Learn how to prevent energy leakage and maintain a strong, open heart by focusing on proper mind-body connection, posture, and heart-centered goals.
In my last blog post, I discussed how to build a strong foundation for an open heart by strengthening the energy center in our lower abdomen (dahnjon). This week, I’d like to share ways to prevent the energy we’ve accumulated from leaking. To do this, we need to focus on some basic principles of energy.
Using Our Minds
The qi energy that circulates through our meridian channels and energy centers connects both our mind and body. They all affect each other. In particular, where the mind goes, energy flows. In other words, energy gathers wherever we direct our attention. The longer we focus on one place, the more energy will accumulate there. Just as sunlight focused through a magnifying glass can start a fire, directing our attention to a single point over time can have a powerful effect. This point of focus could be a physical location in our body, a person, or even an idea or goal.
In our daily lives, many external factors constantly demand our attention, scattering our focus. While we have many responsibilities to juggle, much like the principle of putting on our own oxygen masks first, we must focus on maintaining our energy before we can effectively help others. If we fail to do so, we risk depleting our energy reserves, leading to fatigue, emotional reactions, and stress. Unmanaged emotions and stress are another source of energy leakage.
In the exercises to build energy in our lower dahnjon that I shared in the last blog post, we focus our minds on that specific area. To maintain the energy and prevent it from dissipating, it’s essential to continue placing some of our attention there, even if only partially. This means being mindful of that part of our body throughout the day. By doing so, we can also feel more centered and calm.
Another important point of focus lies outside of us yet helps us concentrate our energy: a clear, heart-centered goal. Energy is generated by the heart, the middle energy center, and a strong lower energy center is key for keeping that heart energy stable and flowing. Directing some of our attention to what our hearts want while leaving some of it on our lower dahnjon helps keep energy flowing from our hearts. That energy fills our lower dahnjon and moves toward our goal. Our actions in response to focusing on that goal create situations that feed our hearts from the outside as well and help bring what we want into being.
Using Our Bodies
What we do with our bodies also directly impacts our energy levels. This is the foundation of practices like yoga and the postures I introduced in the last blog post. To allow energy to flow freely in our upper body, it’s important to keep our back and neck straight. Our hips also play a key role—they act as a container that holds the energy accumulated in the lower energy center. To prevent this energy from “spilling out,” we can practice turning or tucking in our hips.
Another essential aspect of protecting our energy is how we breathe. To retain energy, we should breathe with our mouths closed, allowing qi energy to stay in the body. Breathing through our noses helps us conserve energy, while breathing through our mouths releases it. When we are working to release stagnant or heavy energy, we may open our mouths to exhale and allow that energy to leave our body more easily. But exhaling through the nose helps keep our energy intact and balanced.
By maintaining proper focus, posture, breathing, and heart-centered goals, we can conserve and circulate our energy effectively—keeping our hearts open and our energy strong.
Related Posts
- Four Ways to Be a Good Listener without Losing Yourself
- Ilchi Lee’s Qigong for Boosting Energy and Transcending Stress Every Day
- Mastering Your Anger: 5 Steps to Take Control
- How to Develop Better Focus and Mental Clarity
- How to Have a Close Relationship While Standing in Your Own Power