CHAPTER 20 MOVEMENT-ORIENTED THERAPIES 255
The Absolute Minimum
■ Movement therapies offer Eastern and Western, ancient and modern
approaches to the same goal: increased energy and stability of our bodies.
■ The benefits of movement therapies are most intensely experienced with
working with a practitioner, who will help ensure that the movements are
being performed correctly.
TRY IT YOURSELF: MOVING INTO YOUR CENTER
When starting T’ai Chi and Qigong, it is best to begin with simple exercises. Getting the
body into alignment is an important part of these movement therapies. Stand with your
feet shoulder-width apart, buttocks tucked in, spine straight, shoulder relaxed, knees
unlocked, the head straight and resting lightly on top of the spine as if a string from the
top of the head were gently suspending the body from above. Standing in this position,
pay attention to your breathing, inhaling deeply and exhaling all the way out. Standing in
this position, locate your tan t’ien (pronounced don tee-en). It is the body’s center of grav-
ity and stability, located about one-and-a-half inches below the navel and into the center of
the body. T’ai Chi and Qigong teach people to find and maintain their center through
movement, whereas in meditation and yoga, centering is found in stillness. The tan t’ien is
considered to be the source of energy and, as you practice, you will find that all the move-
ments begin to flow more easily if they begin from the tan t’ien.
