tech02 The Theory &
Practice of Source Acupuncture
The Secondary Scroll -
The Three Treasures
Chinese Alchemy called them the Three Originals … Chinese Medicine referred to them as the Three Treasures ... and Taoism knew them as the Three Truthful Items.
These are all references to the three primal energies that were firmly established in each one of us when we were no more than a fetus. The Three Treasures are yuan-jing (source essence), yuan-qi (source vitality), and yuan-shen (source consciousness).
The spiritual portion of the Three Treasures originates in the Before Heaven (pre-birth) state - that is, before materialization in the physical world. Taoism tells us how these three spiritual aspects become part of our human capacity at the time of our birth, and how they are related to the three primal energies we recognize as Jing, Qi, and Shen.
Once established in the fetus, the Three Treasures split into the Inner Treasures and the Outer Treasures. The Outer Treasures are the senses associated with the eyes, the ears, and the mouth.
At the beginning of the yang time (daylight), the Three Inner Treasures, Jing, Qi, and Shen, move out of their inner resting places and activate the external organs of the eyes, ears, and mouth where they are able to interact directly with the three-dimensional world. During the yin time (nighttime), they return to rest in their respective inner organs. The Shen returns from the eyes to rest in the Heart; the Jing returns from the ears to rest in the Kidneys; the Qi returns from the mouth to rest in the "Middle."
The term "Middle" refers to the Middle Burner, or the region of the Spleen/Stomach activity.
The Three Treasures are important in Chinese medicine, philosophy, & religion, because they:
Are our Spiritual Heritage - and in their dual nature allow us to become whole as both a material being and as a spiritual being;
Reside in the body as primal Yang that supports our true nature and that Protects against Yin forces (of degeneration); and
Demonstrate the original triune division of the creative force - a process which can be reversed, resulting in the Restoration of our Wholeness.
Vitality, Serenity, and Wealth, for the ancient Chinese, were completely dependent upon the restoration of the difference between Common consciousness and Primary consciousness.
The "impulse to live" is said to reside in the Kidneys as Ming (destiny). This destiny, or spiritual potential, is equivalent to Jing, one of the Three Treasures. The fusion of the Three Treasures within the physical body requires the reunion of Jing and Shen. When Jing and Shen interact, the result is Qi.
Let's Repeat this Physiological Key:
"When Jing and Shen interact, the result is Qi."
The Three internal Treasures fill the body with Yang attributes of spirit.
When the essence of the Three Treasures is retained in the physical body, this Yang energy fills the body with purity, so that impure energy cannot intrude.
The ancient Chinese knew this impure energy as "The essence of Yin" - and they called it the Three Serpents.
Materialistic persons were said to evoke these Three Serpents for self-seeking ends.
It was said that if the Three Serpents took over the body and thus excited desire for material things, the spiritual Yang energy of the Three Treasures would seep away and Death would occur.
To prevent this loss of energy and death, the ancient Chinese cultivated the Three Treasures in order to retain their original qualities. This included upholding the defense of the Outer Treasures (eyes, ears, and mouth)* so that the Inner Treasures could not seep away through the senses organs into the external world.
* Compare this concept to the ancient three monkeys who
"See no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil."It was reasoned that if the Outer Treasures could be sealed, then the Inner Treasures would be preserved.
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