I'd like to continue publishing articles on Neidan (內丹—internal Daoist alchemy).

Today will be the first part of a series of questions posed by a layperson to Master Liao Kun.

Between the heart and the genital region there exists an empty space in which Qi (氣), the Vital Energy, seeks to form a cavity. When Shen (神), Spirit, and Qi (氣) return to this cavity, the Vital Energy rises and forms the Circle of Light, which is no longer empty.

Emptiness that does not radiate is relative Xu (虛); yet Emptiness that radiates is Absolute Xu (虛). Absolute Emptiness is not empty in the same sense as relative emptiness. This non-empty Emptiness is the Spiritual Light, which is none other than Shen (神) and Qi (氣) emerging from the Yellow Court (Huangting 黃庭) of the Middle Elixir Field (Zhong Dantian 中丹田).

My Master Liao Kun said:

When the Golden Mechanism of Alchemy (Jinji 金機) begins to move and emits flashes of Light, then the Chamber of Emptiness (Xushi 虛室)—that is, the heart freed from passions and emotions—will be illuminated by a white radiance. This light reveals the Mysterious Pass (Xuanguan 玄關), the secret gateway to Immortality. Although its presence transcends ordinary emptiness, it is not itself emptiness.

A human being lives because this immaterial Shen (神) is present; when it is exhausted, death ensues. Hence it is said:

Spirit without Vital Energy cannot sustain life; Vital Energy without Spirit does not bring death.

The prenatal Spirit (Xiantian Shen 先天神) residing in the heart is the Essence of Being, while the prenatal Vital Energy (Xiantian Qi 先天氣) dwelling in the lower abdomen is the principle of Life. Only when Spirit and Vital Energy unite can genuine accomplishment be attained.

What is meant by the saying:

“If a person reaches the Original Cavity of Spirit (Ziqiao 紫竅), he will discover the Source of the Immortal Breath”?

Among ordinary people, those who open the Original Cavity of Spirit (Ziqiao 紫竅) are exceedingly rare.

This cavity is situated beneath Heaven (the crown of the head), above Earth (the lower abdomen), west of the Sun (the left eye), and east of the Moon (the right eye).

Behind the Mysterious Pass (Xuanguan 玄關) lies the Original Nature (Benxing 本性), which is the source of the True Breath (Zhenxi 真息).

Although the True Breath is connected with ordinary postnatal respiration, the latter enters through the mouth and nostrils and cannot reach the Original Cavity of Spirit in order to return to its Source.

The Immortal Breath, however, arises from within. It is generated through the circulation of Vital Energy in the Fourfold Breath and moves along the Microcosmic Orbit (Xiao Zhou Tian 小周天). Therefore it is able to return to the Source.

To seek the Immortal Breath, one must regulate ordinary postnatal breathing until its Source is discovered.

This Immortal Breath is concealed within the Original Cavity of Spirit (Ziqiao 紫竅). It is subtle and gentle, and if postnatal breathing is properly regulated, it will not dissipate.

Therefore Master Liao Kun said:

When Qi returns to the Original Ocean (Yuanhai 元海), life becomes boundless.