4

Walking the Way: Energy Transformation

The art of walking the spiritual path does not apply to the physical act of walking, but centers on our drive to follow our dreams and achieve our goals. It is the journey of our soul. On this journey, although each step forward may prove difficult, it leads necessarily and naturally to the next step, geared always toward eternity.

Taoism has accumulated only a handful of documented teachings but provides endless practical advice. Taoist teachings contain few rules to be followed but offer rich and invaluable direction. There are no commandments to obey, only revelations to be explored. Many enlightened teachers are here, ready to guide our pilgrimage. They can help us to understand the body and teach us how to distill the mind. We will then awaken to the harmonious flow of universe.

The Taoist teachings focus essentially on the transformation of Jing and Chi into Shen. Chi is vital energy or life force. Jing is the generative energy or sexual essence. We cultivate these energies, conserve them, and refine them into Shen, the spiritual energy. We then use the Shen to enter the Wu Chi (the origin or source of all things, the undifferentiated, primoridal void) and return to the Tao.

Chi manifests as psychophysical energy between body and spirit. Shen represents the cosmic/wisdom spirit. Our spiritual pilgrimage is a Chi-gathering practice. Cai Chi means to collect or gather Chi. The spiritual pilgrimage becomes the practice of gathering the Chi of dews, flowers, mountains, spirits, and stars into the Jing-body, the vessel of spirit.

The complete Taoist pilgrimage consists of planting the seed of zhenren, the pure or authentic person, in the fields of body and soul, and then cultivating that seed to its fruition. This is accomplished through the practice of gathering, circulating, and transforming the Chi of the universe in our various energy centers. This involves calming the desires of the heart, abandoning the minding mind, stilling the confused spirit, and unifying these three conscious realms into one spirit within the cosmic void.

In order to merge three into one, we must be in harmony with two. Just as the Tao Te Ching has two distinct sections, Tao and Te, our spiritual practice concerns harmonizing the seed of Tao (the Way) with the deed of Te (Virtuous Action). As the Tao and Te become one, we awaken and manifest our true spirit. This chapter is devoted to presenting some of the practices that can assist us in our spiritual pilgrimage of gathering, conserving, refining, and transmuting Chi, and to exploring some of the ways that the ancient Taoist I Ching, or Book of Changes, and the principles of energy alchemy can assist us on our pilgrimage.

THE WISDOM OF THE I CHING

A major role in the discovery of Taoism’s practical way to work with the energy of the universe was played by the legendary Chinese emperor Fu Hsi, who has been credited in Chinese history with the discovery of the symbols that are the foundation of the I Ching, the most ancient scripture of Taoist philosophy.

The I Ching is a book of prophecy and wisdom centering around the ideas of balance through opposites (yin and yang) and acceptance of change. The oldest parts of its text are thought to have attained their present form in the century before Confucius. Its images and concepts were taken partly from oracles and partly from the mythology, history, and poetry of earlier ages. The I Ching consists of eight trigrams (simple patterns composed of a series of lines), corresponding to the powers of nature, which, according to legend, were copied by Fu Hsi from the back of a turtle. The various combinations of the eight trigrams give us the sixty-four hexagrams used in the I Ching.

The hexagrams that embody the I Ching symbolism are each composed of six horizontal lines; each line is either yang (masculine, creative, associated with the sun) or yin (feminine, receptive, associated with the moon). The yang lines are solid and unbroken; the yin lines are broken lines with a gap in the center. These six yin or yang lines are stacked from bottom to top in each hexagram. There are 2⁶ or sixty-four possible combinations and thus sixty-four hexagrams.

THE EIGHT TRIGRAMS AND THE KAN HEXAGRAM

As noted previously, each hexagram is made of two trigrams. The lower trigram is regarded as the earth trigram and the upper trigram is the heaven trigram. Alternatively, the lower trigram is seen as the inner aspect of a change that is occurring. The upper trigram is the outer aspect. The change described is thus the dynamic of the inner (personal) aspect relating to the outer (external) situation.

The above figure illustrates the eight trigrams and the hexagram known as Kan. Eight of the hexagrams pair the same two trigrams, and these hexagrams retain the same name as the individual trigrams, as in this example.

Each hexagram represents a state, a process, or a change that is happening at the present moment. The process of consulting the I Ching for wisdom or prophecy involves determining the hexagram that reflects the situation by some random method—such as casting yarrow stalks or coins—and then reading the I Ching text associated with that hexagram. The sixty-four possible hexagrams symbolize all states of being or tendencies of energy orientation. Energy transformations occur in the unending flow of changes in life from the microcosmic through the macrocosmic levels of existence. Likely possibilities and probabilities of the outcomes of change may be ascertained based on relevant variables present in a “snapshot” of experience at a given moment in time. These possibilities and probabilities can be perceived through the use of the I Ching hexagrams and traditional interpretive texts.

FU-HSI’S TABLE OF THE I CHING

Once a hexagram is determined, each line is determined as either changing (old) or unchanging (young). Since each changing line is seen as being in the process of becoming its opposite, a new hexagram can be formed by transposing each changing yin line with a yang line, and vice versa. Thus, further insight into the process of change is gained by reading the text of this new hexagram and viewing it as the result of the current change. In this way, the I Ching can be a powerful tool for guidance on the Taoist path.

Tao Huang: My Discovery of the I Ching

At the beginning of the Chinese Revolution, the I Ching was forbidden reading. It was considered by the government to be a reflection of a pernicious feudal culture and a poisonous, conservative Confucian heritage. But I had an unwavering desire to gain a thorough understanding of the I Ching, which was considered by many to be one of the great treasures of China. It had always been valued as the foundation of Taoist cosmology and the origin of Chinese traditional wisdom.

To my disappointment, my initial study of the I Ching left me feeling very confused. I was unaware at the time that throughout Chinese history, the interpretation of this work had provided an ideological battleground for commentators. It had been the subject of a deep-seated conflict between Taoist practitioners and Confucian scholars. The Confucian interpretation focused largely upon linguistic explanation and analytical understanding. The Taoist version centered on practicality, on understanding natural events, and deepening one’s conscious process. I was becoming aware of the fact that the Taoist view of the universe and of nature, as well as of human relations and Chinese science, was at the very root of Chinese civilization. Conversely, Confucian ideology had served, since very early times, as a principal instrument of the feudal order.

I realized that as Confucian culture had become dominant, the Taoist worldview and its theory on nature-related practices had often been viewed by rulers as dangerous, weird, and obscure, despite its contributions to science, medicine, and other areas of Chinese culture. I had been quite unaware of the extent to which the Taoist worldview had been systematically repressed by the establishment, nationally as well as locally.

I began to understand that in the Taoist tradition, the I Ching was considered a sacred book. It was understood to contain a secret code that would awaken human consciousness. It served to reveal one’s true destiny, and provided a key for transforming and enriching the life force we inherited from our ancestors and our parents, as well as the energies of heaven and earth. This view of life as a process of self-transformation—an inner journey—was rooted in the view that human beings are a microcosm that reflects the energies of the macrocosm. In the Taoist view there is no limit to the self-cultivation of one’s intrinsic creative and spiritual potential.

I have been thrilled to discover the I Ching’s wisdom about the Taoist path of spiritual cultivation. Throughout this book, we will incorporate elements from the I Ching to illuminate our discussion. For example, in this chapter we will be exploring some of the practices that can assist us in our spiritual pilgrimage of gathering, conserving, refining, and transmuting Chi on the path of transformation. The I Ching hexagrams Xiaochu and Dachu convey much wisdom about this process.

SMALL MYSTICAL FIELD (XIAOCHU) OF THE 9TH HEXAGRAM

LARGER MYSTICAL FIELD (DACHU) OF THE 26TH HEXAGRAM

In the I Ching there are two mystical energy fields, the small mystical field (Xiaochu) of the ninth hexagram and the larger mystical field (Dachu) of the twenty-sixth hexagram. Xiaochu deals with the animal body and its spirit, while Dachu refers specifically to the human body and its spirit. How to integrate within ourselves these two fields into oneness of spirit is the essence of Taoist inner alchemy. We need to be in harmony with the energy field of mother earth, and be able to transform the energies of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Yet we also need to be in harmony with the energy field of the human realm, so we can walk the way of beauty, values, justice, and spiritual immortality.

PRACTICES FOR ENERGY ALCHEMY

Intuitive sensitivity has always played an important role in traditional Chinese culture, philosophy, and medicine. Traditional Chinese cultural innovators were grounded in meditative awareness, and the intuitive and meditative dimension came forth in early cultural formations, such as prehistoric shamanistic Taoism, the I Ching, alchemy, and Chinese medicine. These visionaries drew the energies of the earth, sun, moon, mountains, lakes, and plants into their bodily awareness. They also gathered the energies of the wind, storms, and rain into the body’s energetic channels, or meridians.

Traditional Chinese medicine builds on the foundation laid by early Chinese alchemy, which aimed to understand the principles underlying the formation and functioning of the cosmos. Alchemists sought to utilize the energies and properties of various substances, ascend to higher states of being, and become a zhenren, a true or authentic person, a Taoist sage.

Throughout its history, Chinese alchemy evolved two distinct traditions: waidan (“external alchemy”) and neidan or (“internal alchemy”). The former, which arose earlier, is based on compounding elixirs through manipulating natural substances. Its texts include recipes that include rituals and descriptions of the cosmic properties of various organic and inorganic elements. Internal alchemy developed as an independent discipline around the beginning of the Tang period. It relies substantially on the waidan tradition, but aims to produce a spiritual “elixir” within the body/mind of the alchemist.

The Chinese have an insightful theory about all natural elements and beings on the face of the earth. This theory advocates that water and fire have Chi but no being. Plants have Chi and being but no consciousness. Animals have Chi, being, and consciousness but no righteousness. Human beings have Chi, being, consciousness, and righteousness. Sages can rise beyond the limits of human freedom.

Nonbeings (water and fire) are the invisible substances used to construct beings. Living beings are the biomechanical formations of earth and heaven. Human beings stand firmly on two legs with feet planted on the ground, facing the sky. The body/mind is itself a cosmic body, a cosmic tree, and a mystic field. The five fingers on each hand represent the five elements of the universe (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water). The five fingers also connect the human being to the earthly kingdom of five (monera, protista, fungi, plan-tae, and animalia).

In the five elements theory of traditional Chinese philosophy, wood, fire, earth, metal, and water are the basic elements of the material world. These elements are in constant movement and change. In traditional Chinese medicine, the five elements theory is used to interpret the relationship between the physiology and pathology of the human body and the natural environment. The five elements represent the processes that are fundamental to the cycles of nature, and therefore correspond to the human body.

The five elements philosophy assigns each of the five elements a series of qualities and then applies them to the classification of all phenomena. Wood, for example, is characterized by the qualities of germination, extension, softness, and harmony. It is then inferred that anything with those characteristics should be included in the category of the wood element. Fire involves the aspects of heat and flaring; earth involves the aspects of growing, nourishing, and changing; metal is associated with cleaning up, killing, strength, and firmness; and water is associated with cold, moisture, and downward flowing.

Fire descends from heaven. Water rises from earth. Earth stands on top of water. Wood represents the soft, watery, and murky element of evergreen. Metal forms a hard, dry crystal. All plants are devoid of the metal element, whereas animals have all five elements. All plants and most sea creatures are devoid of blood. Their bones, if any, are very soft. Only animals possess all five elements: bodily water, conscious fire, the governing element of muscles and glands (earth), the constructive element of blood (wood), and the skeletal element of proteins and mineral (metal).

The Beauty of the Body

Life is challenging; we inevitably meet a variety of physical, emotional, and spiritual difficulties during our lifetime. But the body doesn’t understand the meaning of suffering. It is the conscious mind that discriminates and gets involved with all feelings and sensations, and with the meaning of suffering and sin. The egoistic mind identifies with these experiences as concepts and categories, as good and bad. This explains the reason that many religious followers actively blind-side their true selves by misinterpreting the nature of life. They are unable to cast off their negative memories, experiences, and attitudes; they choose to be attached to them through fear of the unknown. They fail to understand the ultimate oneness of all things.

The body is the structure of human physical existence, the foundation of mind and spirit. Without the bodily form, there can be no growth of mind, spirit, and culture. Without the body, the beauty of human life would cease to exist. The body is the foundation for the personality and emotional qualities that reflect the inner self. The human body is the most beautiful object in the world: the source of attraction for love and longing, both biological and spiritual. The human body is our most precious human gift. It is the vehicle and alchemical vessel whereby extraordinary and limitless physical-emotional-spiritual transformation can take place.

Three Mystical Energy Fields

In the human body there are three mystical energy fields or “cauldrons” where energy transformation takes place: the lower Tan Tien, the middle Tan Tien, and the upper Tan Tien, in the abdominal, chest, and brain regions, respectively. (See the discussion about the three Tan Tiens in Chapter Two.) All three fields are fueled by the energy pathways (meridians) than run throughout the body. Taoist practitioners work with the three Tan Tiens in three stages.

In the first stage, one works with the lower Tan Tien, and focuses on gathering and concentrating Chi in the lower Tan Tien. Taoist practitioners learn to increase the flow of Chi in the body and strengthen the Chi pressure in the lower Tan Tien, organs, and fascia (connective tissue). Chi “pressure” refers to the result of condensing a large amount of energy into a small space. This is not unlike the effect of packing air into a tire until the tire becomes strong enough to safely support the weight of a heavy vehicle. “Strengthening Chi pressure” means to increase the level of Chi and to increase the internal pressure of the body so that we will be healthier and live longer. Much like a living battery, we may build up and store energy (Chi). If we store enough of this energy, then we are able to use it to accomplish greater things, including the healing of our bodies.

Developing the Chi pressure is one of the best practices we can use to reverse the downward spiraling movement of the quantity and quality of our life force into an upward spiraling movement. The increase of the Chi pressure in our lower Tan Tien will enhance our healing, meditation abilities, and the art of daily living. It will also nourish our original force.

Chi pressure in the lower Tan Tien roots our body and mind. When you want to become a big tree, you need deep roots, which require a high Chi pressure in the lower Tan Tien. The inner power in the Tan Tien helps us to regain our inner peace and stillness and our connection with the mind of the Tao.

The lower Tan Tien is the energy reservoir in the body. It is the place where we store the energy we generate, gather, and absorb in Chi Kung practices and meditation. If the energy is stored in the lower Tan Tien it can be accessed later, but if it is not stored, the Chi dissipates and cannot be used.

The lower Tan Tien is also called the “ocean of Chi.” According to Chinese medical theory, once the ocean is full, it will overflow into the eight extraordinary meridians, the eight principle energy channels of the body. Once these are full, the Chi flows into the twelve ordinary meridians, each of which is associated with a particular organ. The lower Tan Tien is therefore the foundation of the entire energetic system of the body.

We usually refer to the lower abdominal area as the lower Tan Tien; this is the area that Chi Kung practitioners particularly work with. However, as noted previously, we have three Tan Tiens: the lower Tan Tien (in the abdomen, the seat of awareness), the middle Tan Tien (the heart, the seat of consciousness), and the upper Tan Tien (behind the mid-eyebrow point, the seat of Shen, or spirit). All three Tan Tiens are used in Taoist inner alchemy. Because of their capacity to deal with a large amount of Chi, the Tan Tiens are used as a “laboratory” for inner alchemical work. Translated from the Chinese, the word Tan means “elixir.” Tien means “field or place.” It is the place where all the energies of our body, the earth, the universe, and nature come together to form the “pearl,” the elixir of immortality, and the nourishment for our soul and spirit.

The second stage works with the middle Tan Tien and involves a practice known as “fusion of the five elements,” in which we gain control over the energies of our inner universe so that a connection can be made to the tremendous energy of the universe beyond the body. This energy becomes useful for self-healing, day-to-day living, and reaching spiritual goals.

In this practice, we learn to control the generation and flow of emotional, mental, and physical energies within our body. The practice involves locating and dissolving the negative energies hidden inside our body. Using the five elements theory, a connection is made between the five outer senses—eyes, tongue, mouth, nose, ears—and the five major emotions—anger, hate, worry, sadness, and fear. Once the negative emotion is identified with the organ it is stored in, it can be controlled.

In this practice, negative emotions are neither suppressed nor expressed. Instead, their negative energy is brought to specific points in the body where it is easily neutralized, purified, and then transformed back into our original positive, creative energy. Our original positive energy is crystallized and stored in the middle Tan Tien and harmonized with the Chi we have cultivated and stored in the lower Tan Tien. The Microcosmic Orbit and Six Healing Sounds practices are particularly useful at this stage.

The challenge at this stage is transforming the emotions, transforming the personal into the impersonal, and purifying selfish love into selfless love. Ultimately there is an inner marriage of masculine and feminine, negativity no longer exists, all karma has been met, and only the selflessness and oneness of the zhenren (pure, authentic person) is apparent.

In the third stage, which is an advanced stage, we work with the upper Tan Tien. The upper Tan Tien is also known as the “crystal palace.” It is a precious energy center or mystical cauldron at the center of the brain. Through a process of purification, Chi is transformed into spirit and lower-energy substances are transformed into higher-energy substances. Once the energy in the lower and middle Tan Tiens has become pure and strong through the transformation of sexual energy and negative emotions, it will then naturally ascend to the upper Tan Tien and be transformed into Shen, or spiritual energy. At every stage, as one comes closer to unity with the Tao, the energies take on a more refined and subtle form.

The brain, of itself, does not produce energy. The subtle psychospiritual energy activated in the upper Tan Tien is supplied through the biomechanical energy from the lower center, the psychosomatic energy from the middle center, and the light from above.

The upper Tan Tien is associated with the pineal gland. When this gland is activated, it is said to become illuminated like thousands of shining crystals, able to receive light (as energy and knowledge) from the universe. When a meditator reaches this state, he or she will see the three different flowers at the three energy centers: Guatama Buddha is seated on the lotus flower; Jesus Christ adorns the snowflake flower; and Lao Tzu embraces the star flower.

The Taoist way of life is to direct the treasured life force downward and outward only for the purpose of procreation. At all other times we preserve it and direct it upward and inward to nourish and rejuvenate the body and brain, and transmute its energy for spiritual transformation and cultivation of the zhenren.

Closing the Gate of Life and Death

Taoist energy transformation practices involve locking the energy gate located at the perineum pressure point, known as the “gate of life and death.” This opening is locked before the pubic stage begins, and closed after menopause or with the absence of sperm, but opens fully in the productive stage and when sickness manifests.

In order to create and maintain the correct pressure in the lower Tan Tien, we must be able to tighten and seal the sexual organ, the perineum, and the anus. In order to do this, we must be able to contract the pelvic floor and be able to tighten the sexual organ, perineum, and anus in a controlled and coordinated manner. This ability prevents leakage of sexual essence/generative energy ( Jing) and preserves it so that it may be transformed into vital life force energy and spirit energy. Tightening and sealing the sexual organ, the perineum, and the anus is called “closing the gate of life and death.”

THE GATE OF LIFE AND DEATH

The perineum is known as the gate of life and death as it plays such a crucial role both in preventing degeneration and in activating all the organs, glands, and other body functions. The perineum—called the hui yin—is located between the genitals and the anus. It constitutes the lowest point of the yin or descending energy channels, and is the lower meeting point of the Governor (ascending) Channel and the Functional (descending) Channel. Through the legs and feet, it is the main link with the earth Chi. When the perineum is strong, the organs remain firm and healthy; when it is weak the organs lose cohesiveness and Chi energy drains away.

The ability to achieve control over the perineum gate and to lead the energy up and inward rather than allowing it to flow down and outward is very important. The dense form of Chi (Jing) produced in the sexual organ is brought into the loop of the Governor and the Functional Channels and thence upward into the brain. On its upward journey, the Chi undergoes several transformations and nourishes and activates all the organs before it finally brings fresh energy and hormones to the brain.

PERINEUM IN THE FEMALE AND MALE BODIES

A good beginning practice as we learn to control the perineum gate is massaging the perineum. Massaging the perineum vitalizes the sexual organs and strengthens the pelvic floor. It also contributes to activating the pineal gland, to which it has a direct connection through the Thrusting Channel, the energy channel that is located in the center of the body between the perineum and the crown. Perineum massage also helps one to become aware of the unity of high and low in one’s body. It acknowledges the most honorable function of what are often called “the lower organs.”

Contracting the muscles of the perineum, sexual organs, and anus activates our connection with the earth energy. By pulling up these areas and drawing in energy through the soles of the feet, we immediately become grounded and energized. Holding a very gentle contraction in the muscles of the perineum, sexual organs, and anus will keep you grounded during Chi Kung or other Taoist practices.

As we practice contracting the perineum, sexual organs, and anus, Chi is pressed inward from all sides, and Chi pressure in the lower Tan Tien rises. The more the Chi is concentrated, the higher its expansive potential becomes. This practice has been called the creation of a “Chi ball.” Scattered Chi is concentrated and compressed in the lower Tan Tien, which raises the inner power needed to activate the whole body and all its flows and networks.

You can develop what is known as “perineum power” by contracting and pulling up these areas. When your pelvic area is strong, no energy will leak out of the lower gate, and you can enhance the Chi pressure in your Tan Tien. With a weak perineum and anus, this is not possible.

There are good Taoist exercises to strengthen the different parts of the anus (perineum/pelvic floor) and to learn to contract them without tightening the muscles too much. To make them very strong, which means giving the muscles a strong tonicity, you must do these exercises many times a day. The pleasant thing about them is that you can do these exercises everywhere; good times and places to practice are while waiting at the post office, the bus station, the shop, when you watch a movie or TV, or work on the computer. When you are creative, you will find many occasions during the day to practice these exercises.

The best way to do these exercises is in the standing position. However, you also can practice them sitting or laying on the ground, in bed, or even in the bathtub.

1. First, stand with the feet parallel and shoulder width apart. Root the feet firmly to the earth.
2. Keep part of the awareness on the anus, perineum, and sexual organs.
3. Put your hands below the navel on the lower abdomen, very gently and softly. Smile and do a few deep, abdominal breaths.
4. Exhale and flatten and contract the abdominal area. Follow this action with the fingers of both hands.
5. Next, inhale with a half breath, using the dragon sound. The dragon sound is a high-pitched Hummmmm. Feel a pressure, like that of a vacuum cleaner, in the abdominal area and the throat. This vacuum/sucking sensation is a sucking in of Chi pressure.
6. Lightly pull up the anus, perineum, and sexual organs. At the same time, expand the abdomen, while holding the breath and Chi pressure in the abdomen. Always keep the chest diaphragm down and the chest relaxed.
7. Now, exhale with the tiger sound. The tiger sound, Hummmmm, is a low-pitched, growling sound. Push the energy pressure down to the lower abdominal area.
8. Next, hold the breath out and laugh softly inside. Feel the vibration in the abdomen. Hold the breath out as long as is comfortable, then inhale and slowly regulate the breath.
9. Repeat the whole process with the dragon and tiger breath three to six times. Feel the pressure becoming stronger with every breath. When you inhale and exhale consciously, you draw in and hold Chi. When you inhale and exhale unconsciously, you lose Chi.
10. When you are ready to conclude the exercise, collect the energy at your navel.

Microcosmic Orbit Energy Circulation

The Chinese discovered the energetic channels or meridians through the practice of meditation, acupuncture, massage, and spiritual healing. These meridians can be charged and recharged through practicing the Microcosmic Orbit internal energy circulation exercise (discussed briefly in Chapter Two).

The Microcosmic Orbit circulates Chi between the Governor Channel, which ascends from the base of the spine up to the head, and the Functional Channel, which runs from the tip of the tongue down the middle of the torso to the perineum.

The practice of Microcosmic Orbit meditation will help you to feel Chi more easily inside, outside, and around the body. It awakens, circulates, and directs Chi through the two most important energy routes in the body. The Microcosmic Orbit also strengthens Original Chi and teaches you the basics of circulating Chi. It allows the palms, the soles of the feet, the mid-eyebrow point, and the crown to open. These specific locations are the major points where energy can be absorbed, condensed, and transformed into fresh new life force. Dedicated practice of this ancient esoteric method eliminates stress and nervous tension, energizes the internal organs, restores health to damaged tissue, and builds a strong sense of personal well-being.

The following are the steps involved in the Microcosmic Orbit meditation:

1. Focus on the lower Tan Tien (the area between the navel, kidneys, and sexual organs). Feel the pulsing in this area, and observe whether this area feels tense or relaxed, cool or warm, expansive or contracting. Notice any sensations of Chi: tingling, heat, expansiveness, pulsations, electric or magnetic sensations. Allow these to grow and expand. Let the Chi of the lower Tan Tien flow out to the navel.
2. Use your mind/heart power to spiral the Chi in the navel point, guiding and moving it. Let the energy flow down to the sexual center (the ovaries for women, or the testicles for men).
3. Move the energy from the sexual center to the perineum and then down to the soles of the feet.
4. Draw the energy up from the soles of the feet to the perineum and then to the sacrum.
5. Draw the energy up from the sacrum to the Door of Life (the point in the spine opposite the navel).
6. Draw the energy up to the mid-spine point (the T-11 vertebrae).
7. Draw the energy up to the base of the skull (also known as the “jade pillow”).
8. Draw the energy up to the crown.
9. Move the energy down from the crown to the mid-eyebrow point.
10. Touch the tip of your tongue to your upper palate; press and release a few times. Then lightly touch the palate with the tongue and leave it there, sensing the electric or tingling feeling in the tip of the tongue. Move the energy down from the mid-eyebrow to where the tip of your tongue and the palate meet.
11. Move the energy down from the palate through your tongue to the throat center.
12. Move the energy down from the throat to the heart center.
13. Bring the energy down from the heart to the solar plexus. Feel a small sun shining out.
14. Bring the energy back down to the navel.
15. Continue to circulate your energy through this sequence of points, making at least nine cycles. Once the pathways are open, you can let your energy flow continuously like a river, without needing to stop at each point.
16. When you are ready to conclude the exercise, collect the energy at your navel.

Men: Cover your navel with both palms, left hand over right. Collect and mentally spiral the energy outward from the navel thirty-six times clockwise and then inward twenty-four times counterclockwise.

Women: Cover your navel with both palms, right hand over left. Collect and mentally spiral the energy outward from the navel thirty-six times counterclockwise and then inward twenty-four times clockwise.

The Six Healing Sounds

The Six Healing Sounds exercise is a simple yet powerful Taoist practice that uses natural sounds to stimulate, energize, and heal our inner organs and their corresponding energy centers. This practice promotes physical, energetic, and emotional healing and balance. Regular daily practice of the Six Healing Sounds will help you keep in touch with the energetic and emotional state of your internal organs. Practice this exercise in the evening before you go to sleep. By clearing out negative emotions before sleeping, you allow the night’s rest to recharge your energy positively. It will help sensitize you to the varieties and differing qualities of Chi.

The sounds are used to generate certain frequencies for specific healing. Each sound can generate different energy for the healing of different organs. Cultivating the positive qualities associated with each organ is essential so that the negative or sick energy has less room to grow.

When practicing the Six Healing Sounds, keep your eyes open only while making each sound. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and smile to appropriate the organ between each healing sound exhalation. For more details of this practice, see the book Taoist Ways to Transform Stress into Vitality by Mantak Chia.

LUNGS ARE THE CHI OF DUI (LAKE) HEXAGRAM

Lung Sound

Element: metal

Associated organ: large intestine

Sound: sssssss (tongue behind the teeth)

Emotions: negative—grief, sadness, depression positive—courage, righteousness, high self-esteem

Color: white, clear, metallic

Season: fall

Direction: west

Position: Sit in a chair with your back straight and your hands resting palms up on your thighs. Have your feet flat on the floor about hips’ width apart. Smile down to your lungs and be aware of any sadness, grief, or excess heat in your lungs. Slowly inhale, and raise your hands up your upper chest, with your fingers pointing toward each other. Continue raising your hands past shoulder level, and begin to rotate the palms out as you raise your hands in front of you and above your head, with the palms up. Point your fingers toward the fingers of the opposite hand and keep your elbows slightly bent.

Sound: Part your lips slightly, holding your jaw gently closed. Look up through the space between your two hands and push your palms slightly upward as you slowly exhale and make the sound sssssss. Picture and feel any excess heat, sadness, grief, depression, sickness, or dingy white color expelled and released as you exhale slowly and fully.

LUNG SOUND AND EXERCISE

Resting posture: When you have completely exhaled, rotate the palms to face downward with the fingers still pointing toward each other. Slowly lower the palms and bring them just in front of the chest, feeling the lungs’ aura.

Close your eyes and be aware of your lungs. Smile into your lungs, and as you inhale, imagine that you are breathing in a bright white mist of light. Breathe this light into your lungs and feel it cooling, cleansing, invigorating, healing, and refreshing your lungs. Feel it flowing down to the large intestine to balance the energy of the yin lungs and yang large intestine, allowing the courage quality of your lungs to emerge. Grow more courage so that sadness and depression have less room to grow. With each in-breath, feel yourself drawing in cool, fresh energy. With each out-breath, mentally make the lung sound and release any remaining sadness or hot energy.

Repeat at least three times. For the first two repetitions, make the sound aloud. On the third or last repetition, make the sound sub-vocally (so softly that only you can hear it). To alleviate extreme sadness, depression, cold, flu, toothache, asthma, or emphysema, repeat six, nine, twelve, or twenty-four times.

KIDNEYS ARE THE CHI OF THE KAN (WATER) HEXAGRAM

Kidney Sound

Element: water

Associated organ: bladder

Sound: chooooo (with your lips forming an “O” as if blowing out a candle)

Emotions: negative—fear, shock Positive—gentleness, wisdom

Color: dark blue or black

Season: winter

Direction: north

Position: Begin with you hands facing upward on your opened thighs. Smile to your kidneys, and be aware of any excess cold or heat in the kidney region. Then bring your legs together, ankles and knees touching. Lean forward and clasp the fingers of both hands together around your knees. Inhale, and pull your arms straight from the lower back while bending the torso forward (this allows your back to protrude in the area of the kidneys). Tilt your head upward as you look straight ahead, still pulling on your arms from the lower back. Feel your spine pulling against your knees.

KIDNEY SOUND AND EXERCISE

Sound: Round the lips slightly and slowly exhale while making the sound chooooo. Simultaneously contract your abdomen, pulling it in toward your kidneys. Imagine any fear, sickness, imbalances, excess cold, or excess heat energy being released and squeezed out of the fascia surrounding the kidneys.

Resting posture: After you have fully exhaled, slowly straighten until you are erect and return your hands to touch the aura of the kidneys. Close your eyes and again be aware of your kidneys. Smile to your kidneys, and on the in-breath, imagine you are breathing a brilliant luminous blue light mist into them. Feel this mist healing, balancing, and refreshing your kidneys and bladder, and picture them glowing a bright blue color. On the out-breath, imagine you are still making the kidney sound.

Repeat at least three times. Repeat six, nine, twelve, or twenty-four times to alleviate extreme fear, fatigue, low-pitched ringing in the ears, dizziness, back pain, bladder or urinary infection, or problems of the reproductive system.

LIVER IS THE CHI OF THE CHEN (THUNDER) HEXAGRAM

Liver Sound

Element: wood

Associated organ: gallbladder

Sound: shhhhh

Emotions: negative—anger, frustration, resentment positive—loving kindness, benevolence, forgiveness

Color: green

Season: spring

Direction: east

Position: Start by placing your hands over the liver. Smile to your liver, and be aware of any anger, frustration, resentment, or excess heat in the liver region. Slowly begin to inhale a deep breath as you extend your arms up from the sides with your palms up. Raise your palms over your head. Interlace your fingers together and turn your joined hands over to face the sky, palms up. Push out through the heels of the palms and extend the arms up, keeping the shoulders relaxed. Bend a little to the left and stretch your right arm slightly to gently open the area of your liver.

Sound: Open your eyes wide (the eyes are the sensory opening of the liver). Slowly exhale, making the sound shhhhh subvocally. Feel that you are releasing any trapped excess heat, anger, illness, or negativity from your liver and that these are riding out of your body on your breath.

Resting posture: Once you have fully exhaled, close your eyes, separate your hands, turn the palms down, and slowly lower your arms to the sides, leading with the heels of the hands. Smile, and inhale a shiny spring green mist, illuminating the liver and gallbladder. Bring your hands back to rest on the liver’s aura. Close your eyes and smile into your liver. With each in-breath, breathe fresh Chi into your liver and gallbladder. With each out-breath, mentally make the liver sound.

Repeat at least three times. Repeat six, nine, twelve, or twenty-four times to alleviate extreme anger, to relieve red or watery eyes, to remove a sour or bitter taste in the mouth, or to detoxify the liver.

LIVER SOUND AND EXERCISE

Heart Sound

Element: fire

Associated organ: small intestine

Sound: haaaaaw

Emotions: negative—arrogance, harshness, cruelty, hatred positive—joy, honor, respect, love, happiness

Color: red

Season: summer

Direction: south

HEART IS THE CHI OF THE LI (FIRE) HEXAGRAM

Position: Begin with the hands facing upward on the thighs. Smile to your heart, and be aware of any arrogance, haughtiness, hatred, giddiness, cruelty, or hastiness in it. Slowly begin to inhale a deep breath as you extend your arms up from the sides with your palms up. Raise your palms over your head. Interlace your fingers together and turn your clasped hands over to face the sky, palms up. Push out through the heels of the palms and extend the arms up, keeping the shoulders relaxed. Bend a little to the right and stretch your left arm slightly to open the area of your heart.

HEART SOUND AND EXERCISE

Sound: Keeping your eyes soft and relaxed, look up through your hands. Slowly exhale, making the sound haaaaaw subvocally. Feel that you are releasing any trapped heat, negative emotions, illness, or imbalance from your heart and that these are riding out of the body on your breath.

Resting posture: Once you have fully exhaled, close your eyes, separate your hands, turn the palms down, and slowly lower your arms to the sides, leading with the heels of the hands. As you move, inhale a bright red mist into the heart and small intestine. Bring your hands back to rest on your heart’s aura. Smile into your heart. With each in-breath, breathe fresh Chi into your heart. With each out-breath, mentally repeat the heart sound.

Repeat at least three times. Repeat six, nine, twelve, or twenty-four times to alleviate extreme impatience, hastiness, arrogance, nervousness, moodiness, jumpiness, irritability, tongue ulcers, palpitations, sore throat, heart disease, or insomnia and to detoxify the heart.

SPLEEN IS THE CHI OF THE KEN (MOUNTAIN) HEXAGRAM

Spleen Sound

Element: earth

Associated organ: pancreas, stomach

Sound: whooooo (gutturally from the throat)

Emotions: negative—worry, excess sympathy, overthinking positive—fairness, balance, equanimity, justice, openness

Color: yellow

Season: indian summer

Direction: center (where you stand, looking out to the six directions)

SPLEEN SOUND AND EXERCISE

Position: Be aware of your spleen, and smile sincerely into it. Place your hands on the body so that they cover the spleen, pancreas, and stomach area. Inhale deeply as you move your arms outward in an embrace, and aim the fingers up under the left rib cage. Place the fingers of both hands just beneath the sternum and rib cage on the left side.

Sound: Look out, lean into your fingers, and gently push your fingertips in. Exhale slowly and make the sound whooooo from the depths of your throat. Feel yourself releasing any trapped heat, worry, mental fixations, or excess sympathy.

Resting posture: Once you have fully exhaled, close your eyes, slowly release the hands, and extend your arms out, embracing the earth. Return your hands to the resting position on the spleen’s aura. Smile to your spleen, pancreas, and stomach. With each in-breath, inhale fresh Chi to your spleen, pancreas, and stomach as a brilliant luminous yellow healing mist that cleanses and refreshes your organs. With each out-breath, mentally make the spleen sound.

Repeat at least three times. Repeat six, nine, twelve, or twenty-four times to alleviate extreme indigestion, heat or cold in the stomach or spleen, worry, nausea, hemorrhoids, fatigue, organ prolapse, or loose stools.

Triple Warmer Sound

“Triple warmer” refers to the upper, middle, and lower torso and to the distinct metabolic transformations that occur within each area. The upper warmer is the area above the diaphragm, where the heart and lungs are located. This area tends to become hot and is responsible for respiration and cardiovascular circulation. The middle warmer, the area between the diaphragm and the navel, becomes warm and is where the digestive organs are located. The lower warmer, the area below the navel, is responsible for reproduction and elimination and is cool in temperature. The sound heeeee balances the temperatures of the three levels by bringing hot energy down to the lower center and cold energy up to the higher centers.

Position: Lie on your back with your arms resting at your sides, palms up. Keep your eyes closed. Smile. With a single inhalation, breath first into the upper part of your lungs to expand the upper warmer, then into the middle of the lungs to expand the middle warmer, and finally into the lower lungs to fill the lower warmer. Breathing in this way creates more space inside the torso for each organ, helping to release and circulate any internal heat or cold.

Sound: Exhale while making the sound heeeee subvocally, flattening first your chest, then your solar plexus, and finally your lower abdomen. Feel the dark and cloudy color and the cold energy exit from the tips of the fingers.

Resting posture: Once you have fully exhaled, do not to focus on any emotions or purification process. Instead, just let go and relax your body and mind completely.

Repeat at least three times. Repeat six, nine, twelve, or twenty-four times to alleviate insomnia and stress.

TRIPLE WARMER SOUND AND EXERCISE

When you have completed the Six Healing Sounds practice, smile softly and rest. Remain still and deeply relaxed for several minutes.

In is interesting to note that in the chakra system, the Indian system of energy vortexes in the body, the first five sounds connect to the first five chakras, from the sexual center the throat center; the sixth sound is connected to the third eye, and is an inner sound. Only when the first five sounds are completely integrated and reach a perfect silence can the sixth sound arise; it cannot manifest by itself.

Also, the first five sounds are related to the five animal kingdoms, or the five senses within humans. The human sound, which is the spleen sound, connects the four animal deities—green dragon, red phoenix, white tiger, and black tortoise—through the lower Tan Tien. The spleen is the largest node of the lymphatic system, and technically not an organ, but due to its importance in the immune system and, energetically, in Chinese medicine, it is regarded as a vital organ. As the triple-warmer is activated, the three Tan Tiens are connected: the upper conscious, the middle emotional, and lower physical.

The sounds are always performed in the creative cycle of energy relationships among the five elemental energies (which correlate to the characteristic energies of the organs). The supportive relationship between the primary vital organs and their associated organs is maintained. Since the kidneys (bladder) support the liver (gall bladder) in this creative cycle sequence, the relationship between the bladder and the gallbladder meridians is activated. In the Universal Tao teaching, the triple warmer sound is included as the sixth sound to provide the harmonizing and unifying benefit in the three Tan Tiens. Thus, the sequence for performing the Healing Sounds in the Universal Tao System is as follows: lungs, kidneys, liver, heart, spleen, and triple warmer.

The Frolics of the Five Animals

One of the oldest and most popular holistic exercises, the Frolics of the Five Animals (daiyin) has been utilized by meditators, healers, and martial arts practitioners for thousands of years. Hua Tuo, a famous Chinese physician of the Han Dyansty, developed this practice based on his observations of animals and their special attributes. Hua Tuo taught that by imitating the movements of the tiger, bear, deer, monkey, and bird, we can relax the body, eliminate bad Chi, strengthen physical power, and heal disease. The ancient sages could stretch their bodies and bend their necks like a bird, allowing the energy to circulate outside the skin and inside the body so that the sinews and joints remained smooth and flexible. This system has survived as one of the oldest methods of Chi Kung used for health and healing purposes.

With practice, the essence of the five animals will become alive in you; the energy of these animals will soar through your being, your energy channels, and your whole body.

For all five animal postures, begin standing with the feet parallel and shoulder width apart. Let your arms rest at your sides. All the nine points of the feet should be firmly rooted in the earth. Keep the chest diaphragm down and the chest relaxed. Then move into each animal posture.

Tiger’s Game

Drop to the ground with both palms and feet flat on the floor; rock forward and draw backward three times. Then stretch the back upward and forward as high as possible without allowing the palms and feet to leave the ground. Then raise the head up toward the sky, and walk forward and backward seven times with both hands and feet on the floor.

TIGER FORM

Bear’s Game

Lie down on your back holding the knees with both hands. Raise the head and chest, rolling up, and lean over to the left side. Return the original position. Then raise the head and chest, rolling up, and lean over the right side. Alternate back and forth, seven times on each side. Then squat on the ground with hands pushing down on the ground.

BEAR FORM

Deer’s Game

Stand on all fours, with both hands and feet on the ground. Stretch the neck up, and turn the head to the left. While turning the head to the left, stretch the right leg out straight behind you. Return the starting position. Then turn the head to the right. While turning the head to the right, stretch the left leg out straight behind you. Repeat on each side three times. Following this, tuck the head and neck in and down three times.

DEER FORM

Monkey’s Game

First, lie on a sturdy exercise mat or twin bed, holding onto the sides for support. Raise and lower the legs and buttocks, swinging legs over torso, seven times. Then, sit on a solid and strong structure such as an exercise device found in most gyms on which you can sit and hook the feet behind a padded support bar under the seat. An alternative would be to sit on a very strong railing that has an upper bar and a lower bar where you can hook your feet behind the lower bar for support. Lean back and lower and raise the upper body seven times. Finally, sit on an exercise mat or bed and hold both feet with your hands, then touch the head to the toes seven times. Be patient. You can bend the knees as much as necessary in order to touch head to feet.

MONKEY FORM

Bird’s Game

While standing, raise and stretch one leg out behind you and stretch both arms out to the sides while raising the eyebrows fourteen times. Return to center, then do the same with the other leg. Then sit, stretch out the legs, hold the feet with hands, and move each foot forward and backward seven times.

BIRD FORM

The Five Healing Colors

The Taoist path cultivates physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health, self-awareness, and self-trust. In our stress-inducing society, emotional health is particularly important.

The changing emotional “weather” conditions of our life are often influenced by changes in our environment—seasonal changes, sensory inputs, and all kinds of stimuli from the outside world.

According to Chinese medicine, there is no single headquarters in the brain that regulates mood and emotion. Rather, the receptors and transmitters that relate to mood and emotion are dispersed throughout the body and brain. The energetic meridians in the body are multidimensional and create a functional interaction between the body/mind/emotions and the universe. These energetic patterns affect not only the body but the personality, character, mood, and emotional attributes.

The Chinese understanding of mood and emotion is organic and holistic. For Taoists, stress arises as a reaction resulting from desire. If there is no desire, the mood is stable. If the desire is strong and consistent, there will be a strong emotional reaction. Persistent negative emotions alter the bodily condition, as the organs can no longer regulate and balance each other. Somatic disorders and psychosomatic symptoms appear as stressful characteristics in the body/mind.

The “Five Healing Colors” exercise can purify and heal the mental-emotional-physical energy pathways in the body. In this exercise, we draw into the body the universal energetic color forces through visualization. The negative, imbalanced, or disharmonized Chi will be either exhaled or transformed, and the positive energetic forces are then restored. The emotional energies in the organs become harmonized and purified.

1. Sit upright in a chair. Be at ease and alert. Physically relax, letting go of muscular and emotional tensions, and turn on a very special, subtle, gentle, loving smile.

2. Focus your awareness on the mid-eyebrow. Close your eyes and imagine that you are in one of your favorite places in the world, a place where you feel safe, relaxed, and happy. Recall the sights you saw there, the sounds you heard, and the scents, sensations, and flavors you associate with that place.

BLUE HEALING COLOR OF THE KIDNEYS

3. Imagine that one of your favorite people is standing in front of you, smiling to you with loving, happy, radiant, shining eyes. Smile to your own face, slightly lifting up the corners of your mouth.

4. Feel yourself responding to that special person’s smile with a smile of your own. Feel your eyes smiling and relaxing.

5. Now bring your attention to your kidneys. Aim your attention at these organs; picture them before your inner eye, and smile to them. Smile until you feel them smiling back to you. Picture the kidneys as a blue rose, slowly opening. See them radiate the blue healing light of gentleness.

6. Retaining the blue light and the feeling of gentleness, exhale, expelling feelings of fear or stress and the cloudy or negative energy. Repeat until the blue light of gentleness starts to radiate out from your kidneys.

7. Visualize a young child and see the child breathe out the blue color as a deer. Then visualize the water element taking shape as a big, dark blue turtle. The turtle will capture the deer. Visualize the turtle on the back of your body as a protective animal.

8. Now bring your attention to your heart. Aim your attention at this organ; picture it before your inner eye, and smile to it. Smile until you feel it smiling back to you. Picture the heart as a red rose, slowly opening. This will activate the love and warmth of compassion in the heart. See it radiate the red healing light of love and compassion.

9. Retaining the red light and the feeling of love, exhale, expelling feelings of anger or stress and the cloudy or negative energy. Repeat until the red light of compassion starts to radiate out from your heart.

RED HEALING COLOR OF THE HEART

10. Visualize a young child and see the child breathe out the red color as a red pheasant. Then visualize the fire element taking shape as another big, red pheasant. The big, red pheasant will embrace the smaller pheasant. Visualize the pheasant on the back of your body as a protective animal.

11. Now bring your attention to your liver. Aim your attention at this organ; picture it before your inner eye, and smile to it. Smile until you feel it smiling back to you. Picture the liver as a green rose, slowly opening. This will activate the kindness of the liver. See the liver radiating the green healing light of kindness.

12. Retaining the green light and the feeling of kindness, exhale, expelling feelings of stress and the cloudy or negative energy. Repeat until the green light of kindness starts to radiate out from your liver.

13. Visualize a young child and see the child breathe out the green color as a green dragon. Then visualize the wood element taking shape as another big, green dragon. The big, green dragon will embrace the smaller dragon. Visualize the dragon on the back of your body as a protective animal.

GREEN HEALING COLOR OF THE LIVER

14. Now bring your attention to your lungs. Aim your attention at these organs; picture them before your inner eye, and smile to them. Smile until you feel them smiling back to you. Picture the lungs as a white rose, slowly opening. This will activate the warmth of courage in the heart. See the lungs radiating the white healing light of courage and encouragement.

15. Retaining the white light and the feeling of courage, exhale, expelling feelings of fear or stress and the cloudy or negative energy. Repeat until the white light of courage starts to radiate out from your lungs.

16. Visualize a young child and see the child breathe out the white color as a white tiger. Then visualize the universal creative force taking shape as another big, white, tiger. The big, white tiger will embrace the smaller tiger. Visualize the tiger on the back of your body as a protective animal.

WHITE HEALING COLOR OF THE LUNGS

17. Now bring your attention to your spleen. Aim your attention at this organ; picture it before your inner eye, and smile to it. Smile until you feel it smiling back to you. Picture the spleen as a yellow rose, slowly opening. This will activate the fairness, openness, and equanimity of the spleen. See it radiate the yellow healing light of equanimity.

18. Retaining the yellow light and the feeling of openness and equanimity, exhale, expelling feelings of worry or stress and the cloudy or negative energy. Repeat until the yellow light of equanimity starts to radiate out from your spleen.

YELLOW HEALING COLOR OF THE SPLEEN

19. Visualize a young child and see the child breathe out the yellow color as a yellow phoenix. Then visualize the earth element taking shape as another big, yellow phoenix. The big, yellow phoenix will embrace the smaller phoenix. Visualize the phoenix on the back of your body as a protective animal.

Golden Elixir

The Taoist Golden Elixir practice uses the energies of Chi, saliva, and hormonal fluids to create the potent Golden Elixir for health, healing, and spiritual transformation. In the Golden Elixir practices, one cultivates and collects energies in the saliva, which are then swallowed. Swallowing the saliva after one has collected the energies in the proper way causes the energy to descend to the lower Tan Tien, the primary energy center.

The Chi energy of the saliva is much more powerful than the normal Chi energies gathered through breathing and eating, for the saliva carries an energy that is whole. It is a perfect balance of yin and yang and the five elements or phases of energy.

Taoist masters understood that it is possible to replenish the body’s prenatal Chi, which is considered the most precious and powerful form of Chi. If preserved and nurtured, prenatal Chi can keep you young and healthy.

Prenatal Chi is stored in the kidneys and powers the entire body. Women can lose part of this Chi, which is actually a gift from the parents, during ovulation and childbirth; men lose theirs as a result of excessive ejaculation of sperm. When one loses too much, it means death is near. But there is a way to replenish this shrinking reservoir.

The ancient Taoist masters knew that anyone could replenish the prenatal Chi by swallowing lots of saliva. The saliva, when fortified with hormonal fluids and aroused orgasm energy and yin and yang energies drawn from the earth and heavens, is identical to the prenatal Chi.

It is important to understand that saliva is an important “medium” for collecting and unifying the various important energies. Saliva works in the same manner when you are eating food. It helps you collect, swallow, and predigest food. We also use the saliva to help digest ethereal energies. The more you practice the Golden Elixir exercises, the more you can turn your saliva into an elixir and greatly extend your life.

Basic Elixir Practice

We will start with a variation of the Inner Smile to help activate the saliva. We will mix the saliva with nature essence, universe essence, the aroused sexual energy, and the hormonal essence of all the glands. We will “knock the teeth” to activate the bones and bone marrow. Finally, we will swallow the saliva and its accumulated Chi down to the lower Tan Tien.

1. Stand, or sit in a comfortable position on your “sitting bones,” with the back straight. Sit on the edge of the chair, so the sexual organs hang free and can breathe. If standing, stand with the feet shoulder-width apart, placing all nine points of the feet on the ground and gently rocking between the soles and the heels.
2. Begin by relaxing the upper, analytical mind and dropping your center of awareness down to the lower abdomen. Allow your sensing and conscious awareness to sink from the head to the navel area. This is called “sinking the upper mind down to the lower mind.”
3. Close your eyes and imagine that you are in one of your favorite places in the world, a place where you feel safe, relaxed, and happy. Imagine that one of your favorite people is standing in front of you, smiling to you with loving, happy, radiant, shining eyes. Feel yourself responding to that special person’s smile with a smile of your own. Feel your eyes smiling and relaxing.
4. Touch the mid-eyebrow and gently rub in a circle. Smile to it, feel it relax and open, and feel light enter this point. Use the index and middle finger to very gently rub the eyebrows from the middle outward. Visualize them growing very long out to the sides. Your forehead will feel very relaxed.
5. Gently rub your eyeballs with the eyes closed. Smile and relax the eyeballs and feel them sink down and down to the navel area. When the eyes relax, the monkey mind will start to calm down and the eyeball energy will easily sink to the navel.
6. Smile and lightly turn up the corners of the mouth. Feel the chin bones on both sides rise up and reach to the ears, and feel the ears getting longer and longer, growing up and down and reaching the kidneys.
7. Smile to the jaw. Massage both sides of the jaws, to release tension and anger. Lightly open the mouth, drop the jaw, continuing to smile to the jaw. Feel it relax and the saliva start to flow out.
8. Once you feel a lot of saliva flowing out, gently close the mouth. Bring the smiling energy down into the organs and throughout the whole body.
9. Bring your attention back to your face; smile and lightly lift up the corners of your mouth. Place the tip of your tongue behind the upper teeth. Now press your tongue against the palate, moving it about to find a sensitive spot, the “heavenly pool,” which is a depression or hole behind the teeth where the tongue likes to be.
10. Smile to the palate; smile until you feel the palate open, like a hole opening into heaven. Feel nectar flowing down from heaven.
11. Be aware of the mouth, the nose, and the eyes. Close the mouth slightly, inhale very slowly, and continue to lightly press the tip of the tongue to the palate. Feel that you are drawing in the smiling energy and the essence of the air into the eyes, nose, and mouth. When you exhale feel that you are condensing the essence of these energies in the mouth. Do this nine to eighteen times until you feel the tongue and the palate connected.
12. Sense a subtle electric vibration in the tongue, palate, salivary glands, and the glands of the brain. This will be the natural way of stimulating and strengthening the glands. Be aware of and picture the pituitary gland. Feel the vibration reach to all the glands of the brain. Be aware of and picture the thalamus, hypothalamus, and pineal glands, and feel the electric vibration stimulate the glands.
13. Feel the saliva flowing out even more and the vibration going deeper and deeper into the brain. The palate seems to become very porous, and the hormonal secretion will drip down into the mouth. Sweep the tongue around to gather the nectar. It tastes differently from the saliva; it is thicker, sweet, and fragrant.
14. You know that you have gathered enough saliva when the mouth is full. Now, chew the saliva loudly, like you are eating delicious food, thirty-six times. This will mix the saliva with air and Chi. Move the saliva back and forth with the tongue, left and right, up and down, mixing it with all the essences and hormones. This oxygenates the mixture, blending air into the nectar. Do this thirty-six times. Move your tongue to massage the gums on the outside of the teeth. This helps strengthen the gums and will produce more saliva. Do this thirty times. Do not swallow yet; hold the saliva in your mouth.
15. Now, bring your attention to the nature force. Visualize a beautiful mountain, a river, an ocean, and a beautiful flower garden. Extend your hands out to the universe. Open your palms and feel your arms and the palms grow very large and long as they reach to nature and the universe.
16. Next, practice the dragon breath. The dragon breath is a special way to inhale, drawing or sucking Chi energy into your body. To do the dragon breath, lightly contract and pull up on the anus, perineum, and sexual organs. (See Mantak Chia’s Tan Tien Chi Kung for a detailed discussion of perineum power exercises that work with contraction of the anus, perineum, and sexual organs.) Inhale using the dragon sound. The dragon sound is a high-pitched Hummmmm. Feel a pressure, like that of a vacuum cleaner, in the abdominal area and the throat. This vacuum/sucking sensation is a sucking in of nature and universal Chi.
17. Eventually the suction will manifest in the mid-eyebrow, the crown, the palms, the soles of the feet, and the sacrum.
18. Now, exhale with the tiger breath, a special way of exhaling that builds Chi pressure in the lower abdomen. To do the tiger breath, exhale with the tiger sound, which is a low-pitched, growling sound, Hummmmm. Push the energy that you have drawn in through the dragon breath down to the lower abdominal area. Practice the dragon and tiger breaths nine to thirty-six times.
19. Expand your awareness to nature and the universe. Once again, draw the Chi into the mouth and chew and mix the saliva a few times.
20. When the Elixir is ready, prepare to swallow. First, lightly press your chin to the back, so the crown of the head is lifted upward. When the chin is tucked back you will feel the neck lightly tighten around the throat muscle; this will make it hard to swallow. Use your tongue curled like a bridge to press up to the palate, creating a force to help push the saliva down.
21. Now, swallow the saliva. Be aware of the lower Tan Tien and the navel area. Divide the saliva into three parts. Swallow the first part, directing it to the center of navel; swallow the second part, directing it to the left side of the navel; and swallow the third part, directing it to the right side of the navel. You may hear the gulping sound, and the throat or the Adam’s apple will move. This will also help activate the thyroid, parathyroid, and thymus glands.
22. Next, practice “turning the wheel.” See a ball of Chi turning counterclockwise in your palms, and see and feel the saliva and Chi turning in a counterclockwise direction in the lower Tan Tien. Feel the saliva turn into Chi. Taoist sages with long years of practice discovered that the saliva has ten times more power to absorb Chi than water.
23. This Elixir can transform immediately into Chi and be used by the body to increase moisture, lubricate the organs and the joints, boost the immune and defense systems, and increase Chi flow so that the blood will flow more easily. Taoists say that when the Chi flows, the blood will circulate faster throughout the entire body and health will be improved. So we do not need to depend only on the heart to pump blood to increase circulation. Using the mind to circulate the Chi will also increase circulation, and reduce stress on the heart.
24. Cover your navel and feel it warm; divide this warm energy into two and let it flow down the front of the legs to the big toes, and down the back of the legs to the soles of the feet. Then let the Chi rise, up the inside of the legs. Lightly pull up the anus and the perineum. Draw the sexual organs back towards the coccyx and the sacrum, and guide the Chi flow up the spine to the neck. Here the Chi divides, flowing down the outside of the arms to the middle fingers. Then it continues into the palms, up to the armpits, joining in the neck to flow to the crown, mid-eyebrow, and down to the mouth. Visualize this three to six cycles of this energy circulation. During the Elixir practice, Chi flows like electricity through the palate and the tongue, this vibration goes deep into the brain and down into the chest, and this activates and strengthens the glands. After completing the cycles of energy circulation, rest and feel you have been recharged and filled with energy.
25. This process can be enhanced immensely by practicing the Microcosmic Orbit energy circulation exercise, discussed previously in this chapter. The practice of Microcosmic Orbit energy circulation awakens, circulates, and directs Chi through two important energy routes in the body: the Governor Channel, which ascends from the base of the spine up to the head, and the Functional Channel, which runs from the tip of the tongue down the middle of the torso to the perineum. The Microcosmic Orbit practice allows the palms, the soles of the feet, the mid-eyebrow point, and the crown to open. These specific locations are the major points where energy can be absorbed, condensed, and transformed into fresh new life force.

Belt Channel Energy Circulation

An important step in Taoist healing practice is to reopen and rejuvenate the “eight extraordinary meridians” through which Chi flows in the body. We have already discussed the Microcosmic Orbit energy circulation exercise, which works with the Functional Channel and the Governor Channel. Here we will discuss practices that work with the Belt Channel.

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale and exhale deeply several times, relaxing the body. Place both palms over the navel.

2. Visualize a small white dot in the middle of abdominal area. Mentally roll this small white dot forward and down, then backward and up with the rhythm of the breath. As you inhale, visualize this dot moving forward and down; as you exhale visualize it moving backward and up to form the minutest circle. Continue this practice, allowing the circle to become a bit larger each time. It will draw the Chi from the testes and ovaries Chi up to the chest when the count reaches forty-nine.

CIRCULATING THE CHI

3. Rest for a few minutes, and experience the warmth and heat you have generated in the abdominal and chest areas.

4. Now, reverse the previous steps, retracing the expanding energy circles you have just visualized, contracting back to the dot in the abdomen. As you inhale, visualize the energy moving downward; as you exhale, visualize it moving up. After forty-nine circulations, it returns to the original white dot.

5. Feel the energetic change occurring in the body. Now, inhale, pressing the hands flat against the front part of the abdominal area. Feel an energetic connection between the front and back of the body at your midsection.

PRESS THE HANDS FLAT AGAINST THE ABDOMEN.

6. Inhale deeply and the hold the breath. Feel the intensity of the air pressure or heat or warmth or whatever sensation appears.

7. When you can no longer hold the breath, exhale and let the pressure inside the abdomen escape.

8. Practice steps 5–7, pressing hands flat against the abdomen, inhaling deeply, holding the breath, and exhaling, until you can feel Chi energy building up in the body. You may experience it as a sensation of heat and steam in the body.

9. Now open the hands. Inhale, gently moving the Chi through the Belt Channel, which flows around the waist. Exhale and place the thumbs touching the tip of the pelvic bones on either side. Then place the palms and four fingers on either side of the lower back, with thumbs in front.

CIRCULATING THE CHI THROUGH BELT CHANNEL

10. Feel the energy circulate for awhile through the Belt Channel. Then return the hands to the navel area. Repeat steps 5–10 until you feel the energy circulating evenly in the entire abdominal area.

11. Now open the hands and hold them at waist level with palms facing the ground. Send the Chi from the palms down to the feet. Inhale, and gather the energy up and into the Belt Channel area. Exhale, and feel the circulation within.

12. When you have sufficient energy surging across the Belt Channel, it will naturally move up to the chest and brain area. As you feel the energy rising, move your hands gradually upward from waist level to chest level to eye level.

13. You will feel the Chi energy and heat increasing throughout the whole body. When you feel the body is filled with Chi, place the palms facing up to the sky. This will cool everything down.

CHI IN THE BELT CHANNEL RISES TO THE CHEST AND HEAD

14. Rest. Cover the navel with the palms. Visualize a warm, bright ball of energy in your abdomen. Then visualize the ball of energy forming a spiral. Visualize the energy spiraling in a clockwise direction. Then visualize the energy spiraling in a counterclockwise direction. This will store the Chi safely in the navel area.