-1 Awaken Healing Energy through the Tao Taoist Secret of Circulating Internal Energy Mantak Chia Edited by:

Sa -" Co#y Editor: Sa !angberg !angberg

Editorial Assistance: Micheal $inn% &obin $inn% Contributing $riters: 'r( !awrence )oung% 'r( C()( Hsu% *unther $eil% +h(' Illustrations: Susan Mac,ay -inal &e.ised Editing: /ean Chilton 0 Mantak Chia -irst #ublished in 1123 by: Aurora +ress IS45: 167-2831"-9-" !ibrary of Congress Catalog 5u ber: 23-61763 Manufactured in Thailand Tenth +rinting% "99" :ni.ersal Tao +ublications "67;1 Moo 6% !uang 5ua% 'oi Saket% Chiang Mai% 89""9 Thailand Tel <==><83> 718-81= -a?: 718-283 E ail: uni.ersaltao@uni.ersal-tao(co

$eb Site: www(uni.ersal-tao(co All rights reser.ed( 5o #art of this book ay be used or re#roduced in any anner whatsoe.er without the e?#ress written #er ission fro the author e?ce#t for brief Auotations e bodied in critical articles and re.iews( -3 Contents Contents Contents(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( i About the Author (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( .iii Acknowledge ents((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ?ii $ord of Caution (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ?iii -oreward ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ?i. Introduction(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ?.i Co entary (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ?i? Cha#ter I Awaken the BChiC !ife Energy (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( " +ri ary Energy Channels((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 7 +ro#er wiring of the Etheric 4ody ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 8 $hat does it ean to BD#en The &outesCE ((((((((((((((((((((( 8 !essen Side Effects by Careful +re#aration((((((((((((((((((((( = Acu#uncture and Microcos ic Drbit (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 6 Su ary((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 6 Cha#ter II +re#are to Circulate the Chi Energy (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1 Create a &ela?ed En.iron ent((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1 Clothes(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1 &oo ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1 'iet(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1 Sti ulating the -low of Chi ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 19 How to Sit ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 11 How to 4reathe ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 13 Mental Attitude((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 17 +osition of the Tongue (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 17 -irst +osition((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 18 Second +osition ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 18

Third +osition(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1= Cha#ter III Secret of the Inner S ile ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 16 Healing +ower of a S ile(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 16 S ile !o.e into your Fital Drgans((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 11 How to S ile 'own with the Inner S ile ((((((((((((((((((((((( "1 -7 Contents Start with the Eyes ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( "1 -ront !ine ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( "7 /aws((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( "7 Tongue to +alate (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( "7 5eck and Throat((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( "7 !o.ing Heart ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( "8 !ungs(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( "8 Abdo en(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( "= Middle !ine: Swallow Sali.a into !ower Abdo en((((((((((((((((((((((( "= 4ack !ine: S#ine (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( "6 End 4y Collecting the Energy at the 5a.el (((((((((((( "6 +ractice The Inner S ile in 'aily !ife(((((((((((((((((((((( "2 Su ary((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( "2 Cha#ter IF 4egin the Drbit: D#en the -ront Channel% The -unctional(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 39 Awaken the Indi.idual Healing +oints (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 39 Choosing your -irst +oint: The 5a.el ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 3" :se a -inger to hel# Concentrate ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 3" Heart and Chest +roble s ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 37 5er.ous Tension% Dld Age% +hysical $eakness (((((((((((((( 37 High 4lood +ressure ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 37 !ow 4lood +ressure ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 38 *astro-Intestinal +roble s ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 3= Second Energy Center: -or Men /ing *ong <S#er +alace> (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 32 $o en% ,uan-)uan <D.arian +alace> ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 32

-or :n arried and )oung Men ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 32 -or Middle-Aged and Dld Men (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 32 Third Energy Center: Hui-)in or +erineu (((((((((((((((((((((( 31 Cha#ter F +oints of the Microcos ic Drbit ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 71 -ourth Energy Center: Chang-Chiang;<Coccy?>((((((((((((((( 71 -ifth Energy Center: Ming-Men <D##osite 5a.el +oint on S#ine> ((((((((((((((((((((( 73 4ack +ain while Concentrating (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 77 -8 Contents Si?th Energy Center: Chi-Chung <D##osite the Solar +le?us on the S#ine> (((((((((((((((((((((( 78 Sti ulate the +ancreas ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 78 Se.enth Energy Center: )u-Chen;4ack of the 5eck ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 78 Shoulder and :##er 4ack +ain((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 7= Eighth Energy Center: +ai-hui;Crown of the Head ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 7= 5inth Energy Center: )in-Tang;4row +oint 4etween Eyes(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 76 Cha#ter FI D#ening the 4asic Microcos ic Drbit ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 81 4eginners: &e.erse the Chi -low (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 81 Tenth Energy Center:Tongue to the +alate ((((((((((((((((((((( 83 Ele.enth Energy Center: Hsuan-Chi <Throat> ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 88 Twelfth Energy Center:Shun-Chung <Heart>((((((((((((((((((((( 8= Thirteenth Energy Center: Chun-,ung <Solar +le?us>(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 8= Collect the Energy when finished (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 8= &ubbing the -ace ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 86 Cha#ter FII D#en the Ar and !eg &outes: The !arge Hea.enly Cycle((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 81

Cha#ter FIII Set a Training Schedule((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( =7 &e.iew: MaGor +oints of Microcos ic Drbit(((((((((((((((((((((( =8 Circulate Chi +ower Continuously in the Drbit (((((((((((((((( =1 Auto atic Circulation of Chi(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 69 Cha#ter IH Safety Fal.es: How to #re.ent Side Effects ((((((((((((((((((( 6" Cleansing +rocess: 4elching and 'iarrhea ((((((((((((((((((((( 6" Se?ual !ife 'uring +ractice (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 63 A##etite and Sto ach Ail ents(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 63 Throat Center: Coughing (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 67 -= Contents Cleansing of the Eso#hagus% Sto ach and Intestines (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 67 Illusions and Mental Illness(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 67 $hen to see a 'octor (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 68 +ro#er +ractice will #re.ent Side Effects (((((((((((((((((((((((( 6= Cha#ter H Co only Asked Iuestions and Answers on the Microcos ic ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 62 $hat is ChiE(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 62 'o you ha.e to sit in a ChairE ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 61 $hat to do when Erection or Faginal E?#ansion Dccurs 'uring +racticeE ((((((((((((((((((( 29 $ill circulating the Microcos ic hel# y Se?ual +roble sE(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 29 Is Taoist +ractice suitable for E.eryoneE (((((((((((((((((((((((( 21 Can $o en #ractice during MenstruationE((((((((((((((((((((( 2" Should I concentrate on the BThird EyeC between the EyebrowsE ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 2" $hy do so e +ractitioners de.elo# 4ack or Shoulder +ainE((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 2" 4ack +ain for Dlder and $eaker +eo#le(((((((((((((((((((((((((( 23 Can +eo#le that ha.e had Surgery +racticeE((((((((((((((((((( 23

$hy do so e +eo#le E?#erience &inging In the Ears during +racticeE(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 23 $hat to do for !oss of A##etite after +racticeE(((((((((((((((( 27 $hy do So e +eo#le Shift about% Shake their !egs% Dr ake Sounds during +racticeE (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 27 How does Chi affect the Sick 4odyE ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 2= How do you re edy 4lockage in the ChestE (((((((((((((( 26 $hat is the +ro#er Ti e to +racticeE ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 26 'o )ou need to change your dietE((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 22 'oes +racticing the Microcos ic affect your Interests in Social !ifeE((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 22 Can +racticing cut down on the 5u ber of Hours you Slee#E ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 21 Should you +ractice when Angry% Sad% or 'isa##ointedE (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 21 -6 Contents 'oes &hyth ic 4reathing or Chanting hel# to circulate the Microcos ic DrbitE ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 19 'oes Master Chia #ass Energy to his Students to hel# o#en the &outesE (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 11 Are there any Side Effects with your MethodE ((((((((((((((( 11 $hy do I feel Tired after MeditatingE ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 13 $hat is the 4enefit of Co #leting the Microcos ic DrbitE (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 17 Cha#ter HI Medical Science looks at the Microcos ic ((((((((((((((((((((( 1= A Medical D#inion on the 4enefit of Taoist Chi circulation by C()( Hsu% M(' (((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 16 A brief History of Taois and Healing Arts by Ste#hen +an% +h('((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 16 A 'octorJs Search for the Taoist Healing Energy by !awrence )oung% M('((((((((((((((((((((((((( 199 Cha#ter HII +ersonal E?#eriences with the Microcos ic ((((((((((((((((( 198 Ta#e &ecorded in $orksho#s with Mantak Chia and *unther $eil (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 198 Cha#ter HIII

An M('( inter.iews Three +ractitioners of Taoist )oga by !awrence )oung% M('( (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 118 An Inter.iew with BSC ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 118 An Inter.iew with 'an (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 111 An Inter.iew with 4ill (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1"3 Cha#ter HIF Dbser.ations on Higher Taoist +ractices ((((((((((((((((((((((( 1"1 Taoist )oga and the ,undalini by Michael $inn(((((((((((((((((( 139 Cha#ter HF Su ary of Se.en Stages of Taoist Esoteric )oga ((((((( 132 S all Hea.enly Cycle <Microcos ic Drbit>(((((((((((((((((((((( 132 Tongue is a Switch of the Circuit (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 131 Se.en -or ulas of the Se.en 4ooks of the Tao((((((((((((((( 179 -irst -or ula: -usion of the -i.e Ele ents((((((((((((((((( 179 -2 Contents Second -or ula: !esser Enlighten ent of ,an and !i(((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 173 Third -or ula: *reater Enlighten ent of ,an and !i((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 178 -ourth -or ula: *reatest Enlighten ent of ,an and !i((((((((((((((((((((((((( 178 -ifth -or ula: Sealing of the -i.e Sense Drgans ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 17= Si?th -or ula: Congress of Hea.en and Earth I ortality (((((((((((((((( 176 Se.enth -or ula: &eunion of Man and Hea.en True I ortal Man ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 176 Cha#ter HFI Taoist Esoteric )oga Course Dfferings ((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 189 Si? Healing Sounds((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 181 Chi Massage K Taoist &eGu.enation(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 181 Iron Shirt Chi ,ung The Highest -or of Chi ,ung (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 18"

Tai Chi Chi ,ung -oundation of Tai Chi Chuan (((((((((((((((( 18" 'ah :h *ong 5ei ,ung -i.e -inger ,ung -u(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 183 Se inal and D.arian ,ung -u ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 183 Tai Chi Chuan - !ong and Short -or s(((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 187 Se inal ,ung -u:Taoist Secret of Energy(((((((((((((((((((((((( 187 Iron Shirt Chi ,ung(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 18= Healing Hand((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 186 Trans itting the +ower to Hel# D#en the Channels((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 186 A##endi? I: Table of Energy Centers((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 182 A##endi? II: How Taoist )oga affects your Hor onal Syste ((((((((((((( 1=7 Endocrine *lands and Taoist Energy Centers ((((((((((((((((( 1=7 Adrenals (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1=7 ,idney(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1=6 Testes(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1=6 D.aries(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1=2 -1 Contents S#leen ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1=2 Thy us *land((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 1=1 Hy#othala us ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 169 Thyroid *land: *land of Energy ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 169 +ituitary *land(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 16" Tongue Touches The +alate(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 16" +ineal *land(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 163 :ni.ersal Tao Syste - 19 About the Author About the Author ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((D.er.iew 1-38

Mantak Chia Master Mantak Chia Master Mantak Chia is the creator of the :ni.ersal Tao Syste and is the director of the :ni.ersal Tao Center and Tao *arden Health &esort and Training Center in the beautiful northern countryside of Thailand( Since childhood he has been studying the Taoist a##roach to life( His astery of this ancient knowledge% enhanced by his study of other disci#lines% has resulted in the de.elo# ent of the :ni.ersal Tao Syste which is now being taught throughout the world( - 11 About the Author Mantak Chia was born in Thailand to Chinese #arents in 1177( $hen he was si? years old% 4uddhist onks taught hi how to sit and Bstill the ind(C $hile still a gra ar school student% he learned traditional Thai bo?ing( He was then taught Tai Chi Chuan by Master !u% who soon introduced hi to Aikido% )oga and broader le.els of Tai Chi( )ears later% when he was a student in Hong ,ong e?celling in track and field e.ents% a senior class ate na ed Cheng Sue-Sue introduced hi to his first esoteric teacher and Taoist Master% Master )i Eng <I )un>( At this #oint% Master Chia began his studies of the Taoist way of life in earnest( He learned how to circulate energy through the Microcos ic Drbit and% through the #ractice of -usion of the -i.e Ele ents% how to o#en the other Si? S#ecial Channels( As he studied Inner Alche y further% he learned the Enlighten ent of the ,an and !i% Sealing of the -i.e Senses% Congress of Hea.en and Earth and &eunion of Hea.en and Man( It was Master )i Eng who authoriLed Master Chia to teach and heal( $hen Mantak Chia was in his early twenties he studied with Master Meugi in Singa#ore% who taught hi ,undalini% Taoist )oga and the 4uddha +al ( He was soon able to clear blockages to the flow of energy within his own body( He learned to #ass the life force energy through his hands also% so that he could heal Master MeugiJs #atients( He then learned Chi 5ei Tsang fro 'r( Mui )i wattana in Thailand(

A while later% he studied with Master Cheng )ao-!un who taught hi the Shao-!in Method of Internal +ower( He learned the closely guarded secret of the organs% glands and bone arrow e?ercise known as 4one Marrow 5ei ,ung and the e?ercise known as Strengthening and &enewal of the Tendons( Master Cheng )ao!unJs syste co bined Thai bo?ing and ,ung -u( Master Chia also studied at this ti e with Master +an )u% whose syste co bined Taoist% 4uddhist and Men teachings( Master +an )u also taught hi about the e?change of )in and )ang #ower between en and wo en% and how to de.elo# the Steel 4ody( To understand the echanis s behind healing energy better% Master Chia studied $estern anato y and edical science for two years( $hile #ursuing his studies% he anaged the *estetner Co #any% a anufacturer of office eAui# ent and beca e well acAuainted with the technology of offset #rinting and co#ying achines( - 1" About the Author :sing his knowledge of Taois % co bined with the other disci#lines% Master Chia began teaching the :ni.ersal Tao Syste ( He e.entually trained other Instructors to co unicate this knowledge and he established the 5atural Healing Center in Thailand( -i.e years later% he decided to o.e to 5ew )ork% where in 1161% he o#ened the :ni.ersal Tao Center( 'uring his years in A erica% Master Chia continued his studies in the $u syste of Tai Chi with Edward )ee in 5ew )ork( Since then% Master Chia has taught tens of thousands of students throughout the world( He has trained and certified o.er 1%"99 instructors and #ractitioners fro all o.er the world( :ni.ersal Tao Centers and Chi 5ei Tsang Institutes ha.e o#ened in any locations in 5orth A erica% Euro#e% Asia% and Australia( In 1117% Master Chia o.ed back to Thailand% where he had begun construction of Tao *arden% the :ni.ersal Tao Training Center in Chiang Mai( Master Chia is a war % friendly and hel#ful an who .iews hi self #ri arily as a teacher( He #resents the :ni.ersal Tao Syste in a straightforward and #ractical anner% while always e?#anding his knowledge and a##roach to teaching( He uses a la#to# co #uter for writing and is totally at ease with the latest co #uter technology(

Master Chia esti ates that it will take thirty fi.e books to con.ey the full :ni.ersal Tao Syste ( In /une 1119% at a dinner in San -rancisco% Master Chia was honored by the International Congress of Chinese Medicine and Ii *ong <Chi ,ung>% who na ed hi the Ii gong Master of the )ear( He is the first reci#ient of this annual award( In 'ece ber "999% the Tao *arden Health &esort and :ni.ersal Tao Training Center was co #leted with two Meditation Halls% two o#en air Si #le Chi ,ung +a.ilions% indoor Tai Chi% Tao Tao )in and Chi 5ei Tsang Hall% Tai Chi 5atural Swi ing +ool% +akua Co unications Center with a co #lete Taoist !ibrary% Internal $orld Class $eight !ifting Hall and co #lete 2 Court &ecreational -acilities( In -ebruary "99"% the I ortal Tao #ractices will be held at Tao *arden for the first ti e using the 'ark &oo technology creating a co #lete en.iron ent for the higher le.el Taoist #ractices( - 13 About the Author He has #re.iously written and #ublished these :ni.ersal Tao books: Awaken Healing Energy of the Tao - 1123 Taoist Secrets of !o.e: Culti.ating Male Se?ual Energy co-authored with Michael $inn - 1127( Taoist $ays to Transfor Stress into Fitality -1128 Chi Self-Massage: the Tao of &eGu.enation - 112= Iron Shirt Chi ,ung I - 112= Healing !o.e Through the Tao: Culti.ating -e ale Se?ual Energy - 112= 4one Marrow 5ei ,ung -1121 -usion of the -i.e Ele ents I - 1119 Chi 5ei Tsang: Internal Drgan Chi Massage - 1119 Awaken Healing !ight of the Tao -1113 The Inner Structure of Tai Chi co-authored with /uan !i 111= Multi-Drgas ic Man co-authored with 'ouglas Abra s 111= - #ublished by Har#er;Collins Tao )in - 1111 Chi 5ei Tsang II - "999 Multi-Drgas ic Cou#le co-authored with 'ouglas Abra s

"999 - #ublished by Har#er;Collins Cos ic Healing I - "991 Cos ic Healing II co-authored with 'irk Dellibrandt - "991 'oor of All $onders co-authored with Tao Haung - "991 Se?ual &efle?ology co-authored with $( :( $ei - "99" Eli?ir Chi ,ung - "99" Tan Tien Chi ,ung - "99" Many of the books abo.e are a.ailable in the following foreign languages: Arabic% 4ulgarian% CLech% 'anish% 'utch% English% -rench% *er an% *reek% Hebrew% Hungarian% Indonesian% Italian% /a#anese% ,orean% !ithuanian% Malaysian% +olish% +ortuguese% &ussian% Serbo-Croatian% Slo.enian% S#anish% N Turkish editions are a.ailable fro the -oreign +ublishers listed in the :ni.ersal Tao Center D.er.iew in the back of this book( - 17 Acknowledge ents Acknowledge ents I wish to e?#ress y gratitude to y any students% who so willingly de.oted their ti e and effort in #ractice( I wish also to thank the for consenting to be inter.iewed so that others ight know what they e?#erienced and how they were hel#ed through this #ractice( I want to thank 'r( !awrence )oung% attending #hysician at 5ew )ork Infir ary-4eek an 'owntown Hos#ital and a #ri.ate internist% 'r( C( )( Hsu% #hysician-in-charge of the Acu#uncture and 5er.e 4lock Clinic at Albert Einstein College of Medicine% Ste#hen +an% +h('% 'irector of East Asian &esearch Institute% and ,( &eid Shaw attorney% who are acti.ely engaged in #resenting y work to the edical co unity( I wish to offer y a##reciation to Sa !angberg% for his understanding and untiring work in editing the first edition( Sa !angberg is a freelance writer and a Taoist Esoteric )oga instructor li.ing in the 5ew )ork area( He has been #racticing )oga for o.er 19 years% and currently works with the Taoist Esoteric )oga Center writing classbooks and other aterials(

Many thanks go to Michael $inn and &obin $inn for long onths s#ent re.ising and e?#anding the second edition( I thank Susan Mac,ay who re.ised our Taoist Esoteric )oga sitting figure% and y secretary /oann for her #atience in ty#ing and rety#ing the anuscri#t( -inally% I a grateful to y son% Ma?% whose suggestions and encourage ent in this% as in all atters% ha.e always been .aluable to e( -18 $ords of Caution $ords of Caution The #ractices described in this book ha.e been used successfully for thousands of years by Taoists trained by #ersonal instruction( &eaders should not undertake the #ractice without recei.ing #ersonal trans ission and training fro a certified instructor of the :ni.ersal Tao% since certain of these #ractices% if done i #ro#erly% ay cause inGury or result in health #roble s( This book is intended to su##le ent indi.idual training by the :ni.ersal Tao and to ser.e as a reference guide for these #ractices( Anyone who undertakes these #ractices on the basis of this book alone% does so entirely at his or her own risk( The editations% #ractices and techniAues described herein are not intended to be used as an alternati.e or substitute for #rofessional edical treat ent and care( If any readers are suffering fro illnesses based on ental or e otional disorders% an a##ro#riate #rofessional health care #ractitioner or thera#ist should be consulted( Such #roble s should be corrected before you start training( 5either the :ni.ersal Tao nor its staff and instructors can be res#onsible for the conseAuences of any #ractice or isuse of the infor ation contained in this book( If the reader undertakes any e?ercise without strictly following the instructions% notes and warnings% the res#onsibility ust lie solely with the reader( This book does not atte #t to gi.e any edical diagnosis% treat ent% #rescri#tion% or re edial reco endation in relation to any hu an disease% ail ent% suffering or #hysical condition whatsoe.er(

The :ni.ersal Tao is not and cannot be res#onsible for the conseAuences of any #ractice or isuse of the infor ation in this book( If the reader undertakes any e?ercise without strictly following the instructions% notes% and warnings% the res#onsibility ust lie solely with the reader( -1= -oreword -oreword 'uring the last twenty-fi.e years the :nited States and $estern Euro#e has witnessed an a aLing growth of #o#ular interest in a ultitude of #ersonal growth and wholistically based health disci#lines( The $est once again has beco e a B elting #otC but this ti e the cauldron contains a i?ture of the sacred traditions of the East as well as so e of the e erging internal technologies of the body% ind and s#irit( This o.e ent% known generally as the B5ew AgeC% is characteriLed by #o#ular agaLines and a siLable growing literature% a large nu ber of s#iritually oriented grou#s and a ra#idly growing consu er arket for wholistically based edicine and other Ba##ro#riate technologiesC( $e are clearly seeing a aGor shift in attitudes and .alues in our relationshi#s to our inner li.es and our res#onsibilities for the future of the #lanet Earth( +arallel with these de.elo# ents we can also see e erging a scientific #icture of the uni.erse that rese bles the classic world .iew of the aGor oriental religions( The scientific #icture that is de.elo#ing at the end of the "9th century is less linear% less deter inistic and less reductionistic in the frontier sciences of #hysics and biology( This #icture beco es increasingly si ilar to the intuiti.e% #heno enological and #rocess;interacti.e odel of an-in the-uni.erse that has characteriLed Chinese #hiloso#hy and science for thousands of years( These two trends% the growth of B5ew AgeC consciousness and the shift in our scientific #aradig s are beginning to con.erge in so e #ractical ways in the field of holistically ins#ired edicine( +erha#s the best e?a #le of this is the thera#eutic odality of Acu#uncture% one of the ost #owerful techniAues in the classical Chinese edical syste ( A little known fact about Acu#uncture and Chinese edicine is the enor ous debt these syste s owe to Taoist Esoteric )oga( In fact% Taoist Esoteric )oga is the other of Chinese edicine as well as any other syste s of healing

and self-de.elo# ent( -or any $esterners Taois has see ed an elusi.e and inscrutable #ath% best e?e #lified by the oracular ysteries of the I -16

-oreword Ching and the wisdo of !ao TLu and Chuang Tsu% the nature #hiloso#hers of BThe $ayC( -or those interested in the Driental healing or artial arts there are disci#lines as Macrobiotics or Tai Chi Chuan% but the nature of this relationshi# is far fro clear( To suggest a connection between these and other #ractices and an esoteric core of Taois is to confuse atters e.en further( In fact% the conce#t of an esoteric or inner core of Taois is itself a new idea for 5ew Age audiences( $hat sense are we to ake of an esoteric foundation for a tradition that already see s so difficult to co #rehend% es#ecially in its #ractical ra ificationsE 4y contrast% we are reasonably co fortable with the aGor conce#ts and ethods of the .arious Indian editation and yoga syste s which began to find a #lace in our society in the 11"9Js( $e ha.e also co e to a##reciate the #owerful syste s of 4uddhist thought and #ractice% es#ecially Men and Tibetan 4uddhis which began to e erge into #o#ular consciousness in the 11=9Js( 4ut what about Taois E $hat do we really know about this tradition other than a few frag ents of the wisdo of the I-Ching% the Tao Teh Ching and a few other #ieces of disconnected frag ents of #ractical knowledge contained in the syste s of Chinese edicine and artial artsE How can we begin to understand the conte #orary #ractical a##lications of this ancient syste of healing and s#iritual de.elo# entE $hat for ust this knowledge take in order to enter the ainstrea of our technological society at this ti e in our e.olutionary transitionE The book by Master Mantak Chia addresses these Auestions and re#resents% to the best of y knowledge% the first o##ortunity for a $estern audience to really gras# and digest the essential and #ractical as#ects of Taoist Esoteric )oga( Master Chia has #erfor ed an in.aluable ser.ice through his efforts to #resent these ancient #sycho#hysical ethods in a for and seAuence that corres#onds to our conte #orary scientific and technological world .iew( The infor ation in the book% the first in a forthco ing series on Taoist Esoteric )oga #rinci#les and ethods% clearly describes the theory and #ractice of the Microcos ic Drbit% the foundation teaching of the entire Taoist syste ( Through their editation e?#erience and accu ulated wisdo the ancient Taoist asters learned the i #ortance of the free circulation of Chi energy in the body% both as a thera#eutic techniAue for self-healing as well as a -12

-oreword safety .al.e for #re.enting the side effects that often acco #any the #owerful e?#eriences of ,undalini energy release( Master Chia% a true heir to the ancient Taoist syste % has taken this infor ation and broken it down into a syste atic for of instruction that anyone can easily gras# and a##ly( I belie.e that this book is an historically i #ortant contribution to the introduction of #ractical Taois to the $est( BAwaken Healing Energy Through The TaoC will hel# to e.ol.e our under standing of the ind;body relationshi# in our healing #ractices as well as our scientific odels of the energy structure of the hu an body( 4y *unther $eil% +h(' - 11

Introduction Introduction: $hat is the Healing Energy of the TaoE In the si?th century 4(C(% !ao-Tse began his classic essay% the Tao Te Ching% with this ad onition: BThe Tao which can be s#oken of is not the Tao(C !oosely translated% BTaoC eans Bthe wayC or Bthe #owerC( In early Chinese writings the Tao i #lied an understanding of life which stressed indi.idual har ony with the forces of nature( The Taoist sages often beca e her its that li.ed in the ountains and disdained offers of #ower fro ad iring e #erors% saying they #referred the B&uler of 5atureC to the transitory B&uler of Society(C In the sa e tradition% BAwaken Healing Energy Through The TaoC is rooted in the #rocess of nature% our bodily nature( This healing energy works inde#endent of any #articular belief or current scientific conce#ts( It differs fro the Taoist religions which grew u# around the original #hiloso#hy( In a nutshell% it is a subtle but .erifiable e?#erience of life energy% of BchiC flowing through the body in a s#ecific #attern( It was disco.ered by #ractical inded Chinese sages% and is a.ailable to to any #erson of any age who cares to train the sel.es to obser.e and use it( That this healing #ower is co #atible with different indi.idual beliefs or religions is a##arent in the fact that the author Mantak Chia is hi self a Christian% but has used the traditional Taoist ethods to hel# thousands of #eo#le heal or i #ro.e the sel.es( A #erson could study hundreds of .olu es of the Taoist Encyclo#edia in Chinese and co entaries on the Tao Te Ching or IChing in a doLen languages without e.er learning how to awaken the uch #oeticiLed healing #ower of the Tao( It would be far ore useful for such a seeker to s#end their ti e #racticing the circulation of the healing life force in the Bs all hea.enly cycleC or B icrocos ic orbitC as described in this book( Mantak Chia has read those hundreds of esoteric .olu es% in addition to recei.ing the highest oral teaching fro Taoist Masters( He belie.es the oral teachings are too i #ortant to be #racticed by - "9

Introduction a lucky few only% hidden fro other seekers by .ague #oetry or the arcane sy bols of ancient writings( Master Chia sees that the age has co e when the #ublic needs and deser.es a clear teaching of this healing #ower% which was shrouded in China by the sa e secrecy that surrounded edie.al alche y in Euro#e( This historical si ilarity is no accident% as the Taoist BMicrocos ic DrbitC is a #rocess of hu an alche y% the first ste# towards transfor ation of hu an energy into its #urest for ( This distillation of a healing energy was #erfected by generations of sages who s#ent their entire li.es refining its any a##lications( These a##lications to daily life are indeed enor ous( It is not an e?aggeration to say the circulation of hu an energy or BchiC throughout the body is also the key #rinci#al functioning behind uch Chinese genius( It is res#onsible for Chinese achie.e ents in edicine <acu#uncture>% the artial and editati.e arts <,ung -u% Tai Chi Chuan% +a ,ua +al % Hsing I Chuan% Inner Alche y>%ins#iration for a .ast treasure of #oetry and #hiloso#hy <I Ching% Tao Te Ching>( It could be argued that the increased health and creati.e intelligence of the Taoist #ractitioners hel#ed sti ulate the i #ressi.e early Chinese ad.ances in technology and go.ern ent( Confucius was well .ersed in Taoist #hiloso#hy and e?#ressed great ad iration for itO he ay well ha.e been a #ractitioner of the art as well( Since #ublication of the first edition of BAwaken Healing Energy through the TaoC% students of .arious Chinese arts ha.e co e to Mantak Chia and confessed they were shocked to see his book sold in a store( Its infor ation was taught to the only after years of dedication and disci#line in their #ractice% be it Tai Chi% editation% or artial arts( They were told circulation of the icrocos ic orbit was the Bhighest secretC to gaining internal #ower in the ind and body% and not to be re.ealed to those outside the Binner circleC( Ha.ing astered any different syste s of esoteric Chinese knowledge( Master ChiaJs #ers#ecti.e is different fro ost other teachers( -or Master Chia% education begins with the awakening of this healing energy( It is the ost i #ortant building block( If you aster the circulation of your energy% growth in other disci#lines #roceeds ore Auickly( D#ening the ain channel of energy circulation in the body <referred to as the BMicrocos ic DrbitC in this book> is analagous to a first grader learning to write the letters of the al#habet(

- "1

Introduction $ithout first learning how to write the al#habet% one cannot create words% sentences% #aragra#hs% or the si #le and co #le? ideas taught u# to the uni.ersity le.el( It is the sa e with the healing #ower of the Tao( $ithout BgettingC the flow of energy taught in this book% the #ractitioner will find it difficult to ad.ance Auickly to higher le.els in related disci#lines( Dr% you ay s#end years with less direct ethods in order to achie.e the sa e end% e(g( re#eat certain #hysical o.e ents until the flow one day Barri.esC% sit facing a wall for "9 years% or re#eat a antra for a lifeti e( !ater .olu es of Master Mantak ChiaJs BTaoist Esoteric )oga Encyclo#ediaC will elucidate so e of the ore ad.anced for s of Taoist #ractice in healing% editation% and self-defense% and their a##lication in balancing the forces which daily buffet us about( Se inal ,ung -u <a se?ual #ractice for an> and D.arian ,ung -u <a se?ual #ractice for wo an> re.eal the Taoist secrets of transfor ing raw se?ual energy into creati.e energy( Iron Shirt Chi ,ung strengthens the whole body fascia% organs% tendons and bones and shows how to BrootC the hu an energy in the earth( -usion of the -i.e Ele entsC teaches how to trans ute e otions% heal da aged organs and gain greater balance and insight into oneself( Tai Chi Chi ,ung% +a ,ua Chi ,ung and +al % Hsing I Chi ,ung% 'eath Touch 'an Mu% and -i.e -inger ,ung -u% build internal #ower% i #ro.e body align ent% and enable one to ore Auickly aster the longer for s of Tai Chi Chuan% +a ,ua +al % and Hsing I Chuan( BAwaken Healing Energy through the TaoC is scientific in that it de ystifies so e of the #rinci#les on which the iracle of selfhealing and other feats of energy are based( At the sa e ti e it is dee#ly rooted in an ancient tradition of s#iritual self- astery that% ste# by ste#% leads the #ractitioner to e?#eriencing the full ystery of the Tao( 4y Michael $inn who is general editor of the Taoist Esoteric )oga Encyclo#edia( March 31%1123 5ew )ork City - ""

Cha#ter I +art I: +ractical Ste#s to Awaken your own Healing Energy - "3

Awaken the BChiC !ife Energy Cha#ter I Awaken the BChiC !ife Energy Meditation% #ro#erly s#eaking% is the stilling of the ind( Most of the editation techniAues taught today still the ind using one of two basic a##roaches( The first is the Men a##roach of Bsilent sittingC% facing a blank wall until the ind beco es blank( )ou sit until the o ent of #ure awareness arri.es% e.en if it takes twenty years( The second is the Mantra a##roach% in which the ind is rhyth ically lulled to slee# with sounds or i ages( After thousands of re#etitions the body begins to .ibrate at a higher freAuency% and the editator beco es aware of the higher energies o#erating beyond the sensory #rocess functions of our daily ind( The Esoteric Taoist a##roach is different( It does not de#end on total absence of the flu? of thought( Instead% this syste stresses the circulation of energy called BchiC along certain #athways inside the body( These #athways hel# direct the BchiC K also known as #rana% s#er or o.arian #ower% the war current% or kundalini #ower K to successi.ely higher #ower centers <chakras> of the body( The secret of circulating this BchiC has been trans itted for thousands of years in China% where it brought e?traordinary i #ro.e ents in health and life( 4ut what is this BchiC% and where does it co e fro E The chi is the #ri ordial life force itself( It begins in hu an life with the #iercing of an egg by a s#er cell( -ro this original fusion an enor ously co #le? new hu an being de.elo#s( BChiC is the continuous flow of energy linking the .arious tissues% organs and brain functions into a unified whole K a #erson( Chi also links this #erson to his en.iron ent( The ain channels of BchiC energy flow in the body were disco.ered by sages editating u#on the hu an fetus inside the wo b( They obser.ed the baby grows u# around its otherJs na.el #oint% and that through the na.el the fetus absorbs nutrients and e?#els waste( The fetus literally BbreathesC through the u bilical cord fro the other into its own na.el down to the #erineu and u# to the head and down fro the tongue to the na.el again( The na.el #oint is thus said by Taoists to be the starting #oint for the flow of the - "7

Cha#ter I #ri ordial life energy% or BchiC% and re ains the #oint of strongest energy storage and circulation in the adult( BAwaken Healing Energy Through The TaoC is a ethod for an adult to return to that state of dyna ic energy circulation which e?isted inside the wo b( In this sense this esoteric Taoist editation is a rebirth #rocess% a return to oneJs original% #ri ordial self( $hat ha##ened after birth that caused us to lose that original% #erfect eAuilibriu that was so nurturing and #er itted such healthy growthE After a baby enters the world% his;her energy slowly Bsettles outC into hot and cold #arts of the body( In the fetus this ByinC and ByangC energy was #erfectly balanced in a kind of Blukewar C i?ture( 4ut by the ti e a baby has grown to adulthood the hot or ByangC energy has gradually risen to the u##er #art of the body containing the .ital organs such as the heart% li.er% lungs and brain( The cold or ByinC energy has tended to settle in the legs% genitals% kidneys and lower abdo en( -ig( 1(1 Energy enters the hu an fetus at the na.el and circulates in Microcos ic Drbit% har oniLing yin and yang energy( - "8

Awaken the BChiC !ife Energy As we age% the energy routes which bring .ital #ower to our internal organs and enable the to function beco e #rogressi.ely ore blocked by #hysical and ental tension( The result is general fatigue% weakness% and #oor health( A young #erson usually has sufficient energy to kee# the routes less obstructed so that the #ower still flows( The organs are thus nourished% and there is little sickness( 4ut if we do not li.e healthily and #ractice to kee# the energy routes o#en% they will gradually close and cause e otional i balances% #re ature sickness and old age( The #erfect energy circulation we enGoyed as babies was not aired by the daily stress of li.ing( Si #ly by re-establishing that sa e strong flow of lukewar chi K i?ed yin and yang energy K our .ital organs will begin to glow with radiant health( $hen this healing #ower of the Tao - the life energy in its original% #ure% undi.ided for K flows through our bodies% we regain the e?uberant energy and rosy glow we once had as babies( Dur true task is only to Bre-awakenC this undi.ided healing #ower that was once an acce#ted fact in our being( +ri ary Energy Channels The ner.ous syste in hu an beings is .ery co #le? and ca#able of directing energy where.er it is needed( 4ut the ancient Taoist asters disco.ered there are two #ri ary energy channels that carry an es#ecially strong current( Dne channel they called the B-unctionalC( It begins at the base of the trunk% idway between the testicles and the anus at a #oint called the #erineu ( It flows u#ward into the body #ast the #enis% sto ach organs% heart% and throat( The second channel called the B*o.ernorC% starts in the sa e #lace( It flows fro the #erineu u#wards into the tailbone and then u# through the s#ine into the brain% and back down to the roof of the outh( The tongue is like a switch that connects these two currents% for when it is touched to the roof of the outh Gust behind the front teeth% the energy flows in a circle u# the s#ine and back down a the front of the body( The two channels for a single circuit that the energy loo#s around in circles( $hen this energy flows in a loo# around the body through these two channels% the Chinese asters said the Bs all hea.enly cycleC or B icrocos ic orbitC had

- "=

Cha#ter I been co #leted( Henceforth in this book we shall refer to this aGor energy loo# as Bthe icrocos ic orbitC( Its .ital current circulates #ast the aGor organs and ner.ous syste of the body% gi.ing cells the Guice they need to grow% heal% and function( +ro#er $iring of the Etheric 4ody The two ain energy channels of the body can be co #ared to the ain wiring of a house( I agine a trunk line which brings #ower fro outside into the buildingJs ser.ice #anel( This #anel contains the circuit breakers that #rotect the inside wiring fro short circuits and o.erloads( It also has the switches that control the current to all the roo s inside the house( This inside wiring is like the Bsi? s#ecial #ower routesC in the body used in higher le.els of Taoist editation that branch off fro the Microcos ic Drbit( In higher le.els there are additional BwiresC for es#ecially hea.y loads of energy that ight surge into the syste K the Bthrusting routeC in the iddle of the body is one such wire( Dnce your house% like your body% is #ro#erly wired and all the safety #recautions ha.e been ade% it is ready to connect to the ain utility co #any trunk line for #ower( )ou are ready to recei.e the #ower that co es fro abo.e and fro beneath you without har ( $hat does it ean to BD#en the &outesCE

BD#ening the routesC eans clearing all obstructions that i #ede the flow of chi energy in their natural #aths( Most obstructions take the for of #hysical% ental% or e otional tension( It hel#s to understand that these energy routes in the body are grounded in the larger balancing forces of nature which are e?erting #owerful influence o.er us at e.ery o ent( The healing #ower of natural forces can be ta##ed to hel# the body in clearing itself of the obstruction to its natural energy flow( The route running down the front of the body <it ay flow in an u#ward direction before the Microcos ic Drbit is linked together> the -unctional Channel% has a yin% or cold nature( The route running u# the back% the *o.ernor Channel% is yang% or hot% in nature( The feet are said to be the ground or the BearthwireC and absorb - "6

Awaken the BChiC !ife Energy negati.ely charged energy fro the earth( The to# of the head% or crown% is the Bhea.enly wireC% or #ositi.e wire and absorbs the yang #ower fro abo.e% es#ecially fro the sun( $hen these two routes are Goined and cleared of obstruction the #ower will flow in a circuit between these two #oles% #ositi.e and negati.e% linking the .ital organs of the body to the ain loo# of the icrocos ic orbit around the trunk and head of the body( So by si #ly o#ening the two ain routes% -unctional and *o.ernor% a larger su##ly of war BchiC current flows into e.ery bodily organ( The #rocess of i?ing yin and yang% hot and cold% hea.en and earth% takes #lace auto atically% balancing your #hysical% ental and e otional sel.es( !essen Side Effects by Careful +re#aration So e editation ethods ha.e the #ractitioner start by recei.ing #ower fro abo.e i ediately( Dnly a few #eo#le K those born with the #ro#er channels already o#en and ready for use% and who ha.e done nothing to cause the to be blocked are ca#able of doing this i ediately( Many #eo#le% including well known yogis% ha.e da aged their organs with e?cessi.e heat or ha.e released uncontrollable hallucinations by #rogressing before their bodies were #re#ared to handle high doses of raw energy( The Taoist a##roach is ore gradual( The #ractitioners ake use of higher energies by first clearing the routes and raising their le.el of BchiC #roduction( $hen the two #rinci#al thoroughfares of the icrocos ic orbit are o#ened% only then are the si? additional s#ecial #ower routes o#ened% and ore after that( This allows the body to absorb the natural forces flowing about us constantly like a s#onge% and enables one to swiftly circulate the added .itality throughout the body( $ith all these routes o#en% e.ery organ recei.es its full co #le ent of energy and re ains in har ony with the rest of the body syste ( The war current of BchiC hel#s wash away any blockage that ight be #resent% assages the internal organs% and restores health to da aged and abused tissues( Many deadly diseases are #re.ented and the effects of stress and ner.ous tension are effecti.ely flushed out of the syste ( Many #ractitioners o#en all the

- "2

Cha#ter I routes within a few onths and learn to reduce leakage of their bodily energy to the #oint where an EE* records little or no energy wa.es( Acu#uncture and Microcos ic Drbit The Chinese sages studied the flow of energy fro these two ain channels% the -unctional and *o.ernor that connect to for the icrocos ic orbit% and disco.ered other energy flow routes( It was along these energy eridians that the #oints used in acu#uncture healing were also disco.ered( 4ut before the art of acu#uncture de.elo#ed% using needles to i #ede or enhance energy flow along the .arious routes in an effort to restore nor al function% the Chinese healers relied on circulating their energy internally in the basic icrocos ic orbit to insure good health% lo.e and long life( These asters of long life were uch sought after% e.en besieged to teach the secret of li.ing a long and har onious life( $hen acu#uncture was first introduced it was considered an inferior for of edicine and was used ostly in e?tre e cases of sickness( The best doctors in China were the doctors who ke#t their #atients fro getting sick in the first #lace( The highest for of edicine was #re.enti.e( Today% while we are beginning to acce#t acu#uncture as a reliable edical #ractice% we ha.e yet to recogniLe our innate ability to #re.ent illness and heal oursel.es using the energy flowing naturally through our bodies( Su ary

In the Taoist syste one begins by o#ening and co #leting two ain channels% u# the s#ine in back and down the front of the body( $hen linked together by the tongue on the roof of the outh% these two routes for the Microcos ic Drbit and ser.e as a circulatory syste for the body with built-in cooling safety .al.es( Hu an energy tends to flow u#ward during editation and ay cause i ense heat to accu ulate in the brain cou#led with bodily sensation% .isual and auditory hallucinations% e otional outbursts% and .arious delusions( 4y co #leting u# to a total of thirty-two routes <these s aller routes are not co.ered in this .olu e> the energy is well circulated% greatly reducing the o.erheating side effects of concentrated editation and inducing rela?ation(

- "1

Awaken the BChiC !ife Energy Dnce all the energy channels are o#en% one can begin the #ractice of i?ing and transfor ing the #owers #resent in the .arious energy centers or chakras% a #rocess known to the Taoists as Binner alche yC( Many for ulas are needed to bring about the #ro#er effects and to har oniLe the .arious energy syste s of the body with the energy syste of nature( As ore #ower beco es a.ailable% the i #ortance of o#ening the .arious routes beco es e.ident( $ithout any clear and co odious channels to trans#ort a considerable increase in energy% da age can result fro an o.erload( These side effects range fro the #hysical to the #sychological and can be Auite disturbing% e.en debilitating( If any side effects should e.er occur% see the cha#ter on Safety +recautions and if necessary ask for ad.ice i ediately fro a teacher of Taoist yoga( BAwaken Healing Energy through the TaoC is a ethod e.ol.ed o.er any illeniu to offer the #ractitionerthe safest and ost assured #ath to good health( If you #roceed one ste# at a ti e u# the ladder% you will be guaranteed success in reaching the to#( - 39

Cha#ter II Cha#ter II +re#are to Circulate the Chi Energy Create a &ela?ed En.iron ent The key to Chi circulation is dee# rela?ation: in order to circulate the war current you ust be cal within yourself( If you are distracted by the tele.ision% #assing cars% or your un ade bed% your ind will turn outwards and you will be unable to focus on your energy( As you #rogress you will learn to ignore the distractions and will be able to editate anywhere% but in the beginning choose a Auiet s#ot and a s#ecial ti e( The ore co fortable the at os#here the ore easily you can concentrate( Clothes 'uring Chi < editation> dress in loose-fitting clothing( !oosen your belt and re o.e your glasses and watch( &e e ber to kee# the knees% na#e of the neck and toes free of binding clothing( 'ress war ly enough so that you are not distracted by the cold( &oo The roo ust be ke#t well-.entilated% but do not sit in front of a window( The body generates e?cess heat during editation and a draft ay cause a cold( A.oid editating with light shining in your eyes( If a roo is too light it will disturb your concentrationO if too dark it ay ake you slee#y( 'iet According to the Taoist asters% if you sto# eating when you are two-thirds full your sto ach will ha.e roo to digest the food( $hen you are too full you lose lucidity and #ower of concentration( - 31

+re#are to Circulate the Chi Energy $ait at least one hour after eating before editating% a.oid eating cold foods including iced drinks and chilled fruit( They are e?tre ely yin and tend to throw you out of balance( !et your foods war u# instead of eating the directly fro refrigerator( )our body sa.es energy by not ha.ing to heat cold food( )ou ay attain a high #lane of s#iritual e.olution without being a .egetarian( 4oth .egetarians and o ni.ores are subGect to illness and decay( Si #ly eat whate.er akes you feel best( Try to listen to your bodyJs a##etite and you will know what to eat: $hen you ha.e an urge to eat so ething your body has a need for that food( Df course this a##lies only to those whose bodies are relati.ely healthy and ha.e no e?tre e cra.ings for deadly substances such as refined sugar% salt% or oily food( If your health has been affected by #er.erted eating habits you will gradually reco.er a true sense of your nutritional needs by circulating the war current of BchiC around your body( 5o one else can tell you what your need to attain inner har onyO .egetables alone will not ake you #ure or holier than fish( 4ut you should try to eat food that is fresh and as free of che ical conta inants as #ossible( Sti ulating the -low of Chi To #re#are for editation first rub your face% ears% eyes% waist% and the soles of your feet( &otate your head 1" ti es in both directions% then clas# your hands abo.e your head and rotate your trunk 3= ti es in a circular otion( -ig( "(1 &ub the soles of the feet to sti ulate the flow of Chi( - 3"

Cha#ter II To #re.ent stiffness% #ro ote fle?ibility% and ensure an easier flow of energy u#on awakening each orning% stretch your tendons% clench your teeth% and swallow your sali.a( To stretch your tendons% sit u# with your legs e?tended out in front of you and grab your toes or ankles( E?hale co #letely and gradually bend at the waist stretching forward with your hands as far as you can go without straining( +ractice nine ti es( 5e?t beat your teeth together nine ti es then use your tongue to assage you gu s( This will #re.ent gu disease and e?ercise your tongue( $e deal with this ore in the Chi Massage <Taoist &eGu.enation>( How to Sit Sit on the edge of a chair using your sittingbones to find that delicate #lace of balance which will hel# hold you erect( Men should allow the scrotu to hang freely in the airO when the testes are freely sus#ended it is easier to draw in energy and awaken the slee#ing giant within( The sitting #osition for wo en is the sa e e?ce#t that if wo en sit in the nude or are scantily clad they should co.er the genitalia to a.oid energy loss( The back ust be co fortably erect% the head bowed slightly forward% the feet fir ly #lanted on the floor( The feet are the ground wire% and ha.e ten channels of energy flow in each leg( In order to kee# the energy flow fully in -ig( "(" Sitting +osition each leg% kee# your legs in touch with the ground( Incorrect sitting #osition Correct sitting #osition - 33

+re#are to Circulate the Chi Energy -ig( "(3 4oth en and wo en #lace the right <)ang> #al o.er the left

#al <)in>% to connect and seal the energy while -ig( "(7 4ack should be straight(

editating(

Sitting on a chair is the ost co fortable way to #ractice the chi flow to the whole body( The feet are the root of our body so kee# the energy flow to the and the hands resting on the la# with the right #al on to#% clas#ing the left #al ( This will co #lete the hand circle% and the energy will not leak out of the #al ( The back - 37

Cha#ter II should be Auite straight at the waist though slightly bowed at the shoulders and neck( This inor forward cur.e of the u##er back #ro otes #erfect rela?ation of the chest and allows the #ower to flow downward( In ilitary #osture% with the shoulders thrown back and the head held high% the #ower will lodge in the chest and fail to descend to the lower centers( How to 4reathe $hile concentrating the breath should be soft% long% and s ooth( After a while you can forget about your breath( Attention to breath will only distract the ind which ust focus on drawing energy to the desired #oints( There are thousands of esoteric breathing ethodsO you ight s#end your whole life astering the and acAuire no lasting energy( -ig( "(8 To rela?% #ractice taking long slow dee# breaths in the abdo en% not the chest( 4ut once the Chi is awakened and you co #lete the route you ay e?#erience any different breathing #atterns: ra#id breathing% shallow breathing% dee# breathing% #rolonged retention of breath% s#inal cord breathing% inner breathing% crown breathing% soles of the feet breathing% etc( )ou need not try to regulate your breath as breathing #atterns will occur auto atically according to the bodyJs needs( - 38

+re#are to Circulate the Chi Energy 4reathe noiselessly through the nose( Make the breathing s ooth and gentle( Any sound #assage of the breath will ar your concentration% and if your breathing is rough you will not succeed in attaining a co #lete state of cal ( 4ut take care% if you interfere with the breathing you will arrest the flow of energy( In the beginning if you ha.e difficulty focusing% count fro one to ten and ten to one% fi.e ti es( )ou can take thirty-si? abdo inal long% slow% dee# breaths which will lower the energy held in your chest% shoulders% ar s% and head% and hel# you attain inner cal ( Dnce you ha.e acAuired energy and concentration you can i agine energy entering e.ery #ore when you inhale and lea.ing e.ery #ore when you e?hale( In this way you will e?#erience the entire surface of your body breathing( Mental Attitude 'onJt try to editate when you are tired( If you are fatigued but still wish to #ractice% first take a stroll% a soothing bath% a short na#% or ha.e a war drink( 4egin to #ractice when you feel refreshed( Maintain a cal ind and an attitude of forgi.eness( 4e cheerful and re ain o#en to life( 'onJt be consu ed with a bition or worry( )our great task is to raise your consciousness and your ca#acity to lo.e( 'onJt worry about to orrow( To orrow will take care of itself( Ha##iness and a cal state are signs of s#iritual #rogress( 'onJt struggle( 'onJt try to force wandering thoughts out of your ind( Si #ly release your thoughts% watching as they de#art( I agine the as clouds dis#ersed by the wind( $hen they are gone the sun will shine through brightly( 'etach yourself% be a s#ectator to the thinking #rocess not a #artici#ant( *radually you will learn to concentrate and direct the healing energy of the Tao( +osition of the Tongue The tongue is the bridge between the two channels% the -unctional and the *o.ernor( They are se#arated by the tongue( There are three #ositions for the tongue( -or the beginner% #lace the tongue where it is ost co fortable( If it is unco fortable to #lace the tongue to the #alate% #lace it near the teeth( The correct #lace is called the BHea.enly +ool(C

- 3=

Cha#ter II -irst +osition The #lace near the teeth will #roduce air <wind> and will easy for you to fall aslee#( Second +osition The to# of the #alate before the #alate is the -ire +lace( If touched for too long it will ake the outh and tongue feel dry( A( $ind +osition 4( -ire +osition C(Hea.enly +ool <$ater> -ig( "(= Tongue +ositions - 36 ake it

+re#are to Circulate the Chi Energy Third +osition This is the Hea.enly +ool #osition about 1(8 inches in front of the teeth% sti ulating the sali.ary gland that is under the tongue( The Hea.enly +ool has two #ools% which in the Tao syste connect with the #erineu S#er +alace and the ,1 ,idney% the Sole <4ubbling S#ring>( It connects with the kidney and runs u# #ast the heart% so these two #ools will sti ulate the kidney and s#er energy to rise u# #ast the heart and enter the s all brain and the +ituitary *land% which transfor s it into brain energy( This will later on beco e 5ectar and strengthen the heart energy( - 32

Cha#ter III Cha#ter III Secret of the Inner S ile Dnce youJ.e created a Auiet% cal ing e?ternal at os#here you ust establish that sa e Auiet and cal within yourself( If the roo is conduci.e to editating% but your Gaw clenched% your neck stiff% shoulders tense% your back stiff% your sto ach u#set% you will not be able to circulate the chi energy and co #lete the icrocos ic orbit( A rela?ed ental attitude and the thirty-si? dee# abdo inal breaths will hel# to cal your ind and begin to rela? your body( 4ut to achie.e full cal ness eans ore than si #ly rela?ing tense uscles and Gittery ner.es( To gain a dee# and lasting state of rela?ation reAuires that we de.elo# a feeling of #eace in our inner ost #arts( Dnly when our .ital organs like the heart% lungs% li.er% kidney and sto ach% ner.ous syste and circulatory syste are feeling rela?ed% can we #sychologically feel serene( To reach these organs% the ancient Taoist asters disco.ered a si #le secret% the Binner s ileC( -ig( 3(1 An Inner s ile radiates #owerful healing energy( - 31

Secret of the Inner S ile Healing +ower of a S ile Ha.e you e.er walked down the street gru bling or worrying about things you ha.e to do% your relationshi#s% your Gob% your whole lifeE $hen you glance u# so eone s iles at you% and before you know it youJre s iling back( In only a s#lit-second youJ.e dro##ed your troubles% you stand u# a little straighter% and walk on knowing e.erything is going to be okay( A genuine s ile has tre endous #ower( $hen you s ile at so eone it akes the feel good about the sel.es( $hen you s ile at your #lants they feel your lo.ing energy and they grow( $hen you go ho e% #at your dog on the head and s ile at hi % your dog will wag his tail to show you heJs ha##y( 4ut if you go ho e% yell at hi and kick hi % heJll cower% growl% or bite( If you screa at your lo.ed ones theyJll feel defensi.e and unlo.ed( A true s ile is a sign of lo.e% a trans itter of energy which has a war ing% healing effect( It is a .ehicle for usic( A #erson who does not s ile is like a guitar which is not #layed: the guitar sits in the corner% begins to war#% itJs strings stretch out% and gradually the guitar cracks and decays( The non-s iler% likewise% does not de.elo# his ability to gi.e and recei.e lo.e( His dark countenance and serious a##roach to life is often cou#led with ulcers and other edical disorders as his life slowly cru bles for lack of care and lo.e( Dn the other hand% the guitar that is #olished and #layed has its strings changed regularly% the bow adGusted and is ke#t safely in a case( A well-lo.ed and tended guitar brings life and light to the usician% and often outli.es its owner( The s iler% too% brings Goy to #eo#leJs li.es% and leads a ha##y healthy life that ay be soundly re e bered long after his or her #hysical #assing away( :nfortunately% while we all recogniLe the difference between cheery #eo#le and glu #eo#le% and while we associate ha##iness with health% and sadness with sickness% we still do not acknowledge the #ower of s iling or understand its full #otential( In short% we donJt take s iling to our organs and ner.ous syste seriously( $hy% for instance% if a s ile is associated with health% arenJt

there doctors who s#ecialiLe in s ilingE If Saturday &e.iew editor% 5or an Cousins% used old Mar? 4rothers fil s to laugh away his rare connecti.e disease% then why canJt doctors and nurses use - 79

Cha#ter III s iling energy to hel# heal their #atientsE +erha#s our hos#itals should hire clowns and Gesters to ake their #atients s ile( More i #ortant% why hasnJt s iling been used as #re.enti.e edicineE In s iling at our friends% fa ilies and lo.ed ones% why ha.e we not learned to s ile to oursel.esE In ancient China% the Taoists taught that a constant inner s ile% a s ile to oneself% insured health% ha##iness% and longe.ity( $hyE S iling to yourself is like basking in lo.e: you beco e your own best friend( !i.ing with an inner s ile is to li.e in har ony with yourself( Dne look at our western society shows that we do not know the secret of s iling( The lack of har ony within oursel.es is tragically a##arent( $e are #lagued with an increase in #hysical and e otional illness that ranges fro cancer to anore?ia ner.ousa( Dur lo.es are always shadowed by a world filled with .iolence and self-destruction( 4oth the indi.idual and the collecti.e society are threatened by ra #ant drug abuse and nuclear waste( So ehow% so ewhere% weJ.e lost sight of the Tao( $eJ.e broken the natural flow of life% and with it the #ower to heal oursel.es( S ile !o.e into your Fital Drgans The co #le?ity of global #roble s can be so o.erwhel ing that ost #eo#le si #ly gi.e u# trying to understand the whole #icture of their life( Dur heads reel fro an o.erload of infor ation that s#ews out fro tele.ision% news#a#er% radio and co #uters( The challenge is to si #lify all this infor ation into digestible for ( This #rocess of literally BdigestingC reality is ade difficult to the e?tent that weJ.e se#arated our inds fro our bodies( If the body is healthy% it can easily assi ilate the stress of odern li.ing and e.en find it a creati.e challenge( 4ut any #eo#le ignore their natural balancing echanis s between the body and ind( They atte #t to digest the world with their inds% #iling u# conce#ts% thoughts% and desires like giant ounds of ental baggage( They ignore the fact that their body ust carry this e?tra ental baggage around twenty-four hours a day% and e.entually tires of the e?tra weight( E?hausted% the body gi.es u# #re aturely resulting in heart failure% stroke% arthritis% or li.er dysfunction( The colla#se

is bla ed on a #oor #hysical body% but the o.erstressed is the true cul#rit( - 71

ind

Secret of the Inner S ile +roof of our ignorance of the connection between body and ind is seen in the fact that ost of us donJt e.en know where our bodily organs are% uch less their siLe% sha#e or functions( And if we ha##en to know intellectually% we still donJt e?#erience our organs in a tangible way because we ignore their constant subtle essages( -or instance% we think we are satisfied when our ind is #leased: our intestines ay be rebelling fro o.er-eating% our lungs ay be ta?ed by s oke% our kidneys ay be o.erworked fro coffee% but in our ind weJ.e had a delicious eal% a good s oke% and a great cu# of coffee( $e are nu b to our organJs feelings and thereby block what is #otentially our dee#est e?#erience of good health( $eJre like the irres#onsible auto obile owner who s#ends all his ti e wa?ing and #olishing his car only to dri.e o.er bu #y% dusty roads( He a.oids cleaning the s#ark #lugs or changing the oil% then uses leaded instead of unleaded gasoline( $hen the car breaks down% he curses% co #laining that he is not a echanic% and then bla es the car anufacturer when heJs told the car needs a co #lete o.erhal( $e are really no different( $e s#end all our energy <and oney> aking certain our outer sel.es are #resentable% then we abuse our inner sel.es by eating an i balanced diet% drinking% s oking% and worst of all% denying oursel.es lo.e( And then weJre shocked when out of the blue our lungs colla#se% our kidneys fail% or weJre told we ha.e cancer( So e #eo#le ha.e an astonishing ability to con.ince the sel.es that their health is not caused by their own beha.ior% and Auickly bla e their illness on bad genes% old age% fate% etc( 4ut ost #eo#le are si #ly unaware that their illnesses are the direct result of accu ulated years of stress and see ingly inor abuse of the #hysical body% es#ecially of the .ital organs( These .ital organs are inti ately connected to e.ery as#ect of our ind( Dur body is the filter for all our #erce#tions% feelings% thoughts% as well as the storehouse for our e ory% our .ery sense of identity( Most #eo#le fail to realiLe that e.en if our ind te #orarily sto#s functioning% if we cease to think or feel% our organs can continue to work( 4ut the o ent your s#leen bursts% your heart sto#s% or your li.er alfunctions% your life is in serious danger(

The brain is the boss% but organs do the work( I agine your organs are working in a factory% your ind is the boss( If the boss - 7"

Cha#ter III is ne.er around% or if he ignores the workersJ grie.ances <heJs so concerned about his own affairs that he canJt see that the workers ha.e #oor working conditions% theyJre o.erworked% and under #aid> the workers will e.entually beco e so discouraged and frustrated that theyJll either go on strike or Auit altogether( The factory shuts down% no goods are #roduced% and the boss is left trying to negotiate with the workers( 4ut his #ower is di inished if the workers ha.e already shut down the factory( It ay ne.er o#en again% and cause the boss to lose his li.elihood( <&e e ber% the #roble did not occur o.ernight(> How to s ile down with the Inner S ile Start with the Eyes To #ractice the inner s ile begin by closing your eyes and s iling sincerely into the ( &ela? and feel a dee# s ile shining through your eyes( 4y rela?ing your eyes you can cal your entire ner.ous syste ( )our eyes are connected to your autono ic ner.ous syste which is di.ided into two #arts% the sy #athetic and #arasy #athetic ner.ous syste s( The sy #athetic ner.ous syste controls the flight or fight reaction( The #arasy #athetic #er its the body to rest and feel secure( It generates cal % lo.ing feelings and is in turn acti.ated by si ilar feelings of lo.e and acce#tance fro other #eo#le( These two syste s are linked with e.ery organ and gland in the body% which are gi.en co ands through the ner.ous syste to s#eed u# or slow down the acti.ity of the body as needed( Thus it is through the link between your eyes and your ner.ous syste s that your entire range of e otions and i ediate #hysical reactions are controlled( 4y rela?ing your eyes with the inner s ile% you free your ind of tension held throughout the entire body( The ind is then freed to concentrate and a##ly all its a.ailable creati.e energy to the task at hand% e(g( har oniLing itself with the en.iron ent( This connection between .isual rela?ation and the ability to concentrate is an essential Taoist insight( After you feel your eyes tingling with a huge inner s ile% direct that s iling energy down into your body and fill your .ital organs with lo.e( An easy way to re e ber the Bs iling downC seAuence

is as follows: - 73

Secret of the Inner S ile -ront !ine: S ile down into the eyes% face% neck% heart% and blood circulatory syste % the lungs% #ancreas% s#leen% li.er% kidneys and adrenals( Middle !ine: S ile down fro the outh to the sto ach% s all intestine% large intestine and rectu % si ultaneously swallowing sali.a( 4ack !ine: S ile down the inside of the .ertebrae of your s#ine% one by one( -ig( 3(" -ront !ine S ile: the - 77 aGor .ital organs

Cha#ter III -ig( 3(3 Middle !ine S ile: Swallow sali.a to the sto ach and intestines -ig( 3(7 4ack !ine S ile: 4egin at the eyes% then s ile down the inside of the s#ine% .ertebra by .ertebra( - 78

Secret of the Inner S ile -ront !ine This s iling of chi energy fro your eyes down your front through the organs will later aid you in circulating the icrocos ic orbit( )our s ile should flow effortlessly like a waterfall% fro your eyes down through your .ital organs towards your genitals( $ith #ractice your chi will flow through these organs auto atically% hel#ing the in their work( /aws S ile down your face into your Gaws( )our Gaws are a aGor storehouse of tension( $hen you allow the energy created by that Binner s ileC to go into your Gaws you should feel your body letting u# and tension releasing( This ay be acco #anied by tingling sensations or noises% so do not be alar ed should that ha##en( Tongue To +alate The tongue is the bridge connecting the back <yang> and front <yin> channels( +lace your tongue on the roof of your outh Gust behind your front teeth( The correct #osition of the tongue is touching the soft #alate in the rear of the outh% but it is easier to lea.e it in front in the beginning( $hen chi flows into the tongue it ay #roduce strange taste sensations and a war tingle( 5eck and Throat The neck region is another reser.oir of tension( Contained in this area are any i #ortant ner.es and blood .essels .itally i #ortant to your well being( The neck is the bridge between your brain and your body( If your neck is a traffic Ga % knotted with tension and an?iety% the essages between your brain and organs will be confused and tense( If you cannot rela? your neck you cannot co #lete the icrocos ic orbit( Tighten your neck uscles then slowly allow the to rela?( Tuck in your chin and let your head sink into your chest( Ancient Taoists co#ied this techniAue fro the beha.ior of the turtle( &ela? the neck uscles by creating the illusion that they are no longer necessary to hold u# your head( S ile into your neck and throat and feel the tension elt( - 7=

Cha#ter III !o.ing Heart The heart #u #s blood and chi energy through your .eins and arteries( 4ut in Taoist yoga the heart% along with the kidneys% is the ain transfor er of chi energy( This eans that the heart is ca#able of both increasing your a.ailable chi and raising the Auality of its energy to a ore refined le.el( The arteries are said to belong to yang energy and the .eins to yin energy( The arteries therefore ha.e a #ositi.e charge and the .eins a negati.e one( $hen you s ile and fill your heart with lo.e you increase the rate of blood circulation and with it the e?change of yin and yang chi in the bloodstrea ( So s ile into your heart and feel the lo.ing energy of the s ile s#read throughout your circulatory syste ( If you can use the s ile and icrocos ic orbit to aid the chi flow% the heart will work less( The s ile fro the eyes and the brain will hel# to circulate the chi energy and thus aid the blood to flow fully and freely while the heart rela?es( In conGunction with the #ro#er diet and e?ercise% the likelihood of getting heart disease will be greatly reduced( -eel the strea of rela?ation flow down and s#read fro your face and neck into your heart( )ou will sense the heart to be cool and cal % and at the sa e ti e feel its #hysical substance( +eo#le who are ner.ous or who anger Auickly often e?#erience #ain and tense feelings in and about the heart( E?tending the s ile relie.es stored tension and enables a new kind of functioning to take #lace( -ill your heart with lo.e( !et your heart be your BsweetheartC( !ungs &adiate the lo.e in your heart to your lungs( -eel your lungs soften and breathe with a new ease( -eel the air inside lighten u# as it enters and lea.es the lungs( -eel their oist% s#ongy Auality as you rela? and fill your lungs with energy( Abdo en 5ow s ile into your li.er on the right side% Gust below the rib cage( If your li.er is hard% if it is difficult to feel% soften it with your s ile( S ile it back to life% reGu.enate it with your lo.e(

- 76

Secret of the Inner S ile 'irect the s ile to your two kidneys% in your lower back Gust below the rib cage on either side of the s#ine( The adrenal glands sit on to# of the ( S ile at your adrenals% and they ay send you a burst of adrenalin( The kidney is the lower transfor er of the .eins and arteries( S ile to the kidneys and fill the with lo.e( !ike the heart% this will increase the flow of chi circulating through your syste ( Allow the s ile to flow throughout your central abdo en% through the #ancreas and s#leen( Then gently rest the s ile in your na.el( All of your organs can be Bs iled toC( If you are rela?ed and ha##y and s ile within% your organs #roduce a honey-like secretion( If you are frightened% ner.ous% or angry% they #roduce to?ic substances instead( The #rocess of s iling into the organs lightens their work load and enables the to function ore efficiently( They ha.e a hard Gob #u #ing and #urifying hundreds of gallons of blood each day% breaking down raw food into digestible energy% cleansing to?ic substances and storing our e otional tensions( 4y s iling into your organs youJ.e ade their day a cheerful one( Middle !ine: Swallow Sali.a into !ower Abdo en( S ile once again in your eyes( S ile down into your outh and swish your tongue around to collect sali.a( $hen your outh is filled with sali.a% #ut the ti# of your tongue to your #alate% tighten your neck uscles% and swallow hard and Auickly% aking a gul#ing sound as you do( $ith your inner s ile follow the sali.a down your eso#hagus% through your internal tract and to your na.el( )our sali.a is a lubricating nectar that holds .ital energy which is dis#ersed throughout the body fro the na.el center( S ile away the ner.ous energy in your sto ach% and you will eat better food and find it easier to digest( &ela? the s iling energy into your s all intestine% large intestine% and rectu ( 4ack !ine: S#ine 5ow bring your focus back to your eyes( S ile into your eyes% your tongue% then begin to s ile down the inside of your s#inal colu n( Make sure your #osture is straight with shoulders slightly rounded forward( 'escend one .ertebra at a ti e% s iling into each until - 72

Cha#ter III you ha.e reached the coccy?( The s#inal colu n #rotects your central ner.ous syste and is crucial in increasing your chi circulation( Starting fro the neck there are se.en cer.ical .ertebrae% twel.e thoracic .ertebrae% and fi.e lu bar .ertebrae #lus the sacru and coccy?( )ou should e?#erience a feeling of great ease% war th% and co fort in each .ertebra( $hen the lu bar% coccy?al% and #ubic areas are rela?ed% #ower is released and flows ore easily u# through the back( End by Collecting the Energy at the 5a.el( $ith #ractice the entire s iling editation can be done in Gust inutes% although at first it ay take you longer to really feel the s ile( $hen you end the editation you do not want to ha.e energy circulating around in the higher centers such as the head or the heart( The best #lace for energy storage in the body is the area of the na.el% since it can easily handle the increased body heat( Most ill side effects of editation are caused by e?cess energy in the head% but this is easily a.oidable( <See Cha#ter on +re.enting Side Effects(> To collect the energy si #ly concentrate your ind on your na.el and i agine your energy s#inning like a slow to# inside% s#iralling outward o.e ent% inside your na.el about one and a half inches dee#% and "7 ti es back in to the na.el( Men s#iral first clockwiseO wo en s#iral counter clockwise( <#ut a watch at your na.el to deter ine direction(> Then re.erse and circulate the energy in the o##osite direction( I #ortant 5ote: )ou do 5DT collect the energy at the na.el after Bs iling downC if you intend to i ediately circulate chi in the icrocos ic orbit as taught in the following cha#ter( )ou would circulate the orbit and then close by collecting the energy at the na.el( +ractice the Inner S ile in 'aily !ife Although the inner s ile is used #ri arily to hel# you to rela? #rior to #racticing the icrocos ic orbit% it is #owerful as a editation in its own right( Si #ly s iling the inner s ile in your daily life can bring tre endous results( If you are constantly aware of your inner

s ile% it will transfor - 71

your life(

Secret of the Inner S ile Dne student went to ask her boss for a raise which she had been #ro ised( She knew her boss was tight with oney and would #ut u# a fight% so she a##roached the gru #y boss with an inner s ile as well as her outer s ile( Such #ositi.ity reduced her bossJ resistance% and they ended on good ter s% with both of the s iling( Another studentJs self-i age changed radically fro s iling down( 4efore his self-estee was low% and he was continually fighting with hi self% telling hi self he wasnJt u# to #ar( After freAuently #racticing the inner s ile he ade good friends with hi self% and began to realiLe #otential hidden by his negati.e self de#recations( If you aster an inner s ile you ay well feel like the turtle% entering the unknown sea with his #rotecti.e shell snugly encased about hi ( !ikewise% you will ha.e the #ower to create a rela?ed editati.e en.iron ent ca#able of withstanding any e?ternal situation( 5egati.ity will bounce off your s ile and you will enGoy yourself where.er you are( Su ary

The inner s ile gi.es you lo.e where you ost need it% at ho e( )our ho e is your body because your body is where you li.e no atter where you are( !earn to see it as a co unity of any hardworking% de.oted e bers who go unrecogniLed and are often abused( !earn to deal with your .arious #arts as though they were your own children deser.ing of res#ect and affection( !ea.e no one out and in no ti e you will know what it is to be lo.ed and you will know what is eant by !o.ing Energy( 'o this continuously and your world will blosso ( The #ersons who BinhabitC your BinnerC world% your .ital organs% bones% blood% brain% etc(% will afford you a new body and will enable you to relate to e.eryone and e.erything outside in a new% cal % lo.ing way( So s ile to yourself where e.er you go% to who e.er you see( - 89

Cha#ter IF +art II: Circulate Healing Energy in the Microcos ic Drbit - 81

4egin the Drbit Cha#ter IF 4egin the Drbit: D#en the -ront Channel% the -unctional The functional channel < eridian> runs down the front of the body and is yin% fe ale% or cold in AualityO the go.ernor channel at the back is yang% ale% or hot( $hen Goined% these two for the Microcos ic Drbit which links with all the .ital organs of the body( 4y co #leting this route% the yin and yang i? in har ony% enabling you to increase your energy flow% and send energy% hor ones% and .itality throughout your body( In this way energy can be collected% transfor ed and absorbed where necessary( To establish the flow along the eridians so e Taoists concentrated on easy-to-get energy #oints which were in accord with acu#uncture #oints( 4y focusing on these s#ecific #ower centers the Taoists realiLed that not only was chi released so that a war current was felt% but that the energy #oints were acti.ated% effecting a whole set of ental and #hysical functions( -ocusing on the na.el% for instance% effects the entire gastro-intestinal syste % and the increased chi aids in digestion and balances the a##etite( The Microcos ic Drbit begins and ends at the na.el% and the functional channel e?tends fro the #alate to the #erineu ( To o#en the front channel% we work fro the na.el to the #erineu % and later% after o#ening the back channel% we o#en the re ainder of the functional channel( Awaken the Indi.idual Healing +oints To awaken the energy in the indi.idual #oints use your inner .ision( 'irect your .ision inwardly to the #oint you wish to acti.ate% and concentrate your ind on that #oint in your body( 'o not create a .isual i age of the energy #oint in your ind( &ather bring your ind down fro your head and #ut it in your body% e(g( your na.el( The energy% or chi flow that e.entually results will be e?#erienced differently by #eo#le de#ending on #hysical% e otional% and #sychological conditions( *enetic ake-u#% #ast history% diet% i e - 8"

-ig( 7(1 +oints and Energy Centers )ing-Tang Hsuan-Chi Shuan-Chung Chuang-,ung D.arian +alace /ing*ong S#er +alace Heding E?tra-31 )ung-Chuan ,1 Ta-Tun !I-1 -ig( 7(1 +oints and Energy Centers )ing-Tang Hsuan-Chi Shuan-Chung Chuang-,ung D.arian +alace /ing*ong S#er +alace Heding E?tra-31 )ung-Chuan ,1 Ta-Tun !I-1 Cha#ter IF diate #hysical and ental stresses all contribute to the .arying results( So e ight feel the #ower of the war current in a few inutes or a few weeks% while others ay take onths to feel it( So e e?#erience the energy as hot or cold% so e re#ort tingling sensations and so e see colors( Hsuan-)ing +alate CD-1" Tan-Tien Chi-Chung CD-2 ,uan-)uan +ai-Hui Crown *D-"9 )u-Chen 4!-1

Chi-Chung *D-= Ming-Men *D-7 Chang-Chiang Coccy? *D-1 Hui-)in +erineu CD-1 $ei-Chung 4!-79 - 83

4egin the Drbit Many #eo#le e?#erience soreness or #ain when they #ractice% a sign that they are beco ing sensiti.e to their for erly nu bed body #arts in the sa e way that we feel #ain when our leg starts to co e back to life after falling aslee#( Howe.er you e?#erience the energy is fine( 'o not ignore the essages and sensations your body sendsO if anything% listen ore attenti.ely and e?#erience your body ore fully( These essages are .aluable signals that you are co ing in tune with your etheric energy body that connects your #hysical body to your ind( Choosing your -irst +oint: The 5a.el The first energy center is nor ally the na.el% but it .aries if you ha.e #roble s such as high or low blood #ressure% if you are old% or if you ha.e chest #roble s( The na.el ser.es as the generator of electricity which su##lies all the other #oints( The Taoists considered the na.el the earth or root of the body( It is the origin of energy: fro the fertiliLed o.u the fetus is de.elo#ed% linked to life by its u bilical cord( After birth the surrounding energy continues to enter through the sa e area( The na.el also is the #lace where breath originates( As blood and chi are drawn to this #oint a dee# rhyth ic breathing is established% and the entire id-section of the body beco es a huge #u #% .igorously circulating the chi and blood throughout the organis ( This circulation distributes the life substances and relie.es the heart of its hea.y burden( Moreo.er% blood follows chi% and when .ital #ower is distributed e.enly throughout the body no energy accu ulates at one #oint% thereby o.erheating or da aging the nearby .ital organs( Howe.er% if one is inGured or ill% energy can be directed to a #articular site% concentrating all oneJs healing resource to the #oint where it is ost needed( $hen the war current has re o.ed the i #urities% the blood follows to finish the Gob of restoration( :se a -inger to hel# Concentrate $hen you concentrate on the na.el focus one and a half inches below the skin( In the beginning% a##ly #ressure on the #oint with your inde? finger for one to fi.e inutes% then return your hands to

- 87

Cha#ter IF your la# with the right #al o.er the left( Concentrate on the sensation created by your finger% #ressing again when the #oint beco es indistinct( Dnce ore% do not concentrate on breathing( Merely rela? your eyes% tongue% and throat% and the ind will beco e still Dnce the ind is cal the #ower will accu ulate( At first it is not easy to draw #ower to the energy center because your .ital regenerati.e faculties ha.e been abused for years( )our health cannot be restored o.ernight( The ore you #ractice the stronger you will get% and you will be ore able to endure heat #roduced by the higher .oltage of chi( If you ha.e been concentrating on the na.el for a long ti e but do not feel any energy% change your focus to the Ming-Men% the #oint o##osite the na.el on the s#ine( This hel#s the energy to rise u# to the head and descend down the front of the body to the feet( Howe.er% if you do not feel anything in the na.el but ha.e definite signs of i #ro.ed health% you are on the right track( &e e ber% the e?#erience of chi is different for e.erybody( So e #eo#le e?#erience war th or bubbling sensations% others feel as though their na.el area is e?#anding% and so e #eo#le can increase their chi circulation without creating .i.id sensations( 5o atter what your e?#erience is% try to be as sensiti.e and aware of your body as #ossible( Ad.enture into your body% it is a .ast land laden with riches( Heart and Chest +roble s $hen so e #eo#le concentrate on the na.el too long% the energy o.es u# to the chest and effects the heart and lungs( If this ha##ens the #ractitioner should either see a teacher% or choose a #oint lower down on the body so the energy in this #roble area can drain out( If% when concentrating on the na.el% your #ulse rate goes u# unco fortably% concentrate instead on the Ming-Men% the #oint o##osite your na.el in your lower back( If this doesnJt hel#% and you are sweating #rofusely% shift your attention to the #oint between your eyebrows( If this causes too uch #ressure in your heart% bring your attention back to the MingMen(

- 88

4egin the Drbit 5er.ous Tension% Dld Age% +hysical $eakness If you ha.e ner.ous tension concentrate on the na.el% alternating with the Ming-Men <o##osite the na.el on the back>( If you are older or #hysically weak% concentrate on the )in-Tang <#oint between the eyebrows>( High 4lood +ressure -or high blood #ressure first focus on the na.el% then bring your attention to the feet( In the beginning you can ta#e two #rickly nuts o.er the )ung-Chuan #oints <4ubbling S#ring> on the balls of your feet( The sensation of the nuts #ressing into your feet will hel# to kee# your attention in your feet( 4y focusing on your feet you #ut your ind into your feet% which directs the energy and blood there% conseAuently lowering your o.erall blood #ressure( 'o not focus on the )in-Tang < ideyebrow> or +ai-Hui <crown of head> because it will cause a great deal of blood and chi to go to the head further raising the blood #ressure( )ung-Chuan <,1> -ig( 7(" To lower high blood #ressure% concentrate on )ung-Chuan in the center of the sole of the foot( - 8=

Cha#ter IF Dne 88 year old student had blood #ressure that stayed at I89; 199% e.en though he took #ills orning and e.ening( After co #leting the routes and concentrating for about 8 onths his blood #ressure ca e down to 138;19 <he continued to take #ills>( After that he was unable to slee# for ten days( After discussing the situation with his doctor% the doctor reduced the dosage of edicine to half because the studentJs blood #ressure see ed controlled( After cutting the dosage he was able to slee# again and his blood #ressure stayed at 138;28( If you ha.e high blood #ressure% find a #hysician who would be interested in using concentration to hel# control your blood #ressure( He should check your blood #ressure regularly to see if the chi circulation is effecti.e for you( !ow 4lood +ressure Concentrating in the ideyebrow region will enable #ower and blood to flow into the head% aiding low blood #ressure( 4ut like those with high blood #ressure% those with low blood #ressure should ha.e it checked regularly( Dnce the blood #ressure has returned to nor al you should concentrate at the na.el for fifteen inutes then shift the #ower u# to the head for fifteen inutes( +ai-Hui *D "9 )in-Tang A( -or low blood #ressure% begin by concentrating between the eyebrows( 4( -or abnor ally low blood #ressure% begin by concentrating at the crown of the head( -ig( 7(3 !ow 4lood +ressure +oints - 86

4egin the Drbit $hile the na.el is a good starting #oint for ost #eo#le who are healthy% those who ha.e high blood #ressure or sto ach and intestinal #roble s% it is not good for those with low blood #ressure because it causes the blood to dro#( *astro-intestinal +roble s Anyone with gastro-intestinal #roble s will ha.e ore difficulty in o#ening the eridian because the digesti.e organs are linked to it( Each of these organs ust be cleansed and strengthened before the route ay be co #leted( )our digestion and eli ination will greatly i #ro.e during your work on the -unctional Channel( &e e ber that once you co #lete the Microcos ic Drbit and are able to collect ore #ower you will be able to cure yourself( )ou will be able to bring your life force to the afflicted area( -ig( 7(7 -irst Energy Center: Meditating on the na.el #oint 5a.el +oint strengthens the *astro-Intestinal organs( - 82

Cha#ter IF S#er +alace +alace is located

-ig( 7(8 Second Energy Center for en% the S#er 1 1;" inches fro the base of the #enis(

It is i #ortant not to think of your self as sick or weak( )ou can be free of an ail ent no atter how long you ay ha.e had it( Fery often the difference de#ends on your attitude( The #sychoso atic origin of illness is widely known( If you ha.e confidence in this ethod% your #sychoso atic ail ents will be banished( In effect% you will be o.erco ing your hidden desire for illness that first ade you ill( The increased circulation of chi between your ind and your body will cause these hidden negati.e desires to surface and dissi#ate( $hen the Ching-Chi S#er energy first awakens% you ay ha.e difficulty telling whether it is real or i agined( 4ut soon you will be absolutely con.inced of the indis#utable reality of the energy flow( It will start in the abdo en or the hands or legs or the big toes( Those who run or #ractice Tai Chi or ,ung -u often feel it first in the legs( Those who use their hands uch will often feel it there first( A war feeling of wa.es or bubbles is described as arising in the abdo en( Though e.eryone is altogether uniAue in this regard% the sensations are not to be i agined% howe.er% because they are not like anything one has already e?#erienced( - 81

4egin the Drbit Second Energy Center: -or $o en% ,uan-)uan <D.arian +alace> The second energy center is in the ,uan-)uan% the id-#oint of the o.aries( To locate the #oint #lace your hands flat on your sto ach with your thu bs at your na.el( 'irectly below your #inky% in a straight line fro the na.el is the id-#oint% 1; " inches in fro the skin( In later #ractice this #oint beco es a great source of energy( Second Energy Center: -or Men% /ing *ong <S#er +alace>

The second energy center is located in the S#er +alace% the area of the #rostrate gland and se inal .esicles in the lower abdo en Gust abo.e the #enis( 4efore concentrating you can use your inde? fingers to a##ly #ressure to the area for one inute% returning your hands to your la# and concentrating on the sensations( A##ly #ressure again as the feelings fade( -or :n arried and )oung Men The s#er #alace is i #ortant for a an because it can cause hi to be se?ually aroused( If this ha##ens% bring the #ower back fro the S#er +alace to the Ming-Men <#oint o##osite the na.el on lower back>( This se?ual energy can be used to greatly increase the circulating #ower of your chi% but first you ust learn to circulate the Microcos ic Drbit without se?ual distractions( -or Middle-Aged and Dld Men Those who feel less se?ual sti ulation and older #eo#le% 79 to =9 years old% can concentrate on the s#er #alace until they feel #ower( If% howe.er% they begin to ha.e night e issions% they should also switch to the Ming-Men( Those who do not ha.e this #roble can concentrate at the S#er +alace until they e?#erience war th and a feeling of light

- =9

Cha#ter IF ness in the area( If they ha.e any kind of sensation other than what they nor ally e?#erience in their editation% they can shift their attention down to the Hui-)in <#erineu >% idway between the anus and #enis or .agina( Third Energy Center: Hui-)in or +erineu The Hui-)in or *ate of !ife and 'eath is found in the lower #art of the trunk a idst the endings of any blood .essels and ner.e endings( It is located at the id-#oint between the anus and the #enis or the .agina( 4ecause it is lower% it tends to lose #ower( )ou can hel# sti ulate this #oint by rubbing it until you feel it is war ( This area is .ery tender and you ust re e ber not to rub too hard( $hen you concentrate on the Hui-)in% the ti e needed to collect and awaken the #ower is different in each #erson due to differences in genetic ake-u#( So e ight take long% so e ight not( 4ut% on the a.erage% it should take two to four weeks if you #ractice twice a day for 18 to 39 inutes at a ti e( If you still donJt feel anything by then% you can e?tend the ti e for u# to four weeks( )ou should not #ersist any longer than that( Mo.e on to the ne?t #oint% otherwise you ight get congestion in your chest and;or heart #ain( If this ha##ens% it eans that you ha.e de.elo#ed and collected too uch #ower in that area( Instead of the #ower ha.ing tra.elled down to the base of the s#ine it has gone u# to the chest( Shifting your concentration to the Ming- en sol.es the #roble and you will be sy #to -free in a few days( Hui-)in CD-1 -ig( 7(= Third Energy Center: -or both en and wo en the Hui-)in <#erineu > is located idway between the anus and genitals( - =1

4egin the Drbit Concentrating on this #oint so eti es leads to .ibrating sensations or the feeling that so ething is Gu #ing inside or a strong se?ual arousal( Abdo inal breathing can cause an erection to recede and allows for the concentration to continue without interru#tion( If you concentrate on this #oint too long howe.er% it can o#en the thrusting routes <or ,undalini>% which leads to .arious side effects( If the energy succeeds in #assing .ery Auickly u# through the throat chakra and continues u# to the to# of the head to the crown% where it s#reads out s#rinkler-like% showering down o.er the #ractitioner% there will be .ery few% if any side effects( In fact if you ha.e anaged to o#en all the channels% your whole syste will be nourished in the #rocess( Ti e is essential in all editation( )ou cannot e?#ect any results without #utting in a great deal of effort( &e e ber that the na.el is the generator and e.ery ti e you co ence #racticing you ha.e to start fro this #oint( $hen you feel #ower has de.elo#ed there <war th% tightness% e?#ansion% etc(>% bring it down to the second #oint% then down to the third( - ="

Cha#ter F Cha#ter F D#en the 4ack Channel: the *o.ernor -ro the Hui-)in the energy o.es to the Chang-Chiang% or sacru % and begins its ascent u# the back to the crown of the head and the brow #oint( The back channel is e?tre ely i #ortant as it contains two #u #s% one at the sacru <the large bone at the lower end of the s#ine>% the other at the )u-Chen <back of the neck near the u##er end of the s#ine>( The first #u # sends chi and s#inal fluid u# to the neck% the second recei.es the chi and s#inal fluid and #u #s it u# into the brain( D#ening the back channel is like bringing fresh air to a stuffy roo ( )our s#inal colu n and head will be refreshed% the ner.es will be acti.ated% and the e?tra o?ygen and blood flowing to your brain will ake you feel ore alert% ore ali.e( -ourth Energy Center: Chang-Chiang <Coccy?> The fourth energy center #oint is the Chang-Chiang <$oii !ui> at the coccy?( This #oint is .ery i #ortant because it is here that the #ower is either returned to the body or lost( $hen the generati.e #ower <s#er #ower> is returned% it #asses through this canal and into the s#inal cord and then to the brain( This has been called the +assage to the 'oor of !ife and 'eath because it is here that the Bwar currentC is said to enter the central ner.ous syste ( $hen you ha.e concentrated for so e ti e you ay feel a sensation of war th and #ressure rise u# into the coccy? through the any ner.e endings and the eight holes% which in the esoteric syste are called the holes of the soul( The first le.el% o#ening the Microcos ic Drbit% ay be said to be the #re#aration of the way( The energy that #asses here is the real s#er and o.ary #ower and is the energy of the life force that is #roduced in the body and cells( The second le.el trains the chi to o.e along 37 additional routes and in.ol.es the cleaning of the organs( In the third le.el - =3

D#en the 4ack Channel s#er or o.ary #ower is awakened and transfor ed into a higher le.el of Bchi #owerC( This B#owerC #ushes its way u#ward in through the coccy?( At that ti e so e #eo#le ay feel a needle-like #ain( So e ay re#ort ha.ing a feeling of tightness there and others will be aware of so ething #ushing its way inside( $ith continued #ractice the B#owerC or Bwar currentC #ushes higher and higher( It will hel# you to o#en the #oint uch ore easily if you rub the coccy? with a soft cloth until you feel war th there and then sit down to #ractice concentration( )in-Tang +ai-Hui *o-"9 Chang-Chiang *D-1 Hui-)in +erineu Co-1 Ming-Men *D-7 Chi-Chung *D-= )u-Chen 4!-1 -ig( 8(1 Energy flows u#ward through the #oints of the 4ack Channel( - =7

aGor

Cha#ter F Chang-Chiang *D-1 Sacral Canal Sacru Sacral Hiatus o#ening for Chi to enter the s#inal cord Chang-Ching *D-1 Coccy? -ig( 8(" Energy flows u#ward through the #oints of the 4ack Channel( aGor

-ifth Energy Center: Ming-Men <D##osite 5a.el +oint Dn S#ine> This #oint is the Ming Men% the 'oor of !ife( It is the id#oint of the kidney% between !" and !3 on the .ertebrae( It is at this #oint that kidney #ower is concentrated( The left kidney is )in and the right is )ang and at the center #oint is a balance between the two( The Ming Men <the ain #ower #oint of the body> then% is the har ony #oint% containing )in #ower( $hen you concentrate here% the #ower rises u# the back or descends to the feet( This hel#s to #re.ent - =8

D#en the 4ack Channel so e of the side effects that occur when the #ower ay suddenly surge u# to the head( Those are standing% sitting% or walking% can use the Ming- en as their #oint of concentration( Ming-Men *D-7 -ig( 8(3 Energy flows u#ward through the #oints of the 4ack Channel( 4ack +ain $hile Concentrating Those of you who ha.e back #ain ay find that the #ains intensify when you concentrate on the Ming Men( 'o not let that sto# you( 4efore concentrating rub your hands together to #roduce war th and #lace the on the #ainful area( $hen you first start Ming Men #ractice it ight hel# to use scotch ta#e to fasten so ething #rickly o.er the #oint or #ress the #oint for about a inute before concentrating on it( In ti e you will need only a few inutes to concentrate and collect energy( Many #eo#le feel the #ower ore readily at the Ming Men than at the na.el( I #ortant 5ote: Try to re e ber when you concentrate% to let the #ower <war current> flow( 'o not try to direct the #ower( In the beginning% when you feel war th in the na.el% o.e your #oint of concentration down( The #ower follows this shift of attention% it is not that you ha.e brought the #ower down( The #ower in your body knows where to go( - == aGor

Cha#ter F Si?th Energy Center: Chi-chung <D##osite the Solar +le?us on the S#ine> The si?th energy center is located between the adrenal glands <T11>% o##osite the solar #le?us on the s#ine( The adrenals sti ulate the inner #art of the edulla in the brain% which #re#ares the organis for fight or flight( The outer #art% the corte?% go.erns sodiu balance and is in.ol.ed in blood sugar le.el( Those who ha.e diabetes ay find that concentration on this #oint will hel# the to lower their blood sugar le.el( Allergy sufferers ay also find relief by concentrating here( If you are weak or ill% you can concentrate on this #oint any ti e( This #ractice can be .ery sti ulating( )oung #eo#le and those who are stronger% should not focus on the Chi-chung in the e.ening because it will kee# the awake( Sti ulate the +ancreas $hen you concentrate on the Chi-chung <adrenal gland>% you also acti.ate or sti ulate the #ancreas( !ike the adrenal glands% the #ancreas is in.ol.ed in blood sugar le.el and concentration on this #oint ay ha.e a nor aliLing effect( $hether this can hel# those who ha.e diabetes would ha.e to be born out by e?tended tests with any subGects under controlled conditions for a considerable #eriod of ti e( Howe.er% without doubt% there would be i #ro.e ent in the condition( As you continue concentrating on this #oint the #ower will collect and gradually #ush its way u# to your head( The #ower of this #oint is the i?ture of that found at the na.el <#oint no( 3>% the coccy? body <#oint no( 7> and the har ony of the kidney #ower <#oint no( 8>( Se.enth Energy Center: )u-Chen;4ack of the 5eck The )u-Chen is the cerebellu ( This #art of the brain controls breathing% heartbeat% and .arious functions associated with the auto atic ner.ous syste ( Thus% when the chi #asses u# the back to the )uChen #oint any changes will occur( Many different kinds of breathing #atterns beco e a.ailable and are acti.ated naturally according to necessity(

- =6

D#en the 4ack Channel Shoulder and :##er 4ack +ain Those #eo#le who ha.e shoulder and;or u##er back #ains ay find that the #ower will not be able to flow beyond those areas or% at least will be slowed so that it takes uch longer for it to reach the head( $ith continued #ractice any #eo#le ha.e found that their back #roble s ha.e been alle.iated and e.en cured as the #ower works its way through on its u#ward #ath( Howe.er% if the #ower builds u# in the brain you ay e?#erience #ain% nausea% illusions% irritability% inso nia% ood swings% and slee#iness( 4e sure to direct the #ower down to your na.el when you finish your #ractice #eriod( Eighth Energy Center: +ai-Hui;Crown of The Head The +ai-hui <5iwan> is called the crown or the #ineal body and is located abo.e the id-brain( Its functions are related to sensiti.ity and to the se?ual cycle( It go.erns the hindbrain% hearing% body rhyth % eAuilibriu % #erce#tion of light through the eyes and skin% and is the su#erior counter-su##ort of the brain and s#inal cord( In Chinese it is called the Hundred +oint /oint or the co #ass of en% because it is at the to# of the crown of the head( $hen you concentrate here you ay feel #ressure or a sense of e?#ansion in the iddle of the head( This is an indication of #ower flow( $hen this ha##ens% concentrate on the ne?t #oint and re e ber not to s#end ore than a onth #racticing on any one energy center( $hen the #ower #asses through the id-brain and the region of the #ineal gland% you ay feel so e tightness or a kind of #ressure #ushing forward and backward in this area( )ou ay also suddenly feel .ery slee#y( $hen the #ower freely #asses through this #oint you will be afflicted less by illusion% you will be able to concentrate better% and your head will feel uch lighter( Howe.er% as blood flow to the head increases% your eyes ay redden( $hen the #ower builds u# ore so e #eo#le ay see light% a rainbow of colors% the sun% the oon% or a star twinkling before their eyes( Dthers ay feel that they can foresee the future <but that is an illusion because occult .ision is still far off at this stage>( 5o atter what co es u#% si #ly find ways to cal your ind(

- =2

Cha#ter F Co #leting the Microcos ic Drbit does not ean that so e s#ecial sense will be o#ened to you% though the energy or chi .ibrating in the brain and coursing back and forth through the ner.ous syste can lead to .arious aberrations of the senses( )ou ay see and hear any unusual things% but all of the will si #ly be illusions% so try to ignore the ( So e #ractitioners describe being surrounded by light( Traditional Chinese asters would e?#lain such an e?#erience as being due to so e #hysical ail ent which gradually reflects outwardly( Those who ha.e weak kidneys or a low se? dri.e will reflect a black light( Those with li.er illness find that the light that is reflected is green( +eo#le with heart disease re#ort seeing red light( !ung disease is e?#ressed as a white light( S#leen and sto ach illness is indicated in yellow and for those with gall bladder disease% the light which is reflected will be black( If the redness of the eyes does not go away after #racticing for two or three hours% you should consult a doctor( 5inth Energy Center: )in-Tang;4row +oint between Eyes The )in-tang is the #ituitary gland and is called the BTsu ChiaoC or the Driginal Ca.ity of the S#irit by Taoists( In fact% there are any na es for it in the Taoist Encyclo#edia <!ife +alace% )u Ting% /ade Cauldron% etc(>( This #oint is located between the eyebrows% abo.e the nasal ca.ity( It is the aster endocrine control gland% regulating growth% gonadal function% the adrenals and the thyroid( It is said to go.ern the forebrain% .ision% the right eye% as well as being the seat of lo.e% co #assion% knowledge% integration or #ersonality% lo.e of hu anity and de.otion( It is further said to be the seat of intelligence% conce#tual e ory <reading% thinking% studying>% linear seAuential ti e consciousness% abstract and conce#tual thinking% co #ulsi.eness% racis % se?is and #aranoia( The #ituitary and the #ineal gland are e?tre ely i #ortant when co #leting the routes% for it is at these two #oints that you can check your #ower flow( $hen you concentrate on the na.el and store #ower there% energy suddenly rises u# and #asses through the 5iwan <the #ineal gland>( The ne?t checking #oint is the )in Tang <the #ituitary gland>( $hen you ha.e co #leted the Microcos ic

Drbit you can use these two% the 5iwan and the )in- tang% - =1

D#en the 4ack Channel to see whether indeed there is a #ower flow( The rest of the #oints are usually not sensiti.e enough for this( To co #lete the route% the #ower has to flow down fro the soft #alate% through the tongue% into and through the throat% the Hsuan-chi% the Shuan-chung <heart chakra> the Chung-wan <solar #le?us> and finally the na.el again( $hen the #ower has #assed fro the idbrain to the forebrain and then to the #ituitary gland and the a alary bodies% any students will feel #ressure in both the left and right sides of their forehead% which is due to resistance to the flow often found when the route narrows as it co es down through the nose( This ay sti ulate the release of ucous or e.en lead to sinus trouble% if you are inclined that way( After so e ti e you ay e?#erience a fragrance( This is said to be caused by hor one glands #urifying the internal organs( The aro as .ary fro #erson to #erson and also de#ends u#on the degree of oneJs de.elo# ent( It is i #ossible to describe all the .arious senses that ha.e been re#orted but flowers% #erfu es% wine bouAuet and coconut water ha.e been entioned( Along with the fragrance% there ay be needle-like sensations or a feeling as if so ething were #ressing down on oneJs forehead or ha ering in the iddle of oneJs head( This is again due to the fact that there is resistance to the flow of energy( If you can ignore these feelings% the condition will gradually abate( Concentrating on the brow #oint reduces the Garring effects of sudden loud noises( 4y contrast% students who concentrate on the na.el do not ha.e this facility( A degree of stability is reached% then% by the ti e you reach the #oint between the eyebrows( The tendency to worry will di inish and disa##ear as #ractice #rogresses( -ro then on you feel ore sali.a being released% which is said to be caused by hor ones which are acti.ated in the #ituitary gland( $ith continued #ractice% the sali.a will beco e ore sweet and fragrant% at which ti e it is referred to as nectar( This nectar hel#s to sti ulate a##etite and to acti.ate all of your bodily syste s( $hen your a##etite is good% your digestion and assi ilation are i #ro.ed and you feel both content and in.igorated( To to# it all% you will also feel .ery cal ( Students at this le.el re#ort that they hear internal noises ranging fro the beating of the heart and the agnified sound of their breathing to the rushing sound of the blood as it #asses through blood .essels and the

workings of their .arious inner organs( They e.en describe sounds - 69

Cha#ter F which Indian )ogis ha.e for centuries referred to as di.ine( Most of these s ells and sounds ha.e always been there% but ha.e been o.ershadowed by our attention to other things( As you grow Auieter% and beco e less distracted% these e.er #resent sounds beco e e.ident with the e?ce#tion of the nadis% the di.ine sounds% which alter characteristically as one #rogresses s#iritually( $hen you ha.e finally reached the #oint between your eyebrows% you are half-way finished( This doesnJt only refer to o#ening the Microcos ic Drbit and other routes% but to what follows as well( The ne?t stage <after the routes ha.e been o#ened> in.ol.es the trans#ortation of .ital aterials% the hor ones as well as chi in the #ractical a##lication to oneJs daily life of these new found abilities( These ste#s ha.e already been described as organ #urification% sti ulation and de.elo# ent of the .ital flow for the healing of illness( It brings strength and .itality to those who ha.e been weak and finally reGu.enation and long life( This calls for a .ery subtle balancing of #owers and ethods of a##roach to a.oid the any #itfalls that side-effects can bring( The danger here is real( $ithout the #ro#er knowledge as to how to #roceed% outright #hysical and e otional da age can result( So e of the side-effects% again% are sensations of tightness or hea.iness in the head% slee#iness% ear-noises% toothaches% sinusitis% ner.ousness% anger and irritability% all of which are due to ha.ing too uch #ower accu ulated in the head( The #recaution% again as a re inder% is to be sure to bring the #ower back down along the route it tra.elled on its way to the head and;or being sure to end each #ractice #eriod by returning it back to the na.el in the #rescribed anner( At the na.el circulate the chi clockwise <if you are ale> 3= ti es and then counterclockwise "7 ti es% ending by #ushing in at the na.el <re.ersing the direction of circling if you are fe ale>( If you concentrate solely on the forehead or if you do so for long #eriods of ti e without ha.ing #ro#erly o#ened the routes% you will ha.e ost of these ill effects( Df the hundreds of students I ha.e taught% ost of the ha.e reached higher le.els of #ractice without uch% if any% such trouble( Dur ai here is to acAuaint you with the side effects that can occur and how to #re.ent the so that you can be alerted to what can ha##en as you #ractice and thereby be ore successful in your endea.ors( )ounger #eo#le% who ha.e stronger #ower% ust be ore careful and should be sure to bring the #ower down to the na.el at the end of each session(

- 61

Co #lete the Microcos ic Drbit Cha#ter FI Co #lete the Microcos ic Drbit $hen the energy reaches the area of the eyebrows it either #ushes u# out of the to# of the head% leaks out the ears or eyes% or co es down the front of the body towards the na.el( +ushing u# through the to# of the head reAuires that the bones be cracked a#art% which takes tre endous #ower( It is uch easier to #ush down through the #alate and co #lete the route( 4eginners: &e.erse the Chi -low Easiest of all% howe.er% and ost reco ended for beginners who are often unable to send the energy through the #alate% is to return the energy to the na.el along the sa e route it ca e fro ( Si #ly re.erse the flow of the chi and take it back down the s#ine and continue all the way to the feet( Then bring it u# your front to the na.el% throat% and #alate( +ractice the following seAuence to drain e?cess energy collected in the head and circulate it to the 'oor of !ife and the soles of the feet( 1( -ro the area between the eyebrows direct the war current down to the nose for about 19 inutes and then bring the energy down e.en lower( $ith #ractice% you will de.elo# the ability to direct this force so that it will flow as you will it to( "( 4ring the #ower back u# to the +ai-Hui <crown of head>( Sto# for a while% allowing the #ower to flow backward fro the ideye region to the )u-Chen <back of neck>( 3( +ause there for a while and then #roceed down to the /a-/ie% which is at id-shoulder le.el and fro there down to the ChiChung <Tl1> and then the Ming- en <!" and !3> in the back and o##osite to the na.el( Sto# and concentrate here longer until you feel tense in your forehead( 7( Then shift your attention down to the coccy? and then to the Hui-)in in the #erineu < id-#oint between the anus and the #enis>( - 6"

Cha#ter FI -ig( =(1 S all Hea.enly Cycle <Microcos ic Drbit> 8( This route then di.ides into two% one through each leg% descending down% along the inside of the thighs down to the inside of the ankle <the inside regarded as the )in +ower> and ending in the soles of the feet at the )ung Chuan <,1>( )ou should then concentrate here <at the )ung Chuan> until you feel it beco e war ( $hen you first begin this #ractice you ight try ta#ing a #rickly nut to the botto s of your feet% so that when you ste# on it as you walk the energy center there will be acti.ated( In ti e% energy will e anate as a war % tingly feeling and s#read out through your feet and legs( =( &aise the energy u# the front u# to the big toes% sto# for a while% then go to the knee and then u# the leg to the #erineu ( - 63

Co #lete the Microcos ic Drbit 6( +roceed to the na.el #oint( +ause and gather additional chi( 2( &aise the chi u# to the heart% the throat and into the tongue that is #ressed against the #alate( E.entually the chi will connect with the #oint abo.e% )in-Tang% the brow% thereby co #leting the Microcos ic Drbit( -ig( =(" :se the tongue to link the flow of energy between the front and back channels% through the #alate( Tenth Energy Center: Tongue to the +alate Students who initially ha.e great success in circulating chi #ower with no ill side effects ay choose to #roceed directly in Goining the front and back channels( This in.ol.es lowering the energy fro the )in-Tang% or brow #oint% to the ne?t energy #oint% the #alate( Dther beginning #ractitioners should wait until they can easily return the energy by the re.erse route down the s#ine;leg and u# to the na.el;#alate before trying to connect the brow #oint and #alate directly fro abo.e( E.en though the #alate is constructed of soft bone it takes is considerable #eriod of sustained effort for ost #ractitioners to #enetrate it and co #lete the route( The force which is generated in this #ractice often causes side effects such as headaches% illusions% erratic ood swings% inso nia% irritability and .ague aches and #ains( If such effects #ersist% i ediately re.erse your chi flow back down the s#ine to the feet( Also% read the cha#ter on BHow to +re.ent Side Effects(C - 67

Cha#ter FI In the beginning% #lace the ti# of your tongue Gust behind your front teeth <later you will trans it ore energy if you #lace it in the iddle of the soft #alate or e.en further back along the roof of the outh>( The #alate links the front and back channels% and the tongue on the #alate links the switch that enables the energy to flow in a co #lete circuit( If you watch slee#ing babies you will see that often they kee# their tongue on the roof of their ouths( They know instincti.ely how to circulate the icrocos ic orbit as their yin and yang energy is still naturally balanced( E.en thu b sucking ay be an atte #t to connect the channelsP -ig( =(3 Energy flows through the +alate during the Microcos ic Drbit( $hen you #ut your tongue to your #alate you ay feel sensations% or you ay feel nothing( If you feel a s all .ibration% or your tongue o.es back and forth in.oluntarily% chances are you ha.e co #leted the orbit( So e #eo#le% howe.er% do not feel sensations( If you do not feel sensation% but your health has i #ro.ed% and you feel lighter% less worried% and ore energetic% you #robably co #leted the orbit( - 68

Co #lete the Microcos ic Drbit Ele.enth Energy Center: Hsuan-Chi <Throat> The Hsuan-Chi is the energy center of the thyroid and #arathyroid glands( Concentrating here will often cause coughing or difficulty in breathing( $hen the energy #ushes u# through the throat and enters the outh so e #eo#le ha.e been known to cough u# dark% sticky ucous( This is considered to be characteristic of the clearing of this energy center and this leads to a free flow of energy fro the throat to the tongue( Most #eo#le feel ore cal and less worried when this energy flows fro the na.el u# to the throat and to the tongue and with no congestion in the chest( They are si #ly freed of stress in o#ening the route( It does not ean that they will ne.er ha.e any worries or an?iety but that they will feel ore cal and will be able to sit and concentrate ore easily( -ig( =(7 Throat% heart and solar #le?us co #rise the 11th% 1"th and 13th energy centers( Adrenals +ancreas Solar +le?us <S#leen> Heart <Thy us> Throat <Thyroid> In this le.el we are linking all the energy centers togetherO not o#ening or culti.ating the center <chakra> of the Microcos ic Drbit( - 6=

Cha#ter FI Twelfth Energy Center: Shun-Chung <Heart> The heart center% the center for reGu.enation% for lo.e and Goy% is located id-way between the ni##les at the thy us gland% is an e?tre ely .ital #oint that is easy for ost #eo#le to focus on( This will be dealt with e?tensi.ely on the fifth le.el of the Tao Esoteric Meditation( Concentrating here .ery Auickly leads to great stores of energy% and so any #eo#le tend to concentrate longer on this #oint( )ou ust e?ercise caution here% when you collect heat and concentrate too long% the energy is reabsorbed in the #ericardiu <a fibro-serous sac which surrounds the heart> and cause the heart to beat faster( As a result there will be difficulty in breathing and #ain in the chest on the u##er left side and in the sternu ( 'o not concentrate here too long when you feel war th or feel your chest e?tended( Thirteenth Energy Center: Chun-,ung <Solar +le?us> Half-way between your sternu and your na.el you will find your solar #le?us( This area is the frontal site of any #ower centers <s#leen% adrenal% #ancreas% and sto ach>( +eo#le who ha.e sto ach or digesti.e #roble s will find the sel.es belching freAuently and #assing wind( This is not cause for alar % but a healthy cleaning out #rocess( 4elching% o.ing gas% and yawning will often increase the flow of sali.a% and as the digesti.e syste i #ro.es the sali.a ay beco e sweet and fragrant( Collect the Energy when finished 5o atter where you end your #ractice% if you only concentrate on the na.el% if you get as far as the Ming Men% or if you co #lete the route% at the conclusion of your #ractice you ust always bring the energy back to your na.el and collect it( Collecting the energy gathers u# the e?cess chi in the body and stores it in the na.el( It #rotects your body organs fro accu ulating too uch energy( To do this% concentrate on your na.el as you #lace your right fist

- 66

Co #lete the Microcos ic Drbit there( Then rotate your fist thirty-si? ti es clockwise% allowing the circle to grow larger until it is no ore than si? inches in dia eter <not higher than the heart nor lower than the #el.is>( Then re.erse the direction of rotation and rotate twenty-four ti es in a counterclockwise direction% gradually shrinking the circle until it returns to the na.el( A wo an re.erses the order of rotation% first rotating counterclockwise thirty-si? ti es and re.ersing the direction and shrinking the circle while rotating clockwise twenty-four ti es back to the na.el( To deter ine direction i agine a clock at your na.el( A( Men finish by collecting the energy in the na.el and circling it 3= ti es clockwise and "7 ti es counterclockwise( 4( $o en finish by collecting the energy in the na.el and circling it 3= ti es counterclockwise and "7 ti es clockwise( -ig( =(8 Collecting the Energy E.entually you will learn to direct the chi with your not need your fist to hel# you guide it( ind and will

Also% if you are short on ti e you can collect the energy three or nine ti es% re.ersing it the sa e nu ber of ti es( &ubbing the -ace 'uring editation% the hands will beco e .ery war because of the $ar Current #assing through the ( I ediately after #ractice% rub your hands together briefly and then rub the briskly o.er your face for one or two inutes( This will ser.e% literally as a reGu.enating cos etic substance( &ub your eyes gently and rotate the ( Then rub your ears( 4eat your teeth together lightly thirty-si? - 62

Cha#ter FI ti es and finally rub your waist% legs% hands and soles of the feet( $e will deal with this e?tensi.ely in the book % Chi Self Massage( -ig( =(= &eGu.enate the skin by rubbing your face after editation with Chi flowing through the hands( - 61

D#en the Ar

and !eg &outes

Cha#ter FII D#en the Ar and !eg &outes: the !arge Hea.enly Cycle Dnce you ha.e co #leted the icrocos ic orbit% and feel co #etent circulating the energy% you are ready to direct the #ower to the ar s and legs in addition to the ain body trunk( 1( 4egin with the basic orbit% concentrating on the na.el until you feel war th or energy% directing the chi down to the Hui-yin <#erineu >% u# the s#ine to the +ai-hui <crown of head>% and through the tongue and #alate back to the na.el( Sto# at the na.el to collect ore energy% then direct the #ower once ore to the Hui-yin <#erineu >( "( -ro the Hui-yin di.ide the energy into two routes% directing the chi down the outer back #ortion of the left and right thigh to the l7th energy center% the back of the knee <$ei-Chung>( 3( 5e?t% o.e the energy down the outer calf to the l8th energy center% the )in-chuan at the soles of the feet( This is the first #oint of the kidney channel% and concentrating at this center will strengthen the kidney% lower blood #ressure% and hel# relie.e fatigue as ore energy is brought to the feet( )ung-chaun is often referred to as the B4ubbling S#ringC% or the #oint where the yin energy bubbles u# fro the earth and enters the soles of the feet( Many #eo#le who concentrate on the na.el feel war th in the feet instead% because the )ung-chuan is the origin of the energy that collects in the na.el( Concentrate at the soles until you feel energy there% then direct the chi to the 1=th energy center which is located in the big toes( 4oth the li.er and s#leen <Ta-Tun and )in +ai> eridians flow through the big toes and concentrating here will strengthen those organs( If you feel nu bness or a #ain like an ant bite% o.e the energy to the l6th energy center% the front of the knees <Heding>( 7( To reach the 16th energy center% the chi tra.els u# along the shin bone to the front of the knees( The sto ach and s#leen chan29

Cha#ter FII nels #ass through this region% and o#ening this center will strengthen these organs as well as the knee% and #re#are the #assage for energy to go through at a later ti e( 4e sure to draw the energy u# fro the earth through the soles of the feet to the knees( 8( $hen you sense war th or tingling% shift your attention back to the Hui-yin <#erineu >% by directing the energy along the insides of the thighs( =( 5ow send the energy to the Chang-chiang <coccy?>% the Mingen <o##osite the na.el>% the Chi-chung <o##osite the solar #le?us>% u# to the id-#oint of the sca#ulae( 6( Here the energy di.ides into the left and right ar s and descends to the inside of the u##er ar s% down to the forear s% and #asses along the iddle of the #al % the !ao-kun( Concentrate here for a while and then feel the energy run along to the iddle finger( Then go u# the outside of the forear along the outside of the iddle of the u##er ar s% reaching the shoulder region( Here the energy reGoins on the s#ine between the shoulder blades( 2( Continuing on to the neck and u# into the crown% allow the chi to descend to the tongue% where its way back to the% na.el again% thereby co #leting the Microcos ic Drbit( The !arge Hea.enly Drbit is #art of the -usion of the -i.e Ele ents( The second le.el of the Taoist Esoteric )oga% -usion of the -i.e ele ents% o#ens the other = #sychic channels #lus the Microcos ic <" channels> which eAuals 2 channels( - 21

D#en the Ar

and !eg &outes

-ig( 6(1 $hen the !eg &oute is co #leted% Chi descends down to the soles of the feet and u# to the Hui-)in( - 2"

Cha#ter FII Chi tra.els u# to the id-#oint 'own to the of sca#ulae and di.ides into #al ( the ar s( -ig( 6(" !arge Hea.enly Cycle - the Ar - 23 iddle of the

&outes

D#en the Ar

and !eg &outes

:# outside of the forear s% 'esends to the tongue and reaching the shoulder( to the na.el( -ig( 6(3 !arge Hea.enly Cycle- the Ar - 27 &outes

Cha#ter FIII +art III: +ractical +ointers - 28

Set a Training Schedule Cha#ter FIII Set a Training Schedule A nor al% healthy student should #ractice a half hour in the orning and a half hour in the e.ening( So eone who is sickly or weak should #ractice an hour in the orning% in the afternoon% and in the e.ening( Those who do not ha.e back trouble% high blood #ressure or gastric ulcers should do the Bstretching the tendonsC e?ercise( This is done in nine sets of nine re#etititions or three sets in the orning% afternoon and e.ening% aking a total count of 21 for the day( 'o not worry if you iss a session( /ust stay rela?ed and if you can find a few odd inutes at ho e or in the office% try to editate in those s#are o ents( $hen first beginning it takes a little bit of ti e and disci#line to achie.e ra#id #rogress( &e e ber that later on it will occur with no effort( The e?act a ount of training and #ractice reAuired to de.elo# the Microcos ic Circulation .aries fro indi.idual to indi.idual( -or best results one should #ractice at least twice a day at ho e% for ten to thirty inutes at a ti e% e.en if one has attained a higher le.el of acco #lish ent( Students with #re.ious disci#line in yoga or other editation techniAues are freAuently able to o#en the icrocos ic orbit i ediately by redirecting their #ower of concentration away fro the Bthird eyeC <brow #oint> and into the war current flow( It is #ossible that so e indi.iduals ight not succeed at all and ne.er be able to gras# the essentials( Many re#ort co #letion of the circulation within the first one hundred days of diligent #ractice( Most students re#ort success within three onths to a year( I #ro.e ent of illness ay occur Auite early in the #ractice( Many who worked hard on it% were re#orted to ha.e achie.ed relief of their edical #roble s des#ite the see ing absence of dra atic feeling of the Bwar currentC flow( The Esoteric Taoist syste of editation ulti ately leads to astery of the BThird EyeC center% the crown of the head and those centers beyond( 4ut it stresses the necessity of astering all the

- 2=

Cha#ter FIII lower energy centers first to insure a solid foundation for s#iritual growth and self-healing( There are s#iritual BgeniusesC on earth who can Auickly transcend and stabiliLe the sel.es in higher energy centers( 4ut ost #eo#le cannot safely absorb this higher energy without first #urifying the body and its lower energy centers( This ay be a long and arduous #rocess for so e( The icrocos ic orbit circulation is a safe and syste atic a##roach to Auickly achie.e this transfor ation within the body( 4ut only #ractice akes #erfect% the greater your self-disci#line the faster you will be rewarded with a arked increase in energy a.ailable to you( &e.iew: MaGor +oints of Microcos ic Drbit 1( Sit easily and erectly on a chair with your right hand clas#ed o.er your left( )our chest should not be held u# but be allowed to colla#se slightly% while the head is tilted a bit forward( Count your breath% now% either fro 1 to 19 or 19 to 1% doing this 19 ti es( This is done for its cal ing effect( $hen you ha.e #racticed in this way for so e ti e you can dis#ense with counting( More ad.anced #ractitioners are i ediately cal ed u#on assu ing their seats( "( 5e?t on the agenda is abdo inal breathing( This is done to sti ulate the internal organs( In this ethod% e?hale your breath by contracting the abdo en% co #ressing and assaging the organs therein and acting as an adGunct to the function of the dia#hrag as it rises to co #ress the chest ca.ity( $hen you inhale% the dia#hrag descends and again there is a co #ression and assage of the abdo inal organs( This hel#s bring the Chi <or life force energy> into the abdo en where it can be collected and utiliLed ore effecti.ely( 3( 4reathe in this way for 3= cycles( After you feel cal ed and concentrated and the energy is e?#erienced in the abdo en you can #ractice #rogressi.e rela?ation( This is acco #lished by the ethod of Bs ilingC in the eyes and e?tending the feeling to the rest of the body% as has already been described( $hen you ha.e co #leted this% down to Bs ilingC in your toes and fingers% use the inde? finger of your right hand to #oint at your na.el( This is to be your #oint of concentration% unless you ha.e high blood #ressure( - 26

Set a Training Schedule In the latter case you are ad.ised to concentrate% instead% on the soles of your feet( If you ha.e heart burn or an e?tended chest% you should concentrate on the Ming- en% the #oint in back% o##osite your na.el( If you ha.e low blood #ressure% bring your inde? finger to the area between your eyebrows and bear down on it% aintaining the #ressure for a few o ents% so that when youJ.e taken your finger away% the residual sensation hel#s in kee#ing your ind on the selected #oint( 7( If you #ractice using the na.el area in the #rescribed anner to de.elo# Chi% it usually takes two weeks to a onth before you feel anything( Dnce you do feel the energy there% you should shift your attention down to the s#er #alace% which is near the #ubic bone and re#resents the #rostate gland( )oung #eo#le who do this ay be too se?ually aroused% in which case they should instead focus on the coccy? or Ming- en( $o en are to concentrate 3 inches down fro the na.el% which is where the o.aries are to be found( Howe.er% those who ha.e enstrual #roble s are referred to the Ming- en or coccy?% instead of the na.el( After that you can switch to concentrating on the Hui-yin <or #erineu >( 8( So e #eo#le ay feel #ower .ery ra#idly rise u# the back when they #lace attention on the #erineu and so they ought to concentrate% instead% on the coccy?( 4efore actually concentrating on either of these #laces% howe.er% it hel#s to sit and rock back and forth on the ( The coccy? has an o#ening called the hiatus( &ocking on that and focusing your attention on it can so eti es lead a .ery ra#id channeling of chi or your back( $hen it does ha##en concentrate on the na.el( =( After you ha.e #racticed for two onths or so you can concentrate directly on the na.el( That is% you donJt ha.e to count your breath or do the dee# abdo inal breathing K though you can do it% if you like( -ro the na.el% the Chi should go to the o.ary or s#er #alace% the Hui-)in% coccy? and u# to the Ming: en on the back( &e ain here until the #ower #ushes u# to the adrenal gland( Always re e ber to follow the energy flow and not force It( 6( The #ower ascends% thereafter% to the le.el of the shoulder blades and then the neck( 'o not concentrate on the adrenals too long as this can cause inso nia( If you find this ha##ening% concentrate on the coccy?( This will again send #ower u# the back and into the s all brain( $hen this is concentrated on you ay - 22

Cha#ter FIII feel your back get war and you doing yoga-style breathing( ay find yourself unintentionally

2( In ti e you ay feel so ething in the to# of your head in the #ineal gland area( The energy% when encountered here% feels war or nu b and as though so ething were #ressing fro inside( -ro there% the Chi flows down to the ideyebrow region% aking it feel .ery tight( Dnce youJ.e reached this #oint% the Chi has co #leted the B*o.ernor &outeC( Thereafter% the #ower ust be directed downward% no atter what your le.el of de.elo# ent( 1( $hen youJ.e reached the head% re.erse it and direct it to the Ming- en% directing it fro there to the inner sides of the thighs and ending in the soles( Concentrate there for a while and then bring your attention to your toes% knees% Hui-yin and then na.el again( Stay there for a while and then go u# one center to the solar #le?us and concentrate there( Since youJ.e o#ened the functional route% as soon as you concentrate on the solar #le?us% you should feel energy there and in the area between the eyebrows as: well( The energy that is de.elo#ed at this ti e flows in both the *o.ernor and -unctional routes( 'oing it this way is uch safer and s#ares you side effects( 19( $hen youJ.e de.elo#ed ore #ower% it will #ush u# fro the solar #le?us into the heart chakra( This should be your ne?t #oint of concentration% then% but if you s#end too uch ti e here you will de.elo# heart burn and find difficulty in breathing( 11( If youJ.e concentrated for one or two weeks and the #ower has not yet risen to the throat energy center% you can either direct your attention to that center during your #ractice sessions or concentrate on your solar #le?us and allow the energy to #ush its own way u# to the throat center( $hen the #ower does get to the ti# of your nose( This is a crucial #oint( Think the energy u# to the tongue fro the throat area and bring the energy in the brow area or nose down to the #alate( $hen the energy descends along the nose% this causes so e #ractitioners to sniffle <so that you can ha.e so e guide as to what ight be ha##ening>( )our tongue ay see to grow war ( $hen the #ro#er #lace on the #alate has been touched% you will feel as though you had a s all electric shock in your tongue( $hen this ha##ens% it arks the co #letion of the Microcos ic Drbit by the fusion of the -unctional and *o.ernor routes% known as the S all Hea.enly Cycle( - 21

Set a Training Schedule This can later include your ar s and legs% at which ti e you are said to ha.e co #leted the full Microcos ic Drbit within the !arge Hea.enly Cycle( 1"( E.eryone% regardless of age% ust conclude their #ractice by directing the energy downward( Collect it in the na.el and circulate it fro 3 to 3= ti es in either direction( This is absolutely essential as a #recaution against energy getting BstuckC in so e other #arts of the body( Circulate Chi +ower Continuously in the Drbit $hen you ha.e co #leted the route #oint by #oint you are ready to continuously circulate the BchiC #ower in the Microcos ic Drbit( It is the steady flow of this war energy current that offers the ost #owerful results in the self-healing #rocess( 1(To do this% when you concentrate% begin at the na.el( $hen you feel the #ower% bring it down to the Hui-yin% the coccy?( Then u# into the s#inal cord% sto##ing at the Ming- en and then going on to the #ineal gland% on to# of the head% where you concentrate for about ten inutes( "( After you feel the #ower flowing into the forehead% at the idbrow region concentrate on the #ituitary gland% <)in-Tang> for another ten inutes( After that% bring the #ower down to the na.el( Concentrate here for a short while until you sense so e energy and then bring it down to the Hui-)in again( 3( Then start the Microcos ic Drbit S all Hea.enly Cycle around the trunk of your body% circulating it thirty si? rounds% bringing the #ower to the coccy? and letting it flow u# the s#inal cord% to the Chi Chung or the id-#oint of the adrenal glands( 7( Count fro one to ten re#eatedly for one half hour for its cal ing% #urifying and cleansing effect( $hen you are ore ad.anced all you need do is concentrate on the #oint( )ou no long need to count( Then bring your attention u# to your head and sto# at the 5iwan-,ung% the #ineal gland where you can again count fro 1-19 for resting% #urifying and cleansing( 8( Thereafter% bring it down to the Hui-)in again( This is one round of the Microcos ic Drbit and it is to be done thirty-si? ti es( - 19

Cha#ter FIII If you can do this e.ery day% it will greatly i #ro.e your health( $hen youJre through% you ust re e ber to collect the #ower entally and circle the na.el 3 to 3= ti es clockwise% and then 3 to"7 ti es in a counter clock-wise direction( -inal *oal is: Auto atic Circulation of Chi Many ha.e found that when they ha.e co #leted the orbit and #racticed for a while that concentration on the na.el causes the energy to flow through the Microcos ic Drbit instantly( They feel the #ower in the head <the crown>% and the ideyebrow area% instantly u#on feeling the na.el get war ( This is because the energy flows as a co #lete strea ( The tongue ight feel war or nu b% as though fro an electrical shock( The flow can actually be felt to descend down to the na.el and go into the legs( A feeling of nu bness ay be e?#erienced in the ar s and legs% when the big circuit of the Microcos ic Drbit of the !arge Hea.enly Cycle has been co #leted( E.entually the war current will flow through your body auto atically if youJre creating a #ositi.e% #er anent habit of circulating chi around the icrocos ic orbit( Dnce your body; ind has internally absorbed the new #attern of chi flow% it will seek to aintain the dyna ic eAuilibriu and circulate the chi auto atically( )our weeks or onths of self-disci#line will begin bearing the fruit of a lifeti e of delightful good health( - 11

Set a Training Schedule -ig( 2(1 Microcos ic Drbit - 1"

Cha#ter IH Cha#ter IH Safety Fal.es: How to #re.ent Side Effects )ou ay find circulating chi to the na.el #oint is Auite co fortable% but when the #ower o.es u# to the head you ay disco.er that you are easily irritated and so eti es ha.e headaches( Concentrating on the heart chakra% you ay de.elo# congestion and #ain in the chest and heart area( 4e assured% howe.er% that though you ay initially suffer so e untoward effects% your continued #ractice will set you free of all such sy #to s( Howe.er% it ust be stressed that you kee# your instructor alerted to whate.er you ight e?#erience so that he will be able to hel# you( Make sure to finish each session by returning the energy to the na.el and circling it 3 to 3= ti es clockwise and 3 to "7 ti es counter clockwise for a an% and the re.erse for a wo an( The following centers can act as safety .al.es% thus hel#ing to a.oid side effects: 1 > the na.el can store energy% "> the Ming- en on the back of the s#ine hel#s guide the energy downward% 3> the $ei-Chung <the back of the knee> can store u# energy% 7> the )ungChuan in the feet acts as a grounding wire( The Hung Chaun energy center can also be used as a safety .al.e to draw off energy that builds in the head( $hen too uch energy surges u# to the heart and see s to ha.e no #lace to go% you can redirect it downward to the feet and then u# to the na.el( Cleansing +rocess: 4elching and 'iarrhea +eo#le who% de.elo# belching and diarrhea during #ractice ight think that it is due to so ething that they ha.e eaten( This is not the case% howe.er( $hen the #ower starts to flow% it acts as a cleansing and filtering agent for the body and the organs( The diarrhea that ensues is not the usual kind( After it is o.er you will feel .ery energetic and internally light and clean( )ou ay feel a little weaker but you will feel uch better than you can recall( )our stool ay be .ery dark and sticky( This is classically e?#lained as being due to - 13

Safety Fal.es the #oisons that had accu ulated in your eso#hagus% sto ach% intestines and other organs o.er the years that are being cleaned out( $hen this cleansing is co #leted% the diarrhea ceases and you reach another stage where you feel uch cal er and cleaner( After this cleansing% you are ad.ised to watch what you eat% curbing your intake of oily and s#icy foods% fer ented foods and eat( Essentially% you should eat less at a ti e and eat food that is fresh and of good Auality( As you #rogress in your #ractice you will de.elo# an intuiti.e awareness os what food is best for you at the ti e( An organ awareness will ha.e been awakened% which will enable the needs of the body to be satisfied( Se?ual !ife during +ractice $hen one has Gust begun to train% se?ual intercourse should be curbed considerably% if not altogether( Abstention will enable you to ha.e the necessary energy to co #lete the routes( D#ening the icrocos ic orbit will e.entually i #ro.e your se?ual relations as you gain astery o.er your bodyJs energy syste ( Se? is a natural hu an act and if you can #ro#erly control and use it% you will enGoy it all the ore( )ou will find ore details on this in the book% Healing !o.e on Se inal ,ung -u% which de onstrates clearly how to ha.e a ore nourishing se? life( Those who are weak and sick should abstain fro se? for two to si? onths or until so e degree of .itality has been regained( A##etite and Sto ach Ail ents The ost i #ortant thing to us is the sto ach <the ele ent of earth>( Concentrating on the na.el you ay feel the area e?#and% as though with air( This sensation often e?tends u# to the sto ach% at which ti e you ay be assailed by fits of belching and yawning ( ( ( es#ecially if you ha.e so e sto ach disorder( &aisng your tongue to your #alate will increase the flow of sali.a( $hen you ha.e totally cleansed your sto ach and intestines% the sali.a will beco e uch ore sweet and fragrant( - 17

Cha#ter IH Throat Center: Coughing $hen you concentrate on the id-#oint between your ni##les% the #ower #ushes u# to the throat chakra( Many #ractitioners de.elo# a cough when the #ower gets stuck% as it were% in #ushing u# fro the chest and into the throat chakra( So e ay e.en cough u# dark sticky ucous at this ti e( Cleansing this #oint can hel# the #ower flow considerably( 4y the ti e it #ushes u# fro the throat to the tongue you will feel cal and less worried( This does not ean that you will ne.er ha.e any worries or an?iety but it does indicate that you will feel ore cal and will be able to sit and editate ore easily( So e Taoist books ay see to e?aggerate the i #ortance of the chakras as #ower centers but what we are talking about here is based on the actual e?#eriences of any hundreds of students( Cleansing of the Eso#hagus% Sto ach and Intestines The cleansing of the eso#hagus% the sto ach and the intestines is .ery i #ortant% because food #asses down this way and there are any #laces where it can lodge% causing so e blockage( The Si? Healing Sounds describes how during that #hase of training% there is belching as well as the #assing of gas and yawning% arking another .ery i #ortant as#ect of the cleansing #rocess( It is ad.ised that you drink one or two glasses of clear settled water in the orning one hour before breakfast to clean out your digesti.e syste ( After drinking the water it will also hel# to rub your sto ach with both #al s 1 ti es in both a clockwise and counter clockwise direction( Illusions and Mental Illness Those who tend to ha.e illusions or ental illness ust ake sure that they direct the #ower back to the na.el at the end of each #ractice session( This will hel# to #re.ent such afflictions and any other side effects( In fact% e.eryone should end his #ractice in this way on the off chance that so e stress or weakness has been - 18

Safety Fal.es incurred so ewhere that he ay not know about( $hen #ractitioners who are in a weakened condition ha.e ore #ower ade a.ailable to the % they ay e?#erience such effects as ringing of the ears% uffled hearing% or s arting eyes( Dnce the #ower is acti.ated% you will find that if you ha.e e.er had a toothache you ay again e?#erience it and if you ha.e a latent .irus or cold in your syste it ay be acti.ated( Farious other #ains out of the #ast ay suddenly assail you( It ay see as though the B#owerC is the cause of your trouble and it is% in a way% and you would be correct in thinking so( )our #roble s and illnesses ha.e re ained hidden in your body% unknown to you( There are .arious ways to understand this( +erha#s it ight ake ore sense to say that ost of our ills ste fro the ind( The ind is a storehouse of e.erything we ha.e been e?#osed to and when we use it% o#ened and cleaned% the sickness will be o.erco e( Initially% as you are suddenly confronted anew with #ainful e ories reli.ed as though they were real% you feel that your #ractice has caused this and it has( As you continue to #ractice% howe.er% and as these ind contents are e #tied and re#laced by a har oniously functioning syste % you co e to realiLe the wisdo of Gust how you #ersonally ha.e harbored and been affected by these B e ory-illnessesC( That is not to say that the illness you e?#erience was Gust in your i agination( The ind is co #le? and% in fact% are inse#arable fro the body( +erha#s% BbodyC is Gust another way to describe a co #le? set of #rocesses that ight% with another .iew% be called B indC co es closer to it( Again% as the .arious energy routes are cleared of obstructions% it is concei.able that so e of those obstructions ight ha.e been due to #ast illnesses or inGuries( Then% as resistance to the flow of energy is et along a route% the e ory that is associated with it is e.oked( $hen to see a 'octor If you ha.e definite #hysical #roble s you should follow your doctorJs ad.ice as well( )ou are not to think of this ethod as so e sort of agical cure-all% and should seek to obtain whate.er you

- 1=

Cha#ter IH need to i #ro.e your health% with whate.er resources ay be a.ailable( +roble s ost often arise in #ractice with those who are ill or in a weakened #hysical condition( If they want to #rogress ra#idly% they would be well-ad.ised to use a #hysician( A nu ber of #ractitioners ha.e had isgi.ings for thinking that they could de#end solely u#on their esoteric #ractice and ne.er see a doctor again and ha.e ended u# with sad stories to tell( To hel# sol.e your health #roble s you should use what odern edicine offers and the Taoist #ractices you ha.e learned% as well as anything else that you ight ha.e found to be effecti.e% being careful to be o#en to the best choice for you( +ro#er +ractice will #re.ent Side Effects In awakening the life force energy of Taoist Esoteric #ractice each #erson is reAuired in the first stage to o#en the Microcos ic Drbit( The *o.ernor Channel corres#onds to the route that is followed by awakened s#er energy rising fro the coccy? to the crown of the head( The Tao Syste differs fro the Indian in that a return route is #ro.ided for: fro the #alate to the tongue to the throat% to the na.el and back to the coccy? to begin a new circuit( In this way% #ower is e.enly distributed throughout the se.en glands( There is far less #ain in the head than one would ha.e in ,undalini #ractice because a safety .al.e is afforded as a #ro.ision for distributing the #ressure( The se.en glands act like a series of containers% within each of which the sa e le.el of fluid ust be aintained( $hen this is done% all of the se.en will function #ro#erly with none of the being sti ulated ore than it should be( This is e?Auisitely acco #lished in the co #letion of the Microcos ic Drbit( $ith only one direction of flow through the containers% the lower or the u##er one can be o.er e?#anded% which can result in alfunction and da age( $ith a return set of connections running to each container% howe.er% the o.erflow can be taken u# by the circuit and the other glands that it is connected to% resulting in reduced stress and a return to balance( At higher le.els of Taoist Chi circulation ore routes are o#ened allowing ore energy to flow but also creeating additional Bsafety .al.esC( After the Microcos ic Drbit is co #leted an additional 39 - 16

Safety Fal.es routes in the whole body ust be o#ened( $hen they ha.e all been o#ened% the life force energy chi can freely flow through the organis % eli inating the side effects which ight otherwise be caused by the o.er-sti ulation of one gland or another( -or e?a #le% if the adrenals are o.ersti ulated you cannot slee#% because your #ulse rate is alar ingly increased and you feel an?ious and alert( If the #ower flows into the heart energy center and there is no eans for it to flow out% the heart rate goes u# drastically( The #ericardiu is su##osed to function as a cooling syste but is unable to do so under such circu stances( So ething akin to this can also occur if the energy is not #ro#erly guided down along the front #ortion of the Microcos ic Drbit( -inally% #re.ention is the safest a##roach to a.oid ill side effects( As entioned elsewhere% the single ost i #ortant safeguard is to end your chi circulation #ractice at the na.el #oint where it is circled in both directions fro 3 to 3= ti es( In the beginning you should try to circle it the full 3= ti esO e.entually you will disco.er the energy s#ins ore Auickly and this Bclosing offC will take only seconds( - 12

Cha#ter H Cha#ter H Co only Asked Iuestions and Answers on Microcos ic $hat is Chi or Electro-Magnetic !ife -orceE Chi% otherwise called the $ar Current% ,undalini +ower or electro agnetic life force% is .ery difficult to describe because this energy% or life force% cannot be seen( Howe.er% we can feel the life force in the body( In the early days of Tao% chi was e?#ressed as nothing in the to# #ortion of the Chinese #ictogra and as fire in the lower #art% so that no fire ight be concei.ed of as defining Chi( More conte #orary Taoist sources classify any kinds of Chi( There is #re-nature Chi% the kind you breathe% as well as the Chi that is trans uted in our bodies and the kind that has been awakened fro s#er or o.ary called Ching-chi( Ching-Chi% the ain energy source of our #ractice% is ulti ately transfor ed into s#iritual energy( $e all ha.e Chi fro the ti e we are concei.ed( The Taoist teaches us that life force or Chi begins as the energy you deri.e fro the food you eat and the air you breathe( In Taoist #ractice% you draw on any different sources of energy% which reside in different energy centers in the body% such as the heart% adrenals% #rostate% #ineal and the #ituitary( There is yet another kind of energy that we absorb fro the solar syste % i? and transfor in our body% which #roduces still another kind of Chi in a #rocess called Alche y( Taois stresses #ractice and theoryO #hiloso#hy and discussion are discouraged as futile( 4y a si #le ethod of rela?ation and concentratiing on your na.el% you can e?#erience for yourself what the flow of Chi is( Se.eral of y students had s#ent as any as fi.e to twenty years trying to de.elo# Chi and co #lete the Microcos ic Drbit% but to no a.ail( After a short ti e with e they co #leted their obGecti.es in one to four onths( They all found this ethod easy and natural( S#ending Gust thirty to si?ty inutes a day% any who - 11

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de.elo#ed #ower Auickly thought that they were drea ing or that it was an act of i agination( )et% when they #racticed they felt war and soon re#orted how uch healthier they see ed to be getting( 'o you ha.e to Sit in a ChairE $e reco end sitting in a chair( This is the ost co fortable #osition for ost and is es#ecially good for those #eo#le who ha.e back and leg #roble s( It also allows chi to flow freely through the legs( Many #eo#le belie.e that if you assu e the lotus #osition you will feel ore rooted and will gradually li ber% or already ha.e .ery o#en energy routes in your legs% sitting in the lotus or Auarter lotus can only interfere with energy flow and ha #er your #rogress( If we co #are the head to root of a tree% through which we can absorb #ower fro the hea.ens then we can co #are the legs to the branches and lea.es and so they are also .ery i #ortant in #ractice( $hen you attain a higher le.el of #ractice% you will find that the soles of your feet absorb )in #ower fro the Earth( Sitting in a chair facilitates directing the #ower down to the feet( $hen Chi is circulated in Gust the u##er #art of the body and not directed down to the feet% it is like ha.ing the lea.es whither and fall off the tree( 5o atter how well you #ractice in the u##er body% if the #ower has not flowed down to the legs% there is a .ery significant lack of energy and you si #ly cannot function #ro#erly( $hen Chi circulates in your legs you will feel lighter% will walk ore erectly and will be able to walk longer distances without fatigue( :sing a chair is i #ortant for another reason% too( A an ust let his testes hang freely so as to be able to #ro#erly absorb energy( As your #ractice #rogresses% you ha.e to o#en si? s#ecial routes and the flow has to run down to your feet( Sitting crosslegged akes it .ery difficult to direct the #ower% although so e #eo#le clai that when you ha.e been successful in collecting energy you can direct the #ower in any #osition( I ha.e known any onks who had leg #roble s% which ight or ight not ha.e been caused by sitting cross-legged for too long( If you can direct #ower to your legs% there will be fewer #roble s% but since cross-legged sitting calls for ore effort% it is not a wise #ractice nor an efficient one( Since at one stage of your de.elo# ent% you absorb energy fro the earth through the soles of your

- 199

Cha#ter H feet% which necessitates ha.ing your feet flat on the ground% the #osition of choice% then% is sitting in a chair( 'uring +ractice% $hat should Men do when they get an Erection and $hat should $o en do when the Fagina swellsE $hen this ha##ens in en% the testes ay feel as though they were .ibrating% there ight be a slight discharge of se en along with a sensation of #ressure in the #rostate gland% and the Hui-)in ay also see to .ibrate% whereas wo en ay feel their .agina and ni##les distending( $hen you are able to #ractice and collect #ower% it will naturally flow down to your re#roducti.e organs and sti ulate se?ual an?iety( To o.erco e this% shift your concentration back to the Mingen and then bring it u# to your head to the id-#oint between your eyebrows( In the book% Healing !o.e on Se inal ,ung -u% we de onstrated .ery clearly <in the large drawing of the se?ual force rising u# to the crown> how one can ake an erection subside( I ha.e any ale students who% after #racticing% e?#erience erection and ha.e to find relief in se?ual intercourse( So e of those students sto##ed #racticing because their se?ual urge was too o.er#owering( Howe.er% if you can control or sto# your se?ual acti.ity for a while% or get your s#ouse to understand or #ractice together with you% you will achie.e success in this #ractice uch ore Auickly( $ill circulating the Microcos ic hel# y Se?ual +roble sE -or those who are i #otent% eGaculate too Auickly or who ha.e e issionsO when they concentrate a while% they ay feel #ain or e?#ansion in the back( This ay cause an erection and ay result in night e issions or a loss of s#er while urinating( $hen you concentrate you are in fact #reser.ing and storing life force% which is then first drawn to the re#roducti.e organs and it is this which increases your se? urge( If you can retain these life - 191

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forces% howe.er% your o.erall health will be greatly benefitted( It is safe to say that those who are weaker ha.e been dri.en by lust( Those who are i #otent should sto# all se?ual acti.ity for fro 3 to = onths% consult a doctor and #ractice until they find the sel.es getting stronger( To #ractice and acAuire so e energy and then ha.e an erection and go right back to se?ual acti.ity is si #ly to ha.e lost what you ha.e worked so hard to gain in your #ractice( $hen you ha.e collected energy and fully co #leted the route% your body will beco e stronger and only then will you be able to enGoy your se?ual life( Is Taoist +ractice suitable for E.eryoneE *enerally s#eaking% it should be good for e.eryone( 4ut those who ha.e #hysical #roble s or who suffer fro ental or e otional #roble s% should be careful in their #ractice( In the Taoist syste % we start by training the body and then the soul and finally .enture into s#iritual de.elo# ent( Taois describes the body as a boat or shi#( A #erfect shi# is a #erfect body and a good engine is a good soul( The s#irit is described as a dia ond which we want to send to its destination( 4ut if you do not ha.e a good shi# and a good engine you cannot deli.er the dia ond to its goal( So e #eo#le do not #ay attention to the body and seek Gust to #rotect the dia ond and the dia ond sinks into the sea before they can reach their goal( In the Taoist Syste and in others as well% one begins by strengthening the body( Thus% it is .ery unlikely that you will allow a young% childish s#irit to wander in dangerous and unknown lands( $hen you o#en the thirty-two routes% the soul and s#irit ha.e roo to tra.el within the body( As you #rogress you ha.e to learn how to train the soul% how to ingle the body with the soul( /oin and train this co bination with the s#irit% so that it% too% is included in a new i? and gradually the dangers of the #ractice are reduced( - 19"

Cha#ter H Can $o en +ractice durng MenstruationE $o en who ha.e trouble with enstruation should discontinue #ractice for the duration( Those who ha.e irregular bleeding should not concentrate on the ,uan-yuan% which is three inches down fro the na.el% as this is the energy center of the o.ary( They should concentrate% instead% on the #oint between the eyebrows and on the 'oor of !ife <Ming- en>( Should I concentrate on the BThird EyeC between the EyebrowsE Dne ust be careful when concentrating on this #oint( The #ower tends to flow u#ward and if it is obstructed% #ossibly because the #alate is too thick% and it is harder for the Chi to #enetrate it then to rise u# and #ush o#en the +ai-hui in the crown of the head( This forces it to flow out of the body for so e ti e% and ay cause #ressure to build in the head( Therefore% young #eo#le% strong .irile ty#es% those with high blood #ressure and those with ental #roble s should not concentrate on this #oint( $hy do so e +ractitioners de.elo# #ains in the 4ack or Shoulders during +racticeE I ha.e any students who e?#erience #ain or tightness and #ressure in the back after concentrating for so e ti e( This de#ends u#on oneJs body condition( Most young #eo#le and healthy adults who e?ercise regularly will often find that when they sit and the #ower goes into the back% #ushing u# through the s#inal colu n% needle-like sensations de.elo# because that route had been obstructed for so long( If you si #ly rela? and concentrate% let us say% on the Ming- en and do not #ay attention to how it is going% the #ower will #ush u# by itself( If you try to assist in this #rocess by #ushing or in any way forcing% you will begin to feel ner.ous and unco fortable and the #ower will get stuck in the back% #roducing #ain( $hen the #ower reaches the /a-chi% Gust concentrate there( Thereafter% allow the #ower to continue ascending fro the u##er back to the neck and then to - 193

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the )u-chen% 5o( 6% or the s all brain% which includes the cerebru and the cerebellu ( Try to concentrate on this energy center and when the #ower finally #ushes u# to the 4ei-huei% you will feel free and .ery co fortable and the #ain% tightness and disco fort in your back will disa##ear( So eti es% the #ower ay see to #ush outward fro the s#inal colu n% not into it% at which ti e there will be no such tightness and disco fort( 4ack +ain for Dlder and $eaker +eo#le $hen sick or elderly #eo#le who are burdened by weak lungs% sto ach% li.er% heart or other internal ail ents% concentrate for so e ti e% they ay ha.e uch #ain in the back and shoulders( There ight e.en be sensations of heat and cold in the affected areas( Dne ust kee# in ind that concentration acti.ates a natural #rocess of healing( Those who ha.e illneses that are hidden ail ents will co e out of hiding% so that they are once again afflicted as they had been in the #ast( Can +eo#le that ha.e had Surgery +racticeE Taoist training will hel# those who ha.e had aGor or inor surgery to reco.er faster( After they #ractice for a while they ay% howe.er% feel #ain at the site of the incision( This effect is actually a good sign% which indicates that the #ower is healing the cut fro the inside( $hen the #ain disa##ears% it eans that the wound has been thoroughly healed( )ou ight e.en ha.e had an o#eration a long ti e ago and no longer ha.e any #ain% but once the #ower begins to flow% it will alert you e?actly to where the #ain was( $hy do so e +eo#le e?#erience &inging in the Ears during +racticeE This will ha##en when the #ower ascends into the brain and it is so eti es the result of energy .ibrating in the ear <the bony inner ear>( +ractitioners res#ond differently to it( So e like it and think that it eans that they are aking #rogress% while others are con - 197

Cha#ter H .inced that so ething has gone wrong and are frightened( If they can cal down and #ractice swallowing sali.a% it will hel# to kee# the eustachean tube o#en which eAualiLes #ressure on the ear dru s and can facilitate hearing( They should then try to rela? the head and back and bring their attention to the Ming- en% allowing the #ower to flow down to it fro the head( -urther ore% after they ha.e felt so e relief% they can finish by bringing their attention to the na.el for a while before rotating around it entally or by using one hand first clockwise 3= ti es and then counter-clockwise "7 ti es <the direction is o##osite for wo en>( It ight also hel# to feel all the #ower being gathered to this #oint as one is doing this( 4ear in ind that the energy goes where the ind directs it( $hat should Dne do when% after +racticing for so e Ti e% Dne loses DneJs A##etiteE After concentrating on the na.el and then the Ming- en in the back% so e #eo#le re#ort ha.ing their a##etite i #ro.e( They then eat well and find their bowel function i #ro.ed( After the #ower tra.els u# to the back of the head and then goes to the +ai-hui% they ight re#ort ha.ing difficulty in breathing% losing their a##etite and de.elo#ing trouble with their bowel o.e ent( This ha##ens when the #ower has been blocked and has not been #ro#erly or sufficiently directed back to the na.el( 4e #atient and circle it down% as has Gust been described abo.e% drink ore water and eat ore fruit and all of the sy #to s will fade away( &e e ber% then% that if you direct the #ower back down to the na.el at the end of each #ractice #eriod% this #roble will not occur( $hy is it that% After +racticing for a while% so e +eo#le /erk about S#as odically% assu e )oga +ositions or Elicit Farious SoundsE Shaking is not an unusual effect and is% in fact% beneficial% ser.ing as an internal e?ercise( Concentrating on Gust one thought has been known to sto# it and if it beco es really .iolent you can end it - 198

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si #ly by ordering it to sto#( Howe.er% I encourage e.eryone to shake for the benefits they can deri.e fro it( To do this% they can either #retend that they are shaking or concentrate on the na.el% e?haling as though into the sto ach and through the back( If they continue to e?hale until they no longer can% they will begin to shake( To sto# this shaking% Gust order it to sto# and breathe nor ally( Shaking and Gerking about during #ractice is caused by ner.ousness or #sychological #roble s hidden within the ind( So e #ractitioners who are .ery suggestable ay ha.e read about what ha##ens and it ha##ens to the ( Dthers see to shake in a logical way% which eans that if they o.e the left hand in a circle thirty si? ti es% then they will o.e the right hand thirty-si? ti es too( There are those who are .ery frightened when this ha##ens( As the Chi% or the energy of the heart% li.er% s#leen% lungs% kidneys% fills the organs% there are s#ecific reactions e?#ressed as .arious BshakingsC( 1( The heart controls the .eins and arteries( The Chi of the heart causes the body to Gu # u# and down like a onkey at #lay( <This shows that the Heart Meridian is full of Chi>( "( The li.er controls the tendons( $hen it fills with Chi% the big toes and legs ay cra # as the Chi swi s Goyfully in the ocean of di.ine ecstasy% like a fish( 3( The s#leen controls the uscles and when they fill with Chi% they Gu # like a bird ho##ing fro one branch to another( The #lace where it rests feels like fire( This is because the .ital Chi of the s#leen is o.ing around( 7( The lungs control the skin( $hen they fill with Chi you will feel #rickly itching and heat all o.er the body% as though ants were crawling o.er you% es#ecially on your face( This is because the .ital Chi of the lung is o.ing around( 8( The kidneys control the bones( $hen they fill with Chi you will hear the sound of the o.ing bone( Mo.ing u# the s#ine like a snake% it so eti es causes se?ual arousal( If you shake too uch% the #ower will scatter and not run in the Microcos ic Drbit( Shaking sends the #ower into the tendons% uscles% li bs and organs% and is good for those who want to strengthen those #arts( I reco end that students sit for half an hour% shake for fi.e or ten inutes and then sto# and concentrate - 19=

Cha#ter H on the #ower flow( The shaking can be both intentional and unintentional( 'oing this often li bers one u#% thereby aiding concentration and clearing Chi channels( $hen one begins #ractice and has not yet co #leted the Microcos ic Drbit% howe.er% I usually ad.ise that he not allow shaking to occur( $hen you let the #ower flow by itself% all sorts of see ingly auto atic things ha##en if you Gust go with whate.er see s to be ha##ening( This is a .ery good e?ercise for releasing tension and stress( How does Chi affect the Sick 4odyE $hen the energy reaches a diseased organ it circles the area( -or e?a #le% if you ha.e a kidney condition% you should be able to feel the energy o.ing for a set nu ber of ti es to the left and the right around the two kidneys( If you ha.e sto ach or intestinal #roble s% the energy will o.e in the direction of the sto ach and your body will shake( Those who ha.e a heart #roble will find that the energy lodges around the heart( $hen #eo#le who ha.e a heart or li.er #roble engage in this #ractice and suddenly ha.e difficulty in breathing and a feeling of distress and congestion in the chest% they ay think that the syste itself is not good and want to sto# #racticing( I ha.e had a few students who ha.e had Gust this #roble arise( They went to see doctors who were not fa iliar with Chikung or the Microcos ic Circulation and who assu ed the trouble ca e fro #racticing B editationC( In fact% the energy had been o#ening blockages% which had been there for so e ti e( !ong before they began #racticing% they had so eti es felt their heart beat .ery Auickly and had beco e short of breath but had ne.er attached any i #ortance to it( It was only because they had .entured into so ething new and different when they started to #ractice that they grew alar ed because the sy #to s re ained too long( It ay hel# to know that it is the nature of this #ractice to ha.e such things ha##en until health is restored( If they break off with their #ractice they si #ly continue to suffer% growing steadily worse( If the #ower is able to get through the blockage in the chest% there ay be .o iting or diarrhea but after that is done with% a le.el of wellbeing will be achie.ed ne.er #re.iously known(

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How do you &e edy 4lockage in the ChestE In order to a.oid the un#leasant side-effects that occur when the #ower is blocked in the chest% redirect it down to Ming- en and concentrate there% instead( If that doesnJt see to hel#% shift your attention to another #ower center% #erha#s the Hsuan-Chi% and concentrate there for a while until you feel the #ower o.e I ha.e had a nu ber of students who% for one reason or another% did not res#ond well in their #ractice and so I ad.ised that they concentrate on their na.el( After a #eriod of weeks or onths% IJd recei.ed .arious distress calls fro the as the #ower de.elo#ed sufficiently to ake itself known( Dne young lady ke#t saying that nothing was ha##ening% until% after about three onths% she called in great distress to re#ort that she was ha.ing #ain in her chest and difficulty in breathing( I knew i ediately what had ha##ened( She had continued to concentrate on her na.el% e.en though I had ad.ised her to switch to her Ming- en in her lower back( The #ain and sy #to s she now had were si #ly due to the energy ha.ing risen u# the front eridian into her chest( Had she been concentrating on her Ming- en% the channel that would ha.e been a.ailable there would ha.e been in her back and she wouldnJt ha.e had the trouble she described( $hat is the +ro#er Ti e to +ractice and ust you do it regularlyE The Taoists di.ide the ti e for #ractice into four #eriods( At si? oJclock in the orning% less )in% ore )angO at 1":99 noon% strong )ang% at si? oJclock in the e.ening% less )ang% ore )inO and at idnight% strong )in( The length of ti e should be fifteen to thirty inutes at the beginning( As you ake #rogress you can then e?tend it to one hour( Most i #ortantly% find your own ti e and #ractice regularly e.ery day( It is of no use% if you #ractice one day for three hours and then sto# for two or three onths( Ideally% begin your #ractice regularly% for fifteen to twenty inutes each day and e?#and as you ake #rogress( - 192

Cha#ter H 'o +eo#le who +ractice this Method ha.e to watch their 'ietE )ou should eat whate.er your body tells you to eat( It is not necessary to be strictly .egetarian( If you can beco e .egetarian% howe.er% and your body feels good with it% then that is the best thing for you( If you eat too uch eat% garlic or onions% it will arouse you se?ually% which will interfere with your #ractice( I would ad.ise you to abstain or at least to greatly curb your se?ual acti.ity until you ha.e gathered sufficient #ower and ha.e o#ened enough Chi routes( :ntil that ti e% re e ber that the ost i #ortant thing for you to do is to retain your s#er and o.ary energy because it is a great source of energy( If you lose uch s#er or se inal fluid% your energy reser.e will be .ery low and it is hard to #roduce Chi otherwise( As soon as you begin to conser.e energy through this #ractice% you will ha.e ore erections at night or during #ractice( It is .ery i #ortant to try to curb the ( To do this% try to breathe and draw in energy fro the Hui-)in and fro the ti# of the #enis% directing it u# through the back to your head( I ha.e so e -riends who% after learning these Methods% do not see interested in Social Acti.ity( $ill you co ent on thisE This is not the #oint of #ractice% although there are so e #eo#le who% after ha.ing begun training% would rather li.e away fro #eo#le( The ain #ur#ose is to ake yourself stronger and ha##ier and not to run away fro things( The Taoist a##roach is concerned with har ony and so we suggest that #eo#le arry and lead a ha##y fa ily life% so that they can #ractice ore effecti.ely and achie.e their goals ore Auickly( There is no need to run away fro the world or fro your fa ily( If you canJt control your heart in the city% you will ne.er control yourself in the Gungle either( &e e ber% if you can #ractice well at ho e% you can #ractice anywhere( - 191

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Can &ela?ation and Concentration cut down on the 5u ber of hours you Slee#E Slee# is ost i #ortant( Through slee# you are able to reco.er energy% allowing the body to refuel and re#air itself( So it would be wrong% es#ecially at the start% to substitute editation for slee#( In the beginning% #ractice is #ractice and slee# is slee#( So e #eo#le think that sitting in editation is Gust the sa e as slee#( It is true that editation will cal down your ner.ous syste and brain but your body still needs the rest and slee# is the best way of #ro.iding it( If you slee# less and then tend to fall aslee# during #ractice% that is not good at all( 5ot being able to concentrate during #ractice you will si #ly defeat your own #ur#ose( Try to ha.e regular hours of slee#( The a.erage adult needs about eight hours( It is said% traditionally% that when Chi fills all of your organs and you fulfill the rebirth #rocess% your body will need less slee#( )et% we ust recogniLe that li.ing in these ti es% subGected as we are to different kinds of stress% new rules ust a##ly( How does +racticing the Microcos ic Affect your E otionsEShould you +ractice when Angry% Sad or 'isa##ointedE All these feelings will affect your #ractice( 4ecause we li.e in a stressful world% no one is able to li.e a really ha##y or satisfactory life( Try to be content and satisfied with what you ha.e( $hen you beco e discouraged% do so e e?ercise% take a long walk% or find so e other way to cal down and then ha.e a good slee# and in ti e you will feel better( There are any ethods that are hel#ful( )ou can chant or count your breaths or re#eat antras( All of these di.ert your attention fro your trouble and set you at ease( 4ut re e ber always to s ile and rela?( There are added benefits to this #ractice( )ou will find that you will beco e cal er and ore stable and ay no longer lose your te #er as readily( So it is safe to say that as you beco e healthier you will be less angry( This has ha##ened to any of y students( 5o atter how uch #sychology you ha.e studied or theories you ha.e understood or lectures you ha.e attended about how to control your an - 119

Cha#ter H ger and your #rogress( ind% if you do not actually #ractice% you will ake no

Many of y students ha.e told e that they ha.e had #hiloso#hy u# to their necks but that it does not really hel# the ( $hat we are trying to tell you is that you will find out you ha.e co #leted the route and ha.e har oniLed the )in and )ang in your body% you will feel ha##ier% less angry and will be able to take ore stress( )ou will see the world as beautiful and see all #eo#le as saints( 4y contrast% if you are sick and frightened as a ouse% when you see #eo#le% e.en good% kind #eo#le who want to hel# you% you will belie.e that they want to har you( )our ain ai now should be to ake your body% your ner.ous syste % soul% s#irit% your whole being K healthy% by eans of this training( Try to re ind yourself to s ile and do one good thing each day( That is all you need( )ou do not ha.e to de#end on a higher aster to guide your s#iritO your s#irit is yours( 5o one else can guide your s#irit( If your s#irit has to de#end on others for guidance% then you are in trouble( 'oes &hyth ic 4reathing or Chanting hel# to circulate the Microcos ic DrbitE *enerally% it does not( I ay ad.ise so e students to do it in the .ery beginning to hel# the cal down% but urge the to get along without it as soon as #ossible( All that is called for is that you concentrate on the energy center or centers that you are working on( If you #ay attention to your breathing% the #ower or the war current will not concentrate itself at the center but will scatter( I ha.e any students who had been #racticing for any years <so e for as uch as twenty or thirty years> who told e that they had ne.er felt any unusual energy in all their years of #ractice( $hen they ca e to e I told the to Gust concentrate on the #oints and not to #ay attention to breathing( Many of the % in their first session% often after Gust a few inutes of concentration% e?#erienced bliss and #ower% and found the sel.es dee# in concentration( All of these students were well #re#ared and had a lot of energy in reser.e% but didnJt know how to turn it on and ha.e it flow in the #ro#er channels( - 111

Co

only Asked Iuestions

There are countless ethods of breathing and they all ake it .ery hard to feel the Bwar currentsC( If you can concentrate on the #oint assigned to you and do not #ay attention to the breath( If you can #ut e.erything out of your ind and Gust concentrate on that #oint% the #ower will flow freely( $hen you concentrate% you casually watch the #oint( There is no straining% no great act of will #ower% but Gust #assi.e watching( In this situation of Gust watching you will feel .ery cal ( So donJt #ay any attention to the breathing% Gust watch the energy center( 'oes Master Chia +ass Energy to his Students to hel# o#en the &outesE $hen so eone first co es to e% I ay gi.e the energy( :#on being touched so e #eo#le e?#erience the war current in a few inutes( The body ay feel as though affected by an electric shock and start to .ibrate and go into dee# concentration( 4y erely describing the route of the energy flow to the and without y touching the % they go into dee# concentration% feel energy running through their body and ha.e an irregular and so eti es ra#id and shallow breathing #attern( So eone ca e to e Gust one ti e and co #leted the route% e?#eriencing great inner beauty% #eace% and a dee# knowledge of his inner ost self( That ha##ens% too( Are there any Side Effects with your MethodE In China% Taoists ha.e been studying% e?#eriencing% #assing all of their lifeti e e?#eriences down to us for 2%999 years( $e know the route and so it is .ery easy to guide one along( The nature of the war current or Chi is that it tends to flow u# to the head% which is the ost i #ortant #art of the ner.ous syste ( If it gets stuck there% and you donJt know how to bring it down% it can da age the brain( 4y gradually e?#osing yourself to increasingly larger a ounts of energy% howe.er% it is #ossible to adGust to it( The #rice for not allowing enough ti e to adGust and of affording enough safeguards is an o.erload% which can result in #ain% fear% outright inGury and insanity( There are those who succeed Auickly by #ushing #ower into the head without side effects% but they are the e?ce#tions( - 11"

Cha#ter H The Microcos ic is a safe syste because once the two ain channels are o#en% the energy will circulate auto atically in a loo#( Energy flowing in a circle will ne.er build u# enough energy at any single #oint to cause serious disco fort or #ain( 4ut if you try to force the energy to flow in one direction only% such as to the higher centers in the head% it ay burst like a water hose with a kink in it( The water #ressure has no where to go but e?#lode( Additional safety routes are a.ailable in this Taoist #ractice( If too uch energy gets stuck in the head% Gust re.erse the flow and send the energy down the back to the feet and then u# the front to the tongue;#alate( +utting the tongue u# to the #alate co #letes the circuit% Goining the energy of the *o.ernor and -unctional channel( It is like building a tunnel through a ountainO it will shorten the ti e if you dig fro both ends and eet at the iddle( This is what we are doing when we Goin the two routes into a single loo#( - 113

Co

only Asked Iuestions

-ig( 19(1 Microcos ic Drbit 4ack Channel $hy do I feel tired after MeditatingE The war current concentration is an e?ercise of the ind% which directs the current and burns large Auantities of energy in the course of #urifying the ner.ous syste s of the organis ( 'uring the early stages of #ractice you will be doing a great deal of re#air work on your body( After concentrating you ay feel tired or e?#erience so e soreness in your back( The Taoist rebirth #rocess e?#lains itself( It is a eans whereby the sick and da aged body recreates the life #rocess to that of a baby( To acco #lish this% one needs a lot of aterial and energy( Those who are strong and healthy will find that after #ractice they feel refreshed( Those who are ill or unhealthy% or who think they are healthy but in fact are not% will feel slee#y or tired in the beginning when such energy is e?#ended in a .irtual re#air and rebuilding #rocess( Dne gradually changes into a stronger% ore .igorous and yet #eaceful #erson( &e e ber that this ethod calls for gradual change and a restructuring of the - 117

Cha#ter H entire indi.idual( As to?ins are flushed out and tissues are re#laced% you ay find that eating a handful of gra#es or other sweet% Guicy fruit will hel# dis#erse fatigue( The longer you #ractice the better you will feel( After the #eriod of tissue re#air is co #leted% you will feel strengthened by your #ractice sessions( $hat is the 4enefit of Co #leting the Microcos ic DrbitE The Microcos ic is the basic tool of the Taoist syste ( 4y circulating chi in this si #le orbit you are generating energy to be stored in the na.el( The body knows which organs are in need of e?tra energy( $hen circulating the war current the organs% glands% and blood auto atically recei.e this energy( - 118

Healing A##lications of Tao Energy +art IF: Healing A##lications of Tao Energy - 11=

+art IF The Microcos ic hel#s the body resist sickness by kee#ing the energy in har ony( The inner s ile is the odel of lo.ing yourself with #ure% unconditional lo.e( 4y #racticing the inner s ile and circulating chi in the Microcos ic Drbit we co e to understand our body on a dee#er le.el and learn to create lo.e% res#ect and selfestee within oursel.es( Dur body is #otentially a #erfect achine to ser.e our ind and s#irit( 4ut we can ha.e a #erfect achine only if each #art functions har oniously with the others( The Microcos ic enables you to #ut an 2%999 year old disco.ery by Chinese Masters into use in your daily life( Its a##lications are endless( Continued #ractice can bring greater cal ness% clarity% and energy to e.ery as#ect of your current life( 4y circulating chi in the orbit% you also o#en the door to disco.ering #riceless higher knowledge of the Tao% he har onious way of nature( - 116

Medical Science looks at the Microcos ic Cha#ter HI Medical Science looks at the Microcos ic A Medical D#inion on the 4enefit of Taoist Chi Circulation by C( )( Hsu% M('( -or o.er two thousand years the theory of Chi has been the basis of classical Chinese edical #ractice( Chi is said to flow through a syste of channels in the bodyO when the flow of Chi is disturbed for whate.er reason% illness results( Medical treat ent ai s to reestablish the nor al flow of Chi and thus restore oneJs health( :nlike the circulation of blood% the flow of Chi is difficult to docu ent obGecti.ely( -or se.eral decades any scientists throughout the world atte #ted to de onstrate the e?istence of such a syste of Chi-channels with no success( $hen I heard about Master ChiaJs ethod of Chi de.elo# ent I was fascinated and decided to try it( After four onths #ractice% I began to sense a consistent feeling of war th de.elo#ing inside y abdo en( Soon after% under Master ChiaJs guidance% I was able to direct the flow of this energy through the aGor channels of y body at will( 5ot only did this curious for of energy tra.el along #athways as described in classical Chinese edical literature but the energy would dwell at sites corres#onding #recisely to the aGor classical acu#uncture #oints( If there is a syste of energy flowing through the body% then it is logical to assu e that the aintenance of such a flow in a nor al and efficient state is i #ortant( In Master ChiaJs ethod of( de.elo#ing Chi-flow% there is a tre endous #ossibility for de.elo# ent of oneJs #hysical and ental well being( C()( Hsu% M('( %Clinical Assistant +rofessor of Anesthesiology +hysician-in-charge of Acu#uncture and 5er.e 4lock Clinic Albert Einstein College of Medicine 4ron?% 5ew )orkO attending - 112

Cha#ter HI Anethesiologist -lushing Hos#ital N Medical Center -lushing% 5ew )ork( A 4rief History of Taois 4y Ste#hen +an% +h('( and Healing Arts

-or any centuries% editation and s#ecial e?ercises for s ha.e been used by the Ancient Chinese% Hindus% Arabs% /ews and Christians as a eans of i #ro.ing the hu an ind and body( In China% the Taoists called it BChi ,ung%C or BCulti.ation of Energies(C According to Taoist classics% Tu Hse% who li.ed about 2%999 years ago% was the successor to any great #re-historical sages( He was the great Taoist sage who began the use of the eight kua of the I Ching such as the great #ower of obser.ation and the #ower of si #lifying obscure asses of aterial( This resulted in a ost #erfect yogic and editational for % which incor#orated the insights of Tao #hiloso#hy( +erha#s it is ore than a coincidence that the Indian #ractice today of ,undalini )oga is so ewhat si ilar to the Taoist BChi ,ung(C More than "%999 years ago% the Indian Master 4odhidhar a tra.eled to China( There he editated for nine years facing a wall at Shao !in Te #le( He established a school% which incor#orated the Indian #ractice in a new anner( -ro the ti e of the founding of this school% any Chinese en of great ability #racticed editation as taught by this Indian Master and gradually a##lied to it the #erticular Aualities of the Chinese culture( These esoteric #ractices were an integral #art of the de.elo# ent of Chinese edicine% where acu#uncture% herbology and other as#ects of what would now be called BholisticC edicine reached a state of high refine ent unsur#assed by any other early ci.iliLation( 4ut by the end of the fourteenth century in China% these arts were in decline for .arious #olitical reasons% causing any of the teachers to be scattered fro their schools and forced to go under ground( The .arious a##roaches ha.e been co #iled in a Chinese Taoist encyclo#edia that fills hundreds of .olu es( The Taoist a##roaches ha.e been di.ided into ore than ten branches of study% so e of which ha.e .ery different ethods of #ractice ranging fro breathing techniAues to alche ical secrets(

- 111

Medical Science looks at the Microcos ic $estern edical researchers are Gust beginning to realiLe the ancient asters understood #rofound as#ects of the hu an ind and body without the aid of so#histicated diagnostic achines( The difficulty is in #enetrating the .eil of secrecy drawn across these Chinese #ractices which #re.ents their o#en e?a ination by the odern edical co unity( Mantak Chia is one of the first Chinese asters to arri.e in the west with a co #rehensi.e astery of both the traditional chinese healing arts% diet% -i.e Ele ents nutrition% herbs% Tai Chi Chuan% assage% o?ibustion - as well as the esoteric arts of Chi ,ung% Healing #al % -i.e -inger ,ung -u% Se inal and D.arian ,ung-u% and the editati.e as#ects of Taoist yoga( Chia is heir to a secret ethod which has been #assed down by word of outh only( :nlike his forebears% he feels that it is ti e that what he has learned should be ade #ublic( In the book he has atte #ted to si #lify what he has learned by way of his own e?#erience and those of his students into a syste in which traditional and odern edicine are fully integrated( The edical a##lications of the chinese esoteric syste are traditionally said to be e?tensi.e% and include re edies for a side range of illnesses: 1( Asth a and Chronic 4ronchitis "( &heu atis and Arthritis 3( Hy#ertension 7( Inso nia 8( Cirrhosis of the !i.er =( +ul onary Tuberculosis 6( &ecurrent Headaches 2( -reAuency of the co on cold and other E#isodic diseases 1(Tu ors !ong-ter diligent #ractice beyond two years and% ost effecti.ely% if #racticed life-long% re#ortedly could retard the .arious degenerati.e changes associated with old age e(g( skin changes% senility% slowed reaction ti e% i #aired e ory% a bulatory i #air ent and the freAuency of .arious diseases co on at old age(

- 1"9

Cha#ter HI A diligent #ractioner often li.es to ninety years of age and re ains healthy and alert% is able to Gog% run and cli b ountains with ease% and continues to enGoy life ore fully than ost #eo#le( Many re#ortedly could forecast their own ti e of death and #ass on #eacefully and gracefully in the #osture of editation( Howe.er% it should be noted that in old China your doctor was considered a failure if you beca e sick( The best doctors trained their B#atientsC to #re.ent illness by aintaining a high le.el of health( The #ro ise of Esoteric Taoist )oga is to re.eal the ethods bringing your .arious bodily energy syste s into har ony( Ste#hen +an% +h('( 'ir( East Asian &esearch Institute 5ew )ork% 5()( A 'octorJs Search for the Taoist Healing Energy by !awrence )oung% M('( $hen I was twel.e and had Gust begun y gra ar school education in Hong ,ong under the 4ritish syste % I was at an age of fantasies and hero worshi#( I was craLy about #hysics% athe atics% ato ic bo bs% hydrogen bo bs and nuclear reactors( Albert Einstein was y hero and I wanted to be a #hysicist% disco.ering the s allest #articles of energy and atter% while e?#loring the gala?ies and the e.er e?#anding uni.erse( Dddly enough% it was during the sa e ti e #eriod that I read about the esoteric e?#erience of Master )un( It was written in Chinese% and I had the good fortune of ha.ing been taught how to read classical% odern and si #lified .ersions of the chinese language( I did a lot of reading% staying in school and #ublic libraries in Hong ,ong se.eral hours a day after school was o.er( There I read about Master )unJs strange e?#erience( Master )un was "2 in the year 1199( +ul onary tuberculosis was ra #ant in his .illage( Many .illagers had died% including his cousin( Then he ca e down with a cough which lingered for se.eral onths( Dne day he coughed u# a large a ount of red blood

and went into a #anic( He checked with his .illage elders% as well as the traditional herbal doctors( They all confir ed that there was - 1"1

Medical Science looks at the Microcos ic no treat ent for #ul onary tuberculosis in 1199( Sunlight% fresh air and adeAuate rest were the only ho#e( Howe.er% they did co e u# with an idea K the last cha#ter of the book: Annotated Chinese Medicinal -or ulae reco ended Taoist Meditation as the best for of adeAuate rest( It suggested that co #leting the S all Hea.enly Cycle through the #ractice of Taoist Meditation ight acti.ate the bodily defenses #owerful enough to o.erco e disease( Master )un had #racticed Taoist Meditation since his teens but without any significent effect% e?ce#t that he always felt stronger when he #racticed it regularly( Threatened by death% he read the ethodology in the Annotated Chinese Medicinal -or ulae carefully and consulted the .illage elders for clarification of certain details( Then he co enced #racticing four ti es a day for two hours at a ti e% isolating hi self in a s all cottage( Dn the eighty-fifth day% a sudden .ibrating in his na.el area caused heat to rush u# his s#ine to the back of his skull( The sa e sort of .ibration occurred on si? consecuti.e nights with heat tra.eling u# through his s#ine to the to# of his head each ti e that he #racticed( $hen it was all o.er% he see ed to ha.e a new body( All sy #to s of his illness were gone and he felt light and bright like ne.er before( Dne night% two years later% the .ibration started u# again in his na.el( This ha##ened on three consecuti.e nights( The .ibration and heat rushed u# his s#ine on its own% hitting the back of his head <at the occi#ut> and causing considerable #ain( Dne night his Qskull suddenly felt as though it had cracked o#en and a sensation of heat swirled round and round in the to# of his head( This began Qto ha##en e.ery ti e he sat down to #ractice( After another si? onths% a .ibration again started suddenly in his na.el and the heat again rushed u# to the to# of his head% swirled around in the .erte?% ca e down his face% continued down to his chest and went on to again reach his na.el( Thereafter% during e.ery #ractice #eriod% the heat went u# his s#ine to the to# of his head% then ca e down his face and chest and returned to his na.el% after which% the heat circulated round and round without sto##ing( Master )un re ained healthy until his #assing in his nineties% li.ing a nor al secular life( - 1""

Cha#ter HI I recount Master )unJs #ersonal e?#erience because his autobiogra#hy% first #ublished in 1117% is an i #ortant land ark in Taoist Meditation( 4efore hi % no one had written about the actual ethodology% #ersonal e?#erience% benefits or side effects in si #le% e?#licit language( There are .olu es and .olu es of Taoist Esoteric writing in Classical Chinese but the ethodologies and accounts of e?#eriences are hidden in a cry#tic language( The benefits are written ore e?#licitly% but the side effects are freAuently clouded( At age twel.e% fascinated by the #ersonal e?#erience of Master )un% I started to go through all the a.ailable Taoist classics that I could lay y hands on( 4ut I was disa##ointed because I si #ly could not break what see ed to be a code% although I could understand e.ery single Chinese word literally( It was then that I started an unending #ilgra age to Taoist and 4uddhist te #les( I went to te #le after te #le but found that there was a lot of ritual% #hiloso#hy and religious data built into the editation #rogra s( 4ecause I refused to do the rituals( I could not be initiated into Taoist #ractice( I was concerned by the fact that Master )un had no teacher% he learned fro a Chinese edicine book and was ne.er initiated into Taoist #ractice .ia rituals( 5e.er the less% I anaged to talk to se.eral Taoist teachers and any of their students% who are now scholars and successful business en in Hong ,ong% and was able to learn of their #ersonal e?#eriences in ter s of energy flow and i #ro.e ents in health si ilar to Master )unJs( Initiated Taoists s#oke of ste# by ste# guidance into the e?#eriences that Master )un had described and then higher le.els beyond that( Master )un had no such ste# by ste# ethodology( He had only one ste# and one ethod that carried hi through the e?#erience described abo.e( :nfortunately% uni.ersity life was de anding% and there were so any new attractions and distractions% that I sto##ed researching Taoist and 4uddhist editations after I entered edical school( The busy internshi# and residency years carried e e.en farther away fro y in.estigations( My resurgence of interest began se.eral years after y residency when I was in #ri.ate #ractice( Although I was using e.ery eans a.ailable to odern edical science% any of y #atients were still suffering and so e of the continued to die% #erha#s needlessly(

- 1"3

Medical Science looks at the Microcos ic The e ory of Master )unJs e?#erience ca e u# one day% along with the ad.ice the any Taoist and 4uddhist initiates and teachers I had seen( I had the thought% BIf a #atient has e?hausted all for s of a.ailable edical care% he should at least ha.e the right to try so e safe ental techniAues like editation(C I set out on a new #ilgri age to )oga% Taoist and 4uddhist editation teachers% biofeedback and stress reduction #rogra s( Mantak Chia is one of the teachers I ha.e et in y new Auest( He is able to re#roduce what Master )un was able to do and goes beyond that% doing what the Taoist initiates can do as well( He is a Taoist initiate hi self% but he does not include any of the Taoist rituals% religion% or #hiloso#hies in his #rogra ( A Christian by con.ersion% he is a doer% not a talker( He teaches his students solid ste#s without any high-sounding #hiloso#hy( I ha.e inter.iewed any of his students and I esti ate that o.er 89R of his students who #ut a reasonable effort into their #ractice% o#en u# the energy channels with .i.id sensations and with noticeable i #ro.e ents in health( The rest of the o#en the channels% without the .i.id sensations% but with i #ro.e ents in health( A .ery s all nu ber dro# out( I ha.e obser.ed no side effects in his students% although all of the were #re#ared to eet all sorts of unusual bodily sensations( His students co e fro #ractically all walks of life% and any different races( All in all% Mantak Chia is one of the few li.ing heirs to the great Taoist tradition( He has access to the codes in the Taoist Classics( He is writing the Taoist Esoteric Encyclo#edia in si #le English for e.eryone% dis#ensing what had been secrets for centuries in si #le% solid% easy-to-follow ste#s( Many other Taoist Masters and initiates ay not agree with hi for gi.ing this esoteric knowledge so freely( If used for the i #ro.e ent of health and the treat ent of illness% it is orally Gustified to disse inate this knowledge far and wide( -ortunately% Chia refuses to teach higher le.els of achie.e ent that ight lead to #aranor al abilities% unless the student can #ro.e hi self to be a law-abiding and trustworthy citiLen% willing to ser.e ankind and use his or her esoteric knowledge to hel# the needy in a selfless and generous anner( I wish Mantak Chia e.ery success in his a bitious endea.or(

!awrence )oung M('( is an internist in #ri.ate #ractice in 5ew - 1"7

Cha#ter HI )ork City( He is the 'irector of the 5ational Clearinghouse for Meditation &ela?ation and &elated Thera#ies and #ublisher of its 5ational &e#ort( - 1"8

+ersonal E?#eriences with the Microcos ic Cha#ter HII +ersonal E?#eriences with the Microcos ic Master Chia: $hen I first ca e to the :(S( I #racticed acu#uncture( In ti e I disco.ered that any of y #atients had been referred to e by a doctor who was interested in Chi ,ung( $hene.er he had #roble #atients who didnJt res#ond to con.entional western edicine% he sent the to e( Many of the res#onded Auite well to what I had to offer( 5ow IJ.e been in this country for about four years and it was at least two years before I et the good doctor( He was e?cited about the way any of his referrals had res#onded( He asked to inter.iew y students% half of which were his #atients( I agreed and in ti e he #ublished a book called B&e#orts of the 5ational Clearinghouse for Meditation% &ela?ation and &elated Thera#iesC% his ai being% to interest the A erican Medical Co unity in what he called% BIn.estigati.e &e#ortsC regarding editation in relation to #hysical and ental health( <This re#ort can be obtained by writing to: 5ational Clearinghouse for Meditation% &ela?ation and &elated Thera#ies% +(D( 4o? 3127 Church Street Station% 5ew )ork% 5()( 19992>( The case re#orts were of #eo#le who had headaches for any years% others who had asth a and .arious other ail ents such as allergies% inso nia% hy#ertension% sto ach ulcers% consti#ation% heart #roble s% he orrhoids% chronic fatigue% o.erweight and low back #ain( 'octor )oung feels Auite confident that these ethods will be taught here to doctors as #art of their training within ten to twel.e years( In fact% it has great #ro ise in the field of #re.enti.e edicine and as a eans of fulfilling oneJs #otentials( I offered a worksho# at the A erican Holistic Medical AssociationJs annual congress held at !a Crosse% $isconsin( Many #hysicians% nurses and holistic health #rofessionals attended( At this worksho# was a nurse who had #racticed the editaition of stilling the ind for four years( She re#orted that lately she had felt heat in her head% es#ecially in her #alate( So eti es during #ractice #eriods% her tongue see ed to auto atically reach u# - 1"=

Cha#ter HII and touch her #alate% at which ti e a shock would run through it( This greatly frightened her( 'uring the worksho# she learned that the tongue acts as a bridge that connects the two channels co #leting the Microcos ic Drbit( That night she #racticed again and felt so full of energy that she continued to #ractice without getting any slee# and yet felt .ery energetic throughout the ne?t day( 'uring three worksho#s% four #artici#ants successfully co #leted the Microcos ic Drbit and any others indicated the #otential to do so in the near future( Dne #hysician had #racticed T(M( for about ten years and had already begun to e?#erience heat and light in his head during his T(M( editations( 4y learning how the energy flows and #lacing his tongue to his #alate during this training #eriod in !a Crosse% he co #leted the orbit( 4y concentrating on his na.el he e?#erienced the light flowing in his Microcos ic Drbit( At the end of the se inar a nu ber of #hysicians were of the o#inion that the conce#t of the Microcos ic Drbit as being a continuous circuit of energy is ore reasonable than one in which the energy is allowed to flow only u# to the head or be gi.en no direction at all as in certain yoga #ractices% The following are ta#ed recorded e?cer#ts fro worksho#s on the Microcos ic Drbit held in 5ew )ork City% 4oston% 4oulder% San -rancisco% !os Angeles and Ta #a( +artici#ants <identified here as BstudentsC> were asked to describe their e?#erience with the Microcos ic Drbit( &es#onding are Mantak Chia and instructor *unther $eil( Student: I #ractice the Microcos ic Drbit e.ery orning( The total ti e that I s#end each day is one hour( I feel sensations of heat flowing through y body( So eti es there are sensations of a cool kind of energy( So eti es I feel as though y abdo en is filled with energy( I ha.e s#ontaneous o.e ents when I #ractice( $hen they first occurred I wasnJt sure as to Gust what was ha##ening and I found that I could sto# the ( $hen I rela?ed% howe.er% it started again% and I decided that it was generated fro y body rather than by any choice of ine( Master Chia: This sort of thing is not uniAue to this syste ( +ractitioners of yoga and Len and T(M( ha.e all had si ilar e?#eriences( The s#ecific gyrations are uniAue unto the indi.idual and to

a #articular ti e and #lace( Howe.er they are indentically #roduced - 1"6

+ersonal E?#eriences with the Microcos ic when areas that block flows of energy resist and then o#en u#( Student: lf I donJt ha.e a half hour to #ractice what can I doE Master Chia: The Microcos ic Drbit can be #racticed anywhere% anyti e% e.en Gust for one inute( )ou can do it for e.en Gust half a inute( /ust think a s ile and rela? down( I want to stress that at any ti e during the day that you find you ha.e Gust one inute you should s ile and rela? down to the na.el( 'oing this% you will find that the icrocos ic orbit is set into otion( If you collect those s#are inutes you ay be sur#rised at how uch ti e you ha.e #racticed during the day( Student: 'o you ha.e to go through all the organsE Master Chia: 5o( At this #oint you should si #ly s ile and rela? and fill your heart with lo.e% let the lo.ing energy s#read throughout the whole syste ( In the beginning you Gust ha.e to go through each organ as you ha.e learned( /ust like you learn the A%4%CJs in the beginning( $hen you #ractice ore it beco es a #art of you% and you can read Auickly( In the sa e way% once you #ractice% when you s ile it will Auickly fill all the organs and glands with s iles and lo.e( )ou should then feel as though so ething is going down into your abdo en( $hen you can sense so ething around your na.el concentrate there and in o ents you will feel the circulation begin( The icrocos ic orbit is i #ortant because it teaches you how to allow the ind to direct your blood circulation( The heart is the sole o.er of blood in ordinary #eo#le( Here% we do Taoist Chi ,ung( This is a eans of i?ing energy into the blood and is achie.ed by ind #ower( $hen this is done% the heart doesnJt ha.e to work as hard( If your hands are cold you should now be able to direct Chi there to war the % because your ind directs the flow of energy and the blood follows( The ore your ind is used to circulate Chi% the faster and easier your blood flows( If you Gog or e?ercise .iolently you can increase your rate of circulation but here you can sit down and rela? and though your heart doesnJt work as hard as it nor ally does% your circulation will be increased( Student: I was born in 5ew )ork( IJ an acu#uncturist and I also teach #eo#le s#ecial correcti.e e?ercises based on a syste by Master Dki fro /a#an( I do nutritional counseling% as well( IJ.e - 1"2

Cha#ter HII been studying artial arts for ten years( I did /a#anese style karate for three years and Shun &yo and now I do Tai Chi( I also do so e ,undalini )oga( The first thing I was really fascinated by was the diagnostic #ower of this during the rela?ation #art when we were going down .ertebra by .ertebra( I could actually detect what went on there% whether it was co #ressed or irritated or colla#sed or bent( I was really sur#rised( Then when Master Chia #ut his hand on e it was like so eone had lit a atch there( The whole thing was on fire e.en long after heJd touched e( The heat had gone into y lungs and I could feel it healing the ( IJd had so e trouble with y lungs #re.iously( This training has ade e ore rela?ed so that I can now deal with stress conditions uch ore successfully( I feel centered now and I ha.e de.elo#ed a considerable a ount of self-asserti.eness( Student: I ha.e a hard ti e aking the s#iral in collecting the energy( :sually I feel that it o.erla#s or is of a distorted sha#e( I canJt see to ake it s#iral out( Master Chia: ThatJs alright( ThatJs the way it is in the beginning( Actually% if I feel IJ.e done it incorrectly% I Gust do it again( Collecting the energy in the na.el is so i #ortant( $e ha.e two aGor di.isions in our bodies( Dne consists of the heart% lungs and the brain% and the other #art is the lower abdo en( The body can also be di.ided into hot and cold( Abo.e the na.el is heat and below is coolness or cold( ThatJs why the Si? Healing Sounds and The -usion of the -i.e Ele ents are so i #ortant( There are so e #laces where you can store energy without any har % like the na.el area% but when it accu ulates elsewhere%it can cause un#leasant effects( )ou can co #are concentration to bringing together into one #oint the sunJs rays with a agnifying glass( Here we are able to add to that the ability to circulate that heat throughout the body( This will hel# your blood get war and ake you stronger and healthier ( ( ( gradually feeding your body and then your soul and finally your s#irit( Each le.el that you ascend to is altogether different( )our #resent energy is deri.ed fro your organs ( ( ( but is still in a raw state( The second le.el har oniLes these energies in the -usion of the -i.e Ele ents ( ( ( in which the heart% kidney% li.er% lung and s#leen are in.ol.ed( Each of these organs #roduces its own #articular energy and it is at this le.el that these energies are blended%

- 1"1

+ersonal E?#eriences with the Microcos ic or% as the na e indicates% fused and then distributed throughout the body where.er they are needed( So when you donJt collect the energy at the end of your #ractice you ha.e no way of knowing where that energy ay be stuck( If Chi has collected in your head or chest you ay be in for a lot of trouble because your brain is .ery sensiti.e to heat and you ay ha.e terrible headaches and #ossibly delusions( $hen your heart o.erheats% you find that you canJt breathe well and that it beats too Auickly( In regard to this there is a rule in Tao which is to kee# your head cool and your feet war ( Student: $hy does the right hand ha.e to be o.er the leftE Master Chia: It has to do with )in and )ang( The right hand is )ang and the energy flows fro )ang% right hand% to the left hand which is )in( )ou get ore energy that way( Student: 'oes it left handed or a ake any difference if you are right handed or an or wo anE

Master Chia: 5o( The hand #osition is the sa e for e.eryone( Student: If en gather the energy together at the end of a #ractice session first clockwise and counter clockwise and wo en abide by the re.erse #rocedure% why arenJt their hands re.ersed as wellE Master Chia: The flowing of energy through the hands is the sa e( The circulation of energy through the cycle for the an starts at the head% and the energy circulation for wo an start fro the earth( $hen the energy is yang to yin itJs the sa e in both( Student: If a #erson is entally unstable% is he going to able to co #lete the Microcos ic DrbitE Master Chia: So e #eo#le co e to e and after we talk I tell the A to go see a #sychiatrist( They are Btoo hotC and ha.e to do thera#y first to slow down( I let the know right away that they are not ready now( Student: Can the Microcos ic Drbit be used to aid in the relief of aGor edical ail entsE

Master Chia: Many #eo#le in this #ractice fall in lo.e with their organs and Auickly gi.e u# bad habits as a natural course of e.ents( Thos habits Gust donJt a##eal to the any ore( I ha.e a student in 5ew )ork who co #leted the Microcos ic Drbit( Dne day he had #ain suddenly in the back caused by a kid - 139

Cha#ter HII ney stone and had to go to the hos#ital( At the hos#ital he was gi.en an inGection of or#hine% which he later said felt Gust like the e?#erience when the energy suddenly rose u# to the head( 5aturally he was e?cited and he called e and asked e if that was #ossible( I e?#lained to hi that this #heno enan lately see s to ha.e been backed by scientific in.estigations into the way the body akes endor#hins% which are or#hine-like co #ounds% and how acu#uncture works to sto# the #ain( Anyway% whene.er he gets #ain now he sto#s it by editating( )ou ha.e to ha.e so e idea of the agnitude of the #ain that kidney stones can #roduce to really a##reciate this account( That student ne.er fails to thank e now( *unther $eil: Dften when we ha.e worksho#s there are #eo#le who ha.e had inGuries in the back% knee% scrotu ( $hen they do the icrocos ic orbit they say they feel heat or #ain in those areas% because the chi is going to those areas first to heal the ( This is so eti es a little #ainful( ItJs like a resistance coil( The electricity flows and eets with an obstruction and takes a while to work through it( 4ut then it works Auickly( If you do it e.eryday youJll find a lot of healing in your body( Dld inGuries will heal the sel.es faster( Student: IJ.e benefited greatly fro the #ractice( I ca e here because I ha.e an inGured back% as of three years ago( IJd been treated by chiro#ractors% acu#uncturists and asseurs in Taiwan and in Tokyo% but nothing hel#ed( Then a friend reco ended that I co e here because she said that she had had good results doing your editation( After I had #racticed about si? weeks% I awoke one orning and felt a flowing sensation rise u# through y legs( *unther $eil: )ouJll ha.e different e?#eriences at different #oints( So e #oints wonJt ha.e any sensations at all( And other #oints will be .ery st( It changes all the ti e( It de#ends on your general state of health that day% the at os#here% how uch #rior e?#erience youJ.e had( Student: -ro doing the icrocos ic orbit and the Si? Healing Sounds I ha.e a distinct sense of .itality% both #hysically and entally( I find it an e?tre ely .aluable and .alid a##roach( My first e?#erience with editation was in yoga and then% about 2 years ago% I learned Tai Chi and different ty#es of editation( Many teachers talked about energy flow% es#ecially as regards to Tai Chi% but I ne.er e?#erienced it( IJd had y tongue to y #alate through all of

- 131

+ersonal E?#eriences with the Microcos ic the % too( 4ut this editation here has created a sense of rooting that goes way beyond anything IJ.e e.er had before( $hat IJd heard years ago about such things was #urely conce#tual but what I get out of this editation is an organic relationshi# between yself and the earth( I really feel as though I were like a tree rooted in the earth or a wa.e in the ocean( The Si? Healing Sounds ha.e been .ery in.igorating% too( $hether I do the orbit or the sounds I co e away feeling the sa e( )ou can feel the energy o.e through the .arious #athways( ItJs a .ery distinct% definite sensation( )ou donJt i agine these other #athways besides the Microcos ic Drbit( And those sensations are also clear cut and definite( Afterwards I feel .ery goodO I feel ore ali.e% I feel .ery #eaceful( Then% during the day% I find that I ha.e ore energy and I feel .ery s#ringy inside( IJd done Tai Chi Chuan for so e years and I was concerned about hurting y knees in certain #ostures( After IJd #racticed the Microcos ic Drbit for a few weeks I found that I was no longer troubled( $hat I assu ed were knee stressing #ostures no longer troubled e( Student: IJ.e had Auite a lot of e?#eriences doing the icrocos ic orbit( The first four or fi.e weeks I didnJt feel uch at all and I began to feel concerned( 4y about the si?th or se.enth week I had sensations that were al ost like an orgas and then I de.elo#ed a feeling of eu#horia( As I continued to #ractice I felt the energy rise( -or a while it re ained fi?ed at the idbrow area( In fact% IJd inhale when I #racticed that was the only s#ot IJd feel( The ost a aLing e?#erience I had was .ery recent when I was editating at work( My tongue began to .ibrate( My teeth then ra#idly beat together and y head shook and then y body shook and y hands see ed to le.itate u#ward( Then I realiLed that I could control the .ibrations% at which #oint y body shook .ery fast% and then I slowed it down( This ha##ens whene.er I #ractice% now( It starts in the s#ace of fi.e or si? breaths( At the end of such a session% I donJt feel tired at all and thatJs what is ost a aLing to e( After I finish I bring the energy to the Tan Tien and rotate there and I get .ery cal % rela?ed and ha##y% and strong% too( Along the way IJ.e had other sensations% too% such as a different taste in y outh( ItJs greatP Master Chia: That is .ery% .ery good( That taste you had% we call nectar% and that feeling of orgas we call self-intercourse( - 13"

Cha#ter HII Student: IJ.e #racticed acu#uncture for about three years and ha.e studied artial arts as well( $hen you #assed energy to e I felt a wonderful feeling in y chest and insides that was incredibly e?#ansi.e% and hot and cold at the sa e ti e( I had a feeling of well being% of being grounded( *unther $eil: Each of you has to find the balance between staying at one #oint long enough to e?#erience the energy gathering there and then wanting to go on by itself% .ersus going fro #oint to #oint with your own ind because youJre distracted( Dnly you can know which is best for you( The indJs always Gu #ing around and wanting to do things and so if itJs gi.en a task to go #oint to #oint% so eti es the ind Gust wants to do it( If you sit and decide that you did this #oint and now youJll do the ne?t% itJs artificial( ThereJs an internal balancing that has to ha##en( )ou ha.e to do it till youJre satisfied% dee#ly satisfied that youJ.e done it( So at the beginning of this #ractice when youJre alone at ho e or working% go slowly( Take 19 to 18 inutes on each #oint( &eally e?haust it% de#lete it( So eti es the energy will go ahead( So eti es it wonJt( So eti es I donJt notice anything( So eti es IJll sit and I wonJt e?#erience any energy at all but IJll feel the benefit of the #ractice( About "9R of #ractitioners of this donJt e?#erience the sensations but recei.e enor ous benefits fro it( Master Chia: So eti es your .itality or energy is too low and so your energy doesnJt see to do anything( :sually each onth you ha.e a week or two of lowered energy but the ore you #ractice these di#s in energy will be e.ened out( Student: How are Tai Chi and the Microcos ic Drbit &elatedE Master Chia: Tai Chi Chi ,ung takes the #rinci#le of the icrocos ic orbit and #uts the energy in otion( In other words it adds chi or internal energy to the Tai Chi o.e ents and works on the tendons% the chi #assing fro the internal organs out to the rest of the body including the fascia% tendons% uscles and bones( The icrocos ic orbit creates the energy that is then used in Tai Chi( )ou canJt i agine how ha##y it will ake you( *unther $eil: $hen you do the first le.el in this syste you begin to regulate your energy% o#ening the ain channels( In sa.ing and regulating the energy youJre beginning to balance it% but you still canJt do .ery uch with it( $hen youJre assailed fro the

- 133

+ersonal E?#eriences with the Microcos ic outside by factors that affect you e otionally youJll si #ly res#ond as youJ.e learned to( ThatJs why itJs necessary that you do the first #art of the -usion of the -i.e Ele ents% because you learn a eans of transfor ing the energy of your e otions% including anger( $hen you are in the #resence of so eone whoJs angry you can learn how to take that anger in and use it% or take your own anger and use it% by taking the energy out of the anger( Anger can be con.erted to a neutral energy either by returning it to its organ of origin <the li.er> or by i?ing it with the e otions of the other ele ents until no single e otion is any longer do inant( Student: IJ a chiro#ractor and I teach Touch -or Health( This e?ercise was .ery #owerful( The energy started going u# y s#ine% like a Gack ha er forcing its way u#( $hen it went to the base of y skull y whole body shook( Then it went to y head% then y hair line% then settled in the bridge of y nose where it was really #ainful( -inally it felt like the energy went through( It o.ed down to the na.el creating a huge a ount of white light energy( A .ery #owerful e?#erience( Master Chia: *ood( ,ee# your #ractice going e.ery day( If you donJt% all the energy will be reabsorbed( /ust rela? down to your na.el and when you feel the na.el is acti.ated% go down to the ne?t center% either the s#er #alace or o.ary center% and then to the #erineu % and then to the coccy?( That is all there is to it( &e ain there until the energy shoots u# the back( /ust kee# the #u # #u #ing u#( The coccy? is like a #u # that #ushes e.erything u#O and thereJs another #u # at the u##er end of the back% too% re e ber( &ela? and s ile down to your na.el and the whole thing is set into otion( Student: How co e you ne.er ga.e us any #reli inary e?ercises in breathing to do( Master Chia: 4ecause you ight ha.e co e to rely too uch on it( 4reathing is i #ortant% though% in establishing rela?ation through the #ro#er use of the dia#hrag ( +aying attention to breathing draws energy and attention fro the ind and that acts as a drain and a distraction( :lti ately% we seek to arri.e at 199R use of ind #ower and #aying attention to the breath does not allow for that( 4esides% on uch higher le.els breathing is no longer noticible( It is not without reason that we take as uch ti e in letting e.erything Bgo downC so that the ind can be free(

- 137

Cha#ter HII ThereJs so ething IJd like you all to understand( $hat you are #racticing now is inner alche y( The food you eat in.ol.es an outer alche y( Many #eo#le today belie.e that by si #ly eating correctly the body will be brought to har ony( This is not true( If your body is not #re#ared your organs will not work together #ro#erly and all that good food will be wasted because it will not be utiliLed #ro#erly( It is co on knowledge that under stress digestion and assi ilation are ha #ered and that under e?tre e stress . there can be an o.erall e #tying of food contents( Df greater i #ortance% then% is the culti.ation of the inner alche y( $ith no e?aggeration% if the inner alche y is balanced% the outer will take care of itself( In the higher le.el% when our bodies are in #erfect balance% we can get along with little food% or no food at all( Student: Is it i #ortant for a husband and wife to editate togetherE

Master Chia: $hen you #ractice as a fa ily you will all change% beco ing ore har onious( I ha.e a student who told e that whene.er she concentrated on her na.el in the orning and her husband o.ed his leg she could feel the energy in her own leg go into his( In a short ti e she obser.ed that his o.erall health had i #ro.ed and he was no longer burdened with freAuent headaches and colds( Another of y students% &ichard $u% rid hi self of his allergies through Taoist )oga( $hen his wife found herself si ilarly afflicted she asked to learn the ethod so that she too could find relief( It took her Gust one day to co #lete the icro orbit( Her husband ca e to e #leased by her acco #lish ent but #uLLled% too% because it had taken hi onths to do the sa e thing( I e?#lained that that was not unusual and that their energies flowed in sy #athy because they li.ed together and that being with a #erson who #ractices can lead to such results( - 138

An M('( Inter.iews Three +ractitioners Cha#ter HIII An M('( Inter.iews Three +racti tioners of Taoist )oga by !awrence )oung% M('( An Inter.iew with BSC 'r( )oung: I would like to do an e?tended study of #eo#le who editate( ItJs a .enture that would call for a lot of follow u#( $ere you to take a drug for a onth or so it would be fairly safe but were you to take it for 8 years it would not be( In the sa e way% the edical field is .ery eager to learn about #eo#le who editate for a lifeti e( That ight include #eo#le who ha.e #roble s% what the nature of those #roble s are% how they get #roble s and what they do to be rid of the ( IJd like to know how you ca e to #ractice with Master Chia% whether there was any health #roble that brought you into it or whether it was si #ly because you were interested in it( S: It was a co bination of all of the ( 'r( )oung: Tell e about your health interest( S: I hurt y back about = years ago and e.er since then ha.e a hard Gob sitting% let alone lying down( I couldnJt slee# through a whole night% y neck es#ecially would hurt e( E.er since I ca e to #ractice with Master Chia% in fact% i ediately u#on trying this% the #ain abated( As though to #ro.e the #oint% about " or 3 weeks ago I beca e a little sli#shod about y #ractice( There see ed to be too any different for ulae( There are for ulae you ha.e to do K e?ercises ight be a better ter K and I was #ressed for ti e and began to find e?cuses( I cut down the nu ber of re#etitions that were called for in each of the editations and sure enough% y neck began to hurt again and y back has begun to hurt gain% too( I donJt really know% it ay be a #urely circu stantial thing( There ay be other factors in.ol.ed in this case% but it would see o.er the years that I tried .arious things and had no hel#( It is ore than - 13=

Cha#ter HIII coincidence that when I tried Master ChiaJs #ractice it did see to hel#( I had the usual ortho#edic treat ents with hot soaks and analgesics and uscle rela?ants% which had e walking around in a stu#or( I went to a chiro#ractor with .ery transitory results% but with so e arrest of #ain( Then I went to an acu#uncturist% who didnJt hel# at all( I then went to an herbalist who hel#ed a little( This #ractice see s to ha.e done so ething% seriously( 'r( )oung: $hat was the diagnosisE S: They said that there was se.ere uscle s#as K es#ecially of the u##er back% in.ol.ing the neck and the area that was subsca#ular( They also found a #ortion of y lower back in which the distance between the .ertebrae was narrowed( It looked as though IJd ha.e a chronic condition ainly because of so e #ulled or torn uscle attach ents( -or al ost two weeks after I fell% I couldnJt lift y head( 5othing would ha##en( 5o inkling of a essage <that I wanted to lift y head> would co e through( In fact% when I tried to get u#% Gust after I fell% I couldnJt( $hen I #ushed yself o.er onto y side y head Gust flo##ed o.er( *radually% after two weeks strength ca e back into y neck uscles% but there was still an assort ent of clicking and crunching noises and #ains( My head was tilted to one side and one shoulder was contracted and higher than the other for onths( The insurance #eo#le% in fact% agreed that the whole area was in s#as ( 'r( )oung: $hat did Master Chia suggest you do to cure this conditionE S: He first asked e to rela? the area between and around y eyes( That alone hel#ed to heal e.erything( All kinds of heat and flowing sensations ca e on on their own( There were .arious #rescribed e?ercises designed to o#en u# .arious energy routes( -or e?a #le% the si? healing sounds I found ost rela?ing( Dne is ad.ised to do the before going to bed because they are conduci.e to good slee#( If I slowly stretch in the #rescribed anner% allow for the effects to beco e e.ident after each ti e I .ery y loosen u#( My #ulse beats differently I see to throb all o.er( It has a .ery Auieting effect( &eallyP Another fa.orite of ine is also soothing% though in another way( All that it consists of is gaLing at a s#iral-like diagra until y eyes begin to water and then closing the a rotating the a set nu ber of ti es% first in one direction and then the other( This #roduces a .ery good% soothing% soft% co fortable - 136

An M('( Inter.iews Three +ractitioners feeling( Again the area around the eyes see s to be .ery i #ortant( 'r( )oung: 4asically% Master Chia taught a lot of rela?ation e?ercises along with editationE S: I had de.elo#ed a lot of tension doing the Micro Drbit and it was a atter of learning the knack of letting it ha##en that ade the difference( Trying to do it interfered with it( -irst I had to learn how to rela?( 'r( )oung: The e?#erience of the Microcos ic Drbit is the ain thrust of y in.estigation( There is a sensation of energy isnJt thereE Df course% itJs not #ro.en and it will be dis#uted by scientists in the edical field for so e ti e to co e( Tell e whether you felt it was real or i aginary and if there were any side effects fro your #ractice( S: I ha.e been with Master Chia for nearly si? onths now( I can direct the #ower to flow in the icrocos ic orbit and still not suffer any ill effects( I used to ha.e a lot of heat in y belly and a ringing in y ears as a result of other s#iritual #ractices I tried( Master Chia said that the heat and ringing of the ears should go away as a result of y #ractice with hi ( Heat% he e?#lained% is an e?tre e( He ad.ised e to i? cold chi energy with it and cool it down( I think this hel#ed e to a.oid a lot of side effects( 'r( )oung: 'o you ha.e war th leftE S: I can #roduce it if I want( 'r( )oung: 'id Master Chia gi.e you energy or did you get it yourselfE S: I donJt know( He said I could get it Gust by being at his center( 'r( )oung: Then he didnJt do it ore cons#icuouslyE S: 5o( 'r( )oung: 'id he ask you to bring the heat in the Tan Tien <lower sto ach> u# the backE S: &ight( 'r( )oung: 'o you think you use your ind to guide it and therefore itJs thereE Is there a way for you to tell if itJs i agination or notE - 132

Cha#ter HIII S: This a##roach does in.ol.e guiding the energy to where.er youJ.e been asked to( ItJs done entally because where the ind goes thatJs where all sorts of #hysiological effects ha.e their origins( 'r( )oung: And how do you feel about thatE S: The ethod was suggested and I found that it wasnJt difficult to do( I can feel the heat in y belly and if I think itJs going to y back in the area of the Ming- en% it does and when I think;feel itJs going u# the back it does( 'r( )oung: If you donJt try to guide it% will it also rise u# the back and flow by itselfE S: So eti es it does( 'r( )oung: $ould you say that those ti es would gi.e you so e clue that your i agination is not neededE S: $ell% I did so ething in the beginning that he later told e not to do and that was% after the route was established% I let it go by itself and I wasnJt concerned about the #oints along the way( 'r( )oung: That would ean% then% that you ha.e to guide it continually( S: IJd Gust let it go by itself and the energy Gust see ed to Loo around along the route( 'r( )oung: How long ha.e you #racticedE S: About = onths( 'r( )oung: How any inutes a day did you #racticeE S: Maybe three Auarters of an hour each ti e% twice each day( IJ.e been told that I donJt ha.e to cycle the route as any ti es as I had( Driginally% IJd been asked to do it 199 ti es which I ne.er could because IJd lose count( 'r( )oung: How about the ti ingE How long does a cycle takeE A secondE A inuteE S: I canJt say( It .aried but it was not easured in seconds because I had to .isualiLe stations as it were along the way( E.entually% though% he had e Gust touch on four #oints at the na.el% #erineu % lu bar region and at the to# of y head( 'r( )oung: $hat was the effectE - 131

An M('( Inter.iews Three +ractitioners S: It was rela?ing and felt war ( 'r( )oung: It hel#ed your backE S: )es( I could sit in half lotus co fortably for a fairly long ti e( 'r( )oung: The uscles were rela?ed( And Master Chia didnJt suggest to you or ha.e you autosuggest that you are healing your backE S: 5o% though he did say that the #ractice would heal it( An Inter.iew with 'an 'an is a young #hotogra#her who% for eight years% had been #utting uch effort into #racticing esoterics on his own% and had tried any other ethods with any different asters( After studying with Master Chia for only two onths% through si #ly concentrating on his na.el% the Chi energy started to circulate in the Microcos ic Drbit auto atically without concentrating on the other energy centers( 'r( )oung: I know that you ha.e been studying with Master Chia for about two onths( I would like to know why you ca e here in the first #lace and what you ha.e found since( 'an: I found out about Master Chia through the B-ree S#iritC% a agaLine I #icked u# in a health food store( I called hi u# and he ailed e one of the booklets% which e?#lains e.erything about the Microcos ic Drbit( After reading and #racticing with forty to fifty teachers% his syste sounded .ery good to e but I couldnJt be sure and so I went to see hi ( After he e?#lained the way the energy works% it see ed #retty logical to e% so I tried it out( He told e to concentrate on a #oint about 1(8 inches inside y na.el% to feel war K not to concentrate on anything else% to forget about breathing% forget about forcing anything and to Gust concentrate on the war th in y na.el( 'r( )oung: 'id he say that you should ake yourself feel war % to create the war th or Gust concentratre and to feel whate.er you could feelE 'an: -irst he taught e a breathing e?ercise to rela? get the energy in the na.el going( - 179 e and to

Cha#ter HIII 'r( )oung: So did the war th co e u# by itself or you created it in your indE 'an: Actually I didnJt feel uch war th in y na.el( The other #oints felt war % and y na.el ay ha.e been slightly war ( I felt a lot of acti.ity in the ti# of y s#ine% in y back where y kidneys are% around y shoulder blades and es#ecially in y head( My head felt% as though it had e?#anded and felt full of that sa e acti.ity( My forehead and the ti# of y nose felt nu b( $hen I stuck y tongue u# against y #alate% I felt so ething like a charge of electricity on contact( 'r( )oung: )ou donJt su##ose that suggestion was so ehow in.ol.ed when he had you concentrate on your na.el% do youE 'an: 5o( IJd editated yself for the #ast two years( 4efore I ca e here I had already seen yellow between y eyebrows% and had used it to concentrate on for hours at a ti e( $hen Master Chia asked e to concentrate on y na.el% I saw light there too% but he told e not to #ay any attention to it and insisted that I concentrate on y na.el( In two days it had broken down to a yellow color sitting here and there and o.ing around but I didnJt #ay attention to it% I Gust continued to concentrate on y na.el and ke#t y tongue sticking u# toward y #alate( I donJt know e?actly when% but I started to feel energy( My nose and y forehead grew .ery nu b and I felt as though y head were e?#anding but he told e to Gust kee# concentrating on y na.el( Suddenly% I felt what see ed to be a .ibration in the ti# of y s#ine% in y back and between y shoulder blades% which after a while felt .ery war % too( 'r( )oung: $hen did you feel thatE 'an: Dn Sunday% -ebruary 18% 1121 K the last ti e I was here( 'r( )oung: So for ten days you did not feel 'an: It was during uch of anythingE

y fifth session that I started to feel the Energy( in the

'r( )oung: The other ten days you Gust felt a little bit war na.elE 'an: The thing about it is that I feel the energy hitting

y tongue

so eti es then I canJt kee# y tongue in one #lace( It Gust shifts around by itself( I ne.er had an e?#erience like that before( - 171

An M('( Inter.iews Three +ractitioners 'r( )oung: $hat about your tongueE 'an: I canJt kee# it in one #lace( It Gust o.es around( This ne.er ha##ened to e before( The books I read% the BMysterious ,undaliniC% BThe ChakrasC% describe energy ascending u# along the s#ine to the to# of the head but Master Chia talks about it going all the way around and co #leting a whole route( 'r( )oung: )ou Gust concentrate on the na.el and this energy surges u# your back through your s#ineE 'an: The first #lace that I felt so ething was in 'r( )oung: How does it go fro 'an: -ro y back(

the na.el to the backE #alace and y testicles( I think

the na.el it goes down to the s#er y anus and

fro there to the #lace between he called it the #erineu (

'r( )oung: 'o you think you really felt it or was it because he told you about itE 'an: I felt it but I wasnJt sure at first( I also started o.ing around because I had been sitting too long and when I sat down again I also felt it( 5ow% I a trying to figure it out because I know it is real( 'r( )oung: )ou did not concentrate at the #oint in the back at that ti eE 'an: 5o% only on the #oint inside the na.el( Then it went u# the s#ine and so on all the way around( 'r( )oung: How long do you think one cycle took youE 'A5: I canJt tell e?actly how long it takes( 'r( )oung: So basically you feel the #oint sensation rather than the currentE 'an: I feel .ibration% e.en though I ha.e felt heat butJ a .ibration co ing u#( o.es like

'r( )oung: Is it through the #oint or in betweenE 'an: It is ore as though it is inside the s#ine(

'r( )oung: How about in the headE 'an: I feel .ery good in y head( It feels nu b and e?#anded(

'r( )oung: 'o you feel a .ibration going through itE 'an: )es% thatJs the nu b feeling( - 17"

Cha#ter HIII 'r( )oung: 4ut not like a ri.er going through itE 'an: 5o% I feel war and at the end of the editation I fell y head getting big and war ( I also feel as though so ething were o.ing .ery fast all through y body( 'r( )oung: )ou feel another body .ibrating or your #hysical bodyE 'an: I felt as though another body ca e out of e and e?tended si? to eight inches beyond y #hysical self( The thing I didnJt feel too ha##y about% though% is the #ain in y right ar fro an old inGury( 'r( )oung: This ha##ened todayE 'A5: )es% whene.er I concentrate on y na.el% now% whether

itJs at ho e or in the subway% I feel the .ibrations( 'r( )oung: )ou can also do that in the subwayE 'an: )es% but if I find a Auiet #lace I can concentrate

ore effec

ti.ely( DhP I forgot to tell you that when I concentrated today I felt a sensation in y ears as though so ething had o#ened u#% a sort of tickling( Master Chia described that as the channels o#ening u#( 'r( )oung: 'o you know how he teaches other studentsE 'an: $hat I like about this syste is that it is so si #le% a baby could do it( It is not co #licated( /ust concentrate( 'r( )oung: )ou ean that you ne.er concentrated in your #racticeE 'an: Maybe once or twice but I used to concentrate in the higher centers% the thyroid or the solar #le?us( 'r( )oung: And nothing ha##enedE 'an: 5o( 'r( )oung: 'id you know that he tells his students to concen trate on different #oints along the lineE 'an: He did tell e% too% to concentrate on the base of y s#ine% y back% crown% etc( 4ut I donJt ha.e to concentrate #oint by #oint( It Gust ha##ens( 'r( )oung: That is what is so i #ortant about your case( 'an: The ain #oint that he is concerned about is to ha.e the

energy circulate and to get the channel o#en and strengthen the tissues( It is not i aginary% because I can feel so ething going u# right now( - 173

An M('( Inter.iews Three +ractitioners 'r( )oung: I know( ItJs .ery i #ortant( )ou ne.er e.en tried to bring it aroundE 'an: 4efore that% I editated .ery intently for hours on the #oint between y eyebrows( He said that that #robably hel#ed e( $hen I ca e here I #robably did the right thing and co #leted the circle by sticking y tongue u# against y #alate( 4ut right now it is still hard to tell what will ha##en( 'r( )oung: )es% at least you ha.e de.elo#ed so ething% but whether it is beneficial or not% we ha.e to see in the future( 'an: I ho#e to de.elo# y health to the fullest(

'r( )oung: 'o you ha.e any health #roble sE 'an: I strained y left testicle and I ha.e #roble s with he orrhoids(

'r( )oung: $ould you say your #ractice is s#iritual or #hysicalE 'an: It is s#iritual% #hysical% scientific% technological and es#ecially related to y body( 'r( )oung: And ho#efully it will lead to an ad.ance in for years to co e( An Inter.iew with 4ill 'r( )oung: Dur inter.iew today is basically concerned with editation and health( -irst of all I would like to know your background( 4ill: I a 36 years old( I work as a bartender( I study acting but I donJt work at it( I ha.e so e )oga training and ha.e fasted for two onths on #ure water( I ca e to see Master Chia with y sister% because so ebody told e there was a Tai Chi school here( I was i #ressed by what he had to say( There was nothing wrong with e( I Gust wanted to use it as #art of y Tai Chi( So far% though% I ha.e Gust stayed with Master ChiaJs Tao ethod( I was #erfectly healthy before co ing here but I ha.e benefitted fro this training anyway( I feel that y #ractice has ade e e?tra cal ( Along with that it hel#s e in y e.eryday life of being in contact with edicine

#eo#le( I can be 'r( )oung: )ou - 177

ore rela?ed( ean you are ore efficient and enGoy life ore(

Cha#ter HIII 4ill: )es% along with that I also work out in y e?ercise class and do weightlifting( I feel ore grounded when I do this #ractice( I can feel the energy in y body and it is a .ery #ositi.e for of editation( I editated before but ne.er to such a great e?tent with any other teacher( I learned it on y own% fro what I read% fro yoga( Master ChiaJs syste co #li ents the editation I ha.e already been doing( 'r( )oung: )ou say you did so e book was thatE editation fro a bookE $hat arket%

4ill: I read about TM in a #a#erback book that is on the but I sat on y own e.en before then(

'r( )oung: 'id you feel BenergyC e.en before studying with Mr( ChiaE 4ill: It is not a atter of energy( ItJs ore like sitting in a kind of consciousness( I ne.er de.elo#ed ,undalini or the #ower% 1 ne.er felt it( It was Gust a certain kind of awareness that I had% like% when I concentrated on y ar I Gust felt the skin on y ar ( I Gust tried to feel the blood circulating% it was Gust a atter of QJ awareness ore than anything else( 'r( )oung: How long ha.e you lifted weightsE 4ill: IJ.e been doing it about = onths( editating with

'r( )oung: )ou started it Gust after you began Mr( ChiaE 4ill: )es( 'r( )oung: $ould you say weightlifting and each otherE

editation benefit

4ill: )es% definitely( It contains a lot of techniAues that I find in weightlifting( It is a way of connecting yself to the #ower that enables e to ake ra#id gains in y lifting( 'r( )oung: )ou say you #racticed this ethod with Master Chia

and felt energy( 'o you really feel energyE 4ill: 'efinitely( 'r( )oung: 5ot like before% rightE 4ecause before you said it was Gust like an awareness but this ti e it is notE 4ill: This ti e it is not( $hen I read your book I related to - 178 y

An M('( Inter.iews Three +ractitioners class ates tre endously how they felt this war th% the heat% the coolness% I felt all that( It feels like a surge of energy that I get% I can feel it going through e( 'r( )oung: How any onths has it been nowE

4ill: Al ost a year% but I ha.e been co ing on and off( 'r( )oung: How long had you #racticed this felt this energyE $hen did you feel the heatE 4ill: I consider yself .ery lucky because I felt it right away% the first day( I actually felt so ething( That is what caused e to co e back again( 'r( )oung: 'id he gi.e you the #owerE 'id he #ut it into your na.el or so ethingE 4ill: I re e ber hi was .ery slight( touching e( I think I felt so ething but it ethod before you

'r( )oung: So there is no s#ecial arrange ent in gi.ing it to you( 4ill: He showed e how to go about it and I think he knows that I a able to gras# it easily( 'r( )oung: How long does it take you to feel the circulation of energyE 4ill: It ha##ened the first day( He told e to concentrate on the na.el and I started feeling it( I wondered when I was feeling it% was it i aginary or was I really feeling itE 4efore he told e about it% he drew e a diagra of how the energy goes( This% of course% hel#ed e to locate the energy when I .isualiLe it in y editation( 'r( )oung: So did you resol.e the issue as to whether it was i aginary or notE 4ill: It is real(

'r( )oung: There is another thing that ight hel# you% Master )un % who li.ed in the 1199Js and had no teacher e?#lored this by hi self( There ha.e been others too( There is one who #resently li.es in Taiwan( They donJt ha.e any guidance% which ay ore dangerous but they did find the route of circulation( 4ill: I would be ore afraid if I didnJt know what I was getting into( It would kee# e fro going into it if I didnJt ha.e guidance( - 17=

Cha#ter HIII 'r( )oung: 5ow% about circulating the first route that you o#ened u#( $hat was itE How was itE $here was itE 4ill: ItJs in the front and the back and I at first thought it was y i agination( Then I started ha.ing the sa e kind of feeling% in y hand and along with it co es a certain kind of war th% which changes so eti es% so eti es itJs war % so eti es itJs cool( 5ow% I do the thrusting route as the second #art of the editation( I was Gust telling Master Chia that I can feel it% that when the energy #ushes u# to the head it Gust feels like so ebody hit y head with a ha er( I feel like energy is going thru( I was debating in y ind whether it was i aginary or real and I decided that it cannot be i aginary because I could feel yself Gerk and shake as it goes thru and causes #ain% on y left side here% around the colon area( It was so #ainful that tears actually ca e to y eyes( After I finished% I went to y belt route% after which I felt uch ore cal ( 'r( )oung: Those feelings could be sensations of energy% but fro a edical #oint of .iew it would be .ery hard to #ro.e( 'id the energy flow along a certain route in your bodyE 4ill: The front route <functional> and the back route <go.ernor>( It goes fro the na.el to the botto and all the way around( It does follow that route and it looks like energy too( I do feel energy with it( 'r( )oung: How about acu#uncture #ointsE 4ill: I feel the % too( 'r( )oung: How did you feel itE 'id the energy slow down at those #ointsE 4ill: !ike in the go.ernor route% I can feel certain #arts of y anato y( The energy sto#s at the big #oints% like the coccy?% the crown% the ideyebrow(

'r( )oung: Is the belt route at the na.el le.elE 4ill: )es% the belt route starts at the na.el area and goes to y

left and left around again u# to y solar #le?us% heart center% throat% eyebrows% and crown( Then it goes u# and co es down again to y waist% going fro left to right( 'r( )oung: 'o you really feel the 7-8 circle of the belt routeE 4ill: I feel it when I guide it( - 176

An M('( Inter.iews Three +ractitioners 'r( )oung: The idea is that there is no one fi?ed route( 4ill: ThatJs not so( IJ doing the belt route% now( Here% I go u# the crown and y body in a s#iral #attern% #assing definite #laces like y na.el% solar #le?us and heart( 'r( )oung: 'id the energy Gu # across any e #ty s#ace anyti e in your e?#erienceE 4ill: )es( So eti es I feel energy Auickly go u# in y thrusting route% all the way fro y coccy? to y head( $hen I direct it down to y feet% I can feel the #ower flow out of y soles and ake a half circle outside of 'r( )oung: How about co e fro on coldsE y toes to y head(

4ill: )es% e.erybody had the flu( About two weeks ago% I ca e down with it( 4ut I went through it .ery Auickly( +eo#le who ha.e the flu take nine days or e.en longer to reco.er( -or e it took so ething like three days( 'r( )oung: I ha.e inter.iewed a nu ber of #eo#le who ha.e related si ilar accounts to e( There ust be so ething to it( They clai to ha.e fewer colds now that they #ractice with Master Chia and they also clai that they can dri.e the cold away within a short ti e( 4ill: I think it will be interesting to try to heal ore sicknesses this way( The west should be ready for this ethod because% and this is y own obser.ation% the A erican #eo#le are Gust beginning to notice the #ower that they ha.e% the #ower <energy> around all of us% call it what you ay% *od% energy% whate.er( They are slowly co ing to realiLe that there is so ething ore than Gust the #hysical( - 172

Cha#ter HIF +art F: 4eyond the Microcos ic - 171

Dbser.ations on Higher Taoist +ractices Cha#ter HIF Dbser.ations on Higher Taoist +ractices The following is a discussion by Mantak Chia on the higher le.els of Taoist Esoteric )oga% ta#e recorded at the annual retreat in 5orth Ando.er% Mass( August 112"( )ou endea.or in your #ractice here to o#en channels so that your soul has so e #lace to go( The Microcos ic Drbit #ro.ides a crib for you% when you are a QbabyJ so that your soul and s#irit can run on it( As you grow u# a se#arate roo is ade ready to #ro.ide you with #ri.acy( This roo re#resents the 2 #sychic channels( $hen you get a bit older you are #ro.ided with yet a larger roo % the "7 channels( It is then that you are taught what is good and what is dangerous in the lesser enlighten ent% the greater enlighten ent% the greatest enlighten ent% the sealing of the 8 senses and the congress of hea.en and earth( )ou are Qsi? years oldJ now and in school( It is during this ti e that you acAuire the ability to e?tend the s#irit outside of you( At first you ay be able to let it go out about one foot and then withdraw it( *radually you can let it out ore and ore until after so e ti e you can let it roa about freely outside of your body( This education of the soul and s#irit is a tedious and ti e consu ing #rocess% taking 39-38 years( There ay be so e geniuses who can beco e ade#t at astral #roGection in as little as "9 years% but there is always the risk that adness can ensue with #re ature e?#osure to forces that one is not yet ready for% adness of a sort that asters are afflicted with and ust kee# secret( I know% because I ha.e et any troubled #ractitioners( In fact% M('(s refer Gust such #roble s to e( There are teachers who ha.e had ill effects using their own #articular ethods% but still continue to teach because they ada antly aintain faith in those ethods that they es#ouse in s#ite of how they ha.e suffered by the ( The ethods should ser.e the #ractitioners( In this light% there is no Taoist ethod% but rather #ractioners who ake of Taoist )oga their own indi.idual ethods( Tao is a - 189

Cha#ter HIF word that signifies the natural way of life( Each of you ust find your Tao% o#en your channels and essentially ake your syste ( $hen you are the least bit successful in this endea.or you will realiLe how truely #riceless such knowledge is( )ou will learn how to #ity the .ery #eo#le who ight ha.e caused you great anguish% as uch by your own inter#retation of their action as by their unwritten dis#lay of their own troubled inds( In first le.el work we learn how to rela? to a uch dee#er degree than we are ordinarily able to( Here we learn to Qs ileJ to the heart and to fill the heart with Qlo.eJ and then let that Qlo.eJ radiate throughout our whole syste ( )ou ha.e to know how to lo.e yourself( )ou ha.e to know how to lo.e your organs( If you canJt lo.e your organs or yourself% how can you be able to lo.e othersE It is best that e.eryone in a household #ractice( Then they can all i #ro.e( If there is Gust one #ractitioner% he or she would #robably find energy drained by others that one li.es with( It is as though there were Gust one breadwinner in the house and e.eryone else is li.ing off of hi ( $ere they all to work% they would all share eAually and all #ros#er eAually( The foundation for all subseAuent #ractice is the Microcos ic Drbit% Se inal D.arian ,ung -u% Iron Shirt Chi ,ung and Tai Chi Chi ,ung( Se inal D.arian ,ung -u is i #ortant in sealing the lower centers as the front door and the back door% the re#roducti.e organs and the anus% to #re.ent a leakage of energy( The -usion of -i.e Ele ents #re.ents further leakage through the fi.e sense organs( Iron Shirt Chi ,ung is i #ortant in storing energy and Tai Chi Chi ,ung hel#s bring energy to your hands and legs( )ou can see that what I teach is an entire syste ( Taoist )oga and the ,undalini 4y Michael $inn Although Hatha )oga beca e known in A erica in the 1139Js% it was not until the late 11=9Js and 69Js that attention began to focus on the higher stages of yogic de.elo# ent in which a #heno enon occurs known as Bawakening of the kundaliniC( The kundalini is the sudden release of .ast unta##ed reser.oirs of creati.e energy that trans#orts an ordinary hu an being into states of higher consciousness and bestows u#on hi or her uniAue creati.e #ow

- 181

Dbser.ations on Higher Taoist +ractices ers( A #erson who has attained full co and of this cos ic energy is said by the Hindus to ha.e attained a state of Bsa adhiC( The 4uddhists call it Bnir.anaC% while the Chinese refer to it as the BTaoC( In the west it ight corres#ond with what -reud alluded to as an Boceanic feelingC% but a ong the #ro#hets of the 5ew Age it is known as Bsu#erconsciousnessC( 5one% of course% agree as to the best #ath to achie.e this awakening% but the #arallel a ong the is distinct( In India% the kundalini is sy boliLed by a ser#ent awakening fro a dee# slu ber and rising u# fro the base of the hu an s#ine in a s#iralling otion through the se.en energy centers <chakras> of the body% #urifying and unblocking the #owers of each center as it rises( -or illeniu this sa e ser#ent has been a uni.ersal sy bol for wisdo and healing( 5early e.ery Egy#tian #haroah is de#icted in statues with a ser#ent e erging fro the third eye in the forehead( Today% odern western doctors wear on their white laboratory coats the *reek sy bol of healing energy% two ser#ents s#iralling u# a staff( The Taoists in China re.ered the snake as a wise ani al% but sy boliLed the Tao ore abstractly% with the yin and yang sy bols s#iralling into each other( It is i #ortant to note the Taoist yin and yang s#iral was contained within a circle% while the traditional Hindu kundalini ser#ent s#iralled .ertically u# to the crown chakra ato# the head( The Taoists referred to in this essay% are the asters of Taoist Esoteric #ractices% whose traditionally secret ethods were studied by Master Mantak Chia( This is not to be confused with the Taoist religions% whose #riests co bined ele ents of 4uddhis % Esoteric Taois % and Chinese culture <folk beliefs% confucianis > in order to aintain a #o#ular base( The sy bolic difference translates into a real difference in ter s of the editational a##roach ai ed at awakening the release of this cos ic energy( The Hindu yogis e #hasiLed raising the kundalini energy u# to a higher transcendant le.el% while the Taoist asters e #hasiLed har onious circulation of this energy between chakras( The Taoist e #hasis was on achie.ing #erfect balance between yin and yang forces within the body rather than on lea#ing beyond hu an for into di.ine states(

It was not enough for the Taoist asters to si #ly know that the Tao% the highest state of oneness e?istedO the #roble was how to - 18"

Cha#ter HIF gain e?#erience of it in a safe% syste atic% .erifiable% and useful fashion( Chinese #rag atis worked its way into Chinese eta#hysics( Dne did not raise u# oneJs consciousness toward Hea.en without rooting it eAually dee# in the Earth( This need for BgroundingC defined the de.elo# ent of Taoist yoga( Tai Chi Chuan is nothing ore than a walking yoga with self-defense and healing a##lications( :nlike Indian yoga% oneJs feet ne.er lea.e the ground% increasing oneJs BrootednessC in the earth energy and safeguarding against e?cessi.e kundalini energy in the head( It is this e?cessi.e energy in the head that often leads to illusions of s#iritual ad.ance ent% also known as s#iritual egotis ( It is not unlike an intellectual who s#ends all his energy arri.ing at conce#tual solutions to the worldJs #roble s% but ignores the essages fro his own body about its #oor health or finances( In a si ilar .ein% $ilhel &eich once co #lained that yogis would often dri.e energies into their head chakras without re o.ing the Bbody ar orC% or tension% #lated about the lower body( He argued their heads would #ulsate with higher energy% gi.ing the illusion of cos ic serenity% but #rogress to full circulation of the cos ic energy would re ain blocked( The Esoteric Taoist syste guards against this danger by beginning with the .ery lowest chakra energy% the sur.i.al needs% and constantly reintegrating it with the higher energies that are de.elo#ed( The Microcos ic Drbit is a #erfect e?a #le% as it circulates #ast all se.en chakras in the body( !ikewise% the Taoists donJt ad.ocate sudden abandon ent of all oneJs ego( 'e#ending on the indi.idual% a secure Gob and lo.ing fa ily ay su##ly the best grounding for s#iritual growth( The Taoists ad.ocate oderation% not asceticis ( They teach that if a desire is destructi.e% it will dro# away naturally as the bodyJs chi flow co es into balance( The goal is to bring the body% ind% and s#irit into har ony with the world% not to esca#e fro it( Tradition has it any Tao asters would s#end decades o.ing a ong the co on #eo#le( Dnly after teaching the how to balance their anger with lo.e% how to li.e ore har oniously% would they disa##ear u# into the ountains to work on a .ery high le.el of editation that reAuired dee# absor#tion in nature( This har oniLing of the forces that fuse an% society% and nature together is e.ident in Chinese classics such as the I Ching(

$ritten by esoteric Taoist - 183

asters% it si #ly e?#resses in #oetic

Dbser.ations on Higher Taoist +ractices for the subtle changes in the balance of chi energies they obser.ed in the sel.es% others% and nature( The #ro#er a##roach to understanding the I Ching at its dee#est le.el is to train oneself using Taoist esoteric yoga to read the changing ele ents within oneself( In the higher le.els of Taoist editation the #ractitioner grounds hi ;herself in the body by channeling higher energies into the acu#uncture eridian syste % and circulating the throughout the entire body after refining the energies into a digestible for ( The #ractitioner has a detailed a# of the bodyJs subtle ner.e syste into which he guides the released energy( He also is gi.en #recise ethods for transfor ing his #hysical% e otional% and ental akeu# at different stages of growth using this new energy( Each indi.idual ust tailor this Binternal technologyC to his s#ecific needs and #roble s( Esoteric Taois doesnJt sol.e ego-created #roble s by de anding the surrendering of oneJs indi.iduality to a larger grou# of guru( The only de.otion it de ands is a disci#lined co itt ent to leading a healthy and har onious life( Taoist Esoteric yoga is co #atible with any religious belief( The language of Taois is not defined by any set of ental BbeliefsC% but by the Be?#erienceC of increasingly subtle and #owerful for s of chi energy( 5o ythological entities or di.ine sy bols are e.oked( 4ut if so eone chooses to identify this chi with the Christian notion of the Holy S#irit% it will not ad.ersely affect the Taoist ethod of chi transfor ation( This holds true at the .ery highest le.els of #ractice( This sa e Christian could draw accurate #arallels between the 4iblical ascent of EliGah on a fla ing chariot into Hea.en with the Taoist for ula for the se.enth stage editation% B&eunion of Man and Hea.enC( Si ilar #arallels could be drawn with 4uddhist Hindu% or Iabalist sy bols of s#iritual ad.ance ent( The #oint the Taoist asters were aking is that the #attern of chi flow and balance is si ilar in all en% regardless of inter#reti.e belief about their religious e?#eriences( Taoist yoga is a theologically neutral ethod for #re#aring the dense #hysical and ental body to consciously recei.e a ore #owerful dose of cos ic yin and yang energies( I agine the a.erage hu an being is accusto ed to functioning on 119 .olts( He cannot suddenly absorb into his conscious ind the kundalini energy% which is #owered by the subato ic nuclear energy that binds the uni.erse together and is ade .isible in the radiant heat and

- 187

Cha#ter HIF light of the sun( To e.en double the recei.ed .oltage to ""9 re Auires considerable conditioning of the body( The ore accessible for of ,undalini #ower is hu an se?ual energy( 4ut to absorb anything abo.e your accusto ed .oltage is dangerous% like being struck by lightning without a ground wire to the earth( The Taoist syste of circulating chi% fro the Microcos ic Drbit u# to the le.el Breunite Man and Hea.enC% is a grounding rod for ,undalini energy( Modern researchers into s#iritual #heno ena see the ,undilini as a #ossible echanis to describe radical lea#s in the e.olution of hu an consciousness( The for in which it s#ontaneously occurs <i(e(% without s#ecial yogic training> in nature would #roduce% in successful cases of e.olution% creati.e genius and in the unsuccessful% adness( The classic account is *o#i ,rishnaJs autobiogra#hical BAwakening of the ,undaliniJ <Sha bhala +ress>( *o#i ,rishna was an Indian railroad official who in 1136 e?#erienced abru#t% dra atic #hysical and #sychic changes as a result of his yoga #ractice( Energy began dancing and coursing #owerfully through his body% but his initial wonder ent and bliss soon faded( He was nearly inca#acitated by it as the energy would not sto#% so eti es lea.ing hi tor ented and slee#less for day on end( Dnly after twel.e years of this night are e?istence was he able to learn how to balance the energy within his body and use it in a newly disco.ered creati.e life as a #oet and author of a doLen books( The ,undalini &esearch Institute in 5ew )ork City re#orts worldwide o.er a hundred cases each year of indi.iduals who cannot e?#lain the uncontrollable release of energies in their body% often acco #anied by days of slee#lessness% ringing and hissing noises in the ears and flashes of light inside the body( So e are students of yoga or editation whose teachers abandon the after seeing they are #owerless to diagnose or hel# the condition( -or this reason kundalini-oriented #ractices ha.e earned a re#utation as dangerous% radical% and unsafe for ost westerners seeking what they falsely #ercei.e as the fastest #ath to enlighten ent( A nu ber of students suffering fro kundalini-like side effects of different editational #ractices ha.e co e to Mantak Chia for ad.ice( :sually after doing the Microcos ic Drbit or si #ly #utting the tongue to the #alate and thinking down% these un#leasant sy #to s

disa##ear( - 188

Dbser.ations on Higher Taoist +ractices 4ut the Chinese esoteric syste is not li ited to thera#eutic uses( +ractitioners of other techniAues% sitting% antra% #ranaya a% can achie.e a high le.el of awareness and a balanced e?#erience of kundalini-like energies( 4ut se.eral ha.e co e to Master Chia and #ri.ately co #lained that they donJt know what to do with all their energy% or how to transfor it to an e.en higher le.el( Dne yogi wrote Master Chia that e.en after doing yoga for 12 years% 1" of the in an ad.anced #ractice of kundalini yoga% he had ne.er felt such a B#ure and distilled energyC as he e?#erienced in the Microcos ic Drbit and first le.el of -usion of -i.e Ele ents( He #lans to integrate the Taoist yoga into his daily sadhana( Another high le.el Men editator told Master Chia he felt alienated fro the asses of unawakened hu an beings and de#ressed by the echanicalness of their li.ing only to eat% work% drink% and slee#( Master Chia taught hi how Taoists har oniLe with larger forces outside of the self( At the .ery highest le.el Esoteric Taoist yoga has techniAues to awaken the kundalini energy to such a le.el that consciousness is thrust beyond the body for the #ur#ose of doing s#iritual work in subtle real s of consciousness( According to Master Chia% the Taoist asters odified a crucial as#ect of the kundalini yoga techniAues learned fro Indian asters who tra.elled to China( The Taoists detected a #ractical #roble with the Indian ethod% which unites the hu an ind with its higher s#irit by literally ascending out the crown chakra abo.e the head( If one ascended out the crown chakra #re aturely% there were gra.e #hysical and #sychic dangers( 4ut if one took too long there was also the danger of #hysical death before one had co #leted the #rocess of transfor ing ind and body energy into s#iritual energy( The Taoist asters resol.ed this #roble by incor#orating their knowledge of subtle anato y of chi flow( The result is that in Taoist esoteric yoga one does not focus energy on a single chakra% such as the heart% third eye% or crown chakra% with the intention of using that energy center as the gateway to higher consciousness( It is #ossible to o#en one or se.eral higher chakras and still ha.e their #ower under ined by #hysical or oral weakness in the lower energy centers( This can block #rogress to the highest le.els if the #ractitioner denies or ignores this i balance( The Taoists a.oided these #roble s by absorbing higher energy%

whether fro - 18=

outside sources or se?ual resources and cir

Cha#ter HIF culating it continuously through all the centers( The goal was to build a solid and #owerful energy base% self-contained within the hu an for % before the final transor ation of the ind <or BsoulC> into s#irit was effected( They would so thoroughly aster their chi flow within the body that they could consciously circulate this chi outside the body as #re#aration for a safe #athway on which this soul could follow( Master Chia thus describes the Taoist a##roach to kundalini awakening as the body and ind B#arentingC the rebirth of its own soul into the ne?t di ension of consciousness( Dne does not e?#ect a hu an infant to fend for itself i ediately after birthO that is the #arentJs res#onsibility( The reborn soul% ascending out the crown chakra and arri.ing as an infant in a confusing new world% would ha.e BadultC guidance in the for of a #owerful field of balanced chi energy #rotecting it fro ale.olent astral forces( 4ecause the full transfor ation of all #hysical and ental chi into s#iritual chi energy nor ally takes any years% there is a danger of #re ature #hysical death before the #rocess is finished( This danger beco es ore acute with #ractices that accelerate the inrush of kundalini energy% as the body and glands ust adGust to radical changes in etabolis ( The Taoist asters circu .ented this by astering the act of #hysical longe.ity% chronicled widely in Taoist literature as the Auest for #hysical i ortality( The collecti.e genius of the Taoist asters e.ol.ed an esoteric s#iritual syste designed to si ultaneously awaken the kundalini and function as a healing syste a##licable to the whole ga ut of daily stresses and illnesses( The attraction of the Taoist yoga syste is that it is as safe and ethodical as cli bing a ladder( )ou cli b only as high as you can safely aintain balance and still kee# the ladder rooted( The Taoist asters e #hasiLed staying in har onious balance on each ste# was ore i #ortant than getting to the to# of the ladderO trying to Gu # ahead increased the risk of falling( The goal was not to lea# into so e transcendent #ie-in-the-sky% but to arri.e with the graceful surefootedness of a Tai Chi dancer( Awakening of the kundalini energy does #roduce a transcendent state of consciousness% but with Taoist Esoteric ethods it is only achie.ed when the e.er changing and o##osing forces of yin and yang are first identified and then continuously% e.en auto atically%

brought into har onious balance by the indi.idual( It is a #ro - 186

Dbser.ations on Higher Taoist +ractices cess a.ailable to anyone anywhere with a functioning ind% whether he;she is rich or #oor% a cri##le or an athlete% a housewife or an e?ecuti.e% a cri inal in #rison% or a sailor alone at sea( This internal feeling of e?#anding har ony is the highest freedo a.ailable to hu an beings% but unfortunately is rarely sought for lack of .ision or disci#line( Taoist Esoteric )oga is an ancient syste that has #ro.en its worth o.er any thousands of years in aiding seekers to awaken awareness of that highest har ony( - 182

Cha#ter HF Cha#ter HF Su ary of the Se.en Stages of Taoist Esoteric )oga S all Hea.enly Cycle <Microcos ic Drbit> The introduction to the se.en higher for ulas of Taoist Esoteric #ractice is the D#ening of the Microcos ic Drbit% or the rebirth #rocess of return to the otherSs wo b( This route is co #osed of the -unctional and *o.ernor Channels% which ust be #urified and linked to for a free-flowing circuit( The life of a hu an being begins with the #iercing of an egg by a s#er cell( -ro this original act of ,ung -u% an enor ously co #le? hu an being de.elo#s% which is ca#able of real genius( The fetus de.elo#s around that #oint% which is called the na.el( It is fro this #oint that nutrients are absorbed and wastes e?#elled fro the de.elo#ing creature( Therefore% in the $ar Current +ractice the na.el is a #oint of o.erriding i #ortance( $hile in the wo b the hu an being doesnSt breathe air <the lungs do not function at all>( Energy and o?ygen are #assed to the fetus through the u bilical chord( $hen the energy flows into the fetusS body% it enters at that #oint at which the na.el will later be after the u bilical cord is se.ered( Then it #roceeds downwards to the botto of the trunk flows all the way u# the s#ine to the crown of the head and fro there flows down the iddle of the face continuing on to the na.el% again to co #lete the circuit( The fetus% it is said% auto atically touches its tongue to its #alate( This ser.es to link the two energy channels and allows the #ower to flow( The crown of the babySs head is o#en and o.es u# and down( This is due to the wa?ing and waning of the flow of #ower through this #articular #art of the body( Thus% the tongue is the ter inus of the -unctional Channel( This energy #athway begins at the botto of the trunk at the #oint idway between the anus and the testes% called% the THui-)inT( -ro there - 181

Su

ary of the Se.en Stages

it flows u# the front of the body through the ,uan)uan and the Chihai and then through the Chi-chung <the na.el>( Then it #asses through the Chung-wan <solar #le?us> and #roceeds to the Shanchung <the heart center>( Thereafter% it #asses through the Hsuanchi <throat> center and u# to the tongue ter inus( $hen connected with the *o.ernor Channel the energy #ath re.erses direction and flows down fro the tongue% na.el% to the Hui-)in( The *o.ernor <or control> Channel also starts at the Hui-)in( -ro this #oint it o.es u# the #osterior of the body( In doing so it #asses through the Chang-chiang <the base of the s#ine> and goes u# to the Ming- en <!" and !3> or 'oor of !ife where it continues u# to the Chi-chung <Tl1> between the adrenal glands and then #roceeds u#wards to the )u-chen or the E erald +illow of the edulla( -ro there it rises to the crown of the head or +ai-hui <the crown> and then goes to the Shen-ting and down to the )in-TSang between the eyebrows( Here it #asses to the San ,en <the ti# of the nose> and finally tra.els down to the #alate% which is the ter inus of the *o.ernor Channel( Tongue is a Switch of the Circuit The circuit ay be closed when the tongue end of the -unctional Channel is raised to contact the #alate ter inus of the *o.ernor( Thus% during #ractice% we ust kee# the tongue in contact with the #alate( +lacing the tongue against the #alate has a cal ing effect for those who #ractice the $ar Current Method( It also generates sali.a% which is regarded as the water of life in Taoist #ractice( Sali.a is said to be the chief lubricant of all bodily functioning( In the Taoist .iew the soft #alate is regarded as a direct link to the #ituitary gland( As a an grows older he suffers increasingly fro an i balance of )in <fe ale> and )ang < ale> energies in the body( As these dishar onies ulti#ly% the bodily organs begin to suffer fro the recei#t of too uch or too little energy( How different is the .ital #ower of the infantP He grows nearly an ounce a day( This re#resents an astounding acco #lish ent in the assi ilation of energy by the aterial body( The babySs body can do this heroic Gob of cell building because its routes of energy are thoroughly o#en and the flow of #ower is% conseAuently% .ery strong( - 1=9

Cha#ter HF The *o.ernor Channel controls the )ang organs of the body( These are the lungs% s#leen% heart% kidneys% circulation-se?% and li.er( The -unctional Channel controls the )in organs% which are the colon% sto ach% s all intestine% bladder% tri#le war er% and gall bladder( The tissues are )ang in tendency and the blood is )in( Se.en -or ulas of the Se.en 4ooks of the Tao -irst -or ula: -usion of the -i.e Ele ents This for ula literally co bines the se#arate energies of the fi.e #rinci#al ele ents into one har onious whole( The editation has a #articularly #owerful filtering and #urifying effect u#on the hu an ner.ous syste ( The Earth is the Mother of all the ele ents( All life s#rings fro her generati.e wo b( This reunites the other four ele ents of Chinese cos ogeny with the othering Earth( Thus% etal% wood% water and fire are drawn back into the earth and are si ered gently at this #oint( Each ele ent is #urified but is not so hotly fused that it loses its integrity and dissol.es into ashes( This for ula is regarded as a highly secret ethod of Taoist editation( In Chinese +hiloso#hy each ele ent corres#onds to a #articular organ( The Earth corres#onds to the s#leen% etal to the lungs% water to the kidneys% wood to the li.er% and fire to the heart( The fi.e ele ents interact with each other in three distinct ways: #roducing% o.erco ing% and threatening( The #roducing or creating cycle runs thusly: wood burns to ake fire% the ashes deco #ose and see# into the earth% where are born and ined etals% which when elted beco e water <liAuid>% which nourishes trees and #lants( The o.erco ing or destruction cycle runs thusly: wood is cut down by etal% fire is e?tinguished by water% earth is #enetrated by wood% etal is elted by fire% and water is interru#ted and cut off by earth( The life cycle also has its relati.e ele ents thus: birth corres#onds to wood% growth to fire% aturity to earth% har.est to etal and storage to water( In cli atic ty#es% wind corres#onds to wood% heat to fire% da #ness to earth% dryness to etal% and cold

- 1=1

Su

ary of the Se.en Stages

to water( Their corres#onding e otions <sy #athy% sadness% Goy% anger% fear> blend one har onious whole% raising the orale and encouraging kindness% gentleness% rightousness% res#ectfulness and hu or( The for ula of the fi.e ele ents co bined into one in.ol.es the i?ing of the )in and )ang to attain a higher state of bodily har ony and beauty( The ancient alche ical for ula Sol.e Et Coagula corres#onds to the second stage in the editational for s( In this stage you will realiLe the great use of the -i.e Ele ents which already e?ists in your body and which you ay ha.e studied but not understood e?#erientially( The fusion of the ele ents% will #ro.ide you with such an e?#erience( In this stage a cleansing of the whole body takes #lace( There ay be uch gas and bowel o.e ents with .ery black% foul s elling stools( Another si? s#ecial routes ust be o#ened% aking eight routes in all( The first two are the *o.ernor and -unctional Channels( 5e?t to be culti.ated is the Chung-Ma( The Chung-Ma% or Thrusting &oute% which originates in the lower abdo en in the Hui-)in and o.es u#ward along two lines to the id#oint between the ni##les where it s#reads out to the shoulders and then Goins at the collar bone( -ro there% it #roceeds u# to the face% crosses at the outh and o.es u# to the #oint between the eyes and then u# to the to# of the head( Another #athway of the Thrusting &oute is started at the )unChuan <the ground to earth>% goes u# the inside of the leg to the thigh and Goins in the Hui-)in( Starting at the Hui-)in and running u# through the center of the body% it #asses through the large and s all intestines% kidney% #ancreas% li.er% sto ach% heart% lung% trachea% and u# into the brain <#ituitary% #ineal and the iddle brain u# to the to# of the head% +ai-Hui>( The second s#ecial route is the Tai-Ma( This energy channel originates at the ribs and circles the waist in ribbon-like bands( -or this reason it is called the 4elt &oute( It is considered as a belt binding u# the )in and the )ang channels( This channel% when #ro#erly o#en% will s#iral around the whole body( !ooking down at the floor% the ribbon% as it were% would be seen to unwind going counter clockwise or right to left and #roceeding u# the length of the entire body% and Goining all the body channels together( The

s#iraling is in a clockwise direction for wo en( - 1="

Cha#ter HF The third s#ecial route is the )ang-Chiao-Ma% the +ositi.e !eg &oute( It starts at the outer as#ects of the two ankles and rises u# the outside of the legs along the outer thighs( -ro the thighs it goes u# to the hi#s% a strong absorbing energy center% the outer sides of the back and winds o.er the left and right shoulder% which are strong absorbing energy centers% whence it ascends along the neck to the corners of the outh and enters into the eye-sockets and then o.er the forehead and skull to ter inate in the edullar region( The fourth s#ecial route is the )in-Chao-Ma or 5egati.e !eg &oute( This channel originates at the center of the soles and turns along the inner sides of the ankles% rising u# the inside of the legs( It #asses fro the inner thigh #ast the e?ternal genitalia and continues u# to the chest% cla.icle% throat and u# to the face to the inner corners of the eyes( These routes are co #osed of two routes% one on each side and can be worked se#arately% also( The fifth s#ecial route is the )ang-$ei-Ma( This starts at the front of the outer ankle and o.es straight u# the outside of the leg continues u# the side% circles o.er the shoulder and #roceeds u# the side of the neck and face% o.er the forehead and skull% where it ter inates in the edulla( The si?th s#ecial route is the )in-$ei-Ma( It starts on the inner shin and o.es straight u# the front of the body% o.er the knee% u# the thigh% the side of the abdo en and chest and u# to the ni##les( -ro there it .eers inwards towards the throat where it Goins the -unctional Meridian( Thus% all of the energy #assageways of the body are linked together in a network of the two Channels% the si? s#ecial routes% and the twenty-four regular routes corres#onding to the organs on each side( These #assage ways are the su#erhighways% highways% and roads% res#ecti.ely% of energy flow across the body( - 1=3

Su

ary of the Se.en Stages

1( Second -or ula: !esser Enlighten ent of ,an and !i This for ula is called Siaow ,San !i in Chinese and in.ol.es a literal stea ing of the s#er <Ching> into life force energy <Chi>( Dne ight otherwise say that this begins the transfer of the #ower of the se?ual hor ones into the whole body and brain( The crucial secret of this for ula is to re.erse the usual sites of )in and )ang #ower% thereby #ro.oking liberation of the s#er Ss energy( The first and second books are the #re#aration of the #aths for the greater energy flow of the s#er so that the body will be able to handle the great influ? of energy <#ower which ight corres#ond to the awakening of the ,undalini>( This for ula includes the culti.ation of the root <the Hui-)in> and the heart chakras and the transfor ation of the s#er energy to s#er #ower at the na.el( This in.ersion #laces the heat of the bodily fire beneath the coolness of the bodily water( :nless this in.ersion takes #lace% the fire si #ly o.es u# and burns the body out( The water <the s#er and se inal fluid> has the tendency to flow downward and out( $hen it dries out that is the end( This for ula re.erses the nor al% energy-wasting relations by the highly ad.anced ethod of #lacing the water in a closed .essel <cauldron> in the body and then cooking the s#er with the fire beneath( If the water <s#er #ower> is not sealed% it will flow directly into the fire and e?tinguish it or itself be consu ed( This for ula #reser.es the integrity of both ele ents% thus allowing the stea ing to go on for great #eriods of ti e( The essential for ula is to ne.er let the fire rise without ha.ing water to heat abo.e it and to ne.er allow the water to s#ill into the fire( Thus is #roduced a war % oist stea containing tre endous energy and health benefits( The second for ula consists of: <a> Mi?ing of the water <)in> and fire <)ang> <or ale and fe ale> to gi.e birth <b> Transfor ing the s#er #ower <generati.e force> into .ital energy <Chi>% gathering and #urifying the Microcos ic outer alche ical agent( <c> D#ening the twel.e aGor channels( - 1=7

Cha#ter HF <d> 4eginning of the half i ortal <Goining and subli ation of the body N soul> <e> Circulate the #ower in the solar orbit <cos ic orbit> <f> Turn back the flow of generati.e force to fortify the body and the brain and restore it to its original condition before #uberty <g> *radually reduce food intake and de#end on inner self% sun% oon and water% a beginning of the cos ic energy( <beginning of the Half I ortal>( Third -or ula: *reater Enlighten ent of ,an and !i *reater )in And )ang Mi?ed I This for ula co #rises the Taoist 'ah ,an !i <Ta ,San !i> #ractice( It uses the sa e energy relations of )in and )ang in.ersion but increases to an e?traordinary degree the a ount of energy that ay be drawn u# into the body( At this stage% the i?ing% transfor ing and har oniLing of the energy in the Solar +le?us <it ight corres#ond to the Mani#ura Chakra> takes #lace( The increasing a #litude of #ower is due to the fact that the third for ula draws )in and )ang energy fro within the body% whereas% the third for ula draws the #ower directly fro Hea.en <abo.e> and Earth <ground wire - )ang and )in% res#ecti.ely> and adds the ele ental #owers to those of oneSs own body( In fact% #ower can be drawn fro any energy source% such as the oon% wood% earth% light% etc( The Third for ula consists of: a( Mo.ing the sto.e and changing the Cauldron( b( *reater $ater and -ire i?ed < ale N fe ale intercourse>( c( *reater transfor ation of s#er #ower into the higher le.el( d( *athering the outer and inner alche ical agents to restore the generati.e force and in.igorate the brain( e( Culti.ating the body and soul( f( 4eginning the refining of the s#er #ower <generati.e force% .ital force% Ching Chi>( g( Absorbing Mother Earth <)in> #ower and -ather Hea.en <)ang> #ower( Mi?ing with s#er #ower <body> and soul( h( &aising the soul( - 1=8

Su

ary of the Se.en Stages

i( &etaining the #ositi.e generati.e force <se inal> force and kee#ing it fro draining away( G( *radually do away with food and de#end on self sufficiency and :ni.ersal energy <4reatherian>( -ourth -or ula: *reatest Englighten ent of ,an and !i <Tai ,an !i> *reatest )in And )ang Mi?ed II This for ula is )in and )ang #ower i?ed at a higher bodily center( This is to re.erse the aging #rocess% to re-establish the thy us glands to increase natural i unity( This eans that the radiation of healing energy ste s fro a ore #owerful #oint in the body and #ro.ides .ast benefits to the #hysical and etheric organis ( The -ourth -or ula consists of: a( Mo.ing the sto.e and changing the Cauldron to the higher center( b( Absorbing the Solar and !unar #ower( c( *reatest i?ing% transfor ing% stea ing and #urification of s#er #ower <*enerati.e -orce>% soul% Mother Earth% -atherHea.en% Solar and !unar +ower for gathering the Microcos ic inner alche ical agent( d( Mi?ing the Fisual #ower with the Fital #ower( e( Mi?ing <subli ating> the body% soul and s#irit% <True 4reatherian>( This ight corres#ond to the heart Chakra <Anathata>( - 1==

Cha#ter HF -ifth -or ula: Sealing of the -i.e Sense Drgans This .ery high for ula effects a literal trans utation of the war current or Chi into ental energy or energy of the soul( To do this we ust seal the fi.e senses% for each one is an o#en gate of energy loss( In other words% #ower flows out fro each of the sense organs unless there is an esoteric sealing of these doors of energy o.e ent( They ust release energy only when s#ecifically called u#on to con.ey infor ation( This ight corres#ond to the 4row <AGna> and Throat Chakra <Fissuddha>( Abuse of the senses leads to far ore energy loss and degradation than #eo#le ordinarily realiLe( E?a #les of isuse of the senses are as follows: If you look too uch% the se inal fluid is har edO listen too uch and the ind is har edO s#eak too uch and the sali.ary glands are har edO cry too uch and the blood is har edO ha.e se?ual intercourse too often and the arrow is har ed% etc( Each of the ele ents has its corres#onding sense through which its ele ental force ay be gathered or s#ent( The eye corres#onds to fireO the tongue to waterO the left ear to etalO the right ear to woodO the nose to earth( The -ifth for ula consists of: <a> Sealing the fi.e thie.es: ears% eyes% nose% tongue and body <b> Controlling the heart% and se.en e otions <#leasure%anger% sorrow% Goy% lo.e% hate% and desire> <c> :nite% trans utes the inner alche ical agent into life #reser.ing true .itality( <d> +urifying the s#irit( <e> &aising and educating the s#irit% sto##ing the s#irit fro wandering outside in Auest of sense data( <f> 'o away with decayed food% de#ending on the un-decayed food% the uni.ersal energy is the True 4reatharian( - 1=6

Su

ary of the Se.en Stages ortality

Si?th -or ula: Congress of Hea.en and Earth I

The si?th% ost ad.anced% for ula is difficult to describe in words( It in.ol.es the incarnation of a ale and a fe ale entity within the body of the ade#t <this ight corres#ond to the Crown Chakra% Sahasrara>( These two entities ha.e se?ual intercourse within the body( It in.ol.es the i?ing of the )in and )ang #owers on and about the crown of the head and being totally o#en to recei.e energy fro abo.e and regrowth of the #ineal gland to its fullest use( $hen the #ineal gland is at its fullest% it will ser.e as a co #ass to tell us in which direction our as#irations can be found( Taoist Esotericis is a ethod of astering the s#irit% as described in Taoist )oga( $ithout the body% The Tao cannot be attained% 4ut with the body% truth can ne.er be realiLed( The #ractitioner of Taois should #reser.e his #hysical body with the sa e care as he would a #recious dia ond because it can be used as a ediu to achie.e i ortality( If% howe.er% you do not abandon it when you reach your destination you will not realiLe the truth( The si?th for ula consists of: <a> Mingling <uniting> the body% soul% s#irit and the uni.erse <Cos ic Drbit>( <b> -ull de.elo# ent of the #ositi.e to eradicate the negati.e co #letely( <c> S#irit returned to nothingness( Se.enth -or ula: &eunion of Man and Hea.en True I ortal Man( $e co #are the body to a shi# and the soul to the engine and #ro#eller of a shi#( This shi# carries a .ery #recious and .ery large dia ond% which it is assigned to trans#ort to a .ery distant shore( If your shi# is da aged <a sick and ill body>% no atter how good the engine is% you are not going to get .ery far and ay e.en sink( Thus we ad.ise against s#iritual training unless all of the channels in the body ha.e been #ro#erly o#ened and ha.e been ade ready to recei.e the 19%999 or 199%999 .olts of su#er #ower% which will - 1=2

Cha#ter HF #our down into the ( The Taoist a##roach% which has been #assed down to us for o.er 8%999 years% consists of any thousands of ethods( The for ulae and #ractices we describe in these books is based on such secret knowledge and the authorSs own e?#erience in o.er ten years of study and of successfully teaching hundreds of students( The ain goal of Taoists:

1( This le.el - o.erco ing reincarnation( "( Higher le.el - the i ortal s#irit( 3( Highest le.el - the i ortal s#irit and i obile house to the s#irit and soul( - 1=1

ortal body% like a

Taoist Esoteric )oga Course Dfferings Cha#ter HFI Taoist Esoteric )oga Course Dfferings There were original nine Taoist Esoteric )oga Centers in the :(S( offering #ersonal instruction in .arious #ractices ranging fro the Microcos ic Drbit to Tai Chi Chuan% +akua% Hsing I( Taoist Esoteric $ar Current Meditation as these #ractices are also known% awakens% circulates% directs and #reser.es the generati.e life force called chi through the aGor acu#uncture eridians of the body( At #rogressi.e stages% dedicated #ractice of this ancient esoteric syste eli inates stress and ner.ous tension% assages the internal organs% and restores health to da aged tissue( This #ractice is of #articular use to #ractioners of #olarity thera#y% shiatsu% ,undalini yoga% Swedish assage and other healing arts in which the e?change and cirulation of life force K energy ki% #rana or Chi K ust be aintained while working with clients or students( The first two for ulas are described below( The re aining 8 for ulas will be described when offered( D#ening of the Microcos ic Drbit is the first le.el in the Taoist Esoteric $ar Current Meditation( Through uniAue rela?ation and concentration techniAues% it #ro.ides for #urification of the first two aGor acu#uncture channels of the body% the -unctional and *o.ernor eridians( Master Chia will assist students in the astery of this techniAue by #assing energy through his hands into their energy channels( <Course 5o(1> Co #letion of the Microcos ic Drbit is a #rereAuisite for any student who intends to study the higher le.els of Taoist yoga which includes .arious for s of Chi ,ung% Se inal and D.arian ,ung -u% and the long and short for s of Tai Chi Chuan( -usion of the -i.e Ele ents and Cleansing of the Drgans is the second le.el of the Taoist Esoteric $ar Current Meditation( At this le.el one Iearns how the fi.e ele ents <earth% etal% fire% wood% water> and their corres#onding organs <s#leen% lungs% heart% li.er% - 169

Cha#ter HFI kidneys> interact with one another in three distinct ways: #roducing% co bining and threatening( This for ula co bines the dis#arate energies of the fi.e #rinci#le ele ents K and their corres#onding e otions <sy #athy% sadness% Goy% anger% fear> K one har onious whole( The filtering effect u#on the entire #sycho;#hysical syste is #articularly #owerful as these co bined energies circulate throughout the Microcos ic Drbit and the Si? S#ecial Channels( <Course 5o( 1> The second for ula is taught in three #arts( +art I: The 1" ste#s for collecting% fusing% har oniLing and cleansing of the organsO +art II: The o#ening of the three Chung-Ma <Thrusting &outes> and the nine Tai-Ma <4elt &outes>O +art III: The o#ening of the +ositi.e and 5egati.e !egs and +ositi.e and 5egati.e Ar s( Si? Healing Sounds This self-healing ethod uses si #le ar o.e ents and .ocaliLations to #roduce a cooling effect u#on the internal organs( The Si? Healing Sounds Auickly eli inate stress% i #ro.e digestion% reduce inso nia and headaches and relie.e fatigue( This ethod is useful to editators as well as runners% #ractitioners of artial arts% and other intense e?ercise syste s that tend to buildu# e?cessi.e heat in the body( <Course 5o( "> Chi Massage K Taoist &eGu.enation :sing internal #ower chi and gentle e?ternal sti ulation% this si #le yet highly effecti.e self- assage techniAue enables one to collect% and then direct Chi to the sense organs and other #arts of the body for self-healing #ur#oses( Taoist &eGu.enation dates back 8%999 years to the )ellow E #erorJs classic te?t on Taoist% internal edicine(<Course 5o( 3> - 161

Taoist Esoteric )oga Course Dfferings Iron Shirt Chi ,ung Highest -or of Chi ,ung The #hysical integrity of the body is sustained and #rotected through the accu ulation and circulation of internal #ower <chi> in the .ital organs( This energy is stored in the fascia which is a layer of connecti.e tissue co.ering% su##orting or connecting the uscles or inner organs( D.er ti e% the Iron Shirt Chi ,ung #ractice strengthens oneJs .ital organs as well as the tendons% uscles% arrow and bones( Historically% the #ractice of Iron Shirt Chi ,ung was a #rereAuisite to the effecti.e study and e.entual astery of the .arious ,ung -u fighting styles( Howe.er% the ain #ur#ose of Iron Shirt Chi ,ung is not for fightingO it is to achie.e e?cellent health by increasing sta ina and the bodyJs ability to fight disease and defend its .ital organs fro une?#ected inGury( +rereAuisite: Course 5o( 1 - o#ening the Microcos ic Drbit( <Course 5o( 7> Iron Shirt Chi ,ung is di.ided into three le.els of instruction% I% II% and III( <See detailed descri#tion later this cha#ter(> Tai Chi Chi ,ung: -oundation of Tai Chi Chuan $ithout the circulation of chi through the channels% uscles and tendons of the body the Tai Chi Chuan o.e ents are only #hysical e?ercises( The #ractice of Tai Chi Chi ,ung awakens and circulates Chi energy and is therefore the foundation for the astery of Tai Chi Chuan( The #otential to de.elo# our self-healing ca#abilities begins with the disco.ery of the flow of this .ital energy through the Microcos ic Drbit( This circulation is enhanced and sustained through the #ractice of Tai Chi Chi ,ung which assists in i #ro.ing health through correct #osture% o.e ents and cal ing of the ind( This #articular for is co #rised of 13 o.e ents( +rereAuisite: Course 5o( 1 K D#ening the Microcos ic Drbit( Course 5o( => - 16"

Cha#ter HFI 'ah :h *ong 5ei ,ung -i.e -inger ,ung -u The 'ah :h *ong 5ei ,ung styte integrates both static and dyna ic e?ercise for s in order to culti.ate and nourish Chi which accu ulates in the organs% #enetrates the fascia% tendons and uscles% finally reaches the hands and fingers( +ractitioners of body-centered thera#ies and .arious Healing Arts such as chiro#ractic edicine% #olarity thera#y% shiatsu and Swedish assage will benefit fro this techniAue( +racticed seAuentially% it functions to e?#and and rela? the breath% cal the ind and adGust #osture( The a##roach is si #ler to learn than Tai Chi Chuan and easier to e?ecute than yoga( Through the #ractice of 'ah :h *ong the student will learn: U To e?#and your breathing ca#acity U To strengthen your internal organs U To tone and stretch your uscles uscles

U To strengthen your lower back and abdo inal U To nor aliLe your weight

U To de.elo# your ability to concentrate for self-healing +rereAuisite: Course 5o( 1K D#ening the Microcos ic Drbit <Curse 5o(8> Se inal and D.arian ,ung -u This ancient Taoist yoga #ractice subli ates and transfor s se?ual energy through its circulation in the Microcos ic Drbit( The conser.ation of this #recious% bioche ical force has been recogniLed by sages of .arious esoteric traditions as a aGor re.italiLing factor in the #hysical health and s#iritual de.elo# ent of both en and wo en( The turning back and circulation of this generati.e force fro the se?ual energy centers to the higher centers in.igorates and reGu.enates all the bodyJs .ital functions( &eal se?ual fulfill ent lies in #re.enting the indisscri inate loss of this .ital current and in e?#eriencing a dee#er le.el of orgas ( These techniAues

can be used for #ersonal transfor ation K both #hysical and s#iritual( +rereAuisite: Course 5o( 1K D#ening the Microcos ic Drbit <Course 5o( 6> - 163

Taoist Esoteric )oga Course Dfferings Tai Chi Chuan - !ong and Short -or s In order to benefit fro the still% slow and soft o.e ents of the Tai Chi Chuan for % it is necessary for one to ha.e culti.ated an awareness of Chi and internal #ower through the D#ening of the Microcos ic Drbit and Tai Chi Chi ,ung( The Tai Chi Chuan for further educates the body to ser.e the ind through rela?ing and strengthening( In addition% Tai Chi Chuan can be used as a selfdefense techniAue% but only if one is able to #ro#erly circulate and utiliLe the intrinsic energy called Chi so that e.ery o.e ent of the body is guided by internal #ower( 4efore beginning to study the Tai Chi Chuan for % the student ust ha.e co #leted: 1> D#ening of the Microcos ic DrbitO "> Tai Chi Chi ,ung < 13 o.e ents>O

3> Iron Shirt Chi ,ung !e.el IO 7> Se inal and D.arian ,ung -u !e.el l( <Course 5os( 11 and 1"> The staff includes western M('(s% nutritionists etc( Master Chia regularly .isits each center to lecture and indi.idually counsel Taoist #ractitioners( He also aides all students in increasing their circulation of Chi by B#assing energyC% es#ecially to those who for whate.er reason feel blocked( This is not Binstant enlighten entC% only an e?#erience of higher Chi flow so that the student ay better learn to create it on his own( -uture .olu es of the Esoteric Taoist )oga Encyclo#edia will e?#lore in de#th these other ancient disci#lines whose ethods ha.e largely been ke#t secret fro westerners( Se inal ,ung -u: Taoist Secret of Energy -or ore than 8%999 years of Chinese history% Bthe no outlet ethodC of retaining the se inal fluid during the act of lo.e has re ained a

dee# secret( At first it was #racticed e?clusi.ely by the E #eror and his inner ost circle( Then it #assed fro father to chosen son alone% e?cluding wi.es% daughters and other fa ily e bers( The ethod #er its a an to retain bodily secretions which are an - 167

Cha#ter HFI in.aluable source of energy when stored and recirculated to the .ital centers( Sages of all ti e and #laces ha.e found that conser.ation of the #recious energies of the se inal fluid and o.arian energy dee#ly affects a hu anJs life( $hoe.er holds his .ital seed finds that he s#ontaneously seeks to #reser.e li.ing things fro waste% decay and har ( Dn the other hand% those who e?cessi.ely s#end the fluid and its .ital force cra.e outer sti ulation at any #rice% for they des#erately need to re#lace their own lost energies( Dne #re.ents loss of this bioche ical energy by not eGaculating( Sto##ing eGaculation is not to be confused with sto##ing orgas ( The 5o Dutlet Method #ro.ides an altogether uniAue and su#erior ty#e of orgas ( E.ery .ital function is in.igorated because one no longer discharges life energy through the genitals( &eal se?ual fulfill ent lies not in feeling the life go out of you but in increasing awareness of the .ital current that flows through the loins( The body is further re#lenished by a ethod of BStea ingC the .ital energy u# fro the se?ual centers to the brain and higher organs( The life enhancing #rocess is co #leted by e?changing with oneJs #artner energy released during o ents of e?citation( The sages ha.e considered one dro# of se en eAual in .ital #ower to one hundred dro#s of blood( The Indians refer re#eatedly to BA ritoC% the eli?ir of life% a reGu.enating substance fro se?ual energy( The #roduction of this eli?ir% which $esterners would call a higher hor onal secretion% allows the body to enter higher and higher states of energy( Most #eo#le in our consu er society s#end ore than they earn( They borrow the sel.es dee# into debt( Through #oor habits they also s#end ore .ital #ower than they earn( !et us say that #eo#le earn 199 units of life force through breathing% eating and resting but s#end 1"8 units of life force through gluttony% o.erwork% an?iety% constitutional weakness% and freAuent loss of the .ital fluid( They ust continuously borrow .itality fro the brain and other .ital organs( This theft of .ital energy fro oneJs own reser.es induces ental and #hysical sickness and #re ature aging( $e teach you how to o.erco e worldly se? desire and

a way to earn 1"8 units and to s#end 199 or less( The i balance of oneJs #ersonal energy econo y is first corrected by reducing the disastrously wasteful e?#enditure called eGaculation% while e? - 168

Taoist Esoteric )oga Course Dfferings #eriencing a nourishing balanced energy e?change with oneJs #artner( Iron Shirt Chi ,ung 4efore guns were used% the Chinese de#ended .ery uch u#on ,ung -u( It is at that ti e% about one-tenth of the Chinese nation was in.ol.ed in such #ractice% which they engaged in fro what is found at the #resent( At first one had to de.elo# internal #ower - to get the war current <energy>% to o#en the Microcos ic Circulation% co #lete another si? s#ecial channels <routes> and an additional "7 nor al channels <routes> so that the internal #ower could be circulated freely( Dne then learned how to strengthen oneJs .ital organs and to #rotect the with internal #ower or BIron ShirtC( Dnly then did one go on to #ractice fighting styles because without internal #ower the styles were not effecti.e in co bat( It is written that internal #ower took any years to de.elo#( Dne had to throw a straight #unch u# to "%999 ti es a day for fro three to fi.e years or strike the to# of a water well 1%999 ti es a day for as uch as ten years or until the water was thrown out by the force of the blow( The ain #ur#ose of the Iron Shirt is not for fighting% but to #erfect the body% to win great health% to fight disease and to #rotect the .ital organs fro inGuries( Most i #ortant in Iron Shirt training is Changing the Tendons N Cleansing the Marrow% and the Self-&egenerati.e Hor one( !e.el I: U Iron Shirt Chi ,ung breathing( U Awakening and circulating of internal <chi> and rooting #ower through e?ercise( U 'irecting the internal #ower to strengthen the organs( -illing the 1" tendon channels with Chi( U Training and o#ening the fascia and filling the !e.el II: U Cleansing the arrow( with chi(

U Changing the tendons and cleansing the

arrow( with Chi(

U Training and o#ening the fascia and filling the U Self-sti ulation of the .ital organs( - 16=

Cha#ter HFI U Strengthening the tendon and uniting the fascia% tendons% bones and uscles in one #iece( !e.el III: U &egenerating se?ual hor ones( U Storing se?ual hor ones in the fascia and tendons( U 'irecting the internal #ower to the higher energy centers( After these three le.els of Iron Shirt Chi ,ung are astered% the #owerful a##lication of the resulting energy is taught in BHealing Hand(C Healing Hand a( 4uddha +al b( +a,ua +al c( Checking the aura and weak energy field( d( Correct and har oniLe the circulation syste % ly #h syste % ner.ous syste % Chi flow syste ( e( +oint to sto# #ain and stress( Trans itting the +ower to hel# D#en the Channels a( *athering the #ower to the #al and finger( b( &estoring the #ower( c( Trans itting the wet sickness and the cold energy away( - 166

A##endi? I Table of Energy Centers 5o( Energy Center Acu#uncture 5a e% 5o( Chakra +ersonality Ty#e Endocrine Secretions Color1( Tan Tien Chi-Chung% CD-2 : bilicus Swadisthana D.er The S#leen Social S#lenic +le?us Hy#ogastricus S#leen Drange "( S#er +alace /ing *ong ,uan-)uan Chung-Chi% CD-3 -our tsun below the : bilicus ,uan-)uan CD-7 Three tsun below the na.el% fe ale o.aries energy center Muladhara genital sacral +hysical sensation le.el% *onads+rostate gland% se inal .esicl D.aries&ed e3( *ate of Mortality 'oor of 'eathN!ife Hui-)in% CD-1 In the center of the

#erineu % idway between anus N scrotu in the ale and the #osterior labial co issure in the fe ale( *enital-Sacral 4ulbourethral gland% endingof the ner.es% .essels% testes&ed7( $oei !iu Chang-Chiang% CD-1 At the lower end of the coccy? between the ti# of the coccy? and the anus( Coccygeal% Sacral 4ase of the S#ine the&oot ChakraCoccygeal4ody8( 'oor of !ife Ming Men% CD-74etween the s#inous #rocess of Swadisthana ,idney Drange - 162

the "nd N 3rd lu bar .ertebrae% at the idline =( /ai-/i Chi-Chung% CD-= below the s#inous #rocess of the T11th .ertebraMani#ura +ancreas% Solar+le?us% Intellectual Coeliac Adrenal )ellow6( )u-Chen The /ade +illow )u-Chen% 4!-1Dn the lateral #art of the u##er argin of the e?ternal occi#utal #rotuberance and o##osite Tien-Chu% 4!-19 Medulla% Cerebellu 4lue2( 5iwan *ong <)ellow +alace> ,ung Huang +ai-Hui% *D-"9 Asectional line Goining u##er ti# of ears and a line fro the iddle of the forehead directly toward the .erte? the #oint of intert Sahasrara% Crown I aginati.e% 4rainAbsorbing the)ang <hea.enlyenergy> The doors#irit+ineal Fiolet 1(TJien-TJing the forehead In the id #oint of Hy#othala us19( Tsu s#irit( The gateway to hea.en( Hea.en and Earth )u Ting%

Cauldron ChJiao Driginal Ca.ity o)in-TJang% C!-1 in the center of thethe brain( -Midway between f the two eyebrowsAGna% 4row Intuiti.e% +ituitary Carotid% +ituitary Indigo - 161

11( Shan ken root of the ountain At the iddle ofthe two eyes at the root of the nose 1"( Chuen Tou Su-!iao Dn the ti# of the nose( 13( Hea.enly About 1(8 inches Mysterious bridle +ool TJien 4ehind the teeth hsueh Hsuan on the #alateO ying ca.ity behind the hea.enly 17( Twel.e Story Shyr Ell /ong !ou Hsuan-Chi% CD-"1 Dn the Midline of the sternu Fissuddha% Throat Conce#tual% +haryngeal% +le?us Cer.icus Thyroid% +arathyroid4lue18( *entle an +alace </iun /uu *ong> Shin *ong Shan-Chung% CD -16 Midway between the two ni##les% on thele.el with 7th s#aAnahata% Heart AcAuisiti.e Cardiacce( Thy us Heart 4odies*reen1=( Huang ting *ong Middle Tan TJien <)ellow Hall Center> Chung *ong

<Middle #alace> 'an *ong Chung-$an% CD -1" Mid#oint on a line connecting the ?y#hoid #rocess with the u bilicus Main#ura% Solar +le?usIntellectual% Coeliac% Solar +le?us% E#igastrecus+ancreas )ellow16( $ei Chung $ei-Chung% 4!79 In the e?act center of theSoul% energystore center #o#liteal fossa( - 129

12( )ung ChJuan )ung ChJuan% ,-1 Dne third the distance fro the cen ter of the #late to the front of it and in the de#ression% which is #resent when the foot is ele.ated( Held to strengthenthe kidneys% directthe energy to rundown% #lace forabsorbing the )in <earth energy> collect the energyradiated out fro the body( 11( Ta-Tun Ta-Tun% !i-1 Dn the lateral side of the distal #halan? of the great toe #osterior to the corner of the .allu unguis( This is the !i.er Meridian% regulates the li.er( "9( )in-+ai% S+-1 Dn the edial side of the great toe( 9(1 Cun #osterior to the corner of nail( This is the s#leen eridian on this will hel# to regulate the s#leen "1( Heding Heding <E?tra 31> Dn the id#oint of the u##er border of the #atella <knee ca#>( Energy sto# center *ong Duter ,idney ""( *au $ascrotu ( n Testes: in e?terna Storage of )inenergy( l

- 121

"3( Tai-)ang GTai-)ang% C!-" Mid#oint on a lineoining the te #oral canthus with the lateral eyebrow argin( "7( !ao-,ung !ao-,ung% EH-2 At a #oint between the "nd and 3rd etacar#al bones where the 1 ti# of the iddle finger touches when fist is cleanched( 4elongs to the +ericardiu Meridian( - 12"

)ing-Tang Hsuan-Chi D.arian +alace /ing*ong S#er +alace Heding E?tra-31 )ung-Chuan ,1 Ta-Tun !I-1 )ing-Tang Hsuan-Chi D.arian +alace /ing*ong S#er +alace Heding E?tra-31 )ung-Chuan ,1 Ta-Tun !I-1 -ig( A(1 +oint and Energy Centers Hsuan-)ing +alate Shuan-Chung Chuang-,ung CD-1" Tan-Tien Chi-Chang Co-2 ,uan-)uan +ai-Hui Crown *D-"9 )u-Chen 4!-1 Chi-Chung *D-= Ming-Men *D-7 Hui-)in +erineu CD-1 $ei-Chung 4!-79 - 123

A##endi? II How Taoist )oga affects your Hor onal Syste Endocrine *lands and Taoist Energy Centers The hor ones are che ical essengers #roduced by the endocrine glands in inute Auantities but e.entually affecting e.ery single cell of your body( The secretions of the endocrine glands e #ty directly into the blood where they find their way to .arious organs% sti ulating or su##ressing the % or in so e way influencing their acti.ity( In the Taoist Esoteric Syste the energy centers do not belong to the #hysical body at all but are regarded as adGuncts of the B.ital bodyC% which are set a#art and crystalliLed to the necessary density in order that it ay #erfor certain s#ecial anifestations of this .ital body( Each gland has a s#ecific work to #erfor ( $hen in good health they all work together in #erfect har ony( The endocrine glands are of s#ecial interest to the students of Taois in relation to the circulation of the Microcos ic Drbit( In order to e?#lain so e of the energy centers in ter s of odern anato y% one has to look to the endocrine glands for correlation( The correlations ay or ay not be right% but that is the best that one can hy#othesiLe at this stage of the art( Adrenals The adrenals are a #air of glands ca##ing the u##er ends of the kidneys( $hen they are re o.ed% death ensues ra#idly( The gland is co #osed of a corte? <outer #ortion> and a edulla <inner #ortion>( The outer #ortion #roduces the se? steroids% the glucocorticoids <corticosterone% hydrocortisone> which are in.ol.ed in the control of carbohydrate% li#id and #rotein etabolis and the ineralocorticoids <aldosterone% deo?ycorti-kidney tubules>% affecting - 127

blood .olu e and blood #ressure control( The adrenals are flat triangular structures( The siLe and weight is so ewhat .ariable( Each is about 8 c long and weighs between 3 and = gra s and is slightly hea.ier in the ale than in the fe ale( The inner #ortion of the adrenals is de.elo#ed fro the ectoder % the outer layer of cells of the e bryo( This is the sa e tissue that #roduces the sy #athetic ner.ous syste ( The inner #ortion secretes adrenalin and noradrenalin( Adrenalin is in.ol.ed in the Bfight or flightC res#onse% whereas noradrenalin causes ore .asoconstriction resulting in arked ele.ation in blood #ressure( The a ount of adrenaline and noradrenalin that circulates in the blood is inute in Auantity but its action is #owerful and farreaching( Its release is triggered by i #ulses fro the sy #athetic ner.ous syste in ti es of ental or #hysical stress% the entry of adrenalin into the blood causes a tre endous heightening of .igor( The brain and the sy #athetic ner.ous syste beco e acti.ated( Concentration of blood glucose is raised by con.ersion fro glycogen% which is stored in the li.er( More blood cells are #oured into circulation fro the blood #ools of the li.er and s#leen( The heart beats ore strongly and faster% the #u#ils of the eyes are dilated% enabling the #erson to see ore clearly% breathing is ore ra#id% the body te #erature rises and the basal etabolis is increased( There is an o##osing effect on the digesti.e syste % howe.er% wherein there is a loss of a##etite and reduced otility( Adrenalin adds strength and alertness to both #hysical and ental acti.ity( It gi.es force in co bat and swiftness in flight( As the acti.ity of adrenalin is regulated by the sy #athetic ner.ous syste % the secretion of it can be increased by the sti ulation of these ner.es alongside the s#inal colu n( So e doctors belie.e that there is a condition called Blow adrenalsC( A #erson with a deficiency of adrenalin will a##ear weary and sensiti.e to cold% ha.e cold hands and feet% loss of a##etite% a tendency to worry% will wee# easily and will so eti es e.en ha.e a ner.ous breakdown( In children% learning #roble s de.elo#% growth is slowed% and they cannot be dri.en or hurried( If we inGect so eone with adrenalin% his heart will contract ore .iolently and beat faster% he will feel an?ious% and will get frightened easily and% if subGected to it for so e ti e% will beco e a .ery ner.ous #erson(

- 128

It is ob.ious% then% that an intricate% delicate balance of .arious factors is in.ol.ed in aintaining a #ro#er har ony of the acti.ities of the .arious organ syste s( In the Tao Esoteric Syste % the center for adrenal acti.ity is to be found in the Chi-Chung( This is a .ery #owerful energy center and is located in the area that is called the Bsolar #le?usC% which corres#onds anato ically to the location of the adrenals% the s#leen% the #ancreas and the kidneys( +ituitary *land Thyroid *land +arathyroid *land Thy us *land Adrenals D.aries Testes +ancreas -ig(4(1 Endocrine *lands - 12=

,idney The hu an kidney is a bean-sha#ed organ weighing about half a #ound( $e ha.e two kidneys located within the abdo inal ca.ity and #rotected at the rear by the s#inal colu n and the big uscles of the back( The to#s of the kidneys are Gust beneath the ribcage( The right kidney% abo.e which lies the li.er% is usually a little lower than the left( About 1%699 Auarts of blood flow through the kidneys each day( A ong the kidney cells are certain glands of endocrine secretion( The kidneys #roduce blood #ressure-ele.ating substances causing hy#ertension at ti es( Erythro#oietin is a substance #ro duced by so e kidney cells% that sti ulates the #roduction of red blood cells( In the Taoist Esoteric Syste % the Ming- en <the 'oor of !ife> is the energy center corres#onding to the acti.ity of the kidneys( Testes The ale gonads or testes lie in the scrotal sac and the nor al siLe .aries fro that of a walnut to that of a #igeon egg( There are two #arts to the testes% the tubules% which #roduce the s#er % and the !eydig cells% which #roduce the #rinci#al asculiniLing hor one% testosterone( !eydig cells also #roduce s all a ounts of estrogens% the fe ale se? hor ones( The testicle is under the control of gonad-sti ulating hor ones or *onadotro#hins( /ust before the onset of #uberty% gonadotro#hins are released% causing the testes to ature and to secrete increasing a ounts of testosterone( This induces de.elo# ent of the secondary se? characteristics such as de.elo# ent of the #enis% #ubic and au?iliary hair growth% increased uscle ass% .oice changes% beard growth and all the signs of anliness in .igor and #erha#s e.en influencing de#ort ent and beha.ior( $ith adeAuate gonadotro#hins and androgen #roduction% the tubular ger cells ri#en into s#er cells( In the case of disorders of the testes% secondary se?ual characteristics will not de.elo# if there is an androgen deficiency during #uberty( If this occurs after aturity% a #artial regression occurs( A #ituitary disease ay be - 126

the cause of this deficiency also( In the Taoist Esoteric Syste % we belie.e that there is tre endous #otential in the energy of the s#er and se? hor ones( $e awaken and transfor this energy to the higher centers( D.aries The o.aries% like the testes% ha.e two functions: first% to #ro.ide o.a or egg cells and secondly% to secrete se? hor ones( The hor ones of the o.aries are estrogens and #rogesterone and unusual conditions androgens ay be #roduced( The o.aries are awakened to acti.ity when a young girl reaches 11 to 13 years of age( The Bfe aleC hor ones ser.e to de.elo# the secondary fe inine se? characteristics of breast growth% #ubic and au?iliary hair% aturation of the genital tract and also the contours of the fe ale figure% and any contribute to the #sychological characteristics of the wo an( InadeAuate or absent o.arian sti ulation by the #ituitary gonadotro#hic hor ones% failure of the o.ary to res#ond% or an abnor al res#onse to the sti ulation% results in any disorders ranging fro inborn failure to enstruate% subseAuent cessation of enses and de.elo# ent of ale characteristics( In the Taoist syste % we regard the o.aries as one of the great energy centers of the fe ale( The fe ale can awaken and transfor the great energy fro the o.aries to the higher center( S#leen The s#leen is located beyond the left end of the sto ach% between it and the dia#hrag ( It is bean-sha#ed and has a dee# blue-red color( It weighs fro fi.e to si? ounces and is soft% s#ongy% and fragile( The s#leen controls blood destruction( In the Taoist Esoteric syste we regard the s#leen as the entrance for solar force% which .italiLes the dense body( $ithout this .ital eli?ir no being can li.e( -ro the s#leen this sun force is sent to the solar #le?us and fro the solar #le?us this fluid-like energy flows along the fila ents co #osing the ner.ous syste ( In this way it #er eates e.ery #art of the #hysical body( energiLing each and e.ery cell with its life force( - 122

According to Chinese edicinal theories% when a #erson is healthy% life energy is stored by the s#leen and e?tracted fro the blood in such large Auantities that it cannot be used inside the body( Therefore% the life energy radiates outward through the #ores of the skin in straight lines% dri.es out #oisonous gases% ini ical bacteria and .iruses and assists in #reser.ing a healthy condition of the #hysical organis ( It also #re.ents ar ies of disease ger s which swar about in the at os#here fro entering the dense .ehicle( According to the Taoist syste % after eating% the .ital solar force attracted by the s#leen is consu ed by the body in great Auantities( $hen the eal is hea.y% the outflow of the .ital fluid fro the body is #erce#tibly di inished and does not then cleanse the dense .ehicle as thoroughly as it does when the food has been digested% nor is it as #otent in kee#ing out ini ical ger s( Therefore% o.ereating renders a #erson ore likely to catch cold or succu b to disease( 'uring ill health the s#leen furnishes the .ital body with .ery little solar energy% and at this ti e the dense body see s to feed on the .ital body( In the Taoist syste it is said that we ha.e to re#air the .ital body% which can then hel# the dense body to get stronger( In Taoist Esoterica% the Bsolar #le?usC is regarded as the largest cauldron of the .ital body which can alche ically i? or har oniLe the generati.e force with the life energy fro the energy center corres#onding to the #ituitary gland% during the #ractice of *reater Enlighten ent of the ,an and !i( The s#leen% as entioned before% corres#onds to a #art of the Bsolar #le?us(C Thy us *land This is the gland of child de.elo# ent( It is situated in the chest between the lungs and behind the u##er #art of the sternu <breast bone>( It descends and co.ers the u##er #ortion of the heart% o.erla##ing the great .essels at the to# of the latter( It reaches its greatest siLe at the beginning of #uberty% gradually disa##earing thereafter at which ti e it is arked by a loss of glandular structure( It does #ersist% howe.er% and so e of the secreting cells re ain throughout life( - 121

In Taoist )oga% when #ro#erly and #ro#ortionally acti.ated the energy center at the thy us alche ically har oniLing with the energy fro the #ituitary gland energy center and the generati.e force residing in the s#er and testicles% can re.erse the aging #rocess( This occurs in the #ractice of the *reatest Enlighten ent of the ,an and !i% in which white hair beco es black% teeth grow back again% and a youthful a##earance de.elo#s( Hy#othala us The hy#othala us is #art of the forebrain% the sa e #art of the brain fro which the cerebral he is#heres de.elo#( The hy#othala us #ro.ides a connecting link between the cerebral corte? and the #ituitary gland( Though the #ituitary gland is considered the aster gland% ne.ertheless% there are sti ulatory and inhibitory agents originating in the hy#othala us% which regulate #ituitary functions( This ancient area in our brain is also inti ately concerned with the regulation of energy balance through the control of a##etite% slee#% body te #erature% the regulation of se?ual function and control of water balance( 'isturbances in the hy#othala us ay cause such endocrine disorders as se?ual #recocity% absence of a##etite with e?tre e loss of weight% diabetes insi#idus and disorganiLation of the slee# #attern( Indeed% the hy#othala us and the #ituitary gland are both functionally and anato ically related( Dur thoughts% our ho#es and Goys% our worries and our sorrows% our .ery ner.ous constitution all #rofoundly influence the hy#othala us-#ituitary co #le?( In the Taoist Esoteric Syste % the energy center of Tien-Ting <in the id-#oint of the forehead> corres#onds to the hy#othala us( Thyroid *land: *land of Energy The thyroid gland is located in the throat and lies in front of and on either side of the wind#i#e and Gust beneath the laryn? <.oice bo?> and is connected Gust below the Ada Js a##le( This gland arises fro the sa e tissue and al ost fro the sa e s#ot as the anterior lobe of the #ituitary body( It weighs about an ounce( Each lobe of the thyroid is about two inches in length% and fro an inch to an inch and a Auarter in width( - 119

The thyroid gland is highly .asculariLed and recei.es any ti es ore blood in #ro#ortion to its siLe( It is noted for its high degree of functional acti.ity( It is hea.ier in the fe ale than in the ale and beco es enlarged during se?ual e?cite ent% enstruation% and #regnancy( The thyroid glandJs secretion is called thyro?in% which contains iodine( The thyroid is an energy gland and its secretion is the controller of the s#eed of li.ing( It affects the etabolis of #ractically all the tissues of the body( The #rinci#al function of the hor one is to regulate the rate of o?ygen consu #tion% which is tanta ount to the bodyJs etabolic rate% which can be thought of as oneJs Brate of li.ingC( This hor one is reAuired for nor al growth and de.elo# ent of the brian% uscle and bones and it indirectly affects the acti.ity of other glands of internal secretion as well( Too little thyroid hor one #roduces a condition of sluggishness( $ith too uch% there will be arked a##rehension% alertness% ner.ousness% loss of weight% increased thirst% freAuent urination% #rofuse #ers#iration% intolerance of heat% inso nia% freAuent stools% ra#id heartbeat and #al#itations( In the Taoist A##roach% the energy center at the thyroid is considered to be one of the ost i #ortant centers in the body because it controls the growth of the dense .ehicle and ental de.elo# ent and it is .ery closely related to all of the other si? energy centers under consideration( It is the great link between the brain and the organs of generation <re#roducti.e organs>( In the Taoist Esoteric Syste % the thyroid energy center is called Hsuan-Chi <the twel.e story> and is used as an energy Center only to draw in #ower( It is not ordinarily included in alche y because when it is o#en it is hard to #rotect( Howe.er% in the greater and the greatest enlighten ent of the ,an N !i% we draw enor ous stores of #ower fro this energy center to alche ically i? with the #ower of other energy centers in order to #roduce an e.er greater source of #ower( - 111

+ituitary *land The #ituitary gland is about the siLe of a #ea% situated al ost e?actly in the center of the head at the base of the brain and Gust behind the root of the nose( It hangs sus#ended fro the underside of the brain like a cherry fro the li b of a tree( It is grayish yellow in color( In the adult it weighs about fi.e grains% or 1;1799 of a #ound( Its na e is deri.ed fro the !atin word% B#ituitaC% because it was su##osed to secret a fluid which lubricated the throat( It was belie.ed that the secretion filtered through the #orous ethnoid bone that inter.enes between the #ituitary body and the nasal ca.ity( Tongue touches the +alate E bryologically% the #ituitary begins by anifesting as an outgrowth of the outh ca.ity( This outgrowth takes the for of a #ouch% which gradually e?tends toward the brain( 4y the end of the fourth week this #rotrusion contacts a downgrowth fro the brain called the infundibulu ( The #ouch then de.elo#s into the anterior lobe of the #ituitary% whereas the infundibulu % re#resenting an outgrowth of the oldest #art of the ner.ous syste % de.elo#s into the #osterior lobe of the gland( There is a s#ace between the walls of the anterior and #osterior #arts of the gland% which #ersists throughout life as the cleft of the gland( The #ituitary gland is di.ided into an anterior or front #ortion% which is co #osed of glandular tissue and a #osterior or back #ortion% which is co #osed of ner.e-like tissue( The anterior #ortion #roduces se.eral hor ones which sti ulate distant structures such as: a growth hor one% a hor one which sti ulates the adrenal corte?% a thyroid sti ulating hor one and also a hor one which sti ulates breast ilk #roduction and another which influences #ig ent #roduction by certain cells of the skin( The #osterior #art of the gland is an e?tension of the hy#othala us% that #ortion of the brain to which the #ituitary is attached( The #osterior lobe of the #ituitary body secretes se.eral i #ortant hor ones% two of which deser.e s#ecial attention( Dne of the % called #itocin% has a #owerful sti ulating effect on the #regnant - 11"

uterus and is freAuently used in cases where labor is slow and ineffecti.e( The other% called antidiuretic hor one% controls the salt and water content of the blood( In ani al studies% an acti.e #ituitary #roduces alertness( A tired or dull #ituitary #roduces slee#iness and general dullness( 'uring hibernation or winter slee#% an ani al in cold weather #asses into a catale#tic state in which it continues to breathe% ore dee#ly but ore slowly than when awake( The internal secretions of all of the glands of hibernating ani als show changes during this #eriod but the ost arked effect is found in the #ituitary in which the cells shrink as if they too were aslee# or resting( $hen the s#ring co es% the #ituitary gland cells again beco e nor ally acti.e( In the Taoist Syste % s#ecial attention is gi.en to #ro#erly sti ulate and har oniLe the energy center related to this gland( Atte #ts ha.e been ade to i? #ituitary gland energy with sources of cooler energy such as s#er and earth #ower( This constitutes a cauldron for culti.ating the s#irit in the #ractice called the sealing of the fi.e sense organs( +ineal *land <Hu an Co #ass> The #ineal gland is a cone-sha#ed body% reddish in color% about half an inch in length% and not uch larger than a grain of wheat( It is attached to% and situated o.er% the third .entricle of the brain% weighing about two grains( It is co #osed% in #art% of ner.e cells containing a #ig ent si ilar to that #resent in the cells of the retina( This strengthens the argu ent for its function as an eye in earlier ani al s#ecies( In the Taoist ter inology% the 5iwan-,ung corres#onds to this gland( In the cauldron% it is considered to culti.ate the highest le.el of the s#irit in the #ractice: Congress of Hea.en( $hen the gland is fully de.elo#ed it will tell us where our destination is( - 113

)in-Tang C!-1 <Third Eye> +ituitary *land )in-Tang C!-1 <Third Eye> +ituitary *land -ig(4(" Endocrine *lands - 117

- 118