The "Three Elements Longevity Counselor's Book": Desires should not be indulged, nor should they be forced.
3. Desires should not be indulged.
The chapter "Desire Should Not Be Indulged" describes the harm of indulging in desires, and its main purpose is to oppose the wanton indulgence of lust. This passage states: "Peng Zu said: 'The superior man sleeps in a separate bed, the average man in a separate blanket; taking a thousand doses of medicine is not as good as sleeping alone.' Peng Zu also said: 'Beautiful women and alluring sights, with concubines filling the room, lead to the calamity of depletion. Knowing this can lead to longevity.' The *Yin Fu Jing* says: 'Lewd sounds and beautiful sights are like axes and saws that break bones. If people cannot hold the candle of wisdom to illuminate their hidden feelings and wield the sword of wisdom to cut off their desires, they will wander in the cycle of birth and death, harming themselves through indulgence.' Quan Yuanqi said: 'Unrestrained indulgence in sensual pleasures depletes essence; excessive use leads to its dissipation. Sages cherish their essence and use it sparingly; their marrow is full and their bones are strong.' The book says: 'When one is old, one's blood and energy are weak, and one feels a surge of lust. One must be careful and restrain it, and not indulge to the utmost. Once the fire is extinguished, it is rekindled. If one does not restrain oneself and indulges, the lamp will be extinguished. Then one must remove the oil.' This is a compilation of previous discussions that summarizes the following meaning: those feudal scholars, with beautiful women filling their courtyards and concubines filling their rooms, lived a life of debauchery and unrestrained indulgence." They all took medicine in hopes of achieving immortality, but contrary to their wishes, some died young. Why? Mainly due to excessive indulgence in sex.
The author believes that the key to health preservation lies in cherishing and protecting kidney essence. The text continues: "The *Xuan Shu* says: 'Primordial Qi is the moving Qi between the kidneys. The right kidney is the gate of life, the abode of spirit. Cherish and protect it, so that the vital energy circulates freely, and the spirit is inexhaustible, allowing one to live as long as heaven and earth.' The *Yuan Qi Lun* says: 'The nature of desire is indeed boundless. To pursue endless desires with a finite lifespan will lead to one's own destruction.' The *Xian Jing* says: 'Do not exhaust your body, do not agitate your essence; return your heart to stillness and silence, and you can achieve longevity.' The *Li Song* says: 'Therefore, regard essence as a treasure; hold it secret. Giving it to others will bring life to them; keeping it for yourself will bring life to yourself. It is not advisable to waste it, let alone abandon it empty. The loss is imperceptible, and old age and death will follow.' The *Xian Shu* says: 'In the way of Yin and Yang, essence is a treasure; guard it carefully, for it is acquired later in life.'" The book says: "When one is agitated by sound and color, entangled in love and passion, with thoughts swirling in the mind and actions leading to daydreams and nightly fantasies, chasing after boundless desires, one's spirit becomes weary and dissipates, and one's dwelling becomes empty and crumbling." The book says: "Indulging in excessive desires without self-respect leads to the depletion of life. Arms are like withered wood, breaking in the wind; a bank about to collapse will crumble before the water reaches it. If one can cherish and moderate one's emotions, one can attain longevity." The book says: "Kidney Yin internally belongs to the ears, and the bladder meridian originates from behind the eyes. Blindness in vision and deafness in hearing are the consequences of excessive sexual activity." The book says: "Human longevity depends on moderation. If one rests properly, one can live forever. Indulging in desires makes life as fleeting as morning dew." The book says: "Excessive desires deplete essence. What can be preserved is life, what is precious is the body, and what is most valuable is essence. If liver essence is not firm, the eyes become dizzy and dull; if lung essence is not clear, muscles become emaciated; if kidney essence is not firm, spirit diminishes; if spleen essence is not strong, teeth and hair fall out." If one's vital essence is continuously depleted, illness will follow, and death will follow.
4. Desires should not be forced.
The chapter "Desire Should Not Be Forced" emphasizes that one should not force sexual intercourse. The chapter states: "The Suwen says: 'By forcing oneself, the kidney qi will be damaged, and the bones will be destroyed.' The commentary says: 'Forced intercourse means depleting the essence. Depletion of the essence will damage the kidneys, and damage to the kidneys will lead to depletion of the marrow qi, resulting in lower back pain and inability to bend forward or backward...'"
The book says: "If one suffers from impotence and cannot achieve sexual satisfaction, forcibly taking elixirs to boost yang will deplete kidney yin, cause heart fire to burn, dry up the five internal organs, and lead to immediate thirst. A recent saying goes: 'Insufficient water cannot quench excessive fire, and may even cause sores and boils.'" Forcing sexual intercourse beyond one's physical capabilities is called overestimating one's abilities, and is both useless and harmful. If one is already weak and lacks sexual function, forcibly taking kidney-warming and yang-boosting mineral medicines to boost yang is essentially killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, draining the pond to catch all the fish; the harm to the body is self-evident.
The text further points out: "The book says: Those who force themselves into sexual activity will suffer from extreme ejaculation, emaciation, emaciation, palpitations, nocturnal emission, turbid stools, impotence, lower abdominal discomfort, dark complexion, and deafness. The True Man said: 'The way to nourish one's nature is not to force oneself to do what one cannot.' The Master of Embracing Simplicity said: 'If one's talent is not lacking, forcing oneself to think about it; if one's strength is insufficient, forcing oneself to do it will cause harm.' How terrible is the pursuit of forcing oneself! It is truly the root of harming life and shortening lifespan. Food and drink are what nourish the essence, yet if one is drunk and forced to drink, or full and forced to eat, there is no way one will not suffer illness and harm. How much more so with desire? If one desires and forces oneself, the original essence will be lost, the original spirit will depart, and the original energy will dissipate. Beware!" In everything one does, one must act according to one's ability. This is especially true in sexual matters. One cannot pretend to be strong when weak, or a coward pretending to be a warrior. If one is inherently unable to engage in sexual activity, yet insists on using one's remaining strength to force intercourse, it will only amplify the harmful effects. The principle of "burning one's boats and fighting with one's back to the river" applies only to military affairs, absolutely not to sexual matters. As this article states, "The study of strength is the very foundation of harming life and shortening lifespan."