Ki9 Zhu Bin (Xi cleft point) – Guest serving our foundations/ building for the guest
Location: in the hollow inferior to the belly of the gastronemius, 5 cun above Ki3.
The character for zhu relates to building and the character for bin is drawn as a present being offered to a man in his house. There are several possible meanings of this combination of characters. This point follows Ki7 and Ki8 that relate to conception and development of the foetus. The foetus can be seen as a guest that resides in the uterus. In a sense it is a gift, and the uterus provides the building for it to reside. Metaphorically this also applies to our self – this point can be used to help us house and support our original self within. It is our original self that is our greatest gift – being that aspect of us that is most aligned with our spirit. So together with Ki7 and Ki8 this point can be used to help us be ‘reborn’ as a truer reflection of our authentic original self.
Alternatively, the characters may remind us that other people can contribute to our lives and help us build the foundation of our lives so long as we open up and let them in. As we open up to them we also must open up to our self and our original nature. So this point can help us to allow others to help us on our path.
This point lies on the Yin Wei Mai vessel, which relates to stilling our mind so that the lives we lead relate more closely to our original nature within. This is the first point on the vessel and appropriately helps us to connect with the gifts within.
Exercise: Talk about how lovable babies are. Why are they lovable? They are useless, performing no useful function or completing no useful task. Babies are lovable because they are just themselves, living their original nature – just as their core selves. Recognise that the baby/young self is still a part of you. It is your true gift. It is a gift that cannot be taken away from you, it is always part of you. Your most core part. More than anything else it defines you. Take a deep breath and feel where this younger self resides – point to the spot. Comfort this core self, make peace with it and imagine shedding much of the created self/ mask that we have worn since our youth and becoming more an expression of our core self – at peace with feeling our feelings, expressing our feelings, acting spontaneously and just being.