By Huxuezhi, edited by Wang Tao

Fifteen Approaches for Collecting Qi
Collecting Qi indicates the action to bring into body a variety of energy and information flow from heaven, earth, space, sun, moon, stars and all things. It is one way to inspire their own inner potential, make up their own lack of primeval Qi, speed up the harmonization between Heaven and Man. Different from the Qi deriving from food, the prevailing Qi in universe serves as the vital source for human body energy supply. Therefore, it is essential to learn to draw extensively on prevailing universal Qi, in order to have an inexhaustible energy supplementing the body, to make up the energy consumption.

The mechanism of Qi collection is, by drilling practitioners’ mind-will, to make the body pore and points automatically open, so that its closed system can open up. By such means the ability the body to absorb all kinds of energy and information flow can be enhanced, thus facilitating the body's energy flow, information exchange, the energy purification of the body as well as the possession of high-energy energy flow. This is effect what we aspire for stimulating the body potentials and presentation of special power.

1. The Preparatory Posture - Body Purification
(1) Standing, sitting in a chair or lying in bed can be. Generally take standing posture, feet separated shoulder width, feet spreading slightly into the shape of fan, knee peg-leg, arms drooping naturally on both sides of the body, the body upright, Huiyin and Baihui form a straight line, lower jaw slightly draw in, tongue arrives on the palate, lips closed, look front, smile, natural breathing, eliminate distracting thoughts.

(2) Envision yourself be in beautiful mountain with fascinating landscape, imagine the body become infinitely large, the body stretches to the sky, into interstellar infinite, leaving the Milky Way far behind; while in the same time image the legs stretch through the earth center. Then surrounded by a white mist at the foot the body is left alone with wandering fog. At this time it is as though I was the only person besides the sun, moon and stars and the brilliance. My body filled the entire space, imagine the body do without the skin, joints do not exist any more. Then imagine the Qi arising from the parietal, and begin to commune with cosmic energy flow from the sun. Imagine the sun over his head, chest side of the Moon and the Earth at the foot, each emit energetic brilliance inside and outside to illuminate the translucent body, which like a brilliant light body, emitting brilliance throughout the entire universe. Maintain this state later on, and you will find you progress very quickly.

(3) And then inhale, we imagine the skin, as we breathe in, begins to "relax"---gradually disappear. Yes, it should be visualized as the tension of skin surface gradually disappears as we pronounce the word “relax”, breathing should be carried out deep, long, even. Relax three times, then relax the body muscles, fascia, bones and joints, internal organs, brain, each part relaxes three times, and finally do the relaxation of whole body three times--- as we pronounce "relax", we imagine from the head to the foot each part gradually disappears. This makes up one cycle of relaxation. Once not ideal, you can do it again

(4) Turn two palm outward, two arms stretched, then raise two hands from both sides from bottom to top along the arc of two sides, imagine, as we inhale, two pairs of hands gather all universal energy along the upward move, and bring all the energy flow to top of head. With the change of breath of exhalation the palms change to face down, we visualize the two pairs of hands begin to shed energy flow into "Baihui" points before stretching two hands to front of the face, then the body. As the two hands sink in front of the body, imagine the energy flow passes through the head, neck, chest, abdomen, along the two thigh down to the lower leg, the foot "Yongquan" Once out it heads to geocentric point, then through the Earth into interplanetary space. At the same time two hands move to meet close to navel area before returning to both sides of the body. Do the sequence 30 minutes.

Most Qi collection methods require the practitioners to imagine the body being positioned in big space, with the Qi slowly enveloping the body. As for the color selection, usually start with a golden yellow, golden white. Practice time can be 30 minutes long, but ten minutes, or even a few minutes can also be acceptable. Regardless of any time practitioners can do it (walking, sitting and lying, etc.). Either natural breathing or abdominal reversal breathing can work. After long-term cultivation, the capacity of mind-will can be strengthened gradually, and you can have an idea to increase energy flow from universe and gather them together, penetrate into the patient's head after Baihui, go directly into the affected area, then visualize the evil Qi to disperse, which will cause the condition to improve. This method can regulate patient's bio-field, so that the patient can recover gradually. Again, this method can be one for collective treatment, or assisting method for quickening practitioners practice. Qi collection methods are lot there available for choice, practitioners can choose one or two according to their specific circumstances. Please persist in the long-term cultivation, in order to uplift the level quickly.

2. Collect Qi from Universal Yang
(1) Open feet to shoulder width, knees slightly curved, and other requirement remain as same as above. Raise elbow and lift two front arms to top of head, forming an angle of 120 degrees, palm facing up, fingers fully stretched, pointing to the sky.

(2). Imagine universal energy flows down to pour into Laogong point (the center of palm), then through the arm, goes down to Lower Dantian area.

3. Collect the Qi from Earth
(1) Posture as same as above mentioned. The difference is to lay down arms, palms facing down, let shoulders loose naturally.

(2)Imagine the Qi from the center of the earth begin to arise and flow, through Laogong point of palms and the soles of the feet, and head to Lower Dantian via arms and legs.

(3)The collection of prevailing Qi can strengthen the Yang while engender Yin; whereas the collection of earthly Qi can enrich Yin while supplement Yang. By such way the balance between Yin and Yang, the smooth circulation of blood and Qi via meridians, as well as the general health well being, can be expected.

4. Collect Golden Saliva and Jade Fluid
(1)No postures required. Closed lips, the tongue rolls inside the mouth, 18 circles before pressing against the upward hard palate. Then raised two hands, the thumbs press against the middle point located between Daying point and Jia Che point, for two minutes. At this time you can experience the increase in saliva inside the mouth,  rinse the saliva 36 times, close two eyes, look inward, swallow down the saliva in 3 times, imagine to bring down the saliva into lower Dantian as you swallow down. Do such sequence the second time and the third times. Once finished, imagine the saliva inside Lower Dantian change into vapor, filling full the whole body and circulate. Then finish the practice.

(2) This method can promote the secretion of digestive gland, increase gastric secretion, improve digestion, treat illness relating to stomach abdominal distention, etc.. Also it can improve appetite, descend heart fire, promote nutrition absorption. Saliva contains digestive enzymes and other enzymes beneficial to human body, which can facilitate the sterilization and immune function and so on.

5. Collect Qi from Sun
(1) Collect Qi via body. Take standing, sitting, lying posture as you like, relax into the quiet state, imagine the energy flow from the top down into the human body,  solar energy flow permeating the entire body. Imagine all pore of body begin to open, taking part in the breathing operation. Imagine the Qi flow into body as you inhale, have no idea when you exhale, just observing the body changes within. At this time there is a swelling sense of the body, which is normal. When being free of any sense besides the emptiness within head, please imagine whole body go into the sun, and gradually merge with the sun until there is no any difference between them

(2) Collect Qi via acupoint. Open feet to shoulder width, knees slightly curved, and other requirement remain as same as above. Slightly move elbow to place two palms placed at the level of navel, apart, both facing the sun. Imagine the solar energy pours into Laogong acupoint and Baihui acupoint (atop of the head) as you inhale, and gaze into lower Dantian when exhale and imagine all energy flows into Lower Dantian.

(3) Collect Qi in loop circle. Methods and postures remain the same as above. The difference is after the energy flow into body via Laogong and Baihui acupoint as you inhale, please imagine the energy descends down from Baihui directly to YongQuan acupoint in two feet along the route connecting the two points, then, once out from the feet, it heads into center of Earth, penetrate the Earth and down before ascending up along two sides to reach the Sun again. This makes up one loop circle. Do such circle several times.

6. Collect the Qi from Moon
The procedure to do the Qi collection from moon remains as same as above, three ways altogether. Same do the postures and mind-will deployment method. Yet, in the section one please do not imagine to put the body inside the moon. Also, to carry out the Qi collection from moon you’d better do on date between 12th to 18th of Chinese lunar .

7. Gather Qi Attributable to Five Elements
(1) Such method is based on the five elements theory, i.e., metal, wood, water, fire and earth. So there are five kinds of Qi collection methods. The ancients believed that the human body is divided into five internal organs according to five elements theory, their Qi is distributed to five directions and five times. Lung is Geng-Xin metal, its Qi communes with West; kidney is Ren-gui water, its Qi with North; liver Jia-yi wood, its Qi with East; heart Bing-ding fire, its Qi with south; spleen Wu-ji earth, its Qi with the Central. According to the five elements theory, there have the reciprocal generation and restraining relationship among the elements. So, if some internal organs are weak, we can gather the corresponding Qi of certain direction to supplement it and it such way to make it strong. So, please go to see Chinese doctor to get a diagnosis first.

(2) The concrete operation is to face the direction you choose to stand, palm forward, arms at shoulder’s height, fully stretched, imagine Qi, from that direction, flow into the body via pores, then continue to flow into the weak corresponding internal organs. There is a sense of swelling of the organ as a result, which should be deemed normal.

(3) Central Qi collection: Imagine, as you inhale, the Qi from top of the head pours down into body, go to the spleen. Then imagine the Qi from below begins to flow into body, via YongQuan acupoint, and goes into spleen. The sense of swelling from spleen should be regarded as normal.

8. Collect Qi by Psychical Ray
(1) Static standing, sitting or lying-down posture. Open your eyes and see the front space and imagine all brilliance of it change into my eye sight, then close two eyelids slowly. At the same time, imagine all eyesight and brilliance combined together and meet at the up Dantian. Resting for a while, and then do the sequence again.
(2) practitioners may face the sun, moon, stars, flowers, trees and all things, collecting their respective energy flow and information.
(3) After long-term application of this method, you can quickly master the healing arts and remote diagnosis skills. Such method, once applied to practical treatment, can play an instant effect, much faster than any other methods.

9. Gather Qi when You Are on a Tour.
(1) If you go out to travel and arrive at big mountains you are advised to extensively collect Qi from ancient temples and a variety of trees and flowers there. These places were frequented by the predecessors of the ancient qigong practitioners and thus their Qi field is very strong. Once in Qigong state at these places, you would feel a strong sense of Qi than other days.  

(2) Practitioners can gather Qi from the outer space. Imagine all pores and acupoints open to admit in the prevailing Qi which would continue to flow into lower Dantian, the longer the better. After a very long period of practice you can feel a sense of sufficient Qi.

10. Gather Qi with Mind-will
(1) Stand, sit or lie down as you like, the remaining requirements remain the same as above. The mechanism is to extensively collect cosmological Qi and energy information in universe, or collect Qi from different Chinese herbal medicines.

(2) Slowly fall into Qigong state, imagine to receive high-energy Qi emitted by Qigong masters and Qigong ancestors who are located high up in sky, or in universe, or some places we do not know. We imagine those qigong masters is giving you added power, and help to open the obstructed channels and acupoints. At this time please be in good faith, and have a revered, respected attitude for these masters. Only by this means you can receive the high-quality Qi information and energy emitted by those qigong masters who are out of their hermit house or still in their retreat.

(3)This is to use Chinese herbal medicines to adopt a healing effect. According to TCM theory, within human body there are 12 principal meridians, eight extra-meridians, different types of traditional Chinese medicine goes to different meridians. We can imagine some kind of traditional Chinese medicine to be placed on the body side, whereupon within your body the corresponding meridian would have some response. After some time the smell of the herbs may arise and the corresponding meridians may gradually be dredged, to the extent of openness free of obstruction.

11.  Gather Qi from Fire Deity
(1) In the morning when the sun is rising, please look toward the sun, imagine two eyes form a bottom line of an equilateral triangle, the heavenly eye is the triangle center, the occipital pass of brain (behind the head) makes up the top point of the tri-vertebral body. After that, imagine the sun emit energy flow into tri-vertebral body, direct access to the Tri-vertebral body, and would illuminate the Tri-vertebral-body translucent.

(2) Imagine the occipital pass change into a mirror which can reflect all energy and brilliance from the sun that comes into the tri-vertebral-body. Then imagine all the energy flow continues to rain down into lower Dantian, while the triangular body constantly absorb energy from the sun. Looking directly at the sun for sometime, you can see the sun change into a luminous jade plate, surrounded by a halo. With the capacity enhanced, you can see the celestial bodies behind the sun.

(3) If the sun is surrounded by clouds in the morning you can adopt the following approach: two palms face the sun, raise two arms slightly above the shoulders, elbows withdraw a little backward, so that the two thumb point to each other forming one line, and the two index fingers form the two lines of the triangle, the thumb and forefinger pairs of triangular, palms a foot forward from the forehead. Then you can see the sun through the triangle, move two palms to two sides horizontally as you exhale imagine you are break open the clouds. Let go the mind when you inhale and two palms resume the original position. It is one method for training the capacity to open clouds--- a very special super power. But it is only one part of the training secret, not all.

(4) Practicing this method for long, you can gradually increase the time of practice (must be done slowly) until at last you can watch the sun at any time, which means your capacity is going up. This method can induce perspective view, a super natural power. But please do not rush to achieve this effect, in order to prevent any casualty

12. Gather Qi from Waterfall
(1) Stand beside the river, the body facing the direction of water flow ( you may also face the waterfall to practice). Two arms at two side of the body, palm facing forward, arms and upbody slightly open as like to welcome the water flow. If there is no river, lake edges cal also works.
(2) Imagine tumbling water flow, as like a dragon, was rolling up and down entering the body via Loagong acupoint and Baihui acupoint. Please keep shaking your fingers before and after, beckoning more Qi of water flow inside the body.

13.  Gather Qi from Thunder God
(1) Thus practice is much similar to Five Thunder palm, a very special super power training method in ancient China. Such training should be carried out in the time of thunder: the practitioners should stand in the outdoor areas without rain, facing the direction of the lightning, two arms stretching forward pointing to the lighting. Attention here please: never stand under a tree or at any places that lightning is prone to strike against.

(2) With the lightning, imagine energy flow within the body becomes to be stimulated and all acupoints are cracked to open, and be in motion in tune with the outside lightning. At this time in the sky the flow of energy in the universe has been electrocuted and stimulated, their energy becomes huge. At this time we imagine all body pores open to admit in such huge energy flow from all directions.

(3) The practice requires certain foundation (otherwise, it is very dangerous), and the presence of a second person should required to do monitoring, to avoid being struck by lightning. Yes, it is very easy to invite strike, no doubt.

14. Gather Qi at Twenty-Four Solar Terms
(1) In Chinese lunar calendar there are twenty-four solar terms. At the moment of alternation between two terms the heaven and earth will meet in a very particular way, and a variety of wonderful changes may occur. The biological universe, plants and all living things, their respective energy flow may incur a quick shift from low energy to high-energy state, as well as their respective changes in the direction of the magnetic field, and then fade away, back to the original state. At this time if we can enter Qigong state, we can experience a wonderful state and help us easily collect Qi from universe, making quick improvement with our practice.

(2) From the human anatomy we know there are seven cervical vertebra, twelve thoracic bones, five lumbar vertebrae, which total 24 in number, corresponding to the 24 solar terms. This coincidence is a manifestation of the concept held by ancient Chinese that human body is a small universe while the heaven and earth forming the big universe. Each one vertebra corresponds to one solar term. Vertebra should be numbered from the top, while the Solar Terms numbered from 1 to 24. So, the first solar term the winter solstice corresponds to the fifth lumbar vertebrae, the fourth lumbar vertebrae corresponds to xiǎohán, third lumbar vertebrae to Dahan, second lumbar vertebra to Li-chun, the first lumbar vertebrae to yǔshuǐ; the twelfth thoracic vertebrae corresponds to JingZhe, the eleventh thoracic vertebrae to Equinox, the tenth thoracic vertebrae to QingMing, ninth thoracic vertebrae to GuYu, eighth thoracic vertebrae to LiXia, seventh thoracic vertebrae to XiaoMan, sixth thoracic vertebrae to MangZhong, fifth thoracic vertebrae to the summer solstice, the fourth thoracic vertebrae to XiaoShu, third thoracic vertebrae to the DaShu (Great Heat), the second thoracic vertebrae to LiQiu, the first thoracic spine to Chushu; the seventh cervical vertebrae corresponds to BaiLu, the sixth cervical vertebrae to QiuFan (Autumnal Equinox), the fifth cervical vertebrae to HanLu (cold dew), the fourth cervical vertebrae to ShuangJiang, the third cervical vertebrae to LiDong, second cervical vertebra to XiaoXue(light snow), the first cervical to DaXue (big snow).

(3) 15 minutes before the alternation of solar terms practitioners can take any posture, relax into the quiet meditation state. Gaze inside to look at the vertebrae the upcoming solar term will correspond to. Imagine all universal energy, from all directions, permeate through the body via all open pores, head to and meet at the vertebrae. Those with capacity of perspective view can see the vertebrae suddenly issue a very bright white light (whereupon, if you open the eyes to look at your watch, the time is at the change of the two solar terms, a difference of plus or minus 2 minutes or so at most; but we'd better not look at the watch, for the better quality of the practice ), 1 minute later the white light disappears. Continue their practice to absorb all universal Qi, 15 minutes later stop the practice.

15. Collect Qi by Way of Non-Collection
This is the ultimate way for internal alchemy practice. Only by such method the internal alchemy practice can be a success. Otherwise, you will be destined to walk to and fro always before the door of great enlightenment. All practitioners aspiring for the enlightenment should master it. So, please go to seek help from enlightened masters.

Appendix:
A solar term is one of 24 points in traditional East Asian lunisolar calendars that matches a particular astronomical event or signifies some natural phenomenon. The points are spaced 15° apart along the ecliptic and are used by lunisolar calendars to stay synchronized with the seasons. Solar terms originated in China, then spread to Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. This is exhibited by the fact that traditional Chinese, Hanja, and Kanji characters for most of the solar terms are identical.
Because the Sun's speed along the ecliptic varies depending on the Earth-Sun distance, the number of days that it takes the Sun to travel between each pair of solar terms varies slightly throughout the year. Each solar term is divided into three pentads (候 hou). Each pentad consists of five days (rarely six), so there are 72 pentads in a year.

List of solar terms

Longi- tude	Usual translation	Chinese name ¹	Date ³	Remark
315°	start of spring	立春 lìchūn	Feb 4
330°	rain water	雨水 yǔshuǐ	Feb 19	more rain than snow
345°	awakening of insects	驚蟄 (惊蛰) jīngzhé	Mar 6	lit. awakening of hibernating insects. See the note at Chinese calendar#Solar term.
0°	vernal equinox	春分 chūnfēn	Mar 21	lit. spring division (or center)
15°	clear and bright	清明 qīngmíng	Apr 5	time for tending graves
30°	grain rain	穀雨 (谷雨) gǔyǔ	Apr 20	lit. grain rain: rain helps grain grow
45°	start of summer	立夏 lìxià	May 6
60°	grain full	小滿 (小满) xiǎomǎn	May 21	grains are plump
75°	grain in ear	芒種 (芒种) mángzhòng	Jun 6	lit. awns (beard of grain) grow
90°	summer solstice	夏至 xiàzhì	Jun 21	lit. summer extreme (of sun's height)
105°	minor heat	小暑 xiǎoshǔ	Jul 7
120°	major heat	大暑 dàshǔ	Jul 23
135°	start of autumn	立秋 lìqiū	Aug 8
150°	limit of heat	處暑 (处暑) chǔshǔ	Aug 23	lit. dwell in heat
165°	white dew	白露 báilù	Sep 8	condensed moisture makes dew white
180°	autumnal equinox	秋分 qiūfēn	Sep 23	lit. autumn division (or center)
195°	cold dew	寒露 hánlù	Oct 8
210°	frost descent	霜降 shuāngjiàng	Oct 23	appearance of frost and descent of temperature
225°	start of winter	立冬 lìdōng	Nov 7
240°	minor snow	小雪 xiǎoxuě	Nov 22
255°	major snow	大雪 dàxuě	Dec 7
270°	winter solstice	冬至 dōngzhì	Dec 22	lit. winter extreme (of sun's height)
285°	minor cold	小寒 xiǎohán	Jan 6
300°	major cold	大寒 dàhán	Jan 20

1. Simplified Chinese characters are shown in parentheses if they differ from the Traditional Chinese characters.
2. Hanja is indicated in parentheses.
3. Date can vary within a ±1 day range.

The "Song of Solar Terms" is used to ease the memorization of jiéqì:

Chinese 春雨驚春清穀天 夏滿芒夏暑相連 秋處露秋寒霜降 冬雪雪冬小大寒 每月兩節不變更 最多相差一兩天 上半年來六、廿一 下半年是八、廿三

Pinyin chūn yǔ jīng chūn qīng gǔ tiān, xià mǎn máng xià shǔ xiāng lián, qiū chù lù qiū hán shuāng jiàng, dōng xuě xuě dōng xiǎo dà hán. měi yuè liǎng jié bù biàn gēng, zùi duō xiāng chā yī liǎng tiān shàng bàn nián lái liù, niàn yī xià bàn nián shì bā, niàn sān