The center of it all

The low abdominal breathing that is part of a good Siu Lim Tao practice inevitably draws the awareness to the thing known as the dantian after some time. This most important energy center is situated a few inches below and behind the navel.

This is a natural thing that should be encouraged but it will sometimes create a slight problem for the practitioner who will find himself not being sure about having his awareness on the hand motions or on his dantian/center.

It is only a problem in appearances because after a while (Can be very short) it will resolve by itself. Some kind of connection will spontaneously appear, linking the center and the hand motion and even the rest of the body.

There is no way to tell in advance the form this connection will take in the mind of a particular practitioner or the physical sensations it will create. It is a personal thing and it is highly unpredictable in nature. What is felt one day can be different the next.

The key principle is to simply never try to control or induce it. This is why a teacher should only tell about the process and let his student make his own discoveries.

The simple task of standing, breathing and making a slow motion of the hand can prove to be a very rich experience.