DANTIAN BREATHING 丹田呼吸 (DAN TIAN HU XI)

DANTIAN BREATHING 丹田呼吸 (DAN TIAN HU XI)
The Chinese word “Dantian” literally means “cinnabar field”. Cinnabar refers to mercury sulfide (朱砂 zhu sha) a toxic metal that early Daoists used to make medicine. “Dantian” is usually roughly translated as “elixir field” since the Chinese name means that it is a valuable energy center, a place where something valuable and medicinal can be cultivated. Although there are considered to be three major Dantian in the body. The Dantian we are talking about for Dantian breathing is the lower Dantian, a major energy center found slightly under and behind the navel. Dantian breathing describes when the lower back is incorporated into deep breathing breathing practice. For this type of breathing, the mind focuses on the Dantian and the chest stays relaxed, while the abdomen and lower back expand on the exhale, and contract on the exhale. There is a very important acupuncture point on the lower spine called the “Gate of Life” (命门 ming men) which can be stimulated by Dantian breathing, as can the kidneys. Daoist medicine tells us that when the kidneys are stimulated, your entire body’s vitality and energy level will improve.