HARA MASSAGE

Hara-circling massage and Eight-direction cross-hara massage

This two-part massage technique is an elementary practice in the development, strengthening, and stimulation of the student's internal energy.

It can be practiced either standing, or seated on a chair, stool or bench, or in a crosslegged posture or in the seiza posture, or whilst reclining.

Choose a time and place where you are unlikely to be disturbed.
Ideally this exercise should be carried out wearing loose clothing. Remove your shoes, and wherever you are doing this exercise - indoors or out, make sure (if standing, or seated on the floor) the floor/ground is both comfortable and warm. Do not practice this on cold floors/ground, do not practice in the cold, generally.
If you are doing this standing up, stand with your feet about shoulder-with apart.
If seated, sit up straight (comfortably so - no need for rigid military-style posture - this will only impede the technique).

Begin by 'hara-centering', and 'watching the breath': loosely focussing on the natural rhythms of your breathing. There is no interference with the natural process - no seeking to consciously breathe - merely to be aware that you are breathing effortlessly.


Hara-circling massage

With left hand on top of right hand, start at base of sternum/breastbone. With 'heavy hands' (i.e. with firm yet comfortable pressure) move in an anti-clockwise circle, following the line of the ribs then down the right side to the pelvic/hip bone, follow the line of the bone down to the top of the pubic bone, then on up along the left side of the pelvis, up to and along the base of the ribs to the starting point.

Swap over the hands. With right hand on top, mirror what you have just done - making a clockwise circle around the edge of the hara. Repeat these alternate anti-clockwise and clockwise circles a further eight times each.

Next, invert the process, making the pubic bone the starting/finishing point. Left hand on top of right, circle clockwise - up the right side and down the left. Change hands and circle anti-clockwise. Repeat each direction eight more times.

Rest for a moment, then continue with the second part of the exercise:

Eight-direction cross-hara massage

With left hand on top of right, trace a straight line down from the base of the sternum to the top of the pubic bone, change hands and work back up to the base of the sternum again. Repeat this process a further four times

Next, right hand on top of left, trace a straight line horizontally across the umbellicus from the left side of the body to the right, change hands and work back across to the left side again. Repeat this process a further four times

Next, left hand on top of right, trace a straight line diagonally up across the umbellicus from the pelvic bone (lower right) to the base of the ribs (upper left), change hands and work back down across to the lower right side again. Repeat this process a further four times

Next, right hand on top of left, trace a straight line diagonally up across the umbellicus from the pelvic bone (lower left) to the base of the ribs (upper right), change hands and work back down across to the lower left side again. Repeat this process a further four times

Now place both hands on the lower abdomen - fingers touching at the top of the pubic bone, thumbs touching, so as to form an inverted triangle between the hands.

Let the hands rest here for a couple of moments while you simply allow yourself to be aware of the warmth/pulse in your hands and abdomen.

Now move your hands up and out to the sides, fingers pointing down, touching your hip bones, heels of the hands touching your ribs. Again, rest here for a few moments being aware of the warmth/pulse.

Lastly, bring your hands up to rest along the line of the ribs, fingertips touching at the sternum.

Rest here for a few moments being aware of the warmth/pulse.

This completes the exercise, which should be carried out every day.

Copyright © 2002 James Deacon