The Relationship Between the Restoration of the Physical Body and Intention

If you want the qi to sink into the dantian, just use deep breathing to let the qi descend all the way down to the dantian; combined with visualization—visualizing the qi arriving at the dantian—you can guide the qi there. Keeping the mind on the dantian can also draw the qi to the dantian, because qi follows the mind: wherever the mind goes, the qi and blood will follow. But is this "mind" the mind of the manas, or the mind of the mind consciousness? 

The functions and operations of the physical body are of two kinds: one is the operation of the tathāgatagarbha alone, and the other is the combined function of the manas working together with the tathāgatagarbha. To put it plainly, most of the functions of the physical body involve the mental engagement (manaskāra) of the manas; where the manas's mind does not reach, many things cannot be accomplished. The mind consciousness may keep its attention on the dantian and guard it, but there will be no real effect. When the mind consciousness "guards" the dantian, it is a false guarding—the qi will not follow it there. The mind consciousness cannot guide the qi or the blood; it can only guide the manas, and that is the mind consciousness's greatest and most useful ability. 

The repair and regulation of the tissues and cells of the physical body also partly involve the participation of the manas. If the manas cooperates actively, maintaining an optimistic attitude—neither anxious nor agitated—the body's positive energy will rise, and the body will repair itself more quickly. Whether or not the manas participates makes a great difference in the body's repair. For example, during acupuncture, if you add focused intention—placing it on the tip of the needle—the effect is remarkably obvious and rapid, and the physical body can change at once. If someone has cultivated genuine qi and uses it in combination with acupuncture, the effect is even more extraordinary—enough to transform the four great elements of the body, so that the physical body recovers very quickly, perhaps recovering almost immediately. If there is genuine qi circulating in the body, and someone channels it into another person's back with the palm, the stronger the intention, the more qi enters the body and the faster the qi circulates within it, and the body will improve immediately. When the qi and blood are abundant, the body is healthy. 

Wherever the mind goes, the qi goes; therefore, when the manas actively participates, the repair of the physical body proceeds very quickly. Where the mind does not reach, circulation is impeded or ceases altogether. For example, if your attention is scattered while eating, digestion will be poor; if, right after a meal, you concentrate intently on thinking through a problem, the stomach will not have enough qi and blood, which also impairs digestion—and over the long term, stomach illness will develop. Another example: if your attention is scattered while urinating or defecating, the process will be obstructed and unsmooth. Thus the force of intention is extremely powerful. How is this force of intention produced? When the power of meditative concentration (samādhi) is strengthened, the power of the mind is strengthened—and the power of the mind is precisely the power of intention.