Qi:TheJournalofTraditionalEasternHealthandFitness.2004.14(3):2832.

TheTaoofInternalCultivation
By Guan-Cheng Sun, PhD

Inthepastseveralyearsofteachingqigongclasses,Ihavefounditisalways
interestingtodiscusswhatistheTao?andHowisourqigongpracticerelated
totheTao?Often,practitionersquotefromtheEnglishvisionoftheTaoTe
Ching:theTaothatcanbetoldisnottheeternalTao.Thenamethatcanbe
namedisnottheeternalname.(1)(:DaoKe
Dao,FeiChangDao;MingKeMing,FeiChangMing.FromChapter1ofTaoTe
Ching).Onedaywhenthisquotecameupyetagain,IrepliedIfthatwasreally
LaoTzusmeaningoftheTao,therewouldneverhavebeenaTaoTeChingatall.
Thetranslatorsaysthosewhoknowdonttalk;thosewhotalkdontknow,(1)
(:ZhiZheBuYan,YanZheBuZhi.FromChapter56ofTaoTe
Ching)andthissuggeststhatLaoTzudidntknow,becausehewroteabout5,000
words.So,isitLaoTzuwhoreallydidntknow?

ThewordTaoappears74timesintheTaoTeChing.However,forthisoneterm,
therearedifferentmeaningsindifferentsentencesorchapters.SometimestheTao
meanstheway,ortalkorspeaking,orvirtue;sometimestheTaomeans
theoriginofeverything,orthematrixofqiortruthorprincipleor
mechanismsorobjectivelawsofenergy,health,nature,society,thinking,and
soforth.HowcanweunderstandthemeaningoftheTaocorrectlyindifferent
situations?Accordingtomyunderstanding,theinternalcultivationprocess,or
qigongpractice,isonewaytocomprehendandexperiencethefullnessofallthat
ismeantbyTao.

Sinceancienttimes,oneofthewaystoknowoneselfandotherswascalled
internalcultivation.Thisinternalcultivationwasawaytodeveloptheintrinsic
functionsofthebody,usingtheintelligenceandwisdomofthebodyto
communicatewithandthustounderstandtheobjectivenaturalworldbymeans
ofqi.Morerecently,internalcultivationhasbecomeknownasQigongpractice.

TheDescentofQi

InthebeginningofQigongtraining,wefirsttraintheintellectualmindtorelax
andtoturnthefocusfromtheoutertotheinner.Wedirectourintenttofindan

appropriatedegreeofconcentration,onethatallowsustofeeltheenergyfield
betweenbothhandsstretchinglikeanenergeticrubberbandandforminga
magneticenergyfield(LianYiDeNeng).

Wealsoexperiencethatsenseofmagneticfieldbetweenourelbows,orbetween
ourknees,orbetweentheelbowsandknees,andsoforth.Eventhoughwefeel
theseenergeticsensations,theenergyfieldisexperiencedatthesurfaceofthe
skinintheearlystageofenergeticdevelopment.

Withcontinuedanddisciplinedpractice,weareabletoexperiencetherefinedqi
flowingbeneaththeskinandthroughtheacupuncturemeridiansaswegain
experientialunderstandingoftheinternalenergypathways.Whenourrefinedqi
becomesintegratedwiththeforceofthemuscles,weexperiencethedifference
betweenmerephysicalforceandtheinternalpowerofJing().Whenour
refinedqibecomesintegratedwithourtendons,weexperiencethedifference
betweenthesoftnessofthetendonsandpoweroftheRou()withinthe
tendons.Whentherefinedqibecomesintegratedwithourbones,weexperience
thedifferencebetweenthequalityofthestrengthofthebonesandthepowerof
Gang().WhentherefinedqisinksdowntotheDantian,theinternalelixir
field,weexperiencetheDantianrotationnaturally.Withcontinuedpractice,
theinternalrefinedqigoesintodeeperanddeeperlayersofthebody;whenthe
refinedqientersintotheinternalorgans,weexperiencehowdifferentorgans
respondtospecificemotions.Forexample,whenIcommunicatewithstudents
experiencinggrief,mylungsfeelheavyandcold;whenIcommunicatewith
studentsexperiencingexcessanger,myliverhurts;whenIcommunicatewith
studentsexperiencingexcessexcitement,myheartandchestfeelwarm.These
experiencesreflectwhatChinesemedicinesays:thatangerisrelatedtotheliver,
thatgriefisrelatedtothelungs,andsoforth.Buttheseexperiencesofbodyto
bodycommunicationswithoutwordsalsohelpmetounderstandthemeaningof
theTaoofLaoTzuinhisfirstsentenceoftheTaoTeChing:theTaothatcanbe
toldisverydifficulttoexpressinlanguage,andeventhoughwegivetheTaoa
name,thenameisstillhardtounderstand.LaoTzusmeaningofTaoistheTao
ofinternalcultivation.And,inordertounderstandthisTaoofinternal
cultivation,internalexperienceandrealizationarenecessary.(2)

BreathingDowntotheHeels

Asstatedearlier,thebeginningstagesofourinternalexperienceinvolvesensing
theenergyfieldbetweenourhands.Thereafter,webegintobreathemoredeeply,

slowly,andsmoothly,increasingtheoxygenlevelswithin.Thisenhancesthe
strengthoftheenergyfield,andreducesthecarbondioxidelevelsinthebody,
keepingtheinternalenvironmenthealthyandclean.Inancienttimes,breathing
exercisewascalledTuNa.ThefamousphilosopherChuangTzu(3rdcentury
B.C.),statedthattheimmortalsbreathingreachesdowntotheirheelsandthe
normalpersonsbreathingtothethroat.(3)Whatisthemeaningofthis
statement?Isitpossibletobreathesodeeplythatitreachesdowntoourheels?

Letusexaminethephysiologyofhumanrespiration.Therearethreestepsinone
completerespiration.Inthefirststep,theoxygenflowsintothelungs,and
carbondioxideflowsouttotheatmosphere;inthesecondstep,bloodgains
oxygenandgivesupcarbondioxide;inthethirdstep,bloodgivesupoxygenand
gainscarbondioxide.Inthefirststep,qiisexchangedbetweentheatmosphere
andthelungs;inthesecondstep,qiisexchangedbetweenthelungsandblood;in
thethirdstep,qiisexchangedbetweenthebloodandcells.Ourcellsconstantly
useoxygenforthemetabolicreactionsthatreleaseenergyfromnutrient
moleculesandproduceapackagedformofchemicalenergy,ATP(adenosine
triphosphate).Thischemicalenergy,ATP,isusedtopowertheprocessesinall
cellsinthebody.Weneedconstantrespirationinordertosupportourdailylife
andactivities.Wealsoneedtoeliminateexcesscarbondioxideasefficientlyand
quicklyaswecan,becauseanexcessiveamountofcarbondioxideproduces
aciditythatistoxictothecellsandtothebody.However,ournaturalrespiration
stylesconstantlychangeduringourdevelopment.

Ourlifestartswiththefusionofthefathersspermandmothersegg.This
fertilizedeggisasinglecell.Inthatstate,thecellutilizesitsentirecellular
membraneasabreathingapparatusviaitsconnectionwiththemothersuterus.
Wecancallthiscellularbreathing,orembryonicbreathing(Figure1)(4).

Whentheumbilicalcordisformedduringembryonicdevelopmentitisthe
transportmechanismcarryingoxygenrichbloodandnutrientstothebabyand
exportingbloodwithcarbondioxideandotherwasteproductsfromthebabyto
themothersplacenta.Thebabyexpandsandcontractstheabdominalareaofits
body,inhalingduringexpansionandexhalingduringcontraction.Thisnatural
movementactsasthepumpthatstimulatestheinflowofqi,oxygenandnutrients
andtheoutflowofqi,carbondioxideandwasteproductsviathecord.Inthis
stage,thebabyisutilizingwhatwecallnaturalabdominalbreathing(Figure2).

Afterthebabyisborn,thebreathingstylechangessothatthebabygetsoxygen
intothelungsandcarbondioxideoutofthelungsthroughthenoseorthemouth
(Figure3).(5)

Inaddition,ashumansgetolder,breathingbecomesshallowerandtakesplace
higherinthebodysothatthefocalpointofthebreathinggraduallyshiftsfromthe
abdomentothethorax,andfromthethoraxtothethroat.ThisiswhyChuangTzu
saidthatthenormalpersonisbreathingtothethroat.Inthisstage,thecarbon
dioxideandotherwasteproductsgettrappedunderthetissuesinthethoraxand
theabdomen.Thisisbecausethebreathingisnotinitiatedfromabdominal
movementasinthechildorthefetus.Thereislesspronouncedorganandtissue
movementinternallythusthecarbondioxideandotherwastematerialsareno
longerexpelledasefficiently.Overaperiodoftime,wastesproducedduring
metabolismaccumulateasthebreathingaspectofeliminationbecomesless
effective.Thisaccumulationofcarbondioxideandwastematerialsaffectsour
healthandwellbeingagreatdeal.Itcancausehighbloodpressure,exhaustion,
headaches,dizziness,andsoon.Anexcessiveamountofcarbondioxideproduces
aciditythatchangestheinternalconditions;pHbecomesmoreacidic,bloodand
liquidflowbecomeslower,etc.Theseinternalchangesprovideaconditionand
opportunityfortheexpressionofunhealthygenes,suchascancer,andforviralor
bacteriainfections,suchasarthritis.

AuniqueaspectofQigongpracticeisthatwecanconsciouslychangeour
breathingstylesfromdeepchestbreathingtoabdominalbreathing,and
ultimatelytoembryonicbreathing,therebyrestoringtheintrinsicfunctionsofthe
respiratorysystem.Wecanconsciouslybreathedeeplydowntothecellularlevel
onceagain,asinthechildorthefetus.Oncepractitionershaveexperienceda
successfulreversalofbreathingstylethroughqigongpracticetheyareinabetter
positiontobegintounderstandLaoTzusquestion,Concentratingtheexercise
withqi,canyoutrainyourbodytobecomeassuppleasachildsagain?(
?ZhuanQiZhiRou,NengYingErHu?FromChapter10ofTaoTe
Ching).

IntrinsicNature,orGenQi

Accordingtotheancients,animportantaspectoftheinternalcultivationprocessis
howtonourishanddevelopanindividualsGenQi().Butwhatisthe
GenQi?AftermanyyearsofqigongpracticeIrealizedthattheGenQirepresents
theqiofourgenesintheDNAattheenergeticandinformationallevels.

Everyonecarriesafullsetofgeneticcodesinheritedfromourparents.Ifweview
ourbodyasapersonalgarden,thedifferentgenesinourDNAcanbeviewedas
differentseedsofflowers,trees,weeds,vegetables,etc.Differentseedsneed

differenttypesofsoilandspecificconditionsinordertogrow.Similarly,inthe
body,differentgenesneedparticularconditionsinthebodysinternal
environmentinordertoexpressthemselves.Wecannotchangethegeneticcodes
withinourbodies,butwecanchangeourinternalcondition,ourinternal
environment,inordertoencourageandimprovetheexpressionofthehealthyand
noblegenesaswellastoavoidandrepresstheexpressionoftheunhealthyand
undesirablegenes.

TogiveanexampleofhowtheGenQiisexpressedatthephysicallevelofthe
body,someindividualsmayhavepowerfulgenesofalcoholdehydrogenase
enzyme,sotheyareabletodrinkabottleofwinejustlikedrinkingwater.They
enjoythedrinkingwithoutanynegativeeffects.However,ifsomeindividuals
havethisenzymegenedeficiency,theymayfeelitchywitharedfaceandarash
overalloftheirbodyeveniftheydrinkonlyasmallamountofwine.Alcohol
cannotbestoredinthebody,andthebodymustgetridofiteffectively.Within
thebody,alcoholcanonlybeoxidizedintheliver,wherealcoholdehydrogenase
enzymesinitiatethealcoholoxidizingprocess.(6)Inthecaseofanindividualwho
hasthisenzymegenedeficiency,theyshouldavoidtakingalcoholintothebody.
Andeventhoughanotherindividualmayhavepowerfulgenesofalcohol
dehydrogenaseenzymes,theyshouldnottakealcoholintothebodytoadegree
greaterthantheenzymescanhandleotherwise,theexcessalcoholnotonly
affectsthefunctionsoftheliver,butcancausefattyliver,triggerotherliver
disease,andalsotraveltootherpartsofthebody,increasingtherisksofgouty
arthritis,andcancerintheliver,breast,pancreas,rectum,andsoforth.Ingeneral,
manypeoplearenotawareofhowtheirspecificsymptomsreflecttheir
correspondingspecificgeneexpression,thustheyarenotabletolistenthebodys
signalsandintelligenceuntiltheyvealreadygottensick.

Disciplinedqigongpractitioners,however,graduallydevelopaninformation
system.Thedeepeningandenhancedqiflowincreasestheirawarenesslevelsso
theyunderstandthatunusualsymptomsorsignalsarefeedbackfromthebodys
intelligence.Forinstance,tocontinuewiththedrinkingexample,anindividual
mightfeelastrongsenseofpainintheliver,orvomiting,whensheorhedrinks
justasmallamountofwineifitdoesnotfitthebodyscondition.Thusthebodys
informationsystemautomaticallyprotectsthebodyandpreventsthe
developmentofillnesses.WhathashappenedforthisQigongpractitioneristhat
theyhavebecomeawareoftheinteractionbetweentheGenQi(gene)andthe
correspondingstimulus.Inthedrinkingexample,theyhavegainedexperiential
understandingofhowexcessalcohol,orjiuqi(),canaffectanddamagethe
qioftheliver().

Theseinteractionstakeplaceatthephysicallevelquiteobviously,buttheyalso
takeplaceatthelevelofourgiftsandabilities,ourbehaviors,andotheraspectsof
ourGenQiaswell.Whenitcomestoourtalentsandbehaviors,thesealsorequire
particularconditionsinordertobeexpressed.Withqigongpractice,wegradually
developagreaterunderstandingofourintrinsictalents,ortheGenQiwithin,and
makebetterchoicesanappropriatefield,friends,communitysoastonourish
anddevelopourinheritednatureandtofulfillourhighestpotential.Forexample,
intherecentHollywoodmovie,SeaBiscuit,ahorsewithinbornchampion
qualityrequiredanunderstandingowner,acongenialhorse/companion,a
sympatheticrider,andamasterfultrainerwiththeabilitytoseewhatotherscould
notseeallworkingtogethertoachievethegoal.Oncepractitionersareawareof
whatkindofenergystimulates,nourishes,andenhancestheirinheritedtalentand
potentials,andwhatkindofenergyrepressesanddamagesthedevelopmentof
theirintrinsicnature,theymakegreatprogressintheircultivationprocess.When
practitionersexperiencethechangefromapassive/reactiveorientationtoonethat
isproactiveinthenourishingandexpressingoftheirintrinsicnature,theyhave
achievedagreatdeal.AsLaoTzusaid,knowingothersisintelligence;knowing
oneselfisenlightenment.(7)(,ZhiRenZheZhi,ZiZhiZhe
Ming.FromChapter33ofTaoTeChing).

Conclusion

Aside,perhaps,fromsomereligioustractsonfaith,theWesterntradition,withits
rootsinreasonandempiricism,withitsbinarismsofmind/bodyandspirit/matter,
haslonggiggledandsmirkedattheconceptofexperience,aconceptthatis,
indeed,heldatarmslength.InEasterntraditions,however,experienceisthe
veryrootofmuchofwhathasbeenhandeddown.ForWesternersandEasterners
alike,itisvitaltounderstandthattextssuchastheTaoTeChingandtheChuang
TzuemergedfromtheprimacyofthisexperienceoftheTao.Thepoemsand
storiesinthesetextsreflectalevelanddegreeofunification,aonenesswiththe
Taothatisbothspiritualandbodily.Ofcourselanguagecanneveradequately
conveythisfullness,andthatiswhytheTaoTeChingbeginsasitdoes.

IhaveobservedpractitionersduringQigongclassesastheytastemomentsof
mentalsilenceduringthepractice;then,almostinvariably,someoneinthegroup
willwantorneedtodiscusssomepointandoverandoveragainIsee
practitionersreluctancetobepulledoutoftheexperiencebytalkingaboutit
insteadofjustbeinginit.Itwouldseemasthoughthemind,havingtastedrest
andsilence,recognizeshowtiringitistobeengagedallthetimeintalking;and

thebody,havingintegratedandsynchronizedwiththemind,doesntreallywant
toopenitsmouth.Thisrepresentsrealprogressinpractice,whatthetradition
referstoaszeromind,theplacewhereweconnecttosomethinggreatersome
havecalleditTao.

Acknowledgments:

MythankstoJillGonetforherhelpwiththewritingofthisarticle.

Endnotes:

(1)TaoTeChing,trans.byStephenMitchell,1988,HarperCollinsPublishers,p.1
andp.56.

(2)Forexample,themostimportantaspectofinternalmartialartspracticeis
coordinatingtheinternalqiflowwithoutsidemovements.Anoutstanding
modernTaiChiteacher,GaoFu,hasbeenteachingpeopletopracticeTaiChiby
cultivatingtheinternalqi.ShetoldmethatshepracticedTaiChiChuanformsfor
abouteightyearswithouttrainingherinternalqi.MadamGaosaidthatbefore
shedevelopedinternalqi,whenpeoplesawherpracticingtheysaidherforms
wereverybeautiful,butemptyontheinside.Shesaidshedidntknowwhatthey
weretalkingabout(TaiChi:TheInternationalMagazineofTaiChiChuan,21:6,
December1997.).Butsheunderstoodthemeaningofemptyontheinsideright
awayaftersheexperiencedtheinternalqimovementbyfollowingtheteaching
andguidancefromTaiChimasters,XiouChenTianandZhiQiangFeng.Her
experienceagaindemonstratesthattheTaothatcanbetoldisverydifficultto
expressinlanguage,andeventhoughwegivetheTaoaname,thenameisstill
hardtounderstandwithouttheinternalexperienceandrealization.

(3)TheRootofChineseQigong,byJwingMingYang,1997,YMAAPublication
Center.p.14.

(4)ThisillustrationhasbeenadaptedfromoneinHumanPhysiologybyStuartIra
Fox,1996,Wm.C.BrownPublishers.p.642.

(5)ThisillustrationhasbeenadaptedfromoneinHumanPhysiologybyStuartIra
Fox,1996,Wm.C.BrownPublishers.p.471.

(6)Checkmoredetailedinformationat
http://www.healthchecksystems.com/alcohol.htm

(7)DaoDeJing,trans.byChengLin,1995,TheWorldBookCompany,Ltd.p.55.
ForothertranslationsofChapter33oftheTaoTeChing,visitthewebsiteat
http://www.geocities.com/bgaughr/words_of_wisdom.htm