The Central Meridian.
Empowering the Central Meridian
The Fourth Golden Wheel: The Central Meridian
The Central Meridian—also known as the Wheel of Harmony, is the main “artery” of our energy system. It is a funnel-shaped channel that runs through the body’s central core from the top of the head down to the perineum at the base of the pelvic floor. Along the way it passes directly through the Three Dantians, like a cocktail straw that skewers three pitted olives.
In addition, the Central Meridian extends above the cranium like a shaft of light beaming up into the sky and below the feet like a drill tunneling deep into the ground. It is our personal bioenergetic field that constantly recycles our own internal energy with the energy of the universe by circulating our Qi between its two poles, one high above our head in the sky, and the other down below the surface of the Earth.
We all have a Central Meridian, but until the channel is expanded through spiritual practice it remains relatively narrow, and only moderate amounts of energy can flow up and down it. Once the Central Meridian is awakened, empowered, and cultivated, however, the channel gradually broadens to the size of a fire hose, or even wider, and then ample amounts of energy can jet through.
The feeling we experience with an expanded Central Meridian is happiness. It’s like the feeling you get when your favorite song comes on the radio and suddenly the world lights up and you want to dance. That’s the feeling you get when lots of fresh energy streams through your Central Meridian, except that you don’t need music or any other gimmicks to activate intrinsic happiness. You just feel that way naturally, all the time.
The Central Meridian.
When the Central Meridian is not developed, we usually need an excuse—like hearing really good news or attending a fun party—to generate a surge of energy powerful enough to make us feel happy. The energetic rush generated by those uplifting events expands the Central Meridian and we feel good, but only for a short while. Gradually the current of energy weakens, and our happiness wears off. In contrast, an internally expanded Central Meridian is a mighty river of happiness that never dries up.
The Central Meridian serves multiple functions, and we’ll consider each of them one at a time. We’ll begin by first exploring the functions it serves inside the body as a conduit between the Three Dantians, and then we’ll consider the functions it serves outside the body as a conduit of the celestial and terrestrial energy fields known in Qigong terms as “Heaven” and “Earth.”
The Central Meridian can be likened to a road used to transport essential goods between three cities—more specifically, the Three Dantians. If that road is a narrow street, traffic will be heavy much of the time and few goods will pass through. But if that road expands into a four-lane highway, then traffic eases and more goods can flow through smoothly and in less time.
Of course, for our energy “traffic” to flow continuously along the Central Meridian, the dantians themselves must also be expanded and energized. A contracted or blocked dantian will cause a traffic gridlock that turns the Central Meridian into a pinched hose. This means that for us to truly be happy, our Wisdom Qi, Love Qi, and Vitality Qi must be awakened, empowered, and in a healthy state of flow.
Once we achieve that condition, then the surplus energy stored within each dantian can flow up or down the expanded Central Meridian to balance another dantian whenever necessary. But what exactly is signified by that kind of interaction? What do we actually experience when the energies of our dantians are blended?
Let’s begin to answer these questions by considering how the Wisdom Qi stored in your Upper Dantian affects you when it flows down to your Middle Dantian.
Recall that the Wisdom Qi stored in your Upper Dantian is associated with intuition, and that when you tap into that energy, your “GPS” is turned on and you feel guided. When your Upper Dantian is thriving and your Central Meridian is expanded, you can easily circulate your Wisdom Qi down into your Middle Dantian to empower your heart with discernment.
Have you ever reacted to a situation on an emotional impulse and regretted your words as soon as they crossed your lips? When your Upper Dantian is energetically connected to your Middle Dantian, your “wise heart” is less likely to be provoked into saying something foolish that can get you in trouble.
Similarly, when the Love Qi stored in your Middle Dantian flows up into the Upper Dantian, your mental activities become more heartfelt. Sometimes a brilliant mind can be emotionally blind and injurious to others—for example, when a person speaks the truth, but insensitively. When your tongue is energetically connected to your heart, you develop the ability to express your wisdom in a more considerate and compassionate manner, thereby avoiding being unintentionally hurtful.
The same basic principle applies to Love Qi and Wisdom Qi in relationship to the Lower Dantian, the source of the dynamic vitality that regulates our actions. When the energies of the two upper Dantians flow into the Lower Dantian, our Vitality Qi is informed by our intuition and compassion. We factor sound judgment, good timing, strategic vision, empathy, and understanding into the way we get things done. We no longer act first and then think and feel later. All three things occur simultaneously.
When our Vitality Qi flows into the two Upper Dantians, our minds and our hearts become charged with alluring confidence. We express ourselves intelligently, wholeheartedly, and passionately, and we possess the power to rouse others to action.
The Central Meridian acts as the energetic “ligament” that aligns, coordinates, and leverages the actions of the Three Dantians, much like the sinews and connective tissues that bind individual vertebrae into an integrated spine. A vibrant current of Qi running up and down the core of our body is the energetic backbone that endows us with greater structural integrity. And just as our spine helps us counteract the force of gravity each time we stand up, a robust Central Meridian helps us counteract the forces of adversity that tend to keep us down as we strive to actualize our highest potential.
With a strong Central Meridian, a new set of attributes develops that empower us to overcome the hurdles that separate us from our own potential for greatness. We become more reliable, responsible, and trustworthy, and we also establish a reputation for outstanding excellence. These qualities transform us into achievers and stack the odds in favor of our success—in whatever endeavor we wholeheartedly engage in.
When we are marked by these positive attributes, we not only embody excellence but we also inspire it in others. Think of the outstanding school principal, respected by all his students, who inspires them to go beyond their limits, or the outstanding manager who motivates his team to outperform all expectations. Outstanding individuals stimulate our own Central Meridians, and when those energy circuits are fired up in us, we become inspired to strive for excellence.
But what happens if our Three Dantians are strong but we lack an equally strong Central Meridian to coordinate their actions? Three strong dantians without a well-developed Central Meridian are like three powerful horses tied to the same chariot by ropes, but without a harness keeping them in alignment. If each of the horses runs off in a different direction at the same time, that chariot will get jerked around without ever getting anywhere. Similarly, we may be wise, loving, and vital but if we lack the ability to harness and concentrate those energies, they scatter and we become unreliable and undependable.
With three strong dantians and a weak Central Meridian, we are prone to becoming underachievers. We may be good at doing many things but never attain excellence at any one of them. We become fickle, volatile, and erratic, like a gusty wind that changes directions all the time. We establish a reputation for being capable but unreliable. We fall short of living up to our full potential, and we eventually disappoint ourselves. Other people’s successes make us feel like floundering failures—and the stronger our individual dantians are, the bigger that sense of failure is.
The table on the following page summarizes some of the positive and negative attributes associated with a strong and weak Central Meridian. As I noted, the Central Meridian also extends up above our head and down below our feet. It thus serves a second, broader integrative function as our energetic link to the rest of the universe. Next we will deepen our understanding of this energy channel by considering the attributes of the Central Meridian when it is both strongly and weakly connected to the sky above and the ground below.
The Three Treasures
In Qigong philosophy Heaven, Earth, and Human are considered the three basic building blocks of the universal energy system. These three components, known as the Three Treasures, are interlinked by the Central Meridian. The Central Meridian balances and integrates the Three Treasures just as it does the Three Dantians. The part of the Central Meridian that extends above the head connects us energetically to “Heaven,” and the part that extends down below the feet connects us energetically to “Earth.”
We already explored the “Human” dimension of the Three Treasures and Human Qi, a catchall term that refers to our personal energy system, which includes the Three Dantians. We’ll now turn our attention to the celestial and terrestrial energy fields that make up the two other treasures.
Heaven and Earth each possess distinct energetic qualities that impact our experience in a specific way, just as each one of the Three Dantians does. Heaven includes the energy of the sun, moon, stars, and planets, and the blended energetic essence of these celestial bodies is called Heaven Qi. That energy is constantly funneling down into the body through the Central Meridian to some degree, but once the channel is expanded, vastly greater amounts of Heaven Qi can pour down from the sky into our energy field.
When Heaven Qi is activated inside the body, you become instantly inspired. You feel as though a higher power has personally assigned you a special mission. It’s as if your guardian angel just tapped you on the shoulder and handed you instructions. You suddenly feel eager to take an enthusiastic leap of faith forward and stretch your horizons in new directions toward the unknown. That’s the feeling of Heaven Qi, which fills us with a sacred sense of purpose and meaning.
Heaven, Earth, and the Human Being make up the Three Treasures.
A young boy visits the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City with his father. While walking through the Ancient Egypt exhibit, he becomes entranced by the hieroglyphs and the golden sculptures. In this mystical atmosphere his head “opens up” and he literally feels himself expanding upward until he is as huge as the sky. That instant he conceives an inspiring vision: he envisions himself as an archeologist dressed in dusty clothes excavating time-worn ruins in a distant land. This boy has just received his instructions from “above.” His destiny has been set. For the rest of his life he will be guided by this compelling vision, and any time he immerses himself in the study of ancient civilizations, he will feel in alignment with the will of Heaven.
Most of us feel connected to Heaven only occasionally, but when the upper portion of the Central Meridian is wide open and we constantly draw in large amounts of Heaven Qi, that connection is ongoing and strong. And as that energy streams through the Three Dantians, it endows our wisdom, love, and vitality with a deep sense of purpose and fills our life with heavenly, cosmic meaning.
Earth includes wind, water, and fire, and their blended elemental energy constitutes Earth Qi. This energy is constantly funneling up into the body through the lower section of the Central Meridian to some degree, but once the channel is expanded, vastly greater amounts of Earth Qi can be scooped up from the ground.
When Earth Qi is activated inside your body you become grounded. You feel the elemental powers of the natural world supporting you in your endeavors. Imagine the fairies and nature spirits creating a protective field around you and offering their abundant resources. When a burst of Earth Qi streams in, you feel nurtured and sustained. You stand your ground comfortably and become more productive. As that Earth Qi flows into your Three Dantians, you are endowed with common sense, resourcefulness, and practicality.
Picture a woman who is a mother, spouse, and nurse. All day long she cares for others and brings them comfort. Almost everyone she encounters on a daily basis leans on her for support. She is the stable ground that sustains the needy, and without her nurturing care and resourceful practicality, they would lose their footing. But how does she find her own source of comfort? How does she sustain her own groundedness? Where does she get all that energy?
Here is her secret: each morning when she walks her dog, she sings to the trees and the plants along the way. That daily ritual fills her up with enough Earth Qi to be a super mom, spouse, and nurse.
The Earth is your energetic “Mother,” and when you sink your energy roots into her she supports your ambitions. Earth Qi keeps the world stable and firm, and makes you more sensible. When you lie down on a patch of soft grass to take a nap, you usually get up feeling recharged, nourished, and grounded. You can think straight again. When your Central Meridian is expanded and channeling Earth Qi all day long, you feel that way all the time.
Heaven Qi and Earth Qi form a polarity. They represent opposite but complementary energies. Although in theory they embody contradictory principles, in practice one can’t function without the other. You need both in equal measure to effectively actualize your worldly ambitions. Any kind of imbalance will disrupt the even flow of your life, just as an imbalance between the Three Dantians does.
A relative overabundance of Heaven Qi makes you lightheaded, airy, dreamy, and impractical, like the proverbial absent-minded professor with his head in the clouds. You have ten thousand inspired ideas but none ever takes root. With an excess of Heaven Qi, your mind races around like an Olympic sprinter on a treadmill, exerting much energy but never getting anywhere. Despite all your noble efforts, nothing ever takes root or materializes.
A relative overabundance of Earth Qi leans your life in the opposite direction. You slow down below the speed limit. An excess of Earth Qi makes you dense, unyielding, and resistant to change. You say no to any new idea, you’re unwilling to embrace any untested possibilities, and you’d rather stagnate in the status quo than dare to venture into the unknown. You simply refuse to take a step forward. You end up outgrowing your reality, yet you entertain yourself in meaningless ways, like an adult still playing with childish toys. You sacrifice your destiny for the sake of walking a safe, predictable path and so your spiritual development ceases.
Ideally Heaven Qi, Earth Qi, and the energy of your Three Dantians should all be balanced and integrated. Once the Three Treasures are harmonized, your life can flow with magical ease. As soon as you embrace a meaningful task assigned to you by the treasure of Heaven, you are offered the resources to make it happen by the treasure of Earth, and the capacities to manage the process by the Three Dantians—your Human treasure.
As all these energies coalesce synergistically, your presence becomes a coherent field of spiritual power with the means to shape your environment and the people in it. Basically, once you achieve comprehensive equilibrium of the Three Treasures, any meaningful activity you undertake will tend to go your way.
The table below summarizes the qualities of each of the Three Treasures: In the next exercise, you will take another momentous step forward in your spiritual development by awakening and empowering your Central Meridian. To become a completely happy human being—wise, loving, and vital within the context of a meaningful and productive life—you need to empower both the internal section of the channel inside your body and the two external sections outside it. That objective is our next goal.
To do this you will use a new empowerment procedure called the Breathing Empowerment Method to empower your Central Meridian. This method uses the breath to direct the Qi stored in the Three Dantians in various patterns to activate it. Just as a drill can be used to widen an underground tunnel, your breath can also be used to flush open your Central Meridian and activate all the positive attributes associated with it.
EXERCISE 9 Breathing Empowerment of the Central Meridian
This exercise is divided into two parts. In Part 1, you will use your breath to integrate the energy of the Three Dantians, and then in Part 2, you will use your breath to integrate the Three Treasures—Heaven, Earth, and the Human Being (the Three Dantians).
Part 1. Integrating Human Qi
1. Stand in an upright position with your eyes closed and your arms and hands relaxed at your sides. You may also sit comfortably in a chair with your arms resting on your lap. Become aware of your Lower Dantian in the center of your waist. Feel your Vitality Qi stir as you activate the raw sexual essence you stored there in previous exercises. Gently inhale this energy up along the Central Meridian to the Middle Dantian in the center of your chest. Feel Vitality Qi rise up along the core of your body and blend with the Love Qi stored in the Middle Dantian. Feel the Vitality Qi empower your Middle Dantian. When love is infused with vitality, your emotions become charismatic and dynamic. Feel these qualities emerge as the energies mix.
Inhale Vitality Qi up to the Middle Dantian.
Video 4—SoundsTrue.com/MasterKeyExercises
2. Now exhale slowly and guide the Love Qi stored in your Middle Dantian down to your Lower Dantian through your Central Meridian. Feel your Love Qi flow down and blend with the Vitality Qi stored in the Lower Dantian. Feel the Love Qi empower your Lower Dantian. When vitality is infused with love, your alluring charm becomes considerate and compassionate. Feel these qualities emerge as the energies mix. Repeat this breathing pattern for at least nine cycles, sinking a little deeper into the experience each time.
Exhale Love Qi down to the Lower Dantian.
3. Now become aware of your Lower Dantian again. Feel your Vitality Qi stir as you activate the raw sexual energy you stored there in previous exercises. Inhale this energy along the Central Meridian all the way up to the Upper Dantian in the center of your head. Feel Vitality Qi rising through your body and blending with the Wisdom Qi stored in the Upper Dantian. Feel Vitality Qi empowering your Upper Dantian. When wisdom is infused with vitality, your mind becomes charismatic and dynamic. Feel these qualities emerge as the energies mix.
Inhale Vitality Qi up to the Upper Dantian.
4. Now exhale slowly and guide the Wisdom Qi stored in your Upper Dantian all the way down to your Lower Dantian through your Central Meridian. Feel your Wisdom Qi flow down and empower your Lower Dantian. When vitality is infused with wisdom, your actions become more intuitive and discerning. Feel these qualities emerge as the energies mix. Repeat this breathing cycle at least nine times, sinking a little deeper into the experience each time.
5. Next, become aware of your Middle Dantian. Feel your Love Qi stir as you activate the raw emotional energy you awakened inside your chest in previous exercises. Inhale this energy up along your Central Meridian to the Upper Dantian in the center of your head. Feel Love Qi rising through your body and blending with the Wisdom Qi stored in the Upper Dantian. Feel your Love Qi empower your Upper Dantian. When wisdom is infused with love, your mind becomes more considerate and compassionate. Feel these qualities emerge as the energies mix.
Inhale Love Qi up to the Upper Dantian.
6. Now exhale slowly and guide the Wisdom Qi stored in your Upper Dantian down to your Middle Dantian through your Central Meridian. Feel your Wisdom Qi fill the center of your chest and empower your Middle Dantian. When love is infused with wisdom, you become more intuitive and more discerning about your emotions. Feel these qualities emerge as the energies mix. Repeat this breathing cycle at least nine times, sinking a little deeper into the experience each time.
Exhale Wisdom Qi down to the Middle Dantian.
7. Next, inhale all the way up from the Lower Dantian to the Upper Dantian, and then exhale all the way back down from the Upper Dantian to the Lower Dantian. Feel the essences of your Wisdom Qi, Love Qi, and Vitality Qi fuse together inside the Central Meridian. The blended essence of all three Dantians is your spiritual essence. Each time you cycle through another breath, feel the Central Meridian expand with more energy. Allow this energetic charge to empower the core of your body. Visualize the Central Meridian growing brighter and brighter. Repeat this step at least nine times, sinking a little deeper into the experience each time.
Inhale Vitality Qi and Love Qi up to the Upper Dantian, and then exhale Wisdom Qi and Love Qi down to the Lower Dantian.
8. Finally, exhale deeply and guide the blend of Human Qi you just cultivated inside your Central Meridian down to the Lower Dantian. Using your mind, concentrate that energy into a pearl and store it there.
Concentrate the energy of the Three Dantians into a pearl at the Lower Dantian.
Part 2. Integrating Heaven Qi, Earth Qi, and Human Qi
9. Become aware of the pearl inside the Lower Dantian. Next, become aware of the sky above your head. Then become aware of the Earth beneath your feet. Inhale the pearl all the way up through your Central Meridian to the highest point in the sky you can imagine. Absorb the essence of Heaven Qi into the pearl. Heaven Qi is inspiring and purposeful. Feel these qualities collecting above your head.
Inhale the pearl up to Heaven.
10. Now exhale and draw the pearl all the way down through your Central Meridian to the center of the Earth. Absorb the essence of Earth Qi into the pearl. Earth Qi is grounding and productive. Feel these qualities collecting below your feet. Next, inhale the pearl back up to the sky along the Central Meridian and then exhale it back down to the Earth again. Repeat this cycle at least nine times, sinking a little deeper into the experience each time.
11. Complete the empowerment by inhaling the pearl that is now a blend of Heaven Qi, Earth Qi, and Human Qi all the way up to the sky, and then exhaling it all the way back down to the Lower Dantian.
12. Feel the pearl radiate the balanced and integrated essences of Heaven Qi, Earth Qi, and your Three Dantians. Feel its energetic connection to the whole universe. You are in the universe; the universe is in you. Nourish your Qi by imagining that this special pearl is a star floating in space, like a sponge in warm bathwater. Then relax and be happy.
You are in the universe; the universe is in you.
