Microcosmic Orbit- Pressure in lower back

[susu]

Hey there
2 days ago, I managed for the first time the whole MCO. Quite a cool experience. Now I can feel the conception and governing vessel even if I'm not in meditative state. Before the MCO I noticed warmth in my lower Dan Tian when I was building up or just taking in energy. Now I can feel when ever I want how the energy enters my upper Dan Tian and passes down tingling to the palate over my tongue and down my throat and then reaches with heat he solar plexus and the lower Dan Tian.

When I was practicing before I managed the MCO, I tryed it with a lot of energy and I felt that very strong pressure pain in my lower back. So I got distracted and couldn't go on meditating because I had to bring back the energy. Now I'm using less energy, there is still that pressure, but now it's bearable and it releases to the sides of the spine in form of heat or tingling sensation. Sometimes after meditating I still feel a little pressure and I can't get rid of it.

Can somebody tell me how that pressure in the lower back occurs? And how I can release it better? I would like to use more energy, so I can feel the MCO more intensive. But the that pressure pain scares me off to try it again with more energy.

I read about some dao yin exercises to open the channels in the lower back. Or should I just continue to practice with less energy and the channel will open more by it self?

Thanks

[joeblast]

what do you mean by "tried it with a lot of energy"

[susu]

I meant that I "started the fire" until I got a very hot and dense feeling at the lower dan tian and then I released it downward and when it went up the coccyx I felt that painful pressure in the lower back.

I had a few spinal injections when I gave birth to me kids and I felt a similar pressure then, not in the same area of corse, but the pain was the same.

Withe less energy I mean that I just wait until I feel some moderate warmth at the lower dan tian and then I start the orbit with less energy, I still feel a strong pressure there but it doesn't hurt.

I also can start the orbit without "starting the fire" by just releasing the energy downward, then I can feel it very subtle but it is still there.

[joeblast]

it is possible you might be a little heavy on the density concept. so in some sense ohm's law is causing that - done any psoas work? that might help, see some of my breathwork protocol concepts in my posts, its a fundamental point of deep longevity breathing - speaking of which, do you religiously 'harvest' that energy (settle it where appropriate for you) and disappear into stillness afterward? imho, an important point when doing energy work. to return to the density, does it make sense to...first get rid of any concepts of density at all, make it all light, and then treating it like light, "increase the flux density" (Flux as flow rate per unit area section, if you're scientifically inclined) so basically make it brighter, it might be easier to navigate the gate there - with the same "overall penetrating force," only more gently.

there's also other methods of flow, it would of course be up to you to ultimately ascertain - ex in dr yang's small circulation book there's a more basic smaller loop that only goes as high as mingmen, through to yinjiao and back around bottom. also, full loop reversed, 'wind path' might be a way to lead the energy through the other way, if that makes sense for you. the way I mco is the hexagram loop. it is tough to give you something that is appropriate with such a limited amount of information and familiarity, though.

[susu]

No, I never did any psoas work; I heard it's pretty unpleasant... I'm quite flexible in that area (sort of elasty girl ). But I have a hyperlordosis, so I'm always having an eye on my lower back when it hurts and I do some relaxing exercises.

And I just think that the air is the energy I take in and then it converts into electric current. But when I feel the warmth or heat in my lower dan tian, or passing Huiyin or going along my spine I visualize it as a viscose (dense) sort of lava like energy....! I'll try to change that.

After MCO meditation I always "disapear into stillness". And I'm looking for stuck energy and try to neutralize it.

I saw that "small small circulation" in Dr. Yangs book and I practiced it before I started to do the MCO. Maybe it helps to "open" that area. I'll try that too.

And I never tried the wind path. I read about it but now I don't remember exactly what it was about. When I'm not wrong it is beneficial to convert your body in to a more yin state when you are to yang...!?.. I'm sure I'm a person with wayyyy to much yang so it could be good for me. I'll try that as well. Is there any special I should be careful with when doing the wind path or can I just try it with no further information?

I see I have to reread Dr. Yangs "Small Circulation" book again !

Thank you so much for giving me such a profound reply.
susu

[susu]

No, I never did any psoas work; I heard it's pretty unpleasant... I'm quite flexible in that area (sort of elasty girl ). But I have a hyperlordosis, so I'm always having an eye on my lower back when it hurts and I do some relaxing exercises.

And I just think that the air is the energy I take in and then it converts into electric current. But when I feel the warmth or heat in my lower dan tian, or passing Huiyin or going along my spine I visualize it as a viscose (dense) sort of lava like energy....! I'll try to change that.

After MCO meditation I always "disapear into stillness". And I'm looking for stuck energy and try to neutralize it.

I saw that "small small circulation" in Dr. Yangs book and I practiced it before I started to do the MCO. Maybe it helps to "open" that area. I'll try that too.

And I never tried the wind path. I read about it but now I don't remember exactly what it was about. When I'm not wrong it is beneficial to convert your body in to a more yin state when you are to yang...!?.. I'm sure I'm a person with wayyyy to much yang so it could be good for me. I'll try that as well. Is there any special I should be careful with when doing the wind path or can I just try it with no further information?

I see I have to reread Dr. Yangs "Small Circulation" book again !

Thank you so much for giving me such a profound reply.
susu

[joeblast]

You are welcome

Aha! Lordosis - so you may not necessarily have to try an alternative energetic approach if you dont want to. Since that is a large inward curvature, then you dont really need to strengthen your psoas, but the other muscles instead, particularly hips/glutes/hamstrings. So I'd recommend exercises to correct that - like zhan zhuang, wall standing, bagua circle walking...do supermans on the carpet, mule kicks on all fours - exercises like that should help. Also like the yoga cat-cows. If you have a leg press around that may help too.

But the jist of that is, train the straightening of the lumbo-sacral junction. That's particularly where zhan zhuang would help - so the "tuck the tailbone" portion really has that alignment-focus at heart.

Have you determined the cause of the condition? Is it only in lower spine or is it upper also? I dont know how often you do those conditioning exercises you mentioned...I have a bad back also, blew my L5S1 into pieces and had surgery many years ago - so I have no choice, I keep my stomach flat and do my exercises religiously, otherwise my back tends to think its time for rigor mortis!

I'll still say go easy with the density aspect of the practice - if the lordosis is in fact causing some tension and obstruction then it may be something better gently addressed with diligent physical movements a few times a day and a gentle energetic approach, blasting through it may not be the best course of action.

As to wind path, I would just say dont practice them both near each other, like on the same day.

[susu]

Hey there
I do standing meditation, wall standing (not that often), bagua circle walking and yoga cat cow. Superman on the carpet... I can imagine the exercise, although I never heard someone call it like that . And I'm standing very low when I'm doing taiji and qi gong (tailbone tucked in).

I did a lot of artistic gymnastic when I was a kid. They train you to get a lordosis, sad but true. My upper back tends to bend forward. So I have a s-shaped back. I notice that I'm getting stronger now and the muscle support is getting better and better. I'm training quite a lot and I lost a lot of unnecessary weight, that also adds to the better condition of my back.

I talked to my teacher yesterday and I explained him how I do the MCO and he told me how he does it and I guess I know what I did wrong. He told me to "send" the energy from lower dan tian to huiyin and mingmen while exhaling and then inhale again to go up the spine. I always stopped at the lower back and then inhaled again to pull the energy out of the lower back over mingmen and then up. Maybe that and the focus on the "dense" energy caused the pressure, the energy got accumulated there. I'll try next time with the new information.

And I really can't wait to try the wind path. Wondering how it feels.
Enjoy your weekend and thanks for the helpful reply. susu

[joeblast]

what your teacher told you reminded me of the hexagram way I practice it

[susu]

Tell me more about it, please. I'm curious !

[joeblast]

[susu]

Oh wow, I think I need a few years to understand that !
I'll have to take time to really go into it. It is very interesting.
I love to go deep into subjects until I understand them.

Share it with other people. It might not bee seen here. Make a new topic and post it.
Very impressed regards from switzerland !
susu

[joeblast]

_/\_ sure, why not!

in my attempts to be thorough, this is taking a while. I had it written up previously but I needed to clarify some things...

but for now here is an animated gif of the practice. I also found out this is the bigua hexagram sequence that is more commonly known as describing the phases of the moon