A Book Review by Kartar Diamond

The vast majority of my reviews are for books about Feng Shui and Nine Star Ki, but there are numerous other works in the area of Chinese metaphysics, which deserve to be included in a well-rounded course of study because they are so complementary.

My interest in this book is very much related to its shared use and appreciation for symbols and concepts which run throughout Chinese metaphysics, including Feng Shui. For example, within the first few chapters, Dr. Chang reviews the Eight Trigrams from a Taoist perspective in the sub-set of health and spiritual growth. He explains how vital it is to practice good health and longevity habits in order to advance spiritually. That is also one of the goals in Feng Shui through having a balanced physical environment. It’s no coincidence that some notable 9 Star Ki teachers also advocate for the macrobiotic diet and other ways to achieve superior health, prevent or conquer disease.

Chang describes Taoism as “the most ancient system of knowledge recorded on the Earth-preceding even the traditions of Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, India, Greece.” He states, “In Taoism the sexual organs and glands, where energy and life power are concentrated and generated, are referred to as the ‘stove.’”

He describes the Eight Pillars of Taoism with each connected to one the Eight Trigrams, which are also so fundamental to Feng Shui. He provides a lengthy passage for each Trigram, but I will give you a sneak preview of their titles:

  • the Tao of Philosophy (Qian),
  • the Tao of Revitalization (Kan),
  • the Tao of Balanced Diet (Gen),
  • the Tao of Forgotten Food (Zhen),
  • the Tao of Healing Art (Xun),
  • the Tao of Sex Wisdom (Li),
  • the Tao of Mastery (Kun),
  • the Tao of Success (Dui).

Each pillar of Taoism is inspiring just to read, but what stood out for me was the separate pillar of Forgotten Food, distinct from the Tao of Balanced Diet: the forgotten food being herbs. Chang notes the Academy of Sciences estimates there are “approximately one million plant varieties in the world,” but only a tiny, insignificant amount have been studied in modern times.  Healing, longevity and higher consciousness can be aided by the herbal world and he sited ginseng as an example.

All of this information ties in nicely between “outer” practices such as feng shui, with “inner” practices of diet, meditation, righteous actions and sexual rejuvenation.

He introduces Taoist principles and mentions they are very much in harmony with the Bible and teachings of Jesus. Our soul’s evolution experiences the four kingdoms of the universe: Vegetable Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Human Kingdom and Divine Kingdom.

Chang highlights the Seven Glands Theory with more explanations beyond my bullet points:

  • Pineal gland connected to intuition and House of Spirit
  • Pituitary gland governing memory, thought and House of Intelligence
  • Thyroid gland maintaining metabolism and House of Growth
  • Thymus gland governing heart and circulation, House of Heart
  • Pancreas gland controlling digestion and blood sugar, called House of Transcendence
  • Adrenal glands supporting kidneys, bones, marrow and spine as House of Water
  • The sexual glands responsible for hormonal secretions and sexual energy as House of Essence

With the whole endocrine system working together we can understand yet another manifestation of Qi flow, Yin-Yang, and even a similar relationship between the glands reminiscent of the Five Transformations.

Dr. Chang continues with very descriptive instructions for self-stimulation of meridian points on the sexual organs, so that males can enjoy sex longer and at the same time not get so depleted. While men lose vital Qi through ejaculation, women lost Qi through menstruation.  He states that up until about 40 years old, men and women will age at a similar pace.  But once a woman goes into menopause, this changes the comparative “output” and is one reason why women tend to live longer than men.

The exercises and postures recommended in Taoist sexology are similar to the teachings of the (Indian) Kama Sutra.  But I am not an expert in either tradition, so I can’t say if there are any glaring contradictions. The goals are the same however: to maintain good sexual health for one’s entire life and to use the sexual medium for overall physical (glandular) health, deeper intimacy and the “Happy Wife/ Happy Life” principle.

No moral judgements are made as to how often one engages in sex or with who, but the Taoist sexual practices claim to support one’s longevity and other important facets of life. He includes hygiene recommendations and forewarns about certain instances where partners may be incompatible sexually and how to compensate for that.

Dr. Chang proceeds with techniques which will help couples enjoy sex at more satisfying intensities and with a variety of postures which work on mutual reflexology points, addressing specific health conditions. For example, one position for intercourse can strengthen the kidneys and liver, while another position helps lower high blood pressure or reduce hardening of the arteries. Another healing technique involves focusing mentally on an area that needs healing or repair during sex; however, the author cautions against having random fantasies during sex and instead encourages readers to concentrate on their partner and be fully present during sex. This promises physical, mental and spiritual benefits.

Some chapters focus on how men and women can stimulate and balance each other through sexual techniques, but there is also information in the book about how our environment influences us, such as the author’s notations on which internal organs are governed by specific times of day. For example, 5-7 a.m. is in charge of the stomach, where 9-11 a.m. is dedicated to the spleen and pancreas.   Heightened healing can take place for certain organs at certain times, covering the 24-hour cycle.

He discusses the Golden Rules of Marriage and Family from Taoist teachings and closes the chapter with a passage extolling our macro-to-micro relationships in an almost patriotic way: “Eternal world peace is based on successful countries. A successful country is based on successful societies. A successful society is based on successful families. A successful family is based on a successful marriage. A successful marriage is based on successful sex. The Tao of sexology is the complete sex wisdom.”

Chang mentions that sexual and marriage compatibility can also be determined through face reading. He gives a few examples of how male and female facial features reveal a matching penis and vagina “type.”

What I consider very important information is in a section titled “The Forbidden,” which lists what Taoist Sexology has to say about times and circumstances where sexual activity should be avoided. In the same way that it is not good to eat food when you are upset, it is also potentially very harmful to the body or psyche to have sex when the person or their environment is in a very chaotic state. This can include when a person is inebriated, tired, ill or even too soon after an operation or acupuncture treatment. The list is long and includes not having sex during extreme weather conditions, solar or lunar eclipses, or even immediately after urination. Taoist sexology principles regarding when to NOT conceive a child are similar.

In the last portion of the book, Chang briefly discusses a wide range of topics, from a paragraph to several pages for each topic. He covers the Taoist sexology beliefs for choosing the sex of your child, fertility, bathing techniques, and where Taoism stands on celibacy, foreplay or affairs.

He defines the “Five Abilities,” as aspects to how our minds work, controlled by our internal organs, such as the materialization of thought being ruled by the liver. The author briefly addresses sexually contracted diseases or even how certain sexual positions can help or hinder heart problems or hiatal hernias. Some of the beliefs and practices are loosely tied to larger concepts regarding balancing yin and yang energy, which includes commentary on how gay sex can be somewhat compensated for without a female, although lesbians don’t have the same alternatives.

The Tao of Sexology: The Book of Infinite Wisdom is part of a series of books by Dr. Stephen Chang and this one will be enlightening and most appreciated by those who are sexually active or plan to be. It’s also nice to see that his timeless information holds up well, some forty years after publication. His other books, like The Integral Management of Tao, is more obviously related to Feng Shui and the common goals to optimize our time and space for the most successful outcomes.

Author: Kartar Diamond

Company: Feng Shui Solutions ®

From the Book Review Blog Series