| p>Hara is a Japanese word meaning 'the centre'. It | | | | you? |
| is the physical centre point of your body and | | | | If you would like to have an inner strength that |
| resides just below the belly button. Hara is also | | | | helps you to remain focused and balanced when |
| the energetic centre in your body. In Oriental | | | | faced with a physical challenge, then building Hara |
| Medicine, the Hara area, which is the whole | | | | strength will assist you. If it is strength of mind |
| abdomen, is also a major diagnostic region. All | | | | that you need, once again, building Hara strength |
| organ and meridian imbalances can be diagnosed | | | | will help. |
| from the Hara. Hara strength is developed by | | | | The ability to remain calm in difficult emotional |
| building Qi, through breath, exercise and | | | | circumstances? A strong Hara will be of immense |
| meditation. | | | | value. |
| Hara strength cannot be seen from the outside. It | | | | The Wu Tao dances will help you to focus on and |
| is perceived as a deep inner strength, with a | | | | develop your Hara. Through the use of the |
| peaceful demeanour. When the Hara is strong, a | | | | breath, meditation, visualisation and the physical |
| person will be flexible yet stable, grounded firmly | | | | movements, you will build up your store of Qi |
| in reality, while emanating an alertness of spirit. A | | | | energy in your Hara. It will be there to call on in |
| person strong in the Hara will be intuitive and able | | | | moments of physical, emotional and mental |
| to follow their 'gut' reaction. This kind of intuition is | | | | challenge. |
| fully centered in the body. It is not a mind sense. | | | | For example: When you begin to feel the |
| Rather it is a physical/body knowing that is not | | | | beginnings of a cold (called wind invasion in Chinese |
| dominated by thought processing. | | | | Medicine), you can use your breath, to help |
| Children naturally come from their Hara. They are | | | | circulate your Qi, sending it out to your skin, to |
| centred in the body and at ease with it. They | | | | help it fight off the cold. |
| naturally move from this centred space, and you | | | | When facing an emotionally stressful situation, you |
| can see that they are connected in body and | | | | can allow yourself to rest in your Hara, maintaining |
| mind. However, observe a young child who is | | | | a peaceful openness and let the emotions move |
| thinking or worrying about something, and watch | | | | through you without becoming caught and |
| her lose balance! Off centre and out of the now | | | | attached to them. Physically, you can use Hara |
| moment, a child will find it difficult to maintain | | | | strength whenever you would use your physical |
| physical equilibrium. | | | | strength. Try taking a lid off a jar that is difficult |
| As children grow, this natural physical centre is | | | | while focussing on being centred in your Hara, or |
| superceded by the development of the mind | | | | chopping wood or lifting a heavy item. |
| function and thought, which eventually, in most | | | | Being focused in the Hara is a meditation. It is the |
| individuals becomes the dominant feature. So | | | | source of all strength and is the point where all |
| what happens to Hara? As we grow and focus | | | | aspects of your being come together. A physical |
| more on the development of the mind, we begin | | | | centre, it grounds the spirit, allowing it to radiate |
| to lose awareness of this other way of | | | | and express its truth, and gives the mind a calm |
| processing and responding to information. We lose | | | | place in which to focus. |
| touch with the part of ourselves that gives us a | | | | Basic Hara breathing Technique. |
| sense of connection to other human beings and | | | | This can be done while standing, walking or sitting |
| indeed all other forms of life. | | | | or lying down. If you want, lightly rest your hands |
| In indigenous cultures worldwide, the people still | | | | on your Hara. |
| have this connection. They live from the Hara. | | | | Start by breathing in and out slowly. Focus on |
| The way in which they respond to their | | | | letting go of any tension as you release your |
| environment is one, that in most cases, | | | | breath. When you are ready, begin to breathe |
| expresses their innate connection to the whole of | | | | and visualise a big golden ball of energy or light in |
| life. They know this intuitively and physically. Their | | | | your Hara, just below your belly button. As you |
| way of life necessitates this way of being. Living | | | | breathe in, imagine the ball expanding, as you bring |
| in balance with the rest of nature is a requirement | | | | your breath right down into your Hara. As you |
| for survival. | | | | breathe out, visualise the ball contracting slightly |
| Oriental martial arts and meditation practices, | | | | and becoming very solid and heavy. Focus on |
| focus on the development of Hara in their training. | | | | holding onto some of the Qi in your Hara as you |
| Here, the building and storing of Qi is fundamental | | | | release your breath. Continue this process until |
| to the development of Hara strength. | | | | you feel centred and focused in your Hara. |
| So what relevance does this information hold for | | | | |