Dantien Breathing: 50 breaths to total relaxation & sleep
This is my super easy guide to help you relax and ease into your nightly rest. Loosely translated, Dantien in Traditional Chinese Medicine philosophy means "elixir field", "sea of Qi", or simply "energy centre". Think of it as our body’s axis of inner strength, vitality and balance.
All it takes is 50 breaths!
50 breaths to total relaxation & sleep
- Lie down on your bed with all bedroom lights turned off. All electronic devices should be switched off and placed at least 1 metre away from you.
- Locate your dantien by placing the flat of right palm just under your belly button, with right thumb just above it. Then place your left hand over your right hand. (See image above for hand placement).
- For male clients – switch the hand placement i.e. left hand below, and right hand over your left one.
- Now visualise your dantien at a point about 3-finger breadths below your belly button.
- Place your tongue tip under your top hard palate just behind your teeth. You may swallow any saliva during the exercise. In Chinese Medicine philosophy, this is the bridging of heaven and earth.
- Close your eyes and inhale slowly through your nose, imagine drawing the breath all the way down to the dantien.
- Focus your attention on your dantien point and extend your belly as the air fills your lungs.
- Follow the path of the inhalation with your mind’s eye and imagine all of the areas of your body or life that need nourishing and healing. Imagine that with each breath, you are drawing in nourishment and healing energy.
- Exhale slowly and feel your lower belly contract.
- While you are exhaling, focus on releasing anxiety, negativity and any struggle you may be facing. Imagine releasing all impurities and toxins from your body through your exhaled breath.
- Repeat this inhalation-exhalation 50 times.
- Some of you may fall asleep or drift off before completing the 50 breaths, which is totally fine. The main goal of this exercise is to get you relaxed enough to fall asleep.
- This breathing technique may be done during the day for relaxation. In this case, you can sit upright, with or without a back rest.
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