The Eight Exceptional Vessels Qigong version of Connecting Heaven and Earth involves the stimulation (activation) of various acupuncture points in the body to access and enhance the Qi reservoirs and increase the practitioner’s awareness of that Qi.

Connecting Heaven & Earth is a stand-alone Qigong with six movements. Depending on the focus, the use of the Yi in guiding the Qi, it can be practiced in a number of ways. Externally, each of these looks the same but Internally they are completely different. It can be used as a Five Elements Qigong (I have already created a course for this) or as an Eight Exceptional Vessels (AKA Eight Extraordinary Meridians) Qigong.

The focus needed for the Eight Exceptional Vessels is more demanding than for the Five Elements so this course is not suitable for beginners.

To gain the most from this Qigong, or any Qigong, the practitioner needs to be aware of the Qi. They need to have passive awareness (Listening Jing) so there is tangible feedback when each of the Master, or Coupled points is stimulated. If your Qigong experience has not included using tangible awareness of Qi I recommend that you gain that experience through one, or more, of the Basic and Intermediate Qigong courses.

The quality of the Qi in the Exceptional Vessels is different to that in the twelve meridians. By stimulating the Master and Coupled points we enhance, “illuminate”, the Qi in the Vessels and that makes awareness and identification of the differing qualities possible.

By the end of the course you will have all the information and tools necessary for this awareness. That does not mean that you will have it at the end of the course! You will have the tools and information that give you the means to practice this Qigong. It is that practice that brings the results.

All Qigong requires focus and stillness. Stillness allows for awareness. Awareness brings tangibility. Tangibility gives feedback. That feedback gives you something to work with. It increases the potency, the efficiency, of your Qigong.

In summary: –

• This Eight Exceptional Vessels Qigong is an Advanced Qigong that requires more focus and accuracy than meridian Qigong. A lot more.
• We access the Vessels via the Master and Coupled points. You can think of them as gateways to the vessels.
• Individual points need to be activated/stimulated/triggered – not the meridians
• Knowledge of the location of these eight points is crucial to attain feedback of any activation. This is covered in the course.
• The relationship of the linked pairs of Master and Coupled points is explained in the course.
• The Vessels, like the meridians, are not lines. In diagrams they are represented as lines. They are energy fields and are not confined to the physical body.
• This version of Connecting Heaven and Earth also involves Shen Qigong, working with the consciousness. The Yi focuses and guides the Qi. The Shen has the awareness of the Qi. The Yi then tries to translate that experience into words.
• Just to reiterate – This is not a beginner’s course – stances, breathing, etc. are not covered.

Further reading on the Exceptional Vessels Qigong

Some Exceptional Vessels Qigong questions and answers.