Chinese Arts For Beauty And Wealth

Table of Contents

Beauty Changes the World .......... 7

The Path to External Beauty .......... 13 Face: The Countenance of the Pure Peach Blossom .......... 13 Neck: The Strength That Bends and Yields Like Bamboo in the Wind of Life .......... 18 Arms: A Hundred Branches Reaching for the Sky .......... 22 Chest: The Mountain of Eternal Life .......... 25 Hips: A Willow Branch in the Middle Kingdom .......... 27 Belly: Small Mound, Good Fortune .......... 32 Buttocks: The Wonder of the Ginkgo, at the Point Where Ending Begins .......... 36 Legs: Roots in Motion .......... 41 Skin: Morning Dew as Smooth as Jade .......... 43 Hair: Waterfall of Silk .......... 46

Women's Matters .......... 51 Oily face .......... 51 Freckles .......... 52 Acne .......... 55 Rough skin .......... 56 [term as printed, unclear] .......... 57 Double chin .......... 60 Menstrual problems .......... 61 Menopause problems .......... 64 Crow's feet around the eyes .......... 67 Constipation, loss of appetite, and cold hands and feet .......... 68 Lower back pain, bloating, and swollen feet .......... 71

The Path to Inner Beauty .......... 73 Meditation: The Art of Withdrawing Within .......... 73 Imagination: How to Use the Power of Imagination .......... 86 Creating Visualization: The Power of the Inner Image .......... 89 Habit: How Raindrops Become a River .......... 91

The Harmony of Inner and Outer Beauty .......... 99 Deep Cleansing: Everything Grows From Nothing .......... 101 Proper Diet Control: Eating According to the Teaching of the Five Elements .......... 106 Proper Breathing: Harmony with the Rhythm of the Universe .......... 111 Qi Practice: Daily Interaction with the Life Force .......... 114

Appendix .......... 121 Four-Week Inner Beauty Program .......... 121 Bathing, Beauty, and Health Program .......... 136 From the Empress's Treasure Box: Little Tips for Little Emergencies .......... 146 Fifty-Point Program for Beauty and Inner Youthfulness .......... 152

Beauty Changes the World

Many events in history have proven the truth of the ancient Chinese saying, "No one crosses the gate of beauty without suffering damage." For example, in the history of the Middle Kingdom, there were three women whose beauty had a tremendous impact on the country's political situation — an impact that was, at times, harmful. One of these beautiful women was the famous Xi Shi. She lived around 500 years before the Christian era. She was born in the kingdom of Yue, which was at war with the kingdom of Wu. Because she was extremely beautiful, the ruler of Yue planned to have her married to the ruler of Wu in order to extract his military secrets. And so it came to pass, causing the kingdom of Wu to be defeated.

The second woman whose beauty impacted a kingdom was Zhaojun, who lived during the Western Han dynasty. She was sent to marry a ruler of Mongolia, in the hope that her beauty would so beguile him that he would not wage war against the Han dynasty in the future. This plan also succeeded.

The third case is Yang Uihang [as printed] of the Tang dynasty. This is an example of beauty that transformed the entire cultural condition of a kingdom

During the period she lived, it is held that the most important works of art and literature in Chinese history were produced. There is no doubt that the artists of this era were inspired by the beauty of Yang Uihang. Without her, the "Golden Age," as the Tang dynasty is called, might never have come to be.

Not only in China, but in the Western world too, women's beauty has likewise changed the course of history — whether Cleopatra, Madame de Pompadour, Lola Montez, Mata Hari, or Wallis Simpson...

Beauty is the best thing nature gives us — this belief has been held as truth for the past five hundred years. Today this view is still held to be correct, but health has been added into the equation, so that these two qualities are linked inseparably. Most people want to be beautiful just as they want to be healthy, so as to feel good about themselves, to be loved, and to succeed. But they know that what is given by nature is often not enough, and to achieve this goal we must put in a certain amount of deliberate effort. The Chinese say, "Nature gives thirty percent, hard work gives seventy percent." But what does "hard work" actually involve? Certainly it is not heavy makeup, but the art of making the very best of the gift nature has given us. So how can you do it — especially when people differ so greatly from one another?

There are many ways to achieve this goal: proper clothing, suitable makeup, diet control, playing sports, practicing yoga and qigong, as well as meditation. Each of these methods produces one certain effect: the more it firms the muscles, makes movement agile, or [affects] the body

grows more slender — but no method promotes beauty across the whole body. Instead, each focuses on a part of the body, whether internal or external. Moreover, such methods are difficult to practice, and take a long time, or else cost a great deal of money.

Some people still think they need plastic surgery in order to obtain the appearance they desire. On this matter, the Chinese say: "Outward appearance is merely a reflection of inner attitude."

Can plastic surgery improve what is inside you? Certainly not — this is why you should work on your spirit and your feelings in order to achieve overall harmony alongside outer beauty. And this is what this book tries to convey: how you can attain the beauty you desire without spending a great deal of time and money. The exercises presented here affect both the inside and the outside of the body, and should be made part of your daily routine. This is how you can make the most of what nature has given you. It will slow down the aging process, and may perhaps even change the world...

The ancient Chinese viewed the body as a microcosm, a small-scale model of the greater universe, composed of yin and yang — the two complementary halves of the whole, corresponding to femaleness and maleness, light and darkness. All living things are further composed of five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Each element corresponds to an internal organ: Wood relates to the liver, Fire governs the heart, Earth corresponds to the spleen, Metal relates to the lungs, and Water relates to the kidneys. Beyond this, we also need wind and air for our bodies to function.

Each individual's body is connected to the greater universe, or macrocosm. The fact that the menstrual cycle is affected by the moon is one example of how we are interwoven with the world. Changing the macrocosm is indeed difficult, but the Chinese have developed many methods that affect how we deal with the microcosm — each of our own bodies. These methods certainly include acupuncture, acupressure, natural medicine, and beauty feng shui.

Teachings five thousand years old have come to us from observing the natural world and the cycle of life. They combine physical qualities and qualities of mind and spirit, so as to establish indicators of health, happiness, and success. Taoist practitioners compiled this teaching from various observations. Beauty feng shui has been refined ever more finely over the passage of time, so that today we can speak of daily life, the body, and beauty feng shui with ever greater specificity.

This book provides a deep understanding for connecting humanity with nature, and for achieving unity between inner beauty and outer beauty. When you discover the secrets of beauty feng shui according to ancient tradition — which incorporates qigong, acupressure, and yoga — you will discover that you can suddenly have everything you have ever longed for...

The Path to External Beauty

If you had to choose between someone with a beautiful face but a body completely out of proportion, and someone with a well-proportioned body but an ugly face — which would you choose? Most of us prefer something more toward the middle — not too ugly, yet not too beautiful either. This statement expresses our desire for harmony, proportion, and balance — something that refers not only to the body as a whole, but also to each part of the body considered separately. We will begin our journey toward harmony with the thing we notice first of all: the face.

Face: The Countenance of the Pure Peach Blossom

The Chinese consider the face to be not only the most important part of the human body, but also the most important part of life. In China, a person's outward appearance is so important that it even appears at the level

of everyday language: "reputation ruined to shreds" carries the same meaning as "losing face." Certainly, by now "losing face" has become a universal concept. This is why everyone tries to "save face."

Why do we consider one face beautiful and another ugly? Certainly we do not admire or despise only what nature alone has given; rather, it is the sum of many small details that draws us in or repels us. These details include:

• Smile: friendly, false, sweet, charming, or insincere • Facial expression: anxious, malicious, cold, unfriendly, worried, forced, sad, warm, innocent, relaxed, care- free, attractive, intelligent, understanding, or kind • Skin: smooth, silky, radiant, coarse, rough, pale, lined, reddish, or wrinkled

At first glance, these various factors seem incompatible with one another. However, when we consider the smile, which arises from the lips and influences facial expression, we see that facial expression can be read from the mouth, and of course it can also be read from the eyes as well (since the expression of the eyes changes only from within, we will not discuss this yet). Nevertheless, skin is like the smile in the sense that it is something that can lie under the influence of external factors — therefore smile, facial expression, and skin are all together aspects of the face that can be improved through external influence.

Exercises for the Face

1. Chewing to increase saliva (Do at every meal)

This kind of chewing increases the amount of saliva in the mouth, leading to better digestion and stimulating the spleen, which is involved in the creation and destruction of red blood cells. Blood circulation, in turn, comes to affect the various muscle groups and the condition of the skin.

Keep your mouth closed while chewing; grind the food slowly and spread it throughout your mouth. Move your upper and lower jaw firmly, without opening your lips. Chew with both sides of your teeth at the same time. You should feel the movement of the jaw all the way to the end of the cheekbone.

This exercise helps strengthen the cheek muscles. This will help you avoid wrinkles and make the skin smooth, make the smile more attractive, and make the overall facial expression more positive.

2. Cleaning the face to stimulate oxygen (Do every time you wash your face)

This kind of facial cleansing strengthens the pores, which helps the skin take in more oxygen, so that it can breathe better.

• Remove makeup from your face using a cotton swab dipped in water to wipe the makeup off, always wiping from top to bottom. Never wipe upward, because this carries dust and makeup into the pores and clogs them, which is a cause of impure skin. • Cup somewhat warm water in your hands, then slowly draw it into your nose

by leaning forward, "breathing the water in," and then immediately blowing the water back out through your nose. Repeat this process until you see that the water coming out is completely clean. • Now wash your face as usual, but with cold water, then pat your face dry with your hands. • Using either your dry right hand, or the hand still wet from your face — tap your forehead nine times, while at the same time using your left hand to tap your chin nine times. • Then use your right hand to tap your right cheek nine times, while at the same time using your left hand to tap your left cheek nine times. When finished, switch hands and repeat this process once more.

While doing this, keep your eyes closed, but do not tap too gently — tap firmly enough that you feel a slight pain.

This exercise will help strengthen the various muscles of the face, prevent impurity of the skin, and prevent wrinkles. Cleaning the nose with water will smooth the mucous membranes and help fight off colds.

3. Acupressure-point cream (Do after each face wash)

The skin also needs to receive proper nourishment: skin cells that die during the day due to external influences regenerate anew at night. Therefore, using a protective cream during the daytime, and using a cream that helps regenerate skin cells at night, is very important. In both cases there are excellent products for the skin, many of which are suited for use in a particular season specifically. Even so, you need not

[continued from a previous page] ...should not overuse these products. The secret of beautiful skin lies within, not only on the surface. So use it sparingly, and if used appropriately it will be even better.

Apply cream to the forehead, chin, and cheeks. Then sit upright, breathe normally, and close your eyes. Use the fingertips of your right hand to rub the cream from the right temple to the left temple in a circular motion eight times. On the ninth circular rub, go from the left temple down along the cheek to the chin. Then use the left hand to do the same in the opposite direction (Figure A). [Figure A: a woman's face wearing a hair cap, with circular arrows sweeping across the forehead down to both cheeks]

Then use the right hand to massage the area between beneath the nose and above the upper lip, in a circular motion from the right corner of the mouth to the left corner of the mouth, nine times. Do the same in the opposite direction with the left hand (Figure B). [Figure B: a woman's face wearing a hair cap, with circular arrows around the mouth] Use your fingertips to massage the remaining cream into your chin, in a circular motion, until it is completely absorbed.

Place both middle fingers beside the bridge of the nose, and press the bony ridge around the eyes in a circular motion all the way around the eyes. Figure C shows the eight pressure points. Repeat three times. [Figure C: a woman's face without the hair cap, with eight pressure-point dots arranged around both eyes]

When you apply cream to your face in this manner, you not only save considerable time, but before long you will also notice that your skin has changed: it is now smoother, softer, and has far fewer wrinkles.

Place both thumbs on the qi point behind the earlobe (the point where you usually spray or dab perfume) and press-massage with both thumbs toward the chin nine times. Do not go too slowly or too quickly (Figure D). While you do this keep your eyes closed, and open them again only after you finish the nine press-massages. Repeat this exercise three times. [Figure D: a woman's face wearing a hair cap, with the thumbs placed behind both earlobes]

Breathe in deeply, then breathe out forcefully. While doing this, use your fingertips to tap quickly around your mouth (Figure E). Your fingertip tapping should resemble tapping piano keys. Repeat this exercise four times. [Figure E: a woman's face wearing a net-style hair cap, with dots around the mouth marking the tapping points]

If you perform the exercises above correctly, it will improve blood circulation in the skin, thereby making you more beautiful.

Neck:

The strength that bends and yields like bamboo in the wind of life

Most people focus on other people's faces or bodies, but rarely pay direct attention to their necks. On the contrary, when looking at the sculptures of

Asia, Egypt, Greece, or Rome, it is clear that the sculptors of that era placed great emphasis on the neck. The fact that people in the modern West neglect the neck is rather strange, especially since this area is one of the strongest triggers of desire. Necklaces, scarves, and neckties all emphasize the importance and beauty of the neck, making it stand out even more. We therefore present various exercises so that the neck receives as much importance as other parts of the body — not only because it supports the head, but because it is essential to our very living, regardless of whether the neck is thin, thick, short, or long. We also owe the neck thanks for allowing us not only to see across a 270-degree range, but also to speak, breathe, eat, drink, smell, hear, and kiss.

Exercises for the Neck

1. Water for the Pillar That Props Up the Sky (done in the morning after washing the face) The neck has eight important meridian points, each of which needs to be stimulated by gentle patting so that blood circulation is good.

Cup water in your palms and stroke it over the neck, patting gently at the same time. First use the right hand to pat the front nine times, then use both hands to pat the sides of the neck. Repeat this with the left hand, then repeat with both hands. Repeat the whole process once more. Throughout, remain seated or standing upright.

2. Pressure-Point Exercise (done in the morning after washing the face) Place both thumbs on the qi point behind the earlobe, and press-massage with both thumbs toward the chin nine times. Do not go too slowly or too quickly (Figure

D, page 18). While you do this keep your eyes closed, and open them again only after you finish the nine press-massages. Repeat this exercise three times. (You will find this exercise again among the exercises for the face.)

3. Qi Breathing Exercise (done in the evening after bathing) Stand with your feet slightly apart, and breathe out as much as you can while at the same time shaping your lips to sound out "F." Then breathe in as deeply as you can while tilting your neck backward and raising your shoulders. Then hold your breath for as long as you can. Then return to the starting position, and breathe out as described above. Repeat this exercise three times.

At first you may feel neck pain — do not worry, this is a normal reaction, since we rarely move this part of the neck. If you repeat this exercise often, you will find that your neck-and-shoulder line has become stronger and more beautiful. Moreover, this exercise also helps you fall asleep more easily and sleep more soundly, which also has an influence on beauty.

These exercises should become part of your daily routine. They take little time but are highly effective, especially if you do them continuously.

Arms:

A hundred branches reaching for the sky

The one way to exercise all the muscles of the body is swimming, which has the added benefit of balancing the arm muscles as well. No other exercise causes the muscles on the front of the upper arm and the muscles on the back of the upper arm to be worked as much as swimming.

especially if the various muscle groups are used unevenly. The objective should not be to build the largest possible muscle, but rather to achieve a balance that reflects harmony among the different parts of the body. The muscles of the upper arm are most at risk of losing their balance as people grow older. However, since not everyone exercises by swimming every day, we present the following three exercises to promote balance in the body, as well as to improve the balance of the muscles.

Exercises for the Arms

1. Walking with the arm swinging one-third to two-thirds of the stride (done whenever you are walking) Stand upright. Walk in a manner where the ball of your foot touches the ground first, followed by the heel. Swing your lower arm forward about one-third of the stride length, then swing your lower arm backward about two-thirds of the stride length. Do not assume you will do this automatically — try to do it consciously until this movement becomes natural to you. If you feel you are not following this, you can swing your arm back until the back of your hand lightly taps your buttock. This movement stimulates your various meridians, which helps blood circulation throughout your whole body improve.

2. Six Points on the Wall (done whenever you want to overcome fatigue) Stand with your back against a wall or door. You must make sure your head, hands, buttocks, and heels are against the wall or door, and fix your gaze on a point slightly above your normal line of sight. Then breathe out as much as you

as you can. Then breathe in deeply, and at the same time raise your elbows to shoulder height and stand on tiptoe. Hold your breath for as long as you can while in this position. Then breathe out, and let your heels and hands return to their normal position while bending your knees slightly. Repeat this exercise four times in a row. [Figure: a five-step exercise sequence (A through E) showing a woman standing with arms raised and crossed overhead. Figure A: standing normally. Figure B: standing on tiptoe. Figure C: crouching with bent knees while still on tiptoe. Figure D: legs straightened while still on tiptoe. Figure E: standing normally again with arms lowered to the sides, small arrows pointing downward along both sides of the body]

3. Five Breaths in the X Position (done before bathing) Stand with your feet slightly apart. Raise your arms above your head with your hands crossed, so that the back of one hand rests against the back of the other. Breathe out completely (Figure A). Then breathe in slowly while raising your heels, and raise your arms even higher (Figure B). Then breathe out and bend your knees while you remain up on your heels/toes (Figure C). Then breathe in again and straighten your knees (Figure D). Then breathe out and return to the normal position; now lower your arms to your sides (Figure E).

It is only natural that this exercise is also good for the muscles of the buttocks, legs, and chest. Although it looks somewhat complicated, it gives great positive results.

Chest:

The hill of eternal life

What makes a woman's chest so alluring that almost no one can ignore it? Psychoanalysts believe our fascination sprouted from the age when we were infants, when the chest was the source of food and of nurturing care. The chest is a symbol of womanhood. Even though, unfortunately, its shape changes over time, we must take care to preserve the shape of the chest carefully as time passes. This is why the feng shui of beauty includes exercises designed for every type of chest, not only the type that appears in magazines for men.

[Chinese characters, written in cursive brush calligraphy; not confidently legible]

Figure 5: Arms that reach the sky

Exercises for the Chest

1. Breathing with the Chest in the X Position (done before or after bathing) Repeat the exercise "Five Breaths in the X Position" (pages 24-25).

2. Pressure-Point Exercise (done while bathing) Reach your right hand toward your left breast, gliding your hand toward the armpit slowly but with firm pressure, and gradually bring the thumb and middle finger together in a pinch. Then use the left hand to do the same to the right breast. Repeat this exercise nine times.

3. Pressure-Point Exercise (done in bed before sleeping) Place both hands on the ribs beneath your chest, with both middle fingers touching each other, and breathe out forcefully for nine seconds, then hold your breath. At the same time, stroke your chest firmly with both hands upward toward the neck. Then lower your arms to your sides and breathe in slowly and deeply, so that your chest lifts upward. Repeat this exercise eight times.

Exercises 2 and 3 are designed to increase the size of the chest for both men and women.

Hips:

A willow branch in the Middle Kingdom

Chinese literature never speaks of exquisite desire directly, but instead describes the imagery of something else (especially nature) to convey it. For example, a poem written during the Tang dynasty about a certain courtesan on the Yangtze River describes it thus:

[Chinese characters, written in cursive brush calligraphy; not confidently legible]

Figure 6: The pleasure of the upper region

Her arm sways gently, like the pattern of veins on a willow leaf. Her hips resemble its branches.

In the Middle Kingdom, slender hips have always conveyed beautiful thoughts — which is also true for the Western world. For example, consider the widespread use of the corset in the Rococo era of France. Even today, slender hips still enjoy popularity, which is why many women feel they must constantly watch their figure through dieting. However, most dieting produces disappointing results, since it is impossible to directly affect one specific part of the body.

Exercises for the Hips

1. Exercise (done before sleeping, on the bed or on the floor) Lie down with your arms spread out perpendicular to your body. Press your palms against the bed or floor. Bring your knees together and raise them slightly. Keep your head straight, focus your mind on your hips, and fix your eyes on the ceiling. Then swing your legs from left to right, letting the knees touch the mat or floor without separating the knees. [Figure: a woman lying on her back on a bed, arms spread perpendicular to her body, both knees bent and tilted to one side, with arrows showing the direction of the legs swinging left and right]

2. Exercise (done while sitting) Sitting for long periods continuously causes the hips and legs to widen. The following exercise is designed to prevent this from happening, and to relieve pain in the back, shoulders, and neck. Buy three foam-rubber cushions and place them on a chair as shown in the illustration. Tie them to the chair so they cannot move, then sit with your back straight on the chair while pulling your stomach in, with your feet flat on the floor. [Figure: a woman seated on a chair, back straight, feet flat on the floor, demonstrating the sitting position for the exercise]

3. Exercise (done while walking) This exercise is almost the same as "Walking with the arm swinging one-third to two-thirds of the stride." Walk steadily and upright, letting the ball of the foot touch the ground first, followed by the heel, and swing your arms as described previously. Do not assume you will do this automatically — try to do it consciously until this movement becomes natural to you. You must make sure your power comes from your hips, not from your thighs.

You will understand and perform this exercise better if you think about moving forward while swimming the backstroke or freestyle: the "engine" is always in the hips, while the arms are the "wheels," as in playing golf or tennis. The power from the movement of the arms does not come from your arms, but from your hips instead. The more slender your hips are, the better you will be able to move.

Belly: [A small mound, fortune]

It is generally true that a woman's body stops changing for the better after she turns thirty. For men, that turning point comes at fifty. The reason for this lies in our upright posture: our legs must bear the entire weight of the body, and the various joints wear down over time. When our hip joints deteriorate, this widens the hips, and this always brings about an enlarged belly as well.

Another cause of a protruding, thick, or sagging belly is eating unsuitable food (too much fat), as well as eating in the wrong manner. If you eat in a hurry, too much air enters your stomach along with the food. The resulting gases lead to a bloated, swollen belly, which can only be corrected by changing your eating habits.

The following advice will help you keep your belly well-shaped even into old age:

1. Eat low-fat foods. 2. Chew food thoroughly and swallow slowly. 3. While eating, focus your mind only on the food; do not read, watch television, or do anything else. 4. Divide your food portions as follows: breakfast 3 parts, lunch 2 parts, evening/dinner 1 part. Do not eat after 7 p.m., and drink water only after you have finished eating; do not drink water while eating.

5. Sit as upright as possible.

As a result of eating the right foods and eating in the correct manner, a belly that has expanded will return to its normal size, becoming firm and slim.

Exercises for the Belly

1. Exercise for releasing gas (do before bed) Lie on your back, breathe in deeply, then raise your right knee. Use both hands to hold the right knee (Picture A). Then breathe out while lifting your head toward the knee (Picture B). Repeat steps A and B with the left leg.

Now breathe out, then raise both knees, using both hands to hold both knees (Picture C). Then breathe out while lifting your head toward the knees (Picture D). Repeat this exercise four times to release the gas. This is nothing to be embarrassed about; it is simply part of living a healthy life.

[Picture A: a figure lying on its back, right knee drawn up toward the body, both hands holding the knee, left leg extended flat on the floor] [Picture B: a figure lying on its back, curled forward with the head lifted toward the bent right knee, left leg extended straight]

[Picture C: a figure lying on its back, both knees drawn up toward the body, both hands holding the knees, head still resting on the floor] [Picture D: a figure lying on its back, curled forward with the head lifted toward the bent knees, both hands holding the knees]

2. Exercise to improve the abdominal muscles (do before bed) Lie on your back, palms pressed down on the bed or floor, legs together (Picture A). Then breathe out and slowly raise both legs until they are perpendicular to the body (Picture B). Then lower your feet down toward your head until they touch the bed or floor (Picture C), breathing normally, then bring both hands to grasp both feet (Picture D).

[Picture A: a figure lying flat on its back, arms at its sides, legs together and extended straight] [Picture B: a figure lying on its back with both legs raised straight up, perpendicular to the torso]

[Picture C: a figure lying on its back with both legs swung over the head, the feet touching the floor behind the head, hands braced on the floor near the head] [Picture D: the same pose as Picture C, but now both hands are grasping the feet]

3. Exercise to strengthen the abdominal muscles (do at any time) Stand upright, knees and feet together, then breathe in deeply (Picture A). Then breathe out while bending forward at the waist, trying to touch your fingertips to your toes (Picture B). Then breathe in deeply, then breathe out while trying to press your head against your shins (Picture C), and at the same time try to feel each individual abdominal muscle.

[Picture A: a figure standing upright, shown in profile, arms at its sides] [Picture B: a figure bending forward from a standing position, hands reaching down toward the feet] [Picture C: a figure bent fully forward, head pressed against the shins, hands near the ankles]

All three of these exercises also benefit the muscles of the back and legs, as well as helping to improve blood circulation throughout the brain.

Buttocks: [The wonder of the ginkgo, at the point where the ending begins]

Goethe puzzled over the leaf of the ginkgo tree, since one cannot say whether it is made up of two parts or is a single, undivided whole. This is just like the human buttocks, made up of two halves that mirror each other. For both men and women, this part of the body seems to be a problem: its proportions are never perfect, yet the buttocks are a target of interest for the opposite sex. The following exercises will help improve the firmness and proportion of your buttocks.

Exercises for the Buttocks

1. Exercise (do before bathing) Same as the arm exercise (pages 24-25)

2. Exercise (do before bed) Same as the first hip exercise (page 29)

3. Exercise (do while sitting) Same as the second hip exercise (page 31)

4. Exercise (do before bed) Lie on your right side (Picture A), then raise your left leg, extending the foot outward while breathing in deeply (Picture B). Then breathe out while lowering the left leg to the floor at a 45-degree angle from the right leg (Picture C). Then breathe in, raise the left leg backward so that it spreads at a 45-degree angle from the right leg, and hold the left leg raised there for nine seconds (Picture D). Then breathe out and place the left leg back over the right leg in its original position (Picture A). Then switch to lying on your left side and repeat this exercise with the right leg.

[Picture A: a figure lying on its right side, legs together and extended straight, propped up on an elbow] [Picture B: a figure lying on its side, left leg raised and extended straight, an arrow pointing upward] [Picture C: a figure lying on its side, left leg placed forward at a 45-degree angle from the right leg] [Picture D: a figure lying on its side, left leg raised backward at a 45-degree angle, an arrow indicating the direction of motion]

5. Exercise (do before bed) Lie face down, forehead touching the floor or bed, and press your palms against the floor or mat at chest level, focusing your mind on the leg and buttock muscles, with your legs stretched straight down to the toes (Picture A). Then breathe in deeply, then lift your upper body off the floor (Picture B). Then breathe out and arch your body backward as far as you can (Picture C). This exercise also helps relieve constipation and increases lung capacity.

[Picture A: a figure lying face down, forehead touching the mat, elbows bent, palms placed near the chest, legs together and extended straight] [Picture B: a figure lying face down, propped up on the hands, chest lifted slightly off the floor] [Picture C: a figure lying face down, body arched upward with the head tilted back, arms extended supporting the torso]

Legs: [The root that keeps moving]

The practice of foot-binding for women, widely popular in China hundreds of years ago, was not something beneficial to women, at least not from today's point of view. When a girl was two or three years old, foot-binding would cause irreversible damage, to the point that the girl could no longer place her foot flat on the ground. This was because the binding began while the bones were still soft, so as to prevent them from growing any further. Moreover, the cloth used to bind the feet was rarely changed. The purpose of this process was to increase a woman's attractiveness: foot-binding made the legs appear longer, because in the past a large foot was considered ugly. Once the natural balance of the body could no longer occur, women had to walk on their toes instead, which made the chest and buttocks protrude even more than normal. What people do nowadays is wear high-heeled shoes, which produces the same effect, making the calves appear more slender and elongated. Not every woman can wear high heels, but there are other ways to make the legs appear longer than normal, if you choose to do so.

Exercises for the Legs

1. Exercise (do before bathing) This exercise is the same as the third arm exercise (pages 24-25)

2. Exercise (do before bed) This exercise is the same as the fourth buttock exercise (page 38)

3. Exercise (do before bed or right after waking) Lie on your back, legs together, and breathe in deeply, then stretch your feet out toward the foot of the bed as far as you can (Picture A). Then breathe out and turn your feet outward while keeping the legs together (Picture B). Then raise your legs slightly and use your feet to draw small circles in the air, circling from left to right; draw nine circles while holding the legs raised (Picture C). Draw the circles again, circling from right to left (Picture D).

[Picture A: a figure lying on its back, legs together, extended toward the foot of the bed, an arrow pointing outward] [Picture B: a figure lying flat on its back, the feet turned outward, a small double arrow at the feet indicating the turning motion] [Picture C: a figure lying on its back, a small curved arrow near the feet indicating the drawing of a circle] [Picture D: a figure lying on its back, a small curved arrow near the feet indicating the drawing of a circle in the opposite direction]

4. Exercise (do at any time) Sit on the floor and extend your legs straight out (Picture A). Then bend your right knee toward your body, grasping the heel with both hands (Picture B). Then breathe out while at the same time raising the leg and slowly extending it straight upward (Picture C). Repeat with the other leg.

[Picture A: a figure sitting on the floor, both legs extended straight out in front] [Picture B: a figure sitting, right knee bent toward the body, both hands grasping the heel] [Picture C: a figure sitting, right leg raised and extended straight upward, both hands holding it near the ankle, left leg still extended flat on the floor]

Skin: [Morning dew, smooth as jade]

The inventive capability of the cosmetics industry today is truly enormous. Almost every day a new product

onto the market, each claiming to have properties that protect, nourish, and improve the condition of the skin. You buy a product because you have fallen under the influence of advertising, or you try different products before deciding which one is truly best for you. We all know that genuinely beautiful skin cannot come from external influences alone; eating a healthy diet, physical conditions, and emotional state are also necessary for positive results.

In order for your body to have healthy skin, you need to:

1. Get enough sleep. 2. Eat a balanced diet. 3. Maintain good hygiene. 4. Have emotional stability. 5. Do acupressure-point exercises.

The following exercises, which come from traditional Chinese medicine, can be done at any time.

Exercises for the Skin

1. Exercise Rub both of your hands together until they become warm, then tilt your chin up as high as you can. Then use each palm to stroke your neck up and down (not including the thumb), as shown in Picture A.

[Picture A: a close-up of the chin and neck, head tilted upward, mouth and nose visible; two hands with arrows pointing up and down along either side of the neck indicating the stroking motion]

2. Exercise Using three fingers of each hand pinched together (index, middle, and ring fingers), press the points shown in Picture B, pressing from the upper point down to the lower point, thirty-six times in total.

3. Exercise Using three fingers of each hand pinched together (index, middle, and ring fingers), press the point at the outer corner of the eye as shown in Picture C. Breathe out while pressing the point, and breathe in while lifting the fingers away. Repeat this exercise nine times.

[Picture B: a close-up of the mouth and chin, with two marked points beside the corners of the mouth]

[Picture C: a close-up of two eyes with eyebrows, each eye marked with a point near its outer corner]

Hair: [Silken waterfall]

Beautiful hair is more than just a beautiful hairstyle. Shiny, healthy hair looks good no matter what style it is worn in. To make your hair look its best, you need to make sure that you:

- Find the right products for your hair. - Treat your hair gently, whether it is wet or dry. - Assess your lifestyle if you are experiencing heavy hair loss (if it is not related to a medical issue). - Do the following exercise as often as you can.

Exercises for the Hair

1. Exercise Rub both your hands together until they are hot. While breathing out, tap your fingers at the hairline on the forehead (image A), then breathe in, and tap again. Do this exercise four times.

2. Exercise Rub both your hands together until they are hot again. While breathing out, tap your fingers at the crown of the head (image B). Do not tap while breathing in. Repeat this exercise four times.

3. Exercise Rub both your hands together until they are hot. Breathe out, and tap your fingers at the nape, at the point where the hair begins to grow (image C). Do not tap while breathing in. Repeat this exercise four times.

[Illustration: A - head shown in profile, with a marked point at the forehead hairline; B - head shown in profile, with a marked point at the crown; C - head shown in profile, with a marked point at the nape where the hair begins to grow]

[Chinese calligraphy: 相宜 (xiangyi) - "mutually suitable / in harmony"]

Figure 13: Harmonizing everything together

Women's Matters

Buddhism emphasizes that all living beings are subject to suffering. Fleeting moments of happiness are often followed by prolonged sadness and anxiety. We are surrounded by all manner of problems, and are always afraid that our health will deteriorate. Even worrying about our health can itself contribute to physical and mental illness. If we see ourselves as bad, or as ugly and hateful, we only make these effects more complicated still. This chapter concerns this very worry, and offers exercises that will restore and improve the quality of your life.

Oily Face

If your skin makes makeup fail to adhere or fail to last, and this has been the case for a long time, the problem may lie in the quality of your skin. Problems with the skin glands need to be treated by a doctor, but you can supplement that treatment with the following exercise. Assume a pose like a runner about to sprint from the starting line (image A), then lower your head toward the floor. Next, stretch both legs out to the [continues on the following page]

[...continued from the previous page] back, so your body resembles a mountain (image B), and step with the balls of your feet forward nine times, step backward with the balls of your feet nine times, step to the right with the balls of your feet nine times, step to the left with the balls of your feet nine times (image C).

[Illustration: A - a woman kneeling on one side with hips raised in a runner's starting position, both hands braced on the floor; B - the same woman bent forward with hands and feet braced on the floor, hips raised high forming a triangular, mountain-like shape; C - the same pose as image B, with arrows indicating the direction of stepping with the toes - forward, backward, left, and right]

Freckles / Melasma

Traditional Chinese medicine holds that this pigment disorder is linked to malfunction of the adrenal glands. Naturally, only a doctor can treat this, even though it will not make the freckles disappear. Even so, if you want your freckles to fade, do the following exercise. Lie face up, then raise your legs and torso to form a 30-degree angle, pressing the backs of your hands against your chest as if in a defensive posture (image A). Push your hands forward forcefully as you breathe out

together with making the sound "F" (image B). Then draw your arms and legs back toward your chest and breathe in (image C). Do step B again, then lie back down (image D). Repeat this exercise four times a day. Many skeptics will immediately ask how doing these exercises as a routine could possibly affect the skin. Although it may seem to run counter to our intuition, the various exercises in [this] feng shui system for the body are grounded in knowledge gathered over a thousand years. For example, the preceding exercise is a form of yoga that emphasizes proper breathing technique. The key point to note is that breathing greatly affects our health.

[Illustration: A - a woman lying on her back, legs and torso raised to a 30-degree angle, hands clasped against her chest; B - the woman in the same pose but with her arms extended forward level with her legs, palms open; C - the woman seated with knees bent, hands clasped against her chest; D - the woman in the same pose as image B]

just as much as physical exercise does. Of course, its results are not visible right away, but will appear after trying it for several months or years. Regardless, doing these exercises continuously over a long time will greatly improve your health. It has no harmful side effects whatsoever, it is easy to do, it can be done anywhere, at any time, and it will make you feel good. So, start doing it from today.

Acne

The main cause of abnormal skin is disruption of the hormonal system's function. Besides that, improper diet, stress, and psychological problems can also cause acne. The following exercise will help your hormonal system return to normal function. Stand with your feet apart, extend your arms forward, and interlace your fingers (image A). Breathe in and raise your hands above your head. While breathing out, twist your upper body from the right side to the left side, leaning back slightly, using the strength of your hips to do so

like this, then breathe in again and return to the original position while breathing out (image B). Then repeat on the other side. Repeat this exercise eight times.

Rough Skin

There are many factors that cause rough skin, such as sunburn from harsh sunlight, improper diet or eating in the wrong manner, drug use, stress, and others. The following exercise will help improve the skin and promote faster regeneration of newly forming cells. Lie on your back, bend your knees, and rub both your hands together until they are hot. Then place your hands on your lower abdomen. Breathe out nine times while pressing at this point (image A). Then arch your body upward into a curved bridge without using your hands for support, but make sure your spine stays in a straight line. Breathe in while doing this (image B). Then breathe out and return to the starting position (image C). Repeat this exercise four times. Do it slowly and mindfully.

[Illustration: A - a woman lying on her back with knees bent, hands resting on her lower abdomen; B - the woman arched upward into a bridge pose, head tilted back, hands not touching the floor; C - the woman lying flat again in the starting position]

as always. Do not get up immediately after finishing this exercise, but rest lying down for another five minutes, breathing normally. While doing step B, it is important not to let all your weight fall onto your neck and head.

Facial Puffiness

Use of cortisone, drinking too much alcohol, or kidney illness can each cause the face to swell. In these cases, please see a doctor. The following exercise is not designed to relieve illness, but to reduce facial puffiness caused by insufficient sleep or overexertion. Lie on your side as shown in image A. Breathe out and spread your left leg to form a 90-degree angle with your body (image B). Then turn yourself over to lie face down, and look straight ahead in this position for ten seconds (image C). Next, lie on your left side and repeat this exercise. Repeat the entire sequence four times.

[Illustration: A - a woman lying on her side, resting her head on her forearm; B - the woman lying on her side with one leg raised and extended at a 90-degree angle from the body; C - the woman lying face down, leg extended back, head turned to look forward]

[Chinese calligraphy: 勝玉 (shengyu) - "surpassing jade"]

Figure 15: More beautiful than jade

Double Chin

A double chin appears as we grow older, caused by the muscles losing their elasticity. Some people correct it with plastic surgery, but there are certain yoga exercises which, if done early enough, can make plastic surgery unnecessary. Kneel and sit back on your legs, relax, and look straight ahead (image A). Then look at the floor as you lower your chin toward your breastbone. Next, breathe out and slowly tilt your head to the left (image B). Then breathe out and slowly raise your head, tilting it back as far as you can (image C). Then breathe out, hold your head upright, and look straight ahead (image D). Then lower your chin toward your breastbone and hold your breath for nine seconds. Then breathe in again and return to the starting position (image E). Do this exercise facing the other direction as well, and repeat the entire sequence four times.

[Illustration: A - a woman kneeling, seated back on her legs, looking straight ahead; B - the same woman with her head lowered, chin tucked to her chest; C - the same woman with her head tilted fully back, looking up at the ceiling; D - the same woman with her head upright, looking forward; E - the same woman with her head lowered again, returning to the starting position]

Menstrual Problems

Many women experience a range of symptoms in the days before their period, such as water retention, headache, stomach cramps, backache, and irritability - commonly known as premenstrual symptoms. These symptoms are caused by hormonal imbalance, which requires treatment from a doctor. Here we will address only the problem of stomach cramps during menstruation. The following exercise will help relieve the symptom. Lie on your back, place your arms at your sides pressing them against the mattress or floor, then breathe in deeply (image A). Hold your breath and raise your legs to a 45-degree angle (image B). Then breathe out, then breathe in. Next, rotate your feet in a circle clockwise (image C). Repeat this exercise, this time rotating your feet in a circle counterclockwise as in step C. Repeat the entire sequence four times.

[Illustration: A - a woman lying on her back, arms at her sides, legs raised nearly vertical; B - the same woman with legs raised to about a 45-degree angle; C - the same woman with a circular arrow indicating the direction of foot rotation]

Menopause Problems

The hormonal changes that occur during menopause can cause many physical and psychological problems. The following exercise can help relieve these symptoms. You will feel youthful still, and retain your alluring charm. Lie on your back, press your palms against the mattress or floor, and raise your left leg straight up to form a 90-degree angle with your body, breathing normally (image A). Then raise your right leg to a 30-degree angle from the floor, and rapidly alternate the positions of your left and right legs, for a total of thirty-six times. You must keep your legs always at the 30-degree and 90-degree positions. Use your abdominal muscles to swing your legs (image B).

[Illustration: A - a woman lying on her back, left leg raised perpendicular to the floor, right leg flat on the floor; B - the same woman with arrows showing the alternating positions of the left and right legs]

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回春 (huí chūn — "return of spring")

Figure 20: Return to seek the season when leaves flourish (i.e. renewal/rejuvenation)

[image: large dark-gray brush calligraphy of the characters 回春, written vertically in cursive running script]

Wrinkles Around the Eyes

Unfortunately, age does not bring us only the value of wisdom, the knowledge of moderation, and inner peace — it also causes hair loss, a reduction in height due to worn spinal discs, and brings various wrinkles, especially wrinkles around the eyes, which also rob the eyes of their sparkle. The first exercise is designed to restore the sparkle of the eyes; the second exercise helps prevent wrinkles around the eyes.

1. Exercise Relax while standing straight, feet slightly apart. Rub both your hands together until they are hot, then cover your left eye with your left hand. Then, with your right eye, look up and down six times in a row, moving your eye as fast as you can. Next look right and left six times in a row, moving your eye as fast as you can. Then with the right eye look diagonally from top-right to bottom-left, and from top-left to bottom-right, twelve times in a row. Finally, roll the eye by looking from right to left and from left to right six times in a row. Then rub both hands together again until hot, cover the right eye with the right hand, and repeat this exercise.

2. Exercise Use your middle finger to press the point shown in Figure A while breathing all the way out. As you do this, lift the finger away immediately and breathe in as deeply as you can. Repeat this exercise six times.

[Figure A: illustration of two eyes with eyebrows; a solid black dot marks a point at the outer corner of each eye near the temple, labeled A at the left-hand point]

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Then use the same method to press the point shown in Figure B

[Figure B: illustration of two eyes with eyebrows; a solid black dot above the outer end of each eyebrow, labeled B]

Repeat with point C, then rub both your hands together until hot, and hold them raised over your closed eyes for thirty seconds.

[Figure C: illustration of two eyes with eyebrows; a solid black dot at the outer corner of each eye, slightly lower than in Figure A, labeled C]

Constipation, Loss of Appetite, and Cold Hands and Feet

At first glance these symptoms seem unrelated. Yet Taoist medicine knows that there are three important meridian points on the body that can positively influence all three of these symptoms, and that can be stimulated by the following method.

Kneel and sit back on your legs so that your buttocks rest on your heels, keep your back straight, and clench your anus. Then breathe in, rub both your hands together until hot, and place your hands on the points shown in Figure A (above the tailbone, about

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[Figure A: illustration of the hips and legs from behind, with two black dots aligned vertically above the tailbone, bracketed with "3 inches" indicating the spacing; both feet shown with toes curled upward]

[Figure B: illustration of the hips and legs from behind, with a horizontal dashed line across the small of the back and a vertical dashed line down to the tailbone, with a single black dot at their intersection; both feet again shown with toes curled upward]

...three inches). While breathing out, rub these points until hot.

Figure B shows the point that lies at the intersection between the spine and the waist. Stimulate this point in the same way you stimulated the two points above.

Do both exercises four times.

Waist Pain, Bloating, and Swollen Feet

In the previous section we hinted that the secret of acupressure therapy is knowing the location of the meridian points that can relieve various symptoms of illness. These points need not be in the same area as the symptom itself, so do not be surprised that the following exercise involves points that seem far from the area of pain. To relieve waist pain, bloating, and swollen feet, you should follow this method.

Stand with feet apart and rub both your hands together until hot, then breathe in deeply. Then massage the area shown in Figure A while breathing out. Repeat four times. Then do this exercise with the points shown in Figures B and C.

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[Figure A: illustration of the hips and thighs from behind, with four black dots aligned along the groin crease on both sides]

[Figure B: illustration of the hips and legs from behind, with a black dot behind each knee]

[Figure C: illustration of the hips and legs from behind, with a black dot above each knee, bracketed with "3 inches" indicating the spacing]

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堅強 (jiān qiáng — "strong, firm") [Chinese characters in cursive brushwork; some strokes not fully legible]

Figure 23: Strength / Fortitude

[image: large dark-gray brush calligraphy of two stacked characters, written vertically]

The Path to Inner Beauty

[image: a gray circle with a dashed border in the upper-right corner of the page, a decorative graphic with no text]

We have just said that outward appearance only reflects one's inner condition. So if you want a beautiful outward appearance, begin working on your inner self as early as possible. Studying the interplay between poetry and the philosophical thought of different cultures is one way of working on the inner self; another is playing music or creating art; a third is doing volunteer work with a compassionate heart. However, all of these still involve external factors, since our true resource can only be reached through inner contemplation. How we can achieve this, and how it nurtures beauty, will become clear in the details of this chapter.

Meditation:

The Art of Withdrawing Inward

To understand the full implications of meditation, we must know that meditation is a very complex activity. Westerners, who may view

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靜坐 (jìng zuò — "sitting in stillness / meditation") [Chinese characters in cursive brushwork; some strokes not fully legible]

Figure 24: Inner Contemplation

[image: large dark-gray brush calligraphy of two stacked characters, written vertically]

...that meditation is sitting to calm the mind and to relax — in truth it is a high-level state of consciousness connected to our thoughts, physical actions, and emotions, aimed at reaching our inner self, harmony, and happiness. Meditation leads to an understanding of the secret of life and death, through advanced inner contemplation and the loss of fear: one who knows no fear no longer needs to pretend to be someone else. That person is genuine, self-assured, strong, and therefore beautiful.

There have been many methods for training the mind toward peace since ancient times. One of the most effective is the method presented here. The following requirements are necessary for meditating in a posture suitable both physically and spiritually.

• Choose a clean and quiet place where you feel especially at ease. • Wash your hands and face (this carries symbolic importance: cleansing oneself). • Wear comfortable clothing not made of synthetic fiber, and remove your shoes. • Sit comfortably on a cushion where you can remain seated for a good while. It is not necessary to sit in the full lotus ("vajra") position — an ordinary cross-legged lotus posture will do. • Lower your head slightly and close your eyes. • Let your shoulders drop. • Form your hands into a bowl shape, or rest them one on top of the other with the thumb tips touching, and place your hands above your navel.

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• Breathe through the nose only. • Breathe out while letting everything bad (thoughts, emotions, energy) leave in a single out-breath. • Then breathe in everything good, slowly. • Continue breathing in and out, trying to breathe slowly and quietly. • Your breathing will become natural and become one with you. • Try to stop thinking. This is the hardest part, but it is worth the effort. The goal of doing this is to make yourself "empty." If you focus your mind only on your breathing, you will find it easier to separate yourself from your thoughts.

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If you cannot do this, try using an aid: choose a word with a positive meaning, for example "sunlight" or "happiness," or a mantra from your own religion, and repeat it over and over in your mind, or say it aloud.

Buddhists may choose to recite mantras following the examples below:

• Nam Mu — "giving" (Figure 25) • Nam Mu Mo Ho Pan Lo Po Lo Wo Mi — "great wisdom reaching the other shore" (Figure 26) • An U Lo Ni Sa Po Ho — "a heart that cannot be shattered" (Figure 27) • An Chot Do Li Chot Do Li Cho Mo Li Cho Mo Li Ho Sa Po — "the body

...free from pain, free from error, free from want, free from craving" (Figure 28) • An Choli Choli Mo Ho Choli — "words free from malice, free from harm, free from foolishness" (Figure 29) • An Fu Choe Low O No Ho Hu — "thoughts free from hatred, free from fear" (Figure 30)

Speak these words silently or aloud, over and over, until the first word and the last word merge into one. The rhythm will carry you into a melody that helps you memorize these mantras. By now you have also learned to forget your emotions, consciousness, and thoughts.

Focusing the mind on these mantras is a way of linking your breath to the words, until the breath and the words are no longer separate. In this state you will not be aware of what surrounds you.

This is only the beginning of meditation. In one sense you are still standing at the entrance hall, and must pass through many more rooms to reach the most sacred chamber.

You need to meditate regularly in order to enter the inner precincts of the temple of meditation. At the start, do it for ten minutes a day, but as you gain experience, you should extend the meditation time, up to one hour a day. This will help you block out thoughts and achieve "emptiness" more easily.

During inner contemplation, it is possible that you will see certain inner images — for example, golden light or white light, or see a better world than you have ever encountered before. These are "good" images. However, there are also "bad" images — for example, demons and spirits that arise from

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摩訶 唵嚩唎脩嚩唎 (a Chinese phonetic transliteration of a mantra, beginning with "mahā") [Chinese characters in very cursive brushwork; some characters not fully legible]

Figure 29: Words free from malice, free from harm, free from foolishness

[image: brush-written Chinese characters in two vertical columns; the right column has five characters top to bottom, the left column has two characters, "摩訶" (mahā); together they render a mantra phonetically in Chinese characters]

83 Beauty Feng Shui

唵嚩日囉怛耶賀斗 (a Chinese phonetic transliteration of a mantra; "嚩日囉" renders "vajra") [Chinese characters in very cursive brushwork; some characters not fully legible]

Figure 30: Thoughts free from hatred, free from fear

[image: brush-written Chinese characters in two vertical columns; the right column has four characters, "唵嚩日囉" ("oṃ vajra"), the left column has four more characters; together they render a mantra phonetically in Chinese characters]

The subconscious mind. Furthermore, everyday objects may appear before your eyes — for instance a broom, a lamp, or a shopping-mall cart. All these images arise from the depths of your spirit, and appear suddenly because you have not suppressed them during inward contemplation. So what should you do? You want to be free of thoughts and emotions, yet new images keep appearing, because there are countless images. The only answer is to stop their continuous flow; otherwise it may consume you. The only way to do this is to chant the mantra aloud. Do not lose heart or focus on eliminating your thoughts — simply relax and try to focus on the mantra, that is enough. In the next room of the Temple of Meditation, you will be guided to [Figures A, B, C: line drawings of a young woman wearing a headwrap seated in the diamond meditation (lotus) posture. Figure A, viewed from the front, has a dot between the eyebrows (the "third eye"); Figure B, viewed from the back, shows a line of dots running down the spine from the head to the tailbone; Figure C, viewed from the front again, has dots at the chest, navel, and lower abdomen.]

Getting to know chi. The Chinese believe it is life force, the source of all things. It is everywhere, but we cannot see it. Its effect is limitless, yet it does not affect itself. It is what we call the "breath of life"; in Buddhism, chi has an extremely natural character. We find it everywhere we look, both within and without. What matters for us is linking meditation with chi, which can be done as follows: Sit in the diamond meditation posture and focus your mind on the chi point, also called the "third eye." It is located between the eyebrows (Figure A). Now focus your mind on the crown chakra. Chakras are energy-receiving points found at various places on the body, from the head to the tips of the toes. Chi runs through them and fills us with life force (Figure B). Focus your mind on the throat chakra, then focus on the hips, the tailbone, then focus on the sex chakra. The sex chakra is the point where sexual energy waits to be awakened. Finally, focus your mind on the navel chakra, then the heart chakra, then return to the chi point (Figure C). Move the chi from one chakra to another, staying in each chakra until you can feel the chi. It will resemble a warm sensation. You must decide for yourself when to move on to the next chakra. The goal is to open all the energy points, in order to attain a beauty that is not merely external, but also internal. Practicing meditation will make you become a different person, and make you more beautiful from within.

Imagination:

How to use the power of imagination

We have more imaginative ability than we think. Everyone in every culture uses the art of imagination whenever they want something that exists but still remains far out of reach. In daily life this usually happens at the subconscious level. In all spiritual traditions there are various ways of inducing change through the power of thought alone. Unfortunately this power can also be used for negative purposes — even though its negative effects always reflect back onto the one who does so. To use this power to enhance beauty, we need to find techniques that produce positive effects on the internal organs, in order to bring about sudden, observable changes to the body. We can always eliminate "flawed beauty" through imagination. However, this requires patient, intensive focused practice. How can you turn your beautiful dream into reality? Of course you must train yourself to be disciplined. You cannot imagine a slender waist while at the same time eating fatty foods and sweets. Furthermore, you also need to exercise the body and meditate as already described. Here is an example. You feel that your bust is too small, and think your bust would look better if it were one inch bigger. To achieve this goal without using silicone, you should do the following exercise: • Begin and end each day by imagining your bust in

...your dream for five minutes. • While imagining, repeat silently in your mind, "Bigger, bigger, bigger..." Scientific studies show that this method really does lead to results, even though it is widely doubted. It is possible that the spirit can issue commands to the body; we may likewise imagine away illness by this same method. • Do additional physical exercises to achieve the desired result. Following this example, we recommend doing the third exercise in the bust section (Figures 25-27). • Practice the art of projecting your thoughts. Try to influence your surroundings in a way that makes people around you perceive you the way you like. But don't overdo it, as it can produce the opposite effect!

Creating a Vision:

The power of the inner self-image

What you have already learned in the previous chapter is the foundation for what you can do specifically to positively influence your appearance from within yourself. We would like to call this "the art of creating a vision," because you not only imagine the desired result, but you can also choose from many inner visions as you wish. In other words, creating a vision makes the imagination more refined, because you don't need to hold many images in your mind at once, but can instead focus your mind with precision, as in the following example about enlarging the bust. You imagine the bust of your dreams, but how can you be sure

...that this self-image is truly what you want, and not just a composite of every image of a bust you have ever seen? Here is a way you can be sure: you will find what you consider correct for you when you bring it into harmony with everything else. The purpose for you is not merely to have a bust as large or as small as you want, but to achieve harmony with everything. Beauty is not perfection, but harmonious proportion. So when you create a vision of any part of your body, whatever you want, you must always remember that that part of your body may actually prefer to remain as it already is. You must find out what that part of your body needs! And please remember that this world is beautiful because of its diversity, not because of its perfection. Diversity is what allows life to arise and endure; perfection, on the other hand, eliminates this goal.

Habits:

How raindrops become a river

Laozi said: "The softest thing overcomes the hardest; that which has no substance can penetrate that which has no gaps." The wise Chinese sage was speaking of water. A German proverb likewise says, "Steady drops shape the stone." This law of nature can be applied to our lives without alteration. It is our own good and bad habits that influence our personality, our health, our beauty, and our success. Unfortunately we rarely realize that when a bad habit is repeated for a long time, it begins to take

[Chinese calligraphy, four characters read top to bottom: 滴水穿石 — "dripping water pierces the stone," written in cursive brush script] Figure 34: Steady drops of water shape the stone.

...control us instead. The following are bad habits that people widely practice. • Smoking a cigarette right after waking • Starting work without having eaten breakfast • Eating snacks or nibbles • Eating cold food • Drinking sugary drinks (especially in the hot season) • Eating or drinking things that mix sweet with salty, or hot with cold • Drinking alcohol as a way of relaxing • Eating too fast • Watching television while eating

But these bad habits can be replaced with good ones. There are exercises that, when done every day, every week, every month, or every year, can bring about beauty both within and without.

Do the following (once a day)

• Meditate for five minutes • Read at least one chapter of a book • Do a good deed • Compliment someone • Walk for thirty minutes • Tidy up the clutter in your home • Reflect on what you have done

Do the following (once a week)

• Spend time in nature • Clean the house • Go to bed early in the evening • Reflect on what you have done

Do the following (once a month)

• Fast • Take a trip to the countryside • Buy one fewer item • Refrain from using a car • Donate something • Visit your parents • Meditate for an extended period • Attend a cultural event • Do something special for your child • Give a gift to the person you love most • Give a gift to the person you like least • Reflect on what you have done

The calligraphy in Figure 34 means that turning good habits into our second nature is extremely beneficial. It is a preventive measure against one of the most widespread cultural ailments, a decisive factor that harms our health, and which likewise harms our beauty — that is, stress. The following are four exercises designed to relieve stress.

1. Exercise (do before bed)

Every day before bed, wash your feet with hot water for five minutes. This will help you fall asleep faster, without having to lie awake in bed for hours, dwelling only on your problems.

2. Exercise (do at any time)

When you feel drained of energy, use your index, middle, and ring fingers to press on your ear as shown in the picture, following these steps: First press points A, B, and C until they become warm. Then massage points A, B, and C in order, nine seconds each. Then "fold" your ear, folding point A down, folding point C up, and folding point B inward. Next press your palm against your ear, and twist your palm forward nine times and backward nine times. Finally massage points C, Ɛ, B, D, and A in that order. [Diagram: a drawing of the human ear, showing five pressure points labeled A, D, B, Ɛ, C, arranged from the top rim of the ear down to the earlobe.]

3. Exercise (do at any time)

Using the thumb and index finger of your right hand, massage the web of skin between the thumb and index finger of your left hand, four times. From this spot, massage upward along the thumb, for a total of thirty-six seconds. Repeat this exercise with the left hand. Using your thumb and index finger, press the base joint of your little finger, then press progressively toward the tip of the little finger, for a total of thirty-six seconds. Repeat this exercise with your other hand. Now rub both your hands together until they become warm, clench your fists, and release quickly. Repeat this three times.

4. Exercise (do at any time)

Using the tips of both middle fingers, stroke from the tip of your nose up to your hairline, then rest your middle fingers there. Spread your thumbs out, and press along the lower eye-socket bone toward the temples. Then rub both your hands together until they become warm, and close your eyes for thirty seconds. As you let the drops of these habits become the river of your daily routine, you will notice that your inner beauty begins to take on a life of its own, and begins to be noticeable from without as well.

The Harmony of Inner Beauty and Outer Beauty

Everyone wants to be beautiful, but what one person considers beautiful may seem unattractive to another. We all have different tastes, and nature has room for people of every shape, every size, and every skin colour. Nature seems determined not to limit itself by any single objective standard. We have discovered that beauty is more than outward appearance, but we have not yet shown that it is possible to preserve inner beauty in the same way as outer beauty. The foundation for this is the Taoist teaching on yin and yang. Yin represents the female and everything connected with femininity; yang is the symbol representing the male. A person can be healthy and possess beauty, both inner and outer, only when yin and yang are balanced and in harmony. Nothing represents this harmony better than the yin-yang symbol. [Figure: the yin-yang symbol — a circle divided into black and white halves by a curving S-shaped line, each half containing a dot of the opposite colour.]

Ancient [teaching]: it links the outer and the inner together, forming an eternal unity, which is what inspires us.

Deep Cleansing:

Everything grows out of nothingness

Everyone knows that daily cleansing is necessary for beauty and health. Here, however, we are not concerned with brushing your teeth or washing your face, but rather with cleansing the internal organs. The very first chapter of the oldest classic of traditional Chinese medicine states, "Those who wish to live a long life must keep their intestines clean." Daily cleansing of the intestines is likewise of the utmost importance in yoga. It is essential for having clean skin, a pleasant body scent, and good health, since this daily cleansing counters the gas that forms in the intestines overnight. Therefore, before bed one should go to the toilet to expel as much of the intestinal contents as possible. By this method you can expel a great deal of toxins and coarse fiber. However, since toxins still remain at the end of the intestine, we should also cleanse the end of the intestine with water — something we need to do, because although the flush toilet is very hygienic, sitting to defecate in this position causes the intestine to be tightly compressed, which prevents the waste from being expelled completely. By contrast, squatting to defecate in the old-fashioned way keeps the spine upright, so the intestine relaxes, allowing waste to be expelled easily and completely. Nowadays, colonic irrigation can help achieve the same result. It can also eliminate or relieve the symptoms of many ailments, such as: bad breath, physical discomfort caused by gas, stomach ailments, digestive problems, skin

Dark circles and sleep problems You will picture this better with the following comparison: imagine throwing out the trash in your trash can every day, but never emptying it completely, always leaving a little scrap of garbage behind. You do this day after day, week after week. Can you guess what happens to your trash can? The small leftover scraps can certainly cause a big problem. Doing the following every day will help keep your trash can empty:

• While using the toilet, focus your mind on what you are doing. Do not read or let your thoughts wander elsewhere. If you want to close your eyes, you may. • After you finish, do not use toilet paper — instead cleanse with water. Bend forward, spread your legs apart, and direct the water stream straight at the anus. Try to relax the sphincter muscle, and spray with a strong jet of water. At the same time, alternately clench and release the sphincter muscle rhythmically. Do this for about three minutes so the intestine can absorb the water. • Leave the bathroom and get dressed. • After about five to thirty minutes, you will feel the water in your intestine. You will feel the need to use the toilet again — go, and pass out whatever remains in the intestine along with the water. • Use water again (instead of toilet paper) to clean the anus.

Most people consider doing this strange, troublesome, and...

...is not practical, because it takes some time. A better way is to do it at night. Beyond regularly cleansing your intestine every day, you can also improve your skin and complexion by fasting one day a month for health reasons. We recommend following these steps:

• Start reducing your food intake about two days before the fast. Do not eat greasy or fried food, and do not smoke. • Twelve hours before beginning your fast, eat only light food or liquid food for dinner — for example, rice, noodles, or vegetable soup. • Begin the fast at seven in the morning by drinking one glass of warm water. Do not drink it in one large gulp — instead, sip it slowly. Repeat this at noon, and again at seven in the evening. • The next morning, eat oatmeal or rice water for breakfast. • For that day and the following days, drink only liquid food. • After the second day has passed, you may return to eating normally.

If you feel hungry, suppress the feeling of hunger with the following technique.

Exercise Posture Curl your tongue up to touch the roof of the mouth. Begin by breathing in through the nose and holding the breath for nine seconds. Then breathe out through the nose for nine seconds, and hold the breath for nine seconds. Keep breathing this way continuously until the hunger disappears.

Figure 38: Purity [image: a single large Chinese character in cursive brush calligraphy, centered on the page. The character resembles 清 ("pure/clear"), consistent with the caption. No other text on this page.]

While cleansing the intestine and fasting will improve your body's hygiene, bathing "correctly" in the morning will further improve your hygiene. The following is a process for strengthening the body's immune system:

• The bathroom should be warm. • Bathe with water as hot as you can manage. • Bathe by running the water from the bottom upward. • Linger on each part of the body until the skin turns slightly red. • Bathe by running the water from the bottom upward once more, but this time use cold water. • Dry yourself with a rough-textured towel.

Those with symptoms of heart disease or high blood pressure should not do this.

Controlling Diet Correctly:

Eating According to the Teaching of the Five Elements

The teaching of the Five Elements is founded on the balance of the yin pole and the yang pole. The Five Elements make up everything in this world. They are: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. The elements relate to one another as follows:

Wood generates Fire Fire generates Earth Earth generates Metal

Metal generates Water Water generates Wood

In the teaching of feng shui, this relationship is called the "Generating Cycle," which is the opposite of the "Destructive Cycle," namely:

Wood destroys Earth Earth destroys Water Water destroys Fire Fire destroys Metal Metal destroys Wood

[diagram: the Five Elements arranged in a circle, labeled Wood 木 (top), Fire 火 (upper right), Earth 土 (lower right), Metal 金 (lower left), Water 水 (upper left). Curved arrows connect them clockwise around the circle showing the Generating Cycle, while straight arrows crossing through the center of the circle in a five-pointed star pattern show the Destructive Cycle.]

The body's organs are likewise under the influence of the Five Elements, related as follows:

Element | Organ | Sense organ | Other body part Wood | Liver, gallbladder | Eyes | Tendons Fire | Heart, small intestine | Tongue, mouth | Blood Earth | Spleen, stomach | Skin | Muscles Metal | Lungs, large intestine | Nose | Skin, hair Water | Kidneys, bladder | Ears | Bones

Taste and color also belong to the Five Elements.

Element | Taste | Color Wood | Sour | Green Fire | Bitter | Red Earth | Sweet | Yellow Metal | Spicy | White Water | Salty | Black

We need to determine which element each person belongs to, or which element is their personal element. The method for finding one's personal element differs between men and women. Every person has one of the Five Elements as their personal element, depending on that person's time of birth. To find one's personal element, we must first know the number assigned to each element, as follows:

Wood element | 1 | 2 Fire element | 3 | 4 Earth element | 5 | 6 Metal element | 7 | 8 Water element | 9 | 0

Men: Subtract the last two digits of the birth year from 100, then divide by nine. The division will usually leave a remainder; if so, use that remainder. If the division comes out even, use the number 9 or 0. For those born before February 4th or 5th of a given year, use the last two digits of the preceding year instead, and for those born from the year 2000 onward, subtract from 99 instead.

Example: A man born in 1914 would follow these steps: 100-14 = 86; divided by 9, the result equals 9 remainder 5. This man's personal number is 5, which is the symbol of the Earth element.

Women: Take the last two digits of the birth year, then subtract 4, then divide by 9. The division will usually leave a remainder; if so, use that remainder. If the division comes out even, use the number 9 or 0. For those born before February 4th or 5th of a given year, use the last two digits of the preceding year instead, and for those born from the year 2004 onward, subtract 3 instead. Example: A woman born in 1966 would follow these steps: 66-4=62; divided by 9, the result equals 8. This woman's personal number is 8, which is the symbol of the Metal element.

When assigning foods to the various elements, you will probably not be surprised to find that some foods belong to more than one element. This is because it is based on both color and taste.

Wood Element Snow peas, celery, parsley, zucchini, mung beans, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, spinach, mint, green apples, pomelo, oranges, kiwifruit, peaches, green grapes, green olives, orange juice.

Fire Element Carrots, red beans, eggplant, radish, tomato, red apples, cherries, lychee, purple grapes, lamb, red meat, red chili peppers, black olives, green tea, and black tea.

Earth Element Yellow soybeans, pumpkin, yellow peppers, potatoes, corn, wheat, chestnuts, melon, yellow apples, yellow-fleshed papaya, mango, pear, banana, pineapple, tofu, sugar, honey, sesame, chicken, rabbit meat, fish, eggs.

Metal Element Onion, garlic, white mushrooms, ginger, pepper, pepperoni sausage, rice, chicken, fish.

Water Element Black beans, black sesame, purple mushrooms, black olives, seaweed, seafood, fish.

Now that you know your personal number and personal element, you know which foods belong to which element, and you have been introduced to the relationships of the Five Elements, which are necessary for the balance of yin and yang. So now, what foods are suitable for you? You can find out as in the following example: Suppose your personal number is 1; your personal element is therefore Wood. Water and Fire are "friends" of Wood, so the foods suitable for you are Water-element and Fire-element foods. The "enemies" of Wood are Metal and Earth. Eating Metal-element and Earth-element foods is therefore not good for you.

Proper Breathing:

Harmonizing with the Rhythm of the Universe

You may have noticed that in the various exercises, it is not only movement and mental focus that matter, but breathing is important as well. Why is that? Consider the following comparison: if you walk a long distance while breathing incorrectly, you will quickly become out of breath. However, if you breathe properly, you will be able to travel long distances for many hours. The reason is that the body needs to absorb oxygen; without it, the body cannot function. This is why playing sports outdoors amid pure air is healthier than playing sports indoors. By the word "breathe," we mean breathing out and breathing in consciously, harmonizing it with your other movements until it becomes a single rhythm. For proper breathing, you should do the following:

• Breathe through the nose only. • Breathe out while feeling the belly draw in. • Breathe in while feeling the belly expand outward, or feeling the air reach the solar plexus. • Do not breathe only shallowly; breathe deep and long, with as calm a mind as possible. • If you do this long enough, it will become your second nature. You will no longer need to think about breathing properly — it will happen by itself. • Once you have succeeded in doing this, you will breathe qi into each breath. Qi is the life force of the universe.

Practicing Qi:

Daily Interaction with the Life Force

Qi is the hidden power within us, which we can only crudely call "life force." The Japanese call this phenomenon ki, Indians call it prana, the Linesian people call it mana, the Greeks call it pneuma, and the Germans call it Odem. Even though we cannot see or touch this hidden qi, and cannot create or destroy it, we can still perceive it, feel it as existing within us, and even train it to support our efforts to build our beauty.

Exercise Posture • Find a place with fresh, comfortable air. • Wear clothing made of natural fibers. • Sit in the lotus position or diamond meditation posture. • Keep your back straight. • Place your hands on your knees. • Breathe slowly through the nose. • Close your eyes and focus on the qi point (the "third eye"). • Let go of all thoughts. • Raise your hands to cover your ears, cross the index finger over the middle finger, and gently tap your teeth together thirty times. During each tap, flick the index finger to strike the back of the skull (occipital bone) at the same time. • Place your hands on your knees again, then sweep your tongue counterclockwise thirty-six times, then sweep your tongue clockwise thirty-six times. • Swirl the saliva that comes out while sweeping the tongue. • Swallow the saliva, dividing it into three swallows.

Figure 42: Life Force [image: a single large Chinese character in cursive brush calligraphy, centered on the page. The character resembles 氣 (qì, "life force/vital energy"), consistent with the caption. No other text on this page.]

• Now focus your mind on the chest chakra. • Hold your breath, and rub both your hands together until they become hot. • Massage your buttock flesh thirty-six times. Do not breathe while doing this. • Breathe out, then breathe in deeply. • Focus your mind on the navel chakra until you feel this area grow warm. • Extend both arms out, then draw small circles in the air thirty-six times. • Extend your legs out. • Raise your arms, join your hands together above your head, then trace your arms in a half-circle shape down to your thighs three times. • Return to your original sitting position. • Swirl saliva in your mouth three times. • You should now be able to feel the qi within your body.

Exercise Posture • Lie on your back. • Spread your legs out, palms face-down on the floor. • Breathe out through the mouth quietly.

The secret of this exercise lies in extending the length of time you hold your breath a little more each day. Taoist monks can count to a thousand while holding their breath, but this requires many years of training.

Exercise Posture The following exercises are not only for enhancing beauty, but also for building superior sexual vitality.

• Lie on your back. • Spread your legs slightly apart, palms turned down against the floor. • Contract your anus. • Place both hands on your lower abdomen, and breathe in deeply through your nose. Then breathe out quietly through your mouth while releasing the anal contraction, then return your hands to rest on the floor. • Repeat this exercise eight times, holding your breath on the final repetition for as long as you can. • Rub both your hands together until they are hot, and massage the outer and inner sides of your thighs thirty times. • Rub both hands together until hot again, then cover your face with your hands; while doing this, clack your teeth together thirty-six times. • Rub both hands together until hot, raise your hands to cover your ears, cross your index fingers over your middle fingers, and gently clack your teeth thirty times; with each clack, flick your index fingers to strike the base of the skull at the same time. • Rub both hands together until hot again, and massage your chest thirty-six times. • Rub both hands together until hot, and stroke from your chest down to your navel thirty-six times. • Rub both hands together until hot, then place your left hand on your navel and use your right hand to massage your left groin thirty-six times. • Use the middle finger of your left hand to press your tailbone thirty-six times. • Rub both hands together until hot, then place your right hand on your navel and use your left hand to massage your right groin thirty times. • Use the middle finger of your right hand to press your tailbone thirty-six times.

• Use your left hand to stroke your lower abdomen 120 times. • Use your right hand to stroke your lower abdomen 120 times. • For men: use your left hand to massage your testicles 120 times, then use your right hand to massage them 120 times. • For women: use your left hand to massage your right breast 120 times, then use your right hand to massage your left breast 120 times. • Lie on your back and relax.

Although these exercises may look complicated, if you do them regularly they will bring you real benefit. You will not only learn to discover your chi, but you will also develop it further. This is a fine skill that Mencius began some two thousand three hundred years ago, as he said: "One who develops their own chi will find the correct path."

Appendix

The Four-Week Beauty Program

The content of this section concerns ways to enhance beauty by combining various elements together — from meditation, acupressure, and nutrition. If you can follow this program while on holiday, you will truly gain its benefits. Begin by reading this section so you can see an overview of what the program has to offer.

Chi Meditation

1. Search for your "third eye." You will find it by visualizing a straight line running from your nose up to your hairline. At the same time, visualize another straight line connecting the highest points of both your eyebrows. The third eye lies at the point where these two lines cross. 2. Visualize this point as your third eye, and focus your mind there with every inhalation.

3. Every morning and every afternoon, spend fifteen minutes changing your breathing rhythm: instead of breathing in and out normally, exhale twice for every one inhalation. 4. Choose a single word to repeat over and over while practicing your new breathing technique. This word should relate to beauty — for example, brightness, light, or the sun. This word will become your own word, which you will use from now on. 5. Listen to yourself as you breathe. Try to breathe with one inhalation to every two exhalations, as slowly as you possibly can. It becomes easier if you do not think about it. 6. Every morning and every afternoon, spend five minutes lying on your back, arms at your sides, hands held at the level of the pelvic bone, cupping your palms as though holding water, without letting your hands touch your hips. 7. Hold your hands the same way as in the previous exercise, but hold them above your forehead for five minutes. During this, focus your mind there, without letting your hands touch your forehead.

[table] Week One | Week Two Monday — Meditation 1 || Monday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1 Tuesday — Meditation 1, 2 || Tuesday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1 Wednesday — Meditation 1-3 || Wednesday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1, 2 Thursday — Meditation 1-4 || Thursday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1, 2 Friday — Meditation 1-5 || Friday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-3 Saturday — Meditation 1-6 || Saturday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-3 Sunday — Meditation 1-7 || Sunday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-3

[table] Week Three | Week Four Monday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-4 || Monday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-7, Menu 1, 5, 7 Tuesday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-4 || Tuesday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-7, Menu 2, 6, 9 Wednesday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-5 || Wednesday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-8, Menu 3, 4, 8 Thursday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-5 || Thursday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-8, Menu 2, 5, 9 Friday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-6 || Friday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-9, Menu 3, 6, 8 Saturday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-6 || Saturday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-9, Menu 1, 4, 7 Sunday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-6 || Sunday — Meditation 1-7, Exercise 1-9, Menu 2, 6, 9

Acupressure Point Exercises for Chi

Exercise 1 Locate your chi point and focus your mind there while your eyes are closed. You will know you have found it when you feel as though it radiates brightness within you. (Figure A) [image: a face with eyes closed, a dot marked at the point midway between the eyebrows, labeled A]

Exercise 2 Breathe in deeply; as you breathe out, use your fingers to tap the area beneath the nose and chin, and around the mouth. The tapping should resemble tapping piano keys. (Figure B) Use your right hand to tap in a circle on the right side, then use your left hand to tap in a circle on the left side. Repeat this exercise four times in a row for each hand. [image: a face with eyes closed, dotted circular arrows around the mouth and chin, labeled B]

Exercise 3 Place both thumbs at the chi point behind your earlobes (where you often dab on perfume). Press and trace your thumbs down toward your chin, but do not move them too quickly or too slowly. While doing this keep your eyes closed, and only open them once you have completed nine repetitions. (Figure C) Repeat this exercise four times. [image: a face with eyes closed, small triangular marks near the jaw close to the ear, labeled C]

Exercise 4 Begin by washing the area around your nose. Then pour water into your cupped palm and sniff it up into your nose with a forceful inhalation. Then expel the water out through your nose with a forceful exhalation. (Figure D) Repeat this exercise nine times. [image: a face with eyes closed, small marks near the nostrils, labeled D]

Exercise 5 Wash your face, but instead of massaging it with circular finger motions, use the fingers of one hand to tap your skin — tapping your forehead nine times and your chin nine times. (Figure Є) Then do the same with the fingers of the other hand. [image: a face with eyes closed, a shaded oval marked at the forehead near the hairline, and another shaded oval at the chin, labeled Є]

Exercise 6 Wash your face, and use the fingers of one hand to tap one of your cheeks. (Figure F) Then use the fingers of the other hand to tap your other cheek. [image: a face with eyes closed, shaded ovals marked on both cheeks, labeled F]

Exercise 7 Apply face cream using the following method: use the fingertips of your right hand to rub cream at your right temple, moving in eight circular motions toward your left temple, as shown in Figure G. On the ninth circular motion, move down along the cheek toward the chin. Do the same in the opposite direction with your left hand. [image: a face with eyes closed, dotted circular arrows sweeping across the forehead, labeled G]

Exercise 8 Use your right hand to work cream above your lips in the same manner. Start at the right corner of the mouth and move your hand toward the left corner, then move it back to the right corner in a circular motion. (Figure H) Do the same in the opposite direction with your left hand. [image: the mouth area, with dotted circular arrows around the upper lip, labeled H]

Exercise 9 Place your fingers beside the bridge of your nose, then apply face cream or eye cream, moving your fingers in soft circular motions around your eyes. (Figure I) [image: a face with eyes closed, dotted circular arrows around both eyes, labeled I]

[Chinese character: 神 (shén) — "spirit / divine"]

Figure 44: The Beauty of the Spirit [image: a large Chinese character rendered in bold black cursive brush calligraphy]

[Chinese character: 靜 (jìng) — "quiet / still"]

Figure 45. Silence [image: a large Chinese character rendered in bold black cursive brush calligraphy]

Chi Menu Appetizers (Serves Two)

1. Chicken Stir-Fried with Bean Sprouts Chicken breast, ½ pound, thinly sliced Garlic, 1 bulb, coarsely chopped Bean sprouts, 1 pound Canola oil or sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon Soy sauce, salt, or water, to taste

Heat a pan over medium heat. Stir-fry the garlic and chicken in the oil. When the chicken begins to turn white, add the bean sprouts. Season to taste, and serve immediately.

2. Chicken Stir-Fried with Snow Peas Dried chilies, 3, finely chopped Garlic, 2 bulbs, finely chopped Fresh ginger, grated, 2 teaspoons Canola oil or sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon Chicken breast, ½ pound, thinly sliced Snow peas, 1 pound Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Sugar, 2 teaspoons Sesame oil, 2 teaspoons

Heat a pan over medium heat. Stir-fry the chilies, garlic, and ginger in the oil. Add the chicken and stir-fry until white, then add the snow peas. Cover the pan and let the snow peas cook through. Then add the soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Serve hot.

3. Cucumber Salad 1 cucumber 1 dried chili 1 head garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon sugar

After peeling the cucumber, slice it crosswise into thin pieces, then mix with the remaining seasonings. Ready to serve.

4. Udon Noodle Soup with Chicken and Japanese Miso 2 or 3 heads garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 medium carrot 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons canola oil or sunflower oil 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil 6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock ½ pound chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces ¼ pound udon noodles (spaghetti may be used instead) ¼ pound snow peas, cut diagonally 1 red chili, thinly sliced 2 cups spinach or other green vegetable ½ cup parsley, finely chopped ½ cup spring onion, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons Japanese miso

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Soy sauce and pepper, to taste

Stir-fry the garlic and ginger in 1 tablespoon canola oil or sunflower oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Add the carrot and celery, and stir-fry for another 2 or 3 minutes. Then add water or chicken stock, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are nearly tender. In another pan, stir-fry the chicken in the remaining oil until white, then remove it. Add the udon noodles to the simmering broth. When the noodles are nearly done, add the red chili, snow peas, spinach, and chicken (with its cooking liquid). Once the vegetables are tender, add the parsley and spring onion, then simmer for another minute and turn off the heat. Dissolve the miso in some of the broth and stir it back into the soup. Season with soy sauce, or salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot.

5. Soybean and Rice Soup 1 15-ounce can soybeans ⅓ pound rice ½ pound zucchini, finely chopped 2 stalks celery, finely chopped 1 head garlic, finely chopped Sesame oil Salt and pepper Dried basil leaves

Put the first five ingredients into a pot and add water to twice the volume of the ingredients. Add the sesame oil, salt, pepper, and dried basil. Boil for thirty minutes. Serve hot.

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6. Stir-Fried Noodles with Chicken ⅔ pound spaghetti, or Chinese noodles, or Japanese noodles ½ pound onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon canola oil or sunflower oil ½ pound chicken breast meat, thinly sliced Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon curry powder ¾ pound bean sprouts Sesame oil

Blanch the noodles, then heat a pan. Stir-fry the onion and add the chicken, salt, pepper, and curry powder. When the chicken is cooked, add the bean sprouts and stir-fry for thirty seconds. Add the noodles and toss to combine thoroughly. Then add a few drops of sesame oil. Serve hot.

Desserts for Two

7. Tropical Fruit Salad with Almonds 1 mango 1 papaya 1 banana 1 kiwi Juice of 1 lime 5 tablespoons honey 1 ounce almonds, peeled and chopped

Peel and dice the fruit. Add the lime juice and honey, and toss to combine. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve cold.

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8. Mooncakes with Sweet Red Bean Filling 4 cups unbleached white flour 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup sugar ½ cup unsalted butter, slightly melted, or ½ cup vegetable oil 3 large eggs 6 to 7 tablespoons cold water 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons cold water Sweet red bean paste sheets*

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat the eggs with the sugar in a large bowl for about ten minutes, then add the melted butter or oil, water, and the other dry ingredients, and stir until fluffy. Turn the dough out onto a cloth 1¼ inches thick, knead it, and cut it into 24 pieces. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. With your hands, flatten each piece of dough into a round about 3 inches in diameter, with the edges thinner than the center. Place a sheet of sweet red bean paste in the center, gather the edges of the dough to enclose it, and roll it into a ball. Then press it down until it becomes a round about 3 inches across. Place the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet, one inch apart. Brush the tops with the egg beaten in cold water, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool before serving.

* Sweet red bean paste sheets can be found at Asian markets.

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9. Mango Cream 1 mango 1 pint heavy cream

Peel the mango, remove the pit, and puree it in a blender. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until fluffy. Pour the mango puree into the whipped cream. Serve in cocktail glasses, drizzled with honey.

Bathing Program for Beauty and Health

Bathing is good for your health, both inside and out. The relaxing quality it produces can also make you more beautiful. Here we want to show how acupressure can be combined with bathing. This special preparation is a bath meant to enhance beauty, prevent aging, and benefit your health. The bathing period should last about five to fifteen minutes. Water temperature depends on individual preference. This method comes from combining Taoist acupressure with traditional Chinese medicine.

1. For Dry Skin Preparation: Put two tablespoons of almonds into a mesh bag and place it in the bathwater. Then add two tablespoons of sesame oil and ten drops of lily oil. Lie in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on your heart chakra.

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潔 [Chinese character in cursive brush calligraphy; reading approximate — meaning "clean, pure"]

Figure 48: Cleanliness

[Image: a single large Chinese character filling most of the page, rendered in cursive brush calligraphy, with a Thai caption below]

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2. For Oily Skin Preparation: Slice orange peel and lime into small pieces and put them into a mesh bag together with one tablespoon of green tea, then place it in the bathwater. Lie in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on your navel chakra.

3. For Rough Skin Preparation: Add ten drops of lavender oil to the hot bathwater. Put two tablespoons of fennel seeds together with four chopped garlic cloves into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on your sex chakra.

4. For Unclean Skin Preparation: Put one tablespoon of pine needles, twenty dried willow leaves, half a chopped onion, and one piece of orange peel into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on the center of the soles of your feet.

5. When You Have a Fever Preparation: Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the water. Hang a mesh bag containing twenty slices of chopped ginger in the water. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on the acupressure point at the temples. While doing this, massage the point in the web between the thumb and index finger on both hands, for five minutes on each side.

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6. For Constipation Preparation: Put one tablespoon of black sesame, one chopped onion, and one tablespoon of chopped almonds into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on your navel chakra. While doing this, massage the outside of your calves.

7. For Swollen Feet Preparation: Put two tablespoons of red beans, two tablespoons of black beans, and two tablespoons of wheat grains into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on the acupressure point at the base of the collarbone.

8. For Headaches Preparation: Put two tablespoons of green tea leaves, ten slices of chopped ginger, and one chopped stalk of celery into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on the acupressure point at the hairline at the back of the neck. While doing this, massage the tops of your feet as well.

9. For Stress Preparation: Add one tablespoon of sesame oil to the bathwater. Then put two tablespoons of raw rice and one unpeeled, chopped potato into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on the tip of your tailbone. While doing this, massage the tops of your feet as well.

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10. For Digestive Problems Preparation: Add ten drops of fragrant sandalwood oil to the bathwater. Put three tablespoons of soybeans, two tablespoons of fennel seeds, and one tablespoon of raw rice into a bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and massage the point between your shoulder and shoulder blade. Also massage your heels.

11. For Coughing Preparation: Add twenty drops of orange oil and one tablespoon of honey to the bathwater. Put one chopped pomelo peel and one sliced pear into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on the middle of your throat and the top of your spine.

12. For Muscle Pain Preparation: Add one tablespoon of salt to the water. Put one tablespoon of pine needles, two tablespoons of black beans, and five slices of chopped ginger into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and massage the underside of your upper arms, as well as the front of your calves.

13. For Nervous Conditions Preparation: Put one tablespoon of rose petals, one tablespoon of wheat grains, and ten chopped dried plums into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Then add ten drops of rose oil. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on the acupressure point at the base of the collarbone. While doing this, massage your temples as well.

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14. For Loss of Appetite Preparation: Put half a chopped carrot, five cloves of garlic, half a tablespoon of black pepper, and two tablespoons of black sesame into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and massage the area of your shoulder blades and hip bones, as well as the tops of your feet.

15. For Arthritis Preparation: Add ten drops of liquid tiger-brand balm oil to the water. Put four tablespoons of pine needles and split papaya seeds into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on your throat chakra. While doing this, massage the acupressure point at the back of your knee.

16. For Bloating Preparation: Add ten drops of liquid tiger-brand balm oil to the water. Put one chopped pomelo peel, one tablespoon of green tea leaves, and one tablespoon of fennel seeds into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on the acupressure point at the base of the collarbone. At the same time, massage your lower abdomen.

17. For Bronchitis Preparation: Add ten drops of liquid tiger-brand balm oil to the water. Put ten dried loquat leaves, one pear, half a finely chopped pomelo peel, and two tablespoons of peanuts into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on your crown chakra and navel chakra. At the same time, massage your shoulders.

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18. For Acne Preparation: Put one chopped stalk of celery, two tablespoons of green tea leaves, twenty dried willow leaves, ten dried plums, and ten raisins into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and massage the area between your chest and navel.

19. For Influenza Preparation: Add ten drops of liquid tiger-brand balm oil and one tablespoon of honey to the water, and put four chopped garlic cloves, ten thin carrot slices, and one chopped onion into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and massage your temples, neck, and the top of your spine.

20. For Ringworm Preparation: Add four tablespoons of vinegar to the water. Put four tablespoons of pine needles into a mesh bag, and hang it in the bathwater. Lie face-up in the tub or bath, close your eyes, and focus your mind on your ribcage and heart chakra. At the same time, massage your Achilles tendon.

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水 ("water")

Figure 50: Water

雅 [Chinese character in cursive brush calligraphy; reading approximate — meaning "elegance, grace"]

Figure 51: Elegance

[Image: two Chinese characters in brush calligraphy, arranged vertically on the page; the upper one is captioned Figure 50: Water, and the lower one is captioned Figure 51: Elegance]

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From the Empress's Treasure Box:

Little Tricks for Little Emergencies

These little tricks were devised for situations that need urgent fixing. However, they are also useful for less urgent situations.

When you have eaten too much garlic

There are many ways to deal with garlic's unpleasant smell, such as drinking a glass of milk or tea, chewing gum, or using mouthwash. However, nothing is more effective than eating a small handful of parsley, which — besides killing the garlic smell — also gives you iron.

When you have hiccups

There are several ways to cure hiccups: drink half a glass of water in three sips, or after exhaling, pinch your nose and hold your breath. If you have this problem often, crush eggshells, boil the crushed eggshells in three cups of water, and drink it. This method also works for bloating.

You need to wash your hair but have no time

Dip a cotton ball in alcohol and dab it at your hair roots, then massage your scalp for three minutes, then brush your hair from back to front.

When you have a cold but must attend a meeting

Drink two glasses of cola with ten thick slices of ginger, two tablespoons of honey and lemon juice, warmed together. This method is very popular in Hong Kong.

Your feet smell

Curing the fungal infection that causes this usually takes two to three weeks, but an ancient Chinese formula can help. If the fungus has not spread too far, it can be cured within three days. Prepare a foot-soak this way: mix one quart of water with one quart of vinegar, and heat it as hot as you can stand. Soak your feet for ten or twenty minutes, at least once a day.

When you have dandruff

Put flour ground from whole wheat grains and water into a pot in a ratio of one to two. Cook over low heat until sticky, then mix in the egg whites of two eggs. Then wash your hair without shampoo, and apply this mixture to your scalp. Wrap your head in a towel for five minutes, then rinse the mixture out and dry your hair.

When you have a headache

Press the thumb and index finger of your right hand onto the point between the thumb and index finger of your left hand, and alternate sides. Press this point until you feel nothing there. Next, use your thumb and index finger to press your earlobe, then press along the rim of the ear up to the top until you feel nothing in your ear.

When you are very stressed

Anxiety keeps you awake all night and leaves you feeling exhausted in the morning. Use your index and middle fingers to press your temples. At the same time, use your thumb to press your hairline at the neck, then slide the thumb's pressure slowly along the line behind the ear toward the temple, applying pressure the whole way, until the area you are pressing feels nothing.

When you have a sudden stomachache

Place your hands on both knees with palms spread open. Press the ring finger hard until the pressed area feels nothing.

When you feel weak and look pale

Soak your feet in very hot water, then use your thumb, index finger, and middle finger to massage your ears. Begin by pressing the earlobe, then press along the rim of the ear to the top until your ear feels nothing. Dry your feet, then tap your heels with your knuckles until you feel nothing.

When you are constipated

Drink warm water with two tablespoons of dissolved salt.

You want your hair shiny and lustrous right away

Wet your hair with hot water, then pour a glass of orange juice over it and massage it in. Then rinse it out, and towel- or blow-dry your hair.

You want your skin to look soft right away

Separate one egg white into two portions. Use half to smooth over your face, then rinse it off with warm water. Then use the other half to smooth over your face, and let it dry for about five to ten minutes before rinsing it off with warm water and carefully patting your face dry with a towel.

Bad breath

Most Americans and Europeans deal with this problem by chewing gum. Unfortunately, doing so does not fix the underlying problem, which is often connected to tooth decay or bacteria in the stomach. When an emergency arises,

[Large cursive-brush Chinese calligraphy character; not legible with confidence — possibly 艶 'glamour/charm'] Figure 54: A meaning that is full and complete

(Not general medical treatment) The Chinese use four green tea leaves, chewed until all the taste is gone.

When you have a toothache

Rub the sore spot in your mouth with salt.

You want to prevent age-related wrinkles

Begin drinking carrot juice every day once you turn fifty.

Fifty Rules for Beauty and Inner Youthfulness

This book conveys ancient Chinese knowledge on beauty and aging. In the empire of the Middle Kingdom, people are given more respect as they age. This Eastern outlook differs from the Western view. Westerners are preoccupied with looking young; signs of aging remind them of death. In Asia, however, age brings greater beauty and wisdom — something we all aspire to. However, if you still want to fight back against the aging process, you can look more youthful by doing the following:

1. Never stop learning 2. Always stand on your own two feet 3. Stay away from all doubts 4. Know that you are not the only one with many different desires 5. Learn to understand others

[Two large cursive-brush Chinese characters: 知 (zhī, 'to know') and 足 (zú, 'sufficient') — together meaning contentment, 'knowing what is enough'] Figure 56: Knowing moderation/contentment

6. Follow your heart 7. Try to understand yourself 8. Try to understand humanity 9. Practice being alone amid crowds 10. Practice living together with others 11. Do not expect anything at all 12. Do not be too happy over any one thing 13. Do not be too upset over any one thing 14. Believe in your own strength 15. Do not lose your capacity to be surprised 16. Let patience be your constant companion 17. Honor those who criticize you 18. Check your outward appearance with a mirror, and check your inner appearance through your responsibility to others 19. Treat everything in life equally 20. Help everyone, everywhere 21. Do not seek profit 22. Be careful with your words 23. Control your various thoughts 24. Be happy when others are happy 25. Put yourself in others' shoes 26. Do not be arrogant 27. Widen your horizons ever further 28. Care for those who are grieving or sad 29. Hold fast to love first, then people, and only then the law

30. Practice forgiveness 31. Do not praise anyone wrongly 32. Eliminate fear 33. Stay with what you know 34. Be mindful of responsibility 35. Consider your successes with neutrality 36. Fear your own abilities more than you fear danger 37. Look like a blind person, listen like a deaf one 38. Do not treat success as a constant companion 39. Walk gently 40. Enjoy your work 41. Help bring about justice 42. Learn to serve 43. See what cannot be seen 44. Be a good person 45. Be brave 46. Show respect 47. Be honest 48. Seek wisdom 49. Bring beauty and charm together 50. Do not let beauty deceive you

"Nobility enriches beauty in all humankind" Confucius

Crown chakra / fontanelle [symbol: a triangle inside a circle] Forehead chakra / "the third eye" [symbol: a character resembling Sanskrit script] Throat chakra [symbol: a character resembling Sanskrit script] Heart chakra [symbol: a six-pointed star with an accompanying character] Navel chakra [symbol: a character resembling Sanskrit script] Sex/sacral chakra [symbol: a character resembling Sanskrit script] Root chakra [symbol: a square]

The various chakras [Illustration: a seated figure in cross-legged meditation posture, face not clearly rendered, with seven chakra points marked from the head down to the base of the spine; each point carries a small script symbol, with Thai labels on the right side of the image pointing to each chakra's location]

[Large cursive-brush Chinese calligraphy character: 秀 (xiù, 'elegant, outstanding, beautiful')] Figure 59: Beautiful/graceful