No matter what Daoist internal health, healing, meditation or martial art you have chosen to study. If they involve the harnessing, cultivating, nurturing and circulation of the vital energy (Qi), then each individual must be aware of their own energetic mid-line known as the Taiji Pole. The Taiji Pole is a central line that runs from the crown of the head at the (Bai Hui) “Hundred Meetings Du 20” directly through the centre of the body to the (Hui Yin) “Meeting of Yin Ren 1” located between the legs.
The Taiji Pole is made up of three major energy vessels the Governing Vessel (Du Mai) which travels up the length of the back through the spinal column where it connects to the Conception Vessel (Ren Mai) that travels down the front of the body. The third major vessels is the Thrusting Vessel ( Chong Mai) which does travel through the Taiji Pole. Each of these three major energy vessels store the vital energy (Qi) and circulate it throughout the entire body through the Yin & Yang meridians which are connected to the internal organs (Zangfu).
On the line of the Taiji Pole are to be found the lower, middle and upper three Dantians ( Elixir Field). The word “Dan” represents a cauldron or pot where a pill, medicine or elixir is prepared. “Elixir” means an alchemical mixing and changing of the Essence (Jing), Energy (Qi) and Spirit (Shen) into a Elixir. The other word “Tian” represents a field or area for the growing of crops, hence the three areas to which the Dantians are located to refine the three treasures of the body the Jing, Qi, Shen into a pure energy to meet the ( Dao) Way.
It is important that each student no matter what discipline they are studying learns to move from their lower elixir field (Xia Dantian) each of their movements must be directed from their lower Dantian, has this is where the Qi is gathered, stored and cultivated,hence it should also be the point of the body where the student flows their Qi into their extremities to use it for the purpose of health, healing or self defence reasons.
LFIAA Under Technical Director Keith Ewers 