Practicing the Minor Cold Empowerment will empower your will and strengthen your resolve. The Minor Cold seasonal phase lasts until Major Cold, the sixth and final cycle of winter, begins. Until then, remain strong and push with buoyant determination against any resistance you encounter.

The vertebra associated Minor Cold Empowerment is Lumbar 4 (L4). It is connected with the prostate gland and the muscles of the lower back. Empowering on L4 can help to prevent you from experiencing sciatica, lumbago, backaches, and difficult, painful, or too frequent urination.

Energetically, the empowerment can also help to relieve nausea, pain in the stomach, distension in the abdomen, poor appetite, diarrhea, sensations of heaviness in the limbs, precordial pain, irritability, jaundice, constipation, oliguria, frequent thirst, lassitude, and sleepiness.

STEP 1: LOCATE L4

The spine is made up of five segments including the coccyx, the lower back (sacral and lumbar spine), the middle and upper back (thoracic spine), and the neck (cervical spine). The vertebra associated with this empowerment is Lumbar 4(L4) in the lower back. Begin by identifying the iliac crest, the topmost part of your hips and trace a straight line to your spine. That vertebra is L4. Find L4 now.

STEP 2: SPINAL MEDITATION

Once every 15 days, the sun crosses over a "power spot" and a wave of powerful cosmic energy is released. The purpose of this empowerment is to concentrate this energy into your spine and internal organs. You can practice this empowerment every day until the next Jieqi. If you don't have enough time, try to do it at least once during this mini-season.

1. Sit comfortably or lie down and relax every part of your body.
2. Inhale through all the pores of your skin, collecting universal Qi energy and concentrate this energy to L4. Exhale and visualize L4 glowing brightly. Continue this breathing pattern 15 - 36 times.
3. Then inhale, focusing on L4, and exhale as you visualize the light from L4 spreading throughout your body to your spine, your bones, and to your internal organs. Repeat this breathing pattern 15 - 36 times.
4. Finally, inhale and collect the light and energy from all over your body into your Lower Dantian (which is located three finger-widths below your navel in the center of your body). Then exhale and concentrate the energy there. Repeat this 3 times. Then relax and nourish your Qi, feeling like a sponge soaking in a tub of warm water. Maintain this state for as long as you want.

STEP 3: SPINAL MOVEMENT EXERCISE

The purpose of this exercise is to strengthen the soft tissue surrounding the vertebra associated with the current empowerment. Every 15 days we focus on a specific vertebra and over the course of a year we tonify the whole spine. Practice this exercise once a day until the next seasonal phase begins.  Be gentle and don't strain your back.

1. Sit on the edge of a cushion on the floor with both legs straight out in front of you. Bend your left knee outwards towards the side and place your left foot under your right leg. You can then either bend your right leg up over your left foot or keep it straight. Then form a fist with your right hand (or use your palm) and press down on the sole of your left foot. Next raise your left hand high above your head with your palm facing upwards so you are looking at the back of your hand (focus on your thumb).
2. Inhale and turn your hand outwards slowly. Now exhale as you turn your hand slowly back inwards. Do 5 rounds of breathing in this way (while still focusing on looking at your thumb).
3. Do step 1 and 2 on the other side of your body.
4. Step 1-3 three to five times.
5. Gently bite your teeth 36 times. Swoosh your tongue around in your mouth until it is full of saliva. Then swallow the saliva and send the energy down to your Lower Dantian. Repeat this 3 times.

Enjoy your practice!