6

GATHERING THE MICROCOSMIC INNER ALCHEMICAL AGENT¹

THE METHOD OF gathering the microcosmic inner alchemical agent consists of rolling the eyes from left to right and vice versa to raise and lower the inner fire. The meditator should first direct his eyes down and roll them from the left up to the top of the head, thence lowering them to the right to look into the navel and the centre of vitality below it to complete a full turn as indicated in the diagram by the sun held in his left hand which rises from A to D and G and then sinks from G to J. This movement should be repeated thirty-six times for the ascent positive fire to open the mysterious gate (see here). After this he should roll his eyes from G to D, A and J as indicated by the moon held in his right hand. This movement should be repeated twenty-four times for the descent of negative fire.

Chapter 4 has dealt with gathering the (microcosmic) outer alchemical agent to restore the generative force and invigorate the brain. It consists of raising the positive fire (in the tu mo or channel of control) to the head thirty-six times in its advance called the ascent of positive fire, and then lower it (in the channel of function or jen mo in the front of the body) twenty-four times in its retreat called the descent of negative fire. Each rotation is completed in a full (in and out) breath during which spirit and vitality move or halt together in the juxtaposed orbits of the earth (i.e. the lower abdomen) and the sun (the head), spirit being set in motion by the (movements of the eyes), and vitality by the combined action of vital and generative forces already gathered. These movements and halts concern the gathering of the (microcosmic) outer alchemical agent which frees the body from ailments whereas the (microcosmic) inner alchemical agent preserves (permanent) life which is prenatal vitality.

Figure 5 This symbolic diagram is copied from the original text. It means that the meditator should squint as indicated while his hands are placed on the legs and close to the lower abdomen in the usual meditation posture.

This chapter discusses the method of using the microcosmic inner fire that passes through sublimating phases at the cardinal points D and J (see figure 2) to produce the (microcosmic) inner alchemical agent, which method is also called ‘inner copulation’ (nei chiao kou) meaning that after you have gathered enough of the (microcosmic) outer alchemical agent, true vitality, driven by ventilation and fire, will soar up to the brain; you should then roll your eyes from left to right in a complete circle in order to push vitality up and down so that the vital breath in the brain unites with the nervous system. At this stage the brain will develop fully and a bright light will manifest (between the eyes); you should now gather the (microcosmic) inner alchemical agent; this is commonly called the preparation of the golden elixir. This bright light is the mysterious gate (hsuan kuan) about which it is said:

Your mouth cannot explain what appears before you;

Seeing it you will be relieved of all concern.

My master said: ‘Roll round the positive yang and negative yin (i.e. the two eyes) to shake the brain in order to pull out from its centre spirit which has developed and will then emerge from the mysterious gate (i.e. the bright light that has manifested).’

Ch’en Ni Wan said: ‘The real positive yang and negative yin are true Tao (immortality) which is right in front of you and should not be sought elsewhere.’

The Huo Hou Ko says: ‘To reach the mysterious gate requires solitary vigilance the secret of which lies in the eyes.’

Ch’ien Feng Lao Jen said: ‘The sun and the moon,² when turning round, unite the positive yang with the negative yin so that a glorious light emerges from the centre of the brain. If you only gather the (microcosmic) outer alchemical agent during the “inner copulation” of the male and female principles and do not gather the (microcosmic) inner alchemical agent during the phases at D and J (in the orbit) you are like a cart without wheels or a boat without rudders.’ How then can you achieve your goal?

Moreover when the (microcosmic) outer alchemical agent has been returned to the stove (under the navel) if positive and negative fires are not sent up and down (the psychic channels) through the various phases of sublimation in the microcosmic orbit, the generative and vital forces cannot be transmuted into the wondrous light, that glory of the golden elixir which makes the practiser springtime fresh, his blood circulate freely, his breathing unobstructed and his digestion easy. If the (microcosmic) outer alchemical agent is left intact in the stove (under the navel) it cannot be transformed into vitality by fire; you will then find it hard to restore your original (prenatal) body which cannot leak and is most precious. (This is because) the continual drain of generative fluid empties the testicles (of energy), just as a full vessel overflows when more water is added if there is no fire to turn that water into steam. Therefore, the generative fluid, when full, will be discharged sooner or later as proved by nocturnal emission. Without an experienced master to teach you it will be very difficult to understand alchemy, and in spite of your efforts you will not be able to stop the discharge of generative fluid. Is this not most regrettable?

Question You have said that after gathering the (microcosmic) outer alchemical agent, the practiser will fail to transmute the generative force into vitality if he does not raise the positive fire and lower its negative counterpart; and that he will not be able to stop the drain of the elixir at night. I have several times succeeded in producing and gathering the (microcosmic) outer alchemical agent and in spite of my making no use of these ascents and descents, I never had nocturnal emissions. What is the reason?

Answer Your question is most welcome. As you have said, you have only begun to fill your testicles; later on when they are full, if you do not raise and lower the fire, this is like making bricks without baking them so that they are hard and resistant; they will turn to mud again when exposed to rain. Therefore, these ascents and descents are indispensable (for they play the same role as the fire that bakes bricks). This is what the Tan Ching means by: ‘If the cauldron is devoid of true seed, it is like boiling an empty vessel (which will be damaged).’

I now deal with all this in detail. Your two eyes, though separate, have only one root; if both eyes roll round their root will move as well. The left eye stands for the East whose element is wood and the right eye for the West whose element is metal. The element of wood turns westward to unite with the element of metal and the latter turns eastward to mingle with the former. This is the union of both elements causing the (vital) breath in the brain and the psychic strength to develop, expand and unite into one whole reaching the core of the brain where it transmutes the (microcosmic) outer alchemical agent (already gathered there) into life-preserving true vitality; this is (eternal) life returning to (essential) nature to become one whole; only thus can nature and life be worked on successfully.

The practiser would make a grave mistake if he sat motionless to cultivate (essential) nature while disregarding (eternal) life. For instance, the shell of an egg is likened to the body and the yolk to life. When a young chicken is hatched the shell is broken and abandoned, but if it is broken before incubation you cannot expect a young chicken to emerge from it. Therefore, a practiser of Tao should preserve his physical body with the same care as he would a precious gem. He should know that:

Without the body the Tao cannot be attained

But with the body Truth never can be realised.³

and when his training has been effective then it will be time to leave the body.

True nature is prenatal vitality in its cell (ch’i pao) on the top of the medulla oblongata. If vitality is allowed to pass through the back of the head and down to the base of the spine to drain away through the anus and genital organ, its exhaustion will cause death.

This exhaustion of vitality is in no way related to the breath that comes in and out through the nostrils and mouth. In nocturnal emissions the generative fluid carries with it (some) vitality which thus leaves its vibrating cell in the centre of the brain to pass into the spine and then reach its base to drain away. It is this vitality which animates spermatozoa which, in its absence, become lifeless and non-reproductive. This cell is linked with the brain above it, the base of the spine below and the whole nervous system in the body and is the source of the vital energy of life.

When the heart is stirred by sexual desires, it is impossible to draw back this vital force which will drain down in the marrow of the spine to leave the body; it will then be impossible to cultivate (eternal) life. That which so drains off is prenatal vitality and although sexual intercourse has not actually occurred, it nevertheless runs away by the genital gate.

¹See here (Preface).

²The left and right eyes stand respectively for the sun and the moon, i.e. the positive yang and negative yin.

³The body should be preserved so that it can be used as a medium to achieve immortality, but if you do not abandon it you will not realise the Truth.