Jing retention 101
Posted on Aug 24th, 2006
by 
Sean
Sean
I think most men with at least some level of energetic sensitivity eventually come to discern the energy drain that occurs with ejaculation. It's not all that mysterious. Top level athletes are often well aware of it and will avoid sex before a performance. Napoleon Hill talked about it in the wildly successful "Think and Grow Rich". And really, any guy who pays attention can notice. I even heard Adam Corola on the radio once describing it. He called it the "fire in our belly", a kind of tension that motivates us out of bed and into the world. Get laid or masturbate too much and you mysteriously find yourself tired, sitting around in your pajamas at noon playing video games.
In esoteric Taoism, Yoga, Buddhism and many other traditions this sexual energy is consciously cultivated. Ejaculation is minimized or avoided altogether so that one has the energy necessary to invest in the spiritual path. This is called "jing retention" by modern Taoists. In the last few years, hanging out with Taoists and Yogis, this issue of jing retention comes up quite often with the men. It can be a pretty charged topic too, especially when you have guys experimenting with nonejaculatory Tantric sex. Tensions can start to build up. Emotions intensify. Hijinks ensue.
Well I've found something that is working for me, so I will share.
I have found that a consistent twice daily practice of breathing up and down the spine for at least 5 minutes followed by an emptiness meditation of at least 10 minutes is crucial for success with jing retention.
As a result of this rain or shine practice, retention is becoming more and more of a non-issue for me. I can easily go one or two actively sexual months without anything that feels like uncomfortable pressure (and the spinal breathing increases my sensitivity to and awareness of pressure). I have increased energy and often notice pleasant sensations that feel like pockets of blissful empty space opening throughout my whole body. But if I so much as skip three or four days of my practice, I can clearly feel the pressure building.
I think of this process as working with the sexual energy early on, before it gets too hot. The energy is newborn, it's still light and fresh and innocent. It can be gently massaged and coaxed and expanded into the other energy centers. When it's hot it's too difficult and most likely even dangerous to try to work with. By the time you have sex it's way too late, you are just "riding your attainments", as I like to say. The best you can do in my opinion is relax. Hot sexual energy already wants too much to do something or have something done to it. To cultivate with this energy requires a gentle return to the original space of unknowing, the foolish naive wisdom of desirelessness stumbled upon through the Taoist meditation of sitting and forgetting and other emptiness meditations.
The problem, as I see it, with, say, Mantak Chia's material (besides other theoretical issues), is the lack of emphasis on consistently applying the fundamentals. I think many come to Taoist alchemy initially through Chia's popular sex books. Then even if they "backtrack" to the fundamentals, it's like they are just swallowing brussel sprouts to get to the dessert. It doesn't work like that. Put 5+ minutes of close-eyed, seated microcosmic orbit, followed by 10+ minutes of inner smile at the unshakeable core of a twice daily meditation practice, and expand slowly from there is my advice. You will be having incredible Taoist sex in no time.
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cultivation
October 2006