Yang Sheng: Nourishing Life

Bill Helm, AOBTA®-CI

The use of this term, Yang Sheng, pre-dates the use of the term Qi Gong to describe mind-body cultivation. Many traditions exist in promoting this important area of human development. They include Qi Gong, Herbal Medicine, Acupuncture, Tuina/Anmo, Feng Shui, divination arts, martial arts, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. All of these traditions seek to maintain and extend life. Yang Sheng traditions draw from all of these methods.

To nourish and cultivate life is to attempt to mitigate the forces of entropy and enhance the forces of longevity. The Tao Te Ching references this in chapter 50:

Between birth and death Three in ten are followers of life Three in ten are followers of death And people just passing from birth to death also number three in ten. Why is this so? Because they live their lives on the gross level. Those who know how to live can walk abroad Without fear of rhinoceros or tiger. They will not be wounded in battle. For in them rhinoceroses can find no place to thrust their horn, Tigers no place to use their claws, And weapons no place to pierce. Why is this so? Because they have no place for death to enter.

Those who follow Tao (one in ten) and cultivate and nourish themselves, create a body/mind that maintains its harmony and integrity under all circumstances.

Another classical reference is found in the Huang Di Nei Jing:

Those who disobey the laws of the universe will give rise to calamities and visitations, while those who follow the laws of the universe remain free from dangerous illness, for they are the ones who have obtained Dao, the correct way.

This reflects the philosophy of the Three Treasures (San Bao): Shen, Qi, and Jing. A foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Taoist practices, San Bao is the concept of nourishing and preserving these three fundamental substances and functions of human beings. To develop life habits that both nourish and enhance the formation of these Three Treasures and avoid rapid dissipation and disintegration of them — this forms the basic foundation of all Yang Sheng practices.

"The body is the temple of life. Qi is the force of life. Shen is the governor of life. If one of them goes off-balance, all three become disordered. When the spirit takes command, the body naturally follows it and this benefits all Three Treasures. When the body leads the way, the spirit goes along, and this harms all Three Treasures." Wen Tzu

1. Avoiding behavior that causes harm. 2. Behaving in ways that actively promote health and well-being. 3. Doing activities to deliberately nourish life, such as meditation, breathing slowly, practicing qi gong and the internal physical arts (eg. Tai Chi or yoga) and reducing the quantity of food eaten.

He also says that there are three factors in having longevity and health:

1. Inherited constitution. 2. Good or bad fortune (Karma). 3. Our behavior.

According to Deadman, there are "Four Legs" to the practice of Yang Sheng:

1. Cultivating the mind and emotions. 2. Regulating the diet. 3. Cultivating the body. 4. Sleeping well and sufficiently.

Another book, Health Preservation and Rehabilitation (Shanghai College of TCM), describes health preservation as the "adaptation of humans to nature." This is the accomplishment of Yin- Yang balance and the development of a strong body, strong mind, strong Qi, and the balance of the Zang Fu organs. The balance of the organs supports mentality, consciousness, and thinking.

Methods of health preservation are found in four categories.

1. Cultivation of mind. 2. Moderation of work and rest. 3. Regulating diet. 4. Balanced normal life.

In both the older and newer books, the primary emphasis is upon cultivating and harmonizing the mind and emotions. Without a clear mind and balanced emotions, longevity and health are difficult to acquire. The ability to understand how the body works and what it requires for health and, consequently, longevity is of fundamental importance. This, according to TCM Zang Fu theory, is in large part a consequence of a balance of vital substances in the Zang Fu organs and the harmonious circulation of Qi and Blood through the channels and collaterals. This supports consciousness, thinking, and feeling. In a deeper sense, this implies that the Heart is balanced and harmonious since it is the Commander of all the other organs and houses the Shen/Mind. If the Heart is unbalanced, the Shen/Mind is dysfunctional and all of the organs reflect this imbalance in pathological ways.

The Three Treasures/San Bao must be nourished and preserved for a person to be healthy and enabled to lead a long life. What is required first is an understanding of what these Three Treasures are, how they manifest positively in our lives, and how they are weakened and dissipated.

The Shen or Mind is the constructive aspect of consciousness that helps us first organize the input from our senses into our experience of the world and then understand how to behave appropriately. The Shen also connects us to the world outside of our body. The Shen directs the flow of intention and Qi energy.

© AOBTA® 2021 2 of 5 According to Giovanni Macioca, the functions of the mind are thinking, memory, consciousness, insight, emotional life, cognition, sleep, intelligence, wisdom, and ideas. All of these functions are associated with the Heart. The Heart is the home of the Shen. When the Heart is disturbed these functions are all affected.

Exercise Three Phase Relaxation Method

1. Relax the body and calm the mind. 2. Begin at Du20. 3. Relax the sides of the body, front of the body, and rear of the body.

Qi/Vital Energy activates the functions of the body. It literally moves us into life and activity. When this is abundant, the body functions well. When it is deficient or deranged, the body functions poorly.

Jing/Essence is the physical substrate that activates the biochemical actions of growth, reproduction, and repair. When this is abundant, the body is able to reproduce, grow, and repair itself. When it is deficient, these actions are inhibited.

The Three Treasures are mutually reinforcing. They represent various stages of refinement of original Qi. Essence gives rise to Qi, Qi gives rise to Shen. When any substance is disturbed, they are all compromised in their function.

We can cultivate the Shen and its manifestations in several ways. The development of the mental capacity to think rationally can come through the practice of reading and discussing classical philosophy, the study of Traditional Chinese medicine, the practice of mathematics and engineering, and the study of computer software. These studies all require developing rational and logical thinking and seeing relationships.

Exercise

• Shen Candle — focus the eyes on a candle flame, relax the eyelids, don`t blink, breathe into the Dan Tian. • Quiet sitting. • Dan Tian breathing — left palm up on top of right palm, thumbs touching, eyes closed.

The Qi is the animating substance of life, activating the functional and psychological components of life. It is composed of inherited Pre-natal Qi and created Post-natal Qi. Generating Qi is a function of diet, lifestyle, and exercise. Regulating the diet to include the Five Flavors and seasonal foods facilitates the development of Post-natal Qi by providing adequate nourishment and facilitating digestion. Modifying the lifestyle means balancing the Yin-Yang of work-rest, sleep, general activity levels, and intake of recreational substances.

Exercise is an important component of generating Qi because the body requires movement, resistance, and relaxation to maintain the circulation and generation of Qi and Blood. Movement stimulates the cardiovascular function, activates the circulation of Qi, and helps maintain a healthy heart and unobstructed vascular system. Resistance training maintains the muscle mass and strength needed to move and work well. Relaxation is needed to facilitate recovery from more strenuous exercise and work and to help develop awareness and movement of Qi. It is an important condition for meditation practices that calm and focus the Shen/Mind and activate the Qi to move throughout the body.

• Inhale - arms up, open HT 7. • Exhale - arms down, Qi to Dan Tian.

Essence is the physical substrate of the material body. Nourishing Essence is a result of lifestyle, especially sexual practices and herbal substances. The functions of reproduction, growth, and recovery are directly associated with the Essence. Balancing sexual emissions for men and pregnancies for women is a critical requirement in preventing depletion and exhaustion of essence. Herbal supplements are used to help strengthen the production of Essence.

Exercise Deer Breathing

This is a reverse breathing exercise that activates the Mingmen-Du4 Acupoint and strengthens the Kidneys.

• Place the palms over the lower belly area. • The middle fingers rest on Ren 2, just above the pubic bone on the mid-line. • As you inhale apply pressure to the abdomen so that it does not expand to the front side. • Allow the movement to expand to the lower back and Mingmen Acupoint.

The Three Dan Tians or Elixir Fields are a useful tool in balancing the Three Treasures. The Dan Tians are esoteric structures used in Daoist and Chinese meditative practices to focus on psychophysical development. Locations of these fields can vary among traditions, but the most common locations associated with them are:

• the Upper Dan Tian, located in the head in the area of Yintang. It is the field associated with the intellect, mind, and visual sensory input. Its virtue is wisdom. • the Middle Dan Tian, located in the area of Ren 17. It is the field associated with emotions and empathetic connection with others. Its virtue is loving. • the Lower Dan Tian, located in the area of Ren 6. It is the field associated with Vital Energy, sexuality, and physical development. Its virtue is vitality.

When balanced, each Dan Tian facilitates the best response and understanding in a given situation.

All three Dan Tians are simultaneously functioning to give us information about our environment and ways to respond to what is happening around us. They function as sensors and broadcasters of subtle vibrations. The Dan Tians, when developed and balanced, enable us to express our energies in a harmonious and powerful way. Generally, though, this is not the case. For most people, the most active field is the Upper Dan Tian. The use of the mind is such a constant part of everyday living that it is often the most developed and active. The Middle and Lower Dan Tians are usually less developed and active. However, this can vary among individuals depending on constitutional and opportunity factors.

Robert Peng, a famous Qi Gong teacher, has developed a system of personality types depending on which Dan Tian is most active and developed in contrast to a weaker Dan Tian. In this system, the attribute of the stronger Dan Tian is offset by the lower function of the weaker Dan Tian. This leaves the positive attribute less balanced and effective. Examples include:

© AOBTA® 2021 4 of 5 "Strong Upper Dantian, Weak Middle Dantian: This person is wise, intelligent, and insightful. They may be very successful in business, but no matter how successful they are, if their heart is weak, they will not be happy.

Strong Lower Dantian, Weak Upper Dantian: Physically this person is strong, vital, and charming. They’re in good health, but they have poor judgment. They’re mindless and can have bad timing. They do things without thinking or without thinking enough."

This is a very helpful way of understanding the varying combinations of strong and weak Dan Tians and how they contribute to perception and behavior. Weaker fields allow the stronger field to become overbalanced, creating the potential for problems in decision-making and behavior. Either the necessary information is ignored or the stronger impulse is not balanced, becoming overly intellectual, emotional, or aggressive in a given situation. When balanced, each Dan Tian facilitates the best response and understanding in a given situation.

The three Dan Tians or Elixir Fields are areas of the body that correspond to what the ancient Taoists describe as the Three Cinnabar — or Elixir — Fields. They were considered to be the palaces of the gods in the body. The maintenance of freely circulating Qi through these areas was said to ensure that the gods would maintain residence in the body and enable the person to have a long and healthful life. If the circulation of Qi became obstructed, the gods would depart, ensuring disease and early death. The Three Dan Tian Meditation uses breath and concentration to activate the circulation of Qi and Blood through these areas.

For Yang Sheng, the cultivation and development of the balance of the three Dan Tians translates to health and longevity. This balance facilitates automatically appropriate responses to the ever-changing circumstances of daily life.

Developing and balancing the Three Dan Tians requires an honest assessment of which ones are the least developed and then the adoption of practices that can enhance development. The following meditation is a useful way to both assess the Dan Tians and activate their development.

Exercise Three Dan Tian Meditation

1. Close your eyes and place your awareness in the lower Dan Tian. Breathe into this area 5 times. 2. Inhale into the lower Dan Tian and imagine you are drawing Qi into your body from the outside, exhale and radiate the Qi out into the universe. Do this 12-36 times. 3. Inhale into the middle Dan Tian and imagine you are drawing Qi into you body from the outside, exhale and radiate the Qi out into the universe. Do this 12-36 times. 4. Inhale into the upper Dan Tian and imagine you are drawing Qi into your body from the outside, exhale and radiate Qi out into the universe. Do this 12-36 times. 5. Return your awareness to the lower Dan Tian. Focus the breath there and allow Qi to accumulate. 6. Slowly open your eyes. Rub the palms together vigorously until they are warm. Rub your body starting at the head, then do the arms, chest, abdomen, lower back, and legs.