Principles of Dan Tian Qi gong PRINCIPLES OF DAN TIAN QI GONG

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The method in which Qi is generated in the Dan Tian or Qihai and then guided by the mind to

circulate through the entire body is called Nei Dan. The location of the Dan Tian is about one and a

half inches directly below the navel. The name "Dan Tian" means "Field of Elixir" and is used by

Daoist meditators. The name "Qihai" is used by acupuncturists and means "Sea of Qi." The Dan

Tian is considered to be the original source of a person's energy, because the embryo uses the

lower abdomen to circulate its supply of nourishment and oxygen from its mother. After the baby is

born, it continues to breathe with emphasis on the lower belly for several years. But gradually the

focus of breathing moves higher and higher in the torso, so that by late childhood, people think of

themselves as breathing with their chests, and they have lost control of their lower abdominal

muscles. In Nei Dan meditation, the practitioner returns to the embryonic method of breathing; at

least the focus of breathing returns to the Dan Tian because it is considered the source of Qi

circulation. The Dan Tian is also called the furnace or Huo Lu (k. )(relating meditation to Daoism's

alchemical tradition) in which the fire or energy can be started.

An important Daoist classic is Tai Xi Jing or Classic of

Harmonized Embryonic Breathing. It emphasizes the importance of the Dan Tian and regulated breathing, and recommends the nurturing of the Dan Tian as if it were an embryo. This idea is sometimes portrayed in Daoist art by a meditator with a baby over his head.

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The embryo is conceived from the hidden or undeveloped Qi.

Qi is accepted through the regulated breath of the embryo.

When Qi is present, the body may live; When Shen (Spirit) abandons the body and the embryo disperses, death will follow.

Cultivation of Shen and Qi makes long life possible. Protect and nourish the spiritual embryo to build up Shen and Qi.

When Shen moves, the Qi moves; where Shen stops, the Qistops.

For life to flourish, spirit and energy (Shen and Qi) must harmoniously interact.

When the Xin (heart-mind) is tamed by Yi (wisdom-mind), not a thought goes or comes. (When thoughts are not going and coming), nature is free.

Intelligence in action is the only true path.

Through thousands of years of experience, Chinese meditators found that with practice they could retrain the abdominal muscles and regain a stronger flow of Qi. This exercise is called Back to Childhood (Fan Tong, ± ). Principally, when abdominal muscles are exercised, the nerves and Qi channels will accumulate the energy that has been generated by the exercise. This kind of energy generation and accumulation is called Starting the Fire or Qi Huo (& k. ). It is enhanced by concentrating the mind strongly on this activity. Later, it was found that in the Qi Huo exercise, the breathing must be coordinated in order to exercise the muscles efficiently and regularly. Also, this regular breath coordination helps the meditator to concentrate on the exercise. As explained in chapter 1, the mind can control Qi generation and circulation. Therefore, in meditation, you should concentrate your mind on the Dan Tian ® ) which is called "Yi Shou Dan Tian" ft ® ), or "The mind always stays with the Dan Tian."

Because it is a principle of Chinese meditation that the Dan Tian is the source of Qi circulation, beginning training is centered around this spot. The first thing to learn to do is to control the abdominal muscles, making them expand and contract at will, so that the lower abdomen rises and falls like a baby's. This Back to Childhood exercise can be done through frequent practice. Usually after one month of thirty minutes of daily practice, you can accomplish this control. With continued practice, the exercise will generate more and more energy. By keeping your mind concentrated on the Dan Tian, the energy will concentrate there. When the accumulated Qi is strong enough, you should be able to feel warmth in the Dan Tian.

This Back to Childhood abdominal exercise confers several benefits. First, the up and down motion of the abdominal muscles during deep breathing massages the stomach and intestines, and exercises the muscles holding the internal organs in place, and will increase their strength. This is the reason why deep breathing exercise can cure hernias, which are caused by weakness of the internal muscles. Second, exercising the abdominal muscles generates Qi not only for circulation, but also directly for the organs held and surrounded by these muscles. This Qi supply plus the increased blood circulation keeps the organs healthy. Finally, deep breathing uses the lungs to their fullest capacity, thereby strengthening and cleaning them.

If you continue to practice for another two to three weeks after the Dan Tian feels warm, you will then feel the muscles trembling or tingling. It is the accumulation of Qi in the nerves and Qi channels which causes the muscles to be out of control. This phenomenon is called Dong Chu (fe® ) or Movement Sensing, in meditation. (As a matter of fact, the term "Dong Chu" is used in meditation for any kind of perceptible phenomenon caused by Qi flow, Qi redistribution, or Qi over-accumulation. The most common experiences are itching, tingling or twitching of isolated muscles, or uncontrollable shaking of the whole body). When the lower abdominal muscles begin to vibrate, it is time to guide and circulate the energy or Qi. Concentration at this moment is extremely important. You should be very calm and not get excited by the Dong Chu feeling. This phenomenon, however, does not happen to every meditator. For some, the first cycling cavities are already open and the Qi will move through them without Dong Chu happening.

Before going further, you should first understand the Qi circulation route or path. As mentioned earlier, there are two main vessels located on the front and back of the body (Figures 3-3 and 3-4). The front vessel is called the Conception

Figure 3-3. Course of the Ren Mai

Vessel (Ren Mai, ), which contains the Yin circulation. This vessel starts from the lower lip and extends down the front center of the body to the Sea Bottom cavity (Haidi, ) between the scrotum or vagina and the anus. In acupuncture this cavity is called Huiyin (Co-l)(Yin Intersection, frfl? ).

The vessel on the back is called the Governing Vessel (Du Mai, ) and contains the Yang circulation. It starts from the Sea Bottom or Huiyin cavity and follows outside the spine, passes up the back and over the top of the head and ends at the roof of the mouth. These two vessels are not connected at the top. To connect these two vessels, you touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth.

Bi (Daoist)

Suliao (Acupuncture)

Yuzhen (Daoist) Naohu (Acupuncture)

Shangbei (Daoist) Dazhui (Acupuncture)

Mingmen or Jiaji (Daoist) Lingtai (Acupuncture)

Haidi (Daoist) Huiyin (Acupuncture)

Figure 3-4. Course of the Du Mai

Yuzhen (Daoist) Naohu (Acupuncture)

Shangbei (Daoist) Dazhui (Acupuncture)

Mingmen or Jiaji (Daoist) Lingtai (Acupuncture)

Haidi (Daoist) Huiyin (Acupuncture)

Tianlinggai (Daoist) Baihui (Acupuncture)

Bi (Daoist)

Suliao (Acupuncture)

Figure 3-4. Course of the Du Mai

Then the Yin and Yang vessels are connected and the circuit is complete. This tongue touch is called Da Qiao ) or Building the Bridge.

The tongue acts like a switch in an electrical circuit. If this bridge is not built, the circuit is not complete and the Qi circulation will be incomplete. Therefore, if you meditate either in Wai Dan or

in Nei Dan, keep your tongue touching the roof of the mouth all the time. Of course, we all frequently touch

Figure 3-5. Tongue Position

the roofs of our mouths with our tongues during everyday activities. However, in meditation, a continuous circuit is important. The tongue should be relaxed and lightly touch the center of the roof of the mouth (Figure 3-5). If the tongue is tight, it will result in stagnation of the Qi flow. Also, the tongue should not touch the teeth, which will not connect the bridge efficiently, and may make you feel sleepy. On the other hand, the tongue should not be stretched to touch the back of the roof of the mouth. This will make the tongue muscles tight and sore and will also stagnate the Qi flow. If you create the tongue bridge properly, saliva will be secreted during meditation. Swallow this saliva to keep your throat moist. The place under the tongue where the saliva is produced is called the Tian Chi (Heaven's Pond, it ), or Long Quan (Dragon Spring, ii & ).

When you can circulate the Qi through the two major vessels, you have completed Small Circulation (Xiao Zhou Tian, 'J* 01 ). Usually, if you meditate three times a day for half an hour with the right method, you can complete this circulation in ninety days. However, it is not uncommon to take longer. The time needed to accomplish Small Circulation depends on the degree to which you can concentrate, relax, understand the techniques and principles, and feel the

Qi flow. It is very important that you do not try to hurry the process, because this will make the circulation worse and might be dangerous.

You should understand that Qi is and always has been circulating all the time in your body. However, the Qi circulation can become stagnant or slow. This is because there are many knots in the vessels and Qi channels, where the channels are narrower or harder to penetrate. Usually, these knots are located at cavities. The main purpose of Nei Dan meditation is to open or widen these knots and enable the Qi to flow without stagnation. When Qi is stagnant and does not flow smoothly, you will soon feel sick and the related organ will become weakened. When the Qi channels are open, the arteries will also be open and will allow the blood to flow smoothly. This is because the arteries usually follow the Qi channels. For this reason, meditation is often able to alleviate high blood pressure.

In Nei Dan Small Circulation, there are three cavities or knots that are harder to pass through than the others, and might cause difficulties (Figure 3-4). These are called the San Guan, -S- M ) or Three Gates.

The first cavity is called Weilu (Tailbone, EL W) by the Daoists and Changqiang (Gv-l)(Long Strength, & & ) by the acupuncturists. It is located at the tailbone.

The second cavity is called Jiaji (Squeezing Spine, by Daoists. Jiaji is called Lingtai (Gv-10)(Spirit's Platform, $ &) by acupuncturists and Mingmen (Life's Door, ^ H ) by Chinese martial artists. The martial artists use the name Life's Door because a strike to this point can cause a heart attack and kill an opponent. (There is also a cavity called Mingmen (Gv-4) by acupuncturists which belongs to the Governing vessel).

The last cavity is called Yuzhen (Jade Pillow, itt.) by Daoists and Naohu (Gv-17)(Brain's Household, AS/*) by acupuncturists, and is located at the base of the skull. Further explanation of these three cavities will be given in the next section. These cavities offer the greatest resistance to increased Qi flow, and so are the three major milestones for judging progress in achieving Small Circulation.

While controlling the Qi as it circulates, you should be able to feel a flow of energy, following the guidance of your mind. However, you can also feel the back muscles beside the vessel expanding and tensing. This feeling of expansion will not happen when the Qi goes above the Jade Pillow cavity at the back of the head. Instead, you will feel only the energy or Qi flow, since there is no thick muscle on the head to feel. The usual feeling of Qi flow on the head is local numbness or tickling, as though insects were brushing the skull.

During meditation, you may find your body naturally swinging or rocking forward and backward. You may also feel a muscle jump or contract by itself. These are all symptoms of Dong Chu caused by Qi redistribution. All of this is normal, and you have nothing to be alarmed about.

Once you have accomplished Small Circulation, you can then try to master Grand Circulation, which circulates energy to the entire body through the twelve Qi channels. Usually, you will either concentrate only on your arms or only on your legs first, and then go to the other limbs. However, it is also common, once you complete Small Circulation, to practice guiding the Qi to the upper and lower limbs simultaneously and to imagine Qi expanding from the two main vessels.

Breathing Exercises for Tai Chiby Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, David W. Grantham, October 24, 2011

Dr. Yang demonstrating tai chi ball

The following will highlight some fundamental techniques required for nei gong. Nei gong

is also known as internal gongfu. Internal gong focuses on regulating the body, breathing,

mind, qi, and spirit. It is impossible to cover all of this training here, so if you are

interested, please refer to the books The Root of Chinese Qigong, The Essence of Taiji

Qigong, and Qigong Meditation–Embryonic Breathing, by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, published

by YMAA Publication Center.

First, we will focus on exercises for regulating the breathing that allows you to build up

the quantity of qi to an abundant level and subsequently circulate the accumulated qi.

Practice these exercises in the order that they are presented. Become comfortable and

proficient in one technique before moving on to the next.

Normal Abdominal Breathing (Zheng Fu Hu Xi)

Stand with both hands touching the lower dan tian lightly. (The dan tian is found slightly

under and behind the navel.) This light touch can help you feel the movement of the

abdominal muscles and thus increasing the communication level between your mind and

the lower dan tian. The tip of your tongue should touch the palate of your month to

connect the yin conception and yang governing vessels.

Inhale deeply through the nose while gently pushing your abdominal muscles out and

huiyin down. As you exhale, draw your abdomen inward and pull the huiyin cavity upward

gently. (The huiyin cavity is located between the genitals and anus.)

You should practice this method of breathing until your mind is able to control the

abdominal muscles effectively and efficiently. Only then can this area remain relaxed and

allow the qi to circulate freely. Allow a minimum of six months of training this type of

breathing to allow the body to adjust to the conditioning; then proceed on to the next

form of breathing exercises.

Reverse Abdominal Breathing (Fan Fu Hu Xi, Ni Fu Hu Xi)

Once again, stand with both hands touching the lower dan tian and the tongue touching

the palate of the mouth. When you inhale, draw in your abdomen and pull up your huiyin

cavity. When you exhale, push the abdomen out and huiyin cavity down gently. Practicing

reverse abdominal breathing may cause some tension in the dan tian. If that happens,

stop using this method of breathing and return to normal abdominal breathing. You may

also gently massage the abdomen to relieve the tension. As long as abdominal area is

relaxed, you should not have a problem.

Wuji Breathing (Wuji Hu Xi)

This breathing is also called “Embryonic Breathing” (Tai Xi). In this practice, you keep

your mind at the center of gravity that is also recognized as the real lower dan tian (zhen

xia dan tian). When you practice, use reverse abdominal breathing. The only difference is

when you inhale, you are also pulling the muscles on the lower back inward, and when

you exhale, you are pushing them out. This will help you locate the center of gravity. This

breathing helps you lead the qi to the real dan tian and store it to a higher level. If you

wish to know more about Embryonic Breathing, please refer to the book Qigong

Meditation–Embryonic Breathing, published by YMAA Publication Center.

Yongquan Breathing (Yongquan Hu Xi)

Yongquan breathing is also called “sole breathing” (zhong xi). It was described in the

book, Zhuang Zi, around the fourth century b.c. It is called yongquan xi (yongquan

breathing) in Daoist society.

In this breathing exercise, stand with your legs open to about shoulder width apart.

Again, the hands touch the abdominal area and the tongue touches the palate of mouth

gently. First, inhale and lead the qi to the real lower dan tian. Next, exhale, squat down

slightly and imagine you are pushing the feet downward. Through this image of pushing,

you are using your mind to lead the qi down through the yongquan cavity. When you

imagine pushing the feet downward, your mind should aim at least six inches under the

feet so that qi does not get trapped. A variation of this exercise is to twist your torso to

one side as you squat and exhale.

On the next breath, twist your torso to the opposite side. This will increase the stretching

of the tendons and ligaments in the ankles, knees, and hips resulting in a strengthening

of the joints. If you practice this correctly, you may feel the hot or warm feeling caused by

qi accumulation at the bottom of your feet in just a few minutes. To remove the qi

accumulated, simply raise your heels and then your toes, alternately, a couple times after

you have finished practicing.

Laogong Breathing (Laogong Hu Xi)

In laogong breathing, use your mind to lead the qi to the laogong cavity located at the

center of your palms. Again, stand with legs opened as wide as your shoulders. The hands

touch the abdominal area and the tongue touches the palate of mouth gently. Use

Embryonic Breathing. First, inhale and lead the qi to the real dan tian. Next, exhale and

imagine you are pushing your hands downward without moving your hands. Through this

pushing image, you are using your mind to lead qi through the laogong cavities. When

you imagine you are pushing your hands downward, your mind should aim at least six

inches beyond the palms. If you practice correctly, in just a few minutes you may feel

some sensations, a tingling or static feeling at the palms.

Four Gates Breathing (Si Xin Hu Xi)

This breathing is a combination of yongquan and laogong breathing. The posture remains

the same as in the previous two exercises. As you inhale, use your mind to lead qi to the

real dan tian. As you exhale, gently squat downward and imagine you are pushing both

your hands and feet downward.

Martial Grand Circulation Breathing (Wuxue Da Zhou Tian Hu Xi)

In this breathing technique you are leading the qi into the governing vessel through the

mingmen cavity (located between the second and third lumbar vertebrae) in addition to

the normal qi circulation path, which passes from the real dan tian to the conception

vessel through the abdomen-yinjiao cavity (which resides about one and a half inches

below the navel.) This will increase the supply of qi to the small circulation path and

enhance the power of physical manifestation.

When you practice, stand with your legs opened about a shoulders’ width apart. Allow

both arms to relax along the sides of the body. When you inhale, lead the qi from the real

dan tian, downward through yinjiao, pass the huiyin, and then lead the qi upward. When

the qi reaches the mingmen cavity, gently push back the lower back to open the

mingmen cavity and lead the qi out to combine with the qi from the front. This qi is then

led upward to dazhui (located on the posterior midline in the depression below the

spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra.)

When you exhale, lead the qi outward through the arms while also leading it from the real

dan tian downward to the bottom of your feet. When you have reached a deeper level of

taiji ball qigong training, use Martial Grand Circulation Breathing.

Taiji Ball Breathing (Taiji Qiu Hu Xi)

In this breathing, apply the Martial Grand Circulation Breathing into the taiji ball practice.

In addition, hold both of your hands in front of your lower dan tian with palms facing each

other. When you inhale, draw the abdomen inward, and the huiyin is moving upward (i.e.,

internal ball is condensing), while the palms spread apart (i.e., external ball is

expanding.)

Then exhale to expand the internal ball while pressing your both palms toward each

other.

After you have practiced for a few minutes, you may begin to feel an invisible qi ball

forming between the palms. The longer you practice, the stronger the qi can be felt. This

is a basic foundation of taiji ball internal gong training. Eventually, you will apply this kind

of breathing through the entire taiji ball qigong practice.

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, is a renowned author and teacher of Chinese martial arts and

Qigong. Born in Taiwan, he has trained and taught Taijiquan, Qigong and Chinese martial

arts for over forty-five years. He is the author of over thirty books, and was elected by

Inside Kung Fu magazine as one of the 10 people who has "made the greatest impact on

martial arts in the past 100 years." Dr. Yang lives in Northern California.

David W. Grantham has been training in martial arts for twenty-one years. He currently

holds Certificates as Coach Instructor and Chin Na Instructor and teaches at the

Hunterdon Wellness Center in Clinton, New Jersey. He offers privates, classes and

seminars on Tai Chi Ball and Chin Na. David Grantham resides in Hunterdon County, New

Jersey with his wife,and two children.

Two Keys for Regulating Your Breathing and Circulating Qiby Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, February 21, 2008

Governing and Conceptional Vessels

The keys to regulating the breathing and transporting Qi (energy) are in two places: the

Huiyin cavity located between the genitals and anus, and the palate of the mouth. The

Huiyin cavity is the connecting point of the four Yin Qi vessels and is the controlling and

releasing gate for the four Yin Qi reservoirs. When the Huiyin is pushed out, the Qi in the

Yin vessels is released and when the Huiyin is lifted upward, the Qi in the Yin vessels is

contained and condensed. For example, when you laugh out loud, your exhalation is

longer than your inhalation, and when you exhale, the Huiyin is pushed out naturally, the

entire body’s Yang is manifested and the Guardian Qi is strengthened; consequently, the

body gets warmer and begins to sweat. Conversely, when you are sad and depressed, the

inhalation is longer than the exhalation and when you inhale, the Huiyin is lifted upward

naturally, the Marrow Qi is increased and the Guardian Qi is condensed inward, hence the

body feels cooler. From these you can see that when you practice Qigong, coordinating

the breathing with the Huiyin’s lifting and pushing is one pf the key knacks to governing

the entire body’s Qi status.

In the past, it was common that a master would keep these two secret keys of regulating

to himself. These secrets would not be revealed to the student until he/she proved

trustworthy. They were not passed down to those disciples who were not loyal and moral.

One of the secret keys is learning how to control the Huiyin (perineum). This place is the

controlling gate of the body’s Yin and Yang. Huiyin means “meet Yin” in Chinese and is

the meeting place of the four Yin vessels: Conception (Ren Mai), Thrusting (Chong Mai),

Yin Heel (Yinqiao Mai), and Yin Linking Vessels (Yinwei Mai). When this gate is pushed out,

the Qi in these four Yin vessels is released, and when this gate is held up, the Qi in the

four Yin vessels is kept in and preserved. Because of this, this gate can control the body’s

Yin-Yang status. In my personal experience, this place acts as a pump or a piston to a Qi

chamber that controls the storage and release of Qi.

The other key is the palate of the mouth. Daoists believe that the palate is the connecting

place of the Conception and Governing Vessels. Normally, the palate is not connected to

the tip of the tongue and therefore the Qi is stagnant at the throat area for uttering

sound. Therefore, due to the stagnation of the Qi, the mouth is dry. The Conception and

Governing Vessels are not well connected in the mouth area. However, if you practice

your martial art or Qigong without the necessity of making a sound, then you should

touch your tongue upward to the palate at all times so as to connect the Conception and

Governing Vessels. When this happens, the root of the tongue will generate saliva to

moisturize the throat and to calm down the Yang fire, and allow the Qi to be transported

between these two main Qi Vessels without stagnation. This is what is called “releasing

the heavenly water.” This tongue connection is also called “building the magpie bridge”

(Da Que Qiao). According to a Chinese story, long ago a Cowherd (Niu Lang) and a

Weaving Maid (Zhi Nu) would meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh moon

on a bridge across the Milky Way. The bridge was formed by sympathetic magpies. This

story has become a symbol of Yin and Yang’s interacting or connecting in Qigong

practice. When Yin and Yang meet, then the body can be harmonized.

When the saliva is generated to a comfortable amount, you should swallow it and use the

mind to lead it down to the Real Dan Tian. This will help you lead the fire Qi downward to

cool down the body.

If those who are learning Taiji can apply the above two keys into their regular natural

breathing, then the accomplishment of Taiji Qigong can be achieved within days. At the

beginning, it is hard to control your Huiyin’s movement smoothly and naturally. In

addition, due to the positioning of the tongue, an uncomfortable and tense feeling may

be experienced at the root of the tongue. However, after you practice for some time, you

will see it will become easier and more comfortable, and your internal practice will be

more efficient and beneficial.

This subject is further explored in the book "The Root of Chinese Qigong".Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, is a renowned author and teacher of Chinese martial arts and Qigong. Born in Taiwan, he has trained and taught Taijiquan, Qigong and Chinese martial arts for over forty-five years. He is the author of over thirty books, and was elected by Inside Kung Fu magazine as one of the 10 people who has "made the greatest impact on martial arts in the past 100 years." Dr. Yang lives in Northern California.

WANT TO KNOW A SECRET? WELL TOO BAD!

Even if you got your hands on a manuscript, it wouldn’t have done you much good because the writing was intentionally vague. This was known as “Hiding Secrets in the Open”. The secret was there for all to see, but they were difficult to decipher. (Of course, many people couldn’t even read classical Chinese, which would probably make the manuscripts even harder to decipher.)

What I’m doing in this article would have been inconceivable to past masters. To a) reveal the techniques for free, and b) explain them in a way that is intelligible — that just wasn’t done. Of course, I’m not the first. My teacher already did this years ago in his book The Art of Chi Kung, and there are other books that discuss the technique (most of them terrible, by the way).

So why do it? Why reveal the secrets now, especially after highlighting the dangers of practicing them without a master?

EVERYTHING ON THE INTERNET IS TRUE, RIGHT?

We live in the information age. It’s an amazing time to be alive. With a few clicks, we can get information on virtually any subject.

But is it quality information?

We all know that the Internet can sometimes provide awful information. This is especially true with esoteric arts like Qigong, Tai Chi, and meditation. If you go searching for information about the Small Universe (also called the Microcosmic Orbit), for example, you’ll find a ton of terrible advice out there. (I covered this subject in part 1 of the article.)

So my goal is to contribute quality information on this subject, not for self-instruction, but for education, edification, and also for posterity. Of course, those who have already learned the Small Universe from me or my teacher will benefit greatly from this page, which will serve as a valuable review. And those who hope to someday learn the Small Universe from me or my teacher will be inspired by reading these secrets.

Now, on to the techniques.

THE 7 TECHNIQUES

In my school, we use a series of Qigong techniques to open the Small Unviverse. Practicing them in the correct series allows us to safely and effectively induce the breakthrough of the Small Universe in a relatively short period of time. If the student has already laid a solid foundation by practicing basic Qigong techniques like the 18 Luohan Hands, Flowing Breeze

Swaying Willow, Sinew Metamorphosis, and/or Bone Marrow Cleansing for 2-3 years, then the Small Universe breakthrough can be induced in a matter of days (with my help, of course).

This is quite remarkable. In the past, if a master had the breakthrough in a decade, it was considered amazing. To do it in a few days, even after 2-3 years of diligently practicing the basics, was unheard of. But then again, maybe we never heard of it because they kept it secret? Who knows?

The series of techniques are as follows:

1. Belly Breathing 2. Dan Tian Breathing 3. Path Breathing 4. Submerged Breathing 5. Long Breathing 6. Forceful Small Universe Breathing 7. Gentle Small Universe Breathing

1. BELLY BREATHING

Before we can do any of these techniques, we need to master Belly Breathing. Actually, Belly Breathing is not a Qigong technique. It’s just mechanical. It involves breathing from the belly as opposed to the chest. Good singers do this even if they’ve never heard of Qigong.

If you’re like most people, you’ve spent years breathing incorrectly. To correct this, you need to practice two preparative exercises. The following two exercises are safe for everyone to practice, even from this website:

Preparative Exercise #1 – Book BreathingLie down and place a heavy book on your lower belly, just below your belly button. Breathe naturally, but gradually allow your breathing to come from your lower belly. The book should rise as your breathe in, and fall as you breathe out. Practice this for 5 minutes a day, separate from your normal Qigong practice.

Preparative Exercise #2 – Sitting Belly BreathingSit upright (but relaxed) on the edge of a chair with your back straight. Place both hands, one on top of the other, gently over your dan tian. Try to recreate the feeling of the Book Breathing exercise. If you cannot feel your breath coming from your belly, then go back to the Book Breathing.

All future progress depends on your ability to do Belly Breathing easily and smoothly. If you can’t do it well, then you won’t benefit from any of the other stages. Spend time with these preparative exercises. You’ll be glad that you did.

For those who know the following exercises, Three Levels to Earth and Lifting Heels are also excellent for helping to pave the way for future progress. These two exercises from the 18 Luohan Hands help to bring the energy around the Ren and Du meridians. So if you want to prepare yourself before learning the Small Universe, you may emphasize these techniques as well.

Warning: If you skimmed down to here, then let me be absolutely clear: Don’t try the following exercises on your own. You’re going to hurt yourself. You can practice the preparative exercises listed above, but not these. If you want to understand why, then read part 1 of this series.

2. DAN TIAN BREATHING

Dan Tian Breathing is a fundamental Qigong technique where, not surprisingly, you breath energy with dan tian. My teacher sometimes uses the term Abdominal Breathing in his books. I use the Chinese name because it’s critical that people don’t confuse Dan Tian Breathing with Belly Breathing. Many students, especially in America, have been confused by the term Abdominal Breathing, which is why I have changed it.

Whereas Belly Breathing is mechanical, Dan Tian Breathing is energetic. The difference may seem minor, but it’s not. It’s the difference between tapping into a flow of Cosmic energy, or just standing around and breathing for 20 minutes.

Dan Tian Breathing Technique:

1. Stand Upright. 2. Relax. 3. Smile from the Heart. 4. Clear your mind of thoughts. 5. Gently place both palms over your dan tian, one on top of the other. 6. As you breathe out gently through the mouth, gently press the palms and help the belly to

“deflate”. Gently visualize letting go of negative energy, stress, tension, etc. 7. As you breathe in gently through the nose, gently release the palms and help the belly to

“inflate”. Gently visualize taking in fresh cosmic energy from all directions toward dan tian.

Closing visualization: At the end of the session, gently visualize a golden pearl of energy, full of vitality, at dan tian. The energy from dan tian radiates out, in all directions, like the light from the sun.

The technique is simple, but the skill is extremely subtle, and thus easy to miss. Remember that everything must be super gentle — the breathing, the pressing and releasing of the hands, and the visualization. If you’re forcing any of these, then you’re doing it wrong.

A heart-to-heart transmission is essential to acquire this skill. Once you get it, you’ll have the ability to tap energy from the cosmos. As I tell my students, I honestly don’t know how it works, but I know from experience that it does work. It’s an incredible technique, and I hope that you get the opportunity to learn it one day.

3. PATH BREATHING

With this technique, we breathe energy down and up the Ren meridian (see part I of this article). So we bring energy down to dan tian as we breathe in, and then back up as we breathe out. In my teacher’s books, this is sometimes called Abdominal Breathing, which only adds to the confusion that I mentioned above. I chose the term Path Breathing — which describes the flow of energy along a specific path — to clear up the confusion.

Path Breathing Technique:

1. Stand Upright. 2. Relax. 3. Smile from the Heart. 4. Clear your mind of thoughts. 5. Gently place both palms over your dan tian, one on top of the other. 6. As you breathe out gently through the mouth, gently press the palms and help the belly to

“deflate”. Visualize negative energy flowing up the Ren Meridian, and out the mouth. 7. As you breathe in gently through the nose, gently release the palms and help the belly to

“inflate”. Visualize fresh cosmic energy coming in through the nose, down the Ren Meridian, and down to dan tian.

Closing visualization: At the end of the session, use the same visualization as in Dan Tian Breathing.

This is the first time we are focusing the Qi along a path. In Dan Tian Breathing, the flow of Qi was general. Here, it’s more specific. Because we are directing Qi to a specific channel, the technique is much less forgiving of mistakes, which is yet another reason to learn it from a master.

4. SUBMERGED BREATHING

With Submerged Breathing, we sink the energy from dan tian down to hui yin, the energy point at the perineum. This must done gently. It can’t, and shouldn’t be forced.

Again, I’ll sound a warning. If you try to do this on your own, you’re likely to mess up your energy system. What’s worse is that it may take months for you to realize that anything is wrong. Don’t practice this without direct instruction from me or my teacher. I don’t know how to be any clearer than that.

Submerged Breathing Technique

1. Start with Path Breathing for a few breaths. 2. Then shift to Submerged Breathing as follows. 3. As you breathe in, gently bring the energy down the Ren channel from your nose to dan tian. 4. As you breathe out, gently “sink” energy down the Ren channel from dan tian to hui yin.

Closing visualization: At the end of the session, gently visualize a beautiful, full, silvery moon at the bottom of a lake at hui yin. Let the pleasant moon energy gleam up at your body. At an advanced level,you may feel a coolness at hui yin.

When you finally get the hang of Submerged Breathing, when you first feel the energy sinking down to hui yin, it’s a wonderful feeling. But if you don’t have enough energy at dan tian, then you probably won’t feel much. In that case, you need to continue building energy at dan tian so that you have something to sink down to hui yin. You can build energy using Dan Tian Breathing, or other techniques like the Warrior Postures, One Finger Zen, Lifting Water, or the Three Circle Stance.

5. LONG BREATHING

In this technique, we “breathe” energy from hui yin all the way up to bai hui at the top of the head. It’s a long way, hence the name. The technique is as follows:

Long Breathing Technique

1. Start with Path Breathing for breaths. 2. Then shift to Submerged Breathing for a few breaths. 3. Then shift to Long Breathing as follows. 4. As you breathe in, gently bring the energy down the Ren channel from your nose down to

dan tian. 5. As you breathe out, gently bring the energy from dan tian, down to hui yin, and then up to

bai hui.

Closing visualization: Gently visualize energy pulsing at ming men, the vital point opposite your navel. When this has been accomplished after some training over a few (or many) sessions, gently focus at ling tai (opposite tanzhong, or solar plexus).

In the learning stage, you’ll first breathe energy from hui yin up to ming men rather than bai hui. Then, once you get the hang of that, you’ll breathe the energy from hui yin up to ling tai, the energy point in the middle of the back. Then finally, you’ll breathe it all the way up to Bai Hui. It’s a bit like the mercury (or whatever they use these days) gradually rising in a thermometer.

6. FORCEFUL SMALL UNIVERSE BREATHING

This technique “forces”the full connection of the Small Universe. The Small Universe, as I described in part 1 of this series, is a continuous flow of energy in an orbit down the Ren Meridian and then up the Du Meridian. But there are two gaps in the flow — one at the perineum, and one between the upper and lower jaw. With this technique, we connect the upper gap by lifting the tongue to the upper palate, and the lower gap by lifting the muscles near the anus.

The breathing mode for this technique is called “Reverse Breathing”. It’s the opposite of Belly Breathing (sometimes called Natural Breathing because babies do it naturally), hence the name.

Forceful Small Universe Breathing Technique

1. Start with Path Breathing for a few breaths. 2. Then shift to Reverse Breathing as follows. 3. As you breathe in gently through the nose, your abdomen deflates and your chest inflates

gently (the reverse of what we’ve been doing so far). The energy flows from hui yin up to bai hui. Gently grip your toes, lift your perineum, and touch the tongue to the roof of the mouth while breathing in.

4. As you breathe out gently through the mouth, your abdomen inflates and your chest deflates. The energy flows from bai hui down to dan tian. Lower the tongue while breathing out. The perineum and toes should be relaxed now.

5. As you are breathing out, you should also save 30% of your breath. So you breath in 100%, but breathe out 70% and save the other 30%. As you “save” the breath, swallow your saliva, and feel as if it is dropping all the way down to hui yin.

Closing Visualization: Gently feel a beneficial, glowing sun at bai hui. Later you may experience what they call The Opening of the Five Petals.This opening is spontaneous, but

may be gently induced with gentle visualization. Meanwhile the flow of the Small Universe continuously round the ren and du meridians is realized.

Compared to the previous techniques, this one is much more complicated. It’s hard to remember all the steps, let alone do them. This can lead to some serious energy blockages if you do it incorrectly. A master’s supervision is critical. Even with a master’s supervision, it’s still challenging!

I typically have students practice Reverse Breathing for a while without worrying about the perineum, toes, or tongue. Once they can do that well, then they can add those details one by one. I also encourage them to leave out the “swallow” until they are ready. Another secret is to practice the technique called “Gathering Qi from the Cosmos”, which helps to teach Reverse Breathing in a very gentle way.

This method is relatively forceful, but it’s also very, very powerful. For some masters, this is the only method they had, and it worked well. We are lucky to have both the Forceful and the Gentle Small Universe, which is as follows.

7. GENTLE SMALL UNIVERSE BREATHING

With this technique, we go back to Belly Breathing (rather than Reverse Breathing). The technique is much gentler, and also simpler, than the Forceful Small Universe. I spent years practicing this technique — mainly because I was terrible at Forceful Small Universe Breathing. But hey, it worked!

If you’ve done the other stages well, then this one should be easy.

Gentle Small Universe Breathing Technique

1. Start with Path Breathing for a few breaths. 2. Proceed to Submerged Breathing for a few breaths. 3. Proceed to Long Breathing for a few breaths. 4. Proceed to Forceful Small Universe Breathing for a few breaths. 5. Proceed to Gentle Small Universe Breathing, as follows. 6. As you breathe in gently through the nose, the tip of your tongue touches the upper palate,

your abdomen inflates, and the energy flows in to dan tian. 7. As you breathe out gently through the mouth, your tongue relaxes, your abdomen deflates,

and the energy flows from dan tian down to hui yin, up to bai hui, and out your mouth.

Closing Visualization: Gently visualize a smooth, continuous flow down the Ren meridian and up Du meridian. Later just enjoy the realization of the Small Universe.

What is the “realization” of the Small Universe? It’s when it flows automatically, and you just enjoy it. You no longer need to actively visualize because the Small Universe has its own momentum.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Once you’ve been through all of the techniques, it may not be necessary to continue using each of them. This depends on your developmental stage. If you succeed in opening the real

breakthrough of the Small Universe, then you may only need to continue practicing one of the final two techniques.

At an advanced level, you can add the Goat-Riding Stance. The techniques are done exactly the same, except for the addition of the stance. Adding the stance magnifies the power of the technique, but also magnifies the risks. Both your stance and your Small Universe better be really good before you even attempt this!

CLOSING

So that’s it. We’ve talked about the risks and rewards of learning the Small Universe, and we’ve talked about all 7 techniques. I hope that I’ve succeeded in educating you about this amazing Qigong technique. I also hope that you’re excited to learn it — not so excited that you try to learn it from a website, of course, but excited enough to keep practicing the basics. In a future article, I’ll talk about the Big Universe, and how it relates to the Small Universe.

Drop me a comment below if you have questions. Or if you haven’t already gotten your free ebooks and free lesson, then make sure to grab them here. If you liked this article, then please share it using the Facebook, Twitter, and Email buttons below.

Zenfully yours,Sifu Anthony

Anthony Korahais is the director of the Flowing Zen Studio, and the Chief Instructor certified in the U.S. by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit. He lives in Gainesville, Florida with his wife, Dr. Akemi Borjas Korahais, but teaches Tai Chi, Qigong, and Meditation all over the world. To contact Sifu Anthony directly, click here.

The Real Truth About the Small Universe Qigong

Written by Sifu Anthony on October 17, 2012

So you’ve learned all 18 Luohan Hands, all 12 Sinew Metamorphosis, and all 5 levels of Bone Marrow Cleansing. You’ve learned it all, right?

You ain’t learned nothing yet, kiddo.

In the Chinese classics, the Small Universe (小周天, or xiao zhou tian) is often referred to as the ultimate Qigong technique. In other words, all other forms of Qigong pale in comparison. But don’t worry. If you’ve been faithfully practicing the Qigong exercises I mentioned above, you’re still on the right track. In fact, if you haven’t spent a few years practicing those exercises, then you’ll probably just hurt yourself with the Small Universe.

ARE YOU READY?

In some Qigong schools, they teach the Small Universe to beginners. This is madness. It’s like teaching a toddler to drive an 18-Wheeler. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

I think it’s totally irresponsible to teach this technique to someone who is not ready. The risk of messing up their energy system is high, and the chance of success is low. In other words, the most likely result is that the student will get hurt, and the least likely result is that the student will get benefit.

If you think that I’m exaggerating, if you think that Qigong can’t do any harm — think again. You’d be shocked at how many people hurt themselves by practicing the Small Universe before they are ready. It’s more common than you might think. I’ve even seen students end up in the emergency room as a result of practicing it incorrectly!

As an aside, I’ve seen the same with the Yoga technique called Kundalini. Many people have come to me to heal the damage done by Kundalini Yoga. I’m not a yoga master, but it’s obvious to me that Kundalini, which involves bringing energy from the chakra (energy center) near the anus up to the chakra in the head, is an advanced form of Qigong. It’s definitely not for beginners.

Does all this scare you? Good! The Small Universe is powerful. Have some respect for it, just like you would for an 18-Wheeler.

CLEARING BLOCKAGES

Most students are not ready for the Small Universe simply because they haven’t spent enough time clearing blockages.

1. Mental Blockages

The Small Universe requires a well-trained Zen mind. If your mind is unfocused, if you are still distracted by random thoughts, if you can’t let go of the internal dialogue — then you’re not ready for the Small Universe. Simple.

2. Physical Blockages

If your structure is off, if one shoulder is higher than the other, if your pelvis is rotated, if your posture is bad — these things need to be fixed before attempting the Small Universe. And if you haven’t spent years doing Qigong, then I can almost guarantee that your structure is off.

3. Emotional Blockages

If you suffer from emotional blockages, like anxiety or depression, then you’ll probably just make them worse by practicing the Small Universe. Why? Because you’re adding pressure to clogged pipes. Anxiety, for example, is caused by energy blockages in the Spleen and Stomach Meridians. You need to clear these blockages before adding any pressure to the pipes.

4. Pain

If you have any kind of chronic pain whatsoever — that’s a blockage. Ideally, you should be 100% pain free before doing the Small Universe. As a compromise, students can still have some lingering pain, assuming that they’ve already gotten rid of a lot of it already.

The best way to clear all of the blockages mentioned above is to spend 2-3 years with the basics — the 18 Lohan Hands, Sinew Metamorphosis, and Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow. Too impatient to wait for that? Too bad. The truth doesn’t change according to your ability to stomach it.

THE BREAKTHROUGH

The Small Universe is more than a technique; it’s an energetic breakthrough. It actually marks a developmental shift in your energy system. Traditionally, it was also the mark of a real master. In fact, past masters would throw a celebration when the finally had the

breakthrough.

When you achieve the Small Universe, the energy flow along the Ren and the Du meridians starts to flow freely. The Ren meridian runs from your chin, down the center line of the torso, all the way to the perineum (between the genitals and the anus). The Du meridian runs from

the perineum, up the center line of the back, around the top of the head, down the nose, and to the upper lip. When these two meridians connect, you form the Small Universe — down the Ren, and up the Du, in a continuous loop.

REAL AND FALSE

What we are shooting for is called the “Real Breakthrough” of the Small Universe. Along the way, we may also experience what is known as the “False Breakthrough”. What’s the difference?

The False Breakthrough happens spontaneously to students who’ve been practicing basic techniques and clearing blockages for a few years. In the False Breakthrough, the two meridians are not continuously filled. Small “bubbles” of energy travel around the loop, giving the sensation of the Small Universe.

In the Real Breakthrough, the energy is continuous, with no gaps, along the entire loop. Instead of bubbles traveling around, you have a continuous stream. A high-level master (like my teacher) has a wide, powerful stream. A younger master (like myself) will have a thinner stream. But the key factor is that both of our streams are continuous.

Over the years, I’ve met a lot of people who learned The Small Universe from other teachers (or from books). After just one look at them, you can tell that they haven’t had the Real Breakthrough. Heck, you can tell they haven’t even had the False Breakthrough.

How can you tell?

It’s obvious when someone has had the Real Breakthrough. The person looks vibrantly healthy, their skin is radiant, their eyes are clear, and there is a palpable sense of both energy and calm coming off of them. Meanwhile, the people I described above looked pale, weak, and their eyes were dull. When I asked them about their health, they admitted that they were still in pain. And they’ll remain that way until they stop practicing the Small Universe and switch to more basic techniques.

BENEFITS OF THE BREAKTHROUGH

If there are so many risks, and if other types of Qigong bring so many benefits, then why would anyone want to practice the Small Universe? It’s a fair question. Here are some reasons:

Eliminating 100 Diseases

It is said that when you complete the Small Universe, you’ll eliminate hundreds of diseases. Actually, what it means is that you’ll keep “100″ (the ancient Chinese way of saying many) diseases at bay. To have the Real Breakthrough, you need to be relatively healthy already. But when you have the breakthrough, you step into a new realm of health. My teacher says that illness and disease just “bounce off” of the Small Universe. In my experience, this is a pretty accurate description.

Never-ending Energy

If you practice Qigong in general, your energy levels should jump. But with the Small Universe, there’s something new. In my experience, it seems like the Small Universe produces its own energy, almost like a generator. This happens continuously throughout the day, even when you’re not doing Qigong. My teacher is a good example. Keeping up with the man is virtually impossible, even for me. Typically, when we host him in our town, my wife and I have to set up shifts to take care of him. He just goes and goes and goes, all day, without any lulls in his energy. And then he sleeps 4-5 hours a night, and does it again the next day!

Longevity

Obviously, I can’t verify this one from personal experience (yet!), but I can make some reasonable predictions. My teacher, who is almost 70 as of this writing, looks 50 and says that he feels 20. Similarly, people are usually surprised to hear that I’m 40. Since I feel better at 40 than I did at 30, since I’ve steadily gotten rid of aches, pains, and illness, and since my my body is functioning better than ever, I think it’s fair to assume that it will last a long, long time. How long? Modern scientists say that humans have the capacity to live at least 120 years. (The oldest woman in the world is currently 130.) Of course, there are legends of ancient Chinese masters living to be much, much older than that. Is it true? If they had the Small Universe, who knows?

Martial Qigong

The Small Universe serves as the foundation for several Martial Qigong methods, like Cosmos Palm and Iron Shirt. Although you can do arts like these without the Small Universe (I did for years), it’s a totally different experience after the breakthrough. It’s incredible to feel the Small Universe flowing while you practice these other methods. It has to be experienced to be understood.

Party Rocking

It’s true. Having the Small Universe allows you to get away with more, shall we say, transgressions. Of course, this shouldn’t be your main motivation, but I’ll admit that it’s a nice perk being able to stay up too late on occasion, or drink a few beers with friends, or eat

stuff I shouldn’t eat. My teacher is famous for eating copious amounts of ice cream, sugar, and sweets. How does he manage it and still look so young? Because the Small Universe protects him.

Spiritual Cultivation

The Small Universe also opens up new realms of spiritual cultivation. All great spiritual masters had the Small Universe, even if they never knew what it was called or specifically practiced the techniques. From years of meditation, the Small Universe opened naturally in them. And once it does, it allows for deeper states of meditation.

THE TECHNIQUES

In part 2 of this series, I’ll talk about the actual techniques of the Small Universe. With a better understanding of the risks vs. rewards, I going to assume that you won’t start practicing this advanced form of Qigong from a web page. And if you do, despite all the warnings — well, I can’t think of a better example of karma in action.

One final warning. If you mess yourself up, there are very few people in the world who can fix you. I’m one of them. Now, I’m a compassionate guy, and I’ll do my best to fix you up. But I also reserve the right to make fun of you. I mean, what were you thinking?!? Someone tells you not to touch the hot iron, so you go and touch it? Sheesh.

Zenfully yours,Sifu Anthony

Anthony Korahais is the director of the Flowing Zen Healing Center, and the Chief Instructor certified in the U.S. by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit. He lives in Gainesville, Florida with his wife, Dr. Akemi Borjas Korahais, but teaches all over the world. To contact Sifu Anthony directly, click here.

The Three Passes (Locks):

These are three places on the Du vessel difficult for the zhen qi to pass.

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is the art and skill of training qi. It is the method of using subjective initiative (intention) to get physical and mental exercise. In order to attain physical and mental holistic accomplishment one must coordinate thought, posture, and breathing. Physically, qi gong optimizes organ functions and maintains dynamic equilibrium. Energetically, qi gong enables the storage of energy by reducing energy consumption and increasing energy accumulation, producing the effects of harmonizing yin and yang, cleaning the channels and collaterals, and emitting external qi.

Various Names:

Practice Types:

Refinement of the senses happens on all levels of consciousness, and is the focus in the practice of qi gong. This translates as “qi work”, or “merit of qi.” Qi Gong optimizes physical health, clears the mind, and enlightens spiritual goals. Qi Gong practice coordinates posture, breath, and an empty mind that is alert to correcting the tasks of acting, feeling, and thinking into form, force, and substance, respectively. To correct means to refine. Form is the diligence of the body. Force is the discipline of the mind. Substance is the devotion of the spirit. The substance of spirit gives flavor to the force of mind that positions the form of body. Refinement of the senses is the process of merging form, force, and substance into the original essence of all things, a quality that has no name. This quality without a name is temporarily given the name, Tao. While practicing qi gong one should be thinking of nothing but this essence of life, located in the dantian (field of the immortality elixir). By keeping to the essential source, one gains the accomplishments of longevity, prosperity, and happiness.

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Concentrating the mind on the lower dantian can eventually promote the control over involuntary bodily functions like respiration and pulse. The lower dantian is the hinge of the transformation (ascending/descending, opening/closing) of zhen qi, the origin of the jing-luo system and zang-fu

organs, the confluence of yin and yang, the gate of fire and water, the gate of respiration, where the man stores reproductive essence, where the woman nourishes the fetus, and the essence and creator of life itself. Constant focus on the lower dantian can prevent and cure disease.

Exhalation is excretion and yang while inhalation is tonification and yin.

FIRE AND WATER:

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Empty and Full:

This is simply the transference of attention from the mind to the lower dantian via the will. This is the practice of flipping the positions of fire and water; cooling the head with water and warming the vitality with fire. Keeping the water above and the fire below is the intention of the firing process.

·Upper Body (Head/Chest): The mind must be empty and sharply alert to send the qi and breathing to the root (lower dantian)

·Lower Body (Lower Dantian): When the mind is stabilized in the root it can be full and substantial

Hours:

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Five Elements:

Each of the four directions are designated as yin or yang. In five element theory, each viscera relates to a particular direction and element. When practicing, one can face the direction corresponding to a specific deficiency.

Sun, Moon, Stars:

Facing the moon, sun, or stars can influence the conducting of qi.

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Three Treasures:

The Qi Gong Training Process:

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4.Crush the nothingness

The refinement process can be thought of as exchange of one’s material and emotional desires for the conception of a holy child, one’s spirit. This is the birth of one’s correctness. As this correctness is maintained the spirit grows closer to its source, heaven.

Steps of Spiritual Sublimation:

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7.Decide whether to forsake the old body or continue worldly service humbly

To know what is, one must know what is not. Refining the senses means a daily decrease of the unnecessary, or the elimination of irrelevancies in feelings, thoughts and actions. Decreasing the irrelevant increases the relevant. By eliminating irrelevancies, feeling, thought, and action can become concentrated into substance, force, and form, promoting the efficiency of the doings of the self. But to

eliminate doesn’t mean do nothing. Doing nothing eventually causes deficiency. Doing without coarseness will lighten the stress load and clear clutter from the mind, allowing advancement of the self. In the practice of refinement, when interacting with the external world, the self should screen unnecessary input and filter unnecessary output. The refinement process consists of:

1), or clearing out the irrelevancies so that the subtle structure can be recognized (being able to feel qi)

2), or accumulating information through the experience of refinement (building a reservoir of qi)

3), or using the qi to nourish honest self-expression (letting the spirit return to the source of creation)

Doing the undoing benefits physical health. Speaking too much damages the chest (zhong) qi. Thinking too much injures ying qi, or the spleen’s ability to transform food and make blood. Eating too much causes stagnation and dampness of blood and qi. Drinking alcohol too much, taking drugs, or smoking intoxicates the liver and blood. Looking too long also injures the liver. Being angry injures the liver’s ability to regulate the smooth flow of qi. Too much sexual activity injures the kidney qi and depletes the life essence (jing). Listening too long injures the kidneys. Worrying too long injures the heart.

A Taoist proverb says, “Food is better than medicine for increasing health. Using qi to improve health is better than eating food.”

Once the qi is felt, one begins building up a qi reservoir (the yellow court), located about 1.5 inches below the navel and about 3 inches deep, in the centroid of the self. The centroid is called the lower dantian, where the points qihai and mingmen touch during inhalation. Building the qi actually means refining the qi to nourish the spirit. Refinement of qi is the condensation of qi. Condensing qi has the quality of wiryness associated with the practice of bone marrow washing. This is the practice of breathing the fresh qi into the deepest core, the bone marrow, and exhaling the toxins.

After enough qi is built up, the qi can be moved. Let go of the mind to open the door to the spirit. This is necessary in the process of sublimating the spirit. This is the practice of letting go of the spirit. Refining the spirit into nothingness has an empty quality. This is responding like an echo and adapting like a shadow.

Learning can be painful because it is through our mistakes that we correct ourselves. Refinement therefore requires a diligent body, a determined mind, and a devoted spirit, to persevere in the consistent practice of learning. The intelligence of the body grows through the refinement of its actions. The more efficient one acts, the closer one advances to the source of subtlety. In other words, the lighter the burden, the freer the movement; thrift supports spontaneity.

is a twenty-four hour a day activity. Be ready to move at a moment’s notice and never give up.

Transforming vitality into energy for mental clarity is called getting the medicine.

If one eats too much, food will stagnate, toxins will accumulate, and one will become tired. Spend time before eating to generate saliva. Swallow all saliva. Saliva will fill some space in the stomach, so to prevent over-eating. Swallowed saliva collects in the lower dantian to form the immortality pill, or the egg of the spiritual embryo. Chew every bite until food is liquidated.

Avoid ice cold food and drink because it prevents the qi from moving upward. Drinking alcohol effects concentration, judgment and sensitivity. Avoid caffeine and strong tastes because they interfere with leading the qi upward as well as cause disturbances in the digestive system.

Get the right amount of sleep. If one sleeps too much, one will become tired. Maintain a conscious sleeping posture to control dreams. Bright dreams are a reflection of a calm spirit, that is housed in the

heart. Protect and nourish the heart during sleep. When sleeping on the side, choose the right side. Because the heart is more on the left, there will be less weight over the heart. Place the right hand under the right ear and the left hand on the left leg. The left foot rests behind the right knee. If sleeping on the back rest the left hand in the center of the chest and the right hand just below the navel.

Brain Participation:

The brain generates ideas that govern thoughts, spirit and qi around one’s field. The brain is the main source of EMF (Electro Motive Force) which increases mental concentration for stronger and more smooth flow of qi. A healthy brain raises spirit vitality. Understanding is the key to long life. When brain cells are at an increased level then sensitivity is increased. Sensitivity is the key to good health and longevity.

The brain is the sea of marrow which is ruled by the energy of the kidneys. The kidneys are also responsible for growth and reproduction. Therefore, the kidneys are responsible for semen (spermatozoa for men and ova for women) production. The semen is the main source of human energy, via vitality. The four qi vessels (Yangqiao, Yinqiao, Yangwei, and Yinwei) of the legs receive their qi from semen conversion. At midnight, the qi circulation about the microcosmic orbit reaches huiyin that stimulates the genitals to interact with the dantian qi. Sublimation of jing causes the qi in these four vessels to become deficient, so more essence may be converted.

To practice sublimation, lead the qi upward, returning the essence to nourish the brain. When the brain is full it becomes energized with clear thoughts and is able to function more completely. When more of the brain is able to be used, the shen can be raised through increased sensitivity and effective thinking. This allows the spirit to remain after death of the physical body. To reach this level one must first let go of all material thoughts and emotions. The Chong vessel is the most responsible vessel for the sublimation of spirit due to its capability of regulating the kidney meridian and mutually supporting the Ren meridian.

General Settings:

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Concurrent Training and Nourishing:

Imagine feet walking underground. Qi Gong practice begins with establishing the root. To refine the body, one must first root deep into the earth. If sitting, this connection is at the perineum (huiyin). If standing, this connection is made through the soles of the feet (yongquan). Rooting is accomplished by putting the mind under the connection point. Visualize it spreading out underneath the earth. Like water flowing downstream, the mind must search for the lowest point. Putting the mind in the lowest point is humble. The one who is last in line, follows first- the ultimate follower. Initially, a tingling sensation may be felt at the soles of the feet, or at the perineum and begin tracing the meridians up the leg or the back. Once the root is established, one cannot be knocked over and proper growth can begin. Zhen (true) qi flows through the cosmos like water. Since the mind regulates the interaction of heavenly and earthly qi, the mind must be like water. It becomes formless in order to assume all forms.

All joints must be slightly bent but extended to allow for the qi to circulate.

The bottom becomes heavy and the top becomes light, like a tree blowing in the wind. The tailbone is tucked in and the head is pulled up from under the base of the skull by heaven so that the vertebrae of the spine hang loosely, like a string of pearls. The qi can be circulated efficiently when proper posture of the spine is maintained.

· ·° ·Place feet firmly on floor · · · · ·Close eyes slightly · ·

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· · · ·Close eyes slightly · ·

Supine Lying:

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Latericumbent Lying:

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Standing:

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·Keep the back straight · · · ·

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Regulation of respiration effects the regulation of qi, blood, and organ functions. It is the strategy of the mind to achieve mental tranquilization and physical relaxation.

·Inhalation: the diaphragm descends, the abdomen expands, and huiyin is drawn up ·

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Sound Emission with Exhalation for Organ Strength:

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Breathing through the Five Gates (Macrocosmic Qi Flow):

Genuine Breathing (Fetal Breathing):

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Opening-Closing (Body Transparency): Skin Breathing:

Inhalation:

Contract the lower dantian region energetically rather than muscularly. Guide the energy up the spine. Place the tongue on the roof of the mouth, just behind the upper front teeth. Contract the perineum gradually, as if slightly cutting off the flow of urine. Inhale qi through the pores of the skin into the marrow. The hands raise or draw inward.

Exhalation:

Expand the lower dantian region. Guide the energy down the anterior midline. Drop the tongue below the lower front teeth. Release the perineum gradually. Exhale toxins out from the marrow through the pores. The hands descend or push out.

Breath Counting:

Silent Chanting:

Breath Listening:

Mental Looking:

Lung:

In qi gong breathing, the jing (essence) qi of heaven and earth are inhaled and the turbid qi in the viscera is exhaled. The jing qi promotes zhen (true) qi and the free flow of qi and blood through the limbs and bones (marrow) of the body.

(elixir field) breathing, or deep, long, abdominal breathing, increases kidney receptivity of qing (clean air) qi, and gradually makes respiration undetectable. When this occurs, inhaled essence qi combines with congenital jing qi of the kidney to produce zhen qi, enabling the internal qi and vitality of the body to condense and strengthen.

Kidney:

The kidneys, located in the lumbar region to the left and right, contain mingmen, the gate of life inside. Xu Lingtai believed mingmen was the dantian.

Liver:

Spleen:

Five Gates:

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MICROCOSMIC ORBIT OF QI FLOW:

The Three Passes (Locks):

These are three places on the Du vessel difficult for the zhen qi to pass.

1)

2)

1)

2)

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· · ·Sea of Qi: huiyin: perineum; junction point for macrocosmic orbit as energy enters and

returns from legs; junction point for Du and Ren meridians

Lock:

and Baihui (Valley Spirit):

practice, or dirigation, is the skill of controlling involuntary bodily functions.

Neuromuscular:

·Stabilizes electroencephalograph (EEG) waves ·

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Respiratory:

· · · · ·Increases carbon dioxide while reducing oxygen during exhalation

Digestive:

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Circulatory:

·®

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Endocrine:

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® Accumulates the synthesis and reduces decomposition of hepatic glycogen (stores energy)

·Touch Sensations:

·Hot Sensation Everywhere with Slight Perspiration: This means that the qi is free flowing, and the zhen qi is gathering and accumulating.

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1)Cold: Cold sensation or pores may contract.

2)Dry/Hot: Irritated sensation, as if scorched by fire

3)Aching/Uncomfortable Tingling

4)Toxic

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· ·Smell Effect: beneficial waiqi may smell sweet, verdurous, or floral ·

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1)The practitioner must want to practice

2)Find a peaceful place

3)Relieve nature before practice

4)Where loose clothes

5)Have good hygienic habit

6)Have appropriately sized practice aids (chairs, cushions, etc.)

7)Get out of stormy weather

1)Determine training direction

2)Relax body posture, empty mind to concentrate on dantian

3)Conduct appropriate breathing strategy

4)Do not pursue hallucinations

5)Swallow saliva

6)Nourish dantian when fatigued during training

1)Conduct qi to dantian, swallow saliva

2)Massage, stretch, walk, or meditate

1)Treat from the root: dantian

2)Do not drain energy by treating too long; replenish nutrition and channel the qi

3)Protect from patient illness: expand wei qi

4)Do not treat if ill

5)Do not treat when starved, bloated, drunk, or emotionally unstable

6)Do not wash hands or bathe in cold water immediately after treatment

7)Close: regulate one’s own qi and disperse patient sha qi

1)Forced: training when constitution or illness is inadequate

2)Improper: incorrectly training without proper guidance

3)Weak-mindedness and/or suspiciousness: clinging to qi gong effects

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© PLUM BLOSSOM CLINIC, 2008