The Daoist Guiding Technique of the Five Internal Organs!
What is the Guiding Technique?
You can think of it as a locally produced “yoga technique”. The oldest form is the Yi Jin Jing (易筋经, Muscle-Tendon Change Classic), and I won’t elaborate on yoga here as most people have some understanding of it.
Guiding Technique:
In the medical classic “Huangdi Neijing” (黄帝内经, The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine) from the Western Han Dynasty, it states, “All muscles belong to the joints,” and “The chest and abdomen are the storage of the organs.” This refers to the structure of the human body. Clinically, symptoms such as “atrophy, numbness, cold, heat” and “stagnation” are often treated with “Tui Na” (推拿, massage); it also mentions using decoctions and guiding techniques in conjunction to treat muscle diseases.
Famous physician Zhang Zhongjing from the Eastern Han Dynasty emphasized using “guiding, breathing exercises, acupuncture, and topical applications” to treat the “heavy stagnation” of the limbs. In the preserved writings of Hua Tuo, the “Zhong Cang Jing” (中藏经, Classic of the Central Storage) also points out: “Guiding can expel evil from the joints”; “If one does not guide, it allows evil to invade the joints, causing stiffness and blockage.” The understanding of the guiding technique for treating diseases gradually deepened among Han Dynasty physicians, and the scope of its application expanded.
The guiding technique is:
To guide the Qi and make the body supple.
Through breathing exercises, one cultivates a harmonious Qi.
Through physical movements, one develops flexibility.
When Qi is harmonious, breath is prolonged; a person lives on a breath.
When the body is supple, health is maintained; for every inch of muscle lengthened, life is extended by ten years.
The guiding technique, as the name suggests, is a method of guiding Qi and leading the body.
(At specific times, guiding the Qi and blood to where it needs to go)
Among the most classic forms are the “Yi Jin Jing” (易筋经, Muscle-Tendon Change Classic), “Wu Qin Xi” (五禽戏, Five Animal Frolics), “Liu Zi Jue” (六字诀, Six Healing Sounds), and “Ba Duan Jin” (八段锦, Eight Pieces of Brocade). This is now also referred to as fitness Qigong.
Although many people practice fitness Qigong, seen in parks and forests, many have turned it into mere exercise routines.
They have the form but lack the essence!
It appears that every movement is performed, yet it is devoid of internal Qi.
Some say they practice Qi; my breathing is coordinated with my movements, extending and contracting, inhaling and exhaling.
It is not simply putting movements and breathing together; it is about synchronized interaction.
Is there a difference in this statement?
Yes!
Those who have form but lack spirit complete the actions and breathing simultaneously.
Those who grasp the essence achieve a slight mastery by completing the actions and breathing on the same channel.
Isn’t that the same?
No, it is not!
Completing them at the same time means you are merely doing the actions and breathing together.
Completing them on the same channel means that the actions and breathing are on the same wave, the force is moving, the Qi is flowing, the force is strong and urgent, the force is gentle and slow, not stagnant or held back, accompanying each other, advancing and retreating together.
You guide me, I lead you; only through this interaction can effective practice be achieved.
When actions and breathing grow together, over time, the internal Qi will gradually emerge, and each movement will exhibit charm, flowing like clouds and water. At this point, not only will the effects manifest, but it will also possess aesthetic appeal.
Is that enough? Not yet!
The guiding technique has threefold effects: adjusting the body, adjusting the breath, and adjusting the mind.
When the movements are in place, stretching the muscles and bones, massaging the five internal organs, it achieves body adjustment.
Using reverse deep breathing, cultivating internal breath, nurturing the original Qi, it achieves breath adjustment.
But that is not enough! The highest level is adjusting the mind! (Adjusting the spirit)
How is mind adjustment reflected in guiding?
After mastering the movements and breathing, one adds intention.
At first, it is difficult to achieve; while practicing, the mind wanders, distractions abound, and thoughts are numerous.
It’s okay, don’t force it too much; let the bullet fly for a while, we will gradually gather.
At the beginning, don’t think about not thinking at all; just focus your thoughts on practicing, as this may backfire. We only need to concentrate on one thing.
Only think of one thing while practicing, and over time, you will have unexpected gains.
What unexpected gains?
When you practice guiding, if your mind focuses on one thing, let your thoughts follow the movements and breathing.
As you practice and think, you will find that the issues swirling in your mind gradually become clearer, a flash of insight will occur, and you will suddenly understand.
What is happening at this moment?
Because through guiding, the body and mind are adjusted to a harmonious state, the mind becomes exceptionally clear, and the brain’s processing power is upgraded, allowing you to see the essence of things more easily amidst the chaos.
Work problems, life troubles can be identified during the practice of guiding.
Are you surprised?
Are you delighted?
Does this mean that when practicing guiding, one must eliminate distractions and concentrate? It is said that in any endeavor, one should be focused and attentive.
Why can one think while practicing guiding?
Note, I am saying in the initial stages, when you cannot yet achieve the integration of actions, breathing, and intention, there is a transitional process.
To eliminate distractions and focus on practice is the highest level of skill, entering a state of transformation, which brings a fundamental change to a person’s essence, Qi, and spirit.
Who doesn’t have something on their mind? To have no thoughts at all, immersed in each movement and breath, achieving the integration of actions, breathing, and intention is not something that can be done in a short time; it requires a certain level of practice.
When you pursue a girl, you need to spend time, energy, and money.
Practicing is the same; you don’t need to spend money, but you must invest time and energy. It takes time.
When pursuing a girl, if you want to achieve it all at once, it may backfire.
In practice, if you are eager for quick success, you will not achieve your goal.
When pursuing a girl, when feelings are in place, everything will naturally fall into place, and emotions will be hard to restrain.
In practice, when the timing is right, the experience will be extraordinary.
Therefore, at the beginning, we should not insist on pursuing the integration of actions, breathing, and intention; first, we should master the integration of actions and breathing.
The body’s twists and turns, the pushing and pulling of hands and feet, the rising and falling of breath, all occur in a natural state.
First, let the intention fly freely, follow the natural flow; when you reach a certain level, you will unknowingly arrive at the state of integration.
When that state comes, you may not even notice it.
If you notice it at that moment, it means your intention has not yet merged with the actions and breathing.
Only after practicing, you will realize, oh, during the practice of guiding, I was completely immersed in the process, not thinking of anything, the Qi and blood moved, the spirit calmed down, and I wholeheartedly enjoyed the process.
At ease and refreshed.
Boundless and profound.
This is when you achieve the state of mind adjustment.
At this point, you have truly mastered the practice, achieving body adjustment, breath adjustment, and mind adjustment.
Next, I will share the Daoist Guiding Technique of the Five Internal Organs. (Based on the twelve meridians and Qi blood…)
1. Liver Guiding Technique 1 Soothe Liver Qi, Assist Gallbladder
From 7 PM to 9 PM. Place both hands on the corresponding positions of the liver, using Qi sensation to connect the meridians, rotating six times. Do not apply force with the palms on the liver; let the liver Qi harmonize, and the meridians will open. Then, bring the ten fingers together, placing the palms on the corresponding liver positions, gently kneading six times to promote the smooth flow of the gallbladder meridian, harmonizing the interior and exterior, adjusting and dispersing, assisting in the intake of food and water, harmonizing the liver and stomach, ensuring smooth Qi and digestion.
2 Knead the Sinews, Clear the Eyes
From 7 PM to 9 PM. Use the index, middle, and ring fingers together to knead the sinews. As the liver Qi rises, the liver opens to the eyes; knead the eyeballs to clear vision. Over time, this can prevent glaucoma and various eye diseases. The effects of the first two sections: the liver and gallbladder are interrelated, opening to the eyes. Through this exercise, the functions of the liver meridian, gallbladder meridian, and internal organs can be directly improved, preventing and treating hepatitis, cholecystitis, gallstones, dizziness, headaches, and other liver-gallbladder system diseases.
2. Heart Guiding Technique 1 Calm the Heart Qi, Assist the Small Intestine
From 11 AM to 1 PM. Overlap both hands, placing the palms on the heart, moving with the heartbeat using Qi sensation, without applying force with the palms on the heart, then gently massage. When the mind is calm, there is a feeling of transcending.
2 Bite the Tip of the Tongue, Release Heart Fire
From 11 AM to 1 PM, gently bite the tip of the tongue; the heart fire will emerge, as the heart opens to the tongue. The virtual fire has a path to follow, preventing it from overflowing, allowing the essence to be filled and the spirit to be calm. The effects of the third and fourth sections: the heart and small intestine are interrelated, opening to the tongue. Through this exercise, the functions of the heart meridian, small intestine meridian, and internal organs can be directly improved, preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, myocardial infarction, stroke and its sequelae, insomnia, forgetfulness, and other diseases.
3. Spleen Guiding Technique 1 Strengthen Spleen Earth, Assist the Stomach
From 9 AM to 11 AM, the spleen Qi rises smoothly, and the stomach Qi descends smoothly. Overlap both hands, placing the palms on the corresponding positions of the spleen, first using Qi sensation to warm the spleen, rotating around the spleen six times. Do not apply force with the palms on the spleen; then press the palms on the corresponding spleen positions, gently kneading six times. Finally, place both palms between the spleen and stomach, kneading up and down as if kneading dough, to promote the rising of clear Qi and the descending of turbid Qi.
2 Tongue Wash Gums, Saliva Circulation Technique
From 9 AM to 11 AM, use the tip of the tongue to clean the gums, allowing saliva to flow. When saliva is abundant, swallow it repeatedly six times to ensure smooth saliva flow, which can moisten the entire body, especially benefiting the lower jiao, liver, and kidneys, like trees receiving water, flourishing and deeply rooted. The spleen opens to the mouth; when the spleen is strong, the earth is abundant, and when water and earth combine, all diseases are prevented. The effects of the fifth and sixth sections: the spleen and stomach are interrelated, opening to the mouth. Through this exercise, the functions of the spleen meridian, stomach meridian, and internal organs can be directly improved, preventing gastritis, gastric ulcers, diabetes, indigestion, hyperlipidemia, and various spleen-stomach diseases.
4. Lung Guiding Technique 1 Disseminate Lung Qi, Assist the Large Intestine
From 5 AM to 7 AM, extend both hands outward, crossing at the top of the head to connect with the Qi of heaven, taking deep breaths, exhaling the old and inhaling the new, six times. Place the palms on the lung meridian positions, using Qi sensation to disseminate lung Qi six times. Then, place both palms on the lungs, moving along the lung meridian outward while taking deep breaths, once for each deep breath, six times. Finally, place the hands at the junction of the large and small intestines, kneading along the direction of the large intestine: ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, rectum, a total of six times.
2 Rub the Nose Bridge, Strengthen Lung Meridian
From 5 AM to 9 AM, use fingers to rub the area beside the nose, moving downward, six times. The lungs open to the nose, and the nose is the door of the lungs. When the nasal passages are clear, it ensures the internal organs are unharmed and safe. The effects of the seventh and eighth sections: the lungs and large intestine are interrelated, opening to the nose. Through this exercise, the functions of the lung meridian, large intestine meridian, and internal organs can be directly improved, preventing colds, coughs, bronchitis, asthma, nasopharyngitis, constipation, diarrhea, and other diseases.
5. Kidney Guiding Technique 1 Kidney Qi, Assist the Bladder
From 5 AM to 7 AM, overlap both hands, placing the palms on the corresponding positions of the kidneys, first using Qi sensation to warm the kidneys, rotating around the kidneys six times. Do not apply force with the palms on the kidneys; then rub both hands together to warm the kidney area, which is to nurture the innate fire of the kidneys with the fire from your own body, a total of six times. Then, place the palms tightly on the corresponding bladder positions, gently kneading six times to assist bladder Qi transformation and ensure smooth urination.
Cover the ears with hands, Sound the Heavenly Drum
From 5 PM to 7 PM, cover the ears with hands, tapping the brainstem six times, listening to the sound of the drum, stimulating the brain marrow, enhancing hearing and vision. The effects of the ninth and tenth sections: the kidneys and bladder are interrelated, opening to the ears and the lower yin. Through this exercise, the functions of the kidney meridian, bladder meridian, and internal organs can be directly improved, preventing prostate diseases, nephritis, bladder damp-heat, edema, hair loss, impotence, premature ejaculation, menopausal syndrome, deafness, tinnitus, chronic fatigue, and more.
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