THE EIGHT WONDROUS MERIDIANS AND THE BIG UNIVERSE
Shaolin Wahnam members are always happy
Question
When a practitioner has a real breakthrough in the first two of the eight wondrous meridians the practitioner has attained the Small Universe. When a practitioner has attained a real breakthrough in the third wondrous meridian, every day will be a joy. What are the results and benefits of a real breakthrough in the other five of the eight wondrous meridians?
When a practitioner attains the Big Universe before he attains the Small Universe it does not automatically mean that the practitioner will be healthy all the time. I am curious why this is the case. Do the meridians of the Big Universe build one circle of energy like the Small Universe does with the two meridians?
Bernhard
Answer
The term "Eight Wondrous Meridians" was coined by me when I wrote "The Complete Book of Chinese Medicine." The eight Wondrous Meridians are:
- Ren Meridian, or the Conceptual Meridian.
- Du Meridian, or the Governing Meridian.
- Chong Meridian, or the Rushing Meridian.
- Dai Meridian, or Belt Meridian.
- Yin Qiao Meridian, or the In-Tall Meridian.
- Yang Qiao Meridian, or the Out-Tall Meridian.
- Yin Wei Meridian, or the In-Protective Meridian.
- Yang Wei Meridian, or the Out-Protective Meridian.
"Qi" means "wondrous", "marvelous", "miraculous", "odd" or "strange". Please note that the Romanized Chinese word for chi or energy is also "qi", but pronounced in a different tone. "Jing" means the meridians or pathways where chi flows. "Ba" means "eight". "Mai" also means "meridians".
Chinese physicians use two terms for meridians -- "jing" and "mai". "Jing" refers to main meridians, like the 16 Primary Meridians leading to or from various internal organs, such as the Lung Meridians, the Heart Meridian, and the Stomach Meridian. "Mai" refers to secondary meridians that branch out from the main meridians.
This division is not strictly followed. The Eight Wondrous Meridians, or "qi jing ba mai", are actually main meridians, but they are usually referred to as "mai". In Cantonese, "dim mark" means "dotting energy pathways". In Mandarin, "dim mark" is "dian xue", which is "dotting energy points".
Unlike the 16 Primary Meridians which are well studied in Chinese medicine, the 8 Wondrous Meridians are not. Nevertheless, it is well known that the chi or energy in the 8 Wondrous Meridians act as reserve in energy reservoirs and will flow to fill the primary meridians when necessary. They also act like structures that enable a person to stand and walk, and they contribute to longevity.
When chi or energy flows constantly along the Ren Meridian and the Du Meridian, which are two of the Eight Wondrous Meridians, a practitioner attains the Small Universe.
I am not sure which one of the third of the Eight Wondrous Meridians you refer to. I presume it is the Chong Meridian, or the Rushing Meridian. I am not sure whether it will particularly make every day a joy for the practitioner, but it is similar to the kundalini effect in yoga.
In our school everyone finds every day a joy because everyone, including those who practice only kungfu, practices chi kung. Those who only practice gentle physical exercise using chi kung techniques may not enjoy this wonderful benefit.
If a practitioner has a real breakthrough of the other five meridians of the Eight Wondrous Meridians, presuming that he does not have a real breakthrough of the Ren Meridian, the Du Meridian, and the Rushing Meridian, he will:
- Be able to stand, walk and run because of the real breakthrough of the In-Tall Meridians and the Out-Tall Meridians.
- Be always healthy because of the real breakthrough of the Yin-Protective Meridians and the Yang-Protective Meridians.
- Be very agile in his waist rotation because of the real breakthrough of the Belt Meridian.
In our school we have the Medical or Phenomenal Big Universe and the Spiritual or Transcendental Big Universe. Although it is possible, it is unlikely that someone attains the Big Universe, irrespective of whether it is the Medical or the Spiritual, before he has attained the Small Universe.
Even in theory, when a practitioner has attained the Big Universe but not the Small Universe, he will also be automatically healthy all the time. Of course, if he only knows the techniques of the Big Universe without enjoying its essence and benefits, he may not be healthy.
When a practitioner has attained the Medical Big Universe, presuming that he has not attained the Small Universe, his chi or energy in all his 16 primary meridians will flowing continuously. He just cannot be sick because his energy is flowing very well. In English, it means that all his cells, his tissues, his organs and his systems are working the ways they are meant to work.
When a practitioner has attained the Spiritual Big Universe, he will also have attained the Small Universe because his energy has permeated every part of his body, and has merged with Cosmic energy. He is nowhere and everywhere. The Spiritual Big Universe is life-changing. Certainly he will be happy when he comes back to the phenomenal world.
In the Medical Big Universe, presuming that he has not attained the Small Universe, his 16 primary meridians build one circle of energy, but the energy may not be continuously flowing in the Ren Meridian and the Du Meridian, which belong to the Eight Wondrous Meridians, and not the Primary Meridians.
In the Spiritual Big Universe, his energy permeates all throughout his body, which means that he will also have attained the Small Universe.
It is indeed ridiculous that the Small and Big Universe Course takes only 3 days. But course participants must have a lot of energy in their dan tian, and be able to generate an energy flow, which actually every student in Shaolin Wahnam knows.
Shaolin Wahnam members have good health
The questions and answers are reproduced from the thread 10 Questions on Small and Big Universe in the Shaolin Wahnam Discussion Forum.
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