Chapter 2

THE FEMALE BODY

The Daoist tradition takes a very different view of the human body from Western biological sciences. According to Daoist philosophy, everything exists as various layers. These layers result from the three key vibrational states that make up reality. The three layers are a manifestation of the three treasures of Jing, Qi and Shen. With regard to the human body, these layers concern the three prime bodies of humans, which are the physical body, the energy body and the consciousness or spirit body. These then exist as one integrated unit, each anchoring into another via the three Dan Tien. This concept is shown in Figure 2.1.

FIGURE 2.1: THE ANCHORING OF THE THREE BODIES

Progression along the path of Nei Gong is, in part, an ability to refine your awareness to such a point that you are able to become aware of each body in turn. Once you can shift your focus on to higher vibrational frequencies, your tangible experience of the body jumps upwards towards a higher state. This connection to the three bodies then enables you to begin working with and improving the qualitative state of each body in turn.

There is already a large range of literature on the various aspects of the energetic system. These books include Qi Gong titles, alchemical books and Chinese medical texts. Almost invariably, though, they discuss the nature of the internal environment from the position of men. In this chapter we look at the three key bodies of humans with an emphasis upon the differences for women. Where information is the same for both men and women, we have provided a brief overview.

THE THREE PRIME BODIES OF HUMANS

The Physical Body

The physical body exists as the densest level of vibration, the level of manifestation. It is the body that we can easily ‘tune in to’ and the form through which we generally interact with the external world. The definition of the physical body includes all of the aspects that we would usually associate with the body from a Western biological standpoint – from our tissues and bones through to our physical organs, body fluids, blood and so on. The health of the physical body is closely linked to the state of our Jing, the aspect of the three treasures that exists furthest from the realm of Dao, at the very borderline between potential and the manifestation of form. It is the internal treasure associated with nourishment, birth, development and the inevitability of decline.

In Daoist thought, the development from Jing through to physical form takes place as a direct result of the movement of spirit, followed by the interaction of the Jing of both parents in its male and female forms. Human development within the womb then takes place over a period of ten lunar months while the three key bodies of humans fully develop. Summarised below are the ten lunar months of development in utero. Included here is only the inner process of foetal development. Alongside this, there is an outer process. The outer process is more to do with how an unborn child’s health is established prior to entering the external world. Appendix 2 includes a brief discussion of this aspect of human development.

•Prior to conception the spiritual pathways of Heaven begin to extend through the doorway of Dao into the realm of potential. This is the movement of Ming (命), or ‘pre-ordained destiny’, which brings with it the immortal spirit of seed consciousness. This ‘seed’ is the basis of your true self, that which a person is trying to reconnect with through internal practices. This aspect of human consciousness exists above any such concepts as male or female.

•Over the duration of the first lunar month there is an interaction that takes place between the poles of Yin, Yang, female essence and male sexual fluid. Each of these four agents is required for conception to take place; the development of gender will vary according to the sequence the four agents come together. If Yin arrives prior to female essence and male sexual fluid, then Yin will reinforce female essence. This will then embrace male essence and so the potential is there for a female child. If Yang arrives first, then female essence is weakened, meaning that male essence is dominant. The result is the potential for a male child.

•Over the course of the second lunar month stabilisation of these four elements is said to continue, further reinforcing the gender of the developing child. The four aspects of creation become the four divisions of Yin and Yang: Tai Yang (太陽) or ‘greater Yang’, which is the pole of Yang; Tai Yin (太陰) or ‘Greater Yin’, which is the pole of Yin; Shao Yang (少陽) or ‘lesser Yang’, which is male essence; and Shao Yin (少陰) or female essence. These form the philosophical ‘four directions’ of Daoism – that which is required to formulate the potential for three-dimensional development. At the centre of these four directions is formed the lower Dan Tien, the basis for energetic life.

•During the third lunar month the Dan Tien begins to develop the two key congenital channels known as the Governing and Conception meridians. These extend around the foetus as a circuit, enabling Yin and Yang original energy to flow into the rest of the body. This sets up the two poles that will later become the extreme Yin and Yang meridian points of Hui Yin (會陰) (or CV 1) and Bai Hui (百會) (or GV 20). With the two poles in place, the original spirit or Shen can enter the body and begin to manifest as the three Yang souls.

•Over the course of the fourth lunar month the rest of the congenital meridians develop and form the energetic cage. The original Qi begins to root the Yang souls into the material realm, and this in turn gives birth to the seven Yin souls.

•In the fifth lunar month the five lights of creation are divided outwards from the unified light of original spirit. These lights match the five elemental energies which form a major part of Chinese medical theory. They enter the body in order, beginning with Wood and moving through the sequence of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and finally Water. These five lights sit within the core of the energetic cage and begin to breathe conscious life into the developing child.

•During the sixth lunar month the five lights condense downwards to create the five Qi of the organs, the five Zang (臟) and the six Fu (腑) organs of the body. These organs then form the physical anchor for the spiritual components of human awareness.

•During the seventh lunar month it is said that the seven points along the length of the central channel of the Thrusting meridian open up, including the remaining two key energy centres of the middle and upper Dan Tien. These seven energies are then said to energise the seven orifices of the head, which are the two eyes, the two ears, the two nostrils and the mouth. These seven orifices are seen as seven spiritual windows through which the developing human awareness may interact with the world. Though necessary for human awareness to take place, they are also seen as the ‘seven thieves’ because our sense functions, via the seven orifices, are responsible for the distortion of the acquired mind.

•The eighth lunar month sees the original Jing beginning its developmental process of converting to acquired Jing. Even at this early stage in human life, the inevitability of eventual decline has been set in motion. This is representative of the eight key forms of Qi moving into place. These are the eight Qi depicted in the classical text of change, the Yi Jing (易經).

•The ninth lunar month is nearing the stage of birth; here the various aspects of spirit start to form into their congenital state. These are dependent upon the information contained within the parents’ combined essence, the nature of the pregnancy, the astrological alignments at the time of conception and the pre-ordained nature of the line of Ming which extended through into the realm of manifestation in the first place.

•The final lunar month sees the focal point of the energetic system beginning to switch from the congenital to the acquired meridians. The child is getting ready to be born. During this final month the energetic nuances individual to men and women begin to manifest within the child. This is the energetic fruition of the initial combining of Yin and Yang essence that took place during the first lunar month of pregnancy.

All of this obviously takes place within a woman’s body when she is pregnant. This is an aspect of female biology that was highly valued by the Daoist tradition. Having the ability to create life in this way was said to place women closer to the nature of Heaven and Dao than men.

The Energy Body

Daoism is certainly not the only tradition to map out the human energy body, but it is arguably the most complete with regard to the level of detail in its teachings. The Daoist canon of classical writings has a wealth of detailed information on the nature and movements of Qi through the meridian system. The nature of the various meridian pathways that make up the energy body, along with the Dan Tien and various other energetic components, is explored in greater detail in the remainder of this chapter.

When they begin Nei Gong training, the majority of people cannot feel their energy body very clearly, although it is more common for women to be naturally sensitive to its movements than men. It is for this reason that so many students of the Daoist arts only study the meridian system in a theoretical manner. It is necessary to understand the theory behind what you do, but you should also strive to gain an experiential understanding of your art. For women in particular, it is important to begin moving towards conscious connection with the energetic body. It is only at this stage that clear work with the Heart centre can be engaged in.

The energy body is ‘anchored’ into the physical body via its connection to the lower Dan Tien. This is why correct focus upon the lower Dan Tien gradually begins to convert a person’s awareness up towards the frequency of Qi and the energy body.

The Consciousness Body

Furthest from the physical realm of manifestation is the vibrational frequency of spirit or Shen. The interactions of the various facets of human spirit make up the consciousness body. Although human consciousness is beyond the three-dimensional limitations of exact form, it is generally termed one of the ‘bodies’ because it is rooted into the energy body via the middle Dan Tien.

The formative substance of the consciousness body is Shen, or ‘spiritual energy’, which is the highest-frequency and most ethereal manifestation of the three treasures. Contacting this level of awareness involves moving from the physical, through the energetic, into the realm of spirit. At this stage the level of refinement of a person’s Shen will dictate to what degree transformational work with the consciousness can take place. Direct work to any deep level relies on being able to understand and practise alchemical meditative techniques.

THE THREE TREASURES

The three treasures of Daoism – Jing, Qi and Shen – are an aspect of Daoist theory that anybody who picks up a Daoist textbook will come across. Each practitioner will have their own idea of the definition of these treasures. To define exactly what the substances are would be impossible due to the broad manner in which Daoism applies any definition. On the other hand, to have no definition at all can also be difficult because you end up working with something so abstract that it hinders your development. The most effective way to develop in an art such as Nei Gong is to have a definition that serves as a conceptual framework within which you can work. At later stages these frameworks can be dropped in favour of more abstract understandings which generally develop through experiential learning. In Daoist study, this is known as ‘learning and then forgetting’. It is useful to develop in this manner because at the level of working with the physical or energetic bodies you are still practising within realms of manifestation that have ‘form’. When working within the level of form, defined conceptual frameworks are useful. Beyond these stages are the alchemical levels of work with the consciousness body. At this stage you are moving beyond manifested form into formlessness. This is the stage at which frameworks can give way to more abstract understanding. That being said, discussed here are the conceptual frameworks for the nature of Jing, Qi and Shen based on classical teachings as well as tangible experiences that can arise during practice.

The basic translation usually given for Jing is our ‘essence’, Qi is generally known as ‘energy’ and Shen is translated as ‘spirit’. Although these may be great over-simplifications, it can help us to begin to develop an understanding of how the internal environment of the human body functions.

A Further Look at Jing

Jing is the densest of the three treasures; it sits at the borderline between potential and manifestation and so is always on the cusp of becoming form. Many practitioners think that Jing is sperm or sexual fluid, but this is simply not the case. Sexual fluid is one substance that Jing can become upon the point of manifestation, but the truth is that all manifested matter is a form of Jing. Figure 2.2 shows the Chinese character for Jing.

FIGURE 2.2: THE CHINESE CHARACTER FOR JING

The Chinese character for Jing is comprised of two key parts. The first is the character for grain or food in an uncooked state. The second shows the potential for growth. When put together, we can ascertain that Jing provides us with our ‘fuel’ as well as the potential for the developmental processes of birth, growth and decline. Usually, when beginners look at the nature of Jing, they are taught that we have a finite amount which will at some point run out. When this happens, we die. This is a simple concept that can help to develop a working understanding of the preservation of Jing, but in actual fact Jing does not quite function in this manner. Instead, Jing has an inbuilt ‘timer’ that ticks down throughout the course of our life. This ‘timer’ carries out the developmental process we know as ageing: its main function is to carry you from birth through to death. Through the quality of our lifestyle and our ability to embrace healthy living, we can either slow down or speed up this process, thus either prolonging or speeding up our physical demise.

Jing exists in two key forms. The first is our original Jing, which was given to us at birth primarily through our parents. The second form is our acquired Jing, the transient form of Jing which is subject to the passing of time. It is the acquired Jing that we are primarily concerned with when practising Nei Gong. This is the aspect of Jing that manifests as various substances within the body. It is also easier to connect with than original Jing.

Jing governs the manner in which we develop, and it does this according to numerological patterns which vary for men and women. Men operate according to an eight-year cycle, meaning that key events take place every eight years, whereas women operate to the celestial number of seven, meaning that at seven-year intervals changes take place within their system. The seven-year cycles for women are summarised below:

•At age seven a woman’s essence should begin to consolidate around the region of the Kidneys. As a result, her energy reaches high levels, her permanent teeth come through and her hair grows thick and long.

•At age 14 a woman’s Jing starts to produce menstrual Blood and so menstruation begins. The Governing and Conception meridians become active with regard to procreation and so it becomes possible to conceive a child. That being said, it takes a few more years before the procreative energy within the two meridians stabilises enough for it to be healthy for her to become pregnant.

•At age 21 the Kidney energy is strong and abundant, wisdom teeth appear in the mouth and the body is full of vitality. The Shen should be nourished through the growth of Jing at this stage, resulting in a stabilisation of the emotions and the beginning of ‘adult-type’ thought processes.

•At age 28 the bones and tendons are said to be strong and fully developed. This is the peak of Jing development for a woman and so the strongest point in her life with regard to levels of abundance of energy and essence. Her body at this age should be fully formed as this is seen as the height of female development.

•At age 35 the digestive-based meridians begin to move into decline. This in turn causes the face to lose some of its essence due to the pathway of the Stomach and Large Intestine meridians. This means that wrinkles can start to appear on the face and a woman’s hair can begin to grow thinner.

•At age 42 many of the meridians begin to grow more depleted, meaning ageing becomes more obvious and the hair starts to turn grey.

•At age 49 a woman has reached the culmination of the developmental processes of her Jing, which matches the numerical pattern of seven multiplied by seven. At this age her Conception and Thrusting meridians often cease to function to any major degree. The menstrual Blood ceases to flow and menopause is entered. This prevents a woman from being able to conceive. It is also said to be the beginning of a woman’s spiritual age, a period known as the ‘second spring’ in Daoist medical literature.

Of course, these ages are only guidelines and, as such, a woman can find that she reaches these milestones within a year or so in either direction. It is natural for the Jing to take a woman through this process, and if there is too much of a deviation from these numbers, then it is said that there has been a disturbance in the progression of the Jing from either physical sickness or emotional imbalance. This is particularly true with regard to the ages of commencement of menstruation and menopause, which are key manifestations of the quality and movement of Blood (Blood being the key internal substance for a woman to seek to regulate).

In order to understand the nature of Jing, it is wise to look at its movements through the body. Figure 2.3 summarises the progression and movement of Jing through the body in diagrammatic form.

FIGURE 2.3: THE MOVEMENT OF FEMALE JING

The starting place for a woman’s Jing is between her Kidneys at a meridian point known as Ming Men (命門) (or GV 4). This is the point where her congenital Jing is stored. From this ‘storehouse’ a woman’s Jing moves in three different directions.

•The first movement of Jing from the region of the Kidneys is down into the perineum, where it transforms into acquired Jing. It is the Jing in this region of the body that then goes on to become a woman’s sexual fluids, vaginal secretions and body fluids. In addition, it is this aspect of Jing that controls the seven-year cycle and a woman’s developmental processes. This is the aspect of a woman’s Jing that is commonly written about in the majority of books on Qi Gong or Daoism. This is because the Jing for men also operates in the same manner. From this area of the body some of this Jing moves upwards into the lower Dan Tien where it is gradually converted into Qi, the next transformational state of the three treasures within the human body.

•The second movement of Jing from the region of the Kidneys takes place as acquired Jing transforms into a substance known as Tian Gui (天癸). The term ‘Tian’ literally means Heaven, which denotes a connection between Tian Gui and the movements of the Heavenly bodies, in particular the moon. ‘Gui’ is a term taken from a classical system of categorising the five elemental phases into Yin and Yang divisions. Gui is the Yin Water phase of this system, which connects menstrual Blood to the Water elemental organ of the Kidneys and in particular its Yin substance of Jing. This shows us that Tian Gui is generated from the Jing of the Kidneys. The Tian Gui travels through the body via the vertical branch of the Thrusting meridian.

•The third movement of a woman’s Jing is from the Kidney region upwards into the chest where it is stored in the breasts. This is a major storage area for Jing in the female body and an aspect of female energetic anatomy that is often overlooked in Daoist teachings. Over the course of a woman’s monthly cycle the Jing from the breasts moves downwards through the Thrusting meridian, where it combines with Tian Gui to become menstrual Blood, which then enters the Uterus.

THE BREASTS, STORAGE AND CONVERSION OF JING

A woman’s breasts begin to develop during puberty as a result of the energetic activity of the Governing and Conception meridians. From this age a woman’s Jing begins to move, in part, up from the Kidney region through the vertical branch of the Thrusting meridian towards the chest and the breasts where it is stored. The movement of Jing into the breasts is shown in Figure 2.4.

FIGURE 2.4: JING AND THE BREASTS

The Jing that moves upwards into the region of the breasts serves to strengthen the function of the Heart centre and the middle Dan Tien (this is explored in greater detail later in this chapter). It also has the potential to form breast milk, which is seen as a powerful alchemical agent and necessary fuel for a baby’s growth. From the region of the breasts, some of this Jing converts into Qi, which is one of the natural evolutionary developments of Jing. This Qi is situated at the nipples where it is said to become stimulated as the female nipples become erect. Excess Jing from the region of the breasts then moves down to combine with Tian Gui to become menstrual Blood which is then lost through a woman’s monthly bleed.

All of these transformational processes take place within the breasts, which are seen as major alchemical centres within women, every bit as powerful as the three Dan Tien. Interestingly, if we analyse the Chinese character for breasts, Ru, it can give us extra insight into their functions. Figure 2.5 shows a breakdown of the character for breasts.

FIGURE 2.5: THE CHINESE CHARACTER FOR BREASTS

The first part of the character for breasts is made from the character Fu, which is generally translated as ‘to have trust or confidence’; it actually depicts a mother bird’s claw holding her eggs, a symbol of safety and reassurance. Sometimes this character is even used to denote a bird brooding over its unborn chicks. The second character is Yin or ‘hidden/concealed’.

If we examine the meaning behind the formation of the character, it shows us some of the deeper aspects of a woman’s energetic anatomy. First, the depiction of the mother bird holding her young or unborn chicks is symbolic of the level of caring that a woman has for her young when she is breastfeeding. Second, the meaning of trust or confidence is important as this is the emotional aspect that can generate imbalance in the health of a woman’s breasts. Every physical part of a person’s body reacts to different elements of their psyche, and so each emotion you have will resonate and affect a different area of your body. A woman’s breasts are strongly affected by her ability to have trust, faith or confidence in those around her. If a woman’s faith in those close to her is detrimentally affected, it can disturb the delicate energy around this area of the body and so lead to imbalance. In cases of acute disturbances the result is a weakening of the Jing and Qi in the breasts. In more serious cases stagnation can develop which can manifest as cysts or lumps. Emotionally based Chinese medical treatments for lumps on the breasts may focus on dealing with damage that the patient has suffered to her confidence in those around her, which she has kept hidden or buried deep inside. It is not always a definite rule, but in the majority of cases lumps to the right breast are a result of emotional hurt caused by male figures in a woman’s life, whereas the left breast relates to hurt caused by female figures. It is quite normal when energetic movement begins to take place around the region of the breasts for women to start releasing trapped emotions related to these types of emotional hurt. If this happens, do not worry; just allow the emotions to pass you by, as they are all a healthy part of the Nei Gong process.

A Closer Look at Qi

Qi is a complex term with many different meanings. The simple translation of ‘energy’ is partially accurate, but Qi is also responsible for many of the functional activities of the organs of the body. It sits at a higher range of frequency than Jing, so is further from the physical realm of manifestation. Beginners can rarely access the vibrational range of Qi, which makes it completely unperceivable to newcomers to the internal arts, but this can change with time and internal development. Figure 2.6 shows the Chinese character for Qi.

FIGURE 2.6: THE CHINESE CHARACTER FOR QI

The character for Qi is comprised of the characters for ‘grain’ and ‘vapour’. It depicts the grain being cooked to produce vapour or steam that is rising upwards. There are a couple of meanings behind this. From a medical perspective, it shows the two main ways in which we can generate or improve the quality of our acquired Qi: through the food we eat and the air we breathe. If we wish to keep our Qi flowing efficiently, then we need to breathe well or practise breathing exercises and we need to eat healthy food. Looking at this, we can already see the basis for many people’s states of internal disharmony. A second meaning involves an advancement on the character for Jing. The same character of uncooked rice or grain appears in both the characters for Jing and Qi, but now in Qi the rice is being cooked so that steam is produced from it. In this case the uncooked rice is Jing, while the process of heating the rice produces steam, heat and energy – Qi.

Interestingly, Qi is generally experienced during Nei Gong training as internalised movement or a vibration/shaking. This vibration begins to change over time until you generally get a clear idea of a wave moving along lines through the body. These lines carry information throughout the whole of your body via the meridian pathways. For this reason it is simple to think of Qi as a form of ‘information’ when you practise. This information can be related to the functional activities of the body, emotional information or information related to pathogenic imbalances.

As well as these lines of information flowing throughout the meridian system, there are also other aspects of the energy body that are made up of the energy of Qi. We will explore some of these other aspects of the energy body in the remainder of this chapter.

The Nature of Shen

Shen is the highest vibrational element of the three internal treasures. It is the ‘substance’ of the consciousness body and the most ethereal energetic aspect within our internal environment. The model of the Shen is divided up into various aspects of human consciousness. These are the (little) Shen (神), the Hun (魂), the Po (魄), the Zhi (志) and the Yi (意). These are explored in more detail later in the book. For now it is enough to know that the Shen is responsible for the overall state of a person’s mind. The Shen is something of a double-bladed weapon; it has the potential to lead a person towards enlightened realisation, but at the other end of the scale can bog them down in trivial concerns and mundane thinking. The division between these two states was said to be based in the problem of the apparent division of human consciousness into two key aspects, the congenital and the acquired mind. The congenital mind is that which is true, constant and all-knowing, whereas the acquired mind is transient, subject to change and heavily fuelled by the emotions. Ultimately, there is no such division between these two aspects of consciousness, but this is a realisation that has to be achieved through advanced inner practice rather than something a person can understand intellectually. Although we return to these two aspects of mind in the final chapters of this book, they are also referred to throughout. As a summary, it is enough to understand that when discussing the congenital mind we are referring to the innate state of unity contained within each living creature, and when we refer to the acquired mind we are discussing the layers of emotionally charged cognitive ‘self’ which are built up around the congenital mind throughout the course of our lives.

Three Aspects of One Substance

The most important thing to understand about Jing, Qi and Shen is that although they are discussed individually, they are essentially one and the same. They are a single thread of energetic information which exists as three different states. In order to understand this concept, the comparison is made between Jing, Qi and Shen and ice, water and steam. When Jing or ice is warmed up, it becomes water or Qi, which is more fluid than Jing. Further warming of water or Qi causes it to convert into steam or Shen, the most ethereal of the three states. In the same manner, cooling the substances will take them back through the process of steam to water to ice. The act of ‘heating’ or ‘cooling’ depends on the functional activities of Yang and Yin within the human body.

It is also in part the role of the three Dan Tien to serve as converters for the three treasures of Jing, Qi and Shen throughout the body. These Dan Tien function much like ‘step-up transformers’ in an electrical circuit: they enable the conversion of energy to increase as it moves from Jing to Qi to Shen. The lower Dan Tien is primarily responsible for the conversion of Jing to Qi, the middle Dan Tien for the conversion of Qi to Shen, and the upper Dan Tien has the potential to convert Shen into undifferentiated potential spiritual information which can connect a person to Dao itself.

BLOOD AND FEMALE SPIRIT

It is stated in classical texts from both the Daoist and the Chinese medical traditions that regulation of the health of the Blood is vitally important for women. In part this is discussing the health and flow of menstrual Blood as discussed above, but it is also pointing towards the important link that exists between Blood and Shen.

Ultimately, Blood is understood to be something of a crystalline substance which takes the form of a liquid. It is also the root or the ‘anchor’ of the spirit. Every aspect of consciousness has a root within an element of the physical body, but the basis for the overall state of a person’s spirit or Shen lies in the health of the Blood. In Chinese medicine, it is often stated that if the Blood is weak or deficient, then the spirit becomes unrooted. The result of this is that a person can lose their sense of ‘grounding’ psychologically. This can lead to emotional swings, illogical thought patterns or behaviour and, at its most extreme, mental illness.

In the case of men, Blood is still the root of the spirit, but male Blood is not so prone to flux. Women have the combined effects of the cycles of the moon and the loss of menstrual Blood prior to menopause, both of which contribute to a weakening of the root of the spirit. For women to stabilise their consciousness and govern their emotional centre, they need to focus on the health and flow of the Blood within the body. This will then enable them to find a higher degree of harmony within the spirit, which will assist with work at the level of the middle Dan Tien. The practice of moon gazing from Chapter 4 of this book, combined with a regular Nei Gong practice and a healthy diet, will help to maintain the strength of the Blood. There are many Chinese dietary books with comprehensive lists of Blood-building foods; these are sensible foods for women to include in their diet in order to help the overall state of their health.

Returning to the concept of Blood being a crystalline substance, we can use this to understand exactly how the Shen moves through the Blood. As unified spirit moves into the Blood, it refracts into manifestations of the five spirits of Shen, Hun, Yi, Zhi and Po. These aspects of spirit then carry with them the various aspects of emotional information that make up the human mind. It is this emotional information that contributes to the shedding of emotional pathogenic information during the course of menstruation.

TUNING IN TO THE THREE BODIES

Progressively working through the three main bodies during your Nei Gong practice is the key to ensuring that you build a solid foundation in each stage of your development. When beginning a practice such as Nei Gong, most people find that they require a great deal of work with the physical body. Habitual tensions need to be let go of, alignments need correcting and then the structure of each of the postures needs to be studied. On top of this, women then have to work with physical substances such as the Blood through practices such as moon gazing and regulation of the diet. At the border of the physical and energy bodies sits the breath, and this is why regulation of the breath is also required from an early stage in the training.

As discussed previously, the three bodies are anchored into each other via the key energy centres of the Dan Tien. The lower Dan Tien is concerned with the conversion of Jing to Qi, the middle Dan Tien converts Qi to Shen, and the upper Dan Tien converts Shen back into unified spiritual light. This high stage of conversion manifests itself as a bright white or golden light that can be perceived in the mind’s eye of the practitioner.

Progression along the process of working with the three bodies largely revolves around connecting with and efficiently utilising the three Dan Tien during your practice. Almost every system of internal arts requires you to work with the lower Dan Tien in the early stages of your training. As well as consolidating various energetic substances in the lower abdominal region and awakening the various small water wheels of Qi (discussed in Chapter 7), it also helps with the conversion of our awareness. If our attention can be placed within the region of the lower Dan Tien, it begins a conversion of the frequency at which we are able to perceive ourselves. As this perception rises in frequency, it enables a person to begin tangibly feeling the movement of the energy body. In this way the lower Dan Tien has assisted in the conversion of our awareness in the same manner that it controls the conversion of Jing to Qi.

The same process takes place in the middle Dan Tien, which enables a person’s awareness to shift towards the spiritual energy that sits behind the movement of the emotions and acquired mind. It is here that much of the Nei Gong process can be carried out for female practitioners. The upper Dan Tien is saved for very advanced stages in the training because it has the potential to bring a person completely out of sync with the physical world. Instead, their connection moves upwards into the realm of pure spirit. This is usually carried out during seated alchemical training under the close guidance of an advanced instructor. If this stage is worked on too soon, then it runs the risk of firing too much Qi upwards into the region of the skull, which can lead to serious energetic sickness. Symptoms of this imbalance can range from tinnitus and migraines through to pain in the eyes and psychological disturbances. It is neither a pleasant nor an advisable state to be in.

THE ENERGY BODY

There has been a great deal written about the energy body and in particular the meridian system. Many Chinese medical textbooks have detailed descriptions of the pathway of the meridians and the various points that sit along their lengths. In this book we will focus on some of the information that is often lacking in other literature. We can divide the various aspects of the energy body into three main parts – the acquired energy body, the congenital energy body and miscellaneous aspects of the energy body.

The acquired components of the energy body are:

•Fire element meridians

•Earth element meridians

•Metal element meridians

•Water element meridians

•Wood element meridians

The congenital components of the energy body are:

•the congenital meridians

•the congenital cage

•the five pulses

•the three Dan Tien

The miscellaneous components of the energy body are:

•the Wei Qi field

•the auric field

•the Uterus

The Acquired Energy Body

The acquired energy body is essentially comprised of the 12 key paired meridians, which anybody will have seen if they have opened an acupuncture textbook. It is along the line of these meridians that most Qi is circulated after a person is born. Prior to this time they are of secondary importance as the congenital aspects of the meridian system are dominant.

There is much debate about whether or not the meridian system really exists. Many practitioners of Chinese medicine and even Qi Gong do not believe in meridians and instead say that the ancient Chinese were talking about blood vessels, lymphatic pathways or the nervous system. In a similar manner, the existence of Qi itself is questioned. All we can do as authors and teachers is give you our own opinion based on our experience through training in both Chinese medicine and Nei Gong. By going deep enough into the internal aspects of Nei Gong, it is possible to develop both a heightened connection to your own internal environment and even visual perception of the energetic matrix. It is our experience that the meridian pathways are lines of vibratory information which move through the body and control various functions related to the organ systems associated with each meridian. Although this information, Qi, is moving throughout the whole body, there are certain lines that are clearly stronger and provide a definite pathway of moving energy. Unrelated to any of the physical systems of the body such as the nervous system, this flow of information provides the energetic blueprints for all of the body’s activity. It also connects the emotional aspect of the mind into the body, providing the mind/body link that is so important in any internal practice. It seems that these lines of information flow within long lines of semi-fluid connective tissue known as fascia. It is our belief that many of these lines of fascia correspond to the Jing Jin (經筋) lines of Chinese medicine, which are generally translated as the ‘musculo-tendonal regions’ in Chinese medical literature. These lines of connective tissue essentially serve as the ‘riverbeds’ for the flow of Qi in the meridian system. Perhaps a better way of understanding what is taking place is to say that the fascia lines ‘conduct’ the information of the meridian system throughout the body.

For those interested in working towards directly experiencing the flow of energetic information along the meridian pathways, please refer to Heavenly Streams: Meridian Theory in Nei Gong by Damo Mitchell. In this book is a step-by-step method for working with and feeling the meridians for yourself.

Figure 2.7 shows the pathways of the 12 acquired meridians. As you can see, they flow throughout the entire body. More detailed diagrams may be found in any Chinese medical textbook. Note that in the image the meridians are drawn on one side of the body. In actual fact, the 12 acquired meridians appear on both sides of the body, making this aspect of the energy body bilateral.

FIGURE 2.7: THE ACQUIRED MERIDIAN PATHWAYS

Each of the meridians is named after an organ of the body, with the exception of the Triple Heater meridian, named after three chambers of the torso which act to regulate the temperatures and internal pressures of the body as well as Qi, Blood and body fluid circulation. In addition, the Pericardium is seen as an organ in Chinese medical thought and is important in the energetic ‘protection’ of the delicate Heart.

Throughout the course of our lives, it is these meridians that pick up pathogenic information from the external environment, the food we eat, our emotions and various other sources. As these pathogens build up, they generate blockages, stagnation and, ultimately, disease. Through the practice of arts such as Nei Gong, we seek to clear this information from the meridian system, which should in turn improve our health. Practically, though, the vast majority of work in Nei Gong is actually carried out with the various circulations of the congenital energy body. These circulations then generate change within the acquired meridians and so cleansing of the acquired meridians takes place as a by-product of Nei Gong training. This is in contrast to many systems of medical Qi Gong which aim to work directly with and clear the acquired meridians, while placing less of an emphasis upon the congenital pathways.

In Daoist thought, the 12 acquired meridians are often categorised according to one of five elemental phases, as shown in Table 2.1.

TABLE 2.1: ELEMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS OF THE 12 ACQUIRED MERIDIANS
Acquired Meridian	Elemental Phase
Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium, Triple Heater	Fire
Spleen, Stomach	Earth
Lungs, Large Intestine	Metal
Kidneys, Bladder	Water
Liver, Gall Bladder	Wood

The model of the five elemental phases or Wu Xing (五行) is a model that applies to Chinese medical thought, Qi Gong, Nei Gong and even some martial arts. It is a way of categorising phenomena and understanding their interrelations in accordance with the key energetic movement that takes place ‘beneath’ them. These five elemental energies are very tangible aspects of the congenital energy body known as the five pulses. These pulses serve to govern the energetic quality of the rest of the meridian system and, as such, the 12 organ meridians are a reflection of the state of these pulses. For Nei Gong training, it is not required to have as intimate a knowledge of the theory of the five elemental phases as you would need for Chinese medicine, for example. It is enough to understand the basis of the model and to be familiar with an understanding of how the five elemental phases work together to create balance and harmony. This concept is shown in Figure 2.8.

FIGURE 2.8: THE WU XING MODEL

In short, the outer ring of arrows represents the cycle of creation. According to this concept, each of the elemental phases is responsible for the generation of the next phase and is in turn generated by the preceding phase. This perpetual cycle of creation ensures that the five energies flourish. The inner star-shaped group of arrows is the controlling cycle. This concept shows how each of the phases is held in check by another phase and at the same time controls a phase. This relationship ensures that none of the phases becomes overly forceful.

This model is applied to the relationships of the body’s energies, physical organs and also the five key aspects of human consciousness. If this cycle is thrown into a state of imbalance, as is often the case, then it starts to create shifts in a person’s mind, energy system and physical health. As the acquired meridians begin to shift through Nei Gong training, they move back towards a state of wellbeing and the five elemental phases may begin to reharmonise themselves. While in a state of imbalance, it is classically said that one of the elements will likely be in either excess or deficiency; this will in turn adjust the quality of Qi flowing through the 12 acquired meridians.

THE BALANCE OF THE FIRE ELEMENTAL MERIDIANS

Fire elemental energy is naturally expansive and warm. People with healthy Fire energy will ‘glow’ with an abundance of warmth, both physically and emotionally. This is the energy that governs our desire to connect with people on an emotional level, and so a healthy Fire energy within the body helps a person to be socially capable.

If there is an excess of Fire elemental energy in a person, it is normal for the energy, which is essentially directed from the region of the Heart, to become sputtering and erratic. This is then reflected in the person’s emotional behaviour, which is likely to be slightly manic and overly excitable. Physical symptoms can include a reddening of the face and a feeling of heat and pressure around the chest, neck and head. In the case of women who have entered the menopause, the Fire element energy is often imbalanced in an excessive manner and this becomes the basis for symptoms such as hot flushes. This is partly due to a natural weakening of the Water element during this phase of a woman’s life. This Water element is supposed to be controlling the Fire in order to keep it in balance, but due to the Water’s weakness the Fire becomes too excessive.

When Fire elemental energy becomes too deficient, it can lead to a sinking of the Heart’s energy, which will in turn result in a low mood. People with deficient Fire elemental energy will struggle to become excited about anything and consequently their lives will often lack joy. In extreme cases this can lead to depression. One of the most important things for women to do in their lives is help the Fire elemental energy to ‘fire up’ and glow. This can be achieved through tapping into the Fire element’s natural desire to express itself. It is for this reason that artistic outlets such as singing, painting, dancing and Taijiquan are particularly important for women. However, if the Fire elemental energy has become deficient, it can be difficult to drum up the motivation to find this self-expression.

As a woman moves deeper into her Nei Gong practice, it should be the case that the Fire elemental energy moves into balance. Any fluctuating moods will gradually move towards a centred state of contentment, artistic expression will come more naturally and a glowing, warm energy should emanate from within her energy body.

THE BALANCE OF THE EARTH ELEMENTAL MERIDIANS

Earth elemental energy governs a person’s ability to change and evolve. If Earth elemental energy becomes imbalanced, then the energy of evolution is often hampered. This energy flows mainly within the Spleen and Stomach meridians and is closely linked to the digestive system. Many women suffer from imbalances in the energy of their digestive system and this is in part due to a restriction of Earth elemental energy caused by societal norms, which prevent a woman from tapping into the energy of evolution. Women are the gender that has the capability to produce life within themselves; they are caring, sensitive and expressive, and also the natural spiritual teachers of the human race. The energy of a woman is at its healthiest when it is in a constant state of evolution and connection to a higher purpose, all while growing through spontaneous artistic expression. This is not to say that these traits are not available to men as well – of course they are – but they are inherently important to a woman’s health. If women are constrained into a life of drudgery or existence as second-class citizens to their male counterparts, then disease will always manifest.

An excess of Earth elemental energy will cause a woman to worry and overthink as her mind moves into a hyperactive state. Every little thing can become an issue and in extreme cases obsessive-compulsive behaviour will appear. Alongside this, a woman’s natural capacity as a mother/carer can move out of balance, resulting in her manifesting ‘over-smothering’ tendencies. This is usually projected on to her family but can also appear when dealing with her friends.

In the case of a weakness of Earth elemental energy, a woman will begin to suffer from great amounts of self-doubt. She will often worry a great deal about her own actions as well as what others think of her. The Earth’s desire to nourish itself produces overly ‘needy’ behavioural tendencies and a paranoia that she is not loved or appreciated. This is not a logical need, and so often no amount of emotional reassurance will help to alleviate these worries.

These psychological traits begin to move into harmony as a woman moves deeper into Nei Gong training. In this manner, self-doubt will fade away and a natural trust in the spontaneous evolution taking place will manifest itself. This is highly important for all women on the path of Daoism.

THE BALANCE OF THE METAL ELEMENTAL MERIDIANS

Metal element energy is a slightly contracting energy. It is generated within the core of the energy system and flows most strongly through the Lung and Large Intestine meridians. If the Metal element energy is healthy, then this contraction feels kind of like a reassuring hug; when out of balance, it can feel somewhat constrictive.

An excess of Metal element energy will result in a tightening of energy around the region of the chest. This generally affects the health of the Lungs but also comes with feelings of low mood and sadness. The ability to connect with others becomes hampered by a need to keep putting up defensive shields, so a person with excessive Metal energy can become shut off from those around them. This results in the person often appearing quite emotionally cold. This can be quite an important imbalance to tackle for women, as it will prevent them from connecting with the innate power of the energy of their Heart.

Deficient Metal elemental energy will lead to depression and sadness. It will lead a person to feeling as though they are sinking into a large hole within the centre of their being. They can become emotionally shut off from the rest of the world.

As a woman moves deeper into her Nei Gong training, it is normal for these experiences of sadness to become a thing of the past. Her mood will lighten, and she will open up to those around her and be able to see things more objectively, without the veil of depression making everything seem hopeless.

THE BALANCE OF THE WATER ELEMENTAL MERIDIANS

Water elemental energy is the most versatile of the five elemental energies. It is the quickest to shift and is the energy that circulates through the system to the highest degree. It is related strongly to the health of the Kidney and Bladder meridians.

If a person’s Water elemental energy is in an excessive state, it will force itself upwards with too much power. This results in a person becoming too highly strung. For many women it can lead to slightly neurotic behaviour. Over time this will burn out the nervous system and drain the Kidneys. Both of these issues will often lead to sudden collapse of a woman’s health.

A deficiency of Water elemental energy will cause the Kidneys to feel weak, resulting in low vitality and energy levels. The natural drive behind a person’s actions becomes weak and in its place we often find fear and nervousness. These aspects of the psyche get in the way of every action a woman may wish to undertake, and so progress through life becomes very difficult. Physically, this will generally manifest in back pain, weak knees and premature ageing.

As the Water elemental energy is balanced through Nei Gong training, a woman’s sense of wellbeing should increase and any fears should fade away, allowing for a higher degree of confidence.

THE BALANCE OF THE WOOD ELEMENTAL MERIDIANS

Wood elemental energy is the most direct and straightforward of the elemental phases. It shoots through the body in very direct lines, providing the impetus behind both planning and actions. It is closely linked to the Qi of the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians.

Excessive Wood elemental energy generally results in outwardly directed feelings of anger, rage, competitiveness and jealousy. Somebody in this state will find many things in life annoying and seek to blame those around them for every little thing that goes wrong. Physically, it tends to tighten the body and produce symptoms such as migraine headaches.

Deficient Wood elemental energy also results in feelings of anger, but these tend to be directed inwards. This energy becomes tight and pent-up inside a person, resulting in feelings of inner frustration. Blame for everything that happens is often placed upon the self and this in turn damages a person’s sense of self-worth. Rarely does a person with this kind of imbalance allow their anger to show outwardly; when it does, it is often explosive. Women are not naturally governed very strongly by the energy of Wood or the Liver. Although excessive Wood energy can manifest within women, it is nowhere near as common as the more inwardly directed frustration of deficient Wood elemental energy.

As the Nei Gong training begins to rebalance the Wood elemental energy, it should lead a person towards a calmer state. Anger and frustration become less frequent and an overall feeling of patience becomes the norm. This is very useful for Nei Gong training, which requires a great deal of patience in its later stages!

The Congenital Energy Body

The congenital energy body is made up of the eight key congenital meridians which work together to cycle various energetic substances throughout the body. Contained within a kind of ‘energetic cage’ of these meridians are the five pulses, which form the basis of the five elemental energies within the body. As well as these components are the three Dan Tien, which serve to direct information through the system and convert Jing to Qi and then to Shen.

The congenital meridians tend to be deeper within the body than the acquired meridians, with the exception of the Governing and Conception meridians. The congenital meridians are also not directly related to any of the organs. Arguably, the exception to this last rule is the Conception meridian within women, which is closely linked to the Uterus.

In Nei Gong we are primarily working with energetic flow and circulation in the eight key channels of the congenital meridian system. It is through these channels that we learn to direct information utilising the motivating power of the lower Dan Tien and this is in part what separates Nei Gong from many systems of Qi Gong.

Daoist theory states that, while in the womb, we operate energetically according to the function of the congenital meridians. Through these pathways circulate the three key internal substances of Jing, Qi and Shen. The conversion process is twofold, first generating the potential for physical manifestation of a body and, second, setting in place the physical anchor of human consciousness. All of this is largely motivated by the steady rotation of the lower Dan Tien which generates the necessary power to create human life.

After we are born, we begin to use the congenital meridians to a lesser degree. Instead, the acquired meridians become active and our health and development is controlled by the relationship of the organs of the body. The lower Dan Tien naturally begins to slow down its rotation, and by the time we are in our early teens it is moving hardly at all. For women, the menstrual cycle starts and thus the foundation of Jing is governed largely by their menstrual flow. Although this is a natural aspect of human development, it also has one major disadvantage. As the lower Dan Tien slows down, it stops being so effective at nourishing human consciousness. Shen stops being generated as a natural by-product of human evolution and instead the intellect of the acquired mind takes over. At this time the congenital meridians switch their key function over to serving as a series of ‘energetic reservoirs’ which store Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang within the body.

Through the reawakening of the lower Dan Tien, one of the earliest internal phases of Nei Gong training, we seek to reverse this gradual decline. This takes us back towards a state closer to when we were in the womb, a state that we require in order to generate the change process of Nei Gong.

As the lower Dan Tien awakens, it begins to start the various small water wheels of Qi circulation, which are pretty well known in Daoist esoteric literature. Commonly, you will see writings on only one circulation of Qi – the rotation that moves up the centre of a person’s back through the Governing meridian and then down the front of the body through the Conception meridian. This is the circulation shown in Figure 2.9.

FIGURE 2.9: THE FIRST SMALL WATER WHEEL OF QI

Although it is true that there is the need for a strong, unobstructed flow of Qi along the length of this cycle, there are other rotations that are equally important. Furthermore, there are slightly different qualities for the rotations of Qi for women within the small water wheel. The various rotations of energy as well as the women-specific details are as follows:

•The first small water wheel of Qi takes place along the length of the Governing meridian and then down through the Conception meridian. This is the initial rotation that we must achieve if we wish to progress safely and efficiently in our Nei Gong training. It is driven by the initial awakening of the lower Dan Tien.

•Women then need to understand the nature of the reverse cycle of the initial rotation. This cycle is required in order to extract essence from the menstrual Blood and draw it up towards the chest region where it nourishes the breasts and Heart centre. This rotation is rarely discussed for women who practise the internal arts to any level beyond the basics, but it is essential in their development.

•A second rotation needs to take place around the length of the Girdling meridian which sits around the waist like a belt. This rotation is important for both men and women as it serves to set up the extension lines for the opening of the central branch of the Thrusting meridian. On top of this, women require a healthy flow through this rotation in order to consolidate the health of the Uterus and lower abdomen. The horizontal driving force of this circulation helps to generate the baseline force through which the Heart’s Qi can meet with the essence contained within the Uterus.

•A third rotation needs to take place within the torso between the two side branches of the Thrusting meridian. This helps to generate healthy energetic conversion within the body and stabilise the essence stored within the breasts.

•Further movements generated by these rotations then circulate energy along the length of the arms and legs via extending branches of the Thrusting meridian.

Once these various circulations of the small water wheels have opened up, a kind of energetic cage will be formed, as shown in Figure 2.10.

FIGURE 2.10: THE ENERGETIC CAGE

Consolidation of this ‘cage’ is required in order to work effectively with the three Dan Tien and to guarantee smooth progression into the deeper stages of Nei Gong training. As teachers, we have met many practitioners from different Nei Gong schools who have developed imbalances through their training. These imbalances have ranged from mildly uncomfortable to completely debilitating. In many cases these issues developed because the practitioners did not work effectively with the rotation of the small water wheels of Qi. The result is that blockages will occur within the body. Such blockages occurring deep within the congenital energy body will always lead to the development of problems and in many cases they can be very challenging to correct. For this reason we urge practitioners to make sure they fully understand the training and the function of the small water wheels. Ideally, you should work with an experienced teacher to ensure that these rotations are successfully opened up before moving further into energy work. Please do not underestimate the importance of opening these circulations.

THE MERIDIANS

THE GOVERNING AND CONCEPTION MERIDIANS

These two energetic pathways form a linked orbit along the centre front and back lines of the body. Essentially, they can be seen to be one channel in charge of regulating the flow of Yin and Yang information throughout the acquired energy body. This happens because over the course of a day the circulation of Qi through these channels causes more energy to be distributed into the 12 acquired meridians. Figure 2.11 shows the Governing and Conception meridians.

FIGURE 2.11: THE GOVERNING AND CONCEPTION MERIDIANS

In Nei Gong practice we use these channels for various reasons. The first goal of our practice is to free them up from any blockages that may exist along their length and increase the efficiency of energy flow. This energy flow should move unimpeded as a circular rotation of information throughout the body. This initially increases the amount of energy and movement within the 12 acquired meridians, which has the advantage of improving our health. In addition, it is these channels that we will use in our practice to serve as a kind of energetic ‘safety net’. The job of this safety net is to ensure that any energetic transformation taking place in an upwards direction has the space to flow downwards again. Without this orbit, any alchemical transformation could be risky. If too much pressure is built up anywhere, there will be no route for this pressure to escape and sink back downwards again. Many practitioners of the internal arts have fallen foul of energetically based disease by not successfully opening this circulation.

The standard direction of Qi flow in Nei Gong is up along the back of the body and then down along the front. For male practitioners, this is the direction they would practise with for the vast majority of their time. Women differ in this way because they need to learn how to work with both directions of energy flow from an early stage in their training. This reverse flow is to assist in the extraction of Jing from the Tian Gui, a concept discussed in greater detail in Chapter 7.

The Conception meridian is of particular importance for women, and part of the reason that the flow is reversed on occasion within the orbit of these two channels is so that the Conception meridian dominates. In the ‘regular’ direction, the Governing meridian dominates and this results in very different instructions being sent out into the energy body. Table 2.2 shows the different factors involved in the two directions of the orbit between these two meridians.

TABLE 2.2: THE TWO DIRECTIONS OF THE SMALL WATER WHEEL
	Regular Direction	Reverse Direction
Dominant meridian	Governing meridian	Conception meridian
Secondary meridian	Conception meridian	Governing meridian
Dominant function	Invigorating energy	Extracting essence
Secondary function	Safety mechanism	Strengthening Uterus
Effect on Jing	Circulates	Delivers to chest
Strengthens	Spine and back	Abdomen and breasts
Dan Tien connection	Lower Dan Tien	Middle Dan Tien

The Conception meridian can be considered to be the meridian associated with the organ of the Uterus within women. This is a major part of the reason the reverse direction of circulation through these two meridians is important for female practitioners. The flow of energy in this direction begins to connect the Uterus to the energy of the Heart centre.

THE PATHWAYS OF THE THRUSTING MERIDIAN

The Thrusting meridian is a complex channel that has a number of pathways. As well as the commonly known branch that runs through the centre of the spine, there is also a vertically aligned branch that runs through the core of the body. Either side of this are two side branches that run through the middle of the torso, and then finally there are deep internal branches that travel through the middle of the arms and legs. Figure 2.12 shows the various pathways of the Thrusting meridian. Note that the appendicular branches are bilateral; we have included them on only one side of the body in this diagram for reasons of neatness.

FIGURE 2.12: THE THRUSTING MERIDIAN

The Thrusting meridian is the key channel through which a great deal of energetic transformation takes place. This happens as the conversion of Jing, Qi and Shen is initiated by correct work with the three Dan Tien during Nei Gong practice. It is also the key meridian connecting a practitioner into the higher spiritual realms once they have reached advanced stages in their training.

For women, it is the Thrusting meridian, and in particular the vertical branch of this meridian, that is closely connected to the cycles of the moon. When looking to regulate menstruation, it is this meridian that is primarily being worked with. It is a slight oversimplification, but not inaccurate, to say that the Conception meridian is linked to the energy of the Uterus, while the Thrusting meridian is connected to the flow of Tian Gui and menstrual Blood.

THE GIRDLING MERIDIAN

The only meridian to travel horizontally through the body is the Girdling meridian. It encircles the waist like a belt and dips down slightly on the front of the body, as shown in Figure 2.13. This is an important meridian for female Nei Gong practitioners.

FIGURE 2.13: THE GIRDLING MERIDIAN

This meridian is in part responsible for the correct direction of rotation for the lower Dan Tien when it is left in a ‘neutral’ state of being. The combination of the rising of energy along the Governing meridian and the dipping down of the Girdling meridian at the front of the body encourages a vertical roll of the Dan Tien which moves energy into the base of the spine. The horizontal pathway of the Girdling meridian then creates a second directional force which stabilises the lower Dan Tien, forming a kind of energetic gyroscope within the lower abdomen.

At later stages in Nei Gong training it is this meridian that extends out in both directions, upwards towards the head and down towards the feet, generating spiralling lines of energy. For men, this is vitally important as it takes their naturally centrifugally moving Qi and binds it into a column of information which assists in the final stages of the opening of the Thrusting meridian. Women’s internal energy naturally moves inwards in a centripetal manner, making it much easier for them to open the Thrusting meridian in their practice.

A more important function for the Girdling meridian in the case of women is its connection to the circulation of Jing around the region of the lower abdomen. The Girdling meridian has a strong governing effect upon the health of the Uterus and its ability to ‘store’. If the Girdling meridian is weak, then this ‘storage’ function can become weakened, meaning that imbalances in the menstrual cycle can take place. Usually, this results in overly heavy bleeds. In addition, if the Girdling meridian becomes weakened, it can lessen a woman’s fertility levels and be a possible cause of miscarriage. A clear sign of the Girdling meridian being weak is that the body can almost look as though it is ‘unbound’ around the abdominal region. A woman may be of normal build all over her body but carry extra weight on the lower abdomen. As the Girdling meridian awakens through Nei Gong practice, it is normal for this area of the body to tighten.

As shown in Figure 2.13, several meridian points are also involved in the pathway of the Girdling meridian for women. Although these points are also a part of a male practitioner’s Girdling meridian, they are nowhere near as important and so are rarely indicated in diagrams of this energetic pathway.

The meridian point of Qi Hai (CV 6) governs the health of a woman’s energy in the lower abdominal region, in the Uterus and around the lower Dan Tien. If there is an imbalance in the flow of information within the Girdling meridian, it is possible for the Qi of the Uterus to become compromised.

The second meridian point is Guan Yuan (關元) (CV 4), an important point for controlling the flow of Jing within the Uterus. The Girdling meridian brings information to Guan Yuan in order to ensure that the Uterus serves as a solid location for the Jing to move into. If there is an imbalance in this region of the energy body, then it does not take long for a woman to develop menstrual issues or experience feelings of exhaustion.

The point of Hui Yin (CV 1) is connected to the Girdling meridian in women via an internal branch which runs off the Girdling meridian deep into the body. If this point is weakened through an imbalance within the Girdling meridian, then a woman can start to develop issues with her Uterus and her genito-urinary system, as well as her sex drive. In many women, there is a weakening of energy in this region of the body, which in turn leads to small leakages of urine, especially when engaging in light exercise. Many Chinese medicine practitioners would attribute this to a weakness in the Kidneys, when in actual fact it is more likely to be a deficiency in the energy flow of the Girdling meridian.

The final point involved in the health of the Girdling meridian is Ming Men. This point controls many of the Yang warming functions of the body and is an important driving force for energy along the length of the Governing meridian. If the Ming Men point becomes weak for any reason, it is common for the Girdling meridian to become compromised in women.

THE YIN AND YANG LINKING MERIDIANS

These meridians run along the length of the body, as shown in Figure 2.14. They serve to connect together all of the Yin and Yang acquired meridians of the body.

FIGURE 2.14: THE YIN AND YANG LINKING MERIDIANS

These channels ensure that if there are any excesses or deficiencies within the acquired meridians of the body, they equalise these amounts. If there is any excess energy left after this redistribution, they will help to send this energy back towards the congenital energy body where it is stored. They are also in charge of regulating the balance of energetics across the upper, lower, left and right sides of the body. These channels are not used so much in Nei Gong practice but are included here in order to give a complete picture.

THE YIN AND YANG HEEL MERIDIANS

Also included here for the purpose of giving a comprehensive picture are the Yin and Yang heel meridians, shown in Figure 2.15.

FIGURE 2.15: THE YIN AND YANG HEEL MERIDIANS

These meridians can be thought of as similar to the ‘earth wire’ in an electrical circuit. They ensure that if any sudden excesses occur within the body, they drop down towards the planet. These meridians will open naturally of their own accord during training and are not focused on to any great extent in this system of Nei Gong training.

THE ENERGETIC CAGE AND THE FIVE PULSES

The meridians of the congenital energy body connect together to form a kind of energetic cage, as discussed earlier. This cage is where all of the rotations of orbiting energy take place during Nei Gong practice. Within the centre of this cage are five pulses of congenital energy, which are rarely discussed but are clear to feel by anybody who has moved beyond the foundation stages of their internal practice. These five pulses are different movements of information corresponding to the five elemental energies of Daoism. They work together as a cycle to generate the basis for our emotional and energetic health. As we open up the various circulations of the energetic cage, it becomes much easier to regulate the five pulses. Table 2.3 summarises the nature of the five congenital pulses.

TABLE 2.3: THE FIVE CONGENITAL PULSES
Element	Movement	Effects
Fire	Expansion	Generates warmth and nourishment
Earth	Division	Generates change and evolution
Metal	Contraction	Generates stability and connection
Water	Cycling	Generates life and growth
Wood	Driving	Generates power and planning

There is little direct work to do with these five pulses, but you can expect to connect with and feel them during your practice. At these times there will be a clear tangible sensation of these five directional energies moving through your body. As this happens, there are shifts starting to take place within the energy body, shifts that will then have an effect upon the health of your body and organs.

THE THREE DAN TIEN

The three Dan Tien sit within the core of the body and are connected together via the vertical branch of the Thrusting meridian. They are spherical fields of information which vary from person to person with regard to their degree of consolidation. In the vast majority of beginners, you could say that the Dan Tien are there but have the potential to be a great deal more powerful. This strengthening process generally takes place as the practitioner’s awareness interacts with the energy in the vicinity of the Dan Tien. The mind begins to reinforce the strength of the information field and so the function of the Dan Tien becomes stronger.

The key role of the Dan Tien is to convert each of our energetic substances either up or down: the Dan Tien are conversion centres for vibrational states. This conversion takes place as the hollow centre of each Dan Tien receives one of the three key energetic substances before transforming it into the next. This conversion process is shown in Figure 2.16.

FIGURE 2.16: CONVERSION THROUGH THE DAN TIEN

A great deal of work in Nei Gong is centred upon the efficient use of the three Dan Tien. As we carry out this work, the conversion functions of the Dan Tien also have an effect upon our awareness, which gradually begins to be able to tune in to deeper levels of internal sensitivity.

THE LOWER DAN TIEN

The lower Dan Tien serves as the main driving force for energy throughout the rest of our body. It sits within the lower abdomen, below the navel and in line with the vertical branch of the Thrusting meridian. In Nei Gong training, our initial task is to awaken this energy centre, and this is largely accomplished through aiming for a smooth and steady rotation. The lower Dan Tien is in charge of driving energy as well as the conversion of Jing to Qi; as such, it is the energy centre most responsible for dealing with the denser aspects of the energy body. It is generally the simplest to connect with and the focal point for the majority of men’s Nei Gong training. In the case of women, the foundation stages are still with this centre but they should aim to progress upwards into direct work with the middle Dan Tien instead.

THE MIDDLE DAN TIEN

The middle Dan Tien sits within the centre of the chest at the height of the Heart. For this reason it is often known as the Heart centre. The middle Dan Tien is the location for conversion of Qi into Shen, the spiritual energy that governs all aspects of mind, from the most mundane thought through to divine comprehension. It is the energy centre most closely connected to our emotions and this is why the heart has been linked to the emotional mind in almost every culture. This is the energy centre that dominates women’s practice once they have moved beyond the foundation stages of their training. For women, there is a unique challenge at this level of training as the middle Dan Tien tends to lose energy through being subject to constant emotional fluctuations. This loss of energy causes a weakness in the rising of Shen upwards towards the upper Dan Tien. This is shown in Figure 2.17.

FIGURE 2.17: THE LEAKAGE OF EMOTIONAL ENERGY

The emotions cause a great deal of energy to leak away from the middle Dan Tien. What remains is only enough to empower the strength of the intellect. In order to move towards heightened states of realisation, a practitioner needs to build enough internal energy to strengthen the deeper aspects of human consciousness. This is the way towards connection with Dao and the reason why so much importance is placed upon centring the emotions in the majority of Eastern traditions.

Although, of course, this leaking of emotional energy is a concern for both genders, it carries particular importance for women due to the housing of their essence around the region of the chest and breasts. As women experience emotional shifts, this has the added effect of draining the essence, which has a detrimental effect upon a woman’s health, mental wellbeing and overall vitality. By boosting the middle Dan Tien and centring the mind, it becomes much easier for women to gain the benefits to be had from consolidation of their essence.

THE UPPER DAN TIEN

The upper Dan Tien sits within the middle of the skull. It has an exit point which extends outwards to between the eyebrows, a point corresponding to the concept of the ‘third eye’. The upper Dan Tien is the conversion point of Shen into emptiness and the seat of all of the higher-level attainments in the Daoist tradition. To be honest, work carried out with the upper Dan Tien should take place in a practice such as alchemical meditation. In this book, the only practice we will discuss with regard to the upper Dan Tien is a sound practice in Chapter 3. This exercise will help to tonify the health of the upper Dan Tien. Any more complex work than this with the upper Dan Tien should be carried out under the supervision of an experienced teacher.

Miscellaneous Components of the Energy Body

As well as the Dan Tien and various meridians of the acquired and congenital energy bodies, there are also various other energetic elements of the body that do not easily fall into either category. Two of these components are the Wei Qi (衛氣) field and the auric field. These two components are important to understand in Nei Gong training.

THE WEI QI FIELD

The Wei Qi field is a protective field of information which serves to guard us from externally based pathogens. If the Wei Qi field is weak, then a person will be more susceptible to becoming sick if they spend periods of time in cold or damp weather. Our Wei Qi field is rooted in the skin and extends a few centimetres out from our body, as shown in Figure 2.18.

FIGURE 2.18: THE WEI QI FIELD

The Wei Qi field is comprised of a combination of Qi and Jing, meaning that its strength depends on the quality of both of these substances. The Wei Qi field is interesting as it is entirely dependent upon the local health of the energy system. What this means is that a person rarely has an even distribution of Wei Qi around the exterior of their body. Although it may be strong over the majority of the body, it can still have several holes or deficiencies through which elemental information can get into the body. The result of this is that people will often have specific areas of the body that they do not like to have exposed to the elements.

Alongside this elemental protection is an emotional layer of the Wei Qi field which tends to extend a little further out from the body. This layer of the Wei Qi field protects a person from emotional information that can be passed from person to person. If a person’s emotional Wei Qi layer is weak, they will often find that the emotional states of other people affect them strongly. They may spend time with a person suffering from depression only to find that their mood is low afterwards. Strengthening this layer of the field is particularly important for women, who should ensure that they are robust enough to avoid taking on the emotional imbalances of others. This will help them to strengthen the energy of the middle Dan Tien.

THE AURIC FIELD

Extending further out from the body like a bubble is the auric field. This field expands and contracts as we breathe, resulting in a continuous exchange of energetic information with our environment. This interchange also takes place during every interaction we have with another person and this information is then stored within the auric field. The information within the auric field takes the form of Yin and Yang waves which store every little facet of our existence in energetic form. It is this field that skilled energy workers are able to palpate and read from.

Many people will have experienced the nature of the auric field without being aware of it when they meet people. This takes place most obviously when you instinctively take a dislike to somebody on your first meeting for no obvious reason. In many cases what is happening is that your own auric field is drawing in information from the person you are meeting and your subconscious mind is finding something to which it takes offence. It is a great boon of continuous internal training that the majority of practitioners begin to connect their awareness to this field to a greater degree, which in turn gives them increased powers of intuition.

Contained within your own auric field is a record of your emotional standpoint as well as a history of every little hurt or past trauma you have suffered. As you move into the Nei Gong process, you should naturally begin to shed this information. As practitioners go through this process, they often state that they feel lighter in some way.

THE UTERUS

We have included the organ of the Uterus here in this miscellaneous section as it does not fit neatly into either the congenital or the acquired categories. It is an organ that has a physical structure and yet has strong energetic properties which make it an important aspect of the female body to understand for practitioners of the Daoist arts.

When discussing the physical organ of the Uterus, it is important to understand that the ancient Chinese were discussing not only the uterus as we understand it in Western physiology but also other physical aspects such as the fallopian tubes, the ovaries and even, in part, some aspects of the sexual organs. This is because the Chinese medical model always refers to organ systems rather than isolated physical body parts.

There are several names for the Uterus in Chinese medical literature but the most commonly used term is the Zi Bao (孑胞), which can be translated as ‘to contain a baby’, and thus refers more to the energetic matrix which sits within the region of the Uterus than to the physical structure. Within this region all of the various energetic and spiritual components may come together to form the congenital basis of new life. Interestingly, men are also said to have a Bao (胞) within their lower abdomen, just not a Zi Bao. In the case of men, the power of the Bao is said to help consolidate the essence that will later go on to form the material basis for their sexual fluids.

The Zi Bao for women and the Bao for men are related to the storage of different substances. Both of these structures are then associated with the lower Dan Tien and its various aspects. Understanding the difference between the male and female Bao is key to seeing exactly why women do not require the same level of work with the lower Dan Tien region of the body as men; this in turn becomes the basis for why they should progress more quickly than men through the Nei Gong process. Table 2.4 summarises the differences between the Zi Bao and the Bao.

TABLE 2.4: THE ZI BAO AND THE BAO
	Zi Bao	Bao
Present in	Women	Men
Primarily related to	Blood	Jing
Storage of	Tian Gui	Sexual potential
Psychological need	Reproduction	Base desires
Key organ connection	Heart and Kidneys	Kidneys

As stated above, the Tian Gui is stored within the Uterus. It is generated from a mixture of Jing and Blood. This substance is then shed from the body during menstruation. This is a key loss of essence for women that takes place on a monthly basis. In the case of men, it is sexual potential that is ‘stored’ within the Bao region. This then goes on to combine with their Jing to produce semen which is lost through ejaculation.

Psychologically, the Zi Bao connects a woman to her desire to reproduce and become a mother. This inbuilt psychological need then includes the desire to bring up a child and be the pivotal person within a functioning family. Although, of course, this is not a psychological need that every single woman has – many go through their lives without this desire – the vast majority of women will find that at some point a deep inner wish for this to happen kicks in. According to Daoist thought, this is a spiritual function of the Uterus. At a certain age, it causes women to seek out the potential for having a child. For those women who have a healthy connection to their inner nature, having a child at this time can be a greatly beneficial spiritual process. The connection between the Heart and the Uterus ensures that the requirement for warmth and compassion (a psychological aspect of the Heart) is there, and it will assist a woman in seeking out a sensible partner with whom to have a child. This should be a partner who fulfils her needs on a level of personal growth.

When this psychological desire to have a child develops within women, it can be a powerful force which takes over a great deal of their acquired mind. In the case of women, though, this only happens at certain times in their life. It is rare, and considered an imbalance, for a woman to wish for a child right from hitting puberty through to old age. It should happen at certain times in accordance with the natural rhythms set up by the numerological cycles contained within her Jing.

Conversely, the psychological aspect of men linked to the Bao and Jing is that of base desires. With regard to reproduction, it is the act of sex and sexual stimulation that drives them, rather than the desire to have a child. Although there are times in many men’s lives when they desire to have a family, it is generally far less of a powerful force for them than it is for women. In the same way, women desire sexual stimulation just as men do, but this desire rarely sits at the back of their mind all of the time as is the case for the majority of men. This all means that male sexual desires are having an effect upon their mind far more often than the equivalent desires of women. The result is that women need to work with the lower Dan Tien to consolidate the health of the various organs and substances in this region of the body, whereas men have to remain here until a key instinctual desire is changed. Men literally need to evolve beyond their base psychological programming in order to progress on to work with the middle Dan Tien – a very difficult task which actually prevents the majority of male internal arts practitioners from ever moving beyond the basics.

The male Bao is closely connected to the Kidneys. This is to do with the movement of Jing through the body. The female Zi Bao is connected, via two internal channels, into both the Heart and the Kidneys. This means that there are two strong organ influences taking place upon the organ of the Uterus. This is shown in Figure 2.19.

FIGURE 2.19: THE UTERUS, THE HEART AND THE KIDNEYS

The Heart to Uterus is an important organ connection to understand. In one way, it is beneficial because it represents the pathway through which emotional pathogenic debris is moved into the menstrual Blood ready for expulsion from the body (see Chapter 4); on the other side of the coin, this connection also explains the disruptive effect that women’s emotions can have upon their menstrual cycle. The circulations of Tian Gui within women are largely dependent upon the cycles of the moon but can be disrupted by any large experiences of stress, emotional hurt, sadness and so on. This brings us back once again to the importance for women to regulate their emotional state and thus the health of the Heart centre during their training.

Also included in Figure 2.19 are the organs of the Spleen and the Liver. These two organs are also important in the health of the Uterus even though they are not a part of the Heart/Uterus/Kidney axis. The Spleen is important because one of its energetic functions in Chinese medical theory is that it ‘holds up’ organs within the body. This means that it generates a form of information that literally suspends the organs correctly within the body cavities. If the Spleen becomes weakened for any reason, then it can cause the Uterus to prolapse. The Liver is included because one of the key roles of this organ is to ensure that the energy of the body flows smoothly. This has an effect on the Uterus because the Liver is required to keep the menstrual Blood flowing smoothly. If the Liver becomes imbalanced for any reason, then it is common for the Qi flowing through the region of the Uterus to become stagnant. This can result in clots in the menstrual Blood as well as symptoms of frustration just prior to the onset of menstruation. In addition, the Blood that flows through a person’s body is generated through the actions of the Spleen. The Spleen then sends the Blood across to the Liver. In Chinese medical thought, it is the Liver that stores the Blood, where it becomes more active when we exert ourselves. Some of this Blood flows downwards towards the Uterus where it combines with the Jing of the Kidneys to form the menstrual Blood. Although essentially it is a different substance entirely from the Blood of the body, menstrual Blood is in part generated by the Blood that travels to the Uterus from the Liver.

THE CONSCIOUSNESS BODY

In the Daoist tradition, human consciousness is often considered to be a third ‘body’ that makes up human life. This is in part due to the concept of every aspect of spirit being rooted into a physical anchor, generally via an energetic connection. Different aspects of human consciousness are linked to very specific areas of the physical body, and yet despite this we can safely say that the consciousness body is beyond the realm of having a three-dimensional structure. Many Eastern traditions have engaged in complex studies of the nature of the consciousness body, and Daoism is no exception. Perhaps one of the factors of the Daoist concept of the consciousness body that makes the Daoist framework unique is the view that everything that exists in the realm of consciousness also exists in the energetic realm. This was the basis for the alchemical meditative practices of the Daoists that aim to lead a practitioner into direct contact with the energetic substances, Qi, which are the basis for various aspects of the human mind.

Being a pragmatic group of people, the Daoists recognised the strengths of other traditions they were exposed to rather than simply seeing them as rivals. From the Buddhist tradition they ‘borrowed’ the model of the Heart-mind which is a simple yet effective conceptual framework for helping us to understand the basics of the consciousness body. Figure 2.20 shows the model of the Heart-mind concept.

FIGURE 2.20: THE HEART-MIND MODEL

According to Daoist thought, it is only Dao that is permanent. Everything that is born from this state is subject to the laws of change which make up life and existence. The congenital nature that sits at the core of our consciousness body is a reflection of the stillness of Dao. When we touch upon this state of being, we are drawn into a profound inner stillness which becomes the basis for true union of spirit.

As we move through life, various layers of emotionally charged information build up around the congenital nature, obscuring it from the rest of our awareness. These layers are facets of the acquired mind, an aspect of consciousness that is constantly shifting. The acquired mind is responsible for the formation of our biases and conditioned thinking, which in turn generates the nature of our intellectual mind.

As human beings, we interact with our outside world primarily through the vehicle of the five senses. These senses bring in information which is processed by the intellectual mind. Our intellect passes this information down through the filter of our conditioned thinking where it then adds to the emotionally based layers of the acquired mind. Nei Gong is, in part, an attempt to shed these layers and bring ourselves closer to the source of our congenital nature. Ultimately, if we ever achieve this, we can experientially understand that these divisions are just a conceptual model created by the mind. As we touch upon congenital nature, we are able to experience unification of consciousness with Dao and this is the path to transcendence.

IN CONCLUSION

This chapter has been a brief overview and introduction to the various facets of the three bodies that make up human existence. There is a great deal more we could write about the nature of the three bodies, but much of it can be experienced first-hand when moving through the Nei Gong process. It is wise to ensure that you are familiar with the information from this chapter before moving on to any of the practical exercises outlined in the rest of the book. A sound theoretical basis is wise because it ensures steady progress as well as enabling you to recognise which aspects of your inner environment you are working with at any moment.