– Dr. Jerry Alan Johnson
In ancient China, the concept of an individual’s virtue (De) and his or her destiny (Ming) were closely connected with the Prenatal and Postnatal Trigram energetic transformation that happens at birth. Destiny (associated with the Yuan Jing, Qi and Shen) was believed to originate from Heaven at the time of birth, after which it was stored in the individual’s Mingmen (Gate of Destiny) area between the Kidneys. The individual’s Ming becomes the spark of life and the dynamic potential underlying his or her thoughts and actions. Although the subtle impulses emanating from the individual’s Ming are generally hidden from the conscious mind, through training Shengong meditations (or experiencing a spiritual”Awakening”) a deeper realm of understanding can be intuitively discovered and accessed.
Once “awakened,” it is up to the individual to consistently act in accordance with his or her Ming throughout life. This spiritual action is based on the individual’s conscious use of his or her Yuan Shen and Yi (Intention). The intent to remain congruent with the “will and intent of heaven” (Zhi Yi Tian) is what gives the individual true virtue (De). It is through the development of his or her virtue that the individual establishes a healthy relationship with the Dao, Heaven, and the spirit world.