Looking to begin inner alchemy - is MCO the right place to start?

[DaoChild]

I've been practicing meditation for about 8 years - in the former half is was very sporadic, but recently it has been a religious practice.

 

I have been practicing stillness-type meditations, and internal cultivation (of the mind). But I am interested in pursuing some exercises in Neidan -- is the microcosmic orbit the right place to start? There seem to be plenty of references to it, and lots of information in books and on the internet.

 

Thanks a bunch

[Fire Dragon]

hello

 

In my system the universal tao we start with the micro cosmic orbit, after learning some brething perhaps. So to me it sounds to be a good idea to start for you. Why not find a teacher?

 

F D

[freeform]

IMO - the mco is actually quite advanced - it's not something to 'start' with.

 

You already have a lot of development in focusing your mind, and to start internal cultivation you need to develop your ability to sense internally. You need to increase your kinesthetic sensitivity.

 

I would suggest starting with something simple - like the 8 brocades or Sonnon's intuflow. You can do it with a full focus on internal sensations... then start moving into the 5 animals/6 sounds... circulating the animals can actually open your mco naturally...

[rex]

It may be a good idea starting off with something like the inner smile and the six healing sounds so whatever you circulate won't go into feeding latent toxic energy and potential imbalances.

[Fire Dragon]

IMO - the mco is actually quite advanced - it's not something to 'start' with.

 

You already have a lot of development in focusing your mind, and to start internal cultivation you need to develop your ability to sense internally. You need to increase your kinesthetic sensitivity.

 

I would suggest starting with something simple - like the 8 brocades or Sonnon's intuflow. You can do it with a full focus on internal sensations... then start moving into the 5 animals/6 sounds... circulating the animals can actually open your mco naturally...

 

 

It may be a good idea starting off with something like the inner smile and the six healing sounds so whatever you circulate won't go into feeding latent toxic energy and potential imbalances.

 

 

I think you can do it either way. If you find a good way to open the microcosmic orbit you can work with it together with for example the methods discussed here. There no need to hurry so perhaps to start with this sugested practises is the better way. I have had a yoga group with four woman practisisn with me. We did follow Eric Stevens Yudeloves book "100 days to better health, good sex and long life". It starts with the six healing sounds, the 8 brocades and the inner smile, and in the mean time prepare for onoening the microcosmic orbit. The practises in that book is well ballanced and they work from a hollistical perspective. Perhaps that is the way for you to start. According to Mantak Chia it is the best introduction to taoist yoga. A recomendation. But of course a teacher is the best combination.

 

 

F D

[DaoChild]

Until I graduate (a few months), there's no way I'm going to find a teacher in South Carolina

[VCraigP]

Inner smile

 

Breathe in

Breath out

 

allow the breath to be long, slow , deep and even.

Until you cannot hear it.

 

Breath in, feel qi penetrating your body through all the pores of your skin.

 

Breath out, feel qi is condensing in your lower tantien.

 

 

This is a good place to start.

 

build up your foundation. strengthen your body. develop your connection to your center.

 

MCO is advanced or even unnecessary to start.

 

Craig

[DaoChild]

Thank you Craig,

 

I looked up as much information as I could on the inner smile, and I'm actually very very excited to start. It looks really enjoyable!

 

I'll start with the inner smile and in a few months check back in to see where I am.

 

Thanks again everyone.

[Ya Mu]

I've been practicing meditation for about 8 years - in the former half is was very sporadic, but recently it has been a religious practice.

 

I have been practicing stillness-type meditations, and internal cultivation (of the mind). But I am interested in pursuing some exercises in Neidan -- is the microcosmic orbit the right place to start? There seem to be plenty of references to it, and lots of information in books and on the internet.

 

Thanks a bunch

 

I have never felt that starting with the MCO is a good idea. Possible stuck qi problems can develop.

IMO better to start with dan tian (lower) practice. Find a teacher.

Here is a workshop in June for complete cultivation practice.

[Sloppy Zhang]

I suggest B.K. Frantzis' "Opening the Energy Gates of Your body."

 

Followed by his other books "Relaxing Into Your Being" and "The Great Stillness."

 

Great introduction with some pretty simple practices to get you started. Michael Winn even said in an article that one of Frantzis' methods was actually a great way to open the MCO, even though Frantzis doesn't teach his methods for that purpose.

 

So it all leads to the same place.

[DaoChild]

What is the purpose/benefit/result of opening the MCO?

[Creation]

As far as traditional Taoist nei dan goes, check out the posts of Dao Zhen on this form. I posted about this here:

http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?showto...mp;#entry111724

 

It seems that most discussion of the mco is more on the qigong level than nei dan level, i.e. the level of removing blockages to the flow of qi and encouraging a good strong flow in the major channels, which is certainly beneficial. As far as qigong goes you can do the latter by deliberately trying to circulate qi with your mind, or by encouraging the qi to flow with breathing, postures, and/or special movements. These are yang and yin or fire and water methods, respectively. One of these is much more wu-wei, and seems to me to be a safer, dare I say more Taoist (philosophically) method. Things are not always as clear cut as water and fire though, and you can certainly combine intention/visualization/concentration with breathing/postures/movements. In the system Dao Zhen practices (as far as I can tell), the channels are opened with special postures and mudras.

 

But as far as nei dan goes, just having qi circulating in your orbit is not the true "water wheel" and is even sometimes called the "false water wheel" (Dao Zhen mentioned this at some point, a search for it might be instructive). The true water wheel occurs (I think, I'm just transmitting my interpretation of what I've read) when the dan tien has been filled with yang qi (see my post I linked to above) and the yang qi spills over into the eight vessels and fills/circulates in the whole body.

 

Incidentally, the form Winn referred to that he got from Frantzis is called Marriage of Heaven and Earth, and it is not yet in book form. Moreover, the form Frantzis proscribes to open the body's channels he calls Spiraling Energy Body, and is also not in book form, as he is very cautious about putting high voltage techniques in books. I believe it involves special standing postures and reverse breathing. Regardless, I second looking into Frantzis' stuff. Good information, good practices.

 

Anyway, the mco may a prerequisite to other practices in a particular system, so it may be emphasized in such a system at a particular time or with a particular purpose distinct from the general "unobstructed and appropriately strong qi flow is good". But as far as a general foundation goes, it is not something you need to do right off the bat.

 

I apologize for any misinformation posted here. I am a beginner and a seeker, and my intent is to point in a useful direction.

[forestofsouls]

If you go it alone, I would check out the works of Robert Bruce. It saved me a lot of wasted effort.

 

If you want to learn from a teacher non-locally, there's always KAP. Santiago teaches the MCO.