Center of the Body: Balance and Mindfulness : หน้า 83/200

CENTER OF THE BODY Every object in nature has its center of gravity, the point where it keeps its balance. For example, the center of gravity for a cup is at the center point of the cup; the center of gravity for a stick is at the middle point of the stick, etc. If you place a cup or a stick sideways or off the center of gravity, it will fall because it is out of balance. The center of gravity of all material objects is always located at the center location. The center of the body is the central point of our stream of consciousness, and also the inner source of happiness and wisdom. It is the natural home of the mind. Its location is two finger-widths above the navel in the middle of the abdomen. This is known as the “Seventh Base” of the mind. The goal of a meditator is to “tune” or adjust the mind through a single point of concentration and to arrive at the point of balance at the center of the body. When the mind reaches its perfect point of balance, it will have a clear-seeing quality that enables it to penetrate into a higher form of knowledge, insight, and wisdom. Think of the mind as the lens of a camera or the dial of a radio receiver. You can adjust the focus of the lens of the camera to capture the clearest picture; you can tune the dial of the radio to find the right wave-length in order to reach a desired station. The same principle applies to the mind—when the “focus” or “wave-length” of the mind is adjusted to the right point, it becomes the most powerful.