Shangqing Taoist Wu Zang 5 Spirits Protection Meditation
Wu ZANG (FIVE ORGAN) MEDITATION FOR ENERGY PROTECTION
The Wu Zang Qigong is an old Taoist meditation that can provide the practitioner with both physical protection from unwanted threats or attacks as well as protection from “diseased energy” when treating someone with healing energy. The meditation practice is very simple and can produce outstanding results when done on a regular basis. For example, if the patient has a headache or pain in that area, the doctor may also acquire a feeling of discomfort, numbness, itching, and pain in his own head. Therefore, in clinical practice, a deep understanding and correct judgment of the pathogenic evils is compulsory. Today in China, the Wu Zang meditation is still taught to Qigong doctors for clinical use to prevent unwanted invasion from the patient's pathogenic Qi. This meditation requires the person’s Shen to guide the Qi of the Five Yin Organs (Heart, Spleen, Lungs, Kidneys, Liver), to make the body's Qi strong and substantial. The ending of the meditation, which causes the acquired Qi to be reabsorbed into the crown and spine, allows the newly transformed Qi to flow into the appropriate internal organs, thus strengthening the practitioner’s energetic field. When a Qigong doctor enters the space of a diseased patient, the potential for absorbing the patient's pathogenic Qi is high. Noting this potential for harm, the ancient Chinese Qigong masters developed certain meditations to protect themselves from the patient's diseased or turbid energy. Since the Wu Zang meditation worked well against physical threats, it made perfect sense that it would also protect a healer from a patient’s diseased energy. The Yellow Emperor's Classics on Internal Medicine states that before treating patients of any kind, the doctor should first perform the Wu Zang Energy meditation. This ancient text encouraged Qigong doctors to practice this meditation before treating patients in a clinical environment and before entering the treatment room, because it surrounds them with a very strong external field of protective energy (Wei Qi). The Wu Zang meditation focuses on six directions (north, south, east, west, Heaven and Earth). It is very powerful and can be used as a cultivation practice to gather environmental Qi at the beginning of each season. The focus of the meditation is to extend each one of the five organs' spiritual energy far out into the horizon to gather and accumulate the atmospheric Qi. When practicing the Wu Zang meditation the Qigong practitioner should:
• Face east during the spring equinox and/or sunrise for daily practice; • Face south on the day of the summer solstice or high noon when the sun is directly overhead for daily practice. • Concentration on the center of the Earth during late summer, before the fall equinox; For daily practice face SW and focus attention into the center of the earth when the sun is between High noon and Sunset. • Face west on the day of the fall equinox; face the sunset for daily practice. • Face north on the winter solstice. Face north during solar midnight (i.e. the sun is on the opposite side of the earth) for daily practice. ”The world of Shang-ch’ing Taoism: a world where guardian spirits live inside the human body; a world where mystics fly to the sky and journey among the stars; a world where people absorb the essence of the sun and moon to cultivate immortality; a world where the highest attainment in life is to merge with the Tao in bliss and ecstasy …”- Eva Wong, from The Shambhala Guide to Taoism
The 5 spirits (Hun, Shen, Yi, Po and Zhi) are energetically linked to the 5 senses (Sight, Taste, Touch, Smell, Sound), which are known as: ‘The Five Thieves.” These spirits are said to reside within the 5 primary organ systems (Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung, Kidney). Shen: The Spirit of Fire (Red Pheasant), which resides in the heart — Inspiration, Insight, Awareness, and Compassion. This is your original divine spirit (Yuan Shen) Hun: The Spirit of Wood (Green Dragon), which resides in the liver — Vision, Imagination, Direction, Kindness and Benevolence. This is your eternal soul.
Yi: The Spirit of Earth (Yellow Phoenix), which resides in the spleen — Integrity, Intention, Clarity of Thought, and Devotion. This is the Spirit of your innate intellect. Po: The Spirit of Metal (White Tiger), which resides in the lungs — Animal Wit, Survival instinct, Embodied Knowing, Receptivity, and Appreciation. This is your corporeal soul. Zhi: The Spirit of Water (Blue/Black turtle), which resides in the kidneys— Instinctual Power, Courage, Will, and Wisdom. Spirit of your willpower. What Are The Five Shen? The Five Shen are the spirits associated with each of the body’s five yin organ-systems (Heart, Kidney, Spleen, Liver and Lungs). The origin of the Five-Shen system is found within the Shangqing lineage of Taoist practice. Each of these spirits has a connection not only with a yin organ and its associated element, but also with the energy of a planet and a direction. To “wake up” the individual’s Shen of the organs is similar to “calling in the spirits” for a shamanic ritual. The Five Shen when in balance, vibrate with a resonant beauty not unlike the planets: “Harmony of the Spheres.” Ultimately, within the context of our neidan (Inner Alchemy) practice, the Five Shen are returned to Unity to harmonize with the Tao. Shen: Emperor of the Heart Within the Five Shen system we find something like a spiritual hierarchy: Shen – the spirit of the Heart – is the Emperor, with aspects of its power – like Ministers – residing as the spirits of the other organs. When these secondary spirits function as faithful emissaries of the Heart’s Shen, communication between our organs is balanced and harmonious, resulting in a happy well-functioning “Body Politic.” The element associated with the Heart’s Shen is fire. Its direction is south, and the planetary energy that it embodies is that of Mars. As the emperor of the Five Shen, it is associated with the overall quality of our awareness, which can be perceived in the energy flowing through our eyes. Clear, sparkling, responsive eyes are one indication of healthy Shen – of awareness that is vibrant, fluid and intelligent.
Zhi: The Kidney’s Will to Act The Shen of the Kidney System is Zhi, or will. Zhi is associated with the element water, and it carries the energy of the direction north and the planet Mercury. Zhi is the minister in charge of the intention and effort required to accomplish things. This includes the effort and perseverance needed to succeed in our spiritual practice. According to Taoism, the highest use of personal will is to align us with the “will of Heaven,” i.e. with the Tao. The spirit-infused action arising from such a choice has the quality of wuwei – spontaneously correct action. Yi: Intellect of the Spleen The spirit of the Spleen System is Yi, or intellect. Yi is associated with the earth element, its direction is center, and its planetary energy is Saturn. Yi includes our capacity to use our conceptual mind to exercise discernment and to form intentions. An unbalanced Yi can manifest as discursiveness or unconscious internal chatter: a kind of over-thinking or “pensiveness” that damages the Spleen. A healthy Yi manifests as spirit-infused intelligence and understanding. Po: The Corporeal Soul of the Lungs The Po or corporeal soul is associated with the Lungs, and is the aspect of consciousness that dissolves with the elements of the body at the time of death. The Po belongs to the metal element, the direction west, and the planet Venus. Since the Po exists only within the context of a single lifetime, it tends to be associated with our immediate or denser wants and desires – as opposed to the Hun, which expresses more long-range commitments. Hun: The Ethereal Soul of the Liver The Hun or ethereal soul is associated with the Liver System, and is the aspect of consciousness that continues to exist - in more subtle realms - even after the death of the body. The Hun is associated with the wood element, its direction is east, and its planetary energy is that of Jupiter. As our spiritual practice deepens, more and more of the Po – or physical – aspects of consciousness are transmuted or used as support for the Hun – or more subtle – aspects. As this process unfolds, we are within our very bodies, manifesting “Heaven on Earth.” That is to say spirit as form or physicality.
Start Wu Zang protection meditation by focusing on the center of the body as if there were a hollow tube within. Imagine opening up the crown of your head and begin to pull in the luminous energy from the Heavens. Imagine this being divine Qi that is a bright shining white light, illuminating and filling your entire body through the crown. Feel the body radiating this divine white light energy. Next, imagine this white light energy coalescing into the body's central core, forming an energetic tube of Heavenly energy that extends from the crown down through to the perineum. The central core now vibrates and resonates intensely with the divine white light energy.
1. Now, imagine a golden yellow mist of energy arising from under the Earth and filling your body and connecting with the Spleen organ. Next, feel this golden light Earth energy envelop the central core of divine white light energy, merging together synergistically. This represents the energy of your Yi (Intention), to root and stabilize your power. Then feel the golden light come out your spleen (lower left rib cage) like a fog or mist and see it form into a great golden phoenix. The phoenix takes flight and rises overhead and
begins flying counterclockwise circles, hovering in the skies above you.
2. Begin to focus on your Heart and imagine a portal opening and the energy flowing out of your Heart like a red swirling wind in front of you, full of tremendous power, protecting you with your original spirit and the fire of a red phoenix. This represents your innate spirit, alive, graceful yet powerful.
When you perform the Wu Zang meditation the 5 shen spirits are always placed in their specific compass direction (North, South, East & West) regardless of the direction you are facing. For example if you are facing east, then the green dragon will be placed in front of you, which is east; the red phoenix to your right, which is south. The white tiger is behind you (west) and the blue turtle is to your left (north).
3. Focus your attention on your back and the Kidneys and/or Mingmen area. Imagine a portal opening and the energy flowing out of your Mingmen behind you like deep blue water. Out of this water grows an enormous dark blue/black turtle, whose shell protects you like a mighty impenetrable shield. This represents the energy of your Zhi (Willpower & Wisdom), and the Jing (essense) and Zhi of all your ancestors, backing you and supporting you. Consider for a moment, that just going back 20-generations you would have more than a million ancestors in the lineage of parents and grandparents alone.
4. Place your attention on your Lungs and visualize a portal opening on your right side of your body, under the right ribs. Imagine the Lung energy flowing out of to the left side of your body like white steam, forming a massive white tiger, as strong as steel, courageous and fiercely protective. This represents the Po spirit and the body's animal nature that guards life and protects you with an unstoppable animal passion for survival.
5. Next, place your attention on your Liver and visualize a portal opening on your right side of your body, under the lower ribs. Imagine the Liver energy flowing out of to the right side of your body like green fog, forming a great green dragon, sinewy and resilient as bamboo. This represents the Hun and the body's divine nature, guarding and protecting you with an intense spiritual passion for victory.
6. Each animal begins to rotate counterclockwise to the left, protecting, stalking, and fiercely defending the previous animal's position. Slowly begin to circle these energies then gradually increase their speed (like a mighty wind) counterclockwise around your body, blending these colors together, to form an energy bubble around your body resembling a rainbow of colors. After forming a protective rainbow hue around your entire body, draw all of the energies back in through the crown point and return the energy of each organ color back to its origin (Yellow Phoenix goes into the Spleen, Red Pheasant returns back to the Heart, Dark Blue Turtle to the Kidneys, White Tiger to the Lungs, and Green Dragon back to the Liver). As the colors return back to their organ of origin, imagine steam (white light) flowing out of the skin pores filling up the rainbow colored energy bubble created by the animal rotation. This forms a solid connection between the body's internal organs and the body's (Wei Chi) external field of energy. When the Blue Turtle spirit returns to the Kidneys, also visualize that its impervious shell still surrounds and protects the body with its heavy impenetrable armor.
7. When the Wu Zang protection meditation of the 5 spirits is done, imagine that there are many sparkling lights like stars above your head. Then you can enter the room of the patient, or life in general feeling safe and protected. Keep in mind that you can at anytime send the five-organ energy outside of your body instantly, anytime you are in need of powerful protection. Some Qigong medical schools teach the doctor to extend his or her energy out like a mist through the eyes, then enveloping the body rapidly with the five organ colors (green, red, yellow, white, and dark blue / indigo) like a vortex.
Additional spirits are The Hawk-Gallbladder (east), The Red Snake-Small Intestine (south), The Tiger (orange with black stripes) Stomach/Pancreas (south west). The White Crane-Large Intestine (west), The Leopard-Bladder (north).
