Hello and welcome to Methods,
An exploration in guided prayer and meditation.
This week we will continue with our focus on the breath,
Exploring the Dantian breathing method of Eastern practice.
Dantian is a Chinese word that loosely translates as energy center.
In Eastern traditions,
Such as Qigong,
Taoism,
And Zen Buddhism,
There are three distinct areas of Dantian.
The upper,
Called the muddy pellet,
Is between the eyebrows.
The middle,
Called the crimson palace,
Is at the heart.
In the lower,
The golden stove,
Is about 3 inches below the navel and 2 inches in towards your spine.
The lower Dantian is the focus of our exercise today.
In the aforementioned traditions,
The lower Dantian is used as somewhat of an energy storage place,
And awareness of it is cultivated through breathing.
Through breathing into the Dantian this way,
It is thought that one can cultivate increased energy,
Vitality,
And well-being.
The method goes like this.
Wherever you are,
Take a moment to sit down.
Lean back and gently close your eyes.
Let your breath gradually come and go naturally,
Not forcing it.
As you begin to relax,
Slowly place the feeling aspect of your mind into the lower Dantian and leave it there.
If you don't remember,
It's about 3 fingers width below your belly button and 2 finger widths in toward your back.
If you need to feel it with your hand to get a sense of where it is,
That's okay.
If your attention on your Dantian moves to another thought or feeling,
Simply bring it back and try not to force it anywhere else.
Continue like this for a few minutes and simply notice how it feels to breathe and keep your mind within your body.
As you begin to relax,
Slowly release the feeling aspect of your mind into the lower Dantian.
As you begin to relax,
Slowly release the feeling aspect of your mind into the lower Dantian.
As you begin to relax,
Slowly release the feeling aspect of your mind into the lower Dantian.
As you begin to relax,
Slowly release the feeling aspect of your mind into the lower Dantian.
As you begin to relax,
Slowly release the feeling aspect of your mind into the lower Dantian.
As you begin to relax,
Slowly release the feeling aspect of your mind into the lower Dantian.
As you begin to relax,
Slowly release the feeling aspect of your mind into the lower Dantian.
When you're ready,
Slowly bring your awareness back to the room.
Open your eyes and stretch your hands and feet.
How do you feel?
Try to keep this rooted and steady energy with you throughout your day.
In your quiet moments of driving or at the store,
Try to find your Dantian and breathe deeply into it.
Thank you for participating in this episode of Methods.
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Until next time.
