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FIXING SPIRIT IN ITS ORIGINAL CAVITY

MY MASTERS LIAO Jan and Liao K’ung once said: ‘When beginning to cultivate (essential) nature and (eternal) life, it is necessary first to develop nature.’ Before sitting in meditation, it is important to put an end to all rising thoughts and to loosen garments and belt to relax the body and avoid interfering with the free circulation of blood. After sitting the body should be (senseless) like a log and the heart (mind) unstirred like cold ashes. The eyes should look down and fix on the tip of the nose; they should not be shut completely to avoid dullness and confusion; neither should they be wide open to prevent spirit from wandering outside. They should be fixed on the tip of the nose with one’s attention concentrated on the spot between them; and in time the light of vitality will manifest. This is the best way to get rid of all thoughts at the start when preparing the elixir of immortality.

When the heart (mind) is settled, one should restrain the faculty of seeing, check that of hearing, touch the palate with the tip of the tongue and regulate the breathing through the nostrils. If breathing is not regulated one will be troubled by gasping or laboured breaths. When breathing is well controlled, one will forget all about the body and heart (mind). Thus stripped of feelings and passions one will look like a stupid man.

The left leg should be placed outside and close to the right one; this means the positive embracing the negative. ¹ The thumb of the left hand should touch its middle finger and the right hand should be placed under it (palm upward) with its thumb bent over the left palm; this means the negative embracing the positive. This is what the ancients meant by forming a circuit of eight psychic channels. The Taoist scriptures say: ‘The linking of the four limbs shuts the four gates so that the centre can be held on to.’

Question I have read Taoist books which all urge the development of the light in the original cavity or centre of spirit (tsu ch’iao, in the centre of the brain between and behind the eyes) at the start of practice but I do not see why. All Taoist schools regard this as the aim of the cultivation of (essential) nature without giving details. Will you please tell me where true nature actually manifests?

Answer (The tsu ch’iao cavity in) the centre of the brain branches out into two minor channels on its left and right; the left one stands for t’ai chi (supreme ultimate) and the right one for ch’ung ling (immaterial spirit); they are linked with the t’ien ku (heavenly valley) centre above them and the yung chuan (bubbling spring) centres in the soles of the feet after running through the heart in the chest.

The Tan Ching says: ‘Nature is (in) the heart and manifests through the eyes; life is (in) the lower abdomen and manifests through the genital organ.’

(Essential) nature is spiritual vitality in the heart that manifests through the two channels from the centre of the brain. So when seeing is concentrated on the spot between the eyes, the light of (essential) nature manifests and will, after a long training, unite with (eternal) life to become one whole. This union is called seeing the void that is not empty and he who is not awakened to this union will achieve nothing in his practice.

Question When I was taught meditation I was urged to empty my heart (the house of fire) of all thoughts, set my mind on cultivating (essential) nature and open my eyes to contemplate the void to accord with the correct way; will you please explain all this to me?

Answer Seeing the void as not empty is right and seeing the void as empty is wrong, for failure to return to the (tsu ch’iao) centre (which is not empty) prevents the light of vitality from manifesting. Under the heart and above the genital organ is an empty space where spiritual vitality manifests to form a cavity. When spirit and vitality return to this cavity, spiritual vitality will soar up to form a circle (of light) which is not void. Voidness which does not radiate is relative but voidness which radiates is absolute. Absolute voidness is not empty like relative voidness. Voidness that is not empty is spiritual light which is spirit-vitality that springs from the yellow hall centre (huang ting or middle tan t’ien, in the solar plexus).

My master Liao K’ung said: ‘When the golden mechanism (of alchemy) begins to move and gives out flashes of light that hall of voidness (hsu shih, i.e. the heart devoid of feelings and passions) will be illuminated by a white light which reveals the mysterious gate (hsuan kuan)², the presence of which does not mean emptiness.

Man lives and dies because of this immaterial spirit-vitality; he lives when it is present and dies when it scatters. Hence it is said: ‘Spirit without vitality does not make a man live; and vitality without spirit does not cause him to die.’ Prenatal spirit in the heart is nature and prenatal vitality in the lower abdomen is life; only when spirit and vitality unite can real achievement be made.

Question Will you please explain the saying: ‘If one reaches the original cavity of spirit (tsu ch’iao, in the centre of the brain between and behind the eyes) one will find the source of immortal breath.’?

Answer Worldly men who discover the original cavity of spirit are very rare indeed. It is under heaven (the top of the head), above the earth (the lower abdomen), west of the sun (the left eye) and east of the moon (the right eye). Behind the mysterious gate (hsuan kuan) and before the spirit of the valley (ku shen) is true nature (chen hsin) which is the source of true breath (chen hsi). Although this true breath is linked with postnatal (ordinary) breathing, the latter coming in-and-out through the mouth and nostrils, cannot reach the original cavity of spirit to return to the source. The immortal breath that comes from inner (vital) fourfold breathing³ and not through the nose and mouth), can then return to the source.

In your quest for immortal breath, you should regulate postnatal (ordinary) breathing in order to find its source. This immortal breath is hidden in the original cavity of spirit and is genial and will not scatter away when postnatal (ordinary) breathing is well regulated. Hence my master Liao Jen said: ‘When vitality returns to the original ocean (its source) life becomes boundless.’

Question Will you please give me the exact position of the original cavity of spirit?

Answer It is (in the centre of the brain behind) the spot between the eyes. Lao Tsu called it ‘the gateway to heaven and earth’; hence he urged people to concentrate on the centre in order to realise the oneness (of all things). In this centre is a pearl of the size of a grain of rice), which is the centre between heaven and earth in the human body (i.e. the microcosm); it is the cavity of prenatal vitality. To know where it lies is not enough, for it does not include the wondrous light of (essential) nature which is symbolised by a circle which Confucius called virtuous perfection (jen); the Book of Change calls it the ultimateless (wu chi), the Buddha perfect knowledge (yuan ming) and the Taoists the elixir of immortality or spiritual light; which all point to the prenatal One True Vitality. He who knows this cavity can prepare the elixir of immortality. Hence it is said: ‘When the One is attained, all problems are solved.’

Therefore, during the training both eyes should turn inward to the centre (between and behind them) in order to hold on to this One which should be held in the original cavity of spirit (tsu ch’iao) with neither strain nor relaxation; this is called fixing spirit in its original cavity which should be where (essential) nature is cultivated and the root from which (eternal) life emerges.

My master Liao Jan said: ‘If the original cavity of spirit is overlooked true breath will not stay permanently, spirit will lack a basis for sublimation, the alchemical agent will be incomplete, and the golden elixir cannot be produced.’ For this cavity (between and behind the eyes) is the foundation of (spiritual) stability and the centre of all things, having neither outside nor inside, which cannot be held on to by mindfulness and sought by mindlessness, because to be mindful of it is clinging to the visible and to be mindless leads to (relative) voidness. Then what sort of training should be undergone (to realise it)? The correct method consists of closing both eyes to still the heart (mind) so that the tsu ch’iao cavity can be held on to until the light of (essential) nature appears to confirm its effectiveness.

The practiser should close his mouth and touch the palate with the tongue to immobilise spirit and vitality. When thought is right so is the heart between heaven (the head) and earth (the lower abdomen) and when spirit is pure, the supreme ultimate (t’ai chi) will be well understood. If the non-rising of a single thought is achieved this will in time lead to the state of clearness and purity. In the complete voidness (of sense data) and utter stillness, a white light will manifest to light up the empty heart (hsu shih) and the golden mechanism will give out flashes of light. You will then be automatically clear about the heart of heaven and earth.

Question All schools teach their students to close the mouth and touch the palate with the tongue. Some also urge them to lift the tongue to the palate when they breathe out and to lower it when they breathe in; they call the tongue a key. Is this correct?

Answer All this teaches worldly men to behave properly in the earthly way in order to induce them later to seek immortality; this has nothing to do with the quest of (essential) nature and (eternal) life.

These ascents and descents of air serve solely to restore the generative force and to fortify the brain when men grow old. For most people by indulging in passions and sexual pleasures shorten the span of life, thereby injuring the source of vitality. Hence this teaching on preserving the generative force and strengthening the lower abdomen, the aim of which is to conserve the positive principle for rejuvenation.

Therefore, seekers of immortality should begin by practising the method of preserving the generative force by strengthening the lower abdomen.

My master Liao K’ung said: ‘The cavity of the Heavenly Pool (t’ien chih hsueh) is in the palate, and since it is linked with the brain above, it lets vitality flow down and drain away; so the tongue is lifted up to support that pool thereby making a bridge for true vitality⁴ to come down through the hsuan ying cavity (the mysterious bridle on the channel of function behind the heavenly pool in the palate) to the lower tan t’ien centre (the field of elixir below the navel) where it is held (for alchemical reasons).’

So if the tip of the tongue touches the palate vitality will gather in front of the original cavity of spirit (tsu ch’iao between and behind the eyes, which will easily become the object of contemplation) being always seen by the eyes (when closed and turned back); always heard by the ears (when they listen for it); always felt by the tongue that supports it and always aimed at by thoughts.

Therefore, this original cavity of spirit should be concentrated on whether the practiser walks, stands, sits or reclines. And all of a sudden the heart becomes pure and the spirits high causing vitality to be overwhelming and the body robust. In this utter stillness devoid of thoughts and feelings the practiser will awaken fully to the void that is not empty and to his (essential) nature. When this stage is reached his vitality develops further, his knowledge increases and his spiritual disposition becomes all-pervading. Unexpectedly a spark of real positive (principle) appears revealing the mysterious gate (hsuan kuan).

Hence my master Ch’iao Ch’iao said: ‘The mysterious gate has no fixed position; its path is the central passage (see figure 8) (formed by the channel P-M that links the centre of the brain with the heart and the thrusting channel M-A) which passes through the huang ting (or yellow hall) centre N (the solar plexus).’

If the tip of the tongue is not pressed against the heavenly pool vitality will not flow into the lower tan t’ien cavity (under the navel) and the prenatal breath will drain away. This is the immortal breath of the immortal man (chen jen).

Question I have just begun to study Taoist meditation and am still unable to distinguish between the right and wrong teaching. Will you please enlighten me?

Answer In your practice it is most important to distinguish between what is right and wrong. The true Tao is prenatal spirit-vitality. Spirit is (essential) nature and vitality is (eternal) life which is the essential generative force. So vitality is inherent in the generative force.

The patriarch Liu said: ‘If the original cavity of spirit (between and behind the eyes) is constantly held on to (i.e. concentrated upon) vital force will develop of itself and will beget true vitality which will be linked with (essential) life in the lower tan t’ien centre (under the navel) to produce the golden elixir (chin tan).’ The patriarch feared that students might not know the correct method when vitality manifests and so might let it drain away by the genital duct (yang kuan) to create offspring. When the generative force is half-way down the duct, if the practiser has received correct instruction from a competent master, he will be able to turn it back and use it to prepare the elixir of immortality. Thus we know that the generative force tends to flow away. So when the genital organ is aroused and the penis stands during sleep, it is imperative to breathe in and out to gather the alchemical agent.

My elder brother Chao Kuei I said: ‘When the generative force is about to flow out, if the mortal gate (sheng szu ch’iao at the root of the penis) is not blocked (by a finger pressed on it) it will leave by that gate, turn liquid and become the generative fluid which will be discharged. This generative force will become semen if it flows out in the worldly way but will change into vitality if it is turned back (and sublimated in the microcosmic orbit).’

So a student meeting his teacher should first ask him about the proper method and inquire whether or not it consists of gathering outside air to turn it into the alchemical agent. If the teacher denies this and says that his method is to turn back the flow of generative force to fortify the body so that it will be restored to its original condition before puberty and cause the penis to cease standing during sleep and to retract, his is the authentic method.

As to the alchemical agent, if the practiser is unmindful of it when gathering it, it is the prenatal microcosmic agent, but if he is mindful of it it will be an illusory agent which leads only to failure.

¹This posture will help some Westerners who cannot sit with crossed legs.

²Mysterious entrance to immortality.

³A full fourfold breathing consists of in and out breaths with corresponding ascent and descent of vitality in the microcosmic orbit.

⁴True vitality is vital force which has been purified by the alchemical process.