From the author: Reflection on centering as the basic principle of body-oriented therapy - from the point of view of the Taoist worldview Why is it generally accepted that “egocentrism” is a symptom of moral degradation? And who said that love and trust in one’s own self is a vice? Let's not lie! Let's admit to ourselves that the attractiveness desired by all women is nothing more than the ability to be the center of attention, at least the center of male attention! Even the word “center” itself contains a certain inexplicable magnetism. Walking through the historical center of the old city is wonderful, and it is no less wonderful to become a visitor to some cultural center. To be surrounded by friends means to be in the center of a circle of close people, to become the center of love and care. The center is a zone of stability and balance. The practice of finding the inner center is one of the most complex sacred practices of Taoist philosophy. Centering is one of the basic practices of body-oriented therapy. Let's figure out what mysterious center the ancient sages were looking for, and what modern bioenergy specialists are looking for! The founder of body-oriented therapy connects two basic practices, grounding and centering, with one energetic necessity - shifting the center of gravity to the lower part of the body. “When the center of gravity of the body drops to the pelvic area, and the legs become conductors of energy, it becomes possible to feel one’s self, concentrated in the lower part of the abdominal cavity,” writes Alexander Lowen in his work “Collection of Bioenergetic Experiments.” Undoubtedly, the stomach has a special significance for human vitality. It is no coincidence that the very word “belly” in the ancient Russian language meant “life”. Reproductive function is associated with this area of ​​the body, that is, the ability to maintain life as an evolutionary process, and not just as a continuation of a kind. It is also true that in the culture of the East, not only ancient, but also modern, the belly has become a symbol of the fullness of life, and a peculiar cult of the belly accompanies traditional oriental dance, capable of awakening animal passion in the coldest womb. By the way, the fact that animal passion is not accidental. Sexuality has a very specific localization in the lower abdomen from both a Western and an Eastern point of view. In mentioning the East's special interest in the abdomen, Lowen refers to Japanese philosophy. “The importance of being centered in the lower abdomen or belly is recognized by most Eastern teachings. The Japanese, for example, have the concept of hara. This term simultaneously refers to both the belly and the quality of life of a person centered in this part of the body. The exact centering location, according to Darkheim, is 5 centimeters below the navel. If a person is centered at this point, then we can say that he has hara, and this, in turn, means that he is harmonious both physiologically and psychologically.” Since Japanese philosophy inherited and “preserved” sacred knowledge Ancient China, it makes sense to understand what place the Taoists assigned to the lower part of the body - in the science of the natural energy exchange of man and the environment. From the point of view of the followers of the first syncretic Chinese science, the human energy structure is based not on one center, but on three. They are called Dantian or DanTian. “Dan Tian” means “small precious ball”, but in fact it is a spherical clot of energy that is located inside the body. The size of the Dan Tiens depends on the energy power of the individual. The Lower Tan Tien “supervises” reproductive functions and is responsible for pleasures of the lowest order, however, the basic part of vital energy is concentrated precisely below. There are three important acupuncture points in the Lower Tan Tien region. Navel - Tu Chi (Du Qi), “Sea of ​​Energy” - Chi Hai (Qi Hai), “Gate of Source” - Guan Yuan. The last point is exactly in the place that Lowen designated as"hara", referring to Darkheim. However, according to Chinese healers, the energy center itself does not have an exact localization and is located individually - behind the navel or just below. The position of the points is also individual and depends on the proportions of the body. The measure is the width of the second phalanx of the middle finger - cun. The Guan Yuan point is located four cun below the navel. The Lower Tan Tian is connected to all three points and provides part of the physiological health, sharing this mission with the Middle Tan Tian, ​​which we will talk about in more detail a little later. Now it is important to emphasize that the Chinese did not consider the lower part of the abdominal cavity, much less one point, to be the center of the body, both physical and energetic. Moreover, in high-level Wushu schools the emphasis was not on the Lower or even the Middle Dantian, but on the Middle Channel as a source of combat power. Masters of martial wushu practice strikes based on energy directed from all three dantians, and not from one energy zone of the body. However, Taoists recommend improving on the path of finding your center to maintain energy balance. Then what do the Chinese Tao Masters mean? What route do they take their students in search of a mysterious energy center? Taoist teachers encourage them to look for their center, meaning directing the energy of consciousness to one mysterious energy formation - the Zhong Mai channel, sometimes called Xian Mai. This is the Central Channel, all knowledge about which can rightfully be called sacred, that is, secret. Despite the fact that you can get some information about this channel on the Internet, in reality everything turns out to be much more complicated. Zhong Mai is not one of the main 12 channels, and is not even one of the reserve channels, the “eight wonderful vessels”; it is not inherent in nature and cannot be acquired by chance, spontaneously, on a whim, or in any other way, except for special energy practitioner Zhong Mai runs from the Bai Hui point, which is located at the top of the head, to the Hui Yin point, located in the center of the perineum - like a vertical tube. The initiation of the “construction” of this channel belongs to the Tao Masters. The technique of “bookmarking” a channel is kept secret and is passed on from teacher to student exclusively personally. There are very few people with a developed Middle Channel. However, there are some areas of activity that require special mastery of energy. For example, martial arts require the athlete to have Zhong Mai - for effective striking and stability. If this channel is not built in an athlete for some reason, you can use the energy of the spinal cord, which can become a conditional, although not a full-fledged replacement for the Central Channel. So, centering is building the Central Channel and constantly filling it with energy. The human energy center is not a point or a zone, it is a vertical channel that penetrates a person’s torso from the top of the head to the bottom of the abdomen. Now let’s return to where we started - to egocentrism and the natural need to be the center of attention. Master Ji once remarked that the problems of civilized society began precisely when the individual began to draw boundaries between his own self and the many selves of those around him. “This is my house”, “this is my husband”, “this is my child” - from the point of view of Taoist philosophy, all these “marks” are meaningless. However, it also makes no sense to break the boundaries between “I” and “not-me,” “mine” and “not mine,” since this destruction always ends in conflict. The only “destruction” that will be natural and can lead to harmony with the Universe is the destruction of boundaries within one’s own “I” and the beginning of the search for one’s “spiritual center” - the Sources of the Cosmos or the search for God within oneself. This comprehension of the meaning of existence begins with the construction of Zhong Mai. And when your energy center is filled with chi, your “I” becomes the center of the Universe, and you yourself become the very magnet to which real human happiness is attracted. Here in…