Each of us reflects a unique and complex blend of various kinds of Qi. The state of our mind, emotions, and body are all a reflection of the energies that flow within us. In Qi Gong, we seek to work skillfully with this vital, life-essence to nourish and transform ourselves in a healthy and positive way.
Part of this process requires us to reconcile different parts of who we are. In other words, Qi Gong helps us to bring union and connection between all parts of our being, resulting in greater internal harmony and strength.
Of all the kinds of Qi within us, none are more powerful than those of love and sexuality. While conversations about these energies are often confined to specific times and places, they each affect every aspect of our lives. As such, it’s important to learn how to cultivate and enjoy these gifts in a healthy and positive way. This blog post will discuss exactly that.
Fire and Water, Love and Passion
Fire and water are two of the most powerful elements of nature, and each is quintessential for the existence of life on earth. Together, the sun and rain perpetuate the endless cycle fertility and growth in the natural world.
In Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong, we recognize that each person is a microcosm of the world around us. In humans, fire energy corresponds to the heart and love, while water energy is reflected in our sexuality and kidney organs.
Just as fire and water are the sources of all life in the natural world, love and sexuality are the center point of our most powerful behaviors and cravings. If you look around, you’ll notice that one or both of these energies are present in all of the most influential messages we receive. Whether in books, movies, stories, or the general media, our societal consciousness is constantly orienting itself around these energies. In fact, you’d probably have a difficult time finding a popular story in which love or sexuality isn’t one of the primary elements of its appeal. In summary, our conscious and subconscious minds are almost always relating to one or both of these inescapable energies.
Love and Passion: Ingredients for a Healthy Life
One of the ways in which we cultivate our Qi is by blending various energies together within us. We refer to this blending process as alchemy. As we alluded to, there is no greater alchemy than that of love and sexuality.
You can think of alchemy in the same way you think of cooking a meal. When you prepare a dish for a loved one, you don’t simply throw some lettuce on a plate and raw vegetables in a bowl and call it a meal! Rather, you spend time cutting the vegetables to the right size, cooking them to the correct temperature, and mixing them together in the right proportion. It doesn’t matter if you’re making a pot of soup or baking a pizza, it’s important to use high-quality ingredients and combine them in a mindful manner. Perhaps, you even add a special dressing that highlights the distinct flavors you’re working with. When you do so, you can create wonderful new flavors that are far richer and more delicious than any of the individual ingredients alone.
The same lesson applies to working with the energies within us, including our loving and sexual energies. Instead of relating to each of these energies separately, we can combine them into a magical alchemy of love, passion, and vitality. Not only can this lead to more intimate and vibrant romantic relationships, but it can also contribute to greater health and happiness on an individual level.
Qi Gong for Inner Alchemy: Kan and Li
Long ago, Taoists realized that specific practices could help them to cultivate and blend the energies of love and sexuality. Early on, they recognized that the Qi of love primarily originates from the heart center, and that of sexuality is stored in the Lower Tan Tien (lower abdomen). The Qi in the heart center is referred to as Kan, while that in the Lower Tan is known as Li.
Often, these two centers stay concentrated in themselves and aren’t open to the rest of the body. In other words, there isn’t always a fluid and consistent flow of Qi throughout the body. While staying closed in your heart or sexual center can be a natural protection mechanism, it also prevents you from enjoying and cultivating the greatest gifts you possess as a human. Therefore, Inner Alchemy Qi Gong practices work with your energy centers to open them up and allow the Qi to flow.
Once your Tan Tiens are open and flowing, you can work with the energy within each to cultivate strength and vitality. Additionally, you can then circulate that Qi and blend it with the energies in other parts of your body. Through this process, loving and sexual energy can come together to create a powerful and transformative elixir within you.
Once you’ve cultivated your elixir of love and sexual energy, you can then circulate it throughout the Microcosmic Orbit—an energy channel that encircles the body and connects the Three Tan Tiens of spiritual consciousness, emotional awareness, and physical existence.
Learning how to create your own elixir and circulate it throughout your body allows numerous opportunities to unfold. Just as fire and water blend together to create life of all sorts on earth, your elixir of life and sexual energy can be used to cultivate all parts of your being. By circulating it, you can nourish your organs with vital Qi, elevate your emotional awareness, and awaken your spiritual consciousness. Additionally, this can be a wonderful practice to share with your romantic partner for love and joy.
Upcoming Immersion Program
Lee will be holding a 5-day immersion program during the week of May 4th to 8th, 2020 in Poughkeepsie, New York. The immersion is called Qi Gong for Inner Alchemy: Kan and Li, and will offer students the opportunity to learn directly from Lee in a deeply engaging environment. Like all of Lee’s immersions, this is also a great way to connect with other dedicated Qi Gong practitioners and nurture your “Qi community.”
This immersion will focus on cultivating a powerful Qi Gong skillset to realize the inner alchemy experiences discussed in this blog post. Although the lessons in this program build on the teachings in the Three Treasures and Inner Alchemy, participants don’t necessarily need to have completed either of those immersion programs before taking Qi Gong for Inner Alchemy: Kan and Li. For most students, a basic awareness of their Tan Tiens and Microcosmic Orbit will allow them to enjoy the lessons in this immersion.
Within your body exists an entire universe to explore and cultivate. Qi Gong for Inner Alchemy: Kan and Li is an amazing opportunity to delve deeper into your own path of self-discovery, so click on the banner below to learn more and continue the journey.