Understanding Energy: Glands and Chakras

Here, we discuss the Taoists model of energy and glands along with the common spiritual model of energy and chakras.

Taoist Model of Energy

Taoists view the sexual glands as endowed with the power to create and organize life. They believed that these sexual glands could also be used as the source of vitality and life force within their own bodies. Through this understanding, they developed an exercise to consciously redirect that life force from the sexual glands to the rest of the body.

They view these glands like any other part of the body in the sense that they must be exercised in order to preserve the hormones, nutrition and energy and also to strengthen the body and even open the doors to heightened spiritual awakening.

The full book of The Tao of Sex Wisdom was guarded by the Chinese emperors for thousands of years. The public was forbidden from reading it until about 1,500 years ago when it disappeared completely. Mysteriously, it reappeared about 100 years ago in the Japanese imperial court and was returned to the Chinese where it was reproduced into many editions.

Taoists believe that the best way to overcome disease is to not have it in the first place.

"The sages of ancient times emphasized not the treatment of disease, but rather the prevention of its occurrence. To administer medicines to diseases that have already developed, and to suppress revolts that have already begun is comparable to the behavior of one who begins to dig a well after he has become thirsty and of one who begins to forge his weapons after he has already engaged in battle. Would these actions not be too late?" -The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine

They accomplish this prevention of disease by working on the body's seven glands. These glands are responsible for regulating the flow of energy throughout the body.

The Seven Glands

(From top down)

1. The Pineal gland regulates the other glands with its secretions and is associated with intuition and conscience.

2. The Pituitary gland governs the various parts of the mind such as memory, intelligence, and thought.

3. The Thyroid gland regulates the cellular metabolism and governs growth.

4. The Thymus regulates the heart and circulatory system.

5. The Pancreas regulates digestion, blood sugar levels, and body temperature.

6. The Adrenals support the function of the kidneys, bones and spine.

7. The Sexual glands (either prostate and testes for men, or ovaries, uterus, and breasts for women) regulate hormone secretion, sexual energy, and reproduction.

These glands act as a system, redistributing energy to one another in order to maintain balance. So if the thymus gland is weakened, energy from the other six glands will be directed at the thymus to reestablish equilibrium. Balancing energy within our system is of key importance to us for maintaining health and sexual vitality.

The image of the 7 vases portrays how the 7 glands interact with one another in a balancing act. If any one vase begins to empty, the others redistribute their contents to create equilibrium.