Walking in the park noticing the signs of spring; a light green veil gently covers the dull greys and browns of winter, the birds are busy at their myriad tasks, even the tree-huggers have returned to the woods. Tree huggers?
Perhaps, being an unabashed tree-hugger yourself, you smile and nod knowingly. Or, you reflect on the times you've heard this phrase as a derogatory term given to environmentalist-liberal types by right-wing conservative types. In any case - the next time you see an otherwise sane looking individual with their arms wrapped around a tree, consider that they may be a student or practitioner of the Healing Tao!
While there are at least as many Taoist schools as there are of Yoga, in recent years, Master Mantak Chia has been a leader in taking the science of energy management from it's esoteric and mainly secret origins, to a form intelligible by Westerners in the form of the Healing Tao.
The Healing Tao is a method and science for managing Life Force energy or Chi/Qi. With it's roots in Qi Gong and Nei Gong, the ultimate purpose of the Healing Tao is transformation and evolution; to reach our spiritual potential. Healing Tao practices include internal organ massage and sexual energy conservation. Master Chia has published many books on the subject and leads workshops worldwide.
We could be intimidated by the scope and complexity of the Healing Tao, but, one of the most valuable practices is the simplest; the Inner Smile. In studying Yoga, we adopt the Chakra view of human physiology. In the Healing Tao, the internal organs are looked at similarly; as basic energetic structures containing both positive and negative aspects of emotions. The Inner Smile practice is a meditation where we invite smiling energy into our organs for balance and healing. Initially, you impose a smile on your organs, as in many cases, they haven't received so much as a thank you for all their years of hard work!
Bring loving energy into your heart and release impatience or arrogance. Smile into your liver and replace anger with kindness. Your kidneys will enjoy gentleness as they release fear. Your lungs release sadness as they breathe in courage. After smiling into your organs for a few weeks, you may notice that your organs smile back at you! Directing Chi to your organs with your thoughts aids them in cleansing and improving their overall function.
So, now your internal organs are healthy, happy and full of Chi! What to do with all this energy? Another key practice is to open the Micro-cosmic orbit and circulate Chi up your Governor channel (back) and down your Functional channel (front). After circulating the energy, condense it into your navel center or Tan Tien. As with the Chakras, you will find the Tan Tien in your subtle, not physical body. The Tan Tien is generally found behind the Navel and in front of the Lumbar 2 or 3 of the spine. After circulating energy, it is important to ground it in your Tan Tien by imagining it spiral into this area.
Once your micro-cosmic orbit is open and you have stored energy in your Tan Tien - it becomes easier for your body to digest energy from many sources. Trees are an excellent source of healing energy. In the Taoist view, trees are the most spiritually advanced plants on Earth. Not only can they change carbon dioxide to oxygen, but they are able to transform sick or negative energy into healthy energy. A tree has it's roots in the Earth and reaches towards the sky. What a wonderful, living metaphor!
Healer Tao practitioners ask the help of a tree to release and recycle energy from a client and to keep their own energetic system strong. In their book Chi Nei Tsang (Internal Organs Chi Massage), Mantak and Maneewan Chia give many suggestions for opening yourself up to a relationship with a tree.
Some trees are more eager to share their energy with people than others. Trees that are in parks and other areas where they become used to ‘people-energy’ are the most receptive.
The next time you're in the park and see a friendly tree of mid-size, try standing about a foot in front, extending your arms so that your palms can explore the tree's energy field. Trees have a gentle aura, so this may take a few moments. If anyone happens to pass by, well, being called a tree-hugger isn’t really that bad, is it?!
Taoist Ways to Transform Stress into Vitality. The Inner Smile - Six Healing Sounds. Mantak Chia, Healing Tao Books, 1985. A slim and inexpensive volume which is a great introduction to Healing Tao practices.
Awaken Healing Light of the Tao. Mantak and Maneewan Chia, Healing Tao Books, 1993. In depth study of Healing Tao practices. Includes the Inner Smile Meditation, how to open your Micro-cosmic orbit and much more.
Websites:
http://www.universal-tao.com. Outside of the U.S.A. Mantak Chia's
organization is based in Thailand and known as the Universal Tao.
http://www.healingtao.com. Mantak Chia's student Michael Winn has his own
center in South Carolina.
Books, videos, course and retreat information, and a list of Certified Healing Tao instructor’s are available from both sites.