Brain Food

Want to nourish your brain, supporting its countless functions, in countless ways? From the perspective of Taoist Inner Alchemy practice, the best way to do this is by building the energy in the Snow Mountain center.

The Snow Mountain area is located at the root of the spine, directly in front of the tailbone. In Hindu yoga traditions, it is this same location that said to be the home of the kundalini - a potent energy that lies dormant, coiled up like a snake, until awakened by yoga practice. In Taoism, this energy is understood to be vitally important not only for our spiritual process, but also for our physical health - particularly the functions of the brain.

The Snow Mountain area is the source of four important meridians: the Du (Governing Vessel), the Ren (Conception Vessel), the Dai (Belt Channel), and the Chong (Penetrating Vessel). These four meridians belong to what are known as the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, which are the body's deepest reservoirs of qi.

A practice offered by Dr. Zhi Gang Sha to nourish the Snow Mountain area, is to imagine - in this area in front of the tailbone - a very hot sun shining down on a snow-covered mountain. As the snow melts, a gentle steam rises up to nourish the brain, and any other part of the body that you direct it to. This beautiful visualization activates, simultaneously, the water and the fire aspects of the Snow Mountain area. Enjoy!