Circulation of the light (Taoism)

The life-energies of an individual are understood within Taoism as having a natural tendency to flow "downward", namely into the outer world. From a Jungian perspective this may be understood as allowing victory of the anima (p'o soul) over the animus (hun soul). Through appropriate practices the individual may lead the life-energy through a "backward-flowing" process of six stages through which it is conserved and made to "rise" rather than dissipate. The animus thus becomes victorious and there is persistence of the ego after death when it becomes a spirit (shen) or god. By maintaining this practice over an extensive period of time, the individual may succeed in developing an immortal spirit body (after developing a "spiritual embryo"), symbolized as the stage of the "golden flower". The ego is then freed from the conflict of opposites and becomes part of the undivided Tao.

The practice of circulation of the light is closely related to practices of Taoist alchemy, especially to the waterwheel exercise. The practice is the subject of an extensive commentary by C G Jung.