Tenth Energy Center: Tongue to the Palate

Students who initially have great success in circulating chi power

with no ill side effects may choose to proceed directly in joining the

front and back channels. This involves lowering the energy from

the Yin-Tang, or brow point, to the next energy point, the palate.

Other beginning practitioners should wait until they can easily

return the energy by the reverse route down the spine/leg and up

to the navel/palate before trying to connect the brow point and palate

directly from above.

Even though the palate is constructed of soft bone it takes is

considerable period of sustained effort for most practitioners to

penetrate it and complete the route. The force which is generated

in this practice often causes side effects such as headaches, illusions,

erratic mood swings, insomnia, irritability and vague aches

and pains. If such effects persist, immediately reverse your chi

flow back down the spine to the feet. Also, read the chapter on

“How to Prevent Side Effects.”

In the beginning, place the tip of your tongue just behind your

front teeth (later you will transmit more energy if you place it in the

middle of the soft palate or even further back along the roof of the

mouth). The palate links the front and back channels, and the tongue

on the palate links the switch that enables the energy to flow in a

complete circuit. If you watch sleeping babies you will see that

often they keep their tongue on the roof of their mouths. They know

instinctively how to circulate the microcosmic orbit as their yin and

yang energy is still naturally balanced. Even thumb sucking may

be an attempt to connect the channels!

When you put your tongue to your palate you may feel sensations,

or you may feel nothing. If you feel a small vibration, or your

tongue moves back and forth involuntarily, chances are you have

completed the orbit. Some people, however, do not feel sensations.

If you do not feel sensation, but your health has improved,

and you feel lighter, less worried, and more energetic, you probably

completed the orbit.