Taoist Meditation
“The quality of our internal energy is just as important to our health and spiritual development as the quantity. Taoists believe that we are born with the virtue qualities of love, gentleness, kindness, respect, honesty, fairness, justice, and righteousness.”
When positive energies flow abundantly through us, then our life force flows with grace and ease, nourishing us on all levels. It’s like a pebble in a pond as this flow of grace and ease then impacts on everything around us. When we neglect these positive virtues, we run the risk of feeding our negative lower vibrations instead. We all experience lower vibrational emotions from time to time, possibly daily: hate, cruelty, anger, sadness, worry and fear.
The key to moving through these is firstly to recognize them, acknowledge them and their origins, and then know how to change negative energies into positive energies …. i.e. Inner Alchemy (Neidan), so that they don’t block the energy flow in our organs. Our major organs are each associated with specific emotions. Negative emotions are neither suppressed nor expressed, instead the negative vibration is neutralized, purified and transformed back into original positive, creative energy.
One of the best-known Taoist meditations and, in my opinion, the best practice for beginners and masters of Inner Alchemy work alike, is the Inner Smile. This practice is as simple as it sounds: we smile inwardly to each part of ourselves, bringing love and self-compassion.
So often in my practice I see people who live predominantly in their heads, as though our bodies are just here to carry our heads around. This meditation makes time to say thank-you to our bodies, show gratitude and undo the disconnect that often wears us down
When you are ready sit upright in a straight-back chair with your knees comfortably spread and your feet flat on the ground. If you prefer you can do this meditation sitting crossed-legged on the floor as long as your spine is straight and your head and shoulders are relaxed.
Close your eyes. Take a few deep, slow belly breaths. As you breathe in feel your belly expand and as you breathe out feel your belly return towards your spine. Keep your awareness on this breath for now to bring you into the moment. Stay present. I prefer to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth, keeping the tip of my tongue lightly pressed against the roof of my mouth just behind my teeth.
There is such sweetness in this next part: Smile: Gently. Honestly. Tenderly. Feel the warmth that this brings to your soul.
Now gently begin to rock your spine from side to side, beginning at the bottom, vertebrae by vertebrae all the way up. Smile into your spine. Feel how your spine relaxes and warms up. Picture a golden glow to it.
Next rock your spine back and forth. Imagine your spine to be a hollow piece of bamboo. Allow your head to naturally nod back and forth too. When you stop rocking, smile into your spine from top to bottom and back up again with a feeling of deep gratitude.
Please don’t skip the spine-rocking as this relaxes not only your spine but also your nervous system. Also remember to maintain your smile throughout this practice.
Front Line - Functional Channel:
1) Imagine beautiful cosmic energy in front of you. Draw it in through your eyes with your breath. Smile down into your nose and cheeks.
2) Smile into your neck, throat, thyroid, parathyroid and thymus. Feel your throat opening and blossoming, releasing unnecessary tension.
3) Smile into your heart, feeling the warmth of love and joy spreading into your lungs, liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys and genitals.
Middle Line - Digestive System
1) Bring the smiling energy in through your eyes again then down into your mouth. Swallow your saliva smiling down into your stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus.
Back Line - Governor Channel
1) Smile, look up into your third eye, to your pituitary gland. Breathe that shining golden light into your brain.
2) Smile and spiral this energy clockwise into your thalamus, pineal gland, left and right brain hemispheres, to the top of your crown and the base of your skull.
3) Smile down into each vertebrae, top to bottom: 7 neck / cervicals, 12 chest / thoracics, 5 lower back / lumbar and sacrum.
All 3 Lines - Entire Body
1) Smile into all 3 lines: Front, Middle, Back. Then smile into all simultaneously, feeling the golden glow within you.
Collect Energy in Navel
1) Smile into your belly button, spiraling the energy with your mind’s eye and other senses. Men: cover your navel with both palms, left over right, spiral 36x clockwise and then 24x counter-clockwise. Women: cover your navel with both palms, right over left, and spiral the energy counter-clockwise 36x and then 24x clockwise. This stores the energy safely in your belly, available to you whenever and wherever your body needs it.
You have now completed the Inner Smile mediation, filling your body with golden light, love, gratitude and compassion. Negative emotions which may have blocked organs and energetic flow have been changed into positive vibrations through focused intention and unconditional love. Simple hey?
Love and light,
Sherry
Sacred Sexuality Guide
