"Qi" (also pronounced as "Chi"),
the Chinese word for life energy, is the force within our bodies and within the
universe that engenders all life and all things. The word itself has many
translations, such as energy, air, breath, wind, or vital essence. There are 49
cultures around the world that understand the concept of Qi in one form or
another; examples include Ki (Japanese), Prana (Sanskrit), Lung (Tibetan),
Neyatoneyah (Lakota Sioux), Num (Kalahari Kung), and Ruach (Hebrew).
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It is understood that Qigong ("energy
work") heals and purifies the physical, emotional, and spiritual energy
fields of our bodies. As such, it transforms the self from deeply ill to
radiantly healthy. Self-transformation then is a form of alchemy, where
something base is turned into something beautiful.
Within our body, there are various natural energetic
forces for healing and spiritual growth. Sexual healing is an important and
profound aspect of healing and purifying that is almost completely neglected in
the West today.
The
Taoists view that sexual relations between male and female are the primary
earthly manifestation of the universal principles of Yin & Yang. As such, the Chinese regard sex to be as natural and
indispensable to human health and longevity as rain falling on the fields is to
plant life.
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The
intense sense of guilt attached to sexual matters in Jewish-Christian tradition
is, in Chinese eyes, one of the most unpleasant and incomprehensible aspects of
Western culture. Sex was considered a natural part of life.
During
Qigong practice you use your concentration (based on your intention or desire)
and your breath to activate and move your internal energy so that blockages are
removed. These blockages cause pain on many levels, including the physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual. Once the blockages are removed through regular Qigong
practice or via the direction of a Qigong healer, one can release great inner
tension and can begin to finally fully heal on all levels.
As you become better able to sense (increase your
awareness of) and move your Qi, you will also be able to move your sexual
energy, or Jing Qi, as well. The ability to expand and move your sexual
energy allows you to transform your sexual energy into Qi, or life force, which
will give you a great deal more energy as you live your life in the world. And
when your energy is strong and your intention is clear, your Qi is transformed
into spiritual energy, or Shen.
Taoist texts described many special sexual positions
that served to cure or prevent illness.
The Quan Zhen Pai'm ("Perfect Realization School") Taoist school
sought immortality through meditation, breathing exercises, bathing,
gymnastics, sexual arts, medicines, chemistry, and other means.
Fángzhong Shù, literally "Joining Energy"
or "The Joining of the Essences", is the Chinese name for the way
some Taoists practiced sex. An important concept of "The Joining of the
Essences" was that the union of a man and a woman would result in the
creation of jing, a type of sexual energy. When in the act of lovemaking,
jing would form, and one could transform some of this jing into qi, and
replenish the lifeforce. By having as much sex as possible, one had the
opportunity to transform more and more jing, and as a result would see many
health benefits. They believed that by performing these sexual arts as a
spiritual practice, one could stay in good health, and eventually, with some
other spiritual or alchemical practices, attain immortality.
Scientists say that regular
intercourse can cut the chance of a heart attack or stroke by 50%,
significantly reduce the risk of prostate cancer, and give your immune system a
boost. So both the ancient Taoists and modern experts agree that staying
sexually active can increase both the length and quality of your life.
The major Taoist sexual techniques include teaching
how to master the differences of sexual arousal of male and female, harmonizing
the sexual will and desire, and liberating and activating the female while
relaxing the male. These techniques can be used to prolong the sexual act and
contribute to the pleasure of both partners. Emphasis was placed on breathing
techniques (qigong) during sex to prolong a man's orgasm to make a woman orgasm
several times to gain her yin essence.
In all the ancient Chinese sex manuals, woman is
always depicted as the guardian of sexual arcana and the supreme source of
life-sustaining essence and energy. In these texts the woman plays the role of
the great initiator and teacher of sex, while the man is described as a
sexually ignorant bumbler (as most modern day men have become thanks to a lack
in education and the idea of sex being nothing but recreational entertainment,
where the woman is just a fantasy object). This condition may explain the deep
fear and resentment that many men harbor toward women.
Sexual practices help relax the nerves and increase
blood flow; the more relaxed you become, the more easily Qi begins to flow.
Sexual alchemy becomes possible as the body rejuvenates and transform one's
self into a younger and healthier person. It also allows you to increase your
physical pleasure and intensify your orgasms, especially for the woman in a
relationship. Healing Love practice offers a practical method to
access and integrate the two most powerful healing forces in the world: real
love and sexual energy. These practices can increase your feelings of love and
invigorate your body and soul.
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One invigorating sexual practice is called Tantric
Sex. In China, Tantric Buddhism developed that called for engagement with the
natural processes within the world and shared much with Taoism. Tantra
challenged the acetic beliefs of that time, purporting that sexuality was a
doorway to the divine, and that earthly pleasures, such as eating, dancing, and
creative expression were sacred acts. Tantra is over 1600 years old, and
like yoga, it originated in India. The word Tantra means "tools for
expansion. or "to manifest, to expand, to show and to weave." It is a
set of teachings and practices that are specifically designed to help us feel
more, to increase our awareness of our own energy, and the energy around us.
One path that Tantra uses to these ends is the exploration of sexual energy. Tantra
uses such techniques as keeping one's eyes open during sex; prolonging foreplay
slowly; sharing each other's breath, and creating an intimate space to interact
in.
The goal of Tantric sex is to allow us to experience
more depth and breadth in our sexuality. The goal is not necessarily to orgasm,
but rather enriching the whole sexual experience. In Tantra, like Taoism, there is the idea that the smooth flow
of energy in our bodies can get stuck somewhere in the system, becoming blocked
from moving freely or depleted for a variety of reasons. The tantric practice works
toward keeping the energy flowing through us smoothly and naturally.
BECOMING ONE
So
how does all this Taoist wisdom translate into advice for modern people?
Cultivate
your own sexual energy. Take time to breathe into your pelvic area filing your
lower abdomen with qi down to your pelvic floor.
See
sex as an energetic exchange with your partner. Sometimes this is lively and
sometimes it is peaceful. Take the pressure to perform off yourself by seeing
sex as one more way you and your loved one connect.
Pursue
the kind of holistic health practices that bring balance to your body such as
acupuncture, massage, and meditation.
Have
sex. Make time to connect with your partner in this way. It’s good for your
relationship, it’s good for your health, and if the Taoists are to be believed
it’s good for your spirit.
@primavera.yoga “Sex essence is the source of all energy available for creative and thinking processes (shien).”
Genuine trust develops that brings long term love,
affection, and devotion. A couple can then finally become intimate with each
other in the true sense of the word; each one connecting more fully and
trusting that one is in complete support of the other. The result is
complete joy and gratitude with oneself, one's partner, and the world. Tantric
sex brings one on a spiritual path that is devoted and dedicated to the
challenge of becoming aware, in every moment of our embodied lives, of the
supreme flow of the sacred lifeforce itself—the Sacred Unity of Love.
Spread love,
Namaste
Aviv
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