Work on the Dan Tian

The study on texts demonstrate that at a given period, whether it’s in China or Japan, a change in regime has led to a reform of the way of thinking. Which had the effect of changing the teaching of ancient knowledge so they would match the dominant way of thinking.

It is in this manner that we lose things and we need, in order to understand, find them again.

Things only become real when we finally understand them.

This is what happens when people talk about energy because right now it’s too much assimilated with the imaginary and fantasy in our occidental world.

But this vision of things has to do with the modern way of thinking, because it only takes reading ancient texts to realize that a long time ago, it wasn’t the case.
It was only about the observation and study of natural phenomenon. The more I progress in my research, the more I have this sensation that there is a language without words and that we can understand if we know how to listen. This language was largely used by the ancient wise men.

(Aunkai DVD 3 Applying The Frame)

In Aunkai Akuzawa Sensei says:

“The foundations, in movement, become the very essence of Bujutsu.”

This can be understood in various ways and also in the way we perceive ourselves.

For some people, the physical body remains the limit of things. For me, it goes further than that: we are, we are only, energy.

A vision that is more Asian like or from primitive peoples as they’re called, linked to the conception of the creation of things and the world.

We can only enter a room from the moment we know that room exists. But then, it is up to us to make the choice of opening the door.

Akuzawa Sensei says also « As a first step, we must develop a comprehension, by the exercises, of the way we manage our own weight, the adequate bones and muscles alignment, and especially how to keep all these elements whole in the movement. At the same time the exercises develop our body and our comprehension of the fundamental principles”. 

(Akuzawa Sensei – Aunkai DVD 3 Applying the Frame)

Although what is difficult most of the time, is answering the question « how can I work the inside of my body? » especially when that work is situated on an energetic level.

The answer is: « do it and feel what happens inside of us. »
In some Taoists, we find trainings for the Dan tian

I’m noting down two that are interesting to work on within the frame of Aunkai
They must be worked in while keeping in mind the orientation given by Akuzawa Sensei, that means developing a comprehension.

These two exercises are:

1)    The inferior Dan tian

 Dan tian inferior

Stand up, legs slightly bend, arms along the body
Become aware of your body as a whole. Once you aquire the sensation, imagine the inside of your body is melting to flow in the hollow of your pelvis, as if you were to sleep in there, like the bird in its warm nest. Keep this sensation for a moment, then act as if you were waking up by coming out of this nest and taking back the dimension of your body.

Repeat a few times like you do with a physical exercise.

1)    The middle Dan Tian

Dan Tian middle

Same position as the first exercise: stand up with the legs slightly bent, arms along the body.
Become aware of your whole body again. Once you acquire the sensation, you are to start imagining that the center of your chest is sucking your entire body, the legs, the arms, the head, as to melt inside your body, soak in the upcoming sensation, as if your body was closing in on itself, that of the foetus in the hollow of the matrix. And like the previous exercise, act as if you were waking up by taking back the dimension of your body.

This Taoist vision allows the understanding of the being in a different, energetic manner.