Tag Archives: Qi Energy

Water Element Meditation Practice

Breathing, Kidney, Meditation, Water Element, , , ,

Last time I suggested a number ways that you can support the Water within. Here is a meditation practice that strongly invigorates Water by harvesting the Qi of the breath, storing it in the Kidneys and circulating it throughout the body.

Belly Breathing and Circulation Visualisation

Belly breathingThis meditation focuses on building the Qi in the belly centre and circulating that Qi around the Central Channel. It both cultivates and circulates Qi. The practice can be done alone or in a group. When done as a group meditation, the group field can powerfully strengthen the holding ground of Presence.

Find a comfortable sitting position. Bring your awareness to the hara, that place two fingers width below the navel and the same distance inside the body. Just notice the sensations in that area. Sensations of temperature or movement. Maybe there’s no sensation at all. Just notice what is there. Now as you breathe in, imagine you are drawing in the universal Qi, the heavenly Qi with your breath and bringing it down to that place in the belly. As you breathe out, imagine you are holding the energy that has been captured from the breath. Breathing in, drawing the Qi; breathing out, holding the Qi. Do this for a few minutes.

Now that the energy that has been gathered in the hara, allow it to fall like a slow waterfall downwards to the perineum, the soft place in the very floor of the pelvis. Then as you breathe in, imagine that the energy is being drawn up the spine and over the top of the head. As you breathe out, watch the energy move down the front of the body like a slow waterfall down to the perineum. Breathing in up the back and out down the front. You may see it as a ball of light, a ball of energy, maybe you feel it as a movement of energy, or maybe just watch and imagine in your mind that it is moving along that circuit. Do this for a few minutes.

As you finish the next cycle, bring your attention back to the hara and notice the sensations that are there now. Notice any changes in your body and mind.

When you are ready, open your eyes and come back into the room

If you do this daily throughout the winter, you will build a strong platform of strength and resilience that will power you through the spring and summer to come.

The Way of the Five Seasons

Book cover

 

The above is an extract from the the Water chapter of my latest book, “The Way of the Five Seasons”. You can purchase it now from Book Depository UK. For a signed copy, contact me at john@acupressure.com.au

Triple Heater Visualisation

Immune system, Temperature regulation, ,

Burning manIn this final blog for 2015, I’m taking a slight detour from our road trip through the Fire points to introduce you to a practice that helps to balance the three burning spaces of the torso. These spaces are three interconnected chambers that together comprise the Chinese medicine concept of the Triple Heater (Sanjiao). This Fire “organ” is responsible for the smooth flow of Qi throughout all of the meridians, acting as a harmoniser of the energy system. It governs the defensive Qi of the body, therefore supporting the immune system. It is also responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the body, keeping  it in the Goldilocks zone, neither too hot nor too cold.

The Visualistion Practice

The Triple Heater Visualisation is helpful in balancing the three burners and supporting the Triple Heater Official in harmonising all of the organs and meridians. It can be done sitting in a chair or on a cushion, or lying down. Whichever position you are in, just be relaxed and comfortable.

Begin by placing your right hand over your lower abdomen at a place about two fingers width below your navel. Then place your left hand over your right. Just tune into that centre, which we call the lower burner. Notice the sensations and energies, or lack of energy.

You are going to set up an imaginary windmill in your lower burner. This is an energetic wheel that turns around the point below your navel. The wheel can be any size and move at any speed that feels right for you. It turns in a clockwise direction, like a fan stirring the air. Notice if anything changes as the fan turns the energies in your lower burner.

Allow that wheel to continue to turn on its own as you bring your attention to the middle burner. Move your hands upwards to a place midway between your navel and your sternum, the solar plexus. Notice what is happening there. Are the energies moving or not? Now, imagine another wheel the same size and turning at the same speed as the wheel in the lower burner, like a fan gently turning the air. Notice what happens as that wheel turns.

Now there are two wheels in motion that continue to turn as you bring your attention to the upper burner. Move your hands to the centre of your chest. Notice what is happening there. Are the energies moving or not? Now imagine a third wheel, the same size and turning at the same speed as the other two. Like a fan turning the air, this wheel turns the energies in the upper burner.

Leave your right hand on the upper burner and move your left hand down to the lower burner. What do you notice as you hold the two spaces together? Is one more energised than the other? Does one have more heat? As you hold that combination, you may find that the two begin to equalise and resonate together.

Now move your left hand to the middle burner in the solar plexus. The right hand remains on the upper burner. Notice how these two burners feel in comparison. Are they similar or different in temperature and activity? Once again, as you hold this combination, you may find an equalisation taking place as the two burners resonate together.

Now move your left hand back to the lower burner and move your right hand to the middle burner. Notice how these two burners are in relationship with each other. Notice if anything changes as you continue to hold this combination.

Finally, bring your hands to rest in your lap and tune in to the three wheels turning together. Notice what has changed since you began, and what has remained the same. What has changed in each of the burning spaces and what has changed in the whole of you?

Book cover

 

This is an extract from my second book ‘The Way of the Five Seasons’, due for publication by Singing Dragon Press in March 2016.

The book launch for both books is set for the afternoon of  May 1st 2016 at the Ngeringa Cultural Centre in the Adelaide Hills. Mark your calendar for this free event.