The circulation of qi through the Ren and Du Meridians in the Lesser Heavenly Circuit

Lan Tian's experience of qi channel movement during meditation on the breath: In recent days while sitting in meditation observing the breath, the breath has been forcefully striking the perineum, and the heat at the perineum, the Weilü (coccyx), the lower back, and the pelvis has noticeably intensified. Around February of last year, when the qi channel was passing through the supreme faculty (rūpa-prasāda) at the back of the brain, my left ear had already been ringing with tinnitus for over five months; after the qi channel finished clearing through the brain, the tinnitus in my left ear was cured. Around May of last year, during sitting meditation, because the tip of my tongue was not fully pressed against the upper palate and front teeth, when the qi channel passed between the upper right teeth and the lower right teeth, it caused the entire upper gum to become inflamed, damaging three upper teeth.

This is a phenomenon that occurs when the qi channel enters the Governing Vessel. As the qi channel moves through the Governing Vessel along the back, it also has a regulating effect on the five zang organs and six fu organs in front, as well as on the whole body. When the qi channel enters the back from the Weilü and pushes up to the back of the neck, there is a certain degree of obstruction. Once it breaks through this point and enters the supreme faculty (rūpa-prasāda) at the back of the brain, the obstruction here may be greater, but the faculties of eye, ear, nose, and tongue will be effectively regulated, resulting in sharp hearing and clear vision; eye ailments and diseases of the ear, nose, and tongue will be eliminated. Once the qi channel reaches the back of the brain, one must intensify sitting meditation so that the qi becomes more abundant and can quickly pass through the Baihui acupoint at the crown of the head; in this way the healing effect will also be better. When the qi channel moves to the back of the brain, one can contemplate the qi of karmic obstructions exiting through the Baihui acupoint at the crown of the head; this also helps eliminate disease, allowing the qi channel to pass through the back of the brain as quickly as possible and reach the junction of the Conception Vessel (Ren Mai) and the Governing Vessel, so as to open up both the Conception and Governing Vessels.

The inflammation of the gums occurs because the qi channel is forcefully blocked at the gums, and the heat scorches the gums, causing inflammation. If the Conception Vessel at the tip of the tongue and the Governing Vessel at the gums are properly connected, the qi channel can smoothly pass through the gums into the tongue and thereby enter the Conception Vessel, completing one circuit of the Microcosmic Orbit—and then such a thing would not happen. Among the three channels, the qi channel first opens the Conception Vessel, then the Governing Vessel; after the circulation of the Conception and Governing Vessels is opened, it then enters the central channel (avadhūtī). The central channel is the hardest to open, but once it is opened, all illnesses vanish.