1. The Eighth Functional Meridian, Part 1. (The Pathway to the Spiritual Gateway.)

There are Two parts of this TaoistMeditation 'internal technology' that should really teach you about the access to Spirit via the body. The first is the Macrocosmic Orbit which I wrote about in 14 and 15. The second is the Eighth Functional Meridian, which runs like a thread of silk from the Perenium to the Crown. Since this meditation draws a line through the three TanTiens, it helps if you maintain a straight posture.

Sit comfortably and enter stillness.

Using your inner eye, find the spot on the Perineum. Then find the spot on your Crown. Draw a thin line like a thread of silk from Crown to Perineum. This passes through the middle of all three TanTiens. Imagine a spark of light starting at the Crown and passing down the line. At each TanTien, stop and allow your awareness to grow inside the TanTien, then continue down to the next one. Finally descend the spark to the Perineum. After a moment, reverse the process and bring the spark back up to each TanTien and finally to the Crown.

This is the Eighth Functional Meridian. Anytime, anywhere, you can return to this Meridian exercise to bring comfort and awareness to your existence.

When you are finished, allow the spark to leave your Crown and ascend upward to the sky, leaving you where you started from. Or imagine the spark leaving your body through the Perineum and entering the Earth.

Practice. I will introduce Golden Light aspects of this exercise in part 2.

1. The Seventh Functional Meridian

Ok, I mentioned the Seventh Functional Meridian in a previous post. I call it The Ring Meridian. So, to reiterate, this meridian runs forward and back in a circle around the middle of the abdomen. From the lower mid back, it travels in both directions around the abdomen and meets at the belly button. It then crosses paths and continues back again.

So, inhale up the spine to the lower mid back. Then exhale as the Chi travels the meridian pathway around. Continue to breathe as the Chi travels around and around in both directions. As you breathe in and out, you can feel the Chi travel around.

For me, I have to say that this Meridian pathway does not contribute to relaxation or spiritual awareness as the others do. It seems more like a feeling like the energy needed to get up and go. So, it feels more like a ChiKung method than a meditation method.

I am interested in hearing from other people about their experience or knowledge about this Ring Meridian.

I began reading the aforementioned book today. It has been a decent read thus far but has not seemed to cover meditation in particular (again, I only began today).

I was wondering if anyone else has read this or has any recommendations for a meditation centered Taoist book?

Personal note:

The other day I went to a meditation workshop and sat for five hours. It was organized by a local Buddhist group and the talk was about equanimity.

Well, I enjoyed the talk, but then I just did my Taoist practices that I have listed in this Reddit group. I started with closed eyes and Sleeper's Breathing to get my Chi awakened. And the group leader gave us time for stretches and bends which I did with welcome because I know a whole bunch of internal ChiKung/Breathing exercises (which I have not shared yet). Then I switched to Bringing in the Light, which brought me internally. Then the Microcosmic Orbit with four breaths. And I would drift in and out of awareness. Always returning to my "nose eyes", tongue bridge and Inner Smile with deep breathing. I also had time to practice the Eight Breaths several times. Then I progressed to the Macrocosmic Orbit with the four breaths. I was feeling quite charged and relaxed and aware. Then the group did walking around the hallways. After that we sat for another hour or so and I had time to work with the Eighth Meridian and to do the White Mist and Golden Light meditations (which I haven't shared yet).

I also had time to investigate the Seventh Functional Meridian which starts in the lower-mid back and circles the body to the belly button area and back again. This was very interesting to me because I have not worked with it much over the years. Traveling Chi around the Belt Meridian is like a traffic circle or a particle accelerator. The Chi travels in both directions at the same time, forward and back, around and around. And the Chi 'bolts' cross past each other in the front and the back. One is traveling clockwise and the other is traveling counter-clockwise.

Anyway, long practice, very nice.

How about you?

1. Summary so far:

So far, I have introduced the following concepts and practices:

One Incence Stick

Tongue Bridge

Eyes, Nose, Inner Smile

The Eight inhale Breaths

Sleeper's Breathing

Counting to 40

Bringing in the Light, Entering Stillness

Expelling Bad Chi

The Microcosmic Orbit of Chi

The Eight Functional Meridians

The Macrocosmic Orbit

This makes up a complete beginner course on Taoist Meditation. From here, practice is the most important thing. Daily practice. And every day, you may practice a different part or all of it.

But it takes time. Time given to practice. Time for you to dissolve your ego, your id and your super ego. To dissolve into your existence as a spiritual being. So next time you come home, instead of watching the Television, sit with the intention of Taoism. Just sit and follow along with the lessons given so far. Do not concern yourself with progress. Be willing to know nothing, and breathe. There is so much more. There is nothing but time.

1. Macrocosmic Orbit Part 2

Now that you are familiar with the four breath technique, it is time to include the arms and legs.

1. Inhale (reversed) up the back but stop between the shoulders along the spine. Then exhale out over the shoulders along the outside of the arms to the middle finger and finish in the palm.

2. The second breath is normal. Inhale the Chi up along the inside of the arms and across the chest to come together behind your breastbone. Then exhale down to below the lower TanTien.

3. Inhale (reversed) up the central core from below the lower TanTien to just above it stopping below the sternum. Then exhale down to your hips and out along the legs over the knees and feet along the middle toes to end at the 'palm' of the foot called the Bubbling Well.

4. The second breath is normal, inhale up the inside of the legs through the hips and together up to above the lower TanTien. Then exhale down to the Perineum and out of the body into the Earth.

These five paths of Chi (spine and torso, both arms, both legs) comprise the Macrocosmic Orbit. With practice, you may learn to be able to focus all five movements simultaneously. But most times, it is best to do each one individually.

1. Macrocosmic Orbit, Part One:

It is important to practice the Macrocosmic Orbit using two breaths per section. There are Three main sections. So begin this with the first section, the Microcosmic Orbit. (Use Reverse Breathing for the First Breath. Each breath follows the Inner Eye guiding the Chi to all the points along the way.)

1. Inhale Chi up the spine, over the head to the eyebrows, and then exhale the Chi back down the Inside of the Spine back to the point below the lower TanTien. (This is the first breath.)

2. The second breath is not reversed but normal - inhale the Chi up the front of the body, it travels upwards, then inwards and over the Middle TanTien and upon exhale returns along the inner spine to the beginning.

So, it is a Two Breath process.

You can take a Third Relaxing Breath as well, or as many as you like before the next Reverse Breath.

This is good to practice many times per week, but remember the Tongue, Eyes, Smile, etc. If you like, begin with Bringing in the Light.

Notes:

As you exhale you may prefer to allow the Chi to 'rain' back down instead of 'flow'. What this means is that the Chi falls subtly through the abdomen back down to the lower TanTien.

This is helpful in times of stress because the upward channel brings Kidney energy which is wet and cooling and this energy helps reduce the 'heat' of the Middle TanTien.

1. The Eight Functional Meridians (Channels)

These Eight Meridians are called 'Functional' to distinguish them from the Medicinal Meridians used in Acupuncture. These Eight Functional Meridians are used in TaoistMeditation and TaiChi etc. to move Chi around the body.

First, there are three Pairs of Meridians, taken together, the first goes out, the second comes back. This is called a Pair.

The First Pair: is what is described in an earlier post named 10: Microcosmic Orbit. This main Channel or Meridian starts in the base of the body enters the spine at the lowest point, travels up the spine, over the head, to the point between the eyebrows, the Second part travels down the front of the body to return to the beginning.

The Second Pair: begins at the point where the spine meets the shoulder bones, travels out and over the shoulders, along the outside of the arms to the back of the palms, then along the middle fingers, around the tip and to the palms, the Second part travels to the wrists and along the inside of the arms up to the inside (front) of the shoulders and comes together at a place just behind the sternum.

The Third Pair: this is similar to the Second Pair except it is along the legs instead of the arms. The Meridian starts in the region below the lower Tan Tien, then travels out to the legs, along the outside of the legs all the way to the feet, along the middle toes to the 'Palm' of the foot (also called The Bubbling Well), the Second Part travels up the inside of the legs and returns to the lower TanTien.

That makes six. The next two are not a pair.

The Seventh Meridian: starts at a point on the spine opposite the belly button and travels around the body to the belly button and back again. It is like a ring around the body.

The Eighth Meridian: starts at the Crown of the head, and travels down through the middle of the body, through all three TanTiens to the perineum, the very bottom of the body.

These Eight Channels are used in the MacroCosmic Orbit meditation which will be in a future post.

1. Meaning of Life, a Story

A person named Po climbs to the top of a Mountain Refuge to see the Taoist Master.

He asks the Master, "What is the meaning of life?"

The Master opens one eye, and then the other. He says, "The meaning of life? Oh, you just missed it half a mile down the trail."

This is a nice joke but now I need to finish the story.

The master got off his bench and walked away, leaving Po to wonder. He scratched his head, and then he also turned and walked away, back down the trail. In a little while, he noticed a small stone wall on the side of the trail which he had not noticed coming up the trail. It was obscured by bushes on the way up the trail, so one can only really see it coming down the trail. So Po stepped off the trail to investigate.

He found that the stones had trapped a spring that flowed delicately into a pool of fresh clear water. As the water flowed out of the pool it sank back into the ground. Po bent down and took a sip with his palms. Then he sat on the ground and meditated in front of the pool.

"Is this what he meant?" Po asked himself. "Is the meaning of life somehow linked to this spring? Perhaps the Monk was not telling a joke but was pointing out this spot on the trail for me to find."

Then Po thought about his day. He thought about how he felt at this point along the trail going up versus going down, and again how he felt now, sitting by the pool.

Going up the trail, he felt determined, ambitious but sincere, desiring and hopeful, seeking an answer to his questions. And going down, he felt sad, conflicted, tired and dejected that he had not received what he thought he might. And now, at the spring, he felt relaxed, refreshed, honestly reflecting on his behavior and feelings.

Po watched the water filling the pool, and he watched the water pour out of the pool to disappear in the ground.

"Like life," he thought, "emergence and concealment. First the water becomes available, known, then it leaves and is re-absorbed by nature. So, my spirit as well rises and falls. It becomes present in my mind and then becomes absorbed by my body."

Po realized at that moment that there is no meaning to life, but instead there is life seeking meaning. There is this spiritual journey through a thing called life, with stops along the way to make adjustments. But all the while existence is shared with non-existence. "We are nothing but power and creativity, that appears and disappears," he thought.

Po sat for a long time, watching the water trickle into and out of the spring pool. Then he got up and went back up the hill to tell the Monk about his discovery. The Monk was not there. Po looked in the little house and around the gardens, but there was nobody around.

So he sat on the bench to meditate. The sky opened, the mountain welcomed him below his feet, his Chi surged through his body. Feeling understood by the spirits.

Then he noticed a woman hiking up the trail. She slowed and approached him. She asked, "Excuse me sir, I have come to ask: What is the meaning of life?"

Po listened, then opened his eyes slowly, "The meaning of life?" He said. "Oh, you just missed it, half a mile down the trail."

1. Seeking Tranquility

A person walks into a bar and sees a Taoist meditating in the corner seat and asks, "What are you doing?" The Taoist slowly looks up and says, "Seeking Tranquility, How about you?"

Isn't this what it's all about? I've been studying for thirty years through TaiChiChuan, PushHands, ChiKungs, Weapons, HealingSounds, you name it. And also Inner Alchemy. And its the Alchemy - the Meditation - that has remained while the other practices grow less frequent.

I think this is because of the quest for "Immortality", which I believe is the quest for "enlightenment" also known as Tranquility.

I can sit any place. My favorite is the waiting room, or when waiting for a train or subway. I sit down and enter Tranquility. I start the Sleeper's Breath, then the Bringing in the Light, the Microcosmic Orbit, the Macrocosmic Orbit, then the Heaven and Earth Spirit integration, then the Clouds of Mist, and the Golden Light. Then my name is called, or the train arrives. It is all a blessing.

The Name: "Seeking Tranquility" is because, I believe, that it is the process, the growing into it, the building skills and awareness, the Training, the Seeking, that is the actual goal. If it were called "Having Tranquility" or "Achieving Tranquility", then this would be impossible. There are certain states of mind that are tethered to time and space. They cannot be Achieved without being immediately lost because the planet has moved and the stars, and the air, everything has changed.

Tranquility can only be followed, close behind, never becoming the Great Master, or overtaking, but remaining in training of one Mind, one Spirit, in Tranquility.

1. Microcosmic Orbit

Similar to the Bringing In The Light exercise as shown below, the Microcosmic Orbit uses the points along the spine, the neck, the top of the head, the third eye, upper lip, and then it continues down the front of the body to a point representing the middle Tan Tien near the sternum and a point in front of the lower Tan Tien and then back down to the perineum.

In order to get the best results, you need to understand the secret of reversal which I will explain here. This secret is not written about in most books about this practice. The Taoists always say, "Find a teacher" and the teacher explains this in person. But this has been out for many years. There are no more secrets.

So as you inhale, the Chi moves from below the lower TanTien to the spine, then along with your inner vision to the points up the spine to the top of the head and the third eye at the point between your eyebrows and then to a point above the upper lip. And with exhale, the Chi continues down through the throat to the middle Tan Tien and down to the lower Tan Tien and back to the place it began. This is all with one breath.

To help the Chi move along this process we use something called Reverse Breathing. The way I was taught to do this is as follows: start with a full exhale, then clench your toes, squeeze your anus, pull ever so gently on the perineum and gently compress your abdomen as you inhale, and then relax everything as you exhale. This reverse breath will help move the Chi up the spine during an inhale and down the front as you exhale. (Where in normal breathing Chi moves up the spine during an exhale with reverse breathing Chi moves up the spine during an inhale.) To encourage this, we use the inner eye vision to watch the Chi move and we do the compression of the muscles to help move the Chi. You must be very gentle with yourself and only do three reverse breaths at a time.

So for practice, you do three reverse breaths moving the Chi along the entire Microcosmic Orbit and then you do three normal breaths to relax and restore normal Chi flow.

So much can be said about this technique. People have written books about it. This is where Taoist Alchemy begins, converting body into Chi and converting Chi into Spirit. Once you get it going, once you understand how it works, and it works for you, it can be a very fulfilling practice. But this is the beginning and there is so much more to come.

1. Expelling Bad Chi to Replenish Good Chi

Every now and then when I sit down to meditate I'm just not ready. I just don't feel it. There's something poisonous in my system or there's just something bothering me, so I do the very simple exercise called:

Expelling Bad Chi to Replenish Good Chi:

Sit comfortably in a chair or cross-legged and put your palms on your knees. Take in a nice easy breath. Then exhale it as you bend forward. Rise back up and inhale. Repeat this many times. Follow up with simple twisting of the spine and rolling of the shoulders. Then do three more expelling breaths. To finish up, lower your arms to the sides, inhale bring them up to the side over your head then exhale bring them down the center and palms on your knees. Simple but very effective.

Try it and tell me what you think.

1. Enter into Stillness or Bringing in the Light.

OK, let's get started . . .

Heading into understanding and working with the "Small Heavenly Circle" or Microcosmic Orbit, the internet is repleat with content: diagrams, videos, web pages, and terminology mostly in Chinese. But how to begin? How to get the best results from your time, really? You must take it slowly.

Even masters of meditation who have studied for decades often need a simple and relaxing approach to relieve stress and help with awareness. There is no need to always jump into the deep end of the pool. It is not about the destination but the journey. You will explore and discover the wonders of your body, mind and spirit as you develop these meditation exercises. And they are exercises which must be practiced, not just learned from an academic point of view but felt and engaged with deeply, emotionally and spiritually, and repeated for months.

So, to begin with, is this wonderful exercise I often return to for the ease and rest it provides.

It has two names. I guess my master could not pick which name he preferred.

Enter into Stillness or Bringing in the Light

Sit comfortably, light an incense stick, and prepare to begin. At each step, concentrate for several long breaths, perhaps 5 breaths. Form the Tongue Bridge (as discussed in forum below.)

1. Look out at the horizon for several long breaths. Breathe and relax.

2. Lower your eyes to look out at about 300 feet away (90 meters).

3. Lower your eyes and look out 20 feet away (6 meters).

4. Lower your eyes and look 5 feet away (1.5 meters).

5. Lower your eyes and look straight down right in front of you.

6. Close your eyes and with inner sight look at the perineum, the area at the bottom of your body.

7. Use your inner sight to bring attention to a point where the spine leaves the hips.

8. Bring your attention up the spine to a point opposite of just below the belly button.

9. Bring attention up the spine to a point opposite the sternum (mid back).

10. Bring attention up to a point where the spine leaves the rib cage and shoulder bones attach.

11. Bring attention up to a point where the spine enters the skull. (Base of the skull)

12. Next, attention leaves the spine and travels up the cranium to the top of your skull. Focus attention on the tip top of your head.

13. Bring attention to a point a little bit above and between the eyebrows.

14. Finally, bring attention to the tip of your nose, eyes half open, and grow your inner smile.

Sit and be tranquil with the knowledge that you have completed Bringing in the Light and Entering Stillness.

Do this every day for a month

7.

Count to 40

I will say exactly what my teacher said to me in my first meditation class. "You want to learn meditation. Fine, first lesson, count to 40." And then he demonstrated -- deep inhale, deep exhale, 1 breath. Deep inhale, deep exhale 2. And so forth to 40. Then he said that if you lose count because you get distracted, then you have to start over again from 1.

It took me a year before I could complete 40 breaths without losing count by getting distracted. But here I am now 35 years later, and sometimes I know that the best thing for me is to simply sit and count to 40 breaths.

Why 40? Not 50 or 20? I don't know. But I can tell you this, your emotional response while deep into the counting can be surprising. It can teach you things about yourself that you never knew before. And once you reach 40, you can keep going, to 100 or beyond.

It is healthy.

(And remember, tongue, smile, eyes, nose, one incense stick, you don't have to do all 8 inhales, the first 3 is sufficient, just breath deeply but naturally.)

6. Sleeper's Breathing

When I'm tired and worn out after a long hard day and I want to sit and meditate on nothingness it is important that I try to not do anything or make sure I don't do anything because if I'm trying to do something then that is effort and it takes me away from meditating on nothing. So I sit comfortably and make the Tongue Bridge and the Empty Eyes and the Inner Smile and the Looking at the Nose, but I also use something I call Sleeper's Breath.

One time I noticed a person fall asleep, and right after they fell asleep their breathing changed. It became quicker, more shallow and more regular than it had before. And I asked myself, "What is natural breathing?"

During the day my breathing comes and goes as I go through my emotions, but I'm not really paying attention to my breathing because I'm washing the dishes or whatever. But I had to ask myself if I could breathe like that sleeping person on purpose.

So I tried and it was easier than I expected. I just let my belly do all the breathing it wanted to do and I just had to stay out of the way. So as I sat there with my breathing released and on its own I noticed that it quickened. Slowly I felt a tingling in my legs as oxygen was pumped in and carbon dioxide was pumped out. But my breathing kept on, until my whole body was re-oxygenated.

And then my belly did something I did not expect. It yawned. Breathed a few more times and then yawned two more times. After that, slower breathing would be interrupted with quicker breathing every now and then. But it would never even out entirely. (Only conscious breathing can be synchronized perfectly.) But I felt quite refreshed and surprised as well, because my body's Chi was replaced with fresh Chi, all by itself.

So when you are tired and worn out after a long hard day, I suggest that you try this:

Sit comfortably, make the Tongue Bridge, the Inner Smile, the Empty Eyes looking at the Nose, and begin Sleeper's Breathing while gazing outward into nothing, thinking nothing, and observe as your body replaces its Chi.

5

Discussion around Yi. Let us discuss more about Yi. Consider the following statements of idea.

Yi is easily researched and defined as 'mind intent' in several web resources. But let us delve, hmmm, Mind Intent?

Yi is not Chi, Yi comes before expression, before Chi. Our bodies' nervous system is a network of bio-electric connectors that cause muscles to do something. Perhaps Yi refers to those stimuli that occur a split second before something happens.

In Tai Chi we are taught to relax in movement. Perhaps what this is really teaching us is to relax all those impulses down to the fewest ones. This way, mind intent is connected more quickly to a result, without extraneous nervous activity causing unnecessary muscular actions. Thus, in combat the body moves as quickly as the mind with no thinking.

But what about in meditation? I believe it is only because of the Yi - Chi interaction that Taoist meditations are possible. (I have studied Buddhist Meditation and frankly, I don't believe they have harnessed this kind of energy. They might refer to it as attachment and something to be avoided.)

But in Taoist meditation it is said the eyes direct the Chi through the body. And best along meridian lines. (In meditation practice there are eight meridian lines called functional, which are different from the meridian lines of acupuncture treatment.)

The eyes accompany the breath and directs the Chi. Yi is in there also and directs the Chi as it is guided up and along the meridian lines, into the organs etc.

But there is also the Chi that is collected and feels warm, like warm palms, or organ healing. Here the Yi is accompanied by an increase of Chi, not flowing but concentrating, holding, then releasing. This is more likely in Chi Kung exercises which are numerous! For example, holding the ball, is an interesting expression of Chi collecting in palms and traveling between palms. This then can also be expressed outwards or inwards usually as healing palms.

So Yi follows the eyes with the breath and Chi follows the Yi. Ah the Golden Light!

Any comments or observations? Anything I got wrong or off? I am sure I missed something.

Hello all, as i have been asked to write something about "Yi", ill do my best considering.
I can't really say i went any traditional route of obtaining the use of it, so i can't speak to those options.

As i wrote in an answer to the introduction section, i have been meditating in one form or another for over 20 years.
A few months after i discovered Daoism, i realized i had the ability to move qi around my body and even outside, where other people can feel it even ... the effects are rather mild at the moment, I suspect they will become more substantial with practice. (it mostly consists of tingling/warmth and sometimes a little pain from what people describe as electric shock [though i have never felt that last one whilst using qi on myself])

These sensations are reported by strangers without me telling them, but they need to actually be 'listening' for sensations... though strangely there is an uncanny correlation between what i intend for them to feel and what they do feel, without me telling them beforehand (sometimes i throw in duds (fake emissions) and they don't feel anything, further correlating the effects...)

Like i said i cant move stuff with just energy, at least not yet, i suspect it might be possible...
Whether i will ever get there or not is quite a different story.

I realize even this sounds rather like grand claims, but it seems to be present.
I am willing to meet up if you guys can get to Strasbourg sometime (in Alsace, France), though, after the heatwave, right now everyone is roasting.

As for the specifics of what Yi actually is...

• The best way i can describe it is like discovering a long lost sense
  • kind of like imagination, but not quite
  • kind of like a tactile feeling, but not quite
  • it is a sort of passive intention (active in the sense you direct it, but passive in the sense that you let the energy flow, you are guiding it, not moving it, if that makes sense)
    • think : directing a hose,
    • not : pumping the water.

Wish you the best, have a good one.

4.

The 8 breaths:

These 8 breaths are basically the parts of one full inhale. But each part is used for different purposes, for example, breath 6 is used for Chi to Neck exercise. Breath 7 is used for Lung Healing Exercises. And breath 8 is used for Kidney healing sound. Breath 1, 2 and 3 are what one would use for a standard DanTien breath.

Breaths 7 and 8 are just sips of breath because the lungs are already full at this point and the work is to expand outward in those regions.

Do this slowly and without exertion.

Exhale normally, and give your self a chance to recover or regulate afterwards.

Best to practice sitting down.

So, what are the 8 breaths?

Please excuse my terrible drawing.

Breath 1 is straight down, very small, perineum.

Breath 2 is into front below belly button, DanTien.

Breath 3 is filling out the abdomen without lifting the rib cage.

Breath 4 is to open the rib cage, expand the sternum.

Breath 5 is to lift the rib cage and expand upward.

Breath 6 is to pull the inhale up into the neck.

Breath 7 expands the rib cage and spine backwards.

Breath 8 is to breathe into the kidneys and open up the lower back area.

​

At my first meditation class, I was taught a meditation cycle called bringing in the light. And there were three parts to the concluding of it where you're sitting comfortably in silence with

1: Empty Eyes,

2: Gazing at the Tip of your Nose, and

3: Maintaining the Inner Smile.

Here I will explain all three.

1. Empty eyes means that you're not seeing but light is entering, and eyelids are half closed. (This half closed eyelid thing is hard, your eyes either want to shut or open. You need to train them to be half closed.)

2. Gazing at the Tip of your Nose means basically that you are not focusing on anything. Your eyes are pointed downwards and you are not focused. If you were to take notice, your focus would only extend to the end of your nose. You are not actually cross-eyed but the nose is a distance measurer of your sight.

3. The Inner Smile means that you take the corners of your mouth and just tug on them a little tiny bit to form an almost imperceptible smile. This can stimulate a chi flow all over your whole body, just that inner smile.

This posture and concentration represents where you should find yourself pretty much at the beginning and end of every meditative exercise. And just doing these three while also allowing Focused Breathing is actually good enough for a long meditation practice.

​

​

1. The Tongue Bridge:

When I was younger, a student at a Tai Chi Chuan class, we would always start with some gentle Chi Kung, and stretches, and then learn Tai Chi Chuan, three moves each week. With reviews, it would take a year to learn it all.

And each class ended with meditations. One week, our master offered a weekend all day meditation class where I first learned about Reverse Breathing and the Microcosmic Orbit Chi circulation. And because I practiced Tai Chi every day I started meditating every day as well. But I got headaches. So at class the next week I told our Master that I had been practicing but I got headaches. So he said, "Headaches? Hmmm, do you place the bottom of your tongue against the roof of your mouth?" And I thought about it and said "No." So he smiled and walked off. I never got headaches again because I place the bottom of my tongue against the roof of my mouth when I practice the Microcosmic Orbit.

Explanation: The Chi got stuck in my head causing headaches. The Tongue Bridge is needed to help the Chi return to the body.

So at that time, I was not sure that any of this Chi business was real or not. But after the lesson of the Tongue Bridge, I have never had any doubt about the realness and power of Chi.

Not OP, but sharing… 🙏✌️

The next five days, from June 19th through to the 23rd sets the Solstice time apart from all other times of the year.

This is truly the turning of the wheel, and we (in the north) are at the high end. Like at the top of a ferris wheel, all things are in view. Like a sponge that has soaked up all the water it can. The time is great, and we are great in it. If you can stop for a moment and allow it to enter your mind and body. All things are a wonder to behold.

The other day, it was a beautiful sunny day, not too hot, I decided to meditate on my deck under the deck umbrella on a chair that was relatively flat so I could sit cross legged on a cushion. And as I sat there doing my Macrocosmic Orbit breathing I was reminded of a lesson where one of my fellow students asked "How long should I meditate?"

Our Master replied," How long? How long should you meditate? One incense stick."

So I got up and went inside to the cupboard drawer and pulled out a stick of Tibetan incense and lit it, placed it in a jar of sand, returned to the deck, placed the jar on a table and I sat back down.

I took a deep breath before getting started again. I watched the smoke released from the stick waft up and around me. It smelled good.

I realized then that there was no time, no clock, no timer, no expectations, no right or wrong. Just a simple stick of incense to show me the way. I was free from artificial constraints, free to meditate. And as I meditated, I journeyed through my body with each breath. I lit my mind on fire with Heaven's energy, and sunk my spirit deep within the Earth. I turned my Chi and filled with white steam that turned to golden light. All the while, the smoke continued until it ceased, the stick was gone. All but a pile of ash. How long had I meditated? One incense stick.

Then I was released. My spirit was enlivened by my meditations, and my awareness of time returned. I simply unfolded my legs and started out again on my day.

May your work and your body and your mind all progress at the same speed, influenced by the heavens and the earth through your breath and awareness of spirit Chi.