Hara-circling
massage and Eight-direction cross-hara massage
This two-part massage technique from Tenchi Seiki te-Ate 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.
