“Finding your center,” is a common term designed to remind an individual that they need to possess a certain sense of inner awareness as a means to forward themselves in a more refined manner as they pass their way through their life. Though, “Finding your center,” may be a great call to arms in spiritual circles, but it is completely undefined. What does it really mean? How does one actually do it?
 
For anyone who has walked the path of the martial arts, you know that, especially in the early stages of your training, you are constantly reminded that you must focus on your center. In Korean, the center of the body is known as the, “Tanjun,” or “Hara” in Japanese. It is understood that the tanjun is the body’s center of gravity and the bodily location from where Ki, “Internal energy,” emanates.
 
It is taught that for the practitioner to truly execute an effective technique their focus on this center of gravity must become innate. This is also where the, “Kihap,” in Korean, “Kiai,” in Japanese, the yell a martial artist does when they perform a technique, is launched from.  The tanjun is a location approximately four inches below your naval. From this central location, the tanjun extends approximately two inches wide by two inches in height. 
 
Within the martial arts, as this is a very sacred location on the human body, it is treated with the highest respect. There are numerous techniques taught to the practitioner in order for them to not only focus on this bodily location, but to utilize it to its fullest potential.
 
Though this is the case within the martial arts, the use of the tanjun is primarily based around enhances body balance and dynamics to advance the development and the utilization of Ki development and to be used in offensive and defensive fighting techniques. Does this cause the individual to rise to a deeper understanding of, “Finding their center?” Some would say, “Yes.” But, can something so physical ever cause the individual to truly developed a deeper understanding of their Inner Self? I suppose the answer to that question is questionable.
 
The point to all of this is, what are you doing to find your center? What are you doing to truly develop that sense of enhanced inner consciousness?  At least the martial artist is using the practices of tanjun focus and Ki development, designed around the body’s center of gravity, to utilize this understanding in making their physical and thus their mental being more profound. But, what does the average person do to do anything about this concept of, “Finding your center?” For most, the answer is, very little or nothing.
 
There is no one technique for an individual to find their center. There is one constant, however, the person must work at it. For without working at it, noting can be accomplished.
 
In closing, this is simply a wakeup call for you to do something other than nothing as you walk the pathway of your life towards a deeper understand about you and your life and your interrelationship with other beings and the greater universe as a whole. If you do nothing to find your center, your center will never be found. Sure, that may sound a little bit Zen. But, if you don’t try, you don’t try. Then what? Do you wish to live your life with no deeper understandings about the greater truth buried deep within yourself?  If you care to, “Know,” you need to find a method to find that answer. There are a lot of techniques out there. You simply must find the one that works best for you. Find your center.