When we are not anchored to the center of our gravity, falls, freezing and walking difficulties can very easily emerge. The first deeper meaning of becoming aware of your tan tien and thus becoming anchored to the center of your gravity is that it is much less likely that mobility challenges will be confronted or that falls will be experienced. That is the practical implication of moving the center of your balance to the true center.
The center of gravity is hanging out at the extremities of your body when mobility challenges are confronted. There is no way in the world that you will be able to feel a sense of stability when that happens to be the case. If you currently confront mobility challenges and have an episode that is challenging, the invitation I have for you especially this week and perhaps thereafter is to immediately focus your attention on your tan tien. Shift your center of balance from the extremities to the center of your gravity at your tan tien to attain balance and stability.
There is a second important and profound underlying meaning of becoming sensitive, aware and attentive to your tan tien (which is two inches below your belly button in the middle of your body). When focused on your tan tien, you cannot be in your head. You cannot be thinking. Rather, you are experiencing the feeling of being centered and grounded.
If you are like me, you have spent most (if not all) of your life in your head thinking about the future, pondering over the past, questioning past actions and solving problems with thinking that cycles over and over and over again. For people like me, and perhaps like you, this means that the center of our gravity shifts up. In other words, we become top-heavy. Our energy field looks like an inverted pyramid. Is there any wonder this creates mobility challenges?
We also tend to shift the top part of our body back and forth. We become literally twisted from thinking about one thought and one problem to the second thought and second problem – attempting to solve the second problem while continuing to juggle the first thought in our heads. And then of course, the third thought and the fourth problem sneaks in our thoughts to clutter up our life and make us crazy inside.
The twisting eventually becomes problematic. It also takes us away from the present. When mobility challenges emerge, there are fears about something that might happen in the future – for example, a freezing episode or perhaps a fall. That means we are not in the present. We are anticipating the future. This distance from the present makes mobility challenges even more problematic.
To remain mindful of the present is the solution. To be attentive to the center of your gravity which resides in your tan tien is the key to maintaining stability whenever you walk, talk, chew or swallow.
Focusing attention on the tan tien (as martial artists do) takes us out of our head. We are usually either commiserating over the past or anticipating the future. It is very rare that we are actually centered in the present moment.
I often see double if not triple rainbows that are seen across the back yard where we have a view of the Puget Sound. These are spectacular images that I have never seen before in my life. When they emerge, the key for me is to be present to the grandeur and the gloriousness of the image of all the colors that emerge in the first, then the second, then third rainbow.
But, when I say out loud,
“My, isn’t that a pretty rainbow?”
I am suddenly taking myself out of the present moment. Focusing attention then my tan tien – again, that place two inches below the belly button – is a way to maintain mindfulness of being present––now. When I am present to the moment, stress cannot rear its ugly head.
Continue then to fire up that tan tien in your body. Strengthen your martial arts power. When we move down from the continuous rattletrap of thoughts that juggle around in our mind second by second and shift attention to the center of our body, we feel secure. We feel safe. We are safe.
By the way, we also become imminently more creative because we are not so scattered and unfocused. Try it. I’m quite sure you will like it. And let me also remind you, no medicine is required. No investment necessary. No travel to a health care provider is needed. This is something you can do for yourself any time, anywhere.
Robert
© Parkinsons Recovery