Tai chi is a gentle exercise that originated in China as far back as the 13th century and has spread throughout the Western world in the past 50 years. The practice consists of graceful movements designed to promote the flow of energy, or qi, throughout the body. In Chinese medicine, your health and sense of well-being depend upon the uninterrupted circulation of this energy. The motions of tai chi revolves around the place where qi is stored, located in the area of the navel or bellybutton.
Tan Tien
In tai chi, tan tien, or dan tian, is the name of the area near the bellybutton where qi, also called chi, is stored. The goal of tai chi is to facilitate the flow of qi throughout the body and to store this energy in tan tien. The movements of tai chi simultaneously draw from and build upon this center of energy.
Location
Tan tien is located between the navel and the pubic bone, approximately at the body's center of gravity. Some practitioners believe that it is located not below, but behind the navel. There are two other less critical locations of tan tien in the body -- one in the chest and another in the "third eye" between the eyebrows -- but the navel or lower tan tien is the source of most movements in tai chi and where the qi is stored.
Breathing
Abdominal breathing, or breathing from tan tien, is vital to the practice of tai chi. It involves breathing deeply from the lower chest or diaphragm as opposed to taking shallow breaths using the upper chest. To perform tai chi abdominal breathing, place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind your front teeth to facilitate the circulation of qi. Inhale, raising your arms straight up over your head and turning your palms to face each other. Breathe in while raising the arms or body and then exhale and lower the arms and body. The stomach should move -- not the chest and shoulders.
Movement
Drawing energy into the area of the navel is believed to induce relaxation and a sense of becoming centered. Near the end of most tai chi movements, the hands are brought together over the navel area to store energy in tan tien. One of these exercises is similar to the motion of using your hands to scoop up water and cool your forehead with it, and then brushing away drops of water off the front of your body using the sides of your palms.
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