it flows up the front of the body through the KuanYuan and the Chi-
hai and then through the Chi-chung (the navel). Then it passes
through the Chung-wan (solar plexus) and proceeds to the Shan-
chung (the heart center). Thereafter, it passes through the Hsuan-
chi (throat) center and up to the tongue terminus. When connected
with the Governor Channel the energy path reverses direction and
flows down from the tongue, navel, to the Hui-Yin.
The Governor (or control) Channel also starts at the Hui-Yin.
From this point it moves up the posterior of the body. In doing so it
passes through the Chang-chiang (the base of the spine) and goes
up to the Ming-men (L2 and L3) or Door of Life where it continues
up to the Chi-chung (Tl1) between the adrenal glands and then
proceeds upwards to the Yu-chen or the Emerald Pillow of the
medulla. From there it rises to the crown of the head or Pai-hui (the
crown) and then goes to the Shen-ting and down to the Yin-T'ang
between the eyebrows. Here it passes to the San Ken (the tip of
the nose) and finally travels down to the palate, which is the terminus
of the Governor Channel.
Tongue is a Switch of the Circuit
The circuit may be closed when the tongue end of the Functional
Channel is raised to contact the palate terminus of the Governor.
Thus, during practice, we must keep the tongue in contact with the
palate. Placing the tongue against the palate has a calming effect
for those who practice the Warm Current Method. It also generates
saliva, which is regarded as the water of life in Taoist practice.
Saliva is said to be the chief lubricant of all bodily functioning. In the
Taoist view the soft palate is regarded as a direct link to the pituitary
gland.
As a man grows older he suffers increasingly from an imbalance
of Yin (female) and Yang (male) energies in the body. As these
disharmonies multiply, the bodily organs begin to suffer from the
receipt of too much or too little energy. How different is the vital
power of the infant! He grows nearly an ounce a day. This
represents an astounding accomplishment in the assimilation of
energy by the material body. The baby's body can do this heroic
job of cell building because its routes of energy are thoroughly open
and the flow of power is, consequently, very strong.
Summary of the Seven Stages