My practice of Chinese medicine and acupuncture is deeply informed and influenced by my lifetime of study of kung fu, qi gong, and nei gong. This cross-pollination is directly passed on to my patients and students: I teach qi gong forms for cultivating health and immunity, and discuss deeper philosophical / spiritual concepts that encourage individuals to move beyond psychological limitations and emotional stagnation.
One concept I always stress with my patients is the use of qi gong to cultivate deeper reserves of vitality during the fall and winter months in order to prevent seasonal challenges such as colds / flu; as well as seasonal emotional problems.
The Lower Dan Tian and “Spontaneous Flexibility”
The lower dan tian, the “elixir field” known so well to practitioners of martial arts and Chinese medicine, is not commonly understood by most patients, so I make sure to spend ample time explaining the beautiful concepts found within this rich topic.
The lower dan tian is a vast and nuanced topic; however, I stress to my patients that the lower dan tian is a reservoir with the potential to cultivate deep immunity and what I term spontaneous flexibility. This “spontaneous flexibility” refers to the ability to cultivate mental resilience and a flexible vision in the face of life’s inevitable challenges.
It can be easy for patients to conceive of the idea of the lower dan tian functioning as a container of infinite potential if they know how to conserve, seal and cultivate the contents. Ideally ,patients can learn to see dan tian as their inherent immunity and psychological resilience to stress; and in so doing, become less helpless / victims and more active co-creators of their unique lives.
Qi Gong: Collecting the Qi
During the fall and winter seasons, I typically teach patients qi gong forms to stimulate the flow of qi throughout the body and strengthen the lungs and kidneys. At the end of each session, it is most common to finish with a sequence often referred to as “Gathering / Attracting the Qi to the Lower Dan Tian” or “Collecting the Qi,” in which everything generated and circulated during the form practice is encouraged and guided by intent to return to the reservoir of the lower dan tian. This helps to build deep vitality, which can then be distributed throughout the various organs and meridians.
Patients frequently comment that this ending part of the qi gong practice “feels more powerful” or “more calming,” and they often ask if they can do this last part more often. Patients often state that when they do more of the ending “Gathering the Qi” sequence, they sleep deeper and have less sickness throughout the colder months.
A Relevant Point Formula
Over decades of clinical practice and a lifetime of qi gong and kung fu practice, I have developed a simple, yet extremely effective acupuncture formula rooted in circulating and consolidating / collecting the qi into the lower dan tian:
Du 20 + Ren 4 + Kid 1
Du 20 is the meeting point of the Governing Vessel with the Bladder, Gallbladder, San Jiao, and Liver channels, and the Point of the Sea of Marrow. Its actions include pacifying wind, subduing yang, raising the yang, benefiting the head and sense organs, nourishing the Sea of Marrow, benefiting the brain, and calming the spirit.
Ren 4 is the front mu point of the small intestine and meeting point of the Conception Vessel with the Spleen, Liver, and Kidney channels. Its actions include fortifying the original qi and nourishing essence, tonifying and nourishing the kidneys, warming and tonifying the spleen, regulating the lower jiao, benefiting the bladder, regulating the small-intestine qi, and restoring prolapse.
Kid 1 is an extremely well-known point in the practice of kung fu and qi gong / nei gong; its actions include descending excess qi from the upper body, calming the spirit, reviving consciousness, rescuing yang, harmonizing the heart and kidneys, and descending the qi into the Cinnabar Field of the lower dan tian.
Clinical Pearls
Outside of the obvious wide-ranging potential of each of these acupuncture points relating to the Ren meridian as Sea of Yin, the Du meridian as Sea of Yang, and the Kidney as the root of the body’s inherent vitality, the inspiration for this three-point combination is the qi gong concept of the “qi from the Earth mixing with the qi of Heaven within the lower dan tian.”
I have found this particular formula to be extremely effective for building deep immunity, as well as psychological resilience and improved quality of sleep. All of these actions are very important during the fall and winter seasons.
This three-point formula can be administered weekly for patients needing cultivation of deep health and a calmer nervous system response; however, I have found even one to two treatments to provide surprisingly long-term results.
During application of the needles, I tend to use an even needle stimulation and after the needle sensation has arrived, I encourage the patient to draw their intent / attention to the area of the lower dan tian and as much as possible, root their awareness in this area while calming and slowing their breath.
Monitor the patient’s pulse; often after 10 minutes, a dramatic calming of the pulse will be apparent. You can also add points such as St 36 and the important back shu points if patients are extremely deficient and need more support for immunity and deeper health reserves.
