Dylan CharlesContributor, ZenGardner.com
Editor, Waking Times
It is commonly held that the pineal gland is the ‘seat of the soul,’ a meta-physical portal of sorts that is believed to play an important role in conscious awareness and spiritual experience. Certain practices and supplements may assist in improving the function of the pineal gland, however, by training the more fundamental energy centers of the body, the Dan Tien, one can more quickly achieve heightened spiritual awareness, and over time a much more powerful and deeper sense of intuition and connectedness than by concentrating on the pineal gland alone.
This is the secret that the great masters of Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qi Gong have known for centuries. This is the key to elevated consciousness, to super-human strength, to unbending will-power and extreme longevity.
At its core, all matter is made up of energy in motion, the human body being no different. We are energetic beings, sensitive to the currents around us, with the capacity to expend energy and to draw energy from nature, from other beings, and from food and air.
People can give off positive, confident ‘vibes,’ and at other times radiate negative energy, both of which can be contagious, affecting the mood and energy level of others. Some people just seem more magnetic, alive, aware and more radiant than others do, for example, Bruce Lee. Practices of cultivating Dan Tien can develop one’s ability to gather, build, store, and more effectively use personal energy, or Qi, transforming themselves into the kind of person with abundant and infectious positive Qi. The elixir of life.
Dan Tien – Literally, “Field of Elixir.” Locations in the body which are able to store and generate Qi (elixir) in the body. The Upper, Middle and Lower Dan Tien are located, respectively, between the eyebrows, at the solar plexus, and a few inches below the navel. [Dr. Yang, The Root of Chinese Qigong: Secrets of Health, Longevity, & Enlightenment]Lower Dan Tien is the base foundation of the body’s energy structure, acting as the root, or grounding center, as well as being the physical center of the human body. When attention is focused here, it is easy to recognize a concentration of energy. Practices for building and refining the energy of Lower Dan Tien may include physical exercises, guided meditations, breathing exercises, and visualizations, as well as more extreme practices.
