The Microcosmic is a safe system because once the two main
channels are open, the energy will circulate automatically in a loop.
Energy flowing in a circle will never build up enough energy at any
single point to cause serious discomfort or pain. But if you try to
force the energy to flow in one direction only, such as to the higher
centers in the head, it may burst like a water hose with a kink in it.
The water pressure has no where to go but explode.
Additional safety routes are available in this Taoist practice. If
too much energy gets stuck in the head, just reverse the flow and
send the energy down the back to the feet and then up the front to
the tongue/palate. Putting the tongue up to the palate completes
the circuit, joining the energy of the Governor and Functional chan-
nel. It is like building a tunnel through a mountain; it will shorten the
time if you dig from both ends and meet at the middle. This is what
we are doing when we join the two routes into a single loop.Chapter X