How to understand and grasp "concentrating the mind into the 炁 point"?

Mr. Kong De: Hello! In this letter, I would like to ask you how you understand the saying "In the past, when I met a teacher, I passed on the oral instructions and also taught you to concentrate your mind on the 炁 point"? Nowadays, many articles on alchemy mention the initial techniques of internal alchemy by saying, "Concentrate the eyes and let the divine light shine brightly on the lower dantian," but this is somewhat inconsistent with the three words "concentrate the spirit in." Moreover, there are also articles stating that the "炁 point" is not the lower dantian. Where do you think the true location of the 炁 point is? How can one truly "concentrate the mind on the 炁 point"? I sincerely hope you can offer me some guidance, Sir. Teacher Kong De replied: The questions raised in the letter are very important. I believe every beginner will encounter this practical problem. If they cannot raise questions about this as you do and seek clarification, they will surely not be able to solve the problem and it will be impossible to obtain real results. As a starting point, "only teaching to concentrate the mind on the 炁 point" is indeed the true essence of the method. However, it still seems a bit "general". The specific mnemonic should be: "Regulate the breath and concentrate the mind, concentrate the mind and regulate the breath, the mind and breath should be interdependent, return to the root 炁 point." In general, the phrase "concentrating the mind on the dantian" in Qigong terms must be taken as the standard to be considered effective. Otherwise, they either have only a superficial understanding, or spread false information, or even deliberately deceive others. When taking action, we focus our eyes, silently look down, observe the nose accurately, and then slightly close our eyes - it is very necessary to do this kind of guiding work that is beneficial for concentrating the mind. However, often some articles on elixir classics put forward some mnemonic rhymes such as "close observation and inner reflection" or "focus the divine light of the eyes and shine on the dantian" at this initial stage without providing any hints or explanations, which makes it most likely for scholars to make mistakes here. In fact, what is called "looking inward" is "concentrating the mind". When we usually look outward with our eyes wide open, this is an external consumption by God. Just like a flashlight's power on, the electric light shines outward. When we close our eyes, it's as if the power of a flashlight is turned off, and our spirit converges within our memory. The internal cohesion of God is "introspection and reflection". The root of the eyes lies in the heart, and their movement represents the spirit. Closing the eyes, the spirit returns to the heart. When the heart remains still, the spirit will be concentrated. The mind is concentrated, the breath is steady, and the qi is calm. In this way, when the mind and breath are interdependent, they will naturally return to the root 炁 point. If, at the moment of taking action, we truly aim to "concentrate the divine light of the two eyes to shine on the lower dantian", that is, to truly conduct a "close observation and inner reflection", I can firmly determine that there will be two consequences: First, the mind cannot be at peace, the consciousness spirit cannot retreat, and it is difficult to achieve the true effect of concentrating the spirit. Secondly, if this kind of "illumination" and "reflection" continues, ten or eight people will have headaches and headaches, and it is certain that they will fall ill. Why? This not only failed to concentrate but also consumed more energy. Besides, for those who are just beginning to practice martial arts, their bodies cannot be empty. The so-called "the divine light of the eyes shining brightly on the lower dantian" is simply impossible to "shine down" from within. It can only be that the gaze shines from the front of the body. Even with eyes closed, the mental exhaustion is even worse than when eyes are open. So, when taking action, using "concentrating the mind" is the most accurate, while using "shining brightly" is prone to errors. The concept of the lower dantian and the application of acupoints in this school is consistent. However, in meaning, the 炁 point is a large area, and the dantian is the core of this large area. But all these are just names and appearances. You can also understand them in reverse. Generally speaking, the final point where the mind and breath are interdependent and return to the root is the 炁 point, and the point where the innate qi emerges is the dantian. The "base" of the pulsation formed by the vigorous energy of the dantian is the 炁 point. At the very beginning of taking action, using "concentrating the mind on the dantian" as the starting point for concentrating the spirit does have certain positive significance. But it would be wrong to always maintain "concentration" and "clarity". That is to keep the heart and the kidney, the spirit and the essence, fire and water always on opposite sides. Therefore, "concentrating the mind into the 炁 point" is undoubtedly correct. "Entering" means to unite the two GUI points. To achieve "concentrating the mind" and "touching the 炁 point", the key lies in the interdependence of the mind and the breath. When hearts can always rely on each other, they can gradually return to their roots. Starting to return to the root is merely returning to nature. Naturally, each step will develop in depth, and the layers of the "root" will keep advancing, first the lungs and then the kidneys. Once one reaches the ultimate state, the external breathing through the mouth and nose will suddenly cease, and fetal breathing will occur. The place where the fetal breath is generated is the 炁 point. If the fetal breath can move, it indicates that the spirit has entered the 炁 point. The locations of the "dantian" and "炁 point" marked on the elixir classic are merely for the practitioners to have a general reference. If one attempts to use any observation method to find this exact position in the active state, it would be a big mistake. Only the 炁 rice acupoint method I introduce here is the most convenient and safest. It can be verified and confirmed by scholars and is by no means an empty statement. It should also be noted that when the practice reaches the stage of turning hands, the position of the 炁 point turns to the middle dantian and will gradually change from the tangible "middle" to the intangible "middle". This is a story for another time. This reply, best wishes!