KIDNEY 3

From Chen Shiduo, A Secret Manual from the Stone Chamber (Shishi Milu), ca. 1690:

As has already laid out in detail in the Nanjing, mingmen is the master of the twelve channel networks. But even though many texts have since been written about this subject, the quintessence of mingmen still remains in the dark. Therefore I chose to bring up this topic one more time. 

It is always said that mingmen is the master of the twelve channel networks. Now, what kind of master is it exactly and what does it master? Let me put it this way: if there is no fire inside us, we cannot exist. This fire must be there first so that the twelve channel networks can be imbued with the igniting spark of transformation.  mingmen, therefore, is a type of prenatal fire. This fire is immaterial and dwells in water. On earth, material fire is being quenched by water. Immaterial water, on the contrary, has the ability to generate fire. Therefore, when we say that "fire is being quenched by water" we refer to material water; when we say that "fire is being fueled by water" we refer to immaterial water. And it so happens that immaterial fire can generate immaterial water, meaning that fire is not contained within fire, but within water. 

Mingmen fire, is yang fire-a yang that is embedded within two yin. In the microcosmic context of the human body, mingmen is generated first, and only then the heart. Does this fact not illuminate the importance of mingmen? When the heart procures the power of mingmen, consciousness is in command, and we can relate to the outside world. When the liver procures the power of mingmen, it can plan. When the gallbladder procures the power of mingmen, it can make decisions. When the stomach procures the power of mingmen, it can absorb food. When the spleen procures the power of mingmen, it can transport. When the lung procures the power of mingmen, it can fulfill its administrating and regulating functions. When the large intestine procures the power of mingmen, it can pass on the waste. When the small intestine procures the power of mingmen, it can disseminate. When the kidney procures the power of mingmen, it can bring about physical vigor. When the triple burner procures the power of mingmen, it can keep the body's water pathways unobstructed. When the bladder procures the power of mingmen, it can store. In other words, there is not a single one among the organ networks that does not rely on the mingmen fire for warmth and nourishment. 

This type of fire should be tonified rather than purged. This is done by tonifying fire within water, and especially by tonifying water within fire. In this fashion, fire can be fueled by water and at the same time be stored within water. If we just use cold or cool herbs to attack the mingmen fire, it will become weak, and how could it then nourish the twelve channel networks? This is what is really meant by the Neijing statement 'when the master is dim, the twelve officials are all in a state of crisis.' Doesn't that strongly emphasize the importance of mingmen?

KIDNEY 2

From Zhang Huang, A Compendium of Illustrated Texts (Tushu Bian), Ming Dynasty:

In relation to the other organ networks, the kidney is situated in the lowest position. It is associated with the phase element water, and it is in charge of storing essence (jing). Just like water was the first substance to emerge from heavenly oneness, the kidney is the source of the human body, the initial sprout of physical life.

Everything between heaven and earth that is made from qi and blood has the urge to mate. Once fire and water separate and desire finds a match, the essence leaves the source, and what creates the body will turn into what kills the body. If you are a student of the Book of Change (Yijing) and align your desires by fooling around with the lofty hexagram 41 [Sacrifice, Decrease], then this is like being worried about floods at one moment and about water leakage the next-you 'sacrifice' again and again, thus using yourself up until there is nothing left to spare. Therefore, if you want to protect your source of longevity, there is no better way than to guard yourself against sexual desires.

From Sun Yikuei, Contemplations On Unexplored Medical Topics (Yizhi Xuyu), 1584:

In the Simple Questions (Suwen) section of the Neijing it is stated: 'The kidney stores the qi of the bones and the marrow.' At another place it says: 'The black color associated with the direction north corresponds directly with the kidney; its corresponding orifices in the body are the two yin (the genitals and the anus), and its essence is stored in the kidney.' The Nanjing(Classic of Difficulties) further explains: 'This is where males store their essence.' This line does not mean that all of the essence is stored right there; the brain is also called the sea of marrow, and the kidney connects with the brain via the spine. 

Master Shengsheng once said: 'Chapter 36 of the Nanjing states that there are really two kidneys, namely the left one being the actual kidney, while the right one is mingmen, the gate of life. It is this mingmen that is the seat of all physical (jing) and mental (shen) essences, and it is here that essence is stored in males, and from where the uterus branches off in females. Thus, we speak of two kidneys. Just as is said in chapter 39 of the Nanjing: 'The fact that six fu organs are paired with five zang organs means that the kidney really represents two organ systems, namely the left one being the kidney, and the right one being mingmen. And mingmen, that is the abode of jing and shen. This is where male essence is stored and where the female uterus is attached; its qi is on the same wavelength with the kidney.'' 

A detailed examination of both sections of the Neijing does not yield any references to a differentiation of the kidney network into two distinct parts. It was the author of the Nanjing who first made this distinction. Does this mean that the entity which the Nanjing author calls mingmen-the abode of jing and shen, the seat of the original qi, the place where males store essence and females have their uterus-is nothing but idle talk? I say we have to take this theory seriously, since it appropriately places extra weight on the kidney network by emphasizing that the original qi which lodges in the kidney is the source of our life force.

The Central Junction Classic (Huangting Jing) states: 'The kidney qi regulates the upper burner, nourishes the middle burner, and protects the lower burner.' The Collection of Central Harmony (Zhonghe Ji) states: 'Breathing through the process of opening and closing-that is what happens at the gorge of mystery (mingmen), the root of heaven and earth.' Opening and closing here does not refer to the regular action of inhaling and exhaling through the nose or mouth, but to what is called the true breath. The author of the Nanjing also said: 'The igniting spark between the kidneys (shenjian dongqi) is the origin of the various processes of human life, the base of the body's five zang and six fu organs, the root of the twelve channel pathways, the door of breath, and the source of the triple burner.' 

Precisely this is what the concept of mingmen is all about. It is what the Confucians refer to with their Taiji image, and what the Taoists call the gorge of mysterious origination. If we take a close look at a bronze acupuncture statue we can easily find out that the point mingmen is not located on top of the right kidney, but right between both kidneys. This certainly proves my point. 

KIDNEY 1

The Classic states: 'Whenever we treat a disease, we must approach it at the base.' Base here means root or source. Every stream on earth has a source, and every plant has a root. If all murky sediments settle at the source, the downstream waters will naturally be clear and fresh, and if we water a root, it will grow and branches will sprout; these are the laws of nature. The experienced physician, therefore, will always consider the source.

However, the body's source is differentiated into a prenatal and a postnatal aspect. The prenatal source is the kidney; the kidney is associated with the direction north and the phase element water-water being the first offspring, in Taoism, of heavenly Oneness. The postnatal source of the body is the spleen; the spleen is known as the Central Palace and associated with the phase element earth-earth being the mother of every living thing.

From Zhuang Yuanchen, Shujuzi: Inner Chapters (Shujuzi Neipian), Ming Dynasty:

The kidney is the ocean of the human body. Since oceans are situated on a lower level than the earth's streams and rivers, they draw every one of them to form one large body of water. Oceans may appear vast and inexhaustible, yet they still drain off some of their seemingly unlimited supply. One way of drainage is called 'going to ruins,' meaning the water drains down into the earth from where it will not return. The other way of drainage is called 'dwelling with the stars,' meaning the water steams toward the sky and later rains down to earth again, where it dissipates into rivers and streams and eventually returns to the ocean. This is the water that circulates between heaven and earth, always striving to keep an equilibrium between the extreme states of drought and flooding. 

In the context of the human body only the kidney can be compared to the workings of this natural cycle. All the essences and fluids of the body's various pathways pour into the kidney. After the kidney has assembled the essential fluids of the body's vessels, it also experiences two ways of drainage: one way is through the sexual urge which draws the essence downward to the sexual centers; once it exits from here it cannot come back into the system, so this is just like the ocean "going to ruins." The other way is the upward dispersal by way of the suctioning affect of true qi, which draws the body's combined essences all the way up to the flower pond (mouth); from here it moves down through the throat into the stomach, lubricating the five organ networks, nourishing all of the body's pathways, and finally returning to the kidney. This is the microcosmic process of ascending and descending that can be compared to the ocean 'dwelling with the stars.' 

Those who are knowledgeable in the art of nourishing life take care to shut off the lower exit [of jing via ejaculation] while striving to keep the upper pathway [of jing, nourishing the organs and brain] open and unobstructed. In this fashion, there will be a nourishing cycle that is free of leaks. Physical vitality (jing) and mental clarity (shen) will be abundant, nutritive qi (ying) and protective qi (wei) will be strong, inside (water essence) will be sufficient to control fire, and outside (qi) will be sufficient to ward off noxious influences. This is what the art of expelling disease and the art of longevity is all about.

STARING LAKE JULY 2020

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LAS PUERTAS DEL CIELO

LAS PUERTAS DEL CIELO 

Un guerrero, un samurai, fue a ver al maestro Zen Hakuin y le preguntó: -"¿Existe el infierno? ¿existe el cielo? ¿Dónde están las puertas que llevan a ellos? ¿Por donde puedo entrar?" 

Era un guerrero sencillo. Los guerreros siempre son sencillos, sin astucia en sus mentes, sin matemáticas.

Sólo conocen dos cosas: la vida y la muerte.

Él no había venido a aprender ninguna doctrina, sólo quería saber donde estaban las puertas para poder evitar el infierno y entrar en el cielo. 

Hakuin le respondió de una manera que sólo un guerrero podía haber entendido:

-"¿Quien eres?" - le preguntó Hakuin.

-"Soy un samurai" - le respondió el guerrero -, "hasta el emperador me respeta".

Hakuin se rió y contestó: 

-"¿Un samurai, tú? pareces un mendigo."

El orgullo del samurai se sintió herido y olvidó para que había venido.

Sacó su espada y ya estaba a punto de matar a Hakuin, cuando éste dijo:

-"Esa es la puerta del infierno, esa espada, esa ira, ese ego, te abren la puerta"

Esas son las cosas que un guerrero puede comprender. 

Inmediatamente el samurai entendió, Puso de nuevo la espada en su cinto y Hakuin dijo: 

"Así se abren las puertas del cielo. La mente es el cielo, la mente es el infierno, y la mente tiene la capacidad de convertirse en cualquiera de ellos. Pero la gente sigue pensando que existen en alguna parte fuera de ellos mismos...

El cielo y el infierno no están al final de la vida, están aquí y ahora. A cada momento las puertas se abren... en un segundo, se puede ir del cielo al infierno, del infierno al cielo". 

Autor desconocido

SEIS BELLAS HISTORIAS

Espero que te gusten estas seis historias.
Son tan pequeñas que sólo te tomará un minuto leerlas.

1.- Un día, los hombres del pueblo decidieron orar para pedir que lloviera. El día de la oración, toda la gente se reunió, pero solo un niño llegó con paraguas.
Eso es FE.

2.- Cuando avientas a un bebé en el aire y se ríe es porque sabe que lo atraparás de nuevo.
Eso es CONFIANZA.

3.- Cada noche nos vamos a dormir, sin la seguridad de que estaremos vivos a la mañana siguiente y, sin embargo, ponemos la alarma para levantarnos.
Eso es ESPERANZA.

4.- Hacemos grandes planes para mañana a pesar de que no conocemos el futuro en lo absoluto.
Eso es SEGURIDAD.

5.- Vemos el sufrimiento en el mundo y, a pesar de ello, nos casamos y tenemos hijos.
Eso es AMOR.

6.- Había un anciano con la siguiente leyenda escrita en su camiseta: “No tengo 70 años, Tengo 16 con 54 años de experiencia”.
Eso es ACTITUD.

¡Vive tu vida así, con Fe, Confianza, Esperanza, Seguridad, Amor y Actitud!!!

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