QJlestion
Will you please teach me how to get rid of numb ness in the legs which annoys me when 1 sit in meditation?Answer
The (vital) breath circulates in the (network of) eight (main) psychic channels whose base is the mortal gate (sheng szu ch'iao at the root of the penis) which is linked to the brain aboye and the soles of the feet below. The breath either accumulates or disperses solely because of this cavity. If the blood circulates freely in the body and (vital) breath is strong, the positive principle (yang) grows causing the negative (yin) to decline; the element of fire will develop in that of water and 'flowers will blossom in the snow'. The whole body will be rejuvenated through this cavity of mortality which is the centre that produces vitality and which ordinary men ignore in spite of its daily functioning. Ir its duct is weakened a man's weak voice will immediately betray its lack of support by vitality and become like that of a woman. His heart wiIl waver and he wiIl act indecisively; he wiIl be like a eunuch.The cavity of mortality is the source of a man's vigour: it is not only a place where the alchemical agent (the generative force) is gathered but also the seat of courage which is instrumental to correct thinking, radiant mien, rejuvenation and robustness. When the blood and (vital) breath circulate freely in the body all ailments vanish.
This cavity of mortality (at the root of the penis) is the source from which (vital) breath circulates in aIl parts of the body. Therefore, each morning, after leaving your bed you should circulate this (vital) breath in all the eight psychic channels. This consists of stopping breathing through the nose and mouth in order to concentrate on the cavity
oC
mortality as the point of departure (in the foIlowing ten phases of breathing) :THE EIGHT PSYCHIC CHANNELS 25
CLEARING
1 Breathe in to drive the (vital) breath into the channel of control (tu mo in the spinal column) from its base up to the brain.
2 Breathe out to lower the (vital) breath in the channelof function (jen mo in front of the body) and return it to the mortal cavity (at the base of the penis).
3 Breathe in to raise it (in thejen mo or channel offunction) from the mortal cavity to the cavity of vitality (or lower tan t'ien) and to the navel where the tai mo or belt channel starts from both sides of the navel forming a belt (which circles the belly) and where the (vital) breath divides into two to reach the small of the back, thence going up to both shoulderswhere it stops.
4 Breathe out to let it flow from both shoulders down into the (positive) yang yu channels in the outer sides of both wrists to the middle fingers before reaching the centres of both paIms where it stops.
5 Breathe in to lift the (vital) breath from the centres of both paIms into the (negative) yin yu channels in the inner sides of both wrists up to the chest where it stops.
6 Breathe out to drive the (vital) breath down to the beIt channel where its two branches re-unite before returning to the mortal cavity.
7 Breathe in to lift it from the mortal cavity into the thrusting channel (ch'ung mo) up to the chiang kung cavity (solar plexus under the heart) where it stops; on no account should it rise aboye the heart.
8 Breathe out to send it from uñder the heart down to the mortal cavity where it divides into two to descend in the two positive ch'iao channels on the outer sides of the thighs and through the toes of the feet before reaching the centres of the soles of the feet, called bubbling spring cavities (yung ch'uan) where it stops.
9 Breathe in to raise it from the soles of the feet into the negative ch'iao channels in the inner sides of the legs up to the mortal cavity and thence to the cavity of vitality (below the navel) where it stops.
~6 T AOIST YOGA
lO Breathe out to lower it from the cavity of vitality to the mortal cavity where it stops.
The (vital) breath should circulate in all the eight psychic channels in order to clear all cavities of negative impurities which hinder the preparation of the golden elixir.
If the above exercise is done daily causing (vitality to) vibrate in the channels, this shows that they are cleared of all impurities. If they are not cleared, the negative im
purities cannot be eliminated and the alchemical agent cannot be gathered. Even if this agent were gathered, it would not produce the elixir of life. You should pay par ticular attention to all this.
Question You have spoken of the free circulation of (vital) breath in all eight psychic channels, but each time 1 wanted to sit longer my numb legs prevented me. Will you please teach me how to stop this numbness?
ATtSwer When you sit in meditation and feel the legs numb, this is because you are not accustomed to the posture. The numbness becomes unbearable because this posture exerts pressure on and blocks the blood vesselsand psychic channels thereby obstructing the free circulation of blood and (vital) breath. If you want relief you should shut your mouth and stop breathing, raise the feet and knock the ground with the heels; then breathe in to lift the (vital) breath from the centres of the soles of the feet through the yin ch'iao chan nels (on the inner sides of the thighs) up to the lower tan t'ien centre (beneath the navel) and breathe out to drive it down through the yang ch'iao channels (on the outside ofthe legs) to the centres of the soles. Repeat this exercise a few times and the numbness will disappear.