In Classical Chinese Medicine, there are two energetic vessels that are central to the issue of Attachment. Now the Ancient Chinese may not have referred to them in this way, as the language of Attachment theory is a relatively new phenomenon in the West. But the truth is, this awareness of healthy human connection has been a part of the human journey since humanity began it's long journey on the good earth.
The two vessels of particular interest here are the front and back midline vessels. These are known in Chinese as the Ren Mai and the Du Mai. Ren is the front midline, and is known as the Sea of Yin, and referred to as The Vessel of Bonding. Du is the back midline, known as the Sea of Yang, and referred to as The Vessel of Independence.
These two vessels are known as Vessels of First Ancestry, and both begin in the same place... at a "place beneath the uterus." From this internal place, they both emerge on the surface of the body at the perineum.
The Ren channel then proceeds forward through the genitalia, up the midline of the abdomen, chest and throat and ends at a point in the roots of the bottom teeth.
The Du channel proceeds backward through the anus to the coccyx, and from there travels up along the spine to the base of the skull and then up over the top of the head, down the forehead, passing through the bridge of the nose and ending at a point in the roots of the top teeth.
From the location alone you can see how the front of your body is related to bonding, and the back correlated to your drive for independence. And then please notice that independence and bonding are a yin/yang pair. We understand and appreciate one, because we know the other!
The extension of this understanding is that yin creates yang and yang creates yin. So... the quality of your bond will be directly related to the quality of your independence. If you are bonded in a healthy way, you'll be able to be independent in a healthy way. If you are bonded poorly, your independence will be fraught with struggle.
The art of working with the vessel energy is ancient and deep, offering access to the very primal forces of life that form your being. Simply holding and breathing into the points on these vessels facilitates a greater ease of flow within the vessels, and helps to heal wounds that are present in either your ability to bond, or to be independent.
There is a very famous Taoist meditation known as the Micro-Cosmic Orbit, though I personally prefer the translation Small Heavenly Circle. In this meditation, you awaken your awareness of energy moving through the midline vessels. You open the orbit by touching the tip of your tongue to the top palate behind the top teeth. This connects the Ren Mai and the Du Mai. Then with your mind's eye, you encourage qi to flow down the midline of the front body, and up the midline of the back body in a continuous flow.
As you do this, remember the addage, "Pain is no flow, and flow is no pain!" If you have pain in either your experience of bonding or independence, this meditation can encourage the flow brining relief from your pain.
This is just one of the many ancient Taoist healing practices that can be employed to help heal attachment wounds. I encourage you to give it a try. Just breath slowly and deeply and encourage a gentle flow of life energy through your midline channels.
Once you try the Small Heavenly Circle meditation, I welcome your comments, questions and dialogue.
