Western Medicine sends the wrong message about health and healing. It tells you that the healing process is completely beyond your control and that doctors and nurses hold the keys to your healthcare. According to the western medical establishment, all you can do is take pills, sign consent forms, and go in for surgeries.
The modern world often tries to pull you away from what’s true and important in life.
The constant bombardment of your senses can sometimes lead to feeling disconnected or confused. With so many media messages telling you what you should value, it can be easy to think that the ‘solution’ to your well-being is something external.
Ancient Taoist practitioners took a very different approach. They recognized that the true source of well-being is through a connection to divine and cosmic forces, so they developed powerful practices designed to help individuals realize their inner potential. Some of these practices became known as the “Taoist Inner Alchemy” because they allow you to blend and transform your internal energies to create elevated states of being.
Inner Alchemy encompasses many different practices, and one of these is called Kan and Li. In this blog, we discuss what Kan and Li is and we’ll share a simple yet powerful Kan and Li meditation so you can experience the practice’s nourishing benefits for yourself.
In Taoist Inner Alchemy, Kan and Li refer to two different but connected energies that exist within your body.
“Kan” is connected to the energy of your physical body and the Water Element. This Water energy resides in your lower abdomen and holds your physical essence.
“Li” is connected to your heart Qi and is associated with the Fire Element. Your Heart and Fire energy are essential for digesting and transforming life’s experiences, as well as for maintaining emotional balance.
In Kan and Li practices, you learn how to blend Kan and Li (Water and Fire) to create an ‘Alchemy’ of energies to heal your body and purify your mind. This is similar to blending water and fire to create steam, symbolizing your integrated and elevated energy body.
We're providing a brief yet powerful meditation to give you a taste of the nourishing benefits that Kan and Li practices offer. This is a wonderful meditation for healing your mind and body and cultivating good health throughout your entire being. Like all of our meditations, we suggest reading through the instructions before you begin.
Start by sitting in a chair with your feet planted on the ground. Keep your back straight, and gently place your hands on your legs. Take slow, deep breaths as you relax your body and mind.
After a minute or two of slow deep breathing, direct your attention to your lower abdomen. Visualize your abdomen as a calm, beautiful lake. Get creative as you imagine your lake. Does it have sandy beaches, granite rocks, or forested shorelines? Feel free to borrow inspiration from lakes you’ve visited as you visualize your own serene lake in your lower abdomen. Keep your attention on your lake for a couple of minutes.
Next, direct your attention to your heart center. Imagine your heart as a radiant sun, emanating warm rays of sunshine throughout your body. Try to feel the warmth that your heart generates.
Now, feel your heart radiating down upon your calm and peaceful lake. Try to see its rays shimmering on the surface of the lake. As they grow stronger, imagine water from the lake evaporating into steam.
Sunrays from your heart center blend with the cool water of the lake in your lower abdomen. Feel the steam rise from your lower abdomen and seep throughout your body. Visualize this steam emanating from your lower abdomen to your arms and your hands as nourishing healing. Feel it move up your back, neck, and throughout your mind.
Imagine the steam flowing down your legs to your feet, also. Wherever steam circulates, feel your body being cleansed and nourished. Feel it bringing vibrant, healing energy to all parts of your being, including any specific areas that might need it the most.
You can do this meditation as little or long as you’d like. When you’re ready, open your eyes and take that feeling of vitality and healing into the rest of your day.
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