Four Foundations of Mindfulness Contemplative Practice: Questions and Answers 31

Question: What happens if, during sitting meditation, the flow of vital energy (qi) keeps stirring and stays in the head?

Answer: If the qi channels remain in the head, it means there is an obstruction in the head that temporarily prevents them from passing through completely. If there were no obstruction and the qi channels were unobstructed, there would be no talk of qi activity at all. If the qi channels in the head can be opened up and the circulation of qi and blood is good, one's thinking will be extremely clear, one's energy abundant, and wisdom will arise. Even opening up a portion of them is quite good. When the qi channels are opened, the mind is pure, the body emits a fragrance—very fragrant—and the mood is joyful, happy and free of worry.

When the qi channels cannot get past the head, endure it if you can; if you cannot endure it, visualize the qi exiting from the Baihui acupoint at the crown of the head, or get up from the seat and let it disperse. But even after dispersing, it will still strike the head; only by opening it up completely can the problem be solved. Even if the head is not completely opened, the qi activity will still pass through, circulating to the front along the Conception Vessel (Renmai), then from the Conception Vessel to the Governing Vessel (Dumai), and then to the crown of the head. Until it enters the Central Channel and exits from the crown of the head, the qi channels of the whole body will not be completely opened and the body will still have obstructions; once they are completely opened, the body will have no more obstructions, and the practice of meditative concentration (samādhi) will proceed unimpeded. Now that meditative concentration has arisen and you are able to engage in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā), you should no longer concern yourself with the qi channels—just let them be.