Welcome.
Find a place where you can be undisturbed.
Sit in a chair or on the floor.
Either way,
Make sure that you're sitting with a nice straight back and that you feel supported and comfortable.
Take a nice deep breath in and release with a sigh,
Allowing your eyes to close.
Give yourself a moment to fully arrive in this moment.
Becoming aware of your body.
How your feet are touching the ground,
Where your hands are resting.
If there is any tightness or tension in your body that you could possibly release.
Notice if there is any tightness in your face or jaw.
Allow some space between your back teeth.
Soften the skin around your eyes.
Allowing your tongue to float freely inside your mouth.
See if it's possible to allow your belly to be soft.
And through this softness,
Allowing this gentle undulation caused by your breath.
When your inhale belly expands and on your exhale belly releases.
If you're not experiencing any motion in your belly,
Your breath feels more stuck in your chest.
And you allow your belly to release any tension.
Bringing your awareness to the lower abdomen,
The area below the navel.
This area called the Hara in Japanese or Dam Chen in Chinese.
This spot literally being the center of your body.
Martial arts practitioners are taught to move from this point from the center point of the body.
The Hara is also the nucleus of your awareness.
It is the place where your awareness resides.
From the Hara that you not only physically move,
But also set your direction in life.
Here it is that your focus comes.
On the path that you're supposed to take.
See if it's possible for you to connect with this spot in the lower abdomen.
Taking a moment to explore it.
What does it feel like?
Is your lower belly still tight?
Or is it loose and soft?
And does the Hara have a specific color that comes to mind?
Is there an image representing the Hara in your mind's eye?
Does your Hara feel small or big?
There is no right or wrong.
Simply notice what is true for you in this moment.
It is from this center point,
From the Hara that we find our balance.
Again,
Physically as well as balance in our life.
Our true power resides in the Hara,
Not in the mind.
The Hara is most powerful when this area is soft.
True paradox.
Strength and softness.
Supporting each other.
Supporting you.
Notice how it feels to sit with this awareness of your Hara.
Perhaps you're feeling more relaxed.
Perhaps you're feeling more grounded,
More present,
Stable,
Focused.
With this focused awareness in the lower abdomen.
Bring your attention to your heart and see if you can recall the experience of softening the heart.
If we only softened the heart without strengthening the Hara,
That heart softness will just lead to weakness and instability.
And if we only strengthened the Hara without the softness of the heart,
Our focus may become too ego-driven,
Led by the mind.
And so for true balanced focus and clear direction,
We need both strength in the Hara,
Softness in the heart.
And that softness in the heart also allowing there to be a softness in the Hara to support the strength.
See if you can sit for a few more minutes in silence.
Noticing the Hara and your heart at the same time.
All right.
Slowly begin to deepen your breath.
Bringing your attention back into your entire body.
Take a nice breath in and a full breath out.
Slowly open your eyes,
Noticing how you feel right now.
Thank you for practicing.
May it be of benefits.
