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Questions and Answers
Universal Tao |
Please, email your questions to: ip@universal-tao.com
June 19, 2001
SAFETY CONCERNS: EXCESS ENERGY IN THE HEAD, AGORAPHOBIA, KUNDALINI, SEXUALITY/SEXUAL ENERGY and RELIGION
Regarding your 'Request for Counsel' letter, Master Chia is very busy; so he asked me, Dennis Huntington, to respond to you. I am a resident instructor at our Universal Tao Center international headquarters at Tao Garden in Thailand. I am also Master Chia's chief editor and a contributing writer for Universal Tao Publications based here.
Letter writer's comment: For my 27th birthday (this year), I received two books by Master Chia as a birthday gift from my friend who knows of my occupation with "Chinese things." Namely, "Awaken Healing Energy through the Tao," where the microcosmic orbit is explained, and "Iron Shirt Chi Kung I." I was delighted with these wonderful books.
Response: Books are a helpful resource to support your practice, but for maximum benefit and safety, you should learn from a qualified instructor. Universal Tao teaching continues to evolve, and many of the enhancements do not appear in the earlier books. Please check our website for instruction and instructor locations.
Question #1 Summary: I suffer from a surplus of energies in the head, and that is why I have agoraphobia. Is it safe for me to exercise with the Microcosmic Orbit and Chi Kung practice?
Additional Information about Question #1: Agoraphobia is an illness related to my weak kidneys and bladder. I was ill from agoraphobia, a very hard illness, with panic attacks from open spaces, public places, crowds of people, etc. This illness is brought on by a condition of fullness in the head with too much "energy of water" and "energy of fire" (especially energy of water due to my weak kidneys and bladder). When these organs cannot keep down an excess of harmful Yin elements, then these Yin elements go up and strike direct in the head. They affect the part of brain that is called "locus corealis," which belongs to the lower area in the brain or brain "trunk." They arrive at the expansion of the nerve cells, or synapses, and a panic attack begins.
I am also concerned about the system of healing that you teach because I think it awakens kundalini energy. Since I suffer from a surplus of energies in the head, kundalini would conduct much, much more energy to the head and would also induce many strange effects. With my personal panic structure, is this system of healing safe for me?
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Answer #1
As to your suffering from surplus energies in the head, agoraphobic 'fullness of head' and concerns about kundalini-opening the Microcosmic Orbit (MO) to circulate your Chi up the governor channel of the back, through the head, down the functional channel on the front and then back through the perineum on the underside should be very beneficial for you. You should circulate your Chi in the MO many times every day to refine, distribute and balance your life force energy. At the end of any energy practice, you should always bring any excess energy in the head down to the Tan Tien (behind the navel) and store the energy in this main storage center for the body.
The Iron Shirt Chi Kung practice should also help you to develop your inner structure for the most effective transfer of force (both physical and subtle). You need to establish your rooting power, your connection to the earth, so that you can easily send your negative, sick energy down to Mother Earth for recycling.
However, you should understand that human energy manifests in both negative and positive forms. They both serve a purpose for our survival and health. The negative manifestation in a healthy, balanced human is sometimes important for survival. For example, fear is a necessary impulse in a dangerous situation in order to avoid imminent harm. But, once the time for fear has passed, that quality of energy is no longer beneficial and it should be transformed into positive energy, gentleness, which is more beneficial to one's health and well-being. These two are the dominant manifestations of the kidneys' energy. There will always be negative energy, so we just need to keep it balanced and in check-with the scale generally tilted on the positive side. You should learn and practice the Inner Smile Meditation to begin the process of sensing and transforming your organs' energy. This will help you to have a better quality of energy to circulate in your MO.
Also, the Six Healing Sounds practice will help you to balance your organs' energy so that stronger ones may support weak organs. Overall, you will feel energized yet relaxed and balanced. These latter two practices are presented in Master Chia's first book, Transform Stress into Vitality. Another beneficial basic practice is Chi Self-Massage; there is a book by that title. |
Question #2 Summary: Can I compile a system of exercises founded on the microcosmic orbit that is not involved with any manipulation of sexual energy?
Additional Information about Question #2: I observe that the system of Master Chia involves too much use of sexuality. I belong to the Christians confession, and sexuality is not very attractive for me. Actually I avoid all exercises where sexuality occurs. I want to compile a system of exercises founded on the microcosmic orbit that is not involved with any manipulation of sexual energy. I have such an impression because it is universal with some exercises in Chi Kung. Maybe I'm not in the right, but it simply does not agree with my personal beliefs.
Please forgive me if have I insulted you with my observations about the use of sexuality in Master Chia's system. I know that Master Chia is a reformed Christian (it is written in the book "Awaken Healing Energy through the Tao"), but I belong to the kind of Christianity where any manipulation with sexuality is something most forbidden.
All best from me, and thank you in any case! |
Answer #2
In reference to your concerns about sexuality, Taoism teaches practices for celibacy, monogamy, or multiple sexual partners. The point is to understand who we are and how we can best manage our life's energy for health, happiness, longevity and the highest degree of spiritual fulfillment. Sexual energy is an important part of our being. It is a health tonic for one's body and mind, and it is the fuel for spiritual development. It behooves one to regard it with respect and understanding and to manage it wisely.
Cultivating positive virtue energies in our organs and combining them to create true compassion energy is an absolute necessity for spiritual evolution and for proper cultivation of sexual energy. This compassion energy is combined with sexual energy to create a special energy 'elixir' for our life in body, mind and spirit. We have had many men and women from different religions who have learned the sexual energy exercises for health and emotional well-being. They are not sexually active; they do not make love. But, they accept and understand how to take care of the sexual glands and their sexuality for their spiritual growth. Ignorance and neglect in this matter can lead to dire consequences: testicular or prostate cancer in men and uterine, ovarian or breast cancer in women. Ignorance is not bliss.
Best wishes and good luck! |
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