Dantian Dantian, Dantian, dan t'ian, t'ian , dan tien or tan t'ien is loosely 2 Thre Threee dant dantia ians ns translated as “elixir field”, “sea of qi qi", ", or simply “energy ergy center” center”.. Dantian Dantian are importan importantt focal focal points points for for med- Different schools of thought categorize dantian in varitative and exercise techniques such as qigong qigong,, martial ious ious manner manners. s. Thre Threee main main danti dantian an are are typi typica call llyy arts such arts such as t'ai chi ch'uan, ch'uan, and in traditional Chinese emphasized: [1][2] medicine..[1][2] medicine •
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Histori Historicall callyy the first first detail detailed ed descripti description on of the lower lower Dant Dantia ian n is in the the Laozi zhongjing from rom the the 3rd 3rd ce cenntury CE, it refers to the Cinnabar field where Essence and Spirit are stored, it is related to regeneration and sexual energy, menstruation and semen. [3] Traditionally, a dantian is considered to be a center of qi qi or or life force [1][2] energy. The dantian are important points of reference in neidan in neidan,, qigong, qigong, neigong neigong,, tao yin, yin, Taoist sexual [4] practices,, Reiki and other self-cultivation practices self-cultivation practices of exercise, breathing, and meditation, as well as in martial arts and arts and in traditional in traditional Chinese medicine. medicine. The lower dantian is particularly particularly important as the focal focal point of breathing technique as well as the centre of balance and gravity. ity. Dantian Dantian are focal focal points points for for transmut transmutati ation on of the three three treasures Jing Jing,, Qi and Shen Shen.. Qi can can be seen seen as a subs substa tanc ncee when it is stored in the form of Essence or Jing Jing,, this can be refined by heating in these cauldrons into more rarefied states such as Qi as Qi which which is insubstantial and further still into Shen into Shen which which is more like the Western concept of Mind although Mind although it is more often translated as Spirit.[5]
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Lower dantian (, Xià Dāntián): below the nave navell (abou (aboutt three three finger finger width widthss belo below w andtwo finger finger widths behind the navel), which is also called “the golden golden stove” ( pinyin: Jīn lú) or the namesake namesake “cinnabar field” proper, where the process of developing the elixir by refining and purifying essence (jing jing)) into vitality (qi ( qi)) begins.[6] Middle dantian (, Zhōng Zhōng Dāntián): Dāntián): at the level of the heart, which is also called “the crimson palace”, associated with storing Spirit (Shen ( Shen)) and with respiration respiration and health of the internal organs, in particular particular the thymus the thymus gland. gland. This cauldron is where vitality or Qi or Qi is is refined into Shen into Shen or or spirit;[7] Upper dantian dantian (, Shàng Dāntián): Dāntián): at the forehead between the eyebrows or third or third eye, eye, which is also called called “the “the muddy pellet”, pellet”, associated associated with with the pineal gland. gland. This cauldron cauldron is where Shen where Shen or or spirit is refined into Wu into Wu Wei or Wei or emptiness.[5][8]
Importan Importance ce of the lowe lowerr dantia dantian n
The term dantian used by itself usually refers to the lower dantian, dantian, which which is consid considere ered d to be the foundati foundation on of rooted rooted standing standing,, breathi breathing, ng, and body body awaren awareness ess in qigong qigong,, [9] Chinese martial arts, arts, and other martial arts. The lower dantian has been described to be “like the root of the tree of life”.[2]
Taoist and Buddhist Taoist and Buddhist teachers teachers often instruct their students to centre the mind in the navel or lower dantian. This is believed to aid control of thoughts thoughts and and emotions emotions.. Actcting from the dantian is considered to be related to higher states of awareness or samadhi or samadhi..
In speaking of the lower of the three energy centers, the term dantian is often used interchangeably with the Japanese Japanese word word hara (; Chinese: fù) whic which h means means simp simply ly “belly”. In Chinese In Chinese,, Korean Korean,, and Japanese and Japanese traditions, traditions, it is considered the physical center of gravity of the human body and is the seat of one’s internal energy (qi ( qi). ). A master of calligraphy of calligraphy,, swordsmanship swordsmanship,, tea ceremony, ceremony , martial arts,, among other arts, is held in the Japanese tradition arts tradition to be “acting from the hara”.
The Taoist concept of dantian as energy centers is similar to the Indian yoga Indian yoga concept concept of chakras of chakras as as key points where prana is prana is stored (see also nadis nadis). ). The major major differenc difference, e, however, is that Taoist dantian are the major energetic storage mechanisms whereas the yogic chakras are not so much storage centers, but energetic vortices which act as intake and output ports. Many traditions consider the dantian and the chakras the chakras to to be separate, albeit cooperative energetic mechanisms.
The lower dantian corresponds to the yoga concept of the swadhisthana chakra. In yoga In yoga philosophy, philosophy, it is thought to be the seat of prana that radiates outwards to the entire body.[10] 1
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See also •
Aikido
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Jing (TCM)
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Kiai
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Kundalini energy
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Meditation
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Mindfulness (Buddhism)
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Misogi
[10] T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Meditation by Da Liu, pages 91-92 Routledge and Keegan Paul 1987 ISBN 0-14-019217-4 •
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Pushing hands
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Qigong
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Secret of the Golden Flower
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Seppuku
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Silk reeling
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T'ai chi ch'uan
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Triple burner
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References
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[2] Cohen, K. S. (1999). The Way of Qigong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing . Random House of Canada. ISBN 0-345-42109-4. [3] Laozi zhongjing (Central Scripture of Laozi), sec. 17. Translation published in Fabrizio Pregadio, “Early Daoist Meditation and the Origins of Inner Alchemy,” in Benjamin Penny, ed., Daoism in History: Essays in Honour of Liu Ts’un-yan, 139-40 (London: Routledge, 2006). http://www.goldenelixir.com/taoism/texts_laozi_ zhongjing.html [4] http://www.aetw.org/reiki_ifaq6.htm#9 [5] T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Meditation by Da Liu, page 92 Routledge and Keegan Paul 1987 ISBN 0-14-019217-4 [6] Taoist Yoga by Lu K'uan Yu page 10. (Rider , 1970) This area is associated with the Sea of Qi. [7] http://www.goldenelixir.com/jindan/dantian.html [8] The doctrine of the elixir by R. B. Jefferson Coombe Springs Press 1982 chapter 4. The Archaic Anatomy of Individual Organs [9] “Power Generation in Martial Arts: Axis, the Spine, and the Center”. Full Potential Martial Arts . Retrieved 27 March 2015.
Chia, Mantak. Cosmic Orbit: Connect to the Universe from Within. Universal Tao Publications, 2005. ISBN 974-85401-4-6. Jefferson, R.B. Doctrine of the Elixir . Coombe Springs Press, 1982. ISBN 0-900306-15-7. Full text here Lu K'uan Yu. Taoist Yoga. Rider, 1970. ISBN 07126-1725-6. Porkert, Manfred. The Theoretical Foundations of Chinese Medicine . MIT Press, 1974. ISBN 0-26216058-7. Rouselle, Irwin. ‘Spiritual Guidance in Contemporary Taoism’. In Spiritual Disciplines: Papers from the Eranos Yearbooks . Princeton University Press, 1960. ISBN 0-691-01863-4. Wang, Mu. Foundations of Internal Alchemy: The Taoist Practice of Neidan. Golden Elixir Press, 2011. ISBN 978-0-9843082-5-5.
External links •
[1] Yang, Jwing-Ming. (1989). The root of Chinese Chi kung: the secrets of Chi kung training . Yang’s Martial Arts Association. ISBN 0-940871-07-6.
EXTERNAL LINKS
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Doctrine of the Elixir - On the conception of the Dan Tian in Daoist cosmology. Dan Tian in the Internal Martial Arts - Explanation of Dan Tian use in the martial arts. An Shigao and Early Chinese Meditation Techniques - Phra Kiattisak Kittipanyo DIRI Journal Volume 1 pp. 98-118.
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