Ring Muscles

by Master Chia

There is in the human body a system of muscles that is the source of life’s fundamental processes. These are the ring muscles. There are ring muscles in various parts of the body, both internally and externally. It is their coordinated and harmonious contraction and relaxation that initiates breathing, digestion, circulation, elimination, and all muscular motion. There is nothing in the human body that is not affected by the ring muscles.

The ring muscles are a form of the ancient system that is the basis for all of animal life, from the simplest amoeba to the highly complex human. They are connected to the most primitive part of the human brain, the part of the brain that is responsible for the most essential functions of the body.

In a healthy body, all of the ring muscles contract and relax simultaneously. If they do not work together, some thing goes wrong in the body. Many of us are so unaware of the functioning of this basic system that we cannot even sense it-but it is there, nevertheless. If we work at getting in touch with our bodies, we can strengthen and learn to control these muscles and, through this, improve our physical and mental health.

Life begins with the first opening and closing of the mouth -with the first cry.
Life ends with last breath. The mouth opens-and does not close again.
Life is based on an unbroken chain of openings and closings, contracting and relaxing:
Our eyes open and close-to see.
Our nostrils open and close-to breathe.
Our mouth opens and closes-to eat and drink.
Our muscles contract and relax-to move.
Our hands open and close-to grasp or let go.
Our heart contracts and relaxes-to circulate the blood.
The stomach and intestines contract and relax-to digest nutrients.
Sphincters are ring-shaped muscles that surround the various orifices of the body, both internal and external. They include the muscles around the eyes, the nostrils, the mouth, the anus, the urethra, and the genitals. In a healthy body, all the sphincters work together, contracting and relaxing simultaneously.
The ring muscles are ultimately responsible for putting all the other muscles and all the organs of the body to work.

A suckling infant sucks with every sucking action:

• The mouth contracts.
• The eyelids contract.
• The hands contract into fists.
• The feet contract.
• The digestive tract works.
• The anus contracts
• The urinary tract contracts.

During sleep, our eyelids move in rhythm with our breathing as we exhale, our eyelids contract slightly; when we inhale, they relax and expand slightly. This never-ending chain of contractions and relaxations is very slight, but it is a movement. And this slight movement goes through the entire body and all the limbs and organs. It is a form of basic, natural exercise. The movement of the eyelids in sleep fills a person with vital force, like a battery being recharged.

While there are many sphincters in the body, the two most prominent are the sphincters of the urethra and the anus, known collectively as the lower sphincters. For ease of reference, I refer to the sphincter of the urethra as the front sphincter, and that of the anus as the rear sphincter. The lower sphincters are particularly important to the proper functioning of the body because their contraction and relaxation of the lower sphincters cause reverberations throughout the entire system.

Chi Muscle – Sphincter – Ring Muscle Exercises

Front Sphincter Exercise (Drawings)

1. Lay down with legs drawn forward to buttock and feet flat on ground
   a) Contract – Hold – Release
   b) Contract – Hold – Inhale
   c) Fast – Contractions – Hold – Inhale
2. Lay Down with legs flat on ground
   a) Contract – Hold – Release
   b) Contract – Hold – Inhale
   c) Fast – Contractions – Hold – Inhale

Front & Back Sphincter Exercise (Drawings)

Lay down with legs drawn forward to buttock and feet flat on ground
a) Contract – Hold – Release
b) Contract – Hold – Inhale
c) Fast – Contractions – Hold – Inhale

Front, Back & Eyes Sphincter Exercise (Drawings)

Lay down with legs drawn forward to buttock and feet flat on ground
a) Contract – Hold – Release
b) Contract – Hold – Inhale
c) Fast – Contractions – Hold – Inhale

Front, Back & Eyes Sphincter Exercise (Drawings)

Lay down with legs drawn forward to buttock and feet flat on ground
a) Contract – Hold – Release
b) Contract – Hold – Inhale
c) Fast – Contractions – Hold – Inhale

Front, Back, Eyes & Month Sphincter Exercise (Drawings)

1. Lay down with legs drawn forward to buttock and feet flat on ground
   a) Contract – Hold – Release
   b) Contract – Hold – Inhale
   c) Fast – Contractions – Hold – Inhale
2. Lay Down with legs flat on ground – Relax
   a) Relax Eyes down – Inhale (Expand) – Exhale (Contract) Feel Front, Back, Eyes, Mouth expand & contract
   b) Relax Eyes down – Inhale (Expand) – Exhale (Contract) Feel Veins & Arteries expand & contract