Navel - our second brain

We have two brains. One in our heads and one in the centre of the stomach region, the navel. It’s actually a junction through which, according to Hatha yoga, the body’s 72000 nadis pass; our energy channels move along with these nadis. Sufis and yogis have always believed that the navel is connected to the cosmos. We are surrounded by energy and we are constantly interacting with this energy, although unaware, and the navel is believed to be the gateway to the flow of cosmic energy.

The navel is also the body’s first scar, and it reminds us of our origins, our roots, because it is the gateway to our survival in the womb; the body then is an extension cut off from the umbilical cord. The navel is related to the solar plexus or the Manipura chakra, and it is said to be the point which absorbs the sun’s prana and the cosmic energy. This is probably the reason the navel also has spiritual significance in various traditions. In martial arts, the navel is of tremendous importance; the navel energy centre is known as the “tan tien" in Chinese. In qigong, an ancient Chinese exercise and healing technique, this point is a seat of energy. Martial arts students concentrate and channelize their energy from the tan tien.

It has also been part of traditional Indian knowledge. You would have seen grandmothers pacifying a crying child by applying oil on the navel, pressing the navel, and moving the hand around the navel. This calms the child down.

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali says that focusing on your navel helps reveal the knowledge of the entire body. Hence, it was believed that consciousness resides in the navel. So how is the energy lying at the navel region to be tapped? Here are some yogic techniques that help you remove the impurities from the nadis and make the flow of energy smoother.

1) Mandukasana:

a) Sit in vajrasana.

b) Press your navel, not too hard, with both the hands or close the wrist and put them around the navel.

c) While inhaling stretch your shoulders back, and while exhaling start bending forward and try to touch your head to the floor. This helps in good intra-abdominal compression at the navel region.

d) Stay in this position for six seconds.

e) While inhaling come back to the normal position and relax.

The intense pressure on the abdominal region on the navel helps to increase one’s energy and this helps in the free flow of energy to your entire body.

2) Nabhi chikitsa:

This is an ayurvedic practice. At the navel region, apply oil, massage it, press it, and clear the navel congestion.

a) Take a little coconut oil or til oil and warm it up.

b) Pour this oil on your navel, and start massaging that area clockwise. Apply just a little pressure. Do this for a few minutes. This activates the body’s energy, opens all the energy channels, and makes the body free from energy blockages.

3) Bhastrika:

Sit in any of the meditative poses, put your hand on your navel, and start breathing in and out forcefully, very fast. Pull your stomach in with every exhalation. This generates a lot of heat and energy at the navel region. Do it on an empty stomach.

Following are the benefits of various kinds of oils:

a) Mustard oil: relief from headaches, cures chapped lips, vision gets better.

b) Almond oil: helps to make the skin glow

c) Olive oil: improves digestion and relieves back ache.

d) Neem oil: cures acne and rashes from the skin.

e) Ghee/ Butter: makes the skin soft and supple.

We have a lot of energy dormant in our body, we can activate it and tap it via the navel.

Authored by: Dr Hansaji Yogendra, The Yoga Institute