Circling of Light – The Microcosmic Orbit

The Microcosmic Orbit is actually an internal practice that involves little or no movement. It’s a practice that involves leading our energy through what is perhaps the most important ‘river’ of energy in the human body. It’s the loop “orbit”  between the governing vessel (yang) which flows up the spine from the base to the top of the head and down to the point between the nose and the top lip, and the conception vessel (yin) which carries on down the centre of the front of the body switching back to the governing vessel at the perineum.

It’s best to practice while seated or standing, as according to the Taoists, humans are the bridge between heaven (the levels of existence outside physical reality) and the earth (physical existence). But it is as well very nice reclined (or in savasana) or reclined supported butterfly.

If standing, unlock the knees and tuck the tailbone under and bring the spine into alignment. Perhaps most important of all is to relax and bring the warmth of a soft smile to your practice.

The practice itself is simple. One is to gently lead the energy up the spine and down the front. The most simple method is to use the inward breath to draw the chi upwards and the outward breath to allow it to flow downwards like a watercourse flowing down the front of the body.

The Microcosmic Orbit is a fundamental qigong meditation, and it’s so basic that all three aspects of qigong, martial qigong, medical qigong, and spiritual qigong all share this particular kind of meditation, this particular kind of qigong.

I really love this breath! It is so powerful while calming at the same time!

The  (yin) yoga way

They are slightly different ways to explain this particular breath. I stick to the one that I learned this practice from Bernie Clark.

• Seated in a comfortable position (with crossed legs)
• In (yin) yoga we normally start at the sacral chakra ( energy point) just under your naval. Bring your focus there.
• Breath in and go from your sacral chakra down to the root chakra, continue with your inhale up along your spine, over your head and end in your third eye center.
• Pauze for a few seconds at your third eye center.
• Now slowly with an even outbreath go down the front of your body till you back at the starting point your sacral chakra

TIPS: 

• In the beginning, people find it quite hard to do the whole loop. Especially the inhale as it is quite a journey. So the key is a  slow and controlled  breath.
• Make the inhale as long as the exhale.
• You can visually touch your chakras on both sides.
• For me visualising a whitye bright light making loops , connecting the front and the back of the body really helps.

More advanced:

You can use the perineum as a pump This is a slightly more advanced version of the Microcosmic Orbit breath.

The idea is  to clench the perineum before beginning and during the inward breath, then release on the outward breath. This is said to direct the chi flow upwards.One way of looking at the clenching of the perineum is that it prevents the chi flowing down the conception vessel at the front from continuing down into the earth, but instead sends it up the spine once again. This clenching also has the dual purpose of more generally giving the whole body the instruction that you wish to hold energy.

Benefits of the Microcosmic Orbit:

• Relieves stress
• Refreshes the mind
• Activates the parasympathetic nervous system encouraging a calmer, more balanced state of being overall.
• It also helps to correct unhealthy breathing patterns.