“Qi Chen Dantian” (气沉丹田 in Chinese) is a basic breathe technique in Qigong and Tai Ji Practice. If you are new to Tai Ji and Qigong, you may be a little puzzled. What does “Qi Chen Dantian” mean? Where is Dantian? Why should I “Qi Chen Dantian” while practicing Tai Ji and Qigong?
According to Classic Chinese medicine, our body has three Dantians called upper, middle, and lower Dantian. The upper Dantian is at the acupuncture point called “Yintang”, located between your eyebrows. The middle Dantian is at the acupuncture point called “Shanzhong”, located between your breasts. The lower Dantian is at the acupuncture point called “Guanyuan”, located at three inches below the navel. The Dantian here in ” Qi Chen Dantian” means lower Dantian.
“Qi Chen Dantian” literally means “to bring Qi down to the lower Dantian, more specifically means to concentrate your attention on the lower Dantian and to use the innate breathing of the lower Dantain to invigorate qi and blood, promote metabolism, and adjust the internal energy flow.
The Benefit of “Qi ChenDantian”
Why does “Qi Chen Dantian” has such an effect? because the lower Dantian is the point where many meridians are directly or indirectly pass through. Precisely because of the special position of the lower Dantian, “Qi Chen Dantian” can adjust all parts and the interconnection of the body at all levels. The lower Dantian connected to the kidney, pancreas, liver through meridians, marrow through the autonomic nerves, and the gonads linked conditioned reflexes with the pituitary gland, therefore “Qi Chen Dantian” can strengthen gonadal, autonomic nerve function, and endocrine system function, meanwhile enhance the body’s metabolism, immunity, and emergency response capabilities accordingly.
How to “Qi ChenDantian”?
First, make sure the posture is correct. Your posture should be natural and relaxed, which is a prerequisite for smooth breathing and mental relaxation. Different postures have different physiological characteristics, and the posture itself also plays a certain therapeutic role. Commonly used postures are flat sitting, free cross-legs, single cross-legs, supine, lying, standing, walking, etc.
Second, calm down and let yourself enter in tranquility, which means to enter in a stable and quiet state, without distractions internal and external.
Third, pay attention to the breath: inhale feel the air breathe in, exhale put your mind on (think about) your lower Dantian.