AOIST MEDITATION: MICROCOSMIC ORBIT MEDITATION

This is the classic Taoist meditation method for refining, raising, and circulating internal energy via the
'orbit' formed by the 'Governing Channel' from perineum up to head and the Conception Channel from
head back down to perineum. Activating the Microcosmic Orbit is a key step that leads to more
advanced practices. Taoists believe that microcosmic orbit meditation fills the reservoirs of the
Governing and Conception channels with energy, which is then distributed to all the major organ-
energy meridians, thereby energizing the internal organs. It draws abundant energy up from the
sacrum into the brain, thereby enhancing cerebral circulation of blood and stimulating secretions of
vital neurochemicals. It is also the first stage for cultivating the 'spiritual embryo' or 'golden elixir' of
immortality, a process that begins in the lower abdomen and culminates in the mid-brain. This is
probably the best of all Taoist methods for cultivating health and longevity while also 'opening the
three passes' to higher spiritual awareness.

Taoists often refer things in symbolic languages. (See the section on Human anatomy from the Taoist
perspective for a description of the symbolism used in referring to the human anatomy.) 'Opening the
Three Passes' is another name for this meditation method and refers to the three critical junctions
which pave the way for energy to travel up from the sacrum through the Governing Channel along the
spine into the head.

Method:

1. The first step is to still the body, calm the mind, and regulate the breath. With this settled mind,
sit alone in a quiet room, senses shut and eyelids lowered. Turn your attention within, and
inwardly visualize a pocket of energy in the umbilical region; within it is a point of golden light,
clear and bright, immaculately pure. Focus attention on the navel until you feel the 'pocket of
energy' glowing in the umbilical region. The breath through your nose will naturally become
light and subtle, going out and in evenly and finely, continuously and quietly, gradually
becoming slighter and subtler. When the feeling is stable and the energy there is full, use your
mind to guide energy down to the perineum and back up through the aperture in the coccyx.

Steadily visualize this true energy as being like a small snake gradually passing through the
nine apertures of the coccyx. When you feel the energy has gone through this pass, visualize
this true energy rising up to where the ribs meet the spine, then going through this pass and
right on up to the Jade Pillow, the back of the brain.

Then imagine your true spirit in the Nirvana Chamber in the center of the brain, taking in the
energy. When this true energy goes through the Jade Pillow, press the tongue against the
palate. The head should move forward and tilt slightly upwards to help it. When you feel this
true energy penetrating the Nirvana Chamber, this may feel hot or swollen. This means the
pass has been cleared and the energy has reached the Nirvana Center.

2. Next, focus attention on the Celestial Eye between the eyebrows and draw energy forwards
from the midbrain and out through the point between the brows. This may cause a tingling or
throbbing sensation there. Then the center of the brows will throb - this means the Celestial
Eye is about to open. Then move the spirit into the center of the brows and draw the true
energy through the Celestial Eye. If you see the eighteen thousand pores and three hundred
and sixty joints of the whole body explode open all at once, each joint parting three-tenths of
an inch, this is evidence of the opening of the Celestial Eye.

This is what is meant when it is said that when one pass opens all the passes open, and when
one opening is cleared all the openings are cleared.

You may wish to stay and work with this point for a few minutes, before letting energy sink
down through the palate and tongue into the throat to the heart. This may feel as though there
 is cool water going down the Multistoried Tower of the windpipe. Do not swallow; let it go
down by itself, bathing the bronchial tubes.

Then the vital energy will bathe the internal organs and then return to the genitals. This is what
is called return to the root.

From the heart, draw it down through the Middle Elixir Field in the solar plexus, past the navel,
and down into the Ocean of Energy reservoir in the Lower Elixir Field, where energy gathers,
mixes, and is reserved for internal circulation. Then begin another cycle up through the coccyx
to the mid-spine behind the heart and up past the Jade Pillow into the brain.

3. Breathe naturally with your abdomen, and don't worry whether energy moves up or down on
inhalation or exhalation; coordinate the flow of breath and energy in whatever manner suits
you best. However, if you reach the stage where you can complete a full Microcosmic Orbit in
a single breath, it's best to raise energy up from coccyx to head on exhalation and draw it
down from Upper to Lower Elixir Field on inhalation.

If you practice this way for a long time, eventually you can complete a whole cycle of ascent and
descent in one visualization. If you can quietly practice this inner work continuously, whether walking,
standing still, sitting, or lying down, then the vital energy will circulate within, and there will naturally be
no problem of leakage. Chronic physical ailments, Taoists believe, will naturally disappear.

Also, once the inner energy is circulating, the breath will naturally become fine, and the true positive
energy of heaven and earth will be inhaled by way of the breath and go down to join your own
generative energy. The two energies will mix together, both to be circulated by you together,
descending and ascending over and over, circulating up and down to replenish the depleted true
energy in your body.

This true energy harmonizes and reforms, so that the vital fluids produced by the energy of daily life
again produce true vitality. When true vitality is fully developed, it naturally produces true energy, and
when true energy is fully developed it naturally produces our true spirit.

If you have any physical problems or discomforts in a particular section of your body, focus your
energy at the pass closest to the discomfort and let it throb there for a while. This will help heal and
rejuvenate the injured tissues. For example, if you have pelvic problems, focus energy on the coccyx
pass; for lower-back pain focus on the lowest lumbar vertebra just above the sacrum; for upper-back
and shoulder pain focus on the fifth thoracic vertebra, and so forth.

This meditation may also cause the head to rock or the body to tremble, which, Taoists believe, are
signs of progress.

Time: Thirty to forty-five minutes, once or twice a day.

MEDITATION TECHNIQUES

TAOIST MEDITATION METHODS

Taoist meditation methods have many points in common with Hindu and Buddhist systems, but the
Taoist way is less abstract and far more down-to-earth than the contemplative traditions which evolved
in India. The primary hallmark of Taoist meditation is the generation, transformation, and circulation of
internal energy. Once the meditator has 'achieved energy' (deh-chee), it can be applied to promoting
health and longevity, nurturing the 'spiritual embryo' of immortality, martial arts, healing, painting and
poetry, sensual self-indulgence, or whatever else the adept wishes to do with it.
The two primary guidelines in Taoist meditation are jing ('quiet, stillness, calm') and ding
('concentration, focus'). The purpose of stillness, both mental and physical, is to turn attention inwards
and cut off external sensory input, thereby muzzling the "Five Thieves". Within that silent stillness, one
concentrates the mind and focuses attention, usually on the breath, in order to develop what is called
'one-pointed awareness', a totally undistracted, undisturbed, undifferentiated state of mind which
permits intuitive insights to arise spontaneously.

Taoist masters suggest that when you first begin to practice meditation, you will find that your mind is
very uncooperative. That's your ego, or 'emotional mind', fighting against its own extinction by the
higher forces of spiritual awareness. The last thing your ego and emotions want is to be harnessed:
they revel in the day-to-day circus of sensory entertainment and emotional turmoil, even though this
game depletes your energy, degenerates your body, and exhausts your spirit. When you catch your
mind drifting into fantasy or drawing attention away from internal alchemy to external phenomena,
here are six ways you can use to 'catch the monkey', clarify the mind, and re-establish the
internal focus:

1. Shift attention back to the inflow and outflow of air streaming through the nostrils, or energy
streaming in and out of a vital point, such as between the brows.
2. Focus attention on the rising and falling of the navel, the expansion and contraction of the
abdomen, as you breathe.
3. With eyes half-closed, focus vision on a candle flame or a mandala (geometric meditation
picture). Focus on the center of the flame or picture, but also take in the edges with peripheral
vision. The concentration required to do this usually clears all other distractions from the mind.
4. Practice a few minutes of mantra, the 'sacred syllables' which harmonize energy and focus the
mind. Though mantras are usually associated with Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist practices,
Taoists have also employed them for many millennia. The three most effective syllables are
'Om', which stabilizes the body, 'ah', which harmonizes energy, and 'hum', which concentrates
the spirit. 'Om' vibrates between the brows, 'ah' in the throat, and 'hum' in the heart, and their
associated colors are white, red, and blue respectively. Chant the syllables in a deep, low-
pitched tone and use long, complete exhalations for each one. Other mantras are equally
effective.
5. Beat the 'Heavenly Drum' as a cool-down energy-collection technique. The vibrations tend to
clear discursive thoughts and sensory distractions from the mind.
6. Visualize a deity or a sacred symbol of personal significance to you shining above the crown
of your head or suspended in space before you. When your mind is once again still, stable,
and undistracted, let the vision fade away and refocus your mind on whatever meditative
technique you were practicing.

Taoist meditation works on all three levels of the 'Three Treasures': essence (body), energy (breath),
and spirit (mind).

1. The first step is to adopt a comfortable posture for the body, balance your weight evenly,
straighten the spine, and pay attention to physical sensations such as heat, cold, tingling,
trembling, or whatever else arises.
2. When your body is comfortable and balanced, shift attention to the second level, which is
breath and energy. You may focus on the breath itself as it flows in and out of the lungs
through the nostrils, or on energy streaming in and out of a particular point in tune with the
breath.
3. The third level is spirit: when the breath is regulated and energy is flowing smoothly through
the channels, focus attention on thoughts and feelings forming and dissolving in your mind,
awareness expanding and contracting with each breath, insights and inspirations arising
spontaneously, visions and images appearing and disappearing. Eventually you may even be
rewarded with intuitive flashes of insight regarding the ultimate nature of the mind: open and
empty as space; clear and luminous as a cloudless sky at sunrise; infinite and unimpeded.

Just as all the rules of chee-gung practice can be boiled down to the three Ss - slow, soft, smooth - so
the main points of meditation practice may be summed up in the three Cs: calm, cool, clear. As for
proper postures for practice, the two positions most frequently used in Taoist meditation are (See the
description of postures given elsewhere):
 Sitting cross-legged on the floor in 'half-lotus' position, with the buttocks elevated on a cushion or
pad. The advantages of this method are that this position is more stable and encourages energy to
flow upwards towards the brain.

Sitting erect on a low stool or chair, feet parallel and shoulder width apart, knees bent at a 90-
degree angle, spine erect. The advantages of sitting on a stool are that the legs do not cramp, the
soles of the feet are in direct contact with the energy of the earth, and internal energy tends to
flow more freely throughout the lower as well as the upper torso.

Most meditators who follow Taoist Meditation use both methods, depending on conditions. When
sitting cross-legged, Western practitioners, whose legs tend to cramp more easily than Asians', are
advised to sit on thick firm cushions, perhaps with a phone book or two underneath, in order to elevate
the pelvis and take pressure off the legs and knees. This also helps keep the spine straight without
straining the lower back.

The way the hands are placed is also important. The most natural and comfortable position is to rest
the palms lightly on the thighs, just above the knees. However, some meditators find it more effective
to use one of the traditional 'mudras', or hand gestures. Experiment with different combinations of
posture and mudra until you find the style that suits you best.

Taoist meditation masters teach three basic ways to control the Fire mind of emotion with the Water
mind of intent, so that the adept's goals in meditation may be realized.

The first method is called 'stop and observe'. This involves paying close attention to how thoughts
arise and fade in the mind, learning to let them pass like a freight train in the night, without
clinging to any particular one. This develops awareness of the basic emptiness of all thought, as
well as non-attachment to the rise and fall of emotional impulses. Gradually one learns simply to
ignore the intrusion of discursive thoughts, at which point they cease arising for sheer lack of
attention.

The second technique is called 'observe and imagine', which refers to visualization. The adept
employs intent to visualize an image - such as Buddha, Jesus, a sacred symbol, the moon, a star, or
whatever - in order to shift mental focus away from thoughts and emotions and stabilize the mind
in one-pointed awareness. You may also visualize a particular energy center in your body, or listen
to the real or imagined sound of a bell, gong, or cymbal ringing in your ears. The point of focus is
not important: what counts is shifting the focus of your attention away from idle thoughts,
conflicting emotions, fantasies, and other distracting antics of the 'monkey mind' and
concentrating attention instead on a stable point of focus established by the mind of intent, or
'wisdom mind'.

The third step in cultivating control over your own mind is called 'using the mind of intent to guide
energy'. When the emotional mind is calm and the breath is regulated, focus attention on the
internal energy. Learn how to guide it through the meridian network in order to energize vital
organs, raise energy from the sacrum to the head to nourish the spirit and brain, and exchange
stale energy for fresh energy from the external sources of heaven (sky) and earth (ground). Begin
by focusing attention on the Lower Elixir Field below the abdomen, then moving energy from there
down to the perineum, up through the coccyx, and up along the spinal centers into the head, after
which attention shifts to the Upper Elixir Field between the brows. Though this sounds rather
 vague and esoteric to the uninitiated, a few months of practice, especially in conjunction with
chee-gung and proper dietary habits, usually suffices to unveil the swirling world of energy and
awareness hidden within our bodies and minds. All you have to do is sit still and shut up long
enough for your mind to become aware of it.

It's always a good idea to warm up your body and open your energy channels with some chee-gung
exercises before you sit down to meditate. This facilitates internal energy circulation and enables you
to sit for longer periods without getting stiff or numb. After sitting, you should avoid bathing for at least
twenty minutes in order to prevent loss of energy through open pores and energy points. If you live in
the northern hemisphere, it's best to sit facing south or east, in the general direction of the sun; in the
southern hemisphere, sit facing north or east.

Given below are three Taoist meditations that are useful for beginners.

Taoist Meditation Lesson #1 (Basics Part 1) 1 comment

Taoist Sage Sitting With His Treasure

The Taoist methods of meditation differ significantly from other “styles”. To Taoists, the main
focus of all the practices, is to understand reality, be content with that understanding, and to
change what needs to change to find contentment within the truth of that reality.

This “Taoist” approach revolves around the concept of “energy”.

For example: Understand that everything is made from energy, align yourself with that energy,
and the truth will set you free.
This approach is at odds with most other meditation techniques I have encountered. At least one
style I know of uses the following type of format.
For example; Imagine you are (fill in the blank), “pretend” you are happy there, “feel good”
escaping from reality.
Without attempting to disrespect other methods, I will describe why the Taoist methods are more
effective in this article.
The first thing is, Taoists don’t deal with “Illusions“.
Secondly, “feeling happy” can kill you and “feeling un-happy” may save your life.
Thirdly, if you do not “embrace reality” you never have lasting change.
While this all may seem obvious to many it is often subverted by many “meditation” methods in an
attempt to “feel good”. The fact is the attempt to feel good is one the paths that have often lead to
evil in the world. To be sure making no attempt to “feel” is a Taoist method that is highly effective.
By relaxing our practice, we are following the principle of “Wu Wei” or “non-striving” which allows
for the spontaneous flow of energy, and this is a basic Taoist tenant.

The end result of “feeling good” comes not from any contrived means but spontaneously after one
is aligned with Tao. Therefore, one only needs to align in order to find the truth and be set free
from the endless loop of thoughts that plague the human mind.

As simple as that is, most people never find the peace from which they came from, the treasure
beyond all treasures that is always within them.

Ineffective mediation techniques often lead to the following:

Stopping extraneous physicality often sends a person’s energy into the mental/emotional realm
where an untrained mind will start on a feed back loop, often enhanced by seemingly random
images that get projected onto the dark screen of the “Minds Eye”.
Dealing with illusions leads to delusions that take one further away from reality. Evoking thought
and emotions waste the energy that could otherwise heal you.

Thinking, feeling, visualizing, triggers emotions that send energy back into the loop of a thinking,
feeling, reactive cycle that leads to distraction and rumination and frustration. Often the
overwhelmed student gives up leading to resentment that fuels more thinking feeling reacting ad
nauseam. The end result is far worse than not “meditating” at all!

In the Part 2, I will explain how we can avoid this type of pitfall, and what makes the Taoist
method superior to methods that involve “thinking” or “feeling”.

Taoist Meditation Lesson #2 (Basics Part 2) 1 comment

Finding the Way

In part one, I laid out the premise for “energy based” meditation techniques that are the basis of
Taoist praxis.

While training with my Sifu, Master Dong, I would notice a certain smile upon his face while doing
Qigong. I can only describe the smile as the curious look of someone that has a secret; kind of a “I
know something you don’t” grin. The reality is, that his smile is a truthful expression of just that,
he does know something most people will never know.
Energy is the treasure we all can obtain, wealth beyond comprehension is always available to you.
To the Taoist sages the definition of a rich man is “One who knows when he has enough.”
Conversely it might be true to say that a poor man is “One that needs (or simply wants) more.”

Basic human needs not withstanding, the “Realized man” of antiquity was often a hermit living off
the land, happy to live in a cave and forage for food, living close to nature. In this light, we can
see, that beyond food and shelter, “wealth” is a relative thing. Taoists have no problems with
having physical wealth, the defining thing is they don’t need any to be content.

A wise person makes themselves rich with the currency of Heaven and Earth. Gathering that
treasure that flows from the Tao; accumulating virtues along the Way is the Taoist Way. Lao Tzu
says, “Tao gives and gives and yet it is never depleted.” When you have the Way you, you too will
find “The more you give, the more you have.”

Our goal in learning Taoist meditation is to connect directly to energy. Like a pile of gold coins we
can sit with our energy or we can “spend” it. Every thought, image, fantasy, illusion, emotion and
movement we make takes energy. To the Taoists, purifying this energy was like refining gold.
They even called the practice “Spiritual Alchemy.” In meditation then, finding this energy and
aligning with it, was and is a divine enterprise.

To the untrained, would be meditator, most attempts end in failure. Even with advanced students
it is a difficult skill to master without following certain guidelines. For the beginner, sitting still and
attempting to “align with your energy” will guarantee that you cannot. This is akin to a light bulb,
that when turned on shines out incoherent light, millions of photons shooting out all willy-nilly,
colliding with each other and heading off in random directions dissipating quickly into the
surrounding darkness.

You need to train your energy system to focus the energy so it can flow on it’s own. A laser beam
is a wave of coherent light that has all the photons aligned with each other, all flowing in the same
direction remaining focused and able to travel an almost infinite number of miles without
dissipating.

In Part 3 I will describe in detail how we can train our energy to be focused like a laser beam
instead of wasting most of it with “incoherent emissions” of Qi.

Taoist Meditation Lesson #3 (Basics Part 3) 2 comments

Most people attempting to learn meditation have had years of conditioning that have programmed
them to fail at that attempt.

Ponder this definition: Meditate, noun, 2.) Continued or extended thought; reflection;
contemplation.

Now this is not a failing of the language; because the word’s origin means: literally “to think.”
Perhaps the Taoist method is not “meditation”. By this I mean that, conscious thought is contrary
to the prime objective of Taoist meditation, or rather just a basic starting point. As to “thinking”
the general premise is; To ponder a concept of a “thing” in order to make a rational decision
towards a situation etc. I am paraphrasing here because there are over twenty definitions of the
word “think”.

Therefore, for our purposes we need to redefine meditation, in the Taoist perspective; meaning
more or less the opposite of the classical definition. For even if we are contemplating energy it is
preferred that there is no conscious “contemplating” going on and that for our purpose “energy“ is
both “thing” and “non-thing.“

Seems to me that we do too much thinking already. Isn’t “thinking” one of the greatest sources of
suffering in the human condition today? Wouldn’t you love to be able to “not think” for just a
moment? Wouldn’t it be nice if that endless loop of thoughts would just “go away”?

To begin our practice we must form a new paradigm; most likely, almost everything you thought
you understood about “meditating” is, in a word, wrong. First, we need to learn a little about
“Qigong” or energy cultivation as the Taoists of old called the practice. This art needs to be learned
from a qualified teacher and that is beyond the scope of this article. I assume, if you are reading
this, that you have a basic understanding of qigong.
These practices could be:
Moving or still
Internal (nei gong) or external (wei gong)
Sitting or standing
Physical or mental/emotional
Whatever the case may be, they are all manifestations of Yin/Yang.
The first step in learning the Taoist meditation methods that I have learned, is to open the body’s
channels through some basic qigong movements. It is possible to begin without first warming up
this way but I would recommend doing so. Meditation practice can be standing or sitting but either
way the basics are the same.

By opening up the energy pathways and dissolving our mind and body into one, the energy will
spontaneously transmute into spirit. After melting away the layers of body, mind and emotion,
there is really only one place left for the energy to go into, the spirit. Sounds simple doesn’t it?
Keep in mind what Taoists call the “spirit” may be different that what you are thinking.

An ancient king once asked a famous Taoist sage, “What is your secret to longevity?”

The Sage replied, “My mind is merged with my body; my body is merged with my energy, my
energy is merged with my spirit, and my spirit is merged with Tao.”

These concepts in Taoist Meditation Basics Parts 1-3 lay the foundation for the practice of
“Spiritual Alchemy.” In the next 3 articles, on “Taoist Meditation Practices”, I will describe the
actual process that is involved in performing the once closely guarded secret of “Spiritual
Alchemy.”

Taoist Meditation Lesson #4 (Practice Part 1) 2 comments

Find your Way to the top

First, combine lead and mercury
Second, form the gold pill
Third, refine the gold into the elixir….
In the first three articles, Taoist Meditation Basics, I laid out the foundation for a skill known as
“Spiritual Alchemy”. It is a profound and yet simple path and in a way even fun. Don’t let the next
few paragraphs throw you off, I’m just writing them for “full disclosure” on the topic.

The Taoist alchemical texts such as “The Book of Balance and Harmony” uses metaphorical
language that seems at times to contradict itself. I will try to simplify the jargon from the arcane
and purposely cryptic text.
For example, try to comprehend the following typical (paraphrased) instructions:

Combine lead and mercury into the crucible. Then fire them in the furnace to form the gold pill.
Refine and rarify the gold pill and the elixir will form. Then you may enter the mysterious pass.

Let’s look at the symbolic language. Lead, represents essence, sort of like your physical energy,
body and common sense. Mercury (quicksilver) represents mental/emotional energy, thinking etc.
The crucible, is the body‘s energy channels and dantien at your center. The furnace, represents the
mind, used to cook lead and mercury with the fire of discipline, concentration and insight.

The gold pill, is an understanding of energy, a nugget of primordial energy released, an awakening
within, a “spiritual embryo” if you will. Refine and rarify refer to practicing cultivation arts like
qigong and meditation.

The elixir is a reborn energy system, a full understanding of the principles and practice, being one
with primordial energy. The mysterious pass is (a mystery) between Heaven and Earth, the gate
into Tao … immortality in Taoist code.

This meditation practice is designed to bring about enlightenment. For Taoists that term is more
like “let go of your burden” (mental excess) if you “lighten your load” you are “enlightened.” Also
let’s redefine “immortality” to mean “longevity” not necessarily “for all time.” Because you cannot
create or destroy energy, the fully realized Taoists, quantum physicists that they are, know that
true immortality does indeed exist in some form; to be content with that knowledge is a sagely
thing.

To start the practice of spiritual alchemy, remember what the famous sage told the king.

“My mind is merged with my body; my body is merged with my energy, my energy is merged with
my spirit, and my spirit is merged with Tao.”

The first step is to merge your mind with your body.

1. Open up your energy channels with some qigong
2. Focus your mental energy into your body
3. Use your mind to dissolve all thoughts and emotions
The second step is to merge your body with your energy.
4. Embrace the pure unadulterated dissolved energy
5. Become one with this energy, refining out imperfections
6. Learn the truth about your true make up
The third step is to merge your energy with your spirit.
7. Repeat the process until you meditate unceasingly
8. Know that you are reborn continually in Tao
9. Live confidently, contentedly, with no fears, forever.
Then your spirit will merge with Tao.
First, combine lead and mercury
Second form the gold pill
Third refine the gold into the elixir….
In the following articles, I will explain how we do these steps and I will give you some tools for
performing the work of “Combining Lead and Mercury,“ yielding a “Spiritual Embryo” that you will
cherish and nurture until it gives birth to a new you!

Until then learn the essential skill of Tuning your Breath

Taoist Meditation Lesson #5 (Practice Part 2) 2 comments

The Cat's Eye Nebula

First no form. Then form. Then no form…….

In the first three articles on basics and the first article on practice, I laid out the foundation for our
actual cultivation procedures. Please read these previous articles until the concept of “dissolving
the mind into the body” makes sense to you. Keeping in mind, we are on an inward journey when
we do Taoist meditation.

We pass from an external-centric universe to an internal one. Along the way, we go through
different layers of ourselves. From a completely external world, through the body and mind,
revealing our emotions and ultimately our spiritual center. From that perspective, we continue back
through the layers and return to the external.

Always remember we are working with energy and when we do so we need to adhere to basic
energetic principles. Also, know as we move inward we encounter different energies at each layer
each combining and adding to the previous energies. I am talking about quantum physics here. As
we move inward and the energy level increases, it requires more training to control it.

The first step in the actual process of the “Transformational Tao of spiritual alchemy” is a basic
understanding of what we are going to do… so up until now we have been looking at a kind of map
of our journey. On the path, so far you could say we have “opened the door” now it is time to step
through it.

First, we need to align and relax our physical bodies. Next, we train an awareness of our energy
allowing it to permeate the entire body. We start externally and as we become more aware, we
move internally, melting away the boundaries between the layers as we progress.

When this is completed, we achieve a freedom from our bodies. By utilizing our minds to become
aware of the energy within us, we meld the two together essentially dissolving the mind into the
body. After we acquire this skill, we are able to get freedom from our thoughts as well.

Before starting, I suggest you Tune your Breath

Stand or sit in proper wuji, focus initially on your alignments.
After you are aligned and relaxed, close you eyes and let your arms hang down at your sides. Bring
your awareness to your hands. Just notice that you actually have hands….become aware of each
finger or pairs of fingers one at a time. Just do this for a couple of minutes. Let them fill with blood
and energy and feel them tingle.

In your mind’s eye, have an image of yourself standing or sitting there. An image of you aligned to
perfection, symmetrical and relaxed.

The only imagery we use in the Taoist method is that of reality.

Your “energy you” is a projection of your energy, that is what we see here. Now out of the corner
of your mind’s eye notice your hands. As though you can actually see them, and as you do feel the
tingling sensation therein.
This tingling sensation of energy is a manifestation of the only thing of any real importance that
you have. Work on getting in touch with the pureness of your energy. Repeat this process until you
can restrict your thoughts and body movements to the method outlined above.

This is the first step to dissolving your mind and body together, a skill known as sublimation. Just
work on this for now… do not think of “stuff”, do not allow imagery to invade your mind’s eye.

Eventually we will even dissolve away the image of yourself as separate from the energy that
creates you…anything but pure energy is just an illusion….

Taoist Meditation Lesson #6 (Practice Part 3) 3 comments

Orion Nebula, the energy of the universe

“The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.”
In this third article on this subject I suggest you re-read the other three to provide a segue into
this one and so, if you have been following along with all the meditation lessons, this would be the
sixth one so far.

Now if you will just close your eyes… right now just for a few seconds…

Tell me, what did you see? Try again and do it for a little longer.
Since you cannot tell me, let me guess, you see little flickers of light, sort of like when the TV is
between stations, or swirling fluid like colors as in a gaseous star cloud in space. Am I right? Well,
what you are really seeing is your energy, the energy of the universe that has been embedded in
you. If I were a religious man, I would say, “That’s God talking to you”.

Now try this experiment again, this time keep your eyes closed longer, say, for a minute. Now
what did you see? I hope that you saw more of the same, but most likely, some image made itself
manifest there in your mind’s eye, or you were caught up in a daydream. That was your mind
talking to you.

In our practice up until now, we have been talking a lot about dissolving your mind into your body,
so you can dissolve your body into energy and thus send the energy deeper into your center where
it can strengthen your spirit. The methods I showed you in the last lesson were about moving in
that direction, remember we started with the hands and I said you could also use an image of
yourself, something called the “energy body” this is a tool to help you learn to stay in the “now
moment”.

When you are using the mind in this way, learning to stay in the now, there is a short length of
time spent moving your energy inward. Somewhere between a few seconds and ten minutes, you
are switching modes of energy application. Inevitably, thoughts will arise, this is expected and is
very normal, but if you have read the prior lessons, you know that these are illusions. Just take a
step back, mentally, and see that for what it is and go back to the most important thing there is
…little flickers of light, sort of like when the TV is between stations, or swirling fluid like colors as in
a gaseous star cloud in space…. Your energy.

Your goal, if you need one, is to just sit quietly and stay with your energy. Go back to the hands
and the body if you need too, or look through the illusions as though they are like a digital image
that you can zoom in on until they are pixilated and so dissolved back into the energy from which
they came from.

Step back from “images” of any kind, as soon as your mind forms an “Image” you are being taken
away from your energy. In time, and with discernment, you will see the truth about what your
mind is trying to do to you, but you will conquer it and take control of your life. You may see some
upsetting things about yourself, listen, learn, but don’t get caught up in them. Just go back to the
energy as if you found yourself watching an old movie that you decide not to watch and just
change the channel back to your new favorite one…energy.

There is nothing that can compare to the blissful feeling of staying free from those thoughts and
images. The energy itself is a compelling show to follow; there is no greater image or thought in
the entire universe as unadulterated energy. By allowing your mind to escape from all the illusions
that have been fooling you for so long, you will find the truth, the truth that You are Energy.

In time, the truth will set you free.

Taoist Meditation Lesson #7 Finding Heaven Leave a comment

 “The sage sees the universe without going out the door”

Small Heavenly Circle (Microcosmic Orbit) Meditation Part #1

Attaining Tao is to merge with the wonders of heaven. In the very first verse of the Tao Te Ching,
Lao Tzu says, “The Tao that can be named is not the real Tao”.What he is saying is the greatest of
all things is beyond words, and once we attempt to name it we have defined the indefinable, which
obviously is not going to work. So then, how do we merge with the undifferentiated source of all
things? Simple, start by just letting go of your desire to be or do anything and focus your energy
into heaven.
If you have read the six prior lessons on Taoist meditation basics and practices and if you have
actually tried some of these techniques then it is time to expand your horizons. Be sure to
read Tuning the Breath as well.
I hope by now you have had some success with staying “in the moment” and have learned to use
some of these tools to dissolve your mind into your body. Learning to control your thoughts is the
basic methodology to allow your energy to find a higher calling. In this article, I will give you a little
piece of treasure, another tool for your meditation that will help you reach a higher state of
consciousness.

Much has been written about the “Small Heavenly Circle” also known as the “Microcosmic Orbit”
meditation; a simple Google search will give you over 5,000 results. I will not attempt to re-invent
the wheel here, (pun intended) but instead I will give you my method. This method of meditation
takes the practitioner on an inward journey along the superhighway of energy that predominates
within the human body. My method is a straightforward and simple way to start exploring the
universe within.

On the inward journey, the first things we learned were to dissolve our thoughts and get in touch
with our energy, something you are getting skilled at if you have been doing the lessons so far.
Now I am going to explain how to circulate that energy within your body.

We start with a basic energy circuit that runs up and down the torso in a circular path just under
the surface of the skin; this path is called the “Small Circle.” The vessels and meridians in your
body that carry the qi are usually along high conductivity tissue such as tendons and sometimes
muscles. The centerline of both the front and back of our torso is mostly tendons, and this is a
good conductor for the qi to flow within. Learning to follow this path is a major step to moving
even deeper into your body, and will give you more insight into the universe within you. My
method starts with identifying the two major pathways of energy (that connect into a circle) by
defining 15 points along the way. Like planets in a galaxy, we will travel to each one, picking up
provisions along the way. As we get to know each “planet” we will gain an understanding of our
inner workings, this is the “Sage seeing the universe with out going out the door”
The two main paths have many names and energy can be moved in a variety of ways. In this
beginning technique, we are going to follow the natural flow of energy down the front and up the
back. For now, just think of them as Yin and Yang. The “Yang path” starts at the perineum and
then the base of the spine, continues up and over the crown of the head, and ends at the pallet.
The “Yin path” starts at the tip of the tongue and flows down the front of your body and ends at
the perineum at the bottom of your torso. Technically the “Ren” channel ends at the ovarian palace
but since the connecting “Tu” channel emerges at the perineum I start there. Again, there are
many resources available online for your perusal. Here I want to give you my method of navigating
this “orbit.”

First, let me name, locate, and describe each “planet” along the orbit. Since we have to start
somewhere, I start from that place where you “see things” when you close your eyes, a place
between the eyebrows that is sometimes called “the minds eye.”

There are many more than these 16 points (that are really bigger than “points” that is why I think
of them as “planets“) but I like to keep things simple. Picking these 16 allows us to be clear about
each one and later we will apply a breathing technique to help propel your “spaceship” to each
“planet”. As your awareness grows you will feel and communicate with many more places than I
have put on this list. For example, between numbers 8, 9 &10 there are 2 others, the anus for
instance, which is actually 6 in itself, front, back, each side, the center and the outer muscle!

My list of 16 celestial destinations within:

Classic texts would have you start at the Dan Tian and “contemplate your navel” for “as long as it
takes to feel the qi there“. I will not refute this method but there are alternatives. While this skill is
admirable, I think we get the point; moving on from there, I believe spending a few minutes at
each point is a better way to learn this orbit. Of course take as long as you want to explore each
world, again the “classics” say to spend as long as a couple of months on each point until you can
send your awareness and feel your qi there.

Once you have “opened the channel”, you will notice the qi moves rather quickly around the orbit. I
usually do not need to linger long at each place at this point in my training and because I am not
writing a book here, think of this as a quick tour through the planets,

The Mind’s Eye (behind your forehead)

The Heavenly Pool (where the tongue touches the pallet)
The Throat, (thyroid gland)
Thymus gland
The Heart
The Solar Plexus
The Dan Tian (just one inch below the navel)
The Sperm (Ovarian) Palace (a hands width below the navel)
The Hui Yin (the perineum)
The Tip of the Tail Bone
The Gate of Life (on the spine opposite the Dan Tien)
The Kidneys and Adrenals (on the spine opposite the Solar Plexus)
The Shen Dao, Between the Shoulders (opposite the Heart)
The Da Zhui, at the C-7
The Jade Pillow (at the base of the skull)
The Bai Hui or Crown Point (at the top of the head)
My planetary journey starts where I already am…

Sit and tune the breath,

Bring your awareness to,

1. The Minds Eye (behind your forehead); Starting where your mind is already is a good place to
start. When you close your eyes, you will “see” or rather “observe” energy actively moving about.
Then just let the awareness sink down trough the Yin Path….

2. The Heavenly Pool (where the tongue touches the pallet); When I put my awareness here I
feel saliva welling up from the bottom of my mouth and pooling around the base of my tongue
encouraging me to swallow.

3. The Throat; This spot sends the flow downward along the yin channel. Here lies the thyroid
gland a tiny little gland that controls the rates of regeneration for your entire body.

4. The Thymus gland is a very sensitive gland that is an emotional regulator, sensing the heart
and breathing rates, etc.

5. The Heart; When my mind travels here I feel my heart moving a little bit, not so much an
increase in speed, but sort of a warm gentle thumping.

6. The Solar Plexus; This is a major nerve gathering center in your chest, at this location I feel a
lump that seems to radiate out in all directions.

7. The (Lower) Dan Tian (one inch below the navel); This is the home planet for your Qi. When qi
gets stuck in your head (Upper Dan tian) it can cause rampant thinking, when the qi is at your
Thymus or Solar Plexus, (in the middle Dan tian), you might feel emotional, but when the qi is here
it will feel at home. After my first few years of practice, I began to feel a rotational sensation here.

8. The Sperm (Ovarian) Palace (a hands width below the navel); This space is connected to all of
your glandular systems and placing my mind here, brings me a sense of being connected
internally.

9. The Hui Yin (the perineum); When here, I feel a pulsing feeling as though there is a warm
current flowing through my perineum moving towards the back of my body. This is the bottom of
the torso and it is full of muscles that support the pelvic floor. The Hui Yin is sort of the launching
pad for the next part of the orbit, the Yang path.

To keep things simple just do this for now…

First Tune your Breath and then just work on putting your awareness on each spot until you notice
it; just like when you were using your hands; remember, “listening” for the tingling sensation
there? If not re-read the other lessons. The point is, if you can send the energy to your hands it is
a logical step to move to these orbit spots here. Just do this a little bit and see if you can feel the
flow of energy coming down from your head to your perineum.
In the next lesson, I will lead you through the rest of the orbit.

Soon you will see that Taoist meditation and internal qigong are similar. You are now starting to
learn the fine art of “Nei Gong” or “internal qigong”

Taoist Meditation Lesson #8 Heavenly Sojourn Leave a comment

 Connecting the planets
Completing the Small Circle
In the previous lesson, I outlined the basic idea of the Small Circle or Microcosmic Orbit
meditation. Learning to connect your internal solar system will give you much insight into your
internal energy. The last lesson leads you through a series of points in your energy system. The
point was to bring qi down from the minds eye to the perineum at the bottom of the torso. This
involves bringing your awareness to each point along the way for a sufficient length of time that
you can feel it at each point before moving to the next one, Basically you were learning the “Yin
path“, the downward, relaxing, nurturing and frankly the easy path of energy flow.
If you have become adept at this skill, you are ready to learn the other half of the process,
bringing energy up the “Yang path”. I hope that you noticed how the energy “wants” to flow down
the yin path almost as if gravity were pulling it there and in a way, it is. Just to be real about it,
there is a mechanical reason for this. By sequentially relaxing downward, your body is allowing
blood and lymph as well as the flesh to sag and drain downward towards the earth. Keeping your
back straight while this is happening aids the flow by assuring that all the necessary passageways
remain open to that flow; slouching or having any misalignment or muscle tension will interfere
with this process.

The yin path starts at the tip of the tongue and descends through the tongue, past the thyroid,
thymus, heart, solar plexus, dantian, sperm (ovarian) palace, and ends at the perineum. Purists
might know that the “Ren” channel ends, and the “Tu” channel starts at the ovarian palace, but the
Tu channel “emerges” at the perineum and that is why I start there. These eight places are one-
half of the microcosmic orbit, the other seven points are the topic of this article, the “Yang Path“.

In my method, the “Yang Path” starts just under the skin at the perineum but it is at the coccyx or
tailbone where it moves up to the “Ming Men”, gate of life located just below where the thoracic
spine joins with the lumbar spine. It then goes up along the tendons covering the spine, past the
kidneys and adrenal glands. From there the path goes between the shoulders at the “Shen Dao”,
the path to the spirit, opposite the heart center on the spine i.e.. the third thoracic vertebra near to
the thoracic/cervical junction. The next place of wonderment is called “Da Zhui”, the great
hammer. Da Zhui is about the C-7, the thoracic/cervical junction, on the spine opposite the throat.
From this point, the qi moves upward, goes past the “Jade Pillow” at the top of the spine joining
the skull and moves over the skull, up to the Crown Point, and then terminates at the palate just
under the minds eye.

When you have completed the yin path and are completely relaxed and all the energy has drained
into your hips and pelvis it will coalesce near the premium. You are now ready to bring qi up the
spine and recycle the energy via the “Yang path”.
This is a new skill and it can be confusing depending on how you interpret what you are doing in
the moment. Just to clarify that statement, some teachers will tell you to “pull the qi to the tail
bone using your anus and collect it there“. I would say this too, but invariably pulling and pushing
qi up the back channel is not the most effective way to do it, in my opinion. It does work, and you
can get started doing it this way and yet if there was an easier way, you might want to try it.

Just tuning the breath and “listening” you may be able to sense the energy moving thought the
small circle, that would be very nice indeed. Just sitting quietly and observing the energy flow is
fantastic. I would say that is a high achievement. “Moving” qi through the circulation is controlling
it. Both are valid and have different applications, for example I like to move qi through the body
with my mind so that I can learn how to feel it moving when I’m not moving it!

Before any practice I recommend Tuning the Breath

I recommend that you start to access the back channel (yang path) by first starting at the Crown
Point. Just lift up on the Crown Point and feel the head lifting off the shoulders and the spine
lengthening and this will pull the tailbone into a vertical alignment, which also opens the pathway
at the rear of the anus towards the back. Ah, see now the whole channel is open and now you can
pull the energy to the anus and it will be sucked up the spine all the way to the top! In the
beginning, you may still need to coax it up by using your breath and muscle contractions, but as
you get better at it, you can reduce the effort and concentration that you apply and spend more
time enjoying the results. Each time the qi is at the bottom (Hui yin), open the crown,
and allow the qi free access to the top.
From the bottom of the torso, pull up the PC Muscle (this muscle runs from the pubic bone to the
tailbone) and you will feel a rush of energy there; this is a simple way of developing perineum
power. This is when you want to gently pull up around the anus and feel the energy go around the
anal sphincter muscle to the rear of the anus. The energy is now at the tip of the tailbone. Learn to
feel your internal musculature here and you can very gently contract the muscles there and
actually create a wave of qi that will move up the sacrum to the lumbar spine and it will collect at
the top of the lumbar region at a place known as the “Gate of Life”.

Bring qi up the Du Meridian

It may take a few tries to do this but keep at it and soon you will feel qi gathering at the Ming Men.
You may need to rock your hips slightly to open the lower gate, this will help avoid stuck energy
there. Some say it is like “sipping through a straw” each time you take a breath the energy
descends some being pulled back up on the next breath. By using a combination of first pulling the
spine up from the top, and then going through a series of muscular contractions and breaths you
can apply mental energy to move the qi up, up, and up…

Over time, you will feel the energy moving up through the kidneys, and the Shen Dao, Da Zhui,
through the jade pillow and up to the crown. When you get used to bringing the energy to the
Ming Men you will find it has enough inertia to just rather shoot up through the other points. The
yang path may flow fast as the qi rushes up to the top or, hopefully in a more controlled way. This
can be a beautiful and rewarding release of energy that can thrill you when you feel it. Remain
calm, and enjoy this energy release as you might enjoy a sexual energy release as it its related to
that same feeling. This is also do to the Chong Mai or thrusting vessel (that is another story) that
runs deeper directly through the center of your spine. Once you get used to these types of
experiences you may never be the same again, you are gaining control over your energy.

I would not try to analyze this or focus on each individual point on the back channel at this point in
your training. These skills can take awhile to acquire, and unless you have been doing this for
some length of time, it may be meaningless for you to get too esoteric about it. It is not how much
you know, or think you know about “meridians” and all that, what really matters is that you
practice often and you keep it simple.

Many of these spine points can be blocked by accumulated postural stress and may require qigong
movements to open them, particularly prone to being blocked are the Shen Dao and Da Zhui.
Come to class, or find a good teacher in your area for help with these two places. You do not want
a blockage in “the path to the spirit”!

Even though you can now complete the circle, you are still just at the beginning of a new journey.
Do not be in a rush, just work on these new skills for a while and get good at “circulating the
microcosmic orbit”. You will find that as you get to know this skill you will be able to use this all the
time, like when you are doing sitting or standing meditation or while doing moving soft qigong, or
Taiji or even use this skill during sex. This is a start of a new level of qigong training, truly “going
internal”. While all forms of qigong training effect you internally, learning the small circle is the
beginning of what we call “nei gong”. You are now moving into a higher level of meditation, where
meditation and qigong come together and move your mind and body into the realm of pure energy,
yet another step on the path of “Spiritual Alchemy”.

Taoist Breathing Lesson #1 Tuning the Breath Leave a comment

Taoists use a skill called “Tu na” to tune their breath before doing qigong and meditation. Natural
Breathing (Shun Hu Xi) is the best place to start.
Effective meditation and qigong both require good breathing skills; this lesson will give you a
method that you can use every time you start your practice. This exercise takes about 5 or 6
minutes to learn, and after a few times you can tune up in about 2 minutes.
I should begin by saying to just breathe naturally, beware of complicated methods; they are not
necessary and can even be harmful. In addition, know that generally Taoist breathing is subtle and
you should not even hear yourself breathe. In this method make each inhalation and exhalation of
equal duration and breathe in and out from your nose.

Like a fine musical instrument, no mater how well it is played, if you want to make beautiful music
you need to tune it up first, until it is harmonious within itself it will not give quality results.

Begin by standing in Wuji Stance, now bring your arms just slightly around in front of you and
allow them to hang with the hands in front of your thighs. The first step in tuning the breath is to
pay attention to each one of the points along the journey of the breath. Just like a guitar with six
strings, a musician tunes one string and then the next in sequence tuning the instrument to a
playable condition; I have identified six locations along the path of the breath to assist you in
tuning your breath.
Once each location is dialed in we can follow the breath through each one sequentially as we
breathe; just like strumming the six strings of a guitar chord. Then we will feel the body resonate;
the whole body vibrates just like the body of a guitar. This vibration will float the arms and pull the
legs straight as we feel the energy rising with each inhalation.

First we start with the nose, and then continue down to the back of the throat just behind the
tongue and then moving further down we come to the trachea. The next step down from there are
the actual lungs and then the diaphragm and finally the dantian.

All I want you to do initially is to stand still and breathe in and out your nose. Pay attention to the
air going in and out of the nose and you may notice the nostrils flaring and the hairs inside the
nose moving back and forth and even whatever scents are in the air coming in. Just take a few
breaths to get comfortable noticing that part of your breath path, just breathe in and out…

Next, bring your awareness to the back of the mouth where the tongue starts its descent into the
throat. Feel the air cascading over the back of the tongue and epiglottis, it may feel just a little
raspy as the air goes over this area. Another sensation you might feel is saliva welling up in the
heavenly pool beneath the tongue. Just like before, take a few breaths with your awareness on this
location until you can feel the breath there.

The next location on the journey from the nose to the dantian is the trachea. With each breath you
will feel the windpipe expanding and you may even notice slight pressures on the thyroid gland as
the trachea expands. Feel the air moving through the larynx and the windpipe expanding slightly
as the air reaches the lungs. Again, take a few breaths at this location until you are comfortably
aware of these sensations.

Now you should feel the air entering the lungs and the top of the lungs expanding slightly. As the
air enters your lungs feel the sternum rise and the rib cage expand slightly, keep your awareness
here for a few breaths and pay attention to these sensations.

As the lungs fill with air, bring your awareness down slightly lower to the diaphragm muscle at the
solar plexus. If you pay attention here you can feel the diaphragm muscle descending upon each
breath just as the air starts to enter the lungs. Keep your awareness at this location until you are
sure you can feel the diaphragm muscle moving down and up with each breath.
Beneath the diaphragm, bring your awareness to the dantian, now you are in the abdominal cavity.
Notice the pressure the descending diaphragm puts on the internal organs. This gentle massaging
motion causes your abdomen to move out slightly. Just keep awareness at this location until you
can feel the diaphragm pushing on the internal organs and notice that your belly rises and falls
with each breath.

Your awareness of each part of the breath is in now enhanced and you are almost all tuned. Like
the individual strings of a guitar; one by one each area is in tune with the one next to it. Now
bring your awareness back to the nose, this time, follow each breath as it goes through the nose,
past the tongue at the back of the throat and moves down the throat and trachea into the lungs.
Notice how the diaphragm moves down and up and the dantian moves out and in with each
breath. Continue to follow the breath with your awareness as you do all of your various practices
that follow.

Now that you have tuned each area and you have followed the path of the breath from top to
bottom and from bottom to top you should notice a resonant frequency in your body. Remember
your hands lying just in front of your thighs, with the upper arms slightly against the side of your
chest? With each breath and subsequent expansion of your abdomen your arms will rise
approximately 1 inch away from the dantian. Follow this rising feeling of each inhalation as you
inhale and the chest expands, feel the chest rising and the hands floating upwards slightly. Simply
let this rising feeling pull the legs slightly straight; remember you were standing in wuji stance with
bent knees but now the expanding nature of the breath lifts the whole body up and the legs
straighten slightly. When you exhale bend the legs slightly, just allow the hands and arms to float
down from their elevated position as the air leaves your lungs and the rib cage returns back to its
contracted position.

Each time you breathe you will feel the air come in the nose, past the throat, through the windpipe
into the lungs the diaphragm moving downwards and the belly moving out and the hands and legs
slowly rising as you fill with air. Each time you exhale as the abdomen contracts and the arms
descend, bend your knees slowly back to the beginning position.

Congratulations, you have tuned your breath and you are now doing basic qigong. All you need to
do now is continue to pay attention to the tuning of the breath and let the body move in a rhythmic
fashion.

I suggest you tune your breath while standing before doing seated qigong and meditation as well.
It is much easier to feel the expanding contracting nature of the breath and body while standing.
Once the system is tuned and playing along harmoniously with the body moving rhythmically you
may commence doing any qigong form that you wish. Simply breathe slower or move the arms and
legs faster to keep the timing consistent and with a little practice to be able to do all the qigong
you want while keeping the breath tuned continuously.

Whether moving or still, all qigong and meditation practices are more effective by tuning the
breath before you proceed; remember, just keep breathing steadily.

Copyright Cory Williams 2011