Qi Ball of Earth Energy

In this exercise, we specifically draw upon the grounding and nourishing energy of the Earth, filling the tan tien with stabilising, revitalising, and supportive Qi.

Generating a Qi ball in the tan tien with Earth energy is a foundational exercise in Qi cultivation and internal energy mastery. By regularly practicing this method, one develops greater energy sensitivity, enhances inner vitality, and builds a stable reservoir of Qi for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

This practice has multiple benefits:

• Grounding and Stability – Earth energy roots us, providing a sense of calm, centredness, and resilience.
• Energy Storage and Strength – By condensing and refining Qi in the tan tien, we build a strong internal energy reserve.
• Healing and Empowerment – The Qi ball can be used for self-healing, strengthening energy flow, or even directed outward for healing others.
• Expanding Qi Sensitivity – Regular practice improves one’s ability to sense, control, and manipulate Qi, a fundamental skill in Qigong and Taoist internal practices.

As you continue this practice, your ability to feel, control, and direct Qi will strengthen, deepening your connection to your body, the Earth, and the greater energetic field around you.

Practice Guide

Please watch the video below for this practice.

[INSERT VIDEO]

A written description of the practice is provided at the Exercise Files tab.

After you have completed the exercise, please note your experience in your Course Journal.

Some Notes on the Practice:

(i) Gently Clenching the Perineum 

You’ll note that this practice differs from the practice we did at the previous section, where we were allowing the energy to pass through the body, in an upward or downwards direction. In this exercise, instead, after we had brought the energy from the centre of the Earth up to the head, and before lowering it into the tan tien, we tightened the perineum a little. As mentioned in the introduction to this section, this is in order to capture the energy in the body.  In order to capture the energy in the lower tan tien, we need to seal the vital energy within the body. This is done by slightly contracting the muscles around the anus.

As you progress in working with your perineum, you become more sensitised to the individual muscles there, and also to the amount of force needed to achieve the sealing. As you become familiar with the sensation of achieving the sealing, you can apply less and less force, and eventually, only the slightest contraction of the perineum (a 5% contraction) will suffice to keep the energy from going out of the body.

With a great deal of practice, even an imagining of a tightening of the perineum will achieve the seal. This is because the energy body will have become conditioned to sealing energy at that place.

(ii) Why Keep 5% of Attention at the Navel?

It is because attention is the key element that allows us to feel the Qi. If our attention is lost or removed from the task, then the feeling of the Qi disappears. So, to generate the Qi ball by cumulative additions of energy, we need to keep some attention at the site of construction. Keeping a small percentage of awareness anchored at the tan tien ensures that the Qi accumulates in a stable and tangible form.

(iii) Why do we spin the energy?

The energy body, unlike the physical body, is fluid and formless, capable of shifting and adapting beyond the constraints of our usual physical awareness. In our default state, the energy body takes the shape of the physical form, mirroring our structure. However, when we introduce movement and dynamic activity —such as spinning — we activate its multi-dimensional potential, unlocking greater flow, vitality, and transformation.

Spinning the energy is a fundamental technique in Qi cultivation because it amplifies, refines, and accelerates energetic flow, increasing the overall charge and vibrational frequency within the body. This process has both energetic and physiological benefits that directly influence our health, metabolism, and vitality.

When we spin the Qi within the lower tan tien or anywhere in the energy field, we create a dynamic force that stimulates greater circulation of life-force energy. This increased movement enhances internal processing, allowing the body to absorb, store, and distribute Qi more efficiently.

Our internal processes — such as metabolism, digestion, detoxification, and healing — function more efficiently when operating at a higher frequency. When we are young, our bodies naturally process information, nutrients, and cellular regeneration more quickly, which is why healing is faster, digestion is more efficient, and energy levels are naturally high.

As we age, however, these processes tend to slow down, often due to stagnant Qi, accumulated toxins, and decreased cellular turnover. By spinning the Qi, we stimulate internal activity, effectively raising our vibrational frequency, which leads to:

• Enhanced metabolism – Faster energy processing means better digestion, nutrient absorption, and detoxification.
• Rapid healing and regeneration – Increased internal speed reduces recovery time from injuries and illness.
• Greater mental clarity and alertness – When Qi flows smoothly and quickly, the mind functions more sharply and efficiently.

It is interesting to note that if we look at how electrical batteries generate power, they do so by alternating currents between two poles, a form of energetic spinning. Similarly, when we spin the energy body, we stimulate an internal charge, increasing our energetic potential and making the body more electrically vibrant and alive.

(iv) Why Expand and Contract the Qi Ball?

Compression strengthens the energy, just as compressed air increases in force. The expansion phase allows for a contrast, making the compression phase more effective. This practice teaches energy control, helping practitioners direct, amplify, and refine their Qi.

(v) The Collection Process: Sealing and Storing Energy in the Tan Tien

Why We Need to Collect and Store Qi

After cultivating and expanding energy through Qi-building practices, it is essential to gather and store the energy in the lower tan tien to prevent energy dissipation. The lower tan tien acts as an energetic battery that preserves, refines, and strengthens Qi over time. Without proper collection, the Qi that has been generated can disperse rather than being integrated into the body for long-term vitality.

By spiraling the energy in specific directions, we ensure that Qi is condensed, stabilised, and deeply rooted within the tan tien. This process also balances the energy field, preventing excess energy from accumulating in the head, chest, or limbs, which could lead to imbalance, restlessness, or fatigue.

Regularly practicing the collection process after Qi cultivation ensures that the energy generated is properly harnessed, stored, and available for use in daily life, meditation, healing, or spiritual development.

Why the Directions Differ for Men and Women

Taoist energy cultivation recognises the inherent energetic polarity between men and women, based on the principles of Yin and Yang.

Men are considered to have a Yang-dominant energy field, meaning their energy naturally flows outward more strongly. The collection process for men begins with an outward (clockwise) spiral, ensuring proper integration, before drawing the energy back inward (counterclockwise) to prevent excessive outward loss.

[Image from Mantak Chia]

Women are considered to have a Yin-dominant energy field, with a natural inward energy flow. Their collection process begins with an outward (counterclockwise) spiral to ensure proper energetic distribution before spiraling inward (clockwise) to condense and seal the energy within the tan tien.

[Image from Mantak Chia]

(vi) Uses of the Qi Ball

Once cultivated, the Qi ball can be used for:

• Healing the Body – Directing Qi internally for self-healing and strengthening internal organs.
• Healing Others – Projecting Qi for external energy healing.
• Spiritual Development – Refining Qi for higher energetic practices.
• Protection & Empowerment – Strengthening one’s energetic field for resilience and balance.
• Dedication to a Cause – This involves sending energy out towards a higher purpose. There is a universal law that holds that what is sent out into the universe returns ten-fold.