Disposing of the old and acquiring the new
T’u-ku na-hsin also called t’u-na, Chin., lit. “disposing of the old and acquiring the new”; Taoist breathing exercise, in which the stale breath is expelled as completely as possible through the mouth, whereupon the practitioner inhales fresh air through his nose, endeavoring to fill the lungs to their maximum capacity. This allows him to expel the dead breath (ssu-ch’i, ch’i) and then absorb the living breath (sheng-ch ‘i) an essential precondition for the attainment of immortality. T’u-na is one of several methods of nourishing the body, or life (yang-hsing, yang-sheng). As he expels the stale air, the adept may produce six different sounds, each of which acts upon a particular internal organ and is said to have specific healing powers.
Exhaling and at the same time making the sound ch’i strengthens the lungs and can cure tuberculosis. The sound ho strengthens the heart and also is a cure for headaches. The sound hsu acts on the liver and dispels a phlegmatic temperament. Hu acts on the pancreas and lowers the temperature when the patient is suffering from a fever. Ch’ui acts on the kidneys and is a prophylactic against catching cold. Hsi influences the alimentary tract, the stomach, and the urogenital system and relieves rheumatic pain.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen. Shambhala Publications, Inc.
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