Circulation of Energy
The Microcosmic Orbit is the classic Taoist alchemical method for refining, raising, and circulating internal energy via the 'orbit' formed by the Governing Channel from perineum up to head and the Conception Channel from head back down to perineum.
Activating the Microcosmic Orbit is a key step that leads to more advanced practices. Taoists believe that microcosmic orbit meditation fills the reservoirs of the Governing and Conception channels with energy, which is then distributed to all the major organ-energy meridians, thereby energizing the internal organs. It draws abundant energy up from the sacrum into the brain, thereby enhancing cerebral circulation of blood and stimulating secretions of vital neurochemicals. It is also the first stage for cultivating the 'spiritual embryo' or 'golden elixir' of immortality, a process that begins in the lower abdomen and culminates in the mid-brain. This is probably the best of all Taoist methods for cultivating health and longevity while also 'opening the three passes' to higher spiritual awareness.
Taoists often refer things in symbolic languages. 'Opening the Three Passes' is another name for this meditation method and refers to the three critical junctions which pave the way for energy to travel up from the sacrum through the Governing Channel along the spine into the head.
The Microcosmic Orbit is the route of Qi during its constant circulation along the channels Du-Mai and Zen-Mai. Zen-Mai channel has its origin in the point situated on the soft tissue under your tongue and goes down the midline along the chest and abdomen to the perineum (Huei-Yin point). Du-Mai channel starts at the Huei-Yin point and goes up along the back towards the head, crosses the crown (Bai-Huei point) and turns down along the front part of the forehead to the point on the upper palate.
Qigong practices generate a lot of Qi or Prana, the life force energy. As more and more energy is stimulated, it becomes more Yang… and starts going up, to the head. Ascending together, both blood and energy create excessive pressure in the head; it may cause headaches, brain swelling and rather serious consequences. This is often the case with many of the advanced yoga pranayama techniques, there is too much stimulation of the energy to rise upward and this creates a lot of pressure and excess energy in the head. To prevent it, energy must be brought back down and routed off from the head down the front-middle Zen-Mai channel.
This can happen spontaneously if the tip of the tongue touches the upper palate, as the tongue like a bridge connects both channels and the energy flows freely.
Most all qigong practice always require the tongue up onto the upper palate thus enclosing both channels and encouraging constant energy circulation along the Microcosmic Orbit. (In advanced yoga practices this is considered Stage 1 of Kechari Mudra.)
So when we practice the Microcosmic Orbit the requirement is to press the tongue onto the upper palate.
One day it will not be needed any longer. Energy, like water in pipes, when the pipes are cleaned before the general turning on, will smash all the blocks on its way and train the channels… Zen-Mai and Du-Mai channels may be trained so that they will grow wider and deeper… expanding they will imbibe and absorb the neighboring channels… and one day the channels of the body will be one unified entire channel, one entire Dantian, one biologically active point. Then the energy will be able to flow in all parts of the body steadily and uninterruptedly. There will never be any blockages and this would give a state of perfect health. This is the global objective of Microcosmic Orbit.
Qi energy on its course along the Microcosmic Orbit restores, cures and improves all points throughout the nervous system, circulatory system and the entire body. The Microcosmic Orbit also redistributes the surplus Qi directing it to the areas that have more need of this energy.
With any type of advanced qi gong or yoga technique, sexual energy can be stimulated. After regular practice it starts generating intensively and produces strong sexual desire. To avoid problems that might arise and stimulate uncontrolled and destructive carnal energies and amplify the lower nature, the abundant sexual energy must be transmuted; it must be drawn up and circulated properly and be transformed into the “higher” and “more refined” energies with the help of this Microcosmic Orbit exercise.
At first, we concentrate it in the area of the Lower Dantian in the shape of a sphere, just picturing the image of a red hot ball in the Lower Dantian, as we do during Yang-Qigong exercises. Then we move the energy along the Microcosmic Orbit.
Preparation
Sit with your spine gently elongated, but not stiff. Lengthen your spine so that you are as straight as possible, crown reaching up to the ceiling. Tuck your chin in slightly so your neck is straight.
Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, right behind the upper front teeth.
Lower your eyelids and relax.
Bring your attention to the natural rhythm of your breath, simply observing your inhalations and your exhalations.
Relax the diaphragm area, so that your breath is not constricted
Begin Abdominal Breathing. Concentrate your attention on the Lower Dantian. Imagine and feel inside it a red hot ball.
Microcosmic Orbit Practice:
1. Let your awareness fall to your Dan Tian.
2. Visualize a small ball of pure golden or white light in the Dan Tian. Feel the properties of the energy, whether they be heat, vibration, warmth or just a sensation of its presence.
3. Inhale and feel the ball of Qi roll down from the Dan Tien, past the perineum, to the tip of the spine, up along the spine, up the back of the neck, up the back of the head to the crown, down the center of the forehead to the roof of the mouth. This is the path of the Governing Vessel.
For advanced practitioners:
While inhaling draw your abdomen in and up (called uddiyana bandha in yoga) while you engage mulabandha (contracting and lifting up the perennial muscles and slightly retracting the anus)
4. Where the tongue rests on the palate, feel the energy continue to roll through the tongue, down the front of the throat, down the center-line of the chest to the Dan Tian, down to the perineum. This is the path of the Conception Vessel.
5. Continue circulating energy through the orbit.
The Microcosmic Orbit is a Taoist Alchemy Technique
Inner Alchemy is a way to transform something that is dense and dark into something that is penetrated with the light of consciousness, transparent and golden, filled with virtues and integrity. When raw sexual energy circulates through the Orbit it moves through four pumps along the spine: the Sacrum, Adrenal, Dorsal and Cranial pumps, which pump the sexual waters upwards. These energy pumps also refine the energy from a dense state in the lower centres to a more refined state as it moves through the upper centres.
In the embryo as the first cells divide the front and back channels are formed. The creative energy runs through the Orbit like a subtle breathing to facilitate the deveolpment of the fetus, so it also called “Prenatal Breathing”. The Microcosmic Orbit links up the Governing Vessel in the back, which governs Yang Chi in the body, and the Conception Vessel in the front, which is a source of Yin energy. The Conception Vessel ends in the tongue and the Governing Vessel ends in the palate, so putting the tongue on the roof of the mouth acts like a circuit breaker to link the flow together.
How does the Microcosmic Orbit generate light?
If you put an electric wire between a positive and negative pole you can generate electricity. Our negative charged pole is in the perineum, called the Hui Yin or Meeting of Yin and our positive charged pole is in the crown, called “Bai Hui” or Meeting of a Thousand Places. So when you circulate energy between these two poles you are a generator of free energy! The whirling action pulls in an abundance of energy from the Heavens, Earth and Human plane around us. Your centre of gravity below your navel is like the magnetic core of the earth. As the moon orbits around the earth, so the orbit describes the phases of the moon. Imagine a ball of energy at the base of the spine as a new moon, which rises to crown as the full moon, its most yang phase.
There are a few ways to circulate the chi in the Orbit: up the front and down the back, the Water Cycle, and up the back and down the front, the Fire Cycle. The Water Cycle has the effect of opening our psychic abilities and relaxing the nerves down the spine.
The Fire Cycle helps us to awaken heightened awareness and grow our initiative in life. It has the benefit of containing and protecting our energy field as we go out into the world. The direction of the cycles can vary at different times of our life. For example, in the womb the flow of the fire cycle activates our growth, in childhood the flow of the water cycle helps to develop our imagination, in adulthood the flow of the fire cycle develops our manifestation power and in elders the flow of the water cycle enhances self-reflection and spiritual growth.
The Orbit weaves together and integrates the three Tan Tiens: head, chest and lower abdomen, which correspond to the zones of thinking, feeling and willing. It distributes chi to all the chakras and acupuncture meridians and nourishes the growth of our soul and spirit. It builds the energetic foundation for spiritual development.
Often people experience heat or shaking as the circulating energy breaks up resistance and blockages in the physical and subtle bodies. The heat is caused by the friction as it scrubs through the channels. When this energy is awakened it wants to heal and open the body. It has incredible wisdom, which can do amazing work when you trust and let in happen. This a safe way of cultivating “Kundalini” or primordial energy as it embraces both the ascension and expansion of consciousness and the incarnating and embodiment of the refined energy to grow and evolve all parts of ourselves. Kundalini, the power of evolution, once awakened, is a profound catalyst for renewal on all levels, physical, emotional, and spiritual.
The conscious circulation of chi in this way plays an important role in longevity. As one ages the energy tends to polarize, cold sinking and heat rising. Excess heat rising can lead to mental agitation and heart conditions and excess coldness sinking can lead to weaker digestive fire and stiff joints, for example. By integrating hot and cold tendencies the “Warm Current Meditation” makes us feel more balanced and youthful.
This circulation plays an essential role in cultivating sexual energy and is central in the practice of Tao Tantra.
When a couple is conscious of exchanging energy during lovemaking they can weave their Microcosmic Orbits together joining at the heart, genitals or Third Eye. Their light energy generates love so they can really “make love”, “make joy”, “make courage” and grow limitless potential of creativity, wisdom, and bliss.
