☯ The body’s various orifices: pathways of disease and routes of treatment!
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Compiled from Teacher Liu Lihong’s lecture notes at the Sanhe TCM Public Welfare Lecture in Tangchi, Anhui, with attached lecture video:
Introduction
Respected leaders, seniors, and fellow practitioners, good afternoon! I am very pleased to have this opportunity to share some of my experiences in learning Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The topic I want to discuss today is “Dao Yin and An Jiao,” which is a vast subject. Strictly speaking, Dao Yin and An Jiao cannot be fully explained, as they are true skills that must be practiced to be understood. However, if I do not speak about it, you will not know how to practice, so I will still share some insights.
This precious opportunity has brought leaders from the Anhui Health Bureau, Daoists conducting health courses, and friends who have traveled from various places, so I should discuss this thoroughly to help everyone gain some insights.
Five Methods of TCM Treatment
Today, I will talk about Dao Yin and An Jiao, which comes from the “Yifa Fangyi Lun” in the “Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon)”. This text discusses the treatment methods used in TCM, which can be categorized into five types. The first type is bian stone (砭石), which is now rarely seen. A few years ago, I visited a bian stone museum in Xi’an, where treatments were performed using bian stones, a therapy that originated in the East.
The second type is poisons (毒药). In the “Neijing”, any medicine used to treat diseases is called poison, not just arsenic or mercury. Why is this? This is something everyone needs to understand, as it relates to TCM’s perspective on health and disease. The distinction between disease and health in TCM is very clear academically, as stated in the “Suwen: Pingren Qixiang Lun”: “A balanced person does not get sick.” A balanced person is one who is not偏 (biased), and balance means being “neutral and harmonious”. A balanced person must have a harmonious body, hence they do not get sick. Conversely, a “non-balanced person” will have diseases due to their biases.
Since biased individuals will have diseases, how can we restore them to a non-biased state? The method used in TCM is to “correct the bias with bias” or “use bias to remedy the defect”. Thus, we have treatment principles such as “heat for cold”, “cold for heat”, “tonify the deficient”, and “drain the excess” to restore the body to a balanced state. Therefore, the medicines used in TCM have certain biases; they are either cold or hot, warm or cool, upward or downward, left or right, and this bias is what the ancients referred to as poison. The concept of poison originates from the West.
The third method is moxibustion (灸), with the most common being mugwort moxibustion (艾灸). In fact, not only mugwort can be used for moxibustion; many herbs can be used for this purpose, with mugwort being just one of many. The “Neijing” collectively refers to it as moxibustion. Many people have received moxibustion treatment, which is a convenient and effective method. Moxibustion uses heat from fire, which comes from the North due to its cold climate.
The fourth method is acupuncture (针刺). The application of needles is ancient, and the “Neijing” discusses acupuncture in much greater detail than it does medicines, indicating that over two thousand years ago, acupuncture was the most commonly used therapy, especially in emergencies. Back then, there was no 120 emergency service or emergency department; it was acupuncture! Acupuncture indeed has immediate effects and can bring the dead back to life. There are nine types of needles, including long, short, large, and small, and the first chapter of the “Ling Shu” is called “Nine Needles and Twelve Origins”. The origin of needles is in the South. Why did the nine needles come from the South? Archaeological discoveries confirm that in 1985, two bronze needles were unearthed in Wuming, Nanning, Guangxi, which are the earliest known metal needles. On the other hand, acupuncture requires exposing the body, which can be difficult in cold weather, so the origin of the nine needles in the South may also relate to this factor.
These four methods come from different regions: bian stone from the East, poisons from the West, moxibustion from the North, and acupuncture from the South. What do they have in common? Bian stone therapy requires bian stones, which come from outside the body, and medicines, moxibustion, and acupuncture also come from outside the body; this is their common feature.
The fifth method is what we will discuss today: Dao Yin and An Jiao (导引按蹻). “Dao Yin and An Jiao come from the center”, not from the East, West, North, or South, but from the center. The “center” is a significant concept we need to contemplate. Currently, the center of our country is in Beijing, which will determine the direction of China and the fate of the nation. The center certainly has a literal meaning, but it also has a deeper significance. The previous four methods require some external medium to execute, while Dao Yin and An Jiao do not need these mediators; they can occur directly within ourselves. From my personal experience, Dao Yin and An Jiao mainly involve self-regulation and self-treatment. Others can assist you with An Jiao, but it is not so easy for others to perform Dao Yin for you. Therefore, I feel that Dao Yin and An Jiao are a very convenient and direct method granted to us by the “Neijing” to achieve self-health and complete wellness.
Where Can We Entrust Our Health?
Recently, my teacher, Mr. Yang Haiying (author of “How to Be at Ease and How to Be Empty”), hosted a reader meeting in Longshan, Beijing, with the theme “Self-Health, Complete Wellness”. I think this theme is excellent and carries profound meaning. Today, we have leaders from the Anhui Health Bureau present; in fact, the name “Health Bureau” already indicates that health comes from outside the body. If health comes from outside, it is impossible for your life, health, or wellness to be complete, because true health must come from self. Only self-generated health can lead to complete wellness.
Research data from the World Health Organization indicates that treatments or health care obtained in hospitals account for only 8% of the total. This has likely become common knowledge. In other words, even if our hospital treatments and health care are sufficient, they can only account for 8% of overall life and health. Therefore, to seek true health, one must rely on oneself.
For a long time, my health has not been very good; I often have minor issues and occasionally suffer from major illnesses, which has caused me distress. Of course, sometimes distress is not necessarily a bad thing, as it motivates you to seek solutions! Thus, over the years, I have never stopped exploring. A few years ago, I began to touch upon Dao Yin and An Jiao, although my initial attempts were rather crude, even a bit haphazard. At that time, I took my father to Jianshan Temple in Shimen, Hunan, for recuperation. Since I was in a new place, I woke up around three in the morning. What to do at that early hour? My hands naturally rested on my abdomen, and I pressed and felt, why are there so many painful spots? I found these painful areas and kept my hands there, gradually the pain began to change, and eventually, it lessened, even disappearing, so I moved to another painful point. Before I knew it, over two hours had passed, and dawn had arrived.
It seemed I was meant to walk this path. The next day, I woke up at the same time again and repeated the process! As we all know, the habit of taking a nap is very important for Southerners; if you sleep well during the afternoon, you will have energy for the rest of the day. If you do not rest well at noon, the afternoon will be difficult. However, during those two days, I had no opportunity to rest, yet I found my energy in the afternoon was still acceptable. As a TCM practitioner, I quickly realized this was related to the abdominal pressing I did in the morning. Abdominal pressing means finding painful spots in the abdomen and then keeping your hands there (or continuing to press there). A key point in abdominal pressing is discovering the painful areas; pain signifies something! Here, I need to elaborate a bit.
What Does Pain Signify?
From the character for pain (痛), we can see that it consists of the components for “path” (甬) and “disease” (疒). The character “甬” means pathway or channel, and when you add a “walking” component to it, it becomes “通” (to pass through). This means that when the pathway functions normally, it is called “通”! Now, the pathway is not on the walking component but on the disease component, which inherently means illness. The pathway is “sick”, meaning that the normal function of the pathway is lost, and it is no longer open! What happens when it is not open? Of course, it causes pain! This pain, or blockage, is in the abdomen. What is in the abdomen? There are intestines and organs! To be more professional, there are the six fu organs inside.
Therefore, the pain or blockage I just mentioned can generally be determined to be a blockage of the six fu organs. And what problems can arise from the blockage of the six fu organs? The “Suwen: Tongping Xushi Lun” contains a famous saying: “The imbalance of the five zang organs is caused by the blockage of the six fu organs.” This clearly tells us that the imbalance of the five zang organs is caused by the blockage of the six fu organs. Thus, we understand that if the six fu organs are not open, it can lead to changes in the six fu organs themselves, and more importantly, it can further lead to diseases of the five zang organs. Conversely, if the blockage of the six fu organs is resolved, the issues with the five zang organs will also be easily resolved! Through personal experience, I know that abdominal pressing is a very direct method to resolve the blockage of the six fu organs, and according to the teachings of the “Suwen”, once the blockage of the six fu organs is eliminated, the problems of the five zang organs can be naturally resolved. I cannot help but feel excited about this!
At that time, I had just started using Weibo, so I compiled my experiences into “Notes on Abdominal Pressing” to share with everyone. Since I was new to Weibo and did not know about long posts, I had to condense my daily experiences of abdominal pressing into 140 characters. Later, knowledgeable colleagues organized it and shared it on Weibo and WeChat, reportedly with a high rate of sharing.
Rooted in the Classics
Due to various circumstances, my desire to learn acupuncture gradually matured, and the principles of the acupuncture I learned directly come from the “Suwen: Yin Yang Yingxiang Dalu” which states: “From Yin to draw Yang, from Yang to draw Yin”! Sometimes, many things are indeed incredible; the study of acupuncture has led to a sudden understanding on a certain level, and I feel that the Dao Yin and An Jiao in the “Neijing” are remarkable. I can also say that my own Dao Yin and An Jiao have “gradually entered a wonderful state”! It was only at this time that I realized what Dao Yin is! Of course, I also understood that many discussions on Dao Yin have not hit the nail on the head, or are not the Dao Yin in the “Neijing”. Today, I want to share this method and my feelings with everyone.
However, as I mentioned earlier, Dao Yin and An Jiao are indeed a skill, and what is a skill? The ancients said: “The correct method plus time equals skill!” Therefore, it requires time, practice, and you must do it! Just talking is not enough, but I will try to clarify it, at least in theory.
The Principles of Dao Yin and An Jiao
Today, I hope to think through some questions with everyone, as some questions must be clarified before you are willing to commit to practice. This era is indeed different from the past; it is a time of scientific enlightenment, and people are unwilling to be confused. In the past, you could just believe and act, but now there are too many methods, so you need to understand.
Disease, Arrow, Medicine
This morning, I was organizing my thoughts and considering which angle would be most helpful for our understanding. I want to start with the character for “disease” (疾). The character for disease first requires us to write “病” (disease), which we may have previously thought was just a radical, but it is also a character. I specifically checked Baidu’s Chinese dictionary today and found that its correct pronunciation is “ne” in the fourth tone, and it inherently means disease. When you place an “arrow” (矢) inside the “病”, it becomes “疾”, which also means disease. The other character we want to discuss is “medicine” (医), which is formed by placing an “arrow” inside a box. Why do both “disease” and “medicine” contain an “arrow”? And the same “arrow” placed in different contexts has completely different meanings; one signifies disease, while the other signifies the treatment of disease.
Hitting the Target
What is an “arrow”? It is a projectile! There is a well-known idiom called “hitting the target” (有的放矢), so this “arrow” has a deep connection with “target”. What is a “target”? It has many meanings; first, it is the center of the target, so it has the meaning of being centered and balanced. Furthermore, according to the explanation in the “Shuowen”, “the target is clarity”. To be clear is to be enlightened, and we need a deeper understanding of this. Last year, I was fortunate to be invited by a friend to visit Luohe in Henan, where I learned that Xu Shen’s tomb is also in Luohe. I have a special feeling for characters, as Xu Shen is known as the ancestor of characters, and the first dictionary, “Shuowen Jiezi”, was compiled by him. Now that I am in Luohe, how could I miss this opportunity? So, accompanied by a friend, I paid a special visit to Xu Shen’s tomb. In the cemetery, there are many stone tablets, and one of the inscriptions surprised me. We use characters every day, but do you know which character we use most frequently? Many people probably do not know! The most frequently used character is “的”! “的” is the most frequently used character, and what does this reveal? Is there not a profound meaning in it that allows us to be “clear”, to be “balanced”, and to be genuine?
Shooting: The Integration of Body and Mind
The process of “hitting the target” leads us to think about shooting, which is one of the six arts of ancient times. The six arts are rites, music, archery, charioteering, writing, and mathematics. Now we can appreciate the character for “shooting”; its left side represents the body (身), and the right side represents the heart (寸). In Chinese culture, “方寸” refers to the heart, so shooting is the integration of body and mind. In the “Liji”, there is a text specifically discussing shooting: “When the heart is calm and the body is upright, holding the bow and arrow steadily, then one will hit the target.”
“When the heart is calm and the body is upright” is the fundamental requirement for shooting. If this requirement is met, the result will inevitably be hitting the target. Although “hit” here is pronounced in the fourth tone, it still carries the meaning of the first tone. Thus, through “arrow”, “target”, and “shooting”, we reveal the four essential elements of Chinese culture: “balance and harmony” (以有中正平，和则为必然的结果)! This is also the essence of Chinese culture.
Shooting is a particularly unique art among the six arts. The “Liji” refers to it as the “way of benevolence”, which is indeed somewhat astonishing. We know that in the era of cold weapons, shooting was a remarkable skill. In that era, there were no cannons or missiles; the only means of long-distance attack was shooting. Therefore, this skill was a crucial indicator of a nation’s military strength. Yet, it is precisely this art that the “Liji” describes as the “way of benevolence”. It states: “Shooting is the way of benevolence. One seeks to correct oneself before shooting; if one shoots and misses, one does not blame the one who hit, but rather reflects on oneself.” In the past, shooting was often used in competitions; if one lost the competition and did not hit the target, one would not blame the one who did. Instead, one would adjust oneself and further strengthen one’s balance of body and mind, thus continuously improving one’s shooting skills. We often see the saying “if something goes wrong, reflect on oneself”; this actually originates from shooting.
Thus, shooting emphasizes the balance of body and mind, and this balance is the guarantee of health. This allows us to understand the deeper meaning of disease; when the “arrow” is placed in the “病”, it deviates from balance. When it deviates from balance, there can be no harmony, and without harmony, can there be health? Therefore, when an “arrow” is placed in “病”, it brings us disease. What is the deviation of the “arrow” in “病”? Shooting tells us it is the deviation of body and mind. When the “arrow” is placed in a box, the state of deviation is corrected; this is “medicine”! How wonderful and profound!
Returning Body and Mind to Balance through Dao Yin and An Jiao
At this point, we should understand what medicine is about: it is about achieving balance and harmony! It is about guiding the body and mind back to balance! This is our understanding of medicine and disease. In fact, this can also extend to our understanding of Chinese culture. Once this issue is resolved, we can look at Dao Yin and An Jiao with greater insight.
Why does Dao Yin and An Jiao come from the center? There is profound meaning in this. The center has both a worldly meaning and a deeper meaning that transcends the worldly. This is non-opposition!
When we talk about opposition, we naturally think of Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are the most fundamental concepts in TCM, and this has been clearly stated in the “Neijing”. The “Suwen: Yin Yang Yingxiang Dalu” states: “Yin and Yang are the way of heaven and earth, the framework of all things, the parents of change, the source of life and death, and the abode of the divine. To treat diseases, one must seek the root.” From a disciplinary perspective, we can say that everything in TCM is built upon Yin and Yang.
Yin and Yang are inherently opposing concepts; logically, opposition is a contradiction, and contradictions do not lead to health! If one wishes to achieve health, one must seek unity from opposition and harmony from contradiction. But how can we seek unity from the opposing contradictions of Yin and Yang? This is very subtle. For example, the four Qi we often discuss—cold, heat, warm, and cool, along with their corresponding directions—are all oppositional and contradictory. Thus, on this basis, there is balanced Qi, which is also known as central Qi.
The Role of the Center
What role does the center (or balanced Qi) play? The center has the role of harmonizing and resolving; it can seek unity from opposition and achieve harmony from contradiction. The center is the root of harmony; the center is the guarantee of harmony! We often talk about the balance of Yin and Yang, and the harmony of Yin and Yang, all of which rely on the “center” to be realized. Why do we call it “Traditional Chinese Medicine”? Do you all understand? The essence of TCM is based on this; if it is not based on this, it cannot be called TCM. Because only by being based on the “center” can the effects of “medicine” occur. The concept of the “center” is profound, and we need to better understand it.
Of course, understanding the “center” requires a gradual approach, moving from shallow to deep, from coarse to fine. We first need to understand the worldly center, which is the center in terms of position. Where is this center? Let us first look at the human body; there is a central line on the front of the body, and the meridian along this line is called the Ren Meridian (任脉). Similarly, there is a central line on the back, and the meridian along this line is called the Du Meridian (督脉). The Ren and Du meridians are the two most important meridians in the human body because only these two meridians dare to occupy the center. To occupy the center means to dare to take responsibility. We just mentioned the foundational and important role of Yin and Yang in TCM; when dividing the body into front and back, the front is Yin and the back is Yang. Therefore, the Ren Meridian, which is located at the front center, governs all Yin, while the Du Meridian, which is located at the back center, governs all Yang. In other words, if we want to regulate the Yin and Yang of the human body, the key lies in the Ren and Du meridians!
“Dao Yin and An Jiao come from the center”; we can also say that the focus of Dao Yin and An Jiao must first be placed on these two meridians. Additionally, we need to clarify what “An Jiao” means here. One interpretation is that An refers to hand operations, while Jiao refers to foot operations. In modern massage, there are indeed cases where both hands and feet are used, although foot operations are still rare. I do not believe that Jiao refers to foot operations; it should refer to the Jiao Meridian (蹻脉), which includes the Yin Jiao Meridian and the Yang Jiao Meridian, especially the Yin Jiao Meridian, which is closest to the center. Later, I found that Zhang Jingyue from the Ming Dynasty held the same view, which I found quite agreeable.
In terms of location, An Jiao should primarily focus on the center, and of course, what I am discussing today is self-An Jiao, which is mainly limited to the front center, where the Yin Jiao Meridian is located. Previously, I mentioned my experience with abdominal pressing; at that time, it was a full abdominal press, pressing wherever it hurt! One could say that at that stage, it was not yet An Jiao, nor was it Dao Yin. However, looking back now, this was still a very important process, and many friends’ health improved during this process.
Abdominal pressing is essentially a process of discovering and solving problems. Finding painful spots or hard knots means identifying issues. Although these problems are generally limited to the area of the six fu organs, due to the close relationship between the six fu organs and the five zang organs, these issues will inevitably affect the five zang organs. By pressing the abdomen, we can directly address the issues of the six fu organs, which will ultimately lead to the resolution of the five zang organ issues!
Methods of Dao Yin and An Jiao
Having introduced some insights into TCM and Dao Yin and An Jiao, I will now further elaborate on the methods of Dao Yin and An Jiao. From personal experience, the most convenient time for Dao Yin and An Jiao is between 5 and 7 AM, which is also known as the Yin Hour (卯时), when the Yangming Large Intestine Meridian is flowing. At this time, when performing An Jiao and abdominal pressing, the first improvement will be in the Yangming Meridian. The Yangming Large Intestine governs the body’s downward movement, and the movement of Yin and Yang is essentially about rising and falling (entering and exiting). When the downward movement is good, the upward movement will naturally be excellent. Many diseases in this era are related to poor downward movement, such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high blood lipids, and high uric acid, all of which are related to poor downward movement. To regulate the downward movement, one must be able to rise during the time when the Large Intestine is flowing; thus, we must first adjust our daily routines. If you stay up late, you will be sleeping soundly at 5 AM.
In the previous sections, we mainly discussed An Jiao; what about Dao Yin? The issue of Dao Yin is profound, and the focus is still on Dao Yin. From the perspective of self-An Jiao, we can conveniently operate only on the chest and abdomen. In terms of meridians, there are only the Ren Meridian, Yin Jiao, Shaoyin, Jueyin, Yangming Stomach, and Taiyin Spleen, etc. What about the Du Meridian, Bladder Meridian, Yang Jiao, etc.? This requires Dao Yin, which has a comprehensive effect.
Principles of Dao Yin
The principles of Dao Yin are the same as those of acupuncture. In the “Suwen: Yin Yang Yingxiang Dalu”, there is an important statement: “Therefore, those who are skilled in using needles draw Yang from Yin and Yin from Yang, treating the right side with the left and the left side with the right.” This is the guideline for acupuncture and also the guideline for Dao Yin. However, nowadays, those practicing acupuncture often disregard this. For example, if we have pain in the right knee joint, most doctors in the acupuncture department will focus on needling the right knee. While needling the right knee is not wrong, it does not align with the principle of “skilled use of needles”! The traditional concept has already defined this very clearly, but we find it difficult to follow. We tend to believe that direct effects should be better; establishing the “seen” is indeed very challenging! As mentioned above, the “Neijing” provides the principle of “drawing Yang from Yin and Yin from Yang” as the general rule for Dao Yin. For example, when we press the Ren and Jiao meridians with our hands, this is drawing from Yin, and the operation of “drawing from Yin” will inevitably bring about the effect of “drawing Yang”. Drawing Yang first activates the Du Meridian, which in turn activates all Yang. Once Yang is activated, it will naturally produce the effect of drawing Yin, thus facilitating the interaction of Yin and Yang, ultimately maximizing effectiveness.
Achieving the above objectives through Dao Yin requires a crucial element: the depth of “sensation”. Therefore, how to establish this “sensation” or how to find this “sensation” becomes the key to Dao Yin and An Jiao!
How to Establish “Sensation”
To help everyone cultivate this “sensation”, I want to first discuss the character “Xian” (咸). “Xian” is the name of a hexagram in the “I Ching”. This hexagram is called “Zexi Mountain Xian” (泽山咸). The upper hexagram is Zexi, and the lower hexagram is Gen Mountain. What does the Xian hexagram express? The commentary states: “Xian means sensation. The soft is above and the hard is below; the two energies respond to each other, stopping and rejoicing. The male is below and the female is above, hence it is ‘prosperous and beneficial’. ‘Taking a wife is auspicious’. Heaven and earth respond, and all things are transformed and born; the sage touches the hearts of people, and the world is at peace. Observing what they respond to reveals the feelings of heaven, earth, and all things.”
From the transformation of all things to the peace of the world, it all relies on sensation. The commentary clearly defines Xian as sensation, so to understand sensation, we must start with Xian. In the “I Ching” system, Qian and Kun are the most basic hexagrams, and they are regarded as the original parents. From this pair of parents, six children are born, three of whom are male and three female. The three females are the Zui hexagram (兑), the Li hexagram (离), and the Xun hexagram (巽); the three males are the Gen hexagram (艮), the Kan hexagram (坎), and the Zhen hexagram (震). With the parents and six children, this forms the eight trigrams, also known as the eight meridians. Then, the eight trigrams are paired to form the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching system. The Xian hexagram has the upper trigram as the young girl (兑) and the lower trigram as the young boy (艮). When the young girl meets the young boy, it is called Xian, or sensation, which is very subtle. Everyone may recall that when we first experience love, when a girl meets a boy (or vice versa), our faces turn red; what is that feeling? This is called “sensation”! There is nothing messy about it; it is simply a unique and sweet feeling. I see that some people are already recalling that moment, immersed in the joy of it, which is truly a heart-to-heart connection.
In the I Ching system, there are many hexagrams where a girl meets a boy, but only this hexagram is called Xian, which is worth exploring. The attraction between the opposite sexes, Yin and Yang, is a natural phenomenon, and this attraction in the Xian hexagram is described by Confucius as: “The two energies respond to each other, stopping and rejoicing.” Clearly, this attraction is beautiful, pure, powerful, and transcends mere romantic matters! From Xian, we can derive the concept of Xian Chi, which later evolved into the concept of peach blossoms, thus becoming entangled in the desires of love, leading to infinite suffering. Therefore, “stopping and rejoicing” is indeed thought-provoking.
The feelings of heaven and earth, the states of all things, both good and bad, are all formed by the “two energies responding to each other”. The two energies, whether heaven and earth, or male and female, or hard and soft, are essentially Yin and Yang. How do Yin and Yang respond to each other? I believe it is simply what the “Suwen” states: “From Yin to draw Yang, from Yang to draw Yin”. The eight characters mentioned above are the guidelines for Dao Yin, and sensation is the key to Dao Yin.“Sensation” (感) in the Kangxi Dictionary means “to touch”; when Yin and Yang (the two energies) touch, there is awareness, knowledge, and response, hence the terms sensation, perception, and response. Because of sensation, there is awareness; because of interaction, there is a connection and power. Thus, sensation is a process that involves both awareness and power. By pressing the Ren Meridian and Yin Jiao and other Yin areas, it will first trigger awareness of the movement and stillness in the Yang areas, which is the process of sensation, and also the process of Dao Yin. This movement, this awareness, this power will become clearer as the sensation deepens and the Dao Yin deepens.
I want to emphasize again that Dao Yin is a skill, and as a skill, it requires time; it cannot be achieved overnight. I cannot guarantee that everyone will immediately experience such sensations, because through Xian, we can glimpse why the meeting of a young girl and a young boy is defined as Xian. What qualities do young boys and girls possess? I believe purity should be the most basic quality! Purity is the characteristic of young boys and girls, and it is the basic requirement for sensation; it is also the fundamental requirement for Dao Yin. Purity means being pure, simple, and unadulterated; this is what Dao Yin should strive to achieve. Truth means being genuine and real; Dao Yin must have authentic and personal sensations; without personal sensations, there can be no Dao Yin.
Now we can try to experience this “sensation”. Please gently close your eyes. I usually relax and lie flat on my bed, but now you can sit comfortably. We can bring our fingers (mainly the index, middle, and ring fingers) together and gently press them on the front center line (Ren Meridian); this operation is drawing from Yin, and whether the drawing of Yang can occur largely depends on our sensation! Of course, this “sensation” may not appear immediately or may not be very clear at first, but it will gradually emerge and become clearer.
(After a few minutes of silence) Good! Everyone can slowly open their eyes. What sensations do you have? Please share your feelings with everyone. (Sharing omitted)
Some colleagues just shared their experiences of An Jiao and Dao Yin, and while these experiences may differ, they are generally felt in the back (Yang area), which vividly describes the principle of “drawing Yang from Yin”. As mentioned earlier, the sensation in the Dao Yin process contains both awareness and power. Let us first discuss awareness; this awareness has directional and target-oriented qualities. This means it will first become aware of the problematic areas, and this process can also be seen as discovering problems.
Discovering problems, and discovering them early, is actually very important for health. The problems discovered through Dao Yin are often issues that have not yet manifested in the body, which provides foresight! The awareness in Dao Yin occurs simultaneously with the action of this power. My experience is that external forces are difficult to reach this depth. If through Dao Yin and An Jiao, we can gradually cultivate this awareness, then self-health and complete wellness will at least take the first step, and our self-awareness will also be established as a result.
Feeling Leads to Connection
“Sensation” is indeed a very important concept in Chinese culture. The term “感通” (feeling and connection) is also a very intrinsic interpretation of the I Ching by Confucius. The “I Ching: Xici” states: “The I Ching is without thought, without action, silent and still, feeling and thus connecting with the reasons of the world.” How can many traditional things be understood? They can only be understood through sensation! The importance of characters in Chinese culture is also unique; we often say, “Literature carries the Dao”. The character “易” (I Ching) illustrates this well.
The character for “易” is formed by combining the sun above and the moon below, which represents brightness. Brightness symbolizes wisdom, and the I Ching is the study of opening up the bright virtue, hence it is ultimate. The reason the I Ching is placed at the top of the classics is also due to this. Furthermore, the sun represents Yang, and the moon represents Yin; Yin and Yang are the totality of manifestation, which is convenient. From the perspective of convenience, it is also the interaction of the two energies, which is the connection of the two energies, hence there is feeling and connection, as well as communication. All of these are the principles of Dao Yin and An Jiao.
Regarding “sensation”, there are many related terms, all of which carry deep meanings, such as the aforementioned feeling and connection. In terms of TCM, we pay special attention to “通” (to connect), which is almost synonymous with health! For example, the famous saying in the “Jinkui Yaolue”: “When the five zang organs are open and flowing, the person is peaceful and harmonious.” This illustrates this point well. But how to achieve this connection? In my opening remarks, I referred to the “Suwen: Yifa Fangyi Lun”, which can be said to use different methods to achieve connection. Bian stones and poisons can achieve connection, nine needles and moxibustion can achieve connection, and Dao Yin and An Jiao can also achieve connection. What is the difference between the five methods mentioned above? Generally speaking, the four methods outside of Dao Yin rely on external forces, which can lead to overcorrection or excessive measures. However, the connection brought about by Dao Yin is achieved through sensation; it is internally initiated, tailored to the individual, and just right!
Additionally, terms like “感动” (to be moved) and “感化” (to influence) arise from sensation. Movement and stillness are relative concepts; movement can occur on a physical level as well as on a mental level. If it reaches the mental level, it can lead to emotional changes, causing sadness and tears; if it affects the physical level, it will influence Qi and blood. Comparatively, the physical level is shallower than the mental level, although both levels can interact, the mental level can more easily influence the physical level. Through the sensation of Dao Yin, the first impact will certainly be on the physical body, which will then influence the mind, ultimately achieving interaction between body and mind. I want to suggest that the movement (or transformation) arising from sensation may even affect certain specific physical forms. For example, tumors in the body can be addressed through surgical knives or lasers; can they also be influenced through “sensation”? Can they be transformed through “sensation”? This is a question worth exploring.
In summary, Dao Yin is indeed profound and subtle! The “Neijing” designates Dao Yin as the method from the center, highlighting its profound meaning. This is a treasure bestowed upon the Chinese nation by the Yellow Emperor! If we cannot recognize it and enjoy it, we would be failing the Yellow Emperor and our ancestors!
In this section, we opened the path of Dao Yin through “Xian”. In Xian, we discussed young boys and girls, and purity, which is always inseparable from goodness and beauty. What is goodness and beauty? When our thoughts and actions are always for the benefit of all beings, purity arises from this, and goodness and beauty naturally emerge.
Above are some of my personal insights on Dao Yin and An Jiao, though I have spoken rather broadly. Due to individual differences, discussing finer details can be challenging. For instance, the timing of Dao Yin, the pressure applied during Dao Yin, and the duration of staying at each point, etc., all need to be determined based on individual circumstances. In a word, follow your feelings!
Dan Zhong
However, I want to emphasize two points here. One is Dan Zhong (膻中), which is an important acupoint on the Ren Meridian, as well as the Mu point and Hui point of the pericardium. In addition, Dan Zhong is one of the twelve officials, as stated in the “Suwen: Linglan Mijian Lun”: “It is the official of the minister, and joy and happiness emerge from it.” From this characteristic of Dan Zhong, we can see that it is the source of our positive emotions. If we use more modern terms, Dan Zhong is the source of positive energy! The pressures of modern competition have created an environment filled with stress, and many negative emotions have caused too many people to fall into deep depression. Clearly, Dan Zhong is the best official to lead these people out of depression!
Shen Que
The other point is Shen Que (神阙), which is also a major acupoint on the Ren Meridian and is the true center of the human body. Since Dao Yin and An Jiao come from the center, Shen Que is a place that needs to be given special consideration. The TCM system emphasizes that both form and spirit must be present to live a full life. Among form and spirit, spirit is paramount, and it is of utmost importance. Therefore, the acupuncture principle states: “The skilled practitioner guards the spirit, while the less skilled guards the form.” As the name suggests, Shen Que is the place where the spirit enters and exits; if there are obstacles in this area, the spirit cannot enter and exit smoothly, which will naturally lead to serious consequences. Through Dao Yin and An Jiao, maintaining the smoothness and cleanliness of Shen Que allows the spirit to enter and exit freely, ensuring that the spirit remains vibrant.
In principle, the effects of Dao Yin and An Jiao are comprehensive, and it should be able to address all issues. However, in practice, due to individual differences, not everyone can connect with it, nor can everyone find their sensations from it. Therefore, I hope that everyone can directly gain health from Dao Yin and An Jiao, and I also hope that through Dao Yin and An Jiao, we can open up a correct understanding of TCM and life.
Source: Huangdi Neizhen (hdneizhen)
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