Lying Down Position

• This position is not as ideal as sitting.
• Lie down on your back with a symmetrical body.
• Place your hands on your lower abdomen, connecting the thumb webs, the right hand is on top and the left on the bottom.

Prepare with the Inner Smile

The Inner Smile is a Taoist meditation practice to cleanse and purify the emotional, physical and psychological body. We gather smiling energy and direct this down into our yin organs (solid organs); heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, spleen. This practice is covered in detail in my inner smile blog series part one and part two.

This practice prepares us for the microcosmic orbit meditation. It is advised to cleanse the body using the Inner Smile prior to the microcosmic orbit. This can either be completed in full or when you have become more advanced with regular practice, you can wash a smile down the body in just a few minutes.

• Soften the eyes.
• Relax the face.
• Begin to smile inwardly.
• Smile to your heart.
• Smile to your lungs.
• Smile to your liver.
• Smile to your stomach, pancreas and spleen.
• Smile to your kidneys.
• Swallow saliva down to the large and small intestines.
• Smile to the brain.
• Smile to the spine.

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The Micro Cosmic Orbit

Using the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this Taoist meditation practice teaches you to remove blockages and allow Chi to flow in a circuit around the body, organs, brain and central nervous system. Seen as an internal healing practice for health, happiness and longevity. The focus of this practice is on the two main meridian channels in the body, known as the;

• Conception channel (Ren Mai).
• Governor channel (Du Mai).

These run along the skin of the front and back mid-line, connecting like a circuit.

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Tongue Position

Once you have progressed through the beginner’s cycle and onto a continuous cycle, it is advised to place the tongue on the roof of the mouth throughout the meditation. The bridge between the tongue and the roof of the mouth is called the ‘Middle Magpie Bridge’ / ‘Da Chiao’. This allows the Conception and Governor channels to connect. When connected, energy that is cultivated and drawn up the spine and over the head can also sink down to the Dantian in a continuous circle. There are three choices to place the tongue;

• Wind Position (palate behind the front teeth).
• Fire Position (middle palate).
• Heavenly Pool (rear soft palate).

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Expectations

This meditation practice is based on gentle awareness. When opening the energy centres, do not force or expect a specific experience. Everyone is unique and will have their own experience. Some people may feel nothing for days, weeks or months on the first energy centre. Some may feel an opening sensation much sooner. It is important to approach the microcosmic orbit without judgement, preconception or expectation.  Forcing Qi through the body, or forcing a result may cause ill health as this is not a natural process. You are the observer, become aware, stay relaxed and don't hyper focus. Be gentle.

Over time as you learn about your body in this meditative state, you will come to know the energy points and what it feels like when they are open. Some may feel tingling, heat, light, expanse, pulsing, electricity, contraction and so on. Each of the energy points may feel different than the others. The sensations and your experience may also change over time. Whatever you experience, it is personal to you. There is no incorrect feeling or sensation. Avoid forcing a result based on what you ‘think’ you ‘should’ be feeling. Pay gentle attention, observe and listen to your body.

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Caveat

For the energy centres that are located around the genital region, if you experience any feelings of sexual arousal, keep returning your focus to the point and in time the feelings will pass. Alternatively return the focus to the lower Dantian until the feelings pass. This is a normal reaction if you are not used to focusing on your sexual organs in a non-sexual way.

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Beginners Circuit

The starting point is the navel or the lower Dantian. Bring your focus onto this navel point to awaken the energy before moving onwards to the next energy centre. Each energy centre must be focused on, and awakened before progressing further along the circuit.

Focus on one point per session until you feel the energy has awakened. Then, in the next practice session start at the lower Dantian and move down to the next energy point. In the next session start at the lower Dantian moving through the centres you have opened until you reach the point of focus for that session. Always remember to return back through the energy points you have progressed through until the lower Dantian. Conclude each session by storing Chi in the lower Dantian detailed in part three.

The microcosmic orbit meditation can take a long time to establish when done correctly. Never try to short cut the process. It is worth spending the time to open each of the energy points separately, going at your own pace and being led by the opening of the energy centres. The aim is to work slowly towards completing an automatic circuit of the Microcosmic Orbit.

New Beginner 1st Practice

• Dantian / Navel (working to open this point)

New beginner 2nd Practice

• Dantian / Navel
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace (working to open this point)
• Dantian / Navel

New beginner 3rd Practice

• Dantian / Navel
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Perineum (open this point)
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Dantian / Navel

New beginner 4th Practice

• Dantian / Navel
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Perineum
• Coccyx (open this point)
• Perineum
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Dantian / Navel

New beginner 5th Practice

• Dantian / Navel
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Perineum
• Coccyx
• Opposite Navel (open this point)
• Coccyx
• Perineum
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Dantian / Navel

New beginner 6th Practice

• Dantian / Navel
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Perineum
• Coccyx
• Opposite Navel
• Adrenal Glands / Opposite Solar Plexus (open this point)
• Opposite Navel
• Coccyx
• Perineum
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Dantian / Navel

New beginner 7th Practice

• Dantian / Navel
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Perineum
• Coccyx
• Opposite Navel
• Adrenal Glands / Opposite Solar Plexus
• Opposite Heart (open this point)
• Adrenal Glands / Opposite Solar Plexus
• Opposite Navel
• Coccyx
• Perineum
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Dantian / Navel

New beginner 8th Practice

• Dantian / Navel
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Perineum
• Coccyx
• Opposite Navel
• Adrenal Glands / Opposite Solar Plexus
• Opposite Heart
• Opposite Throat (open this point)
• Opposite Heart
• Adrenal Glands / Opposite Solar Plexus
• Opposite Navel
• Coccyx
• Perineum
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Dantian / Navel

New beginner 9th Practice

• Dantian / Navel
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Perineum
• Coccyx
• Opposite Navel
• Adrenal Glands / Opposite Solar Plexus
• Opposite Heart
• Opposite Throat
• Back of Neck (open this point)
• Opposite Throat
• Opposite Heart
• Adrenal Glands / Opposite Solar Plexus
• Opposite Navel
• Coccyx
• Perineum
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Dantian / Navel

New beginner 10th Practice

• Dantian / Navel
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Perineum
• Coccyx
• Opposite Navel
• Adrenal Glands / Opposite Solar Plexus
• Opposite Heart
• Opposite Throat
• Back of Neck
• Crown (open this point)
• Back of Neck
• Opposite Throat
• Opposite Heart
• Adrenal Glands / Opposite Solar Plexus
• Opposite Navel
• Coccyx
• Perineum
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Dantian / Navel

Beginners Cycle Complete

Open the individual energy centres with a reversal half way:

• Dantian / Navel
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Perineum
• Coccyx
• Opposite Navel
• Opposite Solar Plexus
• Opposite Heart
• Opposite Throat
• Back of Neck
• Crown
• Mid Eyebrow
• Reverse the direction
• Crown
• Back of Neck
• Opposite Throat
• Opposite Heart
• Adrenal Glands / Opposite Solar Plexus
• Opposite Navel
• Coccyx
• Perineum
• Sperm / Ovarian Palace
• Dantian / Navel
• Next open the points above the Dantian
• Solar Plexus
• Heart
• Throat
• Bring awareness from the throat to the palate
• Bring awareness from the mid-eyebrow down to the palate (might cause a runny nose)
• Touch tongue to palate; may feel like an electric shock as fusion of the functional and governor routes
• Pass through the palate
• Throat
• Solar Plexus
• Dantian / Navel

Each practice, add in another point and then return to the lower Dantian before your close the meditation. If in a practice session you progress to a point and then do not feel an opening, return to the lower Dantian through the other points. In the next practice session, work to open that point again. It does not matter how many times you stay with one point, it could be days or months until you feel an opening sensation. Then you are ready to move onto the next point, and so on. Once you have reached the crown, you are ready to move onto the complete cycle.

Complete Circuit - Microcosmic Orbit

Energy Centre	Acupuncture Point	Location	Anatomy	Meridian Channel
1. Chi-Chung, Loss of Consciousness	Shen Que, spirit gate, CV-8, CO-8, REN-8	1) Navel 2) Two inches below navel.	1) Belly button 2) Lower dantian	Conception Vessel, Ren Mai, Yin
2. Kuan-Yuan, ovarian palace	Female Zhongji, CV-3, CO-3, REN-3	Female top of pubic bone, centre of ovaries, 1.5 inches from the skin, on the anterior midline, 2 cun superior to the upper border of the pubic symphysis or 3 cun inferior to the umbilicus	n/a	Conception Vessel, Ren Mai, Yin
2. Jing Gong, sperm palace	Male Qugu, CV-2, CO-2, REN-2	Male 1.5 inches in from base of penis, on the anterior midline, 1 cun superior to the upper border of the pubic symphysis or 4 cun inferior to the umbilicus.	n/a	Conception Vessel, Ren Mai, Yin
3. Gate of life & death, meeting of yin	Hui-Yin, CV-1, CO-1, REN-1	Perineum	Middle point between anus and genitals	Conception Vessel, Ren Mai, Yin
4. Passage to the door of life and death	Chang-Chiang, GV-1, GO-1, DU-1	Coccyx	End of the tail-bone	Governing Vessel, Du Mai, Yang
5. Door of life	Ming Men, GV-4, GO-4, DU-4	Opposite navel, mid point of the kidneys	Between L2 – L3	Governing Vessel, Du Mai, Yang
6. Chi-Chung	Jizhong, GV-6, GO-6, DU-6	Opposite solar plexus	Between the adrenal glands, below T-11	Governing Vessel, Du Mai, Yang
No number: optional  Path of the heart	Shendao, GV-11, GO-11, DU-11	Opposite heart, midline below the spinous process of the 5th thoracic vertebra	Between T5 & T6	Governing Vessel, Du Mai, Yang
No number: optional Central reunion point	Dazhui, GV-14, GO-14, DU-14	Opposite throat, midline below the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra	Below C7	Governing Vessel, Du Mai, Yang
7. Jade pillow	Yu-Chen, BL-9, either side of DU-17	Midline of the lower occiput	2-3 cun within hairline	Governing Vessel, Du Mai, Yang
8. Hundred joint point, compass of men	Bai-Hui, GV-20, G)-20, DU-20	Crown, junction of a line connecting the apices of the ears and the midline, 5 cun from the anterior or 7 cun from the posterior hairline	Rear ears to the midline on top of the head	Governing Vessel, Du Mai, Yang
9. Crystal palace, original cavity of the spirit	Yin-Tang, EX-HN-3	Mid eyebrow	Third eye, upper dantian	Governing Vessel, Du Mai, Yang. Does not belong to Du-Mai meridian, point sits on the line & is one of the extraordinary points
10. Husan-Ying, magpie bridge, bridge over the heavenly pool (not an energy centre)	n/a	Place the tongue on the palate, either behind the top front teeth, or 1.5 inches behind teeth on the palate	n/a	Links the Ren and Du Mai, tongue acts as a switch to connect the circuit.
11. Hsuan-Chi*	Tian Tu, CO-22, CV-22, REN-22 (*alternative is between CO-22 and CO23)	Throat centre	Depression between adam’s apple and top of collar bone (*alternative is in front of the thyroid gland)	Conception Vessel, Ren Mai, Yin
12. Shun Chung	Sea of Qi, CO-17, CV-17, REN-17	Heart / chest centre	Mid line of the sternum level with the 4th intercostal space	Conception Vessel, Ren Mai, Yin
13. Chun Kung, solar plexus, middle palace	Zhong Wan, CO-12, CV-12, REN-12	Solar Plexus	Half way between the sternum and navel	Conception Vessel, Ren Mai, Yin

Store Qi in the Lower Dantian

The lower Dantian is located about 2 inches lower than the navel and 2 inches internally within the body.  This is where Qi is stored, known as the main energy centre or powerhouse in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  The practice of the Inner Smile cultivates positive Qi, at the end of the meditation session, you collect, consolidate and disperse any excess Qi in the lower Dantian to help sustain your life force.

Formal closing the meditation must not be forgotten, as Qi can cause ill effects if not stored in the lower Dantian correctly. Only to be done at the end of the meditation. If you are only performing the front line inner smile to the organs, you can follow on from the kidneys into this formal closing technique. If the inner smile is used as a preliminary mediation to the microcosmic orbit, this technique is used at the end of the microcosmic orbit.

• Inhale as you smile down to the Dantian.
• Allow Qi to sink down to and settle at the Dantian.
• Women place their hands left over right over the Dantian (right against the abdomen).
• Men place their hands right over left over the Dantian (left against the abdomen).
• Rotate the Dantian in a spiralling motion, the Dantian drives the movement of the hands, not the hands leading the movement.
• Start with a small point and spiral the circle outwards around the navel area.
• The largest the circle reaches is the space between the top of the pubic bone and just below the solar plexus.

• Men start with a clockwise direction x 36 times and close with an anti-clockwise direction x 24 times.
• Men reach cultivated Yang Qi to the rest of the body during the outward spiral in a clockwise direction.
• Men draw Yin Qi into the Dantian to balance Yang in the closing anti-clockwise spirals.
• Men closing Qi = Yang embraces Yin.

• Women start with an anti-clockwise direction x 36 times and close with a clockwise direction x 24 times.
• Women reach cultivated Yin Qi to the rest of the body during the outward spiral in an anti-clockwise direction.
• Women draw Yang Qi into the Dantian to balance Yin in the closing clockwise spirals.
• Women closing Qi = Yin embraces Yang.

• To find the right way, imagine the pubic bone is 12 o'clock and the solar plexus is 6 o'clock, work out anti-clockwise and clockwise from mapping this on your abdomen.
• When you have completed 36 rotations, reverse the movement and circle the hands in the opposite direction 24 times.
• Start with a large circle and spiral inwards to a small point on the Dantian.
• By storing Qi in the Dantian this prevents ill effects such as excess heat in the head or heart.

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Close the Meditation

• Open the eyes softly.
• Allow the light to filter in.
• Become aware of your peripheral vision.
• Rub your hands.
• Rub over your face, cheeks, neck, back of the head.
• Rub the shoulders, chest, kidneys and stomach.
• Rub the legs and rotate the feet.
• Take a few moments to settle before you begin to move.

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