The Tanden : The area just below the navel, which can also be widened to take in the abdominal muscle structure and the diaphragm.
At a seminar in Ireland the teacher remarked that "when a belief reaches the tanden ("dantien" in Chinese) it manifests." So why would that be true ?
As I wrote in the last post you have to move to translate a scheme into action and in pretty much all movement you cannot bring the rest of the muscles in the body into play without contracting the respiratory muscles in the abdomen. Without the cooperation of the respiratory muscles you cannot move any part of the body, pay close attention to anything (bated breath) or call forth any kind of mental action. So, it is in the first place, the respiratory muscles housed in the abdominal area that carry out the directions of the brain, that manifest its commands. If they don't go to work no scheme is translated into action. You cannot swim by simply staring at the water, nor can you produce a piece of music by just staring at the score. When the respiratory muscles set to work, mental - or spiritual - power is put into action.
It's the same with emotional expression. Laughter, anger and sorrow cannot manifest themselves unless the abdominal muscles are contracted.
Remember the expression in English "I know it, I can feel it in my guts" ? In other words, "I believe it." When a belief is strong enough then it guides our life. It becomes a part of the way we live our life.
So we can start to see the gut, or the tanden, as a centre of manifestation. Lets consider these three points :
1. The respiratory muscles manifest the continued existence of the body through carrying out the actions of breathing.
2. These same muscles are engaged any time we move in order to translate (manifest) a desire/intention into action.
3. When we know something to be true, "I can feel it in my guts," and this belief becomes strong enough, then this it manifests as the circumstances and conditions of our lives.
Some of these beliefs are conscious, however plenty more are unconscious. This leads us to ask what is really running our lives ? We could also ask if it's possible to consciously change our beliefs (and create new ones) and thus change the "reality" we are experiencing ?
At a seminar in Ireland the teacher remarked that "when a belief reaches the tanden ("dantien" in Chinese) it manifests." So why would that be true ?
As I wrote in the last post you have to move to translate a scheme into action and in pretty much all movement you cannot bring the rest of the muscles in the body into play without contracting the respiratory muscles in the abdomen. Without the cooperation of the respiratory muscles you cannot move any part of the body, pay close attention to anything (bated breath) or call forth any kind of mental action. So, it is in the first place, the respiratory muscles housed in the abdominal area that carry out the directions of the brain, that manifest its commands. If they don't go to work no scheme is translated into action. You cannot swim by simply staring at the water, nor can you produce a piece of music by just staring at the score. When the respiratory muscles set to work, mental - or spiritual - power is put into action.
It's the same with emotional expression. Laughter, anger and sorrow cannot manifest themselves unless the abdominal muscles are contracted.
Remember the expression in English "I know it, I can feel it in my guts" ? In other words, "I believe it." When a belief is strong enough then it guides our life. It becomes a part of the way we live our life.
So we can start to see the gut, or the tanden, as a centre of manifestation. Lets consider these three points :
1. The respiratory muscles manifest the continued existence of the body through carrying out the actions of breathing.
2. These same muscles are engaged any time we move in order to translate (manifest) a desire/intention into action.
3. When we know something to be true, "I can feel it in my guts," and this belief becomes strong enough, then this it manifests as the circumstances and conditions of our lives.
Some of these beliefs are conscious, however plenty more are unconscious. This leads us to ask what is really running our lives ? We could also ask if it's possible to consciously change our beliefs (and create new ones) and thus change the "reality" we are experiencing ?