How to open the microcosmic orbit?

[Orgasmic19]

Okay, I have been reading about ways of opening the microcosmic orbit and one way is the cool draw technique known as testicle breathing. Another I have read is about imagining a small white pearl at the lower dantian and then orbiting the pearl around the back and front channel with intention to feel at the same time as visualization.

 

Do you guys think the deer exercise can help open this orbit?

 

And, can you guys tell me what techniques you use to open the microcosmic orbit?

Edited September 12, 2015 by Orgasmic19

[Synchronic]

Interested to hear peoples advice on this.

[Miffymog]

I wouldn't mix the cool draw technique with opening the MCO. Different things. The white pearl orbit sounds a bit better and you might mix it with deer exercise. But I'm one who thinks that the MCO is actually an advanced exercise and is not something you should be doing for some time, although I know there are others who think otherwise, and that's fine.

 

Try out some movement practices and maybe some more passive meditation techniques. There is a lot to be gained from calming and centring your mind and then developing your physical body before you do any MCO stuff.

Edited September 18, 2015 by Miffymog

[liminal_luke]

I second the idea of moving meditation. Isn´t there a Spring Forest movement specifically for this? I think even a video on youtube? Even if you decide to go ahead and try some sort of visualization/energy leading technique (which many people discourage although I´ve never had any problems), movement is a very safe and powerful adjunctive practive.

 

Liminal

Edited September 18, 2015 by liminal_luke

[voidisyinyang]

people make a big deal about the difference between the "real" MCO and the fake one.

 

The real one is advanced and so people say don't start out with it.

 

The actual truth is you fake it until you make it.

 

Read the book "Taoist Yoga: Alchemy and Immortality" for details on the different levels of MCO practice.

 

Of course any mention of that book will also trigger people to protest.

 

Essentially the MCO works on one level by linking the breath and mind together through visualization - and hence it's a tantra practice.

 

But on the other hand the advanced real MCO relies on first filling up the lower tan tien with yin qi energy (yang jing) - and that requires Emptiness focus as the foundation of the practice.

 

So any kind of physical stimulation just produces the opposite of Emptiness focus.

 

If the practice is going well - the qi builds up but does so by no fluid being produced. Massage produces fluid.

 

So only Emptiness as the foundation of practice works.

 

Now if you're 80 years old - can't get an erection - then yes massage is necessary and that is mentioned in the Taoist Yoga book but Westerners admitted project their stupidity onto that based.

 

Just writing about this stuff causes a blockage.

 

So yes the only way to fix the fluid problem is Quick Fire - also detailed in the Taoist Yoga book but it's based on the HuiMing Ching - Quick Fire being rapid deep reverse breathing.

[vonkrankenhaus]

It's about mind/energy circulation.

 

So physiological blockages are in the way of this - organ/hormone dysfunctions, salted-up muscles, mucus and fat deposits, electrolyte imbalances, and all of the various imbalances developed from modern diet and living.

 

Would the water in a home plumbing system flow well if it had epoxy put into it first?

 

Most people's qigong and meditation practices are burdened from the start with compensation for the person being more or less completely unhealthy and distorted by modern commercial/industrial "living".

 

Taking Tylenol? Forget about getting coherent results in cultivation - your liver is now too hardened.

 

Confused by 16 years of state brainwashing, money problems, and abstractly concieved relationship issues? Good luck with meditation.

 

Consider a pre-requisite of first attaining something like human life and health by giving up things which would distort these.

 

Then efforts in cultivation will produce progress and not just be spent inching towards what could best be achieved in another way.

 

NOBODY at the time these practices were developed, was set up anything like a modern person today in terms of health and functioning.

 

 

 

-VonKrankenhaus

[Spotless]

Practice Qi Gong

 

Really try to hear the teaching - breath into the Lower Dan Tein

breath into the Lower Dan Tien

breath into the Lower Dan Tien

...........

 

 

At some point with no effort at all you will feel, see and understand the MCO

It's about 100 times bigger and more powerful than anything you would imagine. Personally I never found imagining it to hold any fascination for me - though it was very easy for me to do so.

 

Without invoking testicular energies you will invoke them if you simply practice with no intentional doing on your part.

WIth out ever imagining the MCO you will come to know it through practice.

The mind wishes to do - in practice "doing" is a hindrance.

 

In your practice be in your awareness, breath into the LDT (lower dan tien) and do not try to manipulate anything - get out of the way of the practice - the postures, breathing and awareness will do it for you - the postures and the breathing and the awareness do the directing - simply be with it and you will progress rapidly.

 

I understand the great utility of visualization and it may be helpful to play lightly with this in this case so as this MCO takes form and power you will see/feel/notice it. But pushing it prior to its establishment is a bit like deciding to take your car for a ride by pushing it up a hill - the moment you stop pushing it will retreat - and the car will become no "better" at being pushed uphill.

 

I am saying there is merit in visualizing it - this helps infom the patterning of intention - practice is the decisive generation of MCO.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Spotless

[Golden Dragon Shining]

What difference would there be in breathing into the Lower Dan Tien located near the bladder? and say the Solar Plexus located mid point between the kidneys (about 3 finger width from the navel?) ... at first I though the LDT was located there, found that breathing pleasant enough and an energy moving into it.

[SonOfTheGods]

Yi.

[JohnC]

Spring forest qigong and the lineage of spring forest focus on opening the MCO.

[soaring crane]

Spring forest qigong and the lineage of spring forest focus on opening the MCO.

 

I'd say MCO is a component of pretty much all traditional qigong forms. 

[Sebastian]

I'd say MCO is a component of pretty much all traditional qigong forms. 

 

Yeah, I think any system focused on pushing qi up the spine will benefit health. You could say it's a direct focus of some qi-gong forms, like SFQ, or an indirect focus of others (traditional forms focusing on the lower Dantian with quiet sitting) or even a by-product of other systems which are focused on loftier goals like spiritual immortality. But it's hard not to encounter the MCO at one point in Daoist cultivation.

[sillybearhappyhoneyeater]

MCO has different meanings depending on which school you follow.

Keep in mind that Zhou tian in Daoism refers to the universe, and so the small orbit is the representation of the universe in the body.  The big orbit is the actual universe of things.   Lu Dongbin said in his poem Qi Yan "the universe moves by itself without the help of any outside source."  This tells us a lot about how the xiao zhoutian (small heavenly orbit) works in Daoism.  Non action has to be achieved for it to begin opening.  The other thing is that it is a gradual process which happens over the course of many years.  To achive it, you really have to master non action and action without action, otherwise it will never become unblocked and clear.

 

In terms of using Qi gong to open the orbit, this is a totally different concept, since Qi Gong is using post heaven Qi to wash the orbit, rather than meditation which focuses on pre heaven Qi (actually, this Qi is a totally different Chinese character and has no relationship with the one used in Qi gong).

 

just my 2c

[JohnC]

I'd say MCO is a component of pretty much all traditional qigong forms. 

Maybe...

 

I'm aware that Zhineng qigong, while being a recent form, is actually designed to avoid opening the MCO.

 

John

Edited September 20, 2015 by JohnC

[liminal_luke]

 

In terms of using Qi gong to open the orbit, this is a totally different concept, since Qi Gong is using post heaven Qi to wash the orbit, rather than meditation which focuses on pre heaven Qi (actually, this Qi is a totally different Chinese character and has no relationship with the one used in Qi gong).

 

just my 2c

I´m sure people with more experience than I will step in to correct me, but this is how I see the process of using post heaven qi gong qi to open the orbit. Yes, when one initially goes about visualizing the orbit and circulating the pearl up and down, what´s being circulated is post heaven qi. Initially the orbit is about yin and yang. Up and down. Front and back. Here´s the thing though: eventually all this back and forth circulation activates the center. Eventually it activates neutral energy. Changelessness. Deep silence. Stillness. And at this point things switch from post-heaven to pre-heaven. A person can start with a post-heaven practice and end up in a pre-heaven place.

 

Liminal

Edited September 20, 2015 by liminal_luke

[Uroboros]

One of the points I have heard often is that the focus shouldn't be too intense. Doing so could cause stagnation of Qi/ Blood. I have had the best results with utilizing a more open awareness, 40-60%, with a light knowing of purpose. I rarely visualize as I have no idea if what I am "seeing" is real development. I let my self show me what is there and run with that. I let it naturally occur.

[dawei]

Non action has to be achieved for it to begin opening.  The other thing is that it is a gradual process which happens over the course of many years.  To achive it, you really have to master non action and action without action, otherwise it will never become unblocked and clear.

 

I simply disagree because 'practicing the MCO' will open it... it may not be as effective or efficient for some but the fact is, it works for some... it is not so black and white.

 

I would warn that one should have as good an idea as possible on what to do... and not really follow what I did which was to just use Dr. Yang's books... which I intuit enough to get me to do it before I meet any teacher. 

 

In terms of using Qi gong to open the orbit, this is a totally different concept, since Qi Gong is using post heaven Qi to wash the orbit, rather than meditation which focuses on pre heaven Qi (actually, this Qi is a totally different Chinese character and has no relationship with the one used in Qi gong).

 

MCO is meditation... properly done, it is a foot in both camps... connecting heaven and earth

[thelerner]

At my level, MCO is more a physical mantra kind of meditation.  Feeling sensations move along the two paths.  It has some uses.. but I don't think of it as full MCO. 

 

To those who have had the full MCO,

what was it like? 

What do you think jump started it from physical mantra to kundalini-esque experience? 

[SonOfTheGods]

At my level, MCO is more a physical mantra kind of meditation.  Feeling sensations move along the two paths.  It has some uses.. but I don't think of it as full MCO. 

 

To those who have had the full MCO,

what was it like? 

What do you think jump started it from physical mantra to kundalini-esque experience? 

 

Get The Most Out Of Your MCO

http://thedaobums.com/topic/39387-get-the-most-out-of-your-mco/

 

This might be of assistance

[thelerner]

Get The Most Out Of Your MCO

http://thedaobums.com/topic/39387-get-the-most-out-of-your-mco/

 

This might be of assistance

Great stuff but not really answering the exact questions.  Not how, but what is it like when it first turns on.

 

To those who have had the full MCO,

what was it like? 

What do you think jump started it from physical mantra to kundalini-esque experience? 

[SonOfTheGods]

Great stuff but not really answering the exact questions.  Not how, but what is it like when it first turns on.

 

LoneMan Pai™ MCO - 'Connecting The Dots'

 

http://lonemanpai.com/thread/904/loneman-pai-mco-connecting-dots

 

'Connecting The Dots' LoneMan Pai™ MCO System:

 

I teach the MCO as dividing the body up into (4) quadrants

 

Perineum (1), between shoulder blades (2), Top of head (3) and Sternum (4)

 

Get the perineum to tingle, using Kegels at the beginning, but not when doing the actual MCO

 

Once you have the perineum tingles/heat then it is just a matter of connecting the 4 dots

 

Move the tingles up to the Lingtai/shoulder blade area

 

Once you pass the MingMen, it will start to oscillate, breathe...

 

When the Lingtai starts to open, the hands get warm, so you know you are getting it

 

The DaLing on the wrists may also tingle

 

Now you have 2 out of 4 quadrants active

 

Next up is the Occipital points, or the area around the Jade Pillow

 

You can manifest and induce a feeling here rather easily, then simple move it to the crown of the skull

 

The most difficult part of the 4 part journey is bringing the area down the front of the body

 

From the crown, with tongue to palate, allow the energy to flood the sinus area.

 

Your lower chin may feel the tingles

 

Bring it right down to the Sternum now

 

All quadrants should be bubbling shortly, after continued daily practicing of the 'Connecting The Dots' LoneMan Pai™ MCO System

 

 

The MCO isn't a wheel, per se.

 

Rather, it is like an electrical circuit,..

 

Once the switch is "ON" the circuit lights up all the way around- we feel it as wheel because our Yi hasn't caught up with the 'on' mechanism

 

 

Here is another technique that may help some people almost instantly...

 

 

LoneMan Pai™ INSTANT Power-Up

 

lonemanpai.com/thread/833/loneman-pai-instant-power

 

*Squeeze the floor

 

*Yi @ Jade Pillow

 

*YinTang will light up automatically

 

*Yi @ LDT

_____________

 

Instantly lights up the board

 

 

 

[Orgasmic19]

SonOfTheGods

 

Thanks for your info it seems you have a lot knowledge about this than me and I really appreciate your info.

 

I have a few little of questions

 

So, once you bring this energy down to the Sternum you do guide this feeling down to your lower dantian store?

 

And How should the breath be performed when practicing the microcosmic orbit? Through the nose and how?

Edited September 27, 2015 by Orgasmic19

[Spotless]

At my level, MCO is more a physical mantra kind of meditation.  Feeling sensations move along the two paths.  It has some uses.. but I don't think of it as full MCO. 

 

To those who have had the full MCO,

what was it like? 

What do you think jump started it from physical mantra to kundalini-esque experience? 

 

This is from "Opening the Third Eye and other byproducts along the way":

It's a recent post from page 17 - by me (Spotless)

 

The Micro Cosmic Orbit (MCO) field core (at this point in these bodies of mine) is in general just thicker than my neck though the field extends several feet beyond that.

 

It is a bit like wearing a large gyroscope.

 

One does not have the feeling however of extremely rapid somewhat gyrating movement - but the power is rotating and it is contained. In its unfoldment it is naturally contained - no effort to contain it is needed required or wanted.

 

It is in this natural containment that lies such great power.

 

Perhaps you have wondered how sustained large forces were capable within the bodies we inhabit. Heretofore I have anticipated that it was as though we became a conduit of sorts for the great rays of creation - we are already that.

 

In this later transformation as certain fields and fuels arise this contained field generates massive energies within its own field - it is not a dissipating field - nothing I have been elucidating over the past several pages have been milestones that dissipate.

 

It is possible for them to be less prominent and then become more prominent - this can "happen" and I can bring it to happen - it requires no effort (it Requires No Effort).

 

Not long after these fields are attained they become second nature to some extent - however at times the immense levels show themselves - it is beyond astounding and they are not "bursts" of astounding energy - they are days weeks or months of it.

 

Today I had a full and wonderful day - throughout the day these fields reached levels that were not only constantly of extraordinary intensity and size but they were to an extent distracting (in a very good way). Imagine you were half naked - wearing a huge body of light and rotating - while standing in line at the supermarket or conversing with someone regarding the details of some appointment at a boatyard.

 

The feeling has all of these elements - the greater portion of you is not within the confines of your clothing - and it is not possible to not be fully aware that you are within this preposterous immense rotating field of light - while at the same time you are ordering a coffee and muffin.

Edited by Spotless, 25 September 2015 - 03:31 AM.

 

 

[SonOfTheGods]

SonOfTheGods

 

Thanks for your info it seems you have a lot knowledge about this than me and I really appreciate your info.

 

I have a few little of questions

 

So, once you bring this energy down to the Sternum you do guide this feeling down to your lower dantian store?

 

And How should the breath be performed when practicing the microcosmic orbit? Through the nose and how?

 

Thank you brother

 

Most of that info is on this thread:

 

Get The Most Out Of Your MCO

http://thedaobums.com/topic/39387-get-the-most-out-of-your-mco/

 

I don't want to derail the OP thread

[opendao]

MCO has different meanings depending on which school you follow.

Keep in mind that Zhou tian in Daoism refers to the universe, and so the small orbit is the representation of the universe in the body.  The big orbit is the actual universe of things.   Lu Dongbin said in his poem Qi Yan "the universe moves by itself without the help of any outside source."  This tells us a lot about how the xiao zhoutian (small heavenly orbit) works in Daoism.  Non action has to be achieved for it to begin opening.

 

Formally yes, but what is nonaction-wuwei in terms of yuanqi? Before non-action, people have to practice the "action", meaning they need to act somehow to replenish yuan jing, make it full, only then small heavenly circle will start move.

This is a big difference between modern meditations focusing on lower abdomen, and the traditional Neidan exercises. When yuan jing is full, students become renxian (human immortal). Obviously, by starring at the belly button nobody could achieve that. 

 

The other thing is that it is a gradual process which happens over the course of many years.  To achive it, you really have to master non action and action without action, otherwise it will never become unblocked and clear.

 

From traditional Neidan point of view it looks strange. First we "unblock and clear" by the action of yuan qi, which has to be activated in a special way by actions of the body and will. Then we need to restore yuan jing, again using action. Then we form the lower dantian. Then Small Heavenly Circle starts on it own. Wuwei comes later, when spirit-Shen changes.

 

In terms of using Qi gong to open the orbit, this is a totally different concept, since Qi Gong is using post heaven Qi to wash the orbit, rather than meditation which focuses on pre heaven Qi (actually, this Qi is a totally different Chinese character and has no relationship with the one used in Qi gong).

 

Right, but except that, Du and Ren vessels have different location in Neidan, so even the trajectory of moving the True Water is different. But in books there is very little about it...

Edited September 30, 2015 by opendao