Warrior Coaching International Rock Solid Health Qi Gong Unit-5 Energy Circulation Qi Gong: The Microcosmic Orbit By Dr. Symeon Rodger 2008 Rock Solid Life Systems and Warrior Coaching International No part of this publication may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the express permission of the author and the publisher. Rock Solid Life Systems Page 1 of 5
Disclaimer: By following this program you are acknowledging that you are a mature adult and that you take full responsibility for your own actions. You are acknowledging that you agree to adhere to the terms of the disclaimer below and to those posted on any of our websites. This program (its texts, audios and videos) contains the opinions and ideas of the author(s). It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matters covered. Its content is not meant to replace the advice of mental or medical healthcare professionals or qualified counselors. The author(s) and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and / or application of any of the contents of this program. Please note that if you have any pre-existing medical or psychological condition for which you are receiving or have received treatment, you should not embark upon this or any other system involving physical exercise or mental work without the approval of a qualified medical professional. Please note that you should not engage in any of the meditative aspects of this program while driving a vehicle or operating heavy machinery until you have made substantial progress. And, even then, you do so at your own risk. Please note that the materials of or about this program are not to be interpreted as a guarantee that you will achieve specific results within a given time frame. Achievement depends on correct practice and dedication, as well as on the starting point of the individual. Important Notice for Women! If you are pregnant or think you might be, you should not attempt to begin practicing any Qi Gong system without the express approval of a qualified practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and your own physician. Rock Solid Life Systems Page 2 of 5
Energy Circulation Qi Gong: The Microcosmic Orbit As you ve gone through the Rock Solid Health Qi Gong program, you can t have failed to notice the extreme importance of good qi circulation throughout the body. The circulation of energy, qi, life force, or whatever you choose to call it, is vital for the nourishment of each and every cell, gland, organ and structure and system in your body. Stagnation of energy, on the other hand, has been recognized as a causal factor in the disease process for millennia. Newborns and young children typically come into this world with superb energy circulation and energy to burn. You ve probably watched young children playing and said to yourself, If only we could bottle that energy and sell it! Taoist longevity principles are about returning the body as close as possible to this pristine state of abundant energy, but with one crucial difference the energy is much more refined than it was in childhood. So instead of being consumed with the aging process, it s directed within to slow that process and regenerate the body. Using these methods, Taoist masters have been able to map out a method which, if followed accurately, has consistently led its practitioners to live beyond the age of 100 in very good health. Of all the meditative methods used as part of this process, one of the oldest and most venerable is called xiao zhou tian in Chinese, variously translated as the Microcosmic Orbit or the Small Heavenly Circulation. References to this method appear to go back over 2.5 millennia. The benefits of the Microcosmic Orbit (MCO) are numerous. On the physical plane, it leads to superior energy circulation to all the cells of the body, calms the central nervous system and helps to sink excess energy to the lower dantien. Spiritually, it helps reintegrate the mind and body, quiets the mind and helps to induce a meditative state. It has the advantage of being so simple you can practice it anywhere, sitting or standing, and no one will even notice. Moreover, you can practice for just a couple of minutes or for a longer period of time, as you wish. And, fortunately, the method is so simple that despite people s best efforts to get it wrong, overcomplicate it or produce imitation versions, the essential technique has survived in tact. Rock Solid Life Systems Page 3 of 5
Imagine a great river that has lots of smaller rivers or tributaries running off it. In your body the great rivers are known in Chinese medicine as the 8 Extraordinary Vessels (8EV). The tributaries are the organ system meridians commonly used in acupuncture treatments. The stronger and more refined the energy flow in the 8EVs, the stronger the flow in the meridian channels throughout the body. The MCO is all about strengthening and refining the energy flow in the two most important extraordinary vessels the du mai and the ren mai. The du mai or Governing Vessel (GV), is the major yang energy vessel and runs up the back, above and within the spine. It runs from the perineum up to the coccyx, sacrum and straight up the back, over the head and terminates at the upper palate. The ren mai or Conception Vessel (CV) takes over at the palate and runs straight down the centerline on the front of the body, to the lower dantien and on to the perineum. The major points of the GV are as follows: The door of life point, on the back exactly opposite the navel The dorsal gate, at the level of the heart The 7 th cervical vertebra, just below the base of the neck The Jade Pillow, equivalent to the cerebellum or rear brain The Bai Hui point, also referred to as the crown point the very top of the head, where a line running straight up the spine would meet a line running from the top of one ear to the other The point between the eyes, often called the third eye The upper palate point The major points of the CV are: The upper palate point The points at the levels of the throat, heart and solar plexus The navel The lower dantien itself Before beginning the MCO, it s important to have a solid basis in Qi Gong, and that s why it s the final Qi Gong we present in this program. So despite its simplicity and apparent ease of practice, it does require some preparation. In particular the ancient masters noted that there are three places where qi tends to get blocked the door of life, the dorsal gate and the Jade Pillow. Opening these up prior to starting your MCO practice is advisable, and hence the exercises for doing that are presented on this video. Rock Solid Life Systems Page 4 of 5
However, in my opinion and experience, there s nothing to be gained by waiting too long. After you ve practiced the preliminary exercises for a few weeks, you should start the MCO itself. The basic method uses Reverse Abdominal Breathing (RAB) to raise energy up from the perineum, through the coccyx and up the spine to the Jade Pillow, Bai Hui and third eye points, ending at the upper palate. Normally, one inhalation is used to accomplish this. Keep in mind the tongue has to be in its usual place, against the upper palate and behind the upper front teeth. The tongue plays a vital part in this circulation according to all sources, since it acts as a switch that allows the energy to flow from the GV into the CV and down to the dantien. The only thing the sources don t agree on is whether the tongue should stay in this position or whether it should be allowed to drop to the lower palate during the exhalation phase, when the energy is flowing down the front of the body. Personally I ve tried both methods and have been unable to detect a difference. So please feel free to experiment with both methods. Obviously you re looking for a strong feeling of energy circulating through these two channels as you practice, and you probably won t have that at first. That s okay. Energy is circulating through those channels anyway, otherwise you would be off to the next life really fast ;-) The main trap to avoid is this: just because you can t feel the energy flowing, don t get down on yourself or try to force it by concentrating harder. Instead, just allow the energy to flow as it will. Be sure to empty your mind and enjoy the practice. Rock Solid Life Systems Page 5 of 5