Hi everyone,
I am a medical student and I have always wondered the same thing, whether vasectomy helps you to keep you “essence/jing”.
Here’s a few basic info from Wikipedia on vasectomy:
“Vasectomy is a birth control method in which all or part of a male's vas deferens are surgically removed, thus sterilizing the patient.
Vasectomy should not be confused with castration: vasectomy does not involve removal of the testicles and it
affects neither the production of male sex hormones (mainly testosterone) nor their secretion into the bloodstream. Therefore sexual desire (libido) and the ability to have an erection and an orgasm with an ejaculation are not usually affected.
Because the sperm itself makes up a very small proportion of the ejaculate, vasectomy does not significantly affect the volume, appearance, texture or flavor of the ejaculate.
When the vasectomy is complete, sperm can no longer exit the body through the penis. They are broken down and absorbed by the body. Fluid content is absorbed by membranes in the epididymis, and solid content is broken down by macrophages and re-absorbed via the blood stream. Sperm is matured in the epididymis for about a month once it leaves the testicles, and approximately 50% of the sperm produced never make it to ejaculation in a non-vasectomized man. After vasectomy, the membranes increase in size to absorb more fluid, and more macrophages are recruited to break down and re-absorb the solid content.” (Wikipedia.org, search vasectomy)
So what does it mean from a Qigong point of view?
First of all, one must realize that ancient Qigong practitioners observed that frequent ejaculations were bad for their health/Qi. But this was only a general observation: they had no idea that semen was made up of many substances. Therefore, we can’t really be sure what they mean by “loosing your essence by ejaculation”.
For example, sperms are produced in the testes, but they represent only about 2-5% of your semen. They might be important for Qigong since they are the crucial element in fecundation. (You don’t “loose” sperm if you are vasectomized.)
At the same time, about 70% of your semen is produce by your seminal vesicle (next to your prostate). This liquid contains lot of fructose. This type of sugar is the main source of energy for sperms. (It doesn’t matter if you are vasectomized, you will still loose that fluid.)
Therefore, does “Essence/jing” refer to sperm or it actually means the highly caloric fluid that goes with it?
(Just tell me if my explanation is not clear at all
)