Glastonbury and the Three Dan Tian – Part One
At a deeper energetic level than the normal organ meridians there exists to what the ancient Taoists refer to as the three Dan Tian. These are energetic centres that form at the very core of our being. Dan translates as ‘red’ or ‘cinnabar’ which was seen as a divine substance, whilst Tian means ‘field’ or ‘farmland’ – a place where growth can take place. Essentially the Dan Tian are areas where we can work to achieve energetic transformation.
The lower Dan Tian sits in the lower abdomen and energetically it is the one vibrationally closest to the physical body. In Chinese medicine it is closely linked to our Jing or our essence. It is the most tangible of the three Dan Tian and its formation, consolidation and filling are first steps of the Nei Gong process. As such it is our first field of transformation and can later be used as a storehouse for our energy.
The middle Dan Tian sits at the centre of the chest at the same level as the heart. It is associated with Qi and is seen as the gateway between the energy and consciousness bodies. It is the energy centre most closely linked to our emotions and there is a large electro-magnetic field that extends out from this area.
The upper Dan Tian sits within the head and is traditionally pinpointed behind and between the eyebrows. It is closely connected with our Shen or spirit and frequency-wise it is the closest to the emptiness of the Tao. It is through here that we may seek connection to the divine.
Rising up through these three centres and connecting them is the deepest of all our meridians the Chong Mai. Sometimes known as the Taiji pillar this central channel connects us to the Yang of Heaven and the Yin of the Earth. It acts as a kind of spiritual antennae connecting us to the higher energetic realms.
It occurred to me recently, after I had visited all of them in the same day, that the three holy energy centres of Glastonbury could be seen as manifestations of a similar vein to the three Dan Tian. Glastonbury Abbey could be seen as the lower Dan Tian, Chalice Well would be the middle heart centre and Glastonbury Tor would be the upper Dan Tian. And running through them all you have the entwined Michael and Mary ley lines that act like the Chong Mai connecting all the three centres and beyond.
This analogy works quite well and can be explored further- starting with the Abbey as the lower Dan Tian. The process of working with the lower Dan Tian starts with first locating it and then building its structure so it can be filled with Qi. This is not dissimilar to what may have occurred hundreds of years ago when the Saxons would have recognised that Glastonbury was already a place of high natural energy, and they then decided to build their church structures over the top of it. The ancient stone-masons and architects would have then used techniques that would have accentuated this natural energy, in effect – building the Qi. The lower Dan Tian is a field of transformation and this definition could apply to what they were trying to achieve at the Abbey. Monks and lay people alike would have come seeking to elevate their consciousness and to become closer to God.
Locating the very centre of the lower Dan Tian in the body is the first step in being able to build it and there are clear instructions on how to do so. We first draw an imaginary line going straight up from the perineum (Ren 1) – following the path of the Chong Mai. We then imagine a horizontal line going directly back from an acupuncture point known as Qi Hai (Ren 6), just below the navel. Where these two line intersect is the location of the centre of the Dan Tian. Interestingly if you draw a line from Benedict Street church (Ren 1) straight up through the Abbey and then you draw another horizontal line, southwards from St Johns Church (Ren 6) on the High Street, then where these two lines meet you will find the crypt of the Lady Chapel and the well of Joseph of Arimathea, the oldest and most sacred part of the entire Abbey.
Now, maybe all of this is just a coincidence, and maybe my brain has become addled by having my treatment rooms nestled right up next to the Abbey wall, or maybe, just maybe the ancient scape of this land and its ancient inhabitants were actually trying to tell us something. To be continued….