Unblocking the Qi Channels

Question: Recently, while sitting in meditation, I experienced sharp ringing in my ears. If I ignore it and pay no attention, will it just pass on its own?

Answer: This is a phenomenon that occurs when the qi channels reach the supreme faculty (indriya) of the ear at the back of the brain but cannot pass through, indicating a blockage there at the ear faculty. You can ignore it and let it pass through on its own, but this may be rather slow. If you want it to go faster, you need to apply appropriate methods to counteract it—for example, tapping and massaging the back of the head helps the qi channels pass through sooner, and then your thinking will become clear.

You can also use a visualization method, which can make the qi channels pass through more quickly: visualize the Buddha's light entering the back of the brain, and dark qi being expelled from the Baihui acupoint at the crown of the head, with the qi channels passing through the entire head, leaving the mind clear and the spirit joyful. The golden Buddha-light shines upon the afflicted area, and the diseased qi and karmic obstruction qi are expelled from near the afflicted area. If there are blockages elsewhere in the body, also visualize them being expelled from the Baihui acupoint. When your meditative concentration is insufficient, the diseased qi may be unable to move midway along its course and will come to a stop, causing pain in other parts of the body.

The qi channels are material form (rūpa) and can be driven by the conscious mind. As long as the mind possesses meditative concentration (samādhi), it has the power to regulate the flow of the qi channels, thereby achieving the purpose of regulating the body; after regulating the body, one can then regulate the mind.

Ailments of the eyes are likewise caused by qi being blocked at the supreme faculty (indriya) at the back of the brain and unable to pass through, and they should be treated in the same way. The liver can also be regulated; for the ears, the kidneys can be regulated as a countermeasure. For some people, the root cause is poor liver and kidney function, which gives rise to problems in the eyes and ears.

There is also a dietary auxiliary method for opening up the qi channels of the internal organs: boil and drink plenty of radish soup, which can make the qi channels abundant and give their flow strength. Drinking plenty of radish soup in winter keeps the body healthy. When the qi channels are abundant, the sensation of qi is good, the body feels comfortable, the mind is settled and calm with concentration, and the results of meditation are excellent.