The qi of the spleen and the qi of the stomach cannot be separated in function - they reflect the yin movement of earth to draw down, absorb and nourish, and the yang movement of heaven to allow the yin to arise like a steam, warming and activating all potential for growth.
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| Chart of the Spleen Meridian |
The spleen ( pi zang 脾脏) is a yin “organ”, but it’s qi function is yang; it rises up, transforming and refining the yin (with the support of the kidney yang qi), holding things up and in place (both mentally and physically, so that neither thoughts - which are yang, nor organs - which are yin, drop down or out), protecting the integrity of body and mind. It requires a cool (not cold) and dry (not damp) environment for these functions in relation to the qi.
The stomach (wei fu 胃腑) is a yang “organ, but it’s main qi function is yin because it acts as a container - it receives “grains and water” in the middle jiao, churns and ferments them into a mash and then, under the control of the spleen yang qi, it begins the process of separating the “clear” from the”turbid”. It requires a warm (not hot) and moist (not damp) environment for its function in relation to the qi.
The part of the qi considered pure or clear, (like pure spring water), is further refined by the spleen qi, transformed and transported up as a kind of qi “steam” to the upper jiao and the lungs, where it meets with the pure clean qi of air (kong qi 空氣) to form and transport all the qi, blood and the yin aspect of the immune system, called Nutritive/Camp Qi (ying qi 營氣) to the whole organism.
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| Chart of the Stomach Meridian |
That part of the qi that is crude and turbid (like the silt in a stream, that can form a sediment when the water is still), is kept moving down by the motive force of the stomach qi into the lower jiao and the digestive tract, where it is further refined and transformed into our Defensive/Guard Qi (wei qi 衛氣). This yang aspect of our immune system is then dispersed throughout the whole organism by the lung qi.
Once all these qi separating, refining and transporting processes are complete, the waste of our food and water is moved further down and excreted.
So you see, the pi wei, the spleen and stomach qi functions cannot be understood in isolation because through their yin yang relationship, they work together to replenish all the qi we require, on a daily basis, for our health.
The Healing Sounds Method for the Spleen Qi expresses this reality in form - first opening the middle, separating the hands as they move up and down, palms turning to face heaven and earth, and then vibrating and activating the qi of the spleen and stomach as we breathe out through the mouth with the lips formed to make the spleen qi “hoo” sound in our imagination.
“陰陽調和 Yin yang tiao he”, yin yang in balanced harmony, that is what the Chinese call health. All qigong methods are expressions of “yin yang tiao he” in every aspect of movement and stillness, in and out, up and down, calming and activating. The method for the spleen qi is central in position and function to the entire set of the 6 Healing Sounds. It relates to Earth, and moves from the middle to raise up the pure as it moves down (and out) the waste. In doing so, it secures our life on a daily basis.
