Yvonne Oswald guides Jane through finding the Tan Tien, the power center three fingers below the navel. Using breath, visualization of Jane's dog Achilles, and a peripheral-awareness technique, the exercise shows how centering reduces anxiety and increases confidence during a physical resistance test.
So hello, Jane. We are going to demonstrate today how to find your Tan Tien. So if you find your belly button, and then 3 fingers below that belly button is your Tan Tien, which is actually the power centre of your body. Okay, so there's a very easy way to demonstrate just how powerful that is. So first of all, we've got to decide what to put in that power center so that you can actually really connect with it really fast. Okay, so first of all, I'd like to just stand looking forward. So I'm just— close your eyes and imagine a beautiful sun about 6 inches above your head. Take a deep breath in of that sunlight and release it outwards. Take a deep breath in again, right down to that Tan Tien Center. Release it again and open your eyes. So I've just centered you gently. Cool. So I'd like you to decide what to put in your tangyan. What I have right now is a little white tiger that's playing with a little crystal ball. That's my little power point. So what would you like to put there? A symbol or something that makes you feel really good? Um, can I put my dog? Yeah, you can put your dog for sure. What's your dog's name? Achilles. Achilles, that's a cute name. So Achilles is in there. Okay, cool. Okay. Right, so we've got Achilles in there, we're all set to go. And what happens is when people get anxious is that they go what I call 'left ear.' And you know, if you're doing stage shows or if you're going on a stage to speak, people kind of walk like this and they're not centered. And when you're centered, it makes such a difference to how you feel inside and outside. Cool. So what I'm going to do first of all, I'm going to ask you to choose a spot on the ceiling up there and look at it, and then become aware of what's on the right and the left. Take a deep breath. Good. And that's actually called Hakalau in Hawaiian. You actually usually look straight up, but we can use— for this exercise, we can look straight ahead. What I'd like you to do now is, as you're looking up there, I want you to think of your left ear, right? Think of your left ear and let me know when you're thinking of your left ear. And I'm going to push you down onto the settee. You're not going to allow me to push you down. Okay, you're going to press against me and not allow me to push you. Go ahead and think of your left ear. Let me know when you're there. Good. Push against me, push against me, push against me. Okay, is that enough? Now we're going to think of Achilles. Okay. Okay, go ahead, think of Achilles. Same thing, look at that spot on the ceiling, become aware of what's on the right and the left, and think of Achilles. And then tell me when you're there. Okay, ready? Now go ahead and push against me. Don't let me push you down. Think of Achilles, think of Achilles, think of Achilles, think of Achilles, think of Achilles, think of Achilles, think of Achilles. There's absolutely no way I can actually do anything. Isn't that amazing? And that actually centers you. So anytime you're nervous, anytime you're anxious, or in any situation where you're feeling a bit unsure, you simply look up look on the right, become aware of the right and the left, so your peripheral vision. Take a deep breath, think of Achilles, and walk forward into confidence. Isn't that great? Okay, fabulous!
