First Formula: Fusion of the Five Elements

This formula literally combines the separate energies of the five

principal elements into one harmonious whole. The meditation has

a particularly powerful filtering and purifying effect upon the human

nervous system.

The Earth is the Mother of all the elements. All life springs from

her generative womb. This reunites the other four elements of

Chinese cosmogeny with the mothering Earth. Thus, metal, wood,

water and fire are drawn back into the earth and are simmered

gently at this point. Each element is purified but is not so hotly

fused that it loses its integrity and dissolves into ashes.

This formula is regarded as a highly secret method of Taoist

meditation. In Chinese Philosophy each element corresponds to a

particular organ. The Earth corresponds to the spleen, metal to the

lungs, water to the kidneys, wood to the liver, and fire to the heart.

The five elements interact with each other in three distinct ways:

producing, overcoming, and threatening. The producing or creating

cycle runs thusly: wood burns to make fire, the ashes decompose

and seep into the earth, where are born and mined metals, which

when melted become water (liquid), which nourishes trees and

plants. The overcoming or destruction cycle runs thusly: wood is

cut down by metal, fire is extinguished by water, earth is penetrated

by wood, metal is melted by fire, and water is interrupted and cut

off by earth.

The life cycle also has its relative elements thus: birth

corresponds to wood, growth to fire, maturity to earth, harvest to

metal and storage to water. In climatic types, wind corresponds to

wood, heat to fire, dampness to earth, dryness to metal, and cold to water. Their corresponding emotions (sympathy, sadness, joy,

anger, fear) blend one harmonious whole, raising the morale and

encouraging kindness, gentleness, rightousness, respectfulness

and humor. The formula of the five elements combined into one

involves the mixing of the Yin and Yang to attain a higher state of

bodily harmony and beauty. The ancient alchemical formula Solve

Et Coagula corresponds to the second stage in the meditational

forms.

In this stage you will realize the great use of the Five Elements

which already exists in your body and which you may have studied

but not understood experientially. The fusion of the elements, will

provide you with such an experience. In this stage a cleansing of

the whole body takes place. There may be much gas and bowel

movements with very black, foul smelling stools.

Another six special routes must be opened, making eight routes

in all. The first two are the Governor and Functional Channels. Next

to be cultivated is the Chung-Ma.

The Chung-Ma, or Thrusting Route, which originates in the lower

abdomen in the Hui-Yin and moves upward along two lines to the

midpoint between the nipples where it spreads out to the shoulders

and then joins at the collar bone. From there, it proceeds up to the

face, crosses at the mouth and moves up to the point between the

eyes and then up to the top of the head.

Another pathway of the Thrusting Route is started at the Yun-

Chuan (the ground to earth), goes up the inside of the leg to the

thigh and joins in the Hui-Yin. Starting at the Hui-Yin and running up

through the center of the body, it passes through the large and

small intestines, kidney, pancreas, liver, stomach, heart, lung,

trachea, and up into the brain (pituitary, pineal and the middle brain

up to the top of the head, Pai-Hui).

The second special route is the Tai-Ma. This energy channel

originates at the ribs and circles the waist in ribbon-like bands. For

this reason it is called the Belt Route. It is considered as a belt

binding up the Yin and the Yang channels. This channel, when

properly open, will spiral around the whole body. Looking down at

the floor, the ribbon, as it were, would be seen to unwind going

counter clockwise or right to left and proceeding up the length of

the entire body, and joining all the body channels together. The

spiraling is in a clockwise direction for women.

The third special route is the Yang-Chiao-Ma, the Positive Leg

Route. It starts at the outer aspects of the two ankles and rises up

the outside of the legs along the outer thighs. From the thighs it

goes up to the hips, a strong absorbing energy center, the outer

sides of the back and winds over the left and right shoulder, which

are strong absorbing energy centers, whence it ascends along the

neck to the corners of the mouth and enters into the eye-sockets

and then over the forehead and skull to terminate in the medullar

region.

The fourth special route is the Yin-Chao-Ma or Negative Leg

Route. This channel originates at the center of the soles and turns

along the inner sides of the ankles, rising up the inside of the legs.

It passes from the inner thigh past the external genitalia and

continues up to the chest, clavicle, throat and up to the face to the

inner corners of the eyes. These routes are composed of two

routes, one on each side and can be worked separately, also.

The fifth special route is the Yang-Wei-Ma. This starts at the

front of the outer ankle and moves straight up the outside of the leg

continues up the side, circles over the shoulder and proceeds up

the side of the neck and face, over the forehead and skull, where it

terminates in the medulla.

The sixth special route is the Yin-Wei-Ma. It starts on the inner

shin and moves straight up the front of the body, over the knee, up

the thigh, the side of the abdomen and chest and up to the nipples.

From there it veers inwards towards the throat where it joins the

Functional Meridian.

Thus, all of the energy passageways of the body are linked

together in a network of the two Channels, the six special routes,

and the twenty-four regular routes corresponding to the organs on

each side. These passage ways are the superhighways, highways,

and roads, respectively, of energy flow across the body.