12/10/2017 Microcosmic orbit - Wikipedia

Microcosmic orbit
The 'Microcosmic Orbit (), also known as the 'Self Winding Wheel of
the Law' and the circulation of light is a Taoist Qigong or Taoist yoga Qi
energy cultivation technique. It involves deep breathing exercises in
conjunction with meditation and concentration techniques which develop the
flow of qi along certain pathways of energy in the human body which may be
familiar to those who are studying Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qigong, T'ai
chi ch'uan, Neidan and Taoist alchemy. The exercise can be performed usually
at first in a sitting position, but it can also be practiced standing as in Zhan
zhuang or with movements included as with T'ai chi ch'uan. The clear
understanding of the microcosmic orbit technique is very important not only
because of its historical context in the story of Chinese alchemy but because it
is at the heart of many Taoist forms of exercise performed throughout the
world by many millions of people today.
"Gathering the Light", Taoist
meditation from The Secret of
the Golden Flower
Contents
1 History
2 Practice
3 References
4 Further reading
5 External links

History
The history of the Microcosmic orbit dates back to prehistoric times in China,
and the underlying principles can be found in the I Ching which according to
legend was written by the Emperor Fu Xi approximately five thousand years
ago or at least two centuries before the time of the Yellow Emperor. For
example, the Chinese character for the I Ching hexagram number 5, Waiting,
depicts a person sitting in meditation and the commentary pertains to the flow
of energy from one of the psychic energy channels to another during
meditation:

The commentary on the Image for hexagram 5 reveals the entire

process of meditation. "The clouds rise up to heaven" symbolizes
the meditator's energy rising upward as it evaporates into the
head, where it is distilled into a saliva like nectar (referred to in
the phrase "the superior man eats and drinks"), which returns to
the abdomen. " It furthers one to cross the great water" alludes to
crossing the great water of the abdomen and mouth.[1]

Microcosmic orbit
Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu have also alluded to the technique of meditation and
encouraging circulation of energy through the psychic meridians in their
writings.
For example, Chuang Tzu's chapter entitled Yang Sheng Chu or "Principles of Health and Longevity" states:
"Use your mind to carry the vital energy along your Tu Mo upward constantly"[2]
A stone carving in the White Cloud Temple in Beijing which bears an inscription "the sixth month of the year
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Ping-hsu of the Kuang-hsu era" (1886) contains a pictorial representation of some of the symbols which
describe the processes involved in the microcosmic orbit meditation technique. These particular techniques are
derived from the Taoist Patriarch L Dongbin who was born in 798 AD.[3] L Dongbin was one of the Eight
Immortals.

L Dongbin and his teacher, Chung-li Ch'an, were two of the "Eight Immortals, pa-hsien. While
a fugitive after an abortive Chinese military expedition against Tibet, Chung-li Ch'uan encountered
Master Tung-hua. He "earnestly begged for the secrets of immortality. Master Tung-hua thereupon
imparted to him not only an infallible magic process for attaining longevity, but also the method to
produce the Philosopher's Stone."
[4]

Practice
The exercise itself usually begins with preparation designed to relax the
physical body and develop the ability to concentrate. Students may indeed
be encouraged to practice Taoist Yoga exercises or T'ai chi ch'uan as a way
of building enough energy to begin performing the Microcosmic orbit
exercise as it can induce a strain on the nervous system and cause energy
depletion if practiced without adequate preparation.[5]

To begin with the student is encouraged to develop deep abdominal

Building the bridge with the tip of
the tongue touching the palate
breathing into the primary Dantian or Taoist energy centre to develop heat
and pressure in the lower abdomen or "Golden Stove". A preparatory
exercise known by some as the Lesser Heavenly circulation[6] involves
moving energy between two areas known as the seat of fire near the heart
or the solar plexus where a psychic centre symbolised by the trigram Li
from the I Ching is located, and the seat of water in the area of the kidneys
where a psychic centre symbolised by the trigram kan is located.

Normally essence or Jing can flow either way through the eight extra meridians or energy pathways in the
body, but in the microcosmic orbit meditation exercise Jing is encouraged to flow upwards along the Governor
vessel during inhalation and then downwards along the conception vessel returning to the Dantian on the
exhalation.[7] This means that energy flows from the Dantian downwards to the base of the spine then up the
back along the centre line of the body to the crown of the head, then over the head and down the front centre
line of the body and back to the starting point again making a full circle or orbit.[8] This prevents the body's
natural essences from becoming depleted as they normally flow downwards from the brain or 'sea of marrow'
and are lost during ejaculation or menstruation during the reproductive processes. It is this Jing or essence
which is responsible for the reproductive processes in the body which allow the body to rejuvenate itself as
well as for the reproductive processes which give rise to offspring, essence is also an important component in
the manufacture of qi which can be translated into English as vitality or energy, the primary motive force which
is life itself. This raising and lowering Jing through the Microcosmic orbit and returning it to the Dantian
purifies the essence and transforms it into Qi or vitality.

As well as the lower dantian or cauldron there are other important points along the circuit of energy flow which
include the 'three gates' which are areas where it is considered that energy may stagnate, these are the Wei-lu or
Tailbone gate, the Dorsal gate on the back roughly level with the heart, and the Jade pillow on the back of the
head.[9] Other important areas include the Ming Men or gate of fire on the back about level with the kidneys
and the Baihui or Niwan which is directly on top of the head.[10]

The microcosmic orbit should be viewed in the context of a variety of Taoist exercises and techniques designed
to purify the body physically, mentally and spiritually, improve health and longevity, and prepare the way for
meditation, and also including other techniques such as the Macrocosmic orbit which means circulating energy
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into the other psychic energy meridians which flow around the torso and out into the arms and legs. These types
of exercises are best practiced under the guidance of suitably qualified teachers who can help the beginner
avoid any pitfalls and misunderstandings along the way rather than copied from books, especially if the subject
may have a history of mental illness or emotional imbalance. For example, according to Lu Kuan Yu:

It is harmful to pinpoint places in the body, the very idea of which should be relinquished since it
hinders the course of the inner fire and of vitality.[11]

References

1. Dau Liu: T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Meditation page 10, Shocken Books 1986 ISBN 0-14-019217-4
2. Da Liu: T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Meditation (pages 12 and 16), Shocken Books 1986 ISBN 0-14-019217-4
3. Spiritual Disciplines edited by Joseph Campbell page 76 "Spiritual Guidance in Contemporary Taoism"
(1933) by Erwin Rouselle ISBN 0-691-01863-4
4. The Eight Immortals, by T.C.Lai, Hong Kong, 1972
5. Stephen Chang The Complete System of Chinese Self-Healing Tao publishing 1986 page 200 ISBN 0-
85030-771-6
6. T'ai Chi and Meditation by Da Liu page 73
7. Lu K'uan Yu Taoist Yoga Rider 1970 (page xii)
8. The Taoist Art of K'ai Men by Chee Soo, (pages 46-47) Seahorse books 2006 - ISBN 0-9545244-1-1
9. Liang and Wu: Qigong empowerment page 94, Way of the Dragon publishing 1997 ISBN 1-889659-02-9
10. Da Liu: T'ai chi ch'uan and Meditation page 93, Shocken Books 1986 ISBN 0-14-019217-4
11. Taoist Yoga by Lu Kuan Yu - Rider 1970 page xviii

Further reading
Yu, Lu K'uan (1970). Taoist Yoga. Rider. ISBN 0-7126-1725-6.
Yu, Lu K'uan (1964). Secrets of Chinese Meditation. Rider. ISBN 0-09-069111-3.
Liu, Da (1986). T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Meditation. Shocken Books. ISBN 0-14-019217-4.
Chang, Stephen T (1986). The complete system of Chinese Self Healing. Tao publishing. ISBN 0-85030-
771-6.
Jefferson, R.B. (1982). Doctrine of the Elixir (http://duversity.org/elixir/). Coombe Springs Press.
ISBN 0-900306-15-7.
Chia, Mantak (1983). Awaken Healing Energy Through The Tao. Aurora Press. ISBN 0-943358-07-8.
Yang, Jwing-Ming (2006). Qigong Meditation: Small Circulation. YMAA Publishing. ISBN 1-59439-
067-3.

External links
Tao Directory (http://www.taodirectory.co.uk/the-microcosmic-orbit.html)

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