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markern
Norway
171 Posts |
 Posted - May 21 2008 : 4:43:46 PM
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Previously people have been telling me that in the yogic tradition one just draws energy up an down the spine and not down the front to the dan tien. However, I`ve been reading some books about meditation from the Bihar School of yoga and one of the meditations includes what is basicly the microcosmic orbit. The book states that untill the front channel is properly opened meditation is much more difficult than it need be.
Another thing I`ve been told is that in the yogic tradition there is no knowledge of the dan tien. However in another book from Bihar they state that the navel chakra is the storehouse for prana and distributes it througout the body. That sounds to me like an explanation of the function of the dan tien. However, they seem to locate the third chakras primary point in the spine and the navel side as sort of secondary activation point. Also the dan tien I\ve been told is, and to me feels. like it is a bit lower than the navel. I also feel like the exact point of the navel corresponds to descriptions of the energy associated with the third chakra. What I associate with the dan tien does not feel like the powerfull assertive energy of the navel but as a much more neutral place than any of the chakra points but feels just more like the coordinating center and a center of will and action but not in the driven way as much as the navel chakra. The dan tien does not feel to me to be the front side of the second chakra either, that feels like it is further down and it feels more energized like the other areas i associate with chakras. In sum then i feel that the dan tien in itself is kind of neutral in energy but feels like a center that coordinates and sets in action. The type of "willpower" I feel in the dan tien does not feel like it itself comes from the dan tien like the will power and drive I feel from the third and second chakra. It feels more like it is the setting into action center of the will of other chakras. In the Bihar book they stated something like the cooperation between the second and third chakras or the whole of the two togheter had a similar function as I feel the dan tien has. In sum then it seems like, at Bihar at least, the understanding of chakras/dan tien is not very far of from the Taoist view only slightly different, maybe only semanticaly different. But what remains different is that they do not emphasize the emportance of this anywhere else in what I have read, but present the normal Indian explanations.
I am much more drawn to the yogic system than the Taoist but I am very much a dan tien person. The dan tien to me feels extreemly important. Especialy because I have too much energy high up and I love being active in a forcefull way. I also crave the feeling of balance and I only get that trhough being in tune with the dan tien and cultivating cooler energies as well as the hot energies I usualy get from yoga. Because of this and because of a few bad energy experiences I have always wanted to bring the dan tien and the orbit in to the Indian aproach. What I read in the Bihar books made me feel that should be unpropblematic. I am sympatethic to the argument Yogani makes about not being to focused on details in energy work and focusing more on the broader aspects and that the proper dispersion of energy, grounding, and working with the front channel happens more as an indirect function of other work, of meditation and of lying in Savasana after practice. However, as energy does travel in the front channel througout the day even if yo do nothing to make it do so, because the dan tien is the storehouse, coordinater and distributer of prana in the body, and because the yogic system includes the front channel and more or less the dan tien, I think that including the front channel in ones practice and pulling energy down to the dan tien seems like a good thing to do. At least if one is strongly inclined to do so, as I am. Energy will be wisely dispersed from the dan tien anyway so I see no danger in pulling it there first to ensure that there isen`t to much in other places and that one is grounded. I also feel that drawing energy in the front channel always seems like a good thing because it is supposed to, and feels like to me, as yin with regard to the back channel and that pulling energy all the way around seem to balance everything a bit more. More yin added to the yang. I have far to much fire anyway so this seems wise for me.
What I am thinking with regards to AYP is that I might want to atempt the system but that after spinal breathin or maybe after the whole practice, either in Savasana or after it, I would like to draw energy to the dan tien and maybe cirle it up the back, down thae front and around a few times. I am wondering what you guys and especialy yogani thinks about this.
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Edited by - AYPforum on May 21 2008 5:17:46 PM |
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Sparkle
Ireland
1457 Posts |
Posted - May 26 2008 : 04:27:10 AM
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Hi markern quote:
What I am thinking with regards to AYP is that I might want to atempt the system but that after spinal breathing or maybe after the whole practice, either in Savasana or after it, I would like to draw energy to the dan tien and maybe cirle it up the back, down thae front and around a few times. I am wondering what you guys and especially yogani thinks about this.
In my experience there is no conflict whatsoever in combining the AYP practices with dan tien related practices.
I came to AYP as what you describe as a “dan tien person”, coming from a background of Zen meditation and Tai Chi, Aikido etc. I can relate entirely to your perception that the Dan Tien has a different feel to the Chakras.
Many people consider the two systems as one, but with different names i.e. Chakras vv Dan Tiens.
When I read Barbara Brenan’s take on it however, where she says that the “Hara Dimension” is a different dimension within the energy system and therefore does not necessary have the same properties – this made total sense to me from an experiential point of view and it was a real ahha! moment.
(If you Google or Yahoo Brennan and Hara Dimension you might come up with something)
Personally I love the AYP system and haven’t looked back since I started over two years ago. I still practice Zen meditation with a group and practice the associated mindfulness during the day. The AYP practices are however my daily sadhana and staple diet in the development of inner silence.
After many years of daily mindfulness practice I find the twice daily Deep Meditation and Spinal Breathing a much needed charge up of inner silence, which develops to a stage where it becomes a steady state throughout the day.
For me this is the great importance of a daily practice and in particular a twice daily practice.
I don’t have any experience of the Microcosmic Orbit, but do practice a little Tai Chi from time to time. Just simple walking around with the awareness in the Dan Tien is enough to keep centred there.
A combination of AYP and Tai Chi is good, as far as I am aware Yogani also practices some Tai Chi.
You probably know from reading the site, of the importance of self-pacing and the combining practices can lead to overloads. This has to be born in mind, but as long as you tread carefully and with awareness of self-pacing you should be fine.
For other discussions about the Microcosmic Orbit see here:
http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....OPIC_ID=1474
and
http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....OPIC_ID=3296
Best of luck with your practices
Louis
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Dan tien and front channel in the Yogic system
