By Jude Ponton, DC, LAc and Paul Ponton, LAc, Licensed Senior Acutonics Teachers and Certified Acutonics® Practitioners
In Acutonics classes we emphasize the importance of the Microcosmic Orbit as a Taoist practice of inner alchemy. The co-mingling of heavenly and earthly energies facilitated by the activation of the orbit is considered to expand our connection to Source and the knowledge of the eternal nature of our being. It’s a reflection of this eternal nature, manifesting in temporal reality. The practice of circulating qi in the Microcosmic Orbit acts to transform the denser energy of three-dimensional reality to a more etheric, higher frequency form of energy. It elicits conscious awareness of our nature as beings made up of light and information.
Source energy, the oneness of Wu Qi first separates into yin and yang (tai qi). The Ren and the Du extraordinary vessels are the expressions of ultimate yin and yang in the body. We utilize the Ren and the Du vessels to merge and balance the yang of heaven and the yin of earth within ourselves. This balancing affects us on many different levels of our physical, emotional and spiritual experience.
Located on the midline of the front and the back of the body, the Ren and the Du create the supportive energy for the body’s central core. Support of the central core can be achieved through balancing the yin and the yang utilizing the Ren and the Du vessels. A very basic way of doing this is the application of the Full Moon 6th interval to the Ren Mai Vessel. Place the Full Moon on LU 7, Broken Sequence (opening point) and Ohm on KID 6, Shining Sea (balance point). On the DU Mai use the Solar 7th interval. Place the Sun on SI 3, Back Ravine (opening point) and place the Low Ohm on UB 62, Extending Vessel (balance point).
The seven major chakras also line up along this central core of the body. The strength and balance of the Du and Ren are instrumental in the proper functioning of the chakras in their capacity for refining psycho-emotional and spiritual energies.
One suggestion to facilitate this refinement is to expand capacity for love and nurturance using the Venus/Jupiter combination applied to the Ren Vessel and the Chiron/Neptune combination to the Du Vessel to initiate flow toward spiritual transformation.
The chakras also help to regulate the endocrine and nervous systems (said to be the two most important regulatory mechanisms of the physical body) by virtue of their correspondence to glands and major nerve plexuses. To balance the endocrine system the Ohm/Venus 6th can be applied to the Ren to enhance the influence of the Kidney yin and the Ohm/Mars 2nd to the Du for the facilitation of the Kidney yang. Proper balance of the Kidney yin and yang energies provides support and balance of the endocrine system through the microcosmic orbit.
In addition to activating the microcosmic orbit, individual endocrine imbalances can then be addressed by using the corresponding planetary tuning forks on the appropriate chakra. For example, Mercury/New Moon 5th can be applied on the 5th chakra for thyroid imbalances.
For support and stabilization of the nervous system the Low Ohm Octave can be applied to the Ren vessel for deep grounding and stabilizing. On the Du the Mercury/Saturn 2nd provides structure and control.
Another benefit of balancing the Microcosmic Orbit is its potential for harmonizing Kundalini arousal. Smooth flow in this cycle of celestial and terrestrial forces allows this transformational energy a clear and balanced pathway for Kundalini movement. Saturn/Neptune on both the Ren and the Du gives controlled flow to this process.
These are a few suggestions for tuning into the extraordinary power of the Microcosmic Orbit. They can be used as a jumping off point for your own intuition and inspiration.