Strengthening the Senses
The sense openings are one of the main areas where we lose energy from the body. Or, the senses can allow a lot of energy from the environment to enter and nourish the body. The senses have direct links to their corresponding organs and can nourish or deplete. Strengthening the senses allows the body to be less affected by external stimuli in negative ways.
As the senses are less swayed by external people, places, and events, the mind calms and the restless thoughts become more still. Thinking and worrying take a tremendous amount of energy. Strengthening the senses helps the body keep its energy inside. This energy can be used for spiritual practices, such as meditation and chi kung. We can turn inward and connect to our senses, instead of being pulled out into the world of the senses.
One Taoist meditation for strengthening the senses is to breathe back and forth from each sense organs to their corresponding organs. After making these connections and gathering this energy, it can be stored in the lower abdomen, anchored in the physical center, nourishing the body. (The ears relate to the kidneys, the the liver relates to the eyes, the heart relates to the tongue, the spleen relates to the lips and mouth, and the lungs relate to the nose.)
After making the connection between sense organs, the internal organs, and the center at the lower abdomen/navel area (called the tan tien), store the energy at the navel through massaging around the navel in a circle manner, both clockwise and counter clockwise.