At times when our lives seem out of control, situations in the outer world crumble or send us challenges, it’s been said that one of the keys to staying calm amidst such chaos is the ability to retain one’s ‘center’. But what is this elusive center? And how can we develop this if we find ourselves off-course, or situations in our lives, such as our upbringings, have not necessarily nurtured this natural feeling of inner strength?
According to Ancient Eastern philosophies the center of our bodies is an actual place that can be located in the lower belly, about 2 cm lower than the navel. The Chinese call this point the tantien, or dantien - literally translated to mean “the best place in the body”, and the Japanese know it as the hara, or “belly brain”.
Contemporary experts like Christopher Markert, author of Dan-Tien: Your Secret Energy Center, describe the Dantien as being our source of primal wisdom and vital energy, and say that learning to activate this center, build its strength, and enhance the free flow of energy through the area allows us to live happy, full, and vibrant lives.
Our center, according to ancient and contemporary wisdom then, and not our minds, is the core from which all good health springs.
Some Signs of a Weak or Diminished Center
Many things are thought to cause a weak or depleted dantien. A person might just be born with a diminished center, or more often than not lifestyle factors such as poor diet, misuse of substances like drugs and alcohol, or abuse and trauma in one’s life may cause imbalances in the dantien. A person with a weak or depleted central core might display the following characteristics:
- Nervous tension, lack of grounding, excessive worrying and anxiety
- Inability to follow through
- Insecurity and lack of confidence
- Poor sense of self
- Inability to say 'No'
- Being stuck in the past
- Lower back pain
- Digestive issues
Practices to Find and Strengthen Your Center
There are many ways to activate, strengthen, and develop the energy of our central core. Some of these include:
- Practicing martial arts such as tai chi, or chi kung
- Pranayama, or breathing exercises/meditation. The yogic technique called ‘breath of fire’ where rapid inhalations and exhalations through the nostrils are coupled with pumping actions of the navel on the out breath is an excellent practice for activating and clearing stuck energy from the navel point.
- Pilates – a practice that specifically re-centers and strengthens the core.
- Any abdominal-centered exercises, such as crunches which will not only have physically strengthening effects, but energetic effects of stabilizing and centering the self and body.
The Benefits of a Strong Center
Our central core can be thought of as our center of gravity – that which connects a person to the Earth and provides stability and grounding. Having a strong anchor allows the rest of the body to organize itself around this central axis and muscles are able to relax.
Having a strong center then, is thought to realign one’s posture. Experts believe a strong core is the key in dealing with lower back pain. A person with a strong center stands tall and erect and is thought to display a sense of personal power.
From an Eastern perspective, bringing the energy down into the navel point re-establishes the focus away from the busy mind and into the central core. A person with a fully activated center will therefore be more fully in the present moment - the only place thought to be where true power resides.
References:
Markert, Christopher. Dan-Tien: Your Secret Energy Center, Samuel Weiser Inc, 1998
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