Dantien: Your "Center of Life" and How Mindfulness of Dantien Helps You

This morning when I was doing my daily taiji (tai chi) form, I was having trouble with my balance.  I had a lot on my mind, and my mind was not on my dantien.

 Dantien means "elixer field" in Chinese,  or "energy field".  When I did taiji and qigong with a group and our Chinese master, he always emphasized moving your energy into the dantien when finishing a form, and to picture your dantien as "there is a fire in Dantien", keeping that fire going.

And when you do taiji or qigong, keep your dantien forward.  Follow your dantien.

I wasn't paying attention to my dantien this morning, and not leading with dantien, and that's why I couldn't keep balanced.

I live in a gated community, and the windows that overlook the street are usually busy during the day with people walking, running, taking dog for a walk.  I notice so many people, especially older senior citizen age people walking with their head down, their shoulders hunched, not straight and tall.  I know how easy it is to not have good posture.  I walk daily, depending on the weather, and  make it a point to stand tall, like I am suspended on a string from the Heavens.  That posture puts the dantien forward.  And that's the best posture.

I see advertisements for taiji classes, and some of the classes designed for senior citizens. I also see taiji classes for veterans to treat physical and emotional problems rather than over-medicating. If you take a taiji class, you know you have a good instructor if they highlight the importance of dantien and putting your dantien forward when you move.  When I do taiji with mindfulness of my dantien, I have good balance, even when I scooping up qi like "snake creeps down", kicking, spreading wings.  I have osteoporosis and refuse to take the osteoporosis drugs, but I do physical work to compensate, and keeping balance is important for building strength.

A good taiji instructor will tell you when your posture is not right for the moves, and it usually involves keeping dantien forward.  If you are learning and doing taiji on your own, keep dantien forward and you will have a good taiji experience.

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New Year's Resolutions? How About Lifetime Resolutions

Happy new year 2018.  I wish you an auspicious year, happiness, good health and wellness, good luck and fortune, peace and compassion.

It's been three months since my last post.  I spent the rest of 2017 "just being", spending more time with myself.   That's called "mindfulness".  Using the medical cannabis for pain, my body, mind and spirit needed time, mindfulness to adjust.  Having chronic pain through my body since I was 11 years old, not having pain most of the day was wonderful, but odd.
Having pain for a long time seems to be a habit.  And when that habit gets broken, it takes adjustment, time, slightly similar to withdrawal from non-healthy things.  Difficult to articulate, but if you do it, you understand.

When I moved to Florida in 2004, we were fortunate to live in the same community one of my girlfriends from Ohio had been living in, and since we were both far distance from our families, our relationship developed to the closeness of sisters.  We both went to a Buddhist mindfulness all day workshop about 12 years ago.  The monk suggested we not talk to each other all day, focus on ourselves.  My friend and I were the only ones there who could do that all day, and that bonded our relationship even more.  One of the mindfulness activities we practiced in the morning, and then afternoon, was mindful walking through a preserve.  We focused on our feet, each step, our bodies, our surroundings.  I loved it.  And I walk every day with that mindfulness practice.  It's become so ingrained that most steps I take are mindful.  For me, the experience is very centering, like meditation inside.

I make one resolution every year.  And it's a resolution that will be rewarding so I can continue it through the year, through my life.  Last year was to take more time in life for myself, and mindfulness helps accomplish that.

This morning I took time for my qigong, taiji (tai chi), and yoga practices.  I "should" have been cleaning the house, starting the cooking for the new year dinner I'm making for friends. But the practice of my energy exercises and  taking the time I need will give me a better day.

If you are a person who makes a lot of resolutions and then get disappointed in yourself when you can't keep the resolution, I suggest making one resolution that will make you feel good by practicing it.  Even a diet resolution that is healthy, although it may seem difficult, if it's right for you, you will feel better.  And make it realistic.  Instead of "I give up candy",  cut back on nibbling, like decide you will eat  one treat after lunch, one after supper.  Or cut back on a third, or half, of a negative heating habit instead of cutting it out completely.  Then mindfully eat your allotted portion, and enjoy it more. 

And if it's a good resolution, it will become part of  your life.  If it improves your life, you will practice it throughout your life.

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