Previously, I wrote about the importance or the core and introduced some simple exercises to activate it and to reconnect body movements to the core.
Self care Series: ③Core(Dantian/Tanden) & Whole Body Connection
Breathing plays an important role in the core activation.
Moreover, breathing is the only part of the autonomic nervous system that is consciously controllable. The functions of our internal organs are regulated autonomously without a person's conscious effort. This is done by the autonomic nervous system. We breath, our hearts beat, and our stomachs digest food when we eat without thinking. We cannot increase the heart rate or tell the stomach to digest faster, but we can control breathing. Breathing also regulates the brain activities.
So, breathing is the bridge between conscious and unconscious, external and internal, or physical and mental. I will introduce a set of simple breathing exercises here. There are 3 parts. Please watch the video and follow the instructions below.
Part II.
1. Slowly extend your arms to the side as you breath in from your nose.
2. Make your hands in prayer above your head while slowly moving your left foot next to your right foot.
3. As you breathe out from your mouth, lower your prayer hands down to your lower abdomen area (CV4: Kangen, 2nd chakura).
4. As you breathe in from your nose, imagine that mixed energy from left and right come into your body through CV4.
5. As you breathe out from your mouth, slowly move your hands to the side of your body.
Part III.
1. As you breathe in from your nose, make fists.
2. As you breathe out from your mouth, imagine your arms are extending to the ground while tightening all of your body muscle.
3. Breathe in from your nose, relax your muscle, and spread your arms to the side.
4. As you breathe out from your mouth, imagine your arms are extending to the side while tightening all of your body muscle.
5. Breathe in from your nose, relax your muscle, and raise your arms above your head.
6. As you breathe out from your mouth, imagine your arms are extending to the sky while tightening all of your body muscle.
7. Breathe in from your nose, relax your muscle, lower your arms and place your fists around your lower abdomen area (CV4).
8. As you breathe out from your mouth, turn your fists to the front while tightening all of your body muscle.
9. Breathe in from your nose, relax your muscle and fists, and imagine that all the energy comes into your body through CV4.
10. Breathe out from your mouth and release.
Important Acupoints for the Exercises
CV4 (Tanden/Kangen): About three finger widths below and two finger widths behind the navel. This is where Qi resides.
CV17 (Danchu): In the middle point of chest. This is where Qi meets.
GV20(Hyakue): On the top of head. This is another point where Qi meets.
PC8 (Rokyu): In the middle of palm. This is where Qi enters/exits.
KD1 (Yusen): On the sole of foot. This is another point where Qi enters/exits.