After emerging from Universal Consciousness, creative feminine energy began to function as the driving force of evolution. It’s feminine energy – emerging from every corner of the universe and from every female of every species – that provides the power to create and procreate.
Feminine energy is universal and life-affirming. It motivates humans to unite and to experience intimacy with one another. It can never be taken away from you – and because of that, it makes everybody a healer, a lover – and on the deepest level a radiant, transcendent being – who has the capacity to transform the world through their work and relationships.
The energy we’re talking about goes by many names and has been venerated in many societies. Taoists in China call it Chi or Ki. In India, it’s called Prana and Shakti. It doesn’t matter what name it goes by – this extraordinary energy can be used to heal trauma and physical disease. You can use it to empower yourself and to heal restrictive patterns that limit you and disrupt your relationships. And, most importantly, because it only has universal qualities, it can be used to heal your soul and spirit on the deepest levels so that you can experience the transcendent love and joy that is your birthright.
In this article we will show you a simple technique how to center yourself in your strong center Hara, so that you can increase the amount of feminine energy available to you.
Finding Your Strong Center
Your Hara is located four fingers width below your navel and about one inch (four centimeters) forward from your spine. In Japanese, the word “Hara” means abdomen. Hara is often linked with another Japanese word, Tanden. Tanden means elixir field. Hara can therefore be understood to be the place in your physical body where you can find the elixir of life. It’s also the place where you can reclaim your powerful center in your physical-material body.
Most people in the West are unaware of the importance of Hara. That is one reason why so many people still lack all the vitality and healing energy available to them. It also explains why so many people are out of balance – and why they’re suspended from a point just above their shoulders and dangle there like puppets. Their physical body, its posture and the way it moves reflects the fact that they have not made Hara a part of their everyday life.
Problems such as poor posture, chronic muscle tension, which inhibits the flow of Prana through the human energy system, compressed and twisted spine, cramped body organs and poor circulation can be directly linked to being balanced from the shoulders – and not from Hara. Not being centered in your strong center can create additional problems. It can put strain on the joints and ligaments. And that can contribute to mental and physical fatigue – even depression.
So, what is to be gained by Hara? A great deal. Finding your strong center in Hara will empower you. It will connect the energy centers in your abdomen with those in your heart and head. Your reproductive organs will receive more nourishment and will function better. And, by liberating the energy in your abdomen you will have greater access to your deepest emotions and feelings.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that most spiritual traditions agree that a solid foundation is a prerequisite for personal growth. Nature itself reflects this principle. For a tree to reach the heavens, it must have a solid foundation in the earth. Without this, the tree is liable to remain weak and reactive to each small change in the weather.
Exercise: Hara Breathing
To center yourself in Hara, you will use a breathing technique that has been practiced in the Far East for centuries. It’s called Hara Breathing. If you feel alienated from your body or empty and in need of inner strength, if you feel agitated or overwhelmed, scared or angry, breathing into the Hara will ease these feelings by bringing you back into your strong center and into balance with the rest of the world.
You can practice Hara breathing in any position as long as your back is straight. For now, we suggest you perform Hara breathing while you’re lying down on your back. As you progress, you can practice the exercise in a sitting or standing position.
Begin Hara breathing with your arms at your sides, palms up, and your fingers loosely extended. Your eyes should be closed and your jaw kept loose by allowing your mouth to drop open comfortably. From this position, begin breathing deeply through your nose for about three to four minutes. Then bring your mental attention to your Hara, four finger widths below your navel.
Once you’ve brought your mental attention to Hara, use the middle finger of your positive hand (right hand if you’re right-handed, left hand if you’re left-handed) to make small clockwise circles around Hara. In a short time, you’ll notice sensations emerging from that vital point. You could experience warmth, tingling and-or throbbing sensations, coolness or pressure. None of these sensations should worry you; they’re all normal. After a few moments, place both your hands directly on your Hara. At the same time, touch your tongue to your upper palate, directly behind your teeth. This will connect the female and male currents of Prana in your energy field and enhance your experience.
Once your hands are in position, you will use the Prana entering your energy field on each inhalation to activate your Hara even further. To do that, inhale deeply through the nose into Hara for a count of five. As you fill Hara with Prana, visualize that a fluid is flowing in, filling that vital point with energy and light. Retain your breath for a count of five while your mental attention remains focused on Hara. During the retention, as the level of Prana increases, you will begin to feel your Hara heating up and your center of balance shifting into vital point.
After you’ve retained the breath for a count of five, exhale through your mouth for a count of five. There should be no separation between exhalation and the next inhalation. Only in the retention is the natural rhythm broken.
Perform this exercise two to three times a week for about twenty minutes. By mastering Hara breathing, you will return to your true center which is in Hara.