the piercing of an egg by a sperm cell. From this original fusion an enormously complex new human being develops. "Chi" is the continuous flow of energy linking the various tissues, organs and brain functions into a unified whole — a person. Chi also links this person to his environment. The main channels of "chi" energy flow in the body were discovered by sages meditating upon the human fetus inside the womb. They observed the baby grows up around its mother's navel point, and that through the navel the fetus absorbs nutrients and expels waste. The fetus literally "breathes" through the umbilical cord from the mother into its own navel down to the perineum and up to the head and down from the tongue to the navel again. The navel point is thus said by Taoists to be the starting point for the flow of the - 24 - Chapter I primordial life energy, or "chi", and remains the point of strongest energy storage and circulation in the adult. "Awaken Healing Energy Through The Tao" is a method for an adult to return to that state of dynamic energy circulation which existed inside the womb. In this sense this esoteric Taoist meditation is a rebirth process, a return to one's original, primordial self. What happened after birth that caused us to lose that original, perfect equilibrium that was so nurturing and permitted such healthy growth? After a baby enters the world, his/her energy slowly "settles out" into hot and cold parts of the body. In the fetus this "yin" and "yang" energy was perfectly balanced in a kind of "lukewarm" mixture. But by the time a baby has grown to adulthood the hot or "yang" energy has gradually risen to the upper part of the body containing the vital organs such as the heart, liver, lungs and brain. The cold or "yin" energy has tended to settle in the legs, genitals, kidneys and lower abdomen. Fig. 1.1 Energy enters the human fetus at the navel and circulates in Microcosmic Orbit, harmonizing yin and yang energy. - 25 - Awaken the "Chi" Life Energy As we age, the energy routes which bring vital power to our internal organs and enable them to function become progressively more blocked by physical and mental tension. The result is general fatigue, weakness, and poor health. A young person usually has sufficient energy to keep the routes less obstructed so that the power still flows. The organs are thus nourished, and there is little sickness. But if we do not live healthily and practice to keep the energy routes open, they will gradually close and cause emotional imbalances, premature sickness and old age. The perfect energy circulation we enjoyed as babies was not aired by the daily stress of living. Simply by re-establishing that same strong flow of lukewarm chi — mixed yin and yang energy — our vital organs will begin to glow with radiant health. When this healing power of the Tao - the life energy in its original, pure, undivided form — flows through our bodies, we regain the exuberant energy and rosy glow we once had as babies. Our true task is only to "re-awaken" this undivided healing power that was once an accepted fact in our being. Primary Energy Channels The nervous system in human beings is very complex and capable of directing energy wherever it is needed. But the ancient Taoist masters discovered there are two primary energy channels that carry an especially strong current. One channel they called the "Functional". It begins at the base of the trunk, midway between the testicles and the anus at a point called the perineum. It flows upward into the body past the penis, stomach organs, heart, and throat. The second channel called the "Governor", starts in the same place. It flows from the perineum upwards into the tailbone and then up through the spine into the brain, and back down to the roof of the mouth. The tongue is like a switch that connects these two currents, for when it is touched to the roof of the mouth just behind the front teeth, the energy flows in a circle up the spine and back down a the front of the body. The two channels form a single circuit that the energy loops around in circles. When this energy flows in a loop around the body through these two channels, the Chinese masters said the "small heavenly cycle" or "microcosmic orbit" had - 26 - Chapter I been completed. Henceforth in this book we shall refer to this major energy loop as "the microcosmic orbit". Its vital current circulates past the major organs and nervous system of the body, giving cells the juice they need to grow, heal, and function. Proper Wiring of the Etheric Body The two main energy channels of the body can be compared to the main wiring of a house. Imagine a trunk line which brings power from outside into the building's service panel. This panel contains the circuit breakers that protect the inside wiring from short circuits and overloads. It also has the switches that control the current to all the rooms inside the house. This inside wiring is like the "six special power routes" in the body used in higher levels of Taoist meditation that branch off from the Microcosmic Orbit. In higher levels there are additional "wires" for especially heavy loads of energy that might surge into the system — the "thrusting route" in the middle of the body is one such wire. Once your house, like your body, is properly wired and all the safety precautions have been made, it is ready to connect to the main utility company trunk line for power. You are ready to receive the power that comes from above and from beneath you without harm. What does it mean to "Open the Routes"? "Opening the routes" means clearing all obstructions that impede the flow of chi energy in their natural paths. Most obstructions take the form of physical, mental, or emotional tension. It helps to understand that these energy routes in the body are grounded in the larger balancing forces of nature which are exerting powerful influence over us at every moment. The healing power of natural forces can be tapped to help the body in clearing itself of the obstruction to its natural energy flow. The route running down the front of the body (it may flow in an upward direction before the Microcosmic Orbit is linked together) the Functional Channel, has a yin, or cold nature. The route running up the back, the Governor Channel, is yang, or hot, in nature. The feet are said to be the ground or the "earthwire" and absorb - 27 - Awaken the "Chi" Life Energy negatively charged energy from the earth. The top of the head, or crown, is the "heavenly wire", or positive wire and absorbs the yang power from above, especially from the sun. When these two routes are joined and cleared of obstruction the power will flow in a circuit between these two poles, positive and negative, linking the vital organs of the body to the main loop of the microcosmic orbit around the trunk and head of the body. So by simply opening the two main routes, Functional and Governor, a larger supply of warm "chi" current flows into every bodily organ. The process of mixing yin and yang, hot and cold, heaven and earth, takes place automatically, balancing your physical, mental and emotional selves. Lessen Side Effects by Careful Preparation Some meditation methods have the practitioner start by receiving power from above immediately. Only a few people — those born with the proper channels already open and ready for use, and who have done nothing to cause them to be blocked are capable of doing this immediately. Many people, including well known yogis, have damaged their organs with excessive heat or have released uncontrollable hallucinations by progressing before their bodies were prepared to handle high doses of raw energy. The Taoist approach is more gradual. The practitioners make use of higher energies by first clearing the routes and raising their level of "chi" production. When the two principal thoroughfares of the microcosmic orbit are opened, only then are the six additional special power routes opened, and more after that. This allows the body to absorb the natural forces flowing about us constantly like a sponge, and enables one to swiftly circulate the added vitality throughout the body. With all these routes open, every organ receives its full complement of energy and remains in harmony with the rest of the body system. The warm current of "chi" helps wash away any blockage that might be present, massages the internal organs, and restores health to damaged and abused tissues. Many deadly diseases are prevented and the effects of stress and nervous tension are effectively flushed out of the system. Many practitioners open all the - 28 - Chapter I routes within a few months and learn to reduce leakage of their bodily energy to the point where an EEG records little or no energy waves. Acupuncture and Microcosmic Orbit The Chinese sages studied the flow of energy from these two main channels, the Functional and Governor that connect to form the microcosmic orbit, and discovered other energy flow routes. It was along these energy meridians that the points used in acupuncture healing were also discovered. But before the art of acupuncture developed, using needles to impede or enhance energy flow along the various routes in an effort to restore normal function, the Chinese healers relied on circulating their energy internally in the basic microcosmic orbit to insure good health, love and long life. These masters of long life were much sought after, even besieged to teach the secret of living a long and harmonious life. When acupuncture was first introduced it was considered an inferior form of medicine and was used mostly in extreme cases of sickness. The best doctors in China were the doctors who kept their patients from getting sick in the first place. The highest form of medicine was preventive. Today, while we are beginning to accept acupuncture as a reliable medical practice, we have yet to recognize our innate ability to prevent illness and heal ourselves using the energy flowing naturally through our bodies. Summary In the Taoist system one begins by opening and completing two main channels, up the spine in back and down the front of the body. When linked together by the tongue on the roof of the mouth, these two routes form the Microcosmic Orbit and serve as a circulatory system for the body with built-in cooling safety valves. Human energy tends to flow upward during meditation and may cause immense heat to accumulate in the brain coupled with bodily sensation, visual and auditory hallucinations, emotional outbursts, and various delusions. By completing up to a total of thirty-two routes (these smaller routes are not covered in this volume) the energy is well circulated, greatly reducing the overheating side effects of concentrated meditation and inducing relaxation. - 29 - Awaken the "Chi" Life Energy Once all the energy channels are open, one can begin the practice of mixing and transforming the powers present in the various energy centers or chakras, a process known to the Taoists as "inner alchemy". Many formulas are needed to bring about the proper effects and to harmonize the various energy systems of the body with the energy system of nature. As more power becomes available, the importance of opening the various routes becomes evident. Without many clear and commodious channels to transport a considerable increase in energy, damage can result from an overload. These side effects range from the physical to the psychological and can be quite disturbing, even debilitating. If any side effects should ever occur, see the chapter on Safety Precautions and if necessary ask for advice immediately from a teacher of Taoist yoga. "Awaken Healing Energy through the Tao" is a method evolved over many millenium to offer the practitionerthe safest and most assured path to good health. If you proceed one step at a time up the ladder, you will be guaranteed success in reaching the top. - 30 - Chapter II Chapter II Prepare to Circulate the Chi Energy Create a Relaxed Environment The key to Chi circulation is deep relaxation: in order to circulate the warm current you must be calm within yourself. If you are distracted by the television, passing cars, or your unmade bed, your mind will turn outwards and you will be unable to focus on your energy. As you progress you will learn to ignore the distractions and will be able to meditate anywhere, but in the beginning choose a quiet spot and a special time. The more comfortable the atmosphere the more easily you can concentrate. Clothes During Chi (meditation) dress in loose-fitting clothing. Loosen your belt and remove your glasses and watch. Remember to keep the knees, nape of the neck and toes free of binding clothing. Dress warmly enough so that you are not distracted by the cold. Room The room must be kept well-ventilated, but do not sit in front of a window. The body generates excess heat during meditation and a draft may cause a cold. Avoid meditating with light shining in your eyes. If a room is too light it will disturb your concentration; if too dark it may make you sleepy. Diet According to the Taoist masters, if you stop eating when you are two-thirds full your stomach will have room to digest the food. When you are too full you lose lucidity and power of concentration. - 31 - Prepare to Circulate the Chi Energy Wait at least one hour after eating before meditating, avoid eating cold foods including iced drinks and chilled fruit. They are extremely yin and tend to throw you out of balance. Let your foods warm up instead of eating them directly from refrigerator. Your body saves energy by not having to heat cold food. You may attain a high plane of spiritual evolution without being a vegetarian. Both vegetarians and omnivores are subject to illness and decay. Simply eat whatever makes you feel best. Try to listen to your body's appetite and you will know what to eat: When you have an urge to eat something your body has a need for that food. Of course this applies only to those whose bodies are relatively healthy and have no extreme cravings for deadly substances such as refined sugar, salt, or oily food. If your health has been affected by perverted eating habits you will gradually recover a true sense of your nutritional needs by circulating the warm current of "chi" around your body. No one else can tell you what your need to attain inner harmony; vegetables alone will not make you pure or holier than fish. But you should try to eat food that is fresh and as free of chemical contaminants as possible. Stimulating the Flow of Chi To prepare for meditation first rub your face, ears, eyes, waist, and the soles of your feet. Rotate your head 12 times in both directions, then clasp your hands above your head and rotate your trunk 36 times in a circular motion. Fig. 2.1 Rub the soles of the feet to stimulate the flow of Chi. - 32 - Chapter II To prevent stiffness, promote flexibility, and ensure an easier flow of energy upon awakening each morning, stretch your tendons, clench your teeth, and swallow your saliva. To stretch your tendons, sit up with your legs extended out in front of you and grab your toes or ankles. Exhale completely and gradually bend at the waist stretching forward with your hands as far as you can go without straining. Practice nine times. Next beat your teeth together nine times then use your tongue to massage you gums. This will prevent gum disease and exercise your tongue. We deal with this more in the Chi Massage (Taoist Rejuvenation). How to Sit Sit on the edge of a chair using your sittingbones to find that delicate place of balance which will help hold you erect. Men should allow the scrotum to hang freely in the air; when the testes are freely suspended it is easier to draw in energy and awaken the sleeping giant within. The sitting position for women is the same except that if women sit in the nude or are scantily clad they should cover the genitalia to avoid energy loss. The back must be comfortably erect, the head bowed slightly forward, the feet firmly planted on the floor. The feet are the ground wire, and have ten channels of energy flow in each leg. In order to keep the energy flow fully in each leg, keep your legs in touch with the ground. Incorrect sitting position Correct sitting position Fig. 2.2 Sitting Position - 33 - Prepare to Circulate the Chi Energy Fig. 2.3 Both men and women place the right (Yang) palm over the left palm (Yin), to connect and seal the energy while meditating. Fig. 2.4 Back should be straight. Sitting on a chair is the most comfortable way to practice the chi flow to the whole body. The feet are the root of our body so keep the energy flow to them and the hands resting on the lap with the right palm on top, clasping the left palm. This will complete the hand circle, and the energy will not leak out of the palm. The back - 34 - Chapter II should be quite straight at the waist though slightly bowed at the shoulders and neck. This minor forward curve of the upper back promotes perfect relaxation of the chest and allows the power to flow downward. In military posture, with the shoulders thrown back and the head held high, the power will lodge in the chest and fail to descend to the lower centers. How to Breathe While concentrating the breath should be soft, long, and smooth. After a while you can forget about your breath. Attention to breath will only distract the mind which must focus on drawing energy to the desired points. There are thousands of esoteric breathing methods; you might spend your whole life mastering them and acquire no lasting energy. Fig. 2.5 To relax, practice taking long slow deep breaths in the abdomen, not the chest. But once the Chi is awakened and you complete the route you may experience many different breathing patterns: rapid breathing, shallow breathing, deep breathing, prolonged retention of breath, spinal cord breathing, inner breathing, crown breathing, soles of the feet breathing, etc. You need not try to regulate your breath as breathing patterns will occur automatically according to the body's needs. - 35 - Prepare to Circulate the Chi Energy Breathe noiselessly through the nose. Make the breathing smooth and gentle. Any sound passage of the breath will mar your concentration, and if your breathing is rough you will not succeed in attaining a complete state of calm. But take care, if you interfere with the breathing you will arrest the flow of energy. In the beginning if you have difficulty focusing, count from one to ten and ten to one, five times. You can take thirty-six abdominal long, slow, deep breaths which will lower the energy held in your chest, shoulders, arms, and head, and help you attain inner calm. Once you have acquired energy and concentration you can imagine energy entering every pore when you inhale and leaving every pore when you exhale. In this way you will experience the entire surface of your body breathing. Mental Attitude Don't try to meditate when you are tired. If you are fatigued but still wish to practice, first take a stroll, a soothing bath, a short nap, or have a warm drink. Begin to practice when you feel refreshed. Maintain a calm mind and an attitude of forgiveness. Be cheerful and remain open to life. Don't be consumed with ambition or worry. Your great task is to raise your consciousness and your capacity to love. Don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Happiness and a calm state are signs of spiritual progress. Don't struggle. Don't try to force wandering thoughts out of your mind. Simply release your thoughts, watching as they depart. Imagine them as clouds dispersed by the wind. When they are gone the sun will shine through brightly. Detach yourself, be a spectator to the thinking process not a participant. Gradually you will learn to concentrate and direct the healing energy of the Tao. Position of the Tongue The tongue is the bridge between the two channels, the Functional and the Governor. They are separated by the tongue. There are three positions for the tongue. For the beginner, place the tongue where it is most comfortable. If it is uncomfortable to place the tongue to the palate, place it near the teeth. The correct place is called the "Heavenly Pool." - 36 - Chapter II First Position The place near the teeth will produce air (wind) and will make it easy for you to fall asleep. Second Position The top of the palate before the palate is the Fire Place. If touched for too long it will make the mouth and tongue feel dry. A. Wind Position B. Fire Position C.Heavenly Pool (Water) Fig. 2.6 Tongue Positions - 37 - Prepare to Circulate the Chi Energy Third Position This is the Heavenly Pool position about 1.5 inches in front of the teeth, stimulating the salivary gland that is under the tongue. The Heavenly Pool has two pools, which in the Tao system connect with the perineum Sperm Palace and the K1 Kidney, the Sole (Bubbling Spring). It connects with the kidney and runs up past the heart, so these two pools will stimulate the kidney and sperm energy to rise up past the heart and enter the small brain and the Pituitary Gland, which transforms it into brain energy. This will later on become Nectar and strengthen the heart energy. - 38 - Chapter III Chapter III Secret of the Inner Smile Once you've created a quiet, calming external atmosphere you must establish that same quiet and calm within yourself. If the room is conducive to meditating, but your jaw clenched, your neck stiff, shoulders tense, your back stiff, your stomach upset, you will not be able to circulate the chi energy and complete the microcosmic orbit. A relaxed mental attitude and the thirty-six deep abdominal breaths will help to calm your mind and begin to relax your body. But to achieve full calmness means more than simply relaxing tense muscles and jittery nerves. To gain a deep and lasting state of relaxation requires that we develop a feeling of peace in our innermost parts. Only when our vital organs like the heart, lungs, liver, kidney and stomach, nervous system and circulatory system are feeling relaxed, can we psychologically feel serene. To reach these organs, the ancient Taoist masters discovered a simple secret, the "inner smile". Fig. 3.1 An Inner smile radiates powerful healing energy. - 39 - Secret of the Inner Smile Healing Power of a Smile Have you ever walked down the street grumbling or worrying about things you have to do, your relationships, your job, your whole life? When you glance up someone smiles at you, and before you know it you're smiling back. In only a split-second you've dropped your troubles, you stand up a little straighter, and walk on knowing everything is going to be okay. A genuine smile has tremendous power. When you smile at someone it makes them feel good about themselves. When you smile at your plants they feel your loving energy and they grow. When you go home, pat your dog on the head and smile at him, your dog will wag his tail to show you he's happy. But if you go home, yell at him and kick him, he'll cower, growl, or bite. If you scream at your loved ones they'll feel defensive and unloved. A true smile is a sign of love, a transmitter of energy which has a warming, healing effect. It is a vehicle for music. A person who does not smile is like a guitar which is not played: the guitar sits in the corner, begins to warp, it's strings stretch out, and gradually the guitar cracks and decays. The non-smiler, likewise, does not develop his ability to give and receive love. His dark countenance and serious approach to life is often coupled with ulcers and other medical disorders as his life slowly crumbles for lack of care and love. On the other hand, the guitar that is polished and played has its strings changed regularly, the bow adjusted and is kept safely in a case. A well-loved and tended guitar brings life and light to the musician, and often outlives its owner. The smiler, too, brings joy to people's lives, and leads a happy healthy life that may be soundly remembered long after his or her physical passing away. Unfortunately, while we all recognize the difference between cheery people and glum people, and while we associate happiness with health, and sadness with sickness, we still do not acknowledge the power of smiling or understand its full potential. In short, we don't take smiling to our organs and nervous system seriously. Why, for instance, if a smile is associated with health, aren't there doctors who specialize in smiling? If Saturday Review editor, Norman Cousins, used old Marx Brothers films to laugh away his rare connective disease, then why can't doctors and nurses use - 40 - Chapter III smiling energy to help heal their patients? Perhaps our hospitals should hire clowns and jesters to make their patients smile. More important, why hasn't smiling been used as preventive medicine? In smiling at our friends, families and loved ones, why have we not learned to smile to ourselves? In ancient China, the Taoists taught that a constant inner smile, a smile to oneself, insured health, happiness, and longevity. Why? Smiling to yourself is like basking in love: you become your own best friend. Living with an inner smile is to live in harmony with yourself. One look at our western society shows that we do not know the secret of smiling. The lack of harmony within ourselves is tragically apparent. We are plagued with an increase in physical and emotional illness that ranges from cancer to anorexia nervousa. Our loves are always shadowed by a world filled with violence and self-destruction. Both the individual and the collective society are threatened by rampant drug abuse and nuclear waste. Somehow, somewhere, we've lost sight of the Tao. We've broken the natural flow of life, and with it the power to heal ourselves. Smile Love into your Vital Organs The complexity of global problems can be so overwhelming that most people simply give up trying to understand the whole picture of their life. Our heads reel from an overload of information that spews out from television, newspaper, radio and computers. The challenge is to simplify all this information into digestible form. This process of literally "digesting" reality is made difficult to the extent that we've separated our minds from our bodies. If the body is healthy, it can easily assimilate the stress of modern living and even find it a creative challenge. But many people ignore their natural balancing mechanisms between the body and mind. They attempt to digest the world with their minds, piling up concepts, thoughts, and desires like giant mounds of mental baggage. They ignore the fact that their body must carry this extra mental baggage around twenty-four hours a day, and eventually tires of the extra weight. Exhausted, the body gives up prematurely resulting in heart failure, stroke, arthritis, or liver dysfunction. The collapse is blamed on a poor physical body, but the overstressed mind is the true culprit. - 41 - Secret of the Inner Smile Proof of our ignorance of the connection between body and mind is seen in the fact that most of us don't even know where our bodily organs are, much less their size, shape or functions. And if we happen to know intellectually, we still don't experience our organs in a tangible way because we ignore their constant subtle messages. For instance, we think we are satisfied when our mind is pleased: our intestines may be rebelling from over-eating, our lungs may be taxed by smoke, our kidneys may be overworked from coffee, but in our mind we've had a delicious meal, a good smoke, and a great cup of coffee. We are numb to our organ's feelings and thereby block what is potentially our deepest experience of good health. We're like the irresponsible automobile owner who spends all his time waxing and polishing his car only to drive over bumpy, dusty roads. He avoids cleaning the spark plugs or changing the oil, then uses leaded instead of unleaded gasoline. When the car breaks down, he curses, complaining that he is not a mechanic, and then blames the car manufacturer when he's told the car needs a complete overhal. We are really no different. We spend all our energy (and money) making certain our outer selves are presentable, then we abuse our inner selves by eating an imbalanced diet, drinking, smoking, and worst of all, denying ourselves love. And then we're shocked when out of the blue our lungs collapse, our kidneys fail, or we're told we have cancer. Some people have an astonishing ability to convince themselves that their health is not caused by their own behavior, and quickly blame their illness on bad genes, old age, fate, etc. But most people are simply unaware that their illnesses are the direct result of accumulated years of stress and seemingly minor abuse of the physical body, especially of the vital organs. These vital organs are intimately connected to every aspect of our mind. Our body is the filter for all our perceptions, feelings, thoughts, as well as the storehouse for our memory, our very sense of identity. Most people fail to realize that even if our mind temporarily stops functioning, if we cease to think or feel, our organs can continue to work. But the moment your spleen bursts, your heart stops, or your liver malfunctions, your life is in serious danger. The brain is the boss, but organs do the work. Imagine your organs are working in a factory, your mind is the boss. If the boss - 42 - Chapter III is never around, or if he ignores the workers' grievances (he's so concerned about his own affairs that he can't see that the workers have poor working conditions, they're overworked, and under paid) the workers will eventually become so discouraged and frustrated that they'll either go on strike or quit altogether. The factory shuts down, no goods are produced, and the boss is left trying to negotiate with the workers. But his power is diminished if the workers have already shut down the factory. It may never open again, and cause the boss to lose his livelihood. (Remember, the problem did not occur overnight.) How to smile down with the Inner Smile Start with the Eyes To practice the inner smile begin by closing your eyes and smiling sincerely into them. Relax and feel a deep smile shining through your eyes. By relaxing your eyes you can calm your entire nervous system. Your eyes are connected to your autonomic nervous system which is divided into two parts, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system controls the flight or fight reaction. The parasympathetic permits the body to rest and feel secure. It generates calm, loving feelings and is in turn activated by similar feelings of love and acceptance from other people. These two systems are linked with every organ and gland in the body, which are given commands through the nervous system to speed up or slow down the activity of the body as needed. Thus it is through the link between your eyes and your nervous systems that your entire range of emotions and immediate physical reactions are controlled. By relaxing your eyes with the inner smile, you free your mind of tension held throughout the entire body. The mind is then freed to concentrate and apply all its available creative energy to the task at hand, e.g. harmonizing itself with the environment. This connection between visual relaxation and the ability to concentrate is an essential Taoist insight. After you feel your eyes tingling with a huge inner smile, direct that smiling energy down into your body and fill your vital organs with love. An easy way to remember the "smiling down" sequence is as follows: - 43 - Secret of the Inner Smile Front Line: Smile down into the eyes, face, neck, heart, and blood circulatory system, the lungs, pancreas, spleen, liver, kidneys and adrenals. Middle Line: Smile down from the mouth to the stomach, small intestine, large intestine and rectum, simultaneously swallowing saliva. Back Line: Smile down the inside of the vertebrae of your spine, one by one. Fig. 3.2 Front Line Smile: the major vital organs - 44 - Chapter III Fig. 3.3 Middle Line Smile: Swallow saliva to the stomach and intestines Fig. 3.4 Back Line Smile: Begin at the eyes, then smile down the inside of the spine, vertebra by vertebra. - 45 - Secret of the Inner Smile Front Line This smiling of chi energy from your eyes down your front through the organs will later aid you in circulating the microcosmic orbit. Your smile should flow effortlessly like a waterfall, from your eyes down through your vital organs towards your genitals. With practice your chi will flow through these organs automatically, helping them in their work. Jaws Smile down your face into your jaws. Your jaws are a major storehouse of tension. When you allow the energy created by that "inner smile" to go into your jaws you should feel your body letting up and tension releasing. This may be accompanied by tingling sensations or noises, so do not be alarmed should that happen. Tongue To Palate The tongue is the bridge connecting the back (yang) and front (yin) channels. Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth. The correct position of the tongue is touching the soft palate in the rear of the mouth, but it is easier to leave it in front in the beginning. When chi flows into the tongue it may produce strange taste sensations and a warm tingle. Neck and Throat The neck region is another reservoir of tension. Contained in this area are many important nerves and blood vessels vitally important to your well being. The neck is the bridge between your brain and your body. If your neck is a traffic jam, knotted with tension and anxiety, the messages between your brain and organs will be confused and tense. If you cannot relax your neck you cannot complete the microcosmic orbit. Tighten your neck muscles then slowly allow them to relax. Tuck in your chin and let your head sink into your chest. Ancient Taoists copied this technique from the behavior of the turtle. Relax the neck muscles by creating the illusion that they are no longer necessary to hold up your head. Smile into your neck and throat and feel the tension melt. - 46 - Chapter III Loving Heart The heart pumps blood and chi energy through your veins and arteries. But in Taoist yoga the heart, along with the kidneys, is the main transformer of chi energy. This means that the heart is capable of both increasing your available chi and raising the quality of its energy to a more refined level. The arteries are said to belong to yang energy and the veins to yin energy. The arteries therefore have a positive charge and the veins a negative one. When you smile and fill your heart with love you increase the rate of blood circulation and with it the exchange of yin and yang chi in the bloodstream. So smile into your heart and feel the loving energy of the smile spread throughout your circulatory system. If you can use the smile and microcosmic orbit to aid the chi flow, the heart will work less. The smile from the eyes and the brain will help to circulate the chi energy and thus aid the blood to flow fully and freely while the heart relaxes. In conjunction with the proper diet and exercise, the likelihood of getting heart disease will be greatly reduced. Feel the stream of relaxation flow down and spread from your face and neck into your heart. You will sense the heart to be cool and calm, and at the same time feel its physical substance. People who are nervous or who anger quickly often experience pain and tense feelings in and about the heart. Extending the smile relieves stored tension and enables a new kind of functioning to take place. Fill your heart with love. Let your heart be your "sweetheart". Lungs Radiate the love in your heart to your lungs. Feel your lungs soften and breathe with a new ease. Feel the air inside lighten up as it enters and leaves the lungs. Feel their moist, spongy quality as you relax and fill your lungs with energy. Abdomen Now smile into your liver on the right side, just below the rib cage. If your liver is hard, if it is difficult to feel, soften it with your smile. Smile it back to life, rejuvenate it with your love. - 47 - Secret of the Inner Smile Direct the smile to your two kidneys, in your lower back just below the rib cage on either side of the spine. The adrenal glands sit on top of them. Smile at your adrenals, and they may send you a burst of adrenalin. The kidney is the lower transformer of the veins and arteries. Smile to the kidneys and fill them with love. Like the heart, this will increase the flow of chi circulating through your system. Allow the smile to flow throughout your central abdomen, through the pancreas and spleen. Then gently rest the smile in your navel. All of your organs can be "smiled to". If you are relaxed and happy and smile within, your organs produce a honey-like secretion. If you are frightened, nervous, or angry, they produce toxic substances instead. The process of smiling into the organs lightens their work load and enables them to function more efficiently. They have a hard job pumping and purifying hundreds of gallons of blood each day, breaking down raw food into digestible energy, cleansing toxic substances and storing our emotional tensions. By smiling into your organs you've made their day a cheerful one. Middle Line: Swallow Saliva into Lower Abdomen. Smile once again in your eyes. Smile down into your mouth and swish your tongue around to collect saliva. When your mouth is filled with saliva, put the tip of your tongue to your palate, tighten your neck muscles, and swallow hard and quickly, making a gulping sound as you do. With your inner smile follow the saliva down your esophagus, through your internal tract and to your navel. Your saliva is a lubricating nectar that holds vital energy which is dispersed throughout the body from the navel center. Smile away the nervous energy in your stomach, and you will eat better food and find it easier to digest. Relax the smiling energy into your small intestine, large intestine, and rectum. Back Line: Spine Now bring your focus back to your eyes. Smile into your eyes, your tongue, then begin to smile down the inside of your spinal column. Make sure your posture is straight with shoulders slightly rounded forward. Descend one vertebra at a time, smiling into each until - 48 - Chapter III you have reached the coccyx. The spinal column protects your central nervous system and is crucial in increasing your chi circulation. Starting from the neck there are seven cervical vertebrae, twelve thoracic vertebrae, and five lumbar vertebrae plus the sacrum and coccyx. You should experience a feeling of great ease, warmth, and comfort in each vertebra. When the lumbar, coccyxal, and pubic areas are relaxed, power is released and flows more easily up through the back. End by Collecting the Energy at the Navel. With practice the entire smiling meditation can be done in just minutes, although at first it may take you longer to really feel the smile. When you end the meditation you do not want to have energy circulating around in the higher centers such as the head or the heart. The best place for energy storage in the body is the area of the navel, since it can easily handle the increased body heat. Most ill side effects of meditation are caused by excess energy in the head, but this is easily avoidable. (See Chapter on Preventing Side Effects.) To collect the energy simply concentrate your mind on your navel and imagine your energy spinning like a slow top inside, spiralling outward movement, inside your navel about one and a half inches deep, and 24 times back in to the navel. Men spiral first clockwise; women spiral counter clockwise. (put a watch at your navel to determine direction.) Then reverse and circulate the energy in the opposite direction. Important Note: You do NOT collect the energy at the navel after "smiling down" if you intend to immediately circulate chi in the microcosmic orbit as taught in the following chapter. You would circulate the orbit and then close by collecting the energy at the navel. Practice the Inner Smile in Daily Life Although the inner smile is used primarily to help you to relax prior to practicing the microcosmic orbit, it is powerful as a meditation in its own right. Simply smiling the inner smile in your daily life can bring tremendous results. If you are constantly aware of your inner smile, it will transform your life. - 49 - Secret of the Inner Smile One student went to ask her boss for a raise which she had been promised. She knew her boss was tight with money and would put up a fight, so she approached the grumpy boss with an inner smile as well as her outer smile. Such positivity reduced her boss' resistance, and they ended on good terms, with both of them smiling. Another student's self-image changed radically from smiling down. Before his self-esteem was low, and he was continually fighting with himself, telling himself he wasn't up to par. After frequently practicing the inner smile he made good friends with himself, and began to realize potential hidden by his negative self deprecations. If you master an inner smile you may well feel like the turtle, entering the unknown sea with his protective shell snugly encased about him. Likewise, you will have the power to create a relaxed meditative environment capable of withstanding any external situation. Negativity will bounce off your smile and you will enjoy yourself wherever you are. Summary The inner smile gives you love where you most need it, at home. Your home is your body because your body is where you live no matter where you are. Learn to see it as a community of many hardworking, devoted members who go unrecognized and are often abused. Learn to deal with your various parts as though they were your own children deserving of respect and affection. Leave no one out and in no time you will know what it is to be loved and you will know what is meant by Loving Energy. Do this continuously and your world will blossom. The persons who "inhabit" your "inner" world, your vital organs, bones, blood, brain, etc., will afford you a new body and will enable you to relate to everyone and everything outside in a new, calm, loving way. So smile to yourself where ever you go, to who ever you see. - 50 - Chapter IV Part II: Circulate Healing Energy in the Microcosmic Orbit - 51 - Begin the Orbit Chapter IV Begin the Orbit: Open the Front Channel, the Functional The functional channel (meridian) runs down the front of the body and is yin, female, or cold in quality; the governor channel at the back is yang, male, or hot. When joined, these two form the Microcosmic Orbit which links with all the vital organs of the body. By completing this route, the yin and yang mix in harmony, enabling you to increase your energy flow, and send energy, hormones, and vitality throughout your body. In this way energy can be collected, transformed and absorbed where necessary. To establish the flow along the meridians some Taoists concentrated on easy-to-get energy points which were in accord with acupuncture points. By focusing on these specific power centers the Taoists realized that not only was chi released so that a warm current was felt, but that the energy points were activated, effecting a whole set of mental and physical functions. Focusing on the navel, for instance, effects the entire gastro-intestinal system, and the increased chi aids in digestion and balances the appetite. The Microcosmic Orbit begins and ends at the navel, and the functional channel extends from the palate to the perineum. To open the front channel, we work from the navel to the perineum, and later, after opening the back channel, we open the remainder of the functional channel. Awaken the Individual Healing Points To awaken the energy in the individual points use your inner vision. Direct your vision inwardly to the point you wish to activate, and concentrate your mind on that point in your body. Do not create a visual image of the energy point in your mind. Rather bring your mind down from your head and put it in your body, e.g. your navel. The energy, or chi flow that eventually results will be experienced differently by people depending on physical, emotional, and psychological conditions. Genetic make-up, past history, diet, imme- - 52 - Chapter IV diate physical and mental stresses all contribute to the varying results. Some might feel the power of the warm current in a few minutes or a few weeks, while others may take months to feel it. Some experience the energy as hot or cold, some report tingling sensations and some see colors. Pai-Hui Crown GO-20 Ying-Tang Yu-Chen BL-9 Hsuan-Ying Palate Hsuan-Chi Shuan-Chung Chuang-Kung CO-12 Chi-Chung GO-6 Ming-Men GO-4 Tan-Tien Chi-Chung CO-8 Chang-Chiang Coccyx GO-1 Hui-Yin Perineum CO-1 Kuan-Yuan Ovarian Palace JingGong Sperm Palace Heding Extra-31 Yung-Chuan K1 Ta-Tun LI-1 Fig. 4.1 Points and Energy Centers - 53 - Wei-Chung BL-40 Begin the Orbit Many people experience soreness or pain when they practice, a sign that they are becoming sensitive to their formerly numbed body parts in the same way that we feel pain when our leg starts to come back to life after falling asleep. However you experience the energy is fine. Do not ignore the messages and sensations your body sends; if anything, listen more attentively and experience your body more fully. These messages are valuable signals that you are coming in tune with your etheric energy body that connects your physical body to your mind. Choosing your First Point: The Navel The first energy center is normally the navel, but it varies if you have problems such as high or low blood pressure, if you are old, or if you have chest problems. The navel serves as the generator of electricity which supplies all the other points. The Taoists considered the navel the earth or root of the body. It is the origin of energy: from the fertilized ovum the fetus is developed, linked to life by its umbilical cord. After birth the surrounding energy continues to enter through the same area. The navel also is the place where breath originates. As blood and chi are drawn to this point a deep rhythmic breathing is established, and the entire mid-section of the body becomes a huge pump, vigorously circulating the chi and blood throughout the organism. This circulation distributes the life substances and relieves the heart of its heavy burden. Moreover, blood follows chi, and when vital power is distributed evenly throughout the body no energy accumulates at one point, thereby overheating or damaging the nearby vital organs. However, if one is injured or ill, energy can be directed to a particular site, concentrating all one's healing resource to the point where it is most needed. When the warm current has removed the impurities, the blood follows to finish the job of restoration. Use a Finger to help Concentrate When you concentrate on the navel focus one and a half inches below the skin. In the beginning, apply pressure on the point with your index finger for one to five minutes, then return your hands to - 54 - Chapter IV your lap with the right palm over the left. Concentrate on the sensation created by your finger, pressing again when the point becomes indistinct. Once more, do not concentrate on breathing. Merely relax your eyes, tongue, and throat, and the mind will become still Once the mind is calm the power will accumulate. At first it is not easy to draw power to the energy center because your vital regenerative faculties have been abused for years. Your health cannot be restored overnight. The more you practice the stronger you will get, and you will be more able to endure heat produced by the higher voltage of chi. If you have been concentrating on the navel for a long time but do not feel any energy, change your focus to the Ming-Men, the point opposite the navel on the spine. This helps the energy to rise up to the head and descend down the front of the body to the feet. However, if you do not feel anything in the navel but have definite signs of improved health, you are on the right track. Remember, the experience of chi is different for everybody. Some people experience warmth or bubbling sensations, others feel as though their navel area is expanding, and some people can increase their chi circulation without creating vivid sensations. No matter what your experience is, try to be as sensitive and aware of your body as possible. Adventure into your body, it is a vast land laden with riches. Heart and Chest Problems When some people concentrate on the navel too long, the energy moves up to the chest and effects the heart and lungs. If this happens the practitioner should either see a teacher, or choose a point lower down on the body so the energy in this problem area can drain out. If, when concentrating on the navel, your pulse rate goes up uncomfortably, concentrate instead on the Ming-Men, the point opposite your navel in your lower back. If this doesn't help, and you are sweating profusely, shift your attention to the point between your eyebrows. If this causes too much pressure in your heart, bring your attention back to the MingMen. - 55 - Begin the Orbit Nervous Tension, Old Age, Physical Weakness If you have nervous tension concentrate on the navel, alternating with the Ming-Men (opposite the navel on the back). If you are older or physically weak, concentrate on the Yin-Tang (point between the eyebrows). High Blood Pressure For high blood pressure first focus on the navel, then bring your attention to the feet. In the beginning you can tape two prickly nuts over the Yung-Chuan points (Bubbling Spring) on the balls of your feet. The sensation of the nuts pressing into your feet will help to keep your attention in your feet. By focusing on your feet you put your mind into your feet, which directs the energy and blood there, consequently lowering your overall blood pressure. Do not focus on the Yin-Tang (mideyebrow) or Pai-Hui (crown of head) because it will cause a great deal of blood and chi to go to the head further raising the blood pressure. Yung-Chuan (K1) Fig. 4.2 To lower high blood pressure, concentrate on Yung-Chuan in the center of the sole of the foot. - 56 - Chapter IV One 55 year old student had blood pressure that stayed at I50/ 100, even though he took pills morning and evening. After completing the routes and concentrating for about 5 months his blood pressure came down to 135/90 (he continued to take pills). After that he was unable to sleep for ten days. After discussing the situation with his doctor, the doctor reduced the dosage of medicine to half because the student's blood pressure seemed controlled. After cutting the dosage he was able to sleep again and his blood pressure stayed at 135/85. If you have high blood pressure, find a physician who would be interested in using concentration to help control your blood pressure. He should check your blood pressure regularly to see if the chi circulation is effective for you. Low Blood Pressure Concentrating in the mideyebrow region will enable power and blood to flow into the head, aiding low blood pressure. But like those with high blood pressure, those with low blood pressure should have it checked regularly. Once the blood pressure has returned to normal you should concentrate at the navel for fifteen minutes then shift the power up to the head for fifteen minutes. Pai-Hui GO 20 Yin-Tang B. For abnormally low blood pressure, begin by concentrating at the crown of the head. A. For low blood pressure, begin by concentrating between the eyebrows. Fig. 4.3 Low Blood Pressure Points - 57 - Begin the Orbit While the navel is a good starting point for most people who are healthy, those who have high blood pressure or stomach and intestinal problems, it is not good for those with low blood pressure because it causes the blood to drop. Gastro-intestinal Problems Anyone with gastro-intestinal problems will have more difficulty in opening the meridian because the digestive organs are linked to it. Each of these organs must be cleansed and strengthened before the route may be completed. Your digestion and elimination will greatly improve during your work on the Functional Channel. Remember that once you complete the Microcosmic Orbit and are able to collect more power you will be able to cure yourself. You will be able to bring your life force to the afflicted area. Navel Point Fig. 4.4 First Energy Center: Meditating on the navel point strengthens the Gastro-Intestinal organs. - 58 - Chapter IV Sperm Palace Fig. 4.5 Second Energy Center for men, the Sperm Palace is located 1 1/2 inches from the base of the penis. It is important not to think of your self as sick or weak. You can be free of an ailment no matter how long you may have had it. Very often the difference depends on your attitude. The psychosomatic origin of illness is widely known. If you have confidence in this method, your psychosomatic ailments will be banished. In effect, you will be overcoming your hidden desire for illness that first made you ill. The increased circulation of chi between your mind and your body will cause these hidden negative desires to surface and dissipate. When the Ching-Chi Sperm energy first awakens, you may have difficulty telling whether it is real or imagined. But soon you will be absolutely convinced of the indisputable reality of the energy flow. It will start in the abdomen or the hands or legs or the big toes. Those who run or practice Tai Chi or Kung Fu often feel it first in the legs. Those who use their hands much will often feel it there first. A warm feeling of waves or bubbles is described as arising in the abdomen. Though everyone is altogether unique in this regard, the sensations are not to be imagined, however, because they are not like anything one has already experienced. - 59 - Begin the Orbit Second Energy Center: For Women, Kuan-Yuan (Ovarian Palace) The second energy center is in the Kuan-Yuan, the mid-point of the ovaries. To locate the point place your hands flat on your stomach with your thumbs at your navel. Directly below your pinky, in a straight line from the navel is the mid-point, 1/ 2 inches in from the skin. In later practice this point becomes a great source of energy. Second Energy Center: For Men, Jing Gong (Sperm Palace) The second energy center is located in the Sperm Palace, the area of the prostrate gland and seminal vesicles in the lower abdomen just above the penis. Before concentrating you can use your index fingers to apply pressure to the area for one minute, returning your hands to your lap and concentrating on the sensations. Apply pressure again as the feelings fade. For Unmarried and Young Men The sperm palace is important for a man because it can cause him to be sexually aroused. If this happens, bring the power back from the Sperm Palace to the Ming-Men (point opposite the navel on lower back). This sexual energy can be used to greatly increase the circulating power of your chi, but first you must learn to circulate the Microcosmic Orbit without sexual distractions. For Middle-Aged and Old Men Those who feel less sexual stimulation and older people, 40 to 60 years old, can concentrate on the sperm palace until they feel power. If, however, they begin to have night emissions, they should also switch to the Ming-Men. Those who do not have this problem can concentrate at the Sperm Palace until they experience warmth and a feeling of light- 60 - Chapter IV ness in the area. If they have any kind of sensation other than what they normally experience in their meditation, they can shift their attention down to the Hui-Yin (perineum), midway between the anus and penis or vagina. Third Energy Center: Hui-Yin or Perineum The Hui-Yin or Gate of Life and Death is found in the lower part of the trunk amidst the endings of many blood vessels and nerve endings. It is located at the mid-point between the anus and the penis or the vagina. Because it is lower, it tends to lose power. You can help stimulate this point by rubbing it until you feel it is warm. This area is very tender and you must remember not to rub too hard. When you concentrate on the Hui-Yin, the time needed to collect and awaken the power is different in each person due to differences in genetic make-up. Some might take long, some might not. But, on the average, it should take two to four weeks if you practice twice a day for 15 to 30 minutes at a time. If you still don't feel anything by then, you can extend the time for up to four weeks. You should not persist any longer than that. Move on to the next point, otherwise you might get congestion in your chest and/or heart pain. If this happens, it means that you have developed and collected too much power in that area. Instead of the power having travelled down to the base of the spine it has gone up to the chest. Shifting your concentration to the Ming-men solves the problem and you will be symptom-free in a few days. Hui-Yin CO-1 Fig. 4.6 Third Energy Center: For both men and women the Hui-Yin (perineum) is located midway between the anus and genitals. - 61 - Begin the Orbit Concentrating on this point sometimes leads to vibrating sensations or the feeling that something is jumping inside or a strong sexual arousal. Abdominal breathing can cause an erection to recede and allows for the concentration to continue without interruption. If you concentrate on this point too long however, it can open the thrusting routes (or Kundalini), which leads to various side effects. If the energy succeeds in passing very quickly up through the throat chakra and continues up to the top of the head to the crown, where it spreads out sprinkler-like, showering down over the practitioner, there will be very few, if any side effects. In fact if you have managed to open all the channels, your whole system will be nourished in the process. Time is essential in all meditation. You cannot expect any results without putting in a great deal of effort. Remember that the navel is the generator and every time you commence practicing you have to start from this point. When you feel power has developed there (warmth, tightness, expansion, etc.), bring it down to the second point, then down to the third. - 62 - Chapter V Chapter V Open the Back Channel: the Governor From the Hui-Yin the energy moves to the Chang-Chiang, or sacrum, and begins its ascent up the back to the crown of the head and the brow point. The back channel is extremely important as it contains two pumps, one at the sacrum (the large bone at the lower end of the spine), the other at the Yu-Chen (back of the neck near the upper end of the spine). The first pump sends chi and spinal fluid up to the neck, the second receives the chi and spinal fluid and pumps it up into the brain. Opening the back channel is like bringing fresh air to a stuffy room. Your spinal column and head will be refreshed, the nerves will be activated, and the extra oxygen and blood flowing to your brain will make you feel more alert, more alive. Fourth Energy Center: Chang-Chiang (Coccyx) The fourth energy center point is the Chang-Chiang (Woii Lui) at the coccyx. This point is very important because it is here that the power is either returned to the body or lost. When the generative power (sperm power) is returned, it passes through this canal and into the spinal cord and then to the brain. This has been called the Passage to the Door of Life and Death because it is here that the "warm current" is said to enter the central nervous system. When you have concentrated for some time you may feel a sensation of warmth and pressure rise up into the coccyx through the many nerve endings and the eight holes, which in the esoteric system are called the holes of the soul. The first level, opening the Microcosmic Orbit, may be said to be the preparation of the way. The energy that passes here is the real sperm and ovary power and is the energy of the life force that is produced in the body and cells. The second level trains the chi to move along 34 additional routes and involves the cleaning of the organs. In the third level - 63 - Open the Back Channel sperm or ovary power is awakened and transformed into a higher level of "chi power". This "power" pushes its way upward in through the coccyx. At that time some people may feel a needle-like pain. Some may report having a feeling of tightness there and others will be aware of something pushing its way inside. With continued practice the "power" or "warm current" pushes higher and higher. It will help you to open the point much more easily if you rub the coccyx with a soft cloth until you feel warmth there and then sit down to practice concentration. Yin-Tang Pai-Hui Go-20 Yu-Chen BL-9 Chi-Chung GO-6 Ming-Men GO-4 Chang-Chiang GO-1 Hui-Yin Perineum Co-1 Fig. 5.1 Energy flows upward through the major points of the Back Channel. - 64 - Chapter V Chang-Chiang GO-1 Sacral Canal Sacrum Sacral Hiatus opening for Chi to enter the spinal cord Chang-Ching GO-1 Coccyx Fig. 5.2 Energy flows upward through the major points of the Back Channel. Fifth Energy Center: Ming-Men (Opposite Navel Point On Spine) This point is the Ming Men, the Door of Life. It is the midpoint of the kidney, between L2 and L3 on the vertebrae. It is at this point that kidney power is concentrated. The left kidney is Yin and the right is Yang and at the center point is a balance between the two. The Ming Men (the main power point of the body) then, is the harmony point, containing Yin power. When you concentrate here, the power rises up the back or descends to the feet. This helps to prevent - 65 - Open the Back Channel some of the side effects that occur when the power may suddenly surge up to the head. Those are standing, sitting, or walking, can use the Ming-men as their point of concentration. Ming-Men GO-4 Fig. 5.3 Energy flows upward through the major points of the Back Channel. Back Pain While Concentrating Those of you who have back pain may find that the pains intensify when you concentrate on the Ming Men. Do not let that stop you. Before concentrating rub your hands together to produce warmth and place them on the painful area. When you first start Ming Men practice it might help to use scotch tape to fasten something prickly over the point or press the point for about a minute before concentrating on it. In time you will need only a few minutes to concentrate and collect energy. Many people feel the power more readily at the Ming Men than at the navel. Important Note: Try to remember when you concentrate, to let the power (warm current) flow. Do not try to direct the power. In the beginning, when you feel warmth in the navel, move your point of concentration down. The power follows this shift of attention, it is not that you have brought the power down. The power in your body knows where to go. - 66 - Chapter V Sixth Energy Center: Chi-chung (Opposite the Solar Plexus on the Spine) The sixth energy center is located between the adrenal glands (T11), opposite the solar plexus on the spine. The adrenals stimulate the inner part of the medulla in the brain, which prepares the organism for fight or flight. The outer part, the cortex, governs sodium balance and is involved in blood sugar level. Those who have diabetes may find that concentration on this point will help them to lower their blood sugar level. Allergy sufferers may also find relief by concentrating here. If you are weak or ill, you can concentrate on this poi