Working From the Centre (Part 1)

James Drewe
May 1
4 min read

Updated: May 2

The Magical Number '3'

You've probably noticed that things work in threes; any more than that, and the brain starts to find it harder to juggle the concepts.

For example, and not in any order...

In psychology, information in groups of three is more memorable
Three is the smallest number that makes a recognisable pattern
Stories of all kinds, (e.g. books & films), music, advertising catch-phrases, speeches, work in this way - Beginning/Middle/End, or in music, Exposition/Development/Recapitulation
Art often uses a 3-point triangle of interest
Interior design and colour choice
In Chinese numerology, the number 3 is considered fortunate (rebirth, success, personal growth). It relates to the I Ching, the concept of the trigram, and to the idea of Heaven/Humanity/Earth
Christianity: The Trinity
Hinduism: Three fundamental forces
Buddhism: The Three Jewels
The id, the ego, the super-ego
Conscious, subconscious, superconscious
Thought, word, deed
Body, mind, spirit

The Three Centres or Dantians

In Chinese thought, there are 3 centres (Dantian 丹田):

1. The Lower Dantian (下丹田, Xià Dāntián), below the navel

2. The Middle Dantian (中丹田, Zhōng Dāntián), level with the heart, and

3. The Upper Dantian (上丹田, Shàng Dāntián), in the head at forehead level.

This blog is about the Lower Dantian, sometimes translated as the "elixir-of-life field", and mainly associated with the storage and cultivation of Qi, or vital energy.

In practices like meditation, martial arts, and qigong, it is crucial and is viewed as a central point for cultivating energy and as being integral to achieving balance and harmony within the body.

The 3 Dantians are a vital concept in Chinese thought, representing the integration of body, mind, and spirit through the cultivation of energy.

Lower Dantian in Eastern Body-Mind Therapies

In traditional Chinese Medicine, the lower dantian is where the primordial essence, Jing (精), is stored.

Simultaneously, the lower dantian is the place for Yuan Qi (元氣), the Qi that has not yet been divided into Yin Qi or Yang Qi, and is the Qi inherited through your bloodline. In modern thinking, this Qi is much less physical and could be seen as the elemental existence of atoms and electrons before there are molecules.

In the 'Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor' (Huangdi Neijing 黄帝内经), an ancient text thought to have been written (475-221 BC), the lower dantian is referred to as both the seat of Jing (精) and the source of Yuan Qi (元氣).

Where is the Centre?

I spent many years being told that I should work from the 'centre' in tai chi and qigong, but no teacher ever really explained its location.

Finding the Lower Dantian (下丹田, Xià Dāntián)

First, find the vertical 'axis' of the body.

This is the line connecting the crown of your head (not the whorl where your hair grows from), through the perineum (the muscle between the genitals and the anus), and to the point between your feet (at the front of the ankles rather than below the lower end of the tibia).

[The green dot in the picture is not entirely accurate; it should be further forward].

Secondly, you need the horizontal axis.

This is also easy to find: Place a finger 1.5" below your navel, and you have put it on an acupuncture point called Qihai ('Sea of Qi') or Ren 6.

If you now mentally draw a line directly backwards and touch your back at roughly the same height, you are approximately on an acupuncture point called Mingmen ('Gate of Life') or Du 4.

This is the horizontal line. (I say 'approximately' because the point on the back is slightly higher due to the curvature of the spine).

Where these two lines intersect is the middle of the Dantian, Hara, Core, Intrinsic Energy Centre.

It's the same idea as the molten centre of the planet, or an aniseed in the middle of an aniseed ball. You could also think of it as the 3-dimensional hub of your body.

Not literally in the Centre

Bearing in mind that the anterior-posterior depth of an adult lumbar vertebra (distance from the back to the middle of the body) is about 36mm on average, a fair amount of the back part of the body is therefore taken up by bone.

Therefore the 'centre' is not literally in the centre of the body, but slightly further forwards, probably about a third of the way into the body (depending on a person's size).

Its Role in Various Practices

Meditation: The dantian is a focal point for meditation, helping practitioners centre their awareness and energy.
Martial Arts: In disciplines like tai chi, movements are often initiated from the lower dantian, emphasising the importance of grounding and balance.
Health: The dantian is believed to influence overall well-being, as it connects physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of health.

Starting to Feel and Use the Dantian

With a finger on Qihai (Ren 6), gently try to contract the area which is under your finger. Don't think of contracting the skin which your finger is touching, but softly contract your centre approximately 1/3rd of the way inside your abdomen.

This contraction should be done extremely gently, and, for the time being, see if you can contract only this area. Ultimately, you want anything else that might eventually occur to be led by the contraction of this point and no other - in particular, not led by the perineum.

The exercise is about getting control of this area, and initially many people find it difficult to connect to it when they are not pushing against something or pulling with their arms and legs. You are trying to teach part of your body to function without an external stimulus, and at first it can be quite frustrating.

Go for subtlety and sensitivity at first, rather than expect instant results.

The next blog will continue the process of working from the centre.

James Drewe teaches Tai Chi and Qigong in both London and in Kent and online.

Details of weekly classes both live and online can be found on the website, and there are classes for 2-person Tai Chi on one Saturday a month.