Zen Shiatsu Tucson

Extraordinary Vessels are reservoirs of Qi energy and Source Qi in the body. Your source Qi is the Qi that you were born with, that comes form your source, and involves the spiritual blueprint for your life, your darma and your karma. As reservoirs they are there for you to draw from in times of drought and to fill up in times of plenty. Qi cultivation as taught and practiced for centuries by many cultures the world over speak to developing and maintaining the skills and talents to maintain your Qi levels at optimum. Your reservoirs provide a key function to this ability. The Wei Mai Vessels are reservoirs that hold the Qi of your development over time. In my last entry I spoke of this as the "fabric of time," and talked of how traumatic events can leave holes in the fabric creating an energy drain on your vital reserves of source Qi. Of course, in addition to being a drain, they could be an opportunity for you to develop skillful means in handling your Qi during times of challenge and stress. To that end, the Wie Mai Vessels can be treated to heal the rips and tears of life's vissicitudes. At the core of the Yin Wei Mai exploration the question arises "Who am I?" Over time your self concept has changed and evolved according to your growing consciousness as well as environmental and social influences. The Yin Wei Mai is particularly focused on your seslf-consciousness. Who are you from the inside out, rather than from the outside in. To this end, we find that the Yin Wei Mai begins its presence in your body in the Kidney Channel. Kidney is the deepest of the yin organs and holds your ancestral and vital essence. After opening the Yin Wei Mai and our journey of introspection through Pericaridum #6 the Inner Gate we then proceed to Kidney #9 Guest House on the lower extremity in the inner calf muscle. Here we stimulate Kidney energy and ask the question, "Who am I?" From the deepest innermost part of your being, see if you can connect with an answer to this question. The name Guest House evokes the idea that you might try on a couple of different identities, just to check them out and see how they fit. As you do so, treat each identity as you would a guest in your home. Be gentle, kind,hospitable and curious. Getting to know some possibilities of who you are at this level is at the core of the Yin Wei Mai. But it does not stop there. The vessel moves on to make its way into communication with the Spleen Channel points 13, 15 and 16, which are located in the abdomen. Spleen is a channel of the Earth energies, and has to do very much with your social nature. We nourish ourselves through our relationship with the Earth and in our social connections. As regards the work of the Wei Mai, the Spleen Channel expression gives your identity a place to try itself out on the social scene. Just try lowering (or raising) your speaking voice a few tones and try that out on your friends. they will look at you funny and wonder who you are. Or try dressing differently, changing your hair style, any number of outward expressions and see which identity most fits your inner sense of self. Of course, we are talking about the yin aspect of your being here, not just the out ward expression, sop in this Spleen perspective you are looking at yourself from the inside out, not the outside in. At any rate try out your inner identity in the realm of the social setting and see how it goes. As an example of this from real life, I offer a story of when I first started changing my diet. This had a major influence on my social life. It even lost me a job! I had decided to follow the macrobiotic diet and became very health conscious in my dietary choices. I really loved the vitality and exuberance I found by no longer indulging in alcohol, sugar and junk foods. At that time I was still working in the Opera as a Stage manager. My first season with the Lyric Opera of Chicago was very exciting, but on opening night, I refused the Champaigne toast!!! Imagine. Well, it didn't win me any friends, and though they didn't fire me out right the next day, I never quite fit in at the Opera house from that day forward. Eventually I moved on from that career. In essence, who I was was coming forward, meeting social scrutiny and the question was, who will win? My inner self ultimately prevailed. And this brings us to the next station on the Yin Wei Mai line. After visiting Spleen and the social scene, the Yin Wei Mai travels next to Liver #14 Completion Gate. this very auspicious point is in the sixth intercostal space between the 6th and 7th ribs on a line with the nipple. Completion Gate says it all. Here we are complete. Our inner identity has gone through the social testing and on the other side we come out content and at peace with who we find ourselves to be. Thus the Yin Wei Mai has travelled from our deepest inner most place to a place of appropriate and proportionate outward expression. Finally the Yin Wei Mai Vessel completes its journey by connecting with the Ren Mai vessel, the midline vessel of the front body, known as the Sea of Yin. This midline vessel is the reservoir for all the Yin Qi energy of our inner being, and Yin Wei Mai meets up with it at points 22 and 23 in the throat. Here we find a deep and penetrating correlation to the throat chakra and the ability to speak ones truth and walk ones talk. and this is at the heart of a mature sense of self. This final achievement is not necessarily easily gained, as the Yin Wei Mai Vessel teaches us about the voyage of our lives through the fabric of time. At various stages and challenges our self image has shifted and adapted and evolved. Take time to place your self image into the long view. Take the perspective of both the inner child, and the inner elder and see where you are on the river of time as your life flows from the mountain top to the sea. Your Yin Wei Mai Vessel provides a model, a structure and an entry way for you to heal the fabric of time, and reclaim source Qi for being all that you are in this moment. with blessings and joyful radiance, I thank you for your listening. Authentically, Matthew Sweigart If you like what you are reading here, you may be interested in acquiring my book and chart "Touching Ki a Beginner's Guide to Shiatsu" and the "HeartMind Shiatsu Meridian Gestures and Functions Chart". Go to my website at www.heartmindbodywork.com and see about ordering yours today! Thank you, and many blessing to you.

enjoyable read thank you.