On Recovering and Cultivating Jing

[Kongming]

If jing is lost for whatever reason, be it ejaculation (as I imagine would be the most common setback for cultivators) or through other means, what is the best means to quickly regain what was lost? Is this even possible or is it just a matter of letting time heal the loss?

 

Furthermore what, in general, are the best means of cultivating jing and preventing future jing loss, especially again through sexual activity, in the future?

 

I hear some say Zhan zhuang is key here. Is this the case? Is there other or superior means?

[Daeluin]

My sense is that time is the best method of recovery, along with a balanced regimen of exercise and stillness. Too one should be gentle with one's health, not thinking too much, keeping good posture, good diet, so that one is not burning the jing in other ways while working on strengthening the heart-kidney relationship.

 

There may very well be ways to increase the rate at which jing is replenished within the body, but I believe these likely need to be practiced under direction of a teacher to avoid doing them in a way that would lead to other health issues.

 

Also, it is well to remember that the jing is a xiantian substance, something more celestial and less material. So in the cultivation of it, it may help to do things that nurture respect to what is sacred and mysterious. This can be done by developing a sense of awe and delight in innocence, working more from one's intuition and a sense of heart-confidence than from one's acquired mind. If one is too focused on the form (the known way of things), one will simply drain (or close off their access to) the formless (the celestial).

 

In terms of retaining one's jing.... they say the yuan qi is like jing in the form of qi, is the foundation of one's vitality, and is circulated through the triple burner. If consciousness is like fire and jing is like water, we naturally have the fire rising and water sinking. But we can use the intention to focus the consciousness gently on the lower abdomen with our breathing and cause the water and fire to come back together again. This is much like placing a pot of water over fire - before long steam is created. One must be gentle with the amount of, and intensity of this fire to prevent the water in the from burning up, working with the amount one has. Perhaps this is a way of coaxing the jing into its yuan qi form, like steam, to help nurture the health of the whole body rather than being expressed as sexual pressures in the instinctual need for continuing the species. One may see how this principle is applied in standing meditations, exercise, and stillness in general. Balance is key.

 

As there are subtle differences in the way men and women lose jing, there may be subtle differences in the way men and women can nurture their jing - we've been discussing some of this in the Gender differences in cultivation thread. Regarding nurturing jing in sexual practices, there is a great thread about this here. And here is an article that helps understand the different types of qi including different manifestations of jing.

[RiverSnake]

1. Healthy Food 

2. Adequate Sleep

3. Balanced mind and emotions 

 

Useful article: http://www.shenyiacupuncture.com/foods-to-nourish-kidney-jingblood.html 

[Aeran]

I found this video really enlightening on the subject of Jing, might be worth a watch:

 

[silent thunder]

Good quality food.  Good rest.  Exercise and stillness.

Don't clean your body with poisonous chemicals.

Don't fill your mind with poisonous thoughts.