These days more than ever we need to be like the center of the wheel, the spokes go out and the outside of the wheel moves very quickly, but the inner part of the wheel moves slowly and controls the large area around it. We can use this metaphor and image for centering -- our focus is inward, though we remain conscious of the outer but not affected by or moved by it. Our power is on the inside. In chigong (qigong) and aiki (martial art), when a technique is performed correctly it takes virtually no effort or strength but simply moves from our center and directs our intention outward in a particular manner.

Centering comes from our core, our inner being, not from the extensions of ourselves -- our arms and legs. It takes very little energy to set a ball in motion, yet it rolls for quite a long while if it is not met with resistance. To harness this kind of power, we focus on the energy source within to direct our moving about in the world.

When we focus on our center, we can extend energy much further than we can by using our arms and legs to physically move energy. We can extend our energy out into the far reaches of the Universe or deep inside the core of the earth. In centering, we can consciously draw in these cosmic and earth energies, just as we inhale air, and we can consciously release toxic energies, just as we exhale the carbon dioxide (CO2) which is toxic to our bodies. We trust the universe to use and/or transform these toxic energies, just as CO2 is used to feed plant life and waste matter is used to compost the earth.

Further Resources
+ For more ideas on how to ground/center/comfort yourself go here.

Graphics Credits
+ wheel, copyright © 2002 Sage Starwalker. All rights reserved.