Qigong Wild Grass Road

Wild Herb Ways, 
Wild Grass Road, ᚹᛁᛚᛞ ᚺᛖᚱᛒ ᚹᚨᛁᛊ A magical realist novel by Paul Mansky. A bioregion embodying the spirit of life. Folklore first! Ancestor worship

Qigong Wild Grass Road, nourishes vitality Let's learn together about Qigong, a method for nourishing vitality and achieving mutual benefit.


The question arises: what is Qigong? Qigong, also spelled "chi-gong" or "chi-gong," pronounced "chee gung," with gentle vowels and consonants. Qigong is the vitality of mutually beneficial friendship, the ultimate experience of friendship, because everything we do is mutually beneficial. We are intimately connected to experience, and when we cease to nourish our fundamental roots, the tree withers. The ideal of altruism degenerates into an unsustainable, pathological altruism. The best way for us to help each other is to nourish our fundamental life spirit, the essence of giving and receiving in the world of life. There is no pushing without pushing; all things are interconnected through mutually beneficial relationships, and this relationship is nourishment. Previously, in pinyin-based Chinese, it was called "ch'i kung," but now it's called "qigong." Etymologically, these two characters are "qi" and "gong." "Qi" or "chi" refers to rice and steam, thus representing nourishment; "steam" represents heat and fire. Rice nourishes the body, just as people grow grains and then cook them with steam. "Qi" (or "qi") is thus extended to mean not only the body but also the life energy of the entire world, broadly referring to the biological realm and more specifically to our human body. The word "gong" (or "gong") originates from a carpenter's ruler and plow. Etymologically, both the ruler and plow are human tools held by hand; "gong" refers to actual labor, that is, creation or achievement. Therefore, these two characters, "qi" (氣), now primarily refer to nourishing life energy, while the square ruler is used to determine the correct angles in architecture, and the plow is used for farming. Both are related to achievement and are essential for survival. Just like kung fu (or "gonggong"), you may have heard of kung fu or seen kung fu action adventure movies starring Bruce Lee. You might be surprised to find that the two words kung fu and qigong—"gong" and "gong" are the same Chinese character—both refer to skills, learning, diligence, achievement, and practice, such as art forms like ballet and painting, obtaining a university or nursing degree, attending prenatal classes to learn how to prepare for childbirth and care for your first baby, or equestrian sports like horseback riding, and have absolutely nothing to do with kicking someone in the head or striking their nose with an elbow. For some reason, in certain circles, breaking someone's nose, learning how to cause traumatic brain injury, and watching them fall to the ground seems more entertaining than attending the International Breastfeeding Association's Lamaze method of childbirth course.

What does Qigong mean? I define "Qi" as the nourishment of life energy, and "Gong" refers to diligent effort, ultimately achieving mutual benefit. Therefore, the core of Qigong lies in nourishing life energy, thereby achieving mutual benefit. This process of nourishing life energy contains some basic positive cognition, that is, prediction. Usually, people regard prediction as a spontaneous, erroneous cognition and evaluate it negatively. However, all learning is based on making assumptions and quick judgments. For example, if you smell smoke, you might think: I'd better go check it out. What is that smell? What's burning? Did I forget to turn off the stove? Where is the smoke coming from? Is it firewood for grilling, or something dangerous? When you see a flame, you immediately recall past experiences: flames are hot. Therefore, quick judgment is a good thing; it demonstrates wisdom. When you buy a new appliance, it comes in a box wrapped in thick plastic film, and inside is a user manual showing you how to assemble, maintain, and so on. Our lives don't have perfect user manuals, even though we are increasingly surrounded by plastic. Some so-called "official user manuals" are also filled with much questionable information.

The first misconception about Qigong is that, under current conditions, our lives mean being dependent on the physical body and rooted in the human form. Therefore, most of our work as humans is related to maintaining and nourishing the body. The concept of nourishment is the correct nourishment through mutual benefit. Mutual benefit means nourishing life. Clearly, plants are living organisms, and the metaphor of caring for plants also applies to Qigong, that is, practicing nourishing life. Plants primarily live in the broader external world; for example, there might be a dense pine forest on a mountain. Along a watershed, there are riparian zones where deciduous trees grow. All these plants in the forest are adapted to the ecosystem of their respective bioregions. Humans are born with the instinct to care for and nourish things. People enjoy cherishing beautiful things. In all these nourishing tendencies, there lies a mutually beneficial relationship. Thus, someone might care for and feed chickens. Besides the beauty of chickens and the sight of them playing, we also care for them through disease, hot summers, and cold winters. Chickens eat insects, utilize kitchen waste, and provide fertilizer to improve the soil—all mutually beneficial. Chickens also produce meat and eggs, another form of nutritional reciprocity. Of course, plants, like gardening, provide nutrition and many benefits. We have fruits and vegetables to nourish our bodies. There are also medicinal herbs with healing properties, such as elderberry, mullein, angelica, coneflower, and rosehip. Gardening also provides nutrition. Trees provide shade and shelter from the wind. Flowers are pleasing to the eye and fragrant, creating a mutually beneficial relationship. We can bring plants into our living spaces to nourish our minds and bodies. Even in hot, arid desert regions like Tucson, we can grow pines like the Afghan Mediterranean pine (Pinus brutia eldarica), with its reddish, rough bark and double needles, perfectly suited to the hot climate of the American Southwest. Therefore, we can use our skills to bring beauty into our spaces, achieving a win-win situation. When we grow plants like hedera (Hedera helix) indoors, we enjoy its beauty while simultaneously reaping the dual benefits of removing harmful indoor pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, mold, formaldehyde, and benzene. Growing ivy as an indoor plant allows you to enjoy its powerful herbal benefits, especially for the respiratory system. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), ivy is called "Changchun Teng" (长春藤). It has the effects of dispelling wind, drying dampness, nourishing the liver, and strengthening the spleen and lungs. Whether used in Western or Chinese medicine, it is used to treat cough with phlegm; although it has antispasmodic effects, it can also promote expectoration. Ivy belongs to the Araliaceae family, the same family as other plants beneficial to the respiratory system, such as Nardostachys japonica. TCM usually uses multiple herbs, so it is very rare to use a single herb alone. Herbs are always used in combination in a monarch-minister-assistant-adjuvant manner, mutually benefiting each other; this monarch-minister-assistant-adjuvant combination is also known as monarch-minister-assistant-adjuvant.





A simplified example of this concept in scientific research is a formulation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that has been tested and proven effective. This formulation contains common herbs: marshmallow (a throat lozenge), London arugula (a pungent, warming mustard-like herb), and ivy, which are combined to treat coughs, winter colds, and sinusitis. There is a tendency to study herbs, referring to them as "scientific," "scientific," or "peer-reviewed," in an attempt to quantify standardized single chemical components. In the so-called "universal science" approach, many documented tests are confined to this singular, isolated (in Western terminology) "free" method. The emphasis is always on "free," that is, the substance separated from its matrix. This is the opposition between "matter" and "process." The "mutually beneficial life nourishment" approach is based on overall vitality, not on strong "physical" components. Therefore, herbs cannot replace single-component compound medicines. Herbs are living plants with life-nourishing properties. For example, in a 2019-2021 evaluation, the following herb combinations showed significant effects: marshmallow (Althaea of ​​ficinalis), myrrh (Commiphora molmol), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), ivy (Hedera helix), ginger, and elderberry (Sambucus and elderberry). These herbs do not conform to scientific testing models. They cannot be counted, measured, or quantified. In vitro testing is impossible. You cannot put six different herbs in a test tube, so this combination simply does not exist. Disease itself is a "thing," and therefore can only be treated with a certain substance. But in the "Life Nutrition Mutual Benefit" therapy, disease is a process, not a "thing." Therefore, it needs to be treated according to its present state, so the same therapy can be applied to different material levels.

In his 1550 English herbal treatise *Governance and Virtue*, Nicholas Culper wrote that *Hedera helix* is a Venusian herb, thus capable of curing Venusian ailments caused by compassion and Marsian ailments caused by aversion; it can be found year-round except in extremely cold years; its taste is swift, pungent, and bitter, thus possessing a warming effect; it is a remarkable herb for all internal injuries, ulcerative lungs, or other wounds, whether used alone or decocted with other similar herbs; when ingested, it can quickly relieve all colic, as well as bloating and excessive bile in the stomach, spleen, or abdomen; it can clear the bile and liver… It can help treat jaundice by clearing blockages in the spleen, and thus help treat depression; it can also expel toxins or toxic fluids, and… it can cause plague; it can cause frequent urination and menstrual disorders; drinking it with wine after decoction for a period of time can relieve symptoms of sciatica or hip gout, and can also relieve gout in the hands, knees, and feet; if some honey and a small amount of alum are added to the decoction, it is very suitable for gargling to treat mouth or throat pain, and for cleaning sores and ulcers in the genitals of men and women; it can quickly heal scabies by crushing and bandaging them. Its juice, boiled with a small amount of honey and verdigris, miraculously cleanses fistulas and ulcers, and prevents the spread or erosion of cancer and ulcers; it helps treat itching, scabs, hives, and other rashes on any part of the body. The juice of celandine, daisy, and ground ivy, after being clarified, is mixed with a small amount of fine powder. Sugar dissolved in this mixture, and then dripped into the eyes, is an excellent remedy for eye pain, redness, and tearing; it is also effective for styes, webbed eyes, membranes, and thin films on the eyelids; it is effective for both humans and animals. Drips of the juice into the ears significantly improve tinnitus and buzzing in the ears and help restore hearing. It is best to mix it with fresh beverages, as it will clear overnight and is more suitable to drink the next morning; if the beverage becomes thick due to vomiting or other reasons, it will have the same effect after a few hours. (Nicholas Calpeper, 1550, Calpeper's Herbal Compendium)

"Heaven's mandate is heavy; first test its essence and energy, exhaust its will, muscles, and bones; then replenish its deficiencies." — Mencius. You must find a way to overcome difficulties to experience the bright world called the "Way of the Wild Grass." The power driving the body originates from its center. The hips drive the shoulders, the hands connect to the feet, and the elbows connect to the knees. Though the sun and moon are beyond the heavens, they are within us; the sun's radiance shines, and the moon's coolness nourishes us like the hidden fluid in the kidneys. Whoever we are, we must purify and cultivate ourselves daily; young and old alike should participate. Sarcasm, ridicule, jealousy, and suspicion only bring negative results. When we climb to a higher position by stepping on others, we should be prepared to fall. It's best to find a low point in the flow and prepare quietly. Water, though gentle, possesses immense power when it gathers, enough to carve the deepest canyons into the hardest rock. Noise will only make you the first to fall. The lush vitality and melodious birdsong of spring begin with the falling autumn leaves, when the earth's energy flows downwards, and we begin to collect the roots and stems of medicinal plants. Some say that nature's wisdom lies in its own existence; it reveals itself as it is, self-replicates, and constantly renews itself. This is part of the primordial pattern, a gift from nature, and a way to understand nature.





Every day, every week, every month, the clock known as "Ursa Major" keeps ticking. Ursa Major completes one revolution every 24 hours, and another every year. Therefore, we share the same mechanism: a daily 24-hour clock and an annual clock. As humans, we must respect both clocks. In the dark night sky, seven stars form the Big Dipper, part of Ursa Major. Its central pivot, Polaris, is the carrier of the purple celestial pool, from which the celestial atmosphere rises and falls, like the earth's energy, driving the rotation of the celestial wheel. Thus, men and women unite, procreate, offspring multiply into families, families into clans, and clans into nations, thus forming the celestial concept of marriage. By observing the changing patterns of people, plants, terrain, mountains, deserts, and grasslands, we learn to understand the laws governing life's operation amidst change. Life force flows within the body to adapt to change, enhancing physical resilience by acquiring and storing life energy. If we consider breathing as a crucial archetypal complex in the body's respiration process, then no matter how we view breathing, we cannot defy the laws of inhalation and exhalation; otherwise, we cannot survive. We inhale and exhale. What would happen if, like a spoiled two-year-old, we held our breath in a fit of ego, rebelling against our parents' authority? Perhaps we would hold our breath for a moment, our faces flushed, fainting or dizzy, before resuming breathing. Because from any perspective, breathing is essential for survival. The same life force flows in the grasslands in spring, in the mountains in spring, and also within our bodies. When people see signs of spring in the mountains and grasslands, it's because this process began deep within the earth as early as Christmas. That's why people make New Year's wishes in the cold winter of late December. At night, we rest and sleep, not spending 24 hours a day buying and selling under the lights, as this only breeds addiction, and crime often occurs at night. Men and women lose their partners in these nighttime adventures. Demons and hungry ghosts roam the night, so we respect day and night and don't abuse the day-night cycle to harm others. Stars and constellations trace the ecliptic across the night sky, from horizon to horizon, like words written in the night sky. When we wake in the morning, plants and animals are following the guidance of the night sky. We are asleep, so we cannot see the stars in the morning sky, but they do exist, as written in the heavens and on the ground. Modern life resists following the natural cycle of day and night, which puts stress on organ systems and causes illness. Thus, in the fossil fuel-lit modern urban landscape, time seems to repeat the summer solstice 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. It's like every day is July 4th, in modern festival terms. The small body cannot bear this willful, double-burning candle, day after day, year after year, from late June to the winter solstice. The will of the stars will ultimately be enforced as law. When you see the scarlet lorikeet, the western cardinal, and the robin return, you can see the visible plan and take the appropriate action at the appropriate time. The book of stars varies from place to place. People carry books with them, but many of these books should be open notebooks, not finished books. The stars continue to write daily. Therefore, clinging to the same unchanging book, a book not written according to time and place, and repeatedly reading it, is like binding oneself to a book that cannot be hung in a constantly changing world. We, too, are changing systems. We adapt to a constantly changing environment through change. By attentively observing the natural processes of change within our small bodies and the larger whole to which we belong, we can see the vital life force. As above, so it is; as within, so it is. The seasons change, unfolding according to their inherent laws. The symbol of spring is the first bloom of the cruciferous cattail. The blooming, vibrant red and juicy poplar buds and tender new leaves are also symbols of spring, worthy of remembrance, cherishing, and gratitude. Leaves, flowers, and buds—all three symbolize the process of the revival of all things. "The wise use symbols to perceive the spiritual power of all things in the world. Symbols determine form and appearance, connecting all things." (I Ching, Great Treatise) We can use the symbols of the wise, see with the eyes of the wise, feel with the heart of the wise, and listen with the ears of the wise, thus truly seeing the world like the wise. Different circumstances correspond to different herbs and trees. The remedies for nourishing the spirit of life are also diverse. The wisdom of wild herbs is hidden in people, plants, places, mountains, rivers, and grasslands. Since ancient times, people, plants, places, and grasslands have been intertwined. Wherever and whenever, this fusion gives rise to a wisdom known as the "Way of Wild Herbs," an inherent self within life, capable of self-regulation and renewal. Whether in poplar forests, oak forests, pine forests, deciduous broadleaf forests, or on thorny plains, among mesquite, palovant, gobelnardorah, button shrubs, and poplars, this vital self, this self-replicating wisdom, is always present and will always be present. Whether known or not, with sincerity and need, prayer and acceptance will occur. In learning the Way of Wild Herbs in specific places and situations, you must cultivate a life force called "qi." Most people cannot live in a place of mere lip service. We live in a specific place. To hear the beauty of sound, like listening to music, lies in the silence between tones. The way to appreciate the beauty of color in a painting lies in the blank space of the canvas. Otherwise, there will only be noisy sounds and chaotic colors. This is why clamor in music can become political, and flamboyance in color can become ugliness. Both can tire us, limit bodily functions, and ultimately lead to internal organ diseases. Therefore, we should not search for the perfect form in distant places, because the perfect form is the practical form. The perfect form becomes perfect because of its practicality for the user. What is before our eyes is often the most beneficial. There is a misconception that you should cultivate Asian or Chinese "qi," but this is far from the truth. The "qi" you should pursue is the resilience of your life spirit. Similarly, the place you are in right now is your promised land of miracles. You can't find the ring you dropped in the kitchen sink by going to China, just as you can't find the ring you dropped in the kitchen sink by going to China. You must stop immediately and search the kitchen sink quickly and carefully to prevent the ring from being washed down the drain. Whatever steps you take, you must do them, each step forward. The size of your stride determines your pace. The place where your feet land is just as important as your pace. Sages use symbols to observe; you too must see the spiritual forces in the world around you. If the conditions are right, the symbols used by sages may allow you to see more clearly and establish connections, but the most important thing is never the symbols used by sages. Most importantly, it is your connection with them. If a situation prevents you from seeing the world before you, it will inevitably lead to illness, because our lives are our own, and the vitality needed to sustain our lives must come from our own people; otherwise, it will degenerate into exploitation and enslavement. You cannot find the ring you dropped in the kitchen sink by going to China. You cannot find the ring you dropped in the sink by going to China. You must stop immediately and search the sink quickly and carefully to prevent the ring from being washed away. Whatever steps you take, you must do them, each step forward. The size of your stride determines your step. Where your foot lands is as important as your stride. Saints use symbols to observe; you too must observe the spiritual forces of the world around you. If conditions are right, the symbols used by saints might help you see more clearly and establish a connection, but the most important thing is never the symbols used by saints. The most important thing is your connection with these symbols. If a person cannot see what is before them, they will inevitably fall ill, because our lives are our own lives, and the vitality needed to sustain our lives must come from our own people; otherwise, exploitation and enslavement will occur. You cannot find the ring you dropped in the kitchen sink by going to China. You cannot find the ring you dropped in the sink by going to China. You must stop immediately and search the sink quickly and carefully to prevent the ring from being washed away. Whatever steps you take, you must do them, each step forward. The size of your stride determines your step. The place where your foot lands is as important as your stride. Saints use symbols to observe, and you too must observe the spiritual forces of the world around you. If conditions are right, the symbols used by saints may allow you to see more clearly and establish connections, but the most important thing is never the symbols themselves. The most important thing is your connection with these symbols. If a person cannot see what is before them, they will inevitably fall ill, because our lives are our own lives, and the vitality needed to sustain our lives must come from our own people; otherwise, exploitation and enslavement will occur.





Whenever Westerners hear tales of the wondrous Orient, China, and Asia, an unrealistic fantasy inevitably arises within their belief system. This is because sooner or later, the question will inevitably arise: if Chinese and Asian wisdom truly surpasses our own intellectual traditions, then why do these seemingly contradictory events occur? I don't want to bring up human rights issues, or even the pandemic caused by the fish market biological laboratory, because these are difficult to judge. You can consult relevant historical records. Let's look at mercury, this intriguing heavy metal that accumulates in the tissues of all living organisms, including amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, fish, and humans. It offers virtually no benefit to the human body. Although mercury has been used as a life-saving antibacterial agent or antibiotic in both the East and the West, its antibacterial properties are too strong and harmful to life, offering no health benefits whatsoever and thus proving useless. It is precisely because of its unusually high density that it accumulates in the body. Mercury accumulates in the body because biological systems have never been exposed to it and therefore have not developed any systematic mercury removal mechanisms. For example, the human body utilizes various metals during metabolism. These metals are utilized because they are exposed to and absorbed during biological processes. For instance, iron in hemoglobin is used for oxygen absorption; hormonal systems such as the pancreas and liver use chromium to regulate blood sugar levels inside and outside cells and to store energy; sodium is used for water transport across cell membranes. Plants utilize these metals in a similar way; we call them minerals because they exist in soluble forms in the soil and are absorbed by plant roots. The roots transport these substances to the leaves and stems. We eat plants and have therefore developed largely the same utilization, a method prevalent throughout the entire life cycle of bacteria, fungi, and plant-animal symbionts. In a sense, we are symbiotic beings of plants and humans. To my knowledge, there is no similar way of utilizing mercury in biological processes. Each exposure to mercury results in a gradual accumulation of its concentration, much like a frog in gradually warming water. Initially, the frog does not perceive the change as the water temperature rises. However, if you put a live frog into boiling water, it will instinctively leap out of the water with its strong legs to escape danger. Mercury, like chemotherapy and radiation therapy in the 18th and 19th centuries, poses a serious threat to cancer patients. The continuous accumulation of mercury in the body reduces life potential, weakens vitality, leads to decreased cognitive abilities and damage to the nervous system, and this damage is often irreversible. As a toxic heavy metal, mercury can be fatal.

So why is the frequency of mercury presence increasing in biomes that have never been contaminated before? The reason is that mercury is being brought to the surface from deep underground. Mercury is being extracted and dispersed. For example, gold has been highly valued throughout human history. Ancient gold, similar to fossil gold, is often called placer gold, or free gold. It's called free gold because it exists in the form of gold nuggets and tiny gold grains. Free gold is so named because it is not bound to other substances. It is exposed in sand and sediment washed by flowing water, from exposed mountain deposits. Placer gold, or free gold, is essentially a very stable element that hardly undergoes any chemical reactions. As the population grows, the demand for gold increases. These stable, non-chemically reactive placer gold deposits are primarily mined using gravity. Gold, as a non-toxic heavy metal, separates and sinks to the bottom of water due to its density and weight. Therefore, people began panning for gold in streams. As these easily mined gold resources gradually depleted, other methods of separating gold from low-density ore deposits became ineffective. Techniques for crushing low-density ore and soaking the crushed rock in mercury settling ponds expanded to large-scale industrial production. Gold smelting technology also expanded to open-pit mines visible from satellites. In the western United States, much of Nevada is a vast low-density gold deposit. These enormous mercury-bearing sedimentation pools are scattered throughout Nevada. Similarly, as exploration for copper and other minerals expanded to open-pit mines stretching for miles, minerals such as silver, platinum, gold, and mercury were discovered in the rubble of these mines. So much so that in most open-pit copper mines, the highest economic value of the ore body comes from the associated gold. Gold is valued at $2,000 per ounce, while copper is valued at only $0.23 per ounce—a gold-to-copper value ratio of 8700:1. These underground mercury deposits are constantly being unearthed during metal smelting and float in the air like dead pollen, spreading with the wind.

Let's return to our earlier casual interpretation of Chinese wisdom, and its deep-rooted respect for the Tao, nature, and even toxic mercury. How does one fall in love with this dazzling array of Asian wisdom, with the Tao, the Buddha, and Eastern wisdom, and become caught in a sweet honeymoon of blind worship of everything Asian and everything the Tao is? Falling in love with this amazing system of wisdom, only to find that those born and raised there, immersed in its traditions, are leaving it? Like frogs slowly being boiled in water, they are leaving the traditions rooted in Asian nature. Within this honeymoon lies a profound observation, like a question: If China is so superior, why do we see so many people of Chinese descent choosing to leave China and settle in places like Buffalo, New York? Or will the tens of thousands of Hindus from the Indian subcontinent choose to abandon everything in Asia and India and head to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania? The answer is complex. Returning to the topic of mercury, China has chosen coal-fired power generation, burning mined coal. The scale of coal mining and combustion is so massive that the air drifting over the Pacific Ocean deposits mercury from the coal in Canada, British Columbia, and along the Pacific coast of the United States, forming mercury-laden acid rain. This mercury is absorbed by plant roots, consumed by livestock such as cattle and sheep, and ultimately enters grains, milk, and meat. Therefore, the amount of mercury from mining, metal smelting, and the combustion of gasoline in internal combustion engines, as well as the mercury content in the human body, increases and accumulates year by year. As people age, their cognitive abilities gradually decline. Alzheimer's disease, the cognitive decline that occurs with age, is in most cases a result of mercury exposure and the toxic effects of low-concentration mixtures of various harmful chemicals. One of the biggest reasons Asians leave their home countries is environmental pollution, poverty, and a decline in living standards due to over-industrialization and overcrowded living environments—not out of love for nature, but rather a profound cultural adaptation failure.




He stood beneath the poplars, strolling among the Fremontese poplars (Populus fremontii), trees with heart-shaped leaves. He sat on the sun-bleached, grayish-white, ravine-strewn hollow branches. In such a place, he could comprehend the eight forms of the previous illustrations. As he faced east, meeting the rising sun, he understood that to the right was the sky, or south; to the left, the earth, or north. Above was the sky, with the sun, the moon, the blue sky, and the light—this was the sky, the sky, the sky, a flame in the palm of his hand. When the sun reigned supreme, the sky was warm, bright, and radiant. Below was the damp earth. The damp earth was cold and dark. Roots dug deep into the ground—this was the earth as he understood it. In the cold, damp underground, roots grow. On the warm, dry ground, leaves and branches grow. Thus, he understood the southern sky above and the northern earth below, like two points on a compass. The compass is a rotating disc, though the shape of the compass on our paper is merely a symbol, a memory of this rotation. Hands and feet are like roots, leaves, and branches. Today we walk on two legs, later on two feet, yet our feet contain the shape of hands, and our hands contain the shape of feet. Also understand that hands are omnipotent; they can do many things. Sometimes hands build, sometimes hands destroy what has been built. They are the same hands. The hands are connected to the Laogong acupoints on the palms, like leaves and branches, and are associated with the fire element of the east, symbolizing the rising sun. The soles of the feet are connected to the earth, like roots, and are associated with the spring in the north, symbolizing the nourishing water of the west.



The operation of the wheel originates from the eight elements in the early model: heaven, wind, wood, flowing water, mountain, earth, thunder, fire, still water/swamp/lake, ultimately returning to heaven. As the sun sets, the sky cools and darkens. People can see the poplar leaves trembling and swaying in the breeze. This stirring is the wind, which connects and permeates all things. The wind blows the clouds, bringing babbling brooks. When rain falls on the mountains, the rushing rain makes a babbling sound. This rushing rain pours down from the mountains. Underground, roots penetrate deeply into the soil; this is the earth. Understanding the changing seasons, in early spring, thunder and lightning awaken the earth's energy, and heaven and earth merge. They have round drums, their drumheads taut like rings. In the fusion of heaven and earth, there is a stirring and a merging. The wind brings clouds, and the clouds bring thunder and lightning. So they light fires for warmth. Rain falls, and the rushing torrents make a murmuring sound. These torrents rush down from the mountains, gathering in low-lying areas to form swamps and lakes. The water accumulated in the low-lying areas rises into the clouds like mist, forming a cycle, ultimately returning to heaven and earth. Heaven, wind, wood, water, mountain, earth, thunder, fire, accumulated water, swamps, and lakes, return to heaven and earth in sequence. The drumheads can see and remember where the sun rises and sets. From four directions, each direction forms eight directions.

In Chapter 3 of the ancient Chinese classic *Tao Te Ching*, we read, "Empty the mind, fill the belly." So, what exactly do "empty" and "fill" mean? And to whom are these emptiness and fullness addressed? The author is Lao Tzu, a Daoist philosopher. Lao Tzu is one of the core cultural heritages of China, a country we now call a "bioregional nation." Lao Tzu is the founder of Daoism. Like most ancient books that have survived from that time, these discourses are concise and broad in meaning, and can vary depending on the speaker and the recipient. The oldest extant version of the *Tao Te Ching* dates back to the 2nd century BC, written on bamboo slips. We know that Lao Tzu's exact birthday was the 15th day of the second lunar month, 2595 years ago. This year, his birthday is March 24, 2024, the Year of the Rabbit in the lunar calendar, also known as the Green Tiger year, close to the spring equinox. He left the Daoist texts to the gatekeeper of Hanggu Pass near the Yellow River. This sage is believed to be Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese official belonging to the tradition of virtuous rulers, who famously said, "Empty your mind and fill your belly." The problem is that this sage Lao Tzu was offering advice to the ruling elite 2,500 years ago (who today might be elected officials, CEOs, or influential political leaders), who in turn were advising ordinary people to remain relatively silent while guaranteeing them food and clothing. Many translations express this view to varying degrees. Of course, ensuring the people of a city-state are well-fed and clothed, maintaining a peaceful and efficient social environment, and ultimately benefiting all, does indeed contain truth. Famine, food shortages, and political intrigue—regardless of political system, are never good things for those in power or the lower classes. People need to be fed and clothed. Hunger, prejudice, and fear prevent people from having a good life, regardless of social class. Revolution, while celebrated in the world of adventure dramas, is not a good omen for life expectancy and a prosperous, stable, and meaningful daily life. Does the concept in the Tao Te Ching refer to how to organize and manage large or small groups, such as businesses or families? What does clearing one's mind truly mean? What do emptiness and fullness mean? Is this sage telling us to eat a hamburger, drink a beer, and relax? Or is it telling us to nourish our bodies with a salad of vegetables, nuts, and berries? Who exactly is this wise sage? Is this sage the "wild grass way of genius"? Is it an almost metaphorical explanation of the real biological realm of plants, people, places, and grasslands? Is this "wild grass way of genius" talking about the abdomen? Stomach, food, eating, emptying? Body breathing, life spirit? Then, what does all of this mean? And what does it mean to communicate with concise, often rhyming, poetic riddles? The answer is that Lao Tzu admonishes people to "empty the mind and fill it," the meaning of which encompasses all of the above. Like almost all existing ancient Asian texts, the *Tao Te Ching* possesses a high degree of subtlety and abstraction. It offers advice and insights to rulers, leaders, group managers, and anyone attempting to understand a predicament, as well as guidance on the actual abdomen and the mythical, poetic deeper levels of the abdomen such as the dantian, solar plexus, or dantian. Lao Tzu's writings are part of a revelatory tradition from the world of meaning.









A meaningful world is, of course, a world full of meaning. The biggest problem is that meaning requires smooth connections. We can say that meaning needs meaning, and meaning needs connections. Conversely, we can also say that meaninglessness means that humanity lacks a sense of connection. Meaning and connection are related. The more connections, the richer the meaning; the fewer connections, the less meaning. The connection of meaning means a large number of associations pointing to other things. By pointing to other things, we acknowledge that what we are pointing to is connected to ourselves. Children play dominoes, connecting the numbers on one side of the dominoes according to established rules to form a continuous pattern. Children also play games based on the physical shape of dominoes. They stand the dominoes upright, arranged closely together, so that when one domino is pushed over, all the dominoes begin to fall, making a clattering sound. The world of meaning includes games like regular number dominoes and the clattering game of toppling dominoes. In both cases, we use the same dominoes, but our understanding of them is drastically different. It's not that dominoes themselves have changed from numbered dominoes to point-and-click dominoes, but rather that our perspective has shifted. Meaning exists in connection. When we live in a world full of meaning, everything has meaning. Our pointing actions acknowledge our connections in time and space. By pointing, we acknowledge our connection in meaning, acknowledging our existence as "us." Because everything is connected, this connection isn't based on any particular theory of connection, but is a genuine link. If you ask a child, "Who is your mother?", the child will point to her mother and nod, indicating "her." This act of pointing contains a connection spanning six years. A mother is sometimes a mother who cooks, sometimes a chef who prepares nutritious meals; sometimes a counselor who listens attentively; sometimes a breastfeeding mother with her breasts full of milk; sometimes a storyteller; sometimes a laundry maid; sometimes a mother who picks up and drops off her children. She is a mother who bakes bread, a mother who ties shoelaces. She is the embodiment of motherhood in many ways. All these different images of motherhood are contained in a single, simple action. The Buddha held up a flower to Mahakasyapa. Although he was only making a hand gesture of holding the flower, his act of holding the flower also symbolized the transmission of teachings directly between people, transcending boundaries, and the treasure trove of the true eye of Buddhism.


The tree-shaped rotating diagram opens the four gates of Qigong.

Here, we find the four main gates of the human body on the flesh of the hands and feet. This is called the Opening of the Four Gates Qigong. It has been described many times in various ways: " The palms connect to the Laogong acupoint in the center of the palm, like leaves and branches, connecting eastward to the fire of the rising sun; the soles of the feet connect to the heels, like roots, connecting northward to the Yongquan acupoint in the sole of the foot, and westward to the nourishing water. Therefore, the hands and feet are tools for learning, used to guide and control energy, directing the large external energy field to the small internal energy field. This is a way of connecting. The connection between these two energy fields itself contains meaning, because we use various symbols to point to it, not just to the things themselves. The Laodong acupoint on the palm is..." The center of our innermost thoughts and deepest intentions is the place where everything we do is accumulated through the labor of our hands. Therefore, in this sense, taking responsibility for everything we have and everything we are experiencing is our work. Blaming others for misfortune is a fundamental mistake that must be corrected. This is the meaning of the Lao Dong acupoint; it is the center of our work. Starting from the Lao Dong acupoint on the palm, by moving both hands and opening and closing the fingers, we can see the wrist, forearm, and upper arm flowing like streams and rivers—the flow of the cosmic life energy "Qi".

The Yongquan acupoint is located on the sole of the foot, between the second and third toes, in front of the arch, at the center of the foot. The foot is an organ often overlooked or specialized in the human body. It has 52 bones, accounting for a quarter of the total skeleton. This is called "Yongquan." Yongquan is a spring of living water, circulating upwards like kidney qi; it belongs to Yin, and is cool and dark in nature. We can draw living water from our hands and feet. It is well known that foot binding, although considered a custom for keeping concubines, was actually harmful to the body. This custom of foot binding for keeping concubines is not an ancient tradition in China. Foot binding harmed women in the past, and it continues to harm them in other ways today, such as wearing excessively high heels, using strange paints to cover their faces, and soaking their scalps in corrosive dyes—all of which should be avoided. Exquisite high heels will disrupt the flow of vital spring water.

Activate the four gates of Qigong. We coordinate our hands, feet, hips, shoulders, elbows, and knees. Pull both hands inward, rotating the palms as if pulling a rope. We focus on the space between our hands, which is called gripping the ball, rotating the ball, spinning the ball, squeezing the ball, spinning the ball, lifting the ball, lowering the ball, etc.

The first story my teacher told was that we are one day closer to death every day. He would say, "Today you are one day closer to death." He always said this with a smile, and everyone would laugh. He also told a story about people being chased. This story was recorded by the 19th-century Russian writer Leo Tolstoy: " An ancient fable circulates in the East, telling of a traveler who is attacked by a ferocious beast on the steppe. To escape the beast, the traveler hides in an empty well, only to find a giant dragon at the bottom with its blood-red mouth wide open, about to devour him. However, he still clings tightly to a branch, looking around, and sees two mice, one black and one white, gnawing around the bush from which he hangs. Sooner or later they will break the branch, and he will fall into the dragon's blood-red mouth. The traveler witnesses all this and knows that he is doomed. But he still hangs there, and sees on the leaves of the bush..." A few drops of honey, and I licked them with my tongue. I was the same, clinging tightly to the tree of life, knowing the dragon of death awaited me, ready to tear me to pieces, yet unable to understand why I had fallen into such torment. I tried licking the honey that had once comforted me, but it no longer brought me any joy. White and black rats—day and night—gnawed at the branches I hung from. I could clearly see the dragon, and the honey was no longer sweet. My eyes were fixed on only one thing: the inescapable dragon and the rats; I couldn't take my eyes off them. This is not a fable, but a fact, an undeniable fact that everyone can understand.

What once suppressed my fear of dragons has now rendered my allure of life's pleasures ineffective. No matter how many times others advise me—"You can't understand the meaning of life, don't think about it, just live well"—I can't do it, because I've lived too long. Now, all I see is the relentless pursuit of death, leading me day and night. This is all I can see, because it is the only truth. Everything else is a lie.

Those two drops of honey, more than anything else, helped me ignore the cruel truth: my love for my family and writing (which I call art) no longer felt sweet.

—Leo Tolstoy, *Confessions and Other Religious Writings*








Sextet

When practicing Qigong routines, remember the Six Harmonies. This ensures a good standing posture and smooth energy flow, making the movements fluid and continuous.


External Harmony

1) Coordination between hands and feet

2) The hips and shoulders are coordinated.

3) Elbows and knees are coordinated.

Internal harmony

1) Harmony and unity of mind and intention

2) Coordination of intention and breath

3) Coordination between breath and movement









Baguazhang? Also known as Pa Kua Chang or Bagwa Jang Baguazhang Qigong.

The world is ever-changing and impermanent. Those who embrace and adapt to change will succeed; those who resist and cannot adapt will be eliminated. Adapting to change is following the vitality of life and the way of life; failing to adapt to change is going against the vitality of life and the way of life. According to the Tao Te Ching, going against the way of life is death.

One important concept taught in the *I Ching* is that everything has a center. The center of the solar system is the sun, around which everything revolves. The Earth has its central axis, around which it rotates day after day. The center of a hurricane is its eye, around which everything revolves. Our bodies are a microcosm of the natural universe. The spine can be considered a center around which the body rotates. The dantian (lower abdomen) is also a center. There are other centers within the human body, such as the shoulders, elbows, knees, wrists, ankles, and neck. You can rotate different parts of your body around these centers. This is the principle behind Baguazhang (Eight Trigrams Palm).








Baguazhang Principles

Spring, Summer, Late Summer, Autumn, Winter

Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water

Yin, Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung, Kidney

Yang's bile, small intestine, stomach, large intestine, bladder

Anger, hatred, blame, trust, sarcasm, arrogance


"Don't blame others" is like a boomerang; it will eventually bounce back and hit us. I used to blame others like that. Negative emotions—blame, hatred, anger, sarcasm—are stored in our bones and organs. Thoughts, mind, and spirit govern everything, forming a hierarchy. Love releases energy in the body.
Five-element relationship

Written by Wan Minying, 14th Century 1


Translated by Heiner Fruehauf , Institute of Classical Traditional Medicine, National University of Natural Medicine, France



"Metal generates earth, but too much earth buries the metal; earth generates fire, but too much fire scorches the earth; fire generates wood, but too much wood intensifies the fire; wood generates water, but too much water washes away the wood; water generates metal, but too much metal makes the water turbid."

Metal generates water; too much water will drown the metal. Water generates wood; too much wood will deplete the water. Wood generates fire; too much fire will burn the wood. Fire generates earth; too much earth will bury the fire. Earth generates metal; too much metal will cause the earth to rot.

Metal overcomes Wood; however, if the wood is hard, even metal will be damaged. Wood overcomes Earth; however, if the earth is thick, even wood will break. Earth overcomes Water; however, if there is too much water, earth will erode it. Water overcomes Fire; however, if the fire is intense, water will hiss and crack. Fire overcomes Metal; however, if there is too much metal, fire will be extinguished.

Weak metal melts when it encounters fire; weak fire is extinguished when it encounters water; weak water is filled and stagnated when it encounters earth; weak earth collapses when it encounters wood; weak wood is split when it encounters metal.

When metal is excessive and encounters water, its sharpness is dulled; when water is excessive and encounters wood, its kinetic energy is weakened; when wood is excessive and encounters fire, its density changes; when fire is excessive and encounters earth, its intensity is suppressed; when earth is excessive and encounters metal, its potential for disaster is limited. © 2007 Heiner Fruehauf







Constructive cycle:

Wood aids combustion


Fire creates the earth


Earth created metal


Metal enriched water


aquatic wood

If this cycle is reversed, each element will be reduced or destroyed by another element:

Destructive cycle:

Fire will burn the wood.


Wood consumes water


Water corrodes (rusts) metals.


Metals consume the Earth


Earth swallows flames

If we look at this cycle from another perspective, we will find that the various elements are mutually controlling:

Control cycle

Fire-resistant (or molten) metal


Metal Control Wood


Wood controls the earth


Earth controls water


Water control fire

These interrelationships are the cornerstone of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The functioning of any system or organ influences other systems or organs. When one organ is out of balance, it affects all other organs. This balance can be determined through the concepts of heat, cold, dampness, dryness, yin, and yang. Emotions, diet, environment, and genetic factors all affect organ function.

Based on the Five Elements theory, each element generates different energies or frequencies within the body. During pregnancy, these energies guide the formation of the fetal organs and are supported by the mother's energy channels. When the new soul enters the body, these qualities also form spiritual attributes, which are protected by the five Yin (physical) organs. The relationship between the organs and emotions forms the basis of the holistic integration of mind, body, and spirit in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The emotional/spiritual attributes of the Five Elements include:

Fire—Order—Heart


Earth—Trust—Spleen and Liver


Metal—Integrity—Lung


Water—Wisdom—Kidney


Wood—Compassion—Liver

After birth, these pure qualities must be cultivated to manifest in a person, because in life we ​​inevitably encounter various difficulties, traumas, and hardships, which can cause other energies or frequencies to manifest in our bodies as harmful emotions and thoughts. It is believed that these harmful emotions and thoughts accumulate in various organs. These intense emotions can lead to stagnation of qi, which in turn can cause illness.


In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, Qi, or life energy, drives the movement of bodily fluids (blood, lymph, and metabolic waste). Therefore, when Qi stagnates, the movement of bodily fluids is obstructed. Consequently, the functions of the internal organs weaken.


Each organ contains different emotions. These emotions have different frequencies and different effects on Qi (vital energy).

Fire—Heart—Anxiety, Extreme Joy

Earth—Spleen—Worry, distrust, obsession

Metal—Lung—Grief, sorrow, shame, regret

Water—Kidneys—Fear, Loneliness

Wood—Liver—Anger, Fury, Resentment



Wood—(Yin) Liver—(Yang) Gallbladder


Fire—(Yin) Heart—(Yang) Small Intestine


Earth—(Yin) Spleen—(Yang) Stomach


Metal - (Yin) Lung - (Yang) Large Intestine


Water – (Yin) Kidney – (Yang) Bladder



- Spring/Wood belongs to (Yin) Liver and (Yang) Gallbladder.

- Summer/Fire belongs to the (Yin) Heart and (Yang) Small Intestine, and also to the (Yin) Pericardium and (Yang) Triple Burner.

- Late summer/Earth sign corresponds to the (Yin) spleen and (Yang) stomach.

- Autumn/Metal corresponds to (Yin) Lung and (Yang) Large Intestine.

- Winter/Water represents the (yin) kidneys and (yang) bladder.


While the West believes there are four seasons in a year, Taoism believes there are five. The order of seasons that Westerners are familiar with is spring, summer, autumn, and winter; however, Taoism considers late summer (sometimes called "Little Spring") to be an independent and unique season, a time of balance and harmony.

Five Elements Theory

The Five Elements—Earth, Fire, Water, Metal, and Wood—are a theory used by ancient sages to describe patterns and relationships among many variables. They are interconnected in an abstract sense and can be used to explain the relationship between the changing seasons and various aspects of our lives, as well as the human body. The Five Elements theory is one of the main philosophical systems of traditional Chinese medicine and is applied in acupuncture treatment. Furthermore, the Five Elements theory is also used as a guide for balancing physical and mental health. Based on the Taoist theory that "humans are a microcosm of the universe," the human body also experiences cyclical patterns similar to those in nature, such as the seasonal changes and the cycle of life and death in Baguazhang (Eight Trigrams Palm).

The *I Ching* is considered an ancient classic. Its oldest part was a single-page diagram, which, through centuries of refinement and supplementation, has become rich and clearly structured. As a foundational work with reflective significance, the *I Ching* describes various patterns of change observed by specific groups within a particular biological region. It records people's perception of their own ecosystem, and in this sense, it predates the culture of Asian biopsychology and later medical applications. Therefore, the *I Ching* elucidates the "Tao," the "non-action" of the unified, which is divided into Yin and Yang, with the vital force "Qi" operating in a flowing, cyclical pattern of change through visible observation. The book describes the Eight Trigrams, divided into two or three lines: Yin and Yang. The Yin line is dashed, and the Yang line is solid. The Eight Trigrams are determined by three possible x or y combinations, namely (-) and (+). Yin and Yang (-) represent eight numerical, mathematical, and logical possibilities. For example, Yin-Yin-Yin-, Yin-Yin-Yang-, Yin-Yang-Yang, and so on, a total of eight. Each combination is named and associated with symbols representing eight sequences of changes: Heaven/Void, Earth, Thunder, Water, Mountain, Wind, Fire, Lake/Swamp. In terms of herbal medicine, any herb represents the Yin and Yang of the plant, its life spirit. Plants contain a self and therefore possess a basic self-replicating intelligence, similar to humans. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, plants are used in combination in the form of prescriptions. In the human body, organs are considered one of the five elements. In a healthy body, all organs function efficiently and harmoniously. The two basic forces of Yin and Yang interact within the body, and ideally, these two forces are kept in balance.








Wang Wen's "The Day After Tomorrow" Gossip Remix

Qian (乾) Heaven, Summer, Creative; Father; South, Expansive energy, the sky. Xun (巽) Wind, Summer, Gentle; Eldest Daughter; Southwest, Gentle penetration, flexibility. Kan (坎) Water, Autumn, Abysmal; Middle Son; West, Danger, rapid rivers, the abyss, the moon. Gen (艮) Mountain, Autumn, Still; Youngest Son; Northwest, Stillness, immovability. Kun (坤) Earth, Winter, Receptive; Mother; North, Receptive energy, that which yields. Zhen (震) Thunder, Winter, Arousing; Eldest Son; Northeast, Excitation, revolution, division. Li (離) Fire, Spring, Clinging; Middle Daughter; East, Rapid movement, radiance, the sun. Dui (兌) Lake, Spring, Joyous; Youngest. Daughter Southeast Joy, satisfaction, stagnation. King Wen "Later Heaven"

The Five Elements theory explains the relationships between the various organs of the human body, how energy is transported to each organ through the meridians , and how Qi (energy) originates from the kidneys. The main function of the kidneys is to filter the blood and then transport it to all parts of the body.

Qi is related to the kidneys because the kidneys are believed to contain the opposing energies of fire and water. An imbalance of these two elements can affect other organs. In a healthy body, all organs function in harmony, and all elements are in balance. In an unhealthy body, organ dysfunction occurs, which in turn creates a chain reaction affecting other organs.

When practicing Tai Chi and Qigong, the focus of meditation is on concentrating attention on the abdomen, specifically the Dantian and Mingmen points. The Dantian and Mingmen directly nourish the nearby kidneys. The movements of Tai Chi and Qigong rotate and massage this area, thereby balancing the kidneys and consequently influencing the function of other organs. One of the original design principles of Tai Chi was to nourish and support kidney function.

The diagram below ( from *Chunlin Qigong* ) illustrates the relationships between the Five Elements. The outer circle of arrows represents the nourishing or supporting relationship between adjacent elements: Wood nourishes Fire, Fire (or ashes) nourishes Earth, Earth contains Metal, Metal condenses Water, and Water nourishes Wood. The dotted lines represent the cooperative or restrictive relationship between two "opposing" elements: Wood overcomes Earth, Earth overcomes Water, Water extinguishes Fire, Fire overcomes Metal, and Metal overcomes Wood. The diagram also shows the influence of the Five Elements on other aspects of our lives.








"Kidney water flows backward." The lower dantian is located in the lower abdomen, where our consciousness resides and where qi is generated. The middle dantian is located in the heart. The upper dantian is located in the brain. "Transforming essence (sexual energy) into qi (life energy), and then transforming qi into spirit (spiritual energy)." The first step is to establish a connection with the purplish-red ultraviolet rays of the North Star and the Big Dipper, one of the strongest forms of celestial light. Through this practice, one learns to sense qi and uses the power of intention, eyes, and heart (intention-2) to guide the flow of qi in the body's main energy channels. This is the foundation of Taoist meditation. The order of the organ healing sounds is: lungs, kidneys, liver, heart, spleen, and triple burner. The triple burner (or triple burner, triple burner) is "three burning spaces." The Triple Burner (San Jiao) does not have a completely corresponding anatomical structure, but rather a correspondence. One of the main functions of the Triple Burner is to regulate the movement of water in the body. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, water behaves differently in each of the three burners. The Upper Burner (Shang Jiao) is located above the diaphragm and includes the heart and lungs. Its function is to transport body fluids throughout the body in the form of mist or vapor.

The middle jiao ( middle burner) encompasses the area above the navel and below the diaphragm, including the spleen and stomach. Its main functions are digestion and transporting nutrients throughout the body.

The lower digestive tract , located below the navel, includes the liver, kidneys, large intestine, small intestine, and bladder. It is responsible for separating food from metabolic waste. Beneficial fluids are absorbed, while the remainder is transported to the bladder.

The Triple Burner, functional medicine, intertwined. We, as the microscopic world, are intertwined. Our bodies are integrated with the macroscopic world. All components are interconnected and diminish over time. I am the beginning, I am the end, I am the source. A dragon with a pig's snout is devouring its own tail; this dragon is the pig, extremely prolific, a living garbage can, nurturing new life. Wuwei, the master of pure sound experience, music is Wuwei. From November 1st to December 1st in the Northern Hemisphere, the hexagram is Kun (坤), six yin lines broken. Unite with the source. Feel one with the ocean, becoming a cup, a molecule of water in the ocean. The ocean, immerse yourself in it, become one with the ocean, like the pericardium. The fire rests. The ocean, the source of the ecosystem. The tranquil moment of the year, when energy flows underground, is followed by the winter solstice. The Triple Burner is the tomb. The story of source energy, from 9 PM to 11 PM. The time of the Triple Burner. The function of the Triple Burner is rest and introspection; ideally, one should fall asleep before 9 PM to avoid adrenal fatigue. Rest time is the first half of the night, from 9 PM to midnight, which is the most important cycle of sleep. Unity, complete integration into the flow, a state of non-action. The pure energy of the universe. Yin and Yang not only describe opposing poles but also the process of transformation. Unlike linear processes, the spleen, as a producer of energy, is prone to coldness and dampness. The kidneys are mysterious and unpredictable, dark and obscure. The Triple Burner is the continuum of life force, the ebb and flow of energy underground. Therefore, the darkest months are the true yang months. It is compressed into a seed, a physical point. All the energy is here. The Triple Burner (San Jiao) is the connection between various systems, a network system, a net, an inverted tree, which can be figuratively imagined as roots, the lymphatic system, the nervous system, and the endocrine system. Water does flow, but its flow is not exactly the same as water flowing in pipes. Water exists outside cells, in the spaces between cells. When drilling for water or oil, water does not exist merely as underground lakes or pools, but within seemingly hard rock, which itself contains water. Therefore, a well is a vertical, hollow structure, deep underground, where water passes through seemingly hard rock under immense pressure. A well is like a painting, drawing in oil and water through negative space and then extracting them. Water in the human body also exists in bones and throughout the body, but it is not as pure and transparent as water in a glass. It is more like dampness. There are kidney water, bone water, brain water, lung water, liver water, bile water, etc., but they are not clear, transparent free water. Therefore, the Triple Burner Meridian refers to the complex, interconnected, constantly changing, ebb-and-flowing system within the body. A wheel has twelve spokes, but the hub, the empty part, is what truly performs its function. Go to bed early. Remember, surface activity originates from rest. Similarly, the spine can generate movement even at rest. Power originates from the core of the spine. Leisure time is like a vacation. Let the universe work its magic, rather than acting recklessly out of self-centered ego, which only leads to exhaustion. Therefore, adequate rest is essential for replenishing energy. If a well is constantly drained, it will dry up and require the water table to flow back to replenish the unseen aquifer. Rest is key to action.







Inner Smile: We first need to activate a memory to unlock the inner smile. This memory should be a happy time in your life. Close your eyes and imagine a clear, cloudless blue sky.