[PDF]Manipulations for Reinforcing the Kidney and Replenishing Vital Essence 

Manipulations for Reinforcing the Kidney and Replenishing Vital Essence

The kidney, as an indispensable organ, is called "the congenital fundamentals" in TCM and is the driving source of life. It is located in the lumbar region, so the loin is compared to " the house of the kidney". Physiologically, the kidney mainly stores the essence of the human body, controls its growth and reproduction, and regulates metabolism of water and fluid in the body, which enables clean substances to ascend to the lung and to be distributed all over the body, and the used substances to descend to the bladder and to be discharged out of the body. Besides, the function of the kidney in promoting inspiration is significant to respiration of the human body because the inhaled air can come down only under the aids of the kidney though respiration is controlled by the lung. Therefore, there are the sayings "the lung controls respiration, while the kidney promotes inspiration" in TCM. The kidney is associated with the bladder through the meridians interiorly, and its functional conditions are exteriorly reflected by solidity of the bones, luster of the hair, spirits of the human being, and the hearing ability.

 In one word, the kidney is interiorly-exteriorly connected with the bladder, controls the bones of the body, is reflected on the ears and opens to the external urethral orifice and the anus. The range of nephritic diseases studied in TCM,compared with that in modern medicine, chiefly refers to diseases in the urogenital system, including nephritis,cystitis, urinary infection, prostatitis, seminal emission, prospermia, male and female infertility, some gynecological diseases like amenia, leukorrhea, some skeletal diseases, lumbar pain, toothache, some diseases of the nervous system and some hypofunctional problems like aversion to cold, listlessness, and some ear diseases like tinnitus,deafness. All these diseases can be prevented or treated with a satisfactory result by performing Manipulations for Reinforcing the Kidney and Replenishing Vital Essence.

Digitally-pressing Shenshu (BL 23)
    
Sit, use the two thumbs to clasp the lumbar and hypochondriac region, place the overlapped index and middle fingers on Shenshu (BL 23) on either side, and press-knead with slightly force for one minute.

 Knocking the Lumbar and Spinal Regions
    
Sit or stand upright, clench the two hands to make hollow fists, and knock the two sides of the lumbar-spinal areas with the radial aspects of the soft fists from the place as high as possible down to the sacral region. The knocking is combined with bonding forward movements of the lumbus, and done up and down 20 times.

 Rubbing the Lumbar and Sacral Regions    
Sit with the upper body bonding slightly forward. Flex the elbows, try to place the palms as high on the lumbodorsal region as possible, rub quickly down to the sacrum by exerting force with the whole palm, especially the minor thenar eminence until a hot sensation is obtained.

 Rubbing Guanyuan (CV 4)
    
Sit, and press the left palm on Mingrnen (GV 4) horizontally. Rub the abdomen with the right hand around Guanyuan (CV 4), first counter-clockwise for 50 times, then clockwise another 50 times, and finally press the point inward and downward along with breathing 10 times

Grasping the Medial Aspect of the Thigh
    
 Take a sitting position. First get the right thumb separating from the rest fingers, grasp and knead the muscles in the medial side of the left thigh from the top down to the knee 10 times. Then grasp and knead the right thigh with the left hand another 10 times. Push-rub the medial side of the left thigh to the knee with the right palm until it becomes hot. Exchange the hand and the thigh and repeat the above operation.

Rubbing the Lower Abdomen
    
See the Part of Manipulations for Soothing the Liver and Regulating Flow of Qi.

 Manipulations of Replenishing the Marrow
    
Take a sitting position. Press the right thumb on the left Sanyinjiao (SP 6), and the right index and the middle fingers on Juegu (GB 39), which is the marrow influential point of the eight influential points, and press-knead them with slightly force for one minute. Then move down to the Achilles tendon with the thumb on Taixi (KI 3) and the index and the middle fingers on Kunlun (BL 60), press and knead them forcefully for one minute. Change into the left hand and the right leg, and do the same manipulations.

 Rubbing Yongquan ( KI 1 )
    
See the Part of Manipulations for Relieving Mental Stress and Easing the Mind.

Manipulating the Two Ears (Xishuanger)
    
Take a sitting position. Put the two palms on both the ears horizontally with the thumbs directing downward, and push-rub backward with even force. As the palms return back, bring the auricles down onto the ears, and push and rub them forward. Operate the whole procedure back and forth 20 times. Then pinch the earlobes with the thumbs and the index fingers, shake them several times. Finally, insert the index fingers into the ear orifices, quiver them quickly several times, and withdraw them suddenly. Repeat the whole procedure.

Contracting the External Genitalia and the Anus
    
Relax the whole body and keep it in a placid state. Do the abdominal respiration (namely, the abdomen sticks out when inhaling and shrinks in when exhaling) contract the external genitalia and the anus with force while exhaling ,and relax them while inhaling repeat the whole process 10 times.

 [PDF]Manipulations for Reinforcing the Kidney and Replenishing Vital Essence