The Transmutation of Sexual Energy

One of the keystones of Taoist practice is the transmutation of sexual energy. These techniques were taught to the Yellow Emperor 5,000 years ago by three women: the Plain Girl, the Mysterious Girl, and the Butterfly Girl.

These practices have been refined and developed over thousands of years for both men and women.

There are “three treasures” in Taoism, three kinds of energy. Jing originates in the pelvic bowl, which quickly warms up as aroused sexual energy. Chi energy, our essential life force, originates in the lower Tan Tien, in the belly. Shen is the expression of universal love and gives us access to spiritual awakening. The key to the art of transmutation is to be able to transform one kind of energy into another. Taoist practice utilizes sexual energy not just to build and then suddenly release it, which is the common understanding of orgasm, but to build energy and circulate it, transforming it through a pathway called the “microcosmic orbit.” This means guiding energy up the spine, over the front of the head, to the palate, and then down the front of the body to the lower Tan Tien.

When we learn how to move energy in this way, we can revivify the organs, move Jing energy, transform it, move it into other parts of the body, and experience a plateau orgasmic state.

We can learn to move aroused energy up, temporarily allowing an opening of the heart. This is a whole-body opening that creates a deeply loving, appreciative natural openness in the heart. We can use that opening to heal relationships, to say:

• “I’m sorry for …, and”
• “I really want to commit to … in the future.”
• “I felt hurt by …, and now I let it go.”

There are many practices we can do to let go of the past and create something new when we have a lot of energy that has been transmuted from the sexual center up into the rest of the body.