We also know that the Earth’s magnetic field has started at the geographic South Pole and ended at the geographic North Pole for at least the last million years (although evidence suggests that during the last several million years the magnetic poles of the Earth have reversed several times5 & 6).
In 1570, an English court physician, William Gilbert, constructed a permanent magnet in the form of a large lodestone sphere. He used a small compass needle to survey the magnetic field near the surface of the sphere and discovered that his model successfully represented the main features of the Earth’s magnetic field. In his survey, he discovered that in a point in the Northern Hemisphere, such as in England or the United States, the field is directed downward and to the north. Therefore, we can reasonably assume that a relatively short magnet, several hundred miles long, is buried deep inside the Earth. Since the lines of force are directed downward for an observer in the Northern Hemisphere, we may assume that the “Earth’s magnet” has an S pole on the end which is beneath the north magnetic pole.4 Therefore, what we usually call the Earth’s North Magnetic Pole is actually the south pole of the Earth’s magnetic field. In other words, the actual magnetic poles of the Earth are the reverse of how they are shown on navigation maps (Figure 4-2).
Figure 4-4. Lines of equal magnetic declination
Figure 4-5. Dip needle
Figure 4-6. The Earth’s magnetic field at Washington D.C.
The ordinary compass needle responds only to the horizontal component of the Earth’s magnetic field, since it is pivoted in such a way as to prevent up-and-down motion. If a magnetized needle is mounted so as to be free to swing in a vertical north-south plane, it is free to point in the direction of the field, and in the Northern Hemisphere it will assume a position in which it points downward and to the north. Such an instrument is called a dip needle (Figure 4-5). The angle of dip is measured from the horizontal. For example, values of the horizontal and vertical components of B for the Earth’s field at Washington, D.C., have shown that the vertical component is about three times the horizontal component at this location (Figure 4-6).
Figure 4-7. A piece of steel becomes a magnet when placed in a magnetic field
Once you have assimilated the above concepts, let us now analyze our body’s magnetic field. We know that when a piece of steel is placed inside a magnetic field, it becomes a magnet (Figure 4-7). Since our bodies are made up of conductive material, and we are in the magnetic field of the Earth, it is reasonable to assume that our bodies are like magnets. Since a magnet has two poles that must be located on the centerline of the magnet, we can easily guess that the poles of our bodies must be somewhere on the head and the bottom of the abdomen if we stand in either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere (Note: the Earth’s magnetic field passes through our bodies horizontally if we stand on the equator). The reason for this assumption is that the spinal cord is made of highly electric conductive fibers that connect the head to the sacrum. Thus, our task is to locate the poles of the human magnet.
Figure 4-8. Human magnets in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere
Since your body’s magnetic field is formed under the influence of the Earth’s magnetic field, the north and south poles of your body will be determined by whether you are in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. For example, if you are standing near the North Pole, then the lines of force of the Earth’s magnetic field will enter your body through your head and emerge from the bottom of your body. Naturally, if you are near the South Pole, then the lines of force of the Earth’s magnetic field will enter the bottom of your body and exit from your head (Figure 4-8). This means that if you are at the Earth’s North Pole your head will be a south pole while your abdomen will be a north pole. Naturally, the situation will be reversed if you are at the Earth’s South Pole.
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Figure 4-9. A human magnet in the Northern Hemisphere
I believe this means that if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, your brain (i.e., Upper Dan Tian) is constantly being nourished and stimulated by the energy from the Lower Dan Tian. However, if you live in the Southern Hemisphere, your Lower Dan Tian Qi will be stronger, and naturally the sexual energy will also be strong. This may be a possible explanation for why more human technology was developed in the Northern Hemisphere.
When you are lying down or on the equator, the poles are on the sides of your body, and they change every time you move. This probably means that under these circumstances the Earth’s magnetic field only has a minimal effect on your body.
Now let us discuss how this is related to Qigong. Assuming that you are in the Northern Hemisphere, your head should be a south pole while your abdomen is a north pole (Figure 4-9). Excluding all other factors such as location, weather, etc., the strength of your magnetic field depends on the natural qualities of your body. This may be what the Chinese mean by “Original Essence.” It is analogous to the fact that when you place high-quality, refined steel in a magnetic field, the magnet formed will have a stronger magnetic field than if you had used poorly refined steel. Since this magnet is stronger, the magnetic energy will last longer. Similarly, if you received high quality Original Essence from your parents, your body’s magnetic field will be strong, and the Qi or electrical energy circulating in your body will be strong and smooth. This means that your vitality will be great, and you will probably have a long and healthy life.
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If this line of reasoning is valid, then we are able to explain something that has been confusing Qigong meditators. According to past experience (mostly from meditators in the Northern Hemisphere), when a person meditates facing south he is able to obtain a stronger Qi flow and is able to balance his Qi more quickly than if he were facing another direction. Facing south lines up the incoming energy with the “Small Circulation” of energy down the center of the front of the body and up the spine. Since the front of the body is Yin, it absorbs energy more easily than the back or sides. Another possible explanation is related to the fact that we tend to turn and look at people who are talking to us as if this let us hear them better. Since your mind has a considerable influence on your body’s energy, facing into the incoming energy may also help you to absorb and “digest” it. We can also explain why many Qigong practitioners claim that if they sleep with their head pointing north they sleep better, and feel more rested and balanced the next morning. (However, if you sleep sitting up, you should again face south.) These two claims become reasonable and understandable if we accept the concept of a bipolar human magnetic field.
It is clear that the energy patterns in the human body are affected by natural forces. It is also clear that the energy from the sun has a more significant affect than the energy from the earth. This leads me