1. Matching Yin and Yang

Qi rises and falls in regular cycles.

If we draw forth our energy and then allow it to dissipate, we lose it:

䷗䷒䷊䷡䷪䷀䷫䷠䷋䷓䷖䷁

We work hard to draw yang creative energy into use in our bodies, and then so easily consume it once we have it.

So after we have done the work of drawing energy into the doorway of change, next we learn to retain it.

Inhaling deeply, long, slow, fine, even - and as the breath fills, slow down and listen for the trickle of fluid within the pressure. Finding that trickle, exhale gently so that the out breath is not wasteful but allows the fluid that has generated to fill within.

Thus we inhale deeply to draw qi through:

䷗䷒䷊䷡䷪䷀

Then we turn within so that we carefully retain it without leaking:

䷪䷡䷊䷒䷗䷁

In the beginning, we want to use the stage of sunrise to expand deeply with our inhale, so we can really begin to fill with qi and identify the balance of expansion of qi through the LV, and carefully listening on the exhale to match the contraction of yin that responds to it.

Working at Sunrise like this in the beginning is ideal so that one can get the hang of energy expanding and contracting without leaking in the organs.

At each of the 8 nodes/divisions the energy makes use of different principles.

In the beginning it is important to fill with qi and fluid. Then we follow them from node to node, adjusting to maintain the fullness of their circulation as changes are introduced.

This establishes the Mao-You (Rabbit-Rooster) Waterwheel and the matching of yin and yang enables the even respiration of qi and fluid known as pore breathing that becomes embryo breathing.

2. Gathering and Dispersing Water and Fire

So now that we've learned to fill with qi and create fluid that we can use to circulate, next we need to get that circulation through the full cycle of the day.

Two of the 8 stages tend to challenge this, so we need to learn about them. Then we can use their mechanisms to nurture our cultivation instead of struggling.

• A person running, who runs into a slight dip, might notice that in coming out of the dip there is some extra downward force to negotiate. Similarly, if one were to fill a bucket with water and swirl it in an cycle from earth to sky, there is the moment when it reaches the earth, straight down again. And then there is the momentum that carries through (this is Kan). And then there is the slowing down with gravity as new momentum needs to be added to maintain the cycle again. This is the period of Gen. When the Qi reaches the Bladder there is a lot of fluid and little qi, so yang is very subtle and is being held back. We can take advantage of this time by drawing the qi (yang) out within the fluid, within the domain of yin, so that by the time it reaches Sunrise and enters the LV, there is ample qi to nurture into bright yang.

So we utilize Gen (begins half way between Midnight and Sunrise, ends at Sunrise)'s influence to nurture and gather our yang qi together. Then we can use it to disperse any old left over fire from the previous night.

This is called Collecting at Gen.

• When we open up the doorway of change, we tend to make a mess, and a mess produces loss. If we want to have an efficient system, we need to transform what was wasted back into pure energy again. But by the end of the day most of us tend to scatter our energy. We feel some stresses from work and family and drink some alcohol and watch a show to create some new energies and distract us from all the other stuff. We eventually retire to bed and witness the effects of what is being metabolized in our dreams.

If we were a metalworks shop, and had a lot of scrap left over at the end of the day, we could have that scrap melted back down into new fresh metal again.

That is essentially what we're doing with Qian here, the period that begins halfway between Sunset and Midnight and ends at Midnight. (Midnight and Noon are always assumed to be the true local midnight and true local noon - the times when the sun is straight up and straight down).

Remember, ordinarily the yin cycle exhausts yang:

䷫䷠䷋䷓䷖䷁

Qian is the time when the energy moves through the last half of ䷖ and reaches ䷁. This is when we empty out at the end of the day. However, the usual way strips yang away. So we reverse it:

䷪䷡䷊䷒䷗䷁

And at ䷗ and ䷁ are doing the work to draw it within. This is called reigning in yang to gather and cover it within the domain of yin. Drawing up on the 'external kidneys' (testicles/overies), Bladder Qi (common fire)connects with KD qi (ministerial fire). Moving up and down like this, the HT qi (ruling fire) is pulled in to merge with them and their three fires are utilized to forge them back into one plasma again.

Now that we can add Collecting at Gen and Covering at Qian to the cycle, we ensure that yuan qi is able to be retained in the cycle somewhat, but how do we gain access to its medicines?

3. Mating Dragon and tiger

At Kan, after the midpoint of Zi, at Midnight, the fluid culminates and true qi is born in the kidneys.

At Li, after the midpoint of Wu, at Noon, the true qi culminates and true water is born in the heart.

Now that we can do the work of nurturing yang at Gen and gathering yang at Qian, we are able to bring the fullness of the pore breathing to the point where it can generate true qi at Kan and true water at Li.

Then, at Li we can sit in meditation and carefully stabilize the spirit, breathing slowly, allowing KD qi to fuse with HT qi to generate fluid, allowing the saliva to form in the mouth and carefully swallowing it. This assembles the medicine of true yang.

4. Heating and Refining the Cinnabar Medicine

After one has assembled the medicine in Li, one does the work of using yin to contain yang, drawing it through Kun and Dui so that one can refine it in Qian.

This is contracting the yang barrier at Qian to refine the cinnabar medicine. The contracting of the abdomen introduces heat, which is augmented to the necessary amount and then eases to "allow Qian and Kun to fill". Do not let qi move up but keep true water stable, pervading the SP palace.

Qi and water going through this refinement in the yellow chamber become jing, then a pearl, then mercury, then cinnabar grains.

5. Quickening the Gold Crystal by Pulling Back the Elbows.

At Kan, just after Midnight, Yang begins to grow. And by Gen (half between Midnight and Sunrise) KD qi already begins fusing with the LV.

So before it reaches this point we want to us the LV to push qi up from the KD. That means before the beginning of Gen, sometime in the Kan hour, after True Local Midnight, when the yang qi's upward force is strong enough to work with.

During this time, sit with loose clothing, make hands into fists and use the mind to push down into the LV area, thereby forcing qi to ascend through the body. Push the chest slightly forward and slightly bend the head back to close off the Double Barrier of the Narrow Strait at neck.

Next pull the elbows back once or twice like leaves of a door, stretch from the waist and feel a hot rush like fire ascending from the Tail Gate, rising up the spine to press against the Narrow Strait. Being careful not to break through the barrier, use the extremely hot qi to gradual open the Narrow Strait and let the qi flow past it.

From here lift up the face and create tension at the back of the skull, thereby closing the Upper Barrier. Being careful to not break through the Upper Barrier, allowing the hot qi to little by little push it open and flow into the head to supplement the Niwan and the ocean of marrow.

Use the methods of reverting to the elixir field and again push the chest forward and stretch from the waist to close the Narrow Straight. Bend and stretch a few times and when no more fire rises from the waist, practice quiet sitting and inner observation.

Practice from mid Kan to mid Gen.

This method reduces lead from the KD to create LV qi, and reverts the elixir from the lower dan tian to the upper dan tian.

This is the method of the three primes.

• Quickening the Gold Crystal at Kan reverts qi from the lower field to the upper field.

• Assembling the Medicine at Li reverts qi from the upper field to the middle field.

• Contracting the Yang Barrier at Qian reverts qi from the middle field to the lower field.

.... This continues on into more advanced work ....