Chapter 18 – Protection: Sealing the Aura (1) Another essential function of this centre is physical grounding. The name of the point Conception 5 is shi men, meaning the ‘gate of stone’. This is the foundation stone upon which everything can be established, the same way as Peter was the rock upon which the church could be founded (the Greek word for stone is petra). The centre below the navel is the will centre. This applies to common will, but also to the supernatural will of the wizard who can perform actions beyond the normal range of the laws of nature. It is also in this area that the Taoist alchemists work at structuring the embryo of immortality, a new body made of (nonphysical) immortal matter, in which they can depart and maintain conscious existence after physical death. This centre is therefore essential in the work of inner alchemy. But apart from alchemy, there are a number of daily life circumstances in which you can derive great benefits from focussing your awareness in this centre: – When you need to be physically strong, to perform a task that requires an effort. – When you need to be psychologically strong and assertive, when negotiating, at an auction for instance. When you need to display authority, or to resist the authority of a domineering person. When you need to stand up for yourself, to resist aggressive people and remain calm at the same time. – When you need to protect yourself against negative energies, in a hospital for instance, or a similar type of dangerous and highly polluted energetic environment. – When you are tired and weak. – The Taoists also suggest that you should work on this centre to restore your energies after having conceived a child, for a man, or after having delivered the child, for a woman. Let's now look at practices to awaken and strengthen the will centre.
18.6 Practice Sit in a meditation position. When working at developing the centre below the navel, a good posture is to sit on your knees, with your buttocks on your heels, or with your buttocks between your heels, in which case the posture becomes the vajrāsana of Hatha-yoga. But the practice can very well be performed while sitting on a chair, provided you keep your back straight.
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